James Stiles, Associate Professor
University of Witwatersrand
 Pre-1990
 Separate Systems Based on Race
 Post-1990
 Reorganization and Conversion
 Current School Context
 Former Model –C
 Afrikaans Mode
 Farm Schools
 Township Schools
 Urgency of Change
 Overwhelming Poverty
 GROWING divide
 Union – Government relationship
 Weak results
 Achievement Gap
 International Comparisons
 Personal Authority
 Partnership – GDE and Wits
 Ten month Certificate of Attendance
 Monthly seminars
 Focus
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Professional Respect
Research
Attitude Shift
Community
 Focus on teaching and learning
 Focus on the desktop
 Moving from blame to action
 Syndicate groups
 Geographic
 Mixed levels
 Process of change
 Explore plenary issues more deeply
 Modeling assignments
 Offered in 2008-2009 and again 2009 – 2010
 780 SMT and district officials
 Program issues
 Selection
 Support
 Collaboration
 Teaching and Learning Improvement Plan
 3-4 issues
 Concrete outcomes
 585 SMT members “graduated” the program
 75% completion rate
 Creation of an Alumni Forum
 Will be conducting research in the coming 3 years
 Cooperative Large-Scale Narrative Study
 In-depth case studies
 Additional interventions in selected schools