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Who defines “Teaching Quality?”
Much appears in education literature these days about teacher/teaching
quality for a variety of reasons. Some use it to define or focus political
agendae, while others use it coupled with standardized test scores to discuss a
school’s viability. The purpose of the county Community Dialogue Leadership Team
is to arrive at a definition and understanding of Teaching Quality that will
stimulate discussion and direct local and state goal development.
What are the bottom line expectations of the FRNs or convening agencies?
The presence of the Family Resource Network personnel in the Teaching Quality
Initiative is paramount to its success. They have a pulse on the community, its
leaders and its needs. Ideally, the FRN should function as the facilitator or
point person in the county. There are, however, circumstances where this is not
possible. It is then the responsibility of the FRN, the TQI program manager,
county superintendent and a representative from economic development to decide
on a facilitator/point person during this process. Facilitator training and
resources are available from The Education Alliance.
What is the point of the Pilot Counties?
The procedures, outcomes, resources, and protocols of the Teaching Quality
Initiative are critically evaluated in the pilot counties so that adjustments
and recommendations can be made to the project for the remaining counties in
West Virginia. The results gleaned from the pilot counties will be available to
facilitators, technical assistants and program directors. To date, the pilot
counties are: Braxton, Mineral, Monroe and Wood.
Who sends out letters to identified participants?
Following the selection of participants for the Community Leadership
Dialogue Team, a letter of invitation should go out from the local convening
agency. If this is not possible, a letter of invitation or thanks can be sent
from The Education Alliance. This arrangement is made with the TQI program
manager.
Explain the suggested make-up of the Dialogue Team.
Concurrent with the project is the understanding that this is a grassroots
initiative with community wide input and support. The Community Dialogue
Leadership Team should be equipped to create a vision of what it wants its
schools to look like and to transform that vision into an action plan consisting
of three local and three statewide goals. When the grant funding this initiative
was framed, a “community core” was defined that would bring stakeholders in
education together to discuss and plan.
The Community Dialogue Leadership Team consists of: three parent representatives
from underserved populations; three parent representatives from the local School
Improvement Council and/or the parent-teacher organization; three business
representatives including at least one from small business; three teachers from
area middle and high schools; one representative from community social service
agency; one representative from the local convening agency; the county
superintendent or the school personnel director; a principal; a legislator; a
middle school student; a high school student and one member of the county school
board.
Can we add people other than those designated in the
grant?
This question usually accompanies a request to add a member of the local
ministerium to the dialogue team. The responsibility to identify and invite
people to be part of dialogue team is a local responsibility. If local needs
deem that people be added, feel free to do so as long as the core group
identified in the funding grant is fulfilled and no single group dominates. Keep
in mind that the larger the group, the more difficult it may become to reach
consensus.
Are the Schools of Education part of the discussion?
The goal of this initiative is to bring about some effective changes in
education. The colleges and universities are the places where teachers are
educated and trained. The Schools of Education become increasingly important in
this process in years II and III when the data is presented and discussed
statewide. The Marshall University School of Education is presently assisting
The Education Alliance in research, and data analysis.
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