‘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