Need state: Helping teachers help at-risk students in

secondary school

Anne Lessard, Ph.D.

Need state

Tensions exist between the knowledge and skills offered in teacher education programs and the reality teachers face in practice in secondary schools.

A group of secondary school teachers assessed their need for professional development, specifically with regards to special education populations integrated in regular classrooms.

A custom program was created for them.

Professional learning community?

Action

Thoughtful collective

action

Transformation

Shared action

Teachers

PD progra

m

Teacher proficienc

y

Achievement/

adaptation

Expected vs unexpected outcomes

Teachers reported: Feeling better equiped

to deal with students (and parents), dosing intervention

Reflecting on their practice (on-going analysis)

Shared experience Going back to the

basics Specific skills

development

Teachers shared more amongst them (reliability)

Their discourse indicates fulfillment of psychological needs

They developed greater self-assurance