Reinvigorating Classroom Practice through Collaborative K-12 and Higher Education Professional Development

Abstract

High school, community college, and university faculty attempted to address student readiness for first-year college English classes by working with each other across sectors in an ongoing, collaborative professional development project, Successful Transitions to College (STC). STC demonstrates that teachers can work across sectors to smooth transitions for students who often navigate multiple educational systems throughout their K-16 experience. This professional development work intentionally built opportunities for faculty to work collaboratively while honoring teaching expertise and shared problem solving. Interest in student transition across academic sectors has created a fresh realization for many teachers—one of the best ways to impact student success is to better understand what happens for our students before and after each particular grade level. Professional development that values veteran teacher experience, leadership, and initiative can provide pivotal opportunities to reinvigorate classroom practice.

Keywords

• professional development
• college readiness
• English language arts