El proyecto Professional Development for Schools of Diverse Learners Principals: Strategies for Leadership and Language Enhancement, auspiciado por el Consejo de Educación Superior de Puerto Rico (CES) y dirigido por las doctoras Annette López de Méndez y María Irizarry, está orientado a los directores de escuelas públicas y privadas. Su propósito es fomentar el desarrollo profesional y capacitarlos en prácticas contemporáneas de liderazgo educativo y en estrategias de enseñanza innovadoras que integren las artes visuales, el teatro, las nuevas tecnologías, entre otras.
Inspirado en el proyecto Professional Training for Teachers of English to Diverse Learners: Strategies for Language Enhancement, este cuenta con la participación de 20 directores escolares aproximadamente. La primera etapa comenzó en marzo de 2010 y se extendió hasta el mes de mayo. La segunda etapa se extendió durante el año académico 2010-2011.
Además de la Dra. María Irizarry y la Dra. Annette López de Méndez, el proyecto contó con la participación de los doctores Elsie Candelaria, Rosemary Morales, Juan Carlos Vadi, Lowell Fiet, Alicia Castillo, Susana De Jesús y el profesor Aníbal Muñoz. Bárbara Otero Vázquez, asistente del Centro de Investigaciones Educativas, fungió como coordinadora del proyecto.
The Professional Development for Schools of Diverse Learners’ Principals: Strategies for Leadership and Language Enhancement Project was sponsored by a grant from the Puerto Rico Higher Education Council, No Child Left Behind Act and Title II Funds (NCLB-09-14). This project was implemented in partnership with the Educational Research Center at the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Humanities, a group of schools from the Department of Education of Puerto Rico and the Private School System.
This initiative was a response to the need of both public and private schools to provide school directors and English teachers with the opportunity to learn about the latest trends and development in strategies for leadership and English language to achieve a highly competent school principal and educator who can implement, evaluate, and supervise teaching strategies pertinent to the educational growth of diverse learners; facilitate the professional development of 20 school principals and educators in the areas of educational leadership, curriculum alignment, visual and performing arts, music, use of technology, and assessment strategies, as integrated to the teaching of English to diverse learners for a better academic achievement: promote and disseminate participants’ strategic planning through the design of an action plan and curricular matrix(es) based on standards of excellence; analyze the models for supervision, teaching, and evaluation of English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs; promote and disseminate participants’ plans for supervision and evaluation of the teaching and learning of English as a second language.
The instructional phase of the project took place between February and December 2010. Participants were recruited during March and May 2010, while the Educational Leadership Course (EDUC 8027 – 3 crds.) was offered during the month of June 2010. The second course focusing in the understanding of English Curriculum (EDUC 8130 – 3 crds.) was offered from August to December 2010. Participants attended a series of teaching strategies workshops (55 continued education hrs.). During the months of January to April 2011 follow-up visits and dissemination activities were implemented.
The project impacted 20 school principals and teachers, working at schools from K-12 level. This manual contains a series of articles produced by the professors in charge of the project, as well as teaching plans and reflections written by the participants.