‘In Schools, in Community’ - first steps in the enactment of an effective university-school partnership model Patti Silbert & Jonathan Clark School of.
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‘In Schools, in Community’
- first steps in the enactment of an effective university-school
partnership model
Patti Silbert & Jonathan ClarkSchool of Education, University of Cape Town
www.sii.uct.ac.za
1. To describe UCT’s Schools Improvement Initiative (SII) university-school partnership model
1. To Report on the methodology of the case study as used in the SII partner schools during the initial stage of the intervention
The purpose of this presentation
The SII serves as a vehicle for extending the university’s engagement in schooling with the aim of improving the quality of educational provision
The Initiative
• Collaboration and mutually beneficial relationships
SCHOOLS
UNIVERSITY
“A university’s destiny is inextricably linked with the communities it serves…”(Harkavy & Hartley, 2009:9)
The nature of our engagement
COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY
The University, the community, the education District, the school & the classroom
Education DistrictEducation District
SchoolSchool
Contextually-specific, multi-level approaches in support of whole-school improvement
ClassroomClassroom
Organisational development & capacity-building
Focus on classroom practice & student learning
Partnerships, networks, collaborations
The school ‘in community’
500 000 people87 educational institutions60 000 learners (Grades R-12)
KHAYELITSHA
Partner School selection
• Four primary schools: evidence of improved learner performance in ANAs and provincial LitNum tests (Grades 3 & 6)
• Levels of present, and interest in future, participation in University-certified professional development (e.g. ACEs)
• Input from Metropole East Education District officials working directly in Khayelitsha schools
• Two secondary schools: Matric performance
• Staff and management ‘buy in’ to participate in the SII
Case Study as methodology
• The case study marks the initial stage of intervention by laying the foundation for subsequent development
• It generates a deeper contextual understanding of the school, informing the nature of engagement over the anticipated four-year intervention
• It offers a complex, differentiated approach which takes into account the school’s strengths and challenges as well as its development needs
• It offers a method through which to initiate dialogue and stakeholder engagement
DATA COLLECTION•Interviews•Focus group discussions• Observations
The SII approach to Case Study
CONSULTATION Principal, SMT, Teachers & SGB
CASE STUDY REPORT
Intervention strategies identified to address school’s development needs (Harris, 2002)
‘Initiator of dialogue’ (Senge, 1990)
&
‘call to action’(Adelman et al, 1980)
Collaborative identification of development priorities
• Whole-school support for leadership & management
Key development priorities across SII Partner Schools
• Teacher professional development
• Strategies to address discipline
• Parent involvement
• Strategic planning and development
School library
Equal Education
Engineers without borders (EWB)SHAWCO
Grade R screening programme
Organisational development
Management & subject-specific ACEs & university-certified Short Courses
UMMANGALISOPrimary
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