Teacher inquiry in small learning communities: Using the prospect center descriptive processes

This topic of study lies at the intersection of ongoing teacher engagement in professional learning communities and the use of the Prospect Center Descriptive Processes to enlarge teachers\u27 perceptions of students\u27 capabilities and possibilities for growth. Through the discipline of observation, this study made visible the faculty\u27s work in Small Learning Communities (SLCs) and the role that teachers\u27 reflective practice and instructional decision-making had on promoting inquiry, conversation, and learning that puts the whole child at the center of instruction. The study addressed the nature of the conversation among teachers in their description of students. How teachers describe their experiences using the Descriptive Processes to look closely at the child, the classroom, and the school was also investigated. Finally, an analysis of our collective work engaging in these processes shed light on how these efforts with the faculty--and our exploration of the Descriptive Processes--influences the actions I take as a school leader. This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological approach. Data were collected over the course of the 2012-2013 school year, including transcripts from Small Learning Community meetings, pre- and post interviews with presenting teachers, and conventional professional development evaluation documents completed at the conclusion of every professional development meeting at the school. Data included notes from my researcher\u27s journal penned during the length of the study. Findings from this study are organized around three specific themes: A Different Slant/The Power of Description, Teacher Inquiry and Collective Responsibility. A fourth theme, Relational Trust, weaves throughout all previous themes. Findings indicate that exploration of the Descriptive Processes can enhance teachers\u27 capacity to observe and describe students, provide a portrait of the child as a learner and support teachers in learning to think critically and create theory. Implications for practice and ideas for further study include cultivating a culture of reflection and inquiry, expanding student assessment to include the disciplined study of children and their work, enacting improvement by design through practice-focused school improvement, and finding ways to further enhance relational trust