CHAPTER ONE: MY STORY

The Journey to Reflective Practice

When I began my postsecondary education, I knew I loved studying science. Without a clear career goal, I progressed toward the Bachelor's degree until the last semester of my final year when I decided I'd apply for the B.Ed. program. Teaching seemed to offer a practical application of the knowledge I'd gained as a biochemistry student. I want to emphasize that I have always loved learning and that my own teachers were excellent and inspiring role models. I valued my teachers and hoped to continue in their tradition-helping students love learning about life through science. In retrospect it's clear that my decision to become a teacher was not random. I became a teacher for a purpose, and over the past 14 years have progressed as an educator to serve this purpose.

Considering that most new teachers have had 18 years of classroom experience as students to bring to their practice, it's interesting that many spend the early days of their careers focused on their subject areas and classroom management. My days were spent developing "lesson plans" and delivering material to students, marking student work and recording the marks they'd earned, and making sure that students met the school's code of behaviour. I often reflected on my students and what they were doing, and ways they could improve their learning or behaviour; at the same time, I had very little awareness of myself as a teacher and virtually never considered how I might better facilitate their learning. After 5 years as a classroom teacher, I enrolled as a student in the Ministry of Education's Honour Specialist program in Biology, and this step in my learning process began a transformation that would affect everything I knew about content, behaviour, and pedagogy.

This course was offered as Ontario instituted destreamed classes in grade 9. Traditionally, grade 9 saw students streamed into advanced, general, or basic classes depending on their learning ability and skill. In a destreamed class, all grade nine students were in class together and much of our attention was given to ways to teach and assess students in destreamed classes. I was forced to decide whether to try a new way of doing business in my destreamed grade 9 classes or to continue teaching this new grouping of students in the way I had previously taught grade 9 general or advanced science. The course instructor presented a mastery learning model, and this made sense to me for grade 9 science.

When I returned to school that fall, I began to work with the department head to develop a mastery learning program for our grade 9 science classes, and we delivered content to students in a new way that fall, with an emphasis on helping students learn how to learn. Having participated in the development of curriculum, I was interested in expanding my leadership and became the Head of Science at another school in our board. I took the grade 9 program to my new school and worked with one other member of the science department to begin to change the way we taught grade 9 science. I was becoming what Michael Fullan calls "a change agent" (1993, p. 6), and while I knew that the ideas behind the mastery learning model seemed right, I was unsure about why. Because I wanted to understand the theory behind my practice, I enrolled in Brock University's Master of Education program with an emphasis on curriculum. At the same time, our newly amalgamated school board established Action Research groups in each family of schools. With the encouragement of our Superintendent, I joined the local group and found a home for examining my practice and facilitating change.

In both the master's courses and the Simcoe Action Research Team (SART), I was encouraged to reflect on my practice and dialogue with others. The paired concepts of journal and critical partnerships made me a much more reflective person in general as I started to look at the consequences of my actions. I began to make changes to the way It aught, what and how I assessed, and how I interacted with students and colleagues. Through action research and reflective practice, I began to understand Fullan's (1993)reference to Goodlad: "The epistemology of teaching must encompass a pedagogy that goes far beyond the mechanics of teaching. It must combine generalizable principles of teaching, subject specific instruction, sensitivity to the pervasive human qualities and potentials always involved" (p. 9). While my early teaching experience was about content and control, my practice finally began to embody my values as an educator. I was committed to the values Sirotnik identifies as "inquiry, knowledge, competence, caring, freedom, well-being, and social justice" (Fullan, p. 9) and sought ways to make these watchwords in my professional experience. This led me to explore new opportunities, both in the classroom and the board at large.

Prior to the fall of 1999, I had been the Head of Science at a small, rural high school in Ontario's tobacco belt. As a student in Brock University's Master of Education program, I had been developing an increasingly reflective practice and through my reflection recognized that our students would benefit from formal teaching about agriculture and business. From the department head's perspective, I began to envision an interdisciplinary studies (IDS) course in Agribusiness. It was my intent to teach the course and really get firsthand knowledge of teaching interdisciplinary studies, and while I personally had little technical and practical expertise in Agribusiness, I was confident that my strong pedagogical background would allow me to overcome this obstacle. I was aware of many models of IDS courses. Heidi Hayes Jacobs (1999) describes a continuum of options for content design, beginning with discipline-based education with little or no integration and moving through increasing degrees of integration: what she describes as parallel, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary units, integrated days, and complete program integration (p. 7). I was interested in moving to the most integrated end of the continuum and favoured the transdisciplinary approach, which "implies that although the disciplines are embedded in the topic, they are not the main focus" (Drake, 1998, p. 92). There is areal world context in this approach in which student as a researcher is a core concept. Within this approach, teachers act more as facilitators and allow students to take on the role of researcher. Drake cautions that "many transdisciplinary approaches challenge the central tenets of the traditional model" (p. 93). With students having much greater control of their learning, there is an increased need for flexibility not found with traditional teachers and classrooms; teachers must adapt from a transmissional to facilitative mode of teaching. Additionally, in a transdisciplinary approach teachers must exhibit comfort in working outside their subject-specific expertise, drawing on a broad knowledge base that may not be defined by particularities of a single discipline.

I was ready to challenge myself as a teacher. I had joined an Action Research group in our regional office and began to search for other people interested in developing IDS courses (Journal, December 7, 1998). My practice was undergoing change in other ways, too. I had noted that while I gave my chemistry students lots of problems, they continued to struggle with the chemistry concepts of the mole and stoichiometry (Journal, December 7, 1998); by January 4, 1999, I had decided to change my teaching in hopes of making the students' experience more relevant: "I'm thinking about approaching My OAC biology course differently next semester. I would like to make it issue oriented. Start the course webbing relevant issues and have students engage other students in discussions on selected topics which are related to the curriculum" (Journal, January 4,1999). My journey as a reflective practitioner was under way, and it was about to lead me in some new and interesting directions. In the spring of 1999, I applied for a support position in our board and became the Secondary Teacher Consultant for seven area secondary schools.

Ultimately, changing roles changed the intended focus of the project for me. I now had to engage students in a secondhand fashion and felt only remotely connected with the learning process. This is a common feeling I have observed among support staff who are out of the classroom. Despite visiting classes in progress on a few occasions, I usually had access to only a very limited view from which to make major decisions with regard to the program; this is indicative of the kind of challenge faced by the teacher consultant in general. From this perspective, as someone whose role is to improve student learning by supporting teachers in curriculum and assessment, I asked myself what I could do for the teachers on the front line to facilitate the development and implementation of the Agribusiness course (Journal, September 2, 1999).

My Experience as a Newly Appointed Teacher Consultant

In order to understand my own personal growth and development in the context of facilitating the implementation of an interdisciplinary program in schools, I have to set into context the complexity of the role. As a classroom teacher moving into the system position of teacher consultant, I found myself to be a master teacher but a neophyte in the field of consulting. My past experience working with teachers as a department head had developed organization and people skills but had left me with a steep learning curve to master the position of consultant, which involved more than simply liaising with teachers, namely managing time, resources, and multiple projects.

When I moved into my office in the fall of 1999, my only initial guide was a piece of paper that tersely described my role. Responsibilities were listed for grades 9-OAC including but not limited to: school and classroom visitations; workshops for teachers and administrators; sharing information via various media; and coordination, development, and implementation of curriculum documents, resources, and instructional materials. While there were listed some specific responsibilities like Choices into Action (Ministry of Education, 1999a), a new ministry initiative, for the most part I was left to choose a direction of focus based on school and system needs.

The Evolution of the Project

Like many educational leaders in the face of secondary school reform, I felt that undertaking new initiatives would help develop a magnet program and boost enrolment in science classes at my school. As a Master of Education student, I had explored Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) and saw an opportunity to develop a magnet program for our school that would meet local needs. Delhi is in the heart of Ontario's tobacco belt, and the entire area is heavily agrarian; an IDS course in agribusiness would combine studies in science and business and thus appeal to students from across the region (Field Notes, March 27, 1999), many of whom would leave secondary school for the world of work on local farms. A biochemist by training, my experience in agriculture is limited, but I could see a real opportunity to offer authentic learning experiences to students whose frame of reference was much more agriculture connected than my own. I believe in authentic learning (Journal, February 6, 1999), and was excited to think that this course would build links to community resources, offer sound academic support to our students, and perhaps become a magnet program for students across the region. My idea to design this course was fully supported by the principal and our superintendent, and I was able to begin planning to offer the two-credit IDS course in Agribusiness the following fall.

It was my initial intent to teach the course and therefore gain a firsthand perspective of the students' needs and accomplishments in the class. My engagement in the project was focused through the students' needs for skills and knowledge that would assist them in agricultural careers or further agribusiness study. I was confident that my teaching experience and understanding of curriculum, assessment, and research would allow me to overcome my perceived weakness in the area of agriscience.

I planned to follow the development and implementation of the course in agribusiness as an action research project, with myself as the teacher practitioner at its heart and the department head of business as my partner. We published the description oft he course in the school's calendar, and enough students selected the IDS course that we knew it would run the following fall. I was quite excited about putting my theory into practice when a new opportunity arose to escalate my values-based reflective practice: a support position became available in our Family of Schools' Support Centre. As a teacher consultant, I would be able to effect larger change in our system, rather than working in one school. If I changed roles, this project would become one of many on which I worked, and while I was hesitant to relinquish control of the Agribusiness project, I was anxious to develop new critical partnerships and widen my circle of

influence (Covey, 1989, p. 81). Ultimately, I decided to accept the support position and began working with the new Science Head who agreed to continue with the project I'd begun at Delhi District Secondary School (DDSS). At this point, my action research question changed. I now asked: "As a Teacher Consultant, how do I facilitate the change related to the design, development, and implementation of a new interdisciplinary course?"

Introduction to the Project

This is a study examining my role as a consultant in facilitating the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary course in Agriculture and Business (Agribusiness) at a small rural secondary school in southern Ontario in the midst of Ontario's Secondary School Reform. Ontario's Secondary School Reform for grade 9 started in the fall of 1999 and, as our elementary colleagues in previous years, secondary teachers found themselves in the midst of significant change in practice. The curriculum was standardized across the province, each subject and grade had overall and specific outcomes for learning, and assessment practice required a separation of achievement and learning skills.

Similarly, in the fall of 1999, my role and perspective changed. I had been a science teacher and department head with a classroom perspective and became a curriculum consultant with a reformed and much broader system perspective. The Agribusiness project mirrored a transition in my personal and professional reforms which presented new challenges and insights as my perspectives on the project changed. Recognizing that as a teacher involved in the implementation of the new IDS course I would have a greater degree of control over the process not afforded a consultant, my new role became one of leader, facilitator, and change agent. I would be a resource for the teachers who are on the front line. In light of the reformed curriculum and assessment practices required in the Ministry of Education's policy, Ontario Secondary Schools Grade 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements (1999b), the development of a new course seemed at times excessive. Yet, the findings of this research not only give insight into two teachers' perspectives on process of development and implementation of new courses like the locally designed Agribusiness course in the context of 1999 Ontario reforms, but also guide future teacher consultants in their roles as facilitators of change.

The project began as Ontario's secondary schools began a process of reform as outlined in its Ontario Secondary Schools Grade 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements (Ministry of Education, 1999b) policy. While the teachers involved in the project itself did not teach the first classes to implement the new grade 9 curriculum, as department heads they were aware of the many changes, including more student-centred approaches to planning and teaching and standards-based assessment practices which required a 4-point leveling of standards through 4 categories of achievement (Ministry of Education, 1999b). Both department heads were interested in developing the new course to align with the Ontario secondary school curriculum.

As a teacher consultant, I had the opportunity to read and reflect on various aspects of curriculum reform over the course of this project; the classroom teachers were not so fortunate. One of my greatest concerns would be addressing whether the IDS teachers would be able to meet the challenges of development and implementation of the course. Recent political pressure had seen upheaval in the collective bargaining process across the province, and advertising campaigns brought political pressure on teachers who felt that their professionalism and credibility were being challenged by the government.

Added to the curriculum and assessment reforms, the obstacles teachers faced in1999 were considerable. I wondered about the IDS teachers' ability to manage their end of the project. Would they have time to research and prepare materials for their sections; would larger classes and bigger marking loads take their attention away from the IDS project? Additionally, many teachers were struggling to survive while teaching new courses from a student-centred perspective. I was aware that other teachers might not be supportive of a team designing a new interdisciplinary course, and that they, in fact, might feel threatened by such proactive work in their school. Consequently, I wanted to support the two participants in the development team as much as possible through the process.

Purpose of Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the leadership role of a teacher consultant involved in facilitating change related to the design, development, and implementation of an interdisciplinary course which combines the disciplines of science and business through agriculture using the Ministry of Education guidelines for Interdisciplinary Studies. My classroom, school, and system experience gave me thorough knowledge of the curriculum reform, and I examined the piloting and implementation process of this interdisciplinary course from the perspective of a new teacher consultant. Using an action research methodology, I facilitated professional dialogue and reflection among participants of the pilot: two experienced teachers who were the heads of Business and Science, the principal of the school, and me. I was available to offer direction and support for the teachers while collecting data as the pilot project faced the many key challenges of implementation and development. I believe that the compilation of data from this study can be used as a framework for future IDS course development and by teacher consultants who seek direction and professional growth in facilitating curriculum and pedagogical change within a system.

Objectives

Ultimately, through the specific situation at DDSS, I was concerned with two fundamental questions regarding the role of the teacher consultant. First, what leadership role would a curriculum consultant play in the change, implementation, and development of new IDS courses with strong local focus? Second, how could I work within the already-established frameworks of the board to provide guidance and support for the teachers of the IDS course in agribusiness?

Importance of the Study

Early in my career, our board did not have teacher consultants for secondary curriculum and assessment. The responsibility for curriculum and assessment rested with department heads who had a financial responsibility allowance and scheduled time (1period/day in major departments) to complete department duties including curriculum design, policy making, and administrative activities. With changes in Ontario's funding formula in 1999, most department heads' time allotments were cut and the responsibility allowance was reduced. This change led to our amalgamated board opening several positions for secondary consultants where none had existed in the predecessor boards.

The consultants' roles were only loosely defined, and when I opened the door to my office on the first day of my new job as a teacher consultant, I wondered what, exactly, would be the requirements of the job. In a position that is mostly undefined in terms of a job description, teacher consultants must design the work that will fill their days; in my board, the primary focus of the role of the teacher consultant is assessing teachers' needs and providing assistance to help teachers in a particular family of schools to improve student learning. Hence, the teacher consultant's role offers both the freedom and the burden of flexibility. This study shares my experience in one project within the role I have undertaken and, in this context, presents one way a teacher consultant can facilitate the development of new curriculum.

While classroom teachers have activities, projects, and other assessment tools to measure their success in improving student learning, for the teacher consultant, who is one level removed from the students themselves, it is more difficult to measure one's impact. By helping teachers, the consultant can influence teachers and thus, through the collaborative process, help to improve the learning of students. The consultant's role is significantly different from that of the school administrator or classroom teacher. The consultant communicates Ministry and system ideals and initiatives and then helps administrators and teachers to comply with those, but it is difficult for the consultant to see the impact of his or her work without a body of knowledge, benchmarks, or a formalized context for doing so.

In her book, Action Research for Professional Development, Jean McNiff (1995)says: "Action research is a very practical way of looking at your own work in order to check whether it is as you would like it to be" (p. 5). The use of an action research approach for collaborative development of curriculum and its implementation appears to be unfamiliar to most teachers within the secondary panel of our board, as evidenced by low secondary attendance at conferences and meetings of organizations like the Simcoe Action Research Team (SART) and Secondary Teachers' Action Research (STAR). Founded in 1998 and 2000 respectively, both groups encourage and facilitate action research projects in the Simcoe area family of schools of the Grand Erie District School Board. The encouraging of teachers to take a more reflective approach to their practice is of benefit to both the board and the teachers themselves: "We know that teaching knowledge is created, not through the transmission of skills as was believed in earlier models of professional development, but through teachers engaging in systematic, and often collaborative inquiry on questions of personal and professional significance" (Home, 1998, p. 7). According to Sagor (2000), action research offers teachers a way to build and share knowledge, enhance their practice, and build collegiality. This is why I chose to involve two teachers in my action research project: I hoped that my project might model action research methodology and help the teachers develop a more reflective and collegial practice of their own.

This project examines the background, research and findings of this study of the consultant's role in the development and implementation process of an IDS Agribusiness program at a small rural school in the Grand Erie District School Board. There is value in the study of facilitating a project, and other teacher consultants could follow my process to facilitate a project involving teachers in developing and implementing a new course. The greatest merit in this project, however, is personal in nature: The process of self-reflection has offered me an authentic opportunity to examine my practice. The study presents secondary consultants with an example of action research that highlights ways in which a consultant can build capacity to support teachers.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

As elaborated in the literature search, much theory already summarizes the increased value of interdisciplinary courses but has little coverage of actual facilitation of implementation in practice. Consequently, this study does not focus on the impact on the students' learning but attempts to describe the issues and impact of IDS course development and implementation on teacher consultants and the teachers they assist.

This action research project represents the action and reflection of a teacher consultant involved in the development and facilitation of an IDS course. In the role of consultant, my focus was on the interaction I had with administrators and teachers, rather than on the actual classroom activities and students. Of interest in this study is the facilitating process and issues faced by consultants as they assist teachers while developing and implementing IDS courses.

This pilot project is context sensitive and, as such, relies on the personal integrity of the participants to participate in an open, honest, and productive way. It depends on a strong professional relationship among all participants. My assumption that the two classroom teachers were objectively participating is a limitation of this study because, during the project, their responses were so closely connected to their experience. In facilitating this course in agribusiness, my actions were directly based on the two teachers' communication regarding their needs for support, and my assumption over the course of the project was that the teachers could identify and explain their needs. Hence, the data gathered in this project are not directly reproducible, and other projects of this nature would reflect the individual participants' understanding and communication.

Finally, the action research cycle took place over only one semester of a secondary school year. This is a natural time frame in a secondary school, but it does mean that there is not much space between action, observation, reflection, and reaction. Monitoring the teachers and course over several semesters might bring different conclusions to light.

An extension to this project would involve more teachers and classrooms, interviews with students, and classroom monitoring to determine the impact of the teacher consultant's work on student learning.

Project Outline

A review of the literature is presented in Chapter Two. The literature review is composed of three main sections. Organizational Structures and Obstacles, the Creation and Sharing of Knowledge, and Educational Leadership outline the main literature and background related to the organization of this study. The literature in the review presents theory and research for education, leadership, and change, all topics of relevance to education support staff and teacher consultants.

Chapter Three is the Methodology and Procedures section that gives an overview of the methods of data collection of this project and the methods for analyzing those data. It explores the means I employed to conduct and analyze a reflective study of my practice as a teacher consultant, explaining my action research process, the data I gathered in conversation with the two teachers in this project, and my methods for coding and organizing my data over the course of the project.

Chapter Four is an overview of findings for the project. It is a narrative discussion organized according to the themes emerging from the research: Information Management, Connecting Theory and Practice, and Consultant Credibility. Within each of these themes, several subthemes and areas of frustration emerge. Because the project is a self-study, the themes that emerge from the research are especially relevant to my practice as a consultant, but the potential for other new consultants to identify with my findings is great. The project findings, conclusions, implications, and recommendations are summarized in Chapter Five. It links the new findings in my research to the literature reviewed in this project and emphasizes how I overcame many of the challenges I found as a new consultant.