Sharing the Classroom: A Professional Development Opportunity for Teachers and Social Workers
Publication Date
11-16-2017
Summary
Teacher professional development associated with classroom-management strategies has proved to be particularly challenging in high-poverty schools working to emphasize the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL). Participation in weekly classroom-based, positive youth development (PYD) program sessions, facilitated by social workers, contributes to the repertoire of students’ social and emotional skills. Surprisingly, a closer examination of qualitative results from a mixed-methods longitudinal study suggests that when teachers and social workers share the classroom during the PYD program implementation, there is a positive shift in adults’ perceptions of students. As teachers and social workers observed each other working with students, their repertoire of SEL-associated classroom-management strategies expanded and positively overflowed into the school culture. This case study suggests a theoretical shift to consider interdisciplinary professional development that shares power and incorporates situational peer mentoring for teachers and social workers. Five implementation strategies are identified for optimizing outcomes.
Document Type
Article
Category
Civic Engagement and Service
Subarea
Community Engagement
Original Citation
Robertson, A. S., McBride, A. N., Chung, S., & Williams, A. (2017). Sharing the classroom: A professional development opportunity for teachers and social workers. Power and Education, 9(3), 161–176. doi:10.1177/1757743817739460
Project
Civic Engagement and Service
Keywords
education, professional development, schools, social work, urban, poverty, prison, classroom management, civic engagement
Recommended Citation
Robertson, A. S., McBride, A. N., Chung, S., & Williams, A. (2017). Sharing the classroom: A professional development opportunity for teachers and social workers. Power and Education, 9(3), 161–176. doi:10.1177/1757743817739460