ARTIFACT 1

Running head: THE MASTER TEACHER EXPERIENCE 1

The Master Teacher Experience

Ms. Diya A. Blanchard

Oakland University
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Abstract

This critique reviews the Master Teacher Program at Detroit Public Schools Community District

(DPSCD). The program was designed to offer support to teachers and address the teaching

shortage as well. The master teacher is to offer support to teachers for half of the day while also

maintaining a classroom for the other half of the day. This design was implemented to support

student growth and to close educational gaps. On the surface it appears to be a good idea,

however, I’ve observed several pitfalls that have emerged already during this process. The

district is in dire need of a redirect in the way they approach their educational process.

Their aggressive approach has caused server growing pains because they made several changes

all at once. The district would benefit from a gradual change model. Changing positions,

curriculum and assessments stimulatingly has its consequences. Master teachers received the

training at the same time as the teacher’s they are responsible for coaching. So, everyone is

making the transition concurrently. A better strategy would have been to roll out the new

materials and training to the support staff first, so that they may assist with the transition. Also,

self-contained teachers are charged with attempting to learn multiple new curriculums, it’s a

daunting task! As always, the students suffer for poor planning on the parts of adults.
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Introduction: The Master Teacher Experience

Durfee Elementary/Middle school has 586 students. The school services grades pre-K –

8th grade. Their students are primarily African American making up 96.1% of their student

population. The male population accounts for 57.5% of their student count. They provide special

education services for 123 pupils. Durfee has a small population of bilingual students comprising

of a total of 3. Also, 72.5% of their students participate in the free/reduce lunch programs.

Currently, the district has been plagued with an overwhelming teacher shortage. Firstly,

not enough teachers to fill all vacancies. Secondly, a long arduous on-boarding process which

discourages applicants. Lastly, teacher retention is a huge obstacle, once an employee joins the

organization and experiences their unique growing pains, regret sets in. These growing pains are

results of the district’s many simultaneous on-going initiatives as they introduce, new

curriculum, staff, job titles/positions, standardized testing tools and revised student code of

conduct all at the same time. One of the many new adjustments is the addition of the position of

the Master Teacher. We are going to take a closer look and analyze how this new job title affects

the 6 principles that advance student achievement in highly effective schools.

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Principle 1: Common Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals

The four pillars forming the foundation of school success that are core to defining the

school culture. That culture reflects the collective commitment and values of those in the

organization (Blankstein 2013). Currently, the mission and vision are not clearly defined at

Durfee. Extensive clarification of the mission and vision is needed. more specifically I’d

appreciate clarification on my role in the grand scheme of this organization’s goals.

Defining the concept of relational trust according to Blankstein in schools focuses on

district role relationships and the obligations and expectations associated with each (Blankstein

2013). I’ll examine this from the lenses of a practicing master teacher who belongs to a

community of master teachers, who have expressed their feelings, fears, concerns and victories

openly in our PLC communities. Also, I’ve received feedback from staff as well as the students

the program currently supports.

Many teachers have taken offense to the title “Master Teacher” as to imply that we are

not all masters at our craft. It also implies that Master Teachers are somehow better than our

counterparts. As a marketing major myself, I agree that, perhaps, support teacher would have

been received better because it would have implied that we are servant leaders here to work with

the teachers.

Master teachers have to get over this fact when engaging with our counterparts that we

were not all hired with continuity. The initial requirements stated that in order to be considered

you needed to meet certain requirements such as:

1. Three highly effect/effective ratings with MOECS

2. A letter of recommendation from a sitting principal
3. And been teaching for at least 3 years
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These were the requirements for phase 1. Then when you moved on to phase II you needed to:

1. Provide 5 student samples

2. One detailed lesson plan that went along with the student samples provided
3. MOECS rating sheet
4. Updated resume
5. Notarized teaching certificate

Once invited to move on to phase III you were required to:

1. Successfully complete a panel interview

2. Successfully provide solutions to scenario questions/answers sessions
3. Execute the lesson plan submitted with students.

Once all three phases were successfully completed then and only then were you to be

added to the eligibility pool for principals to pull you into their school and offer you this

position. Upon review/through discussions it was revealed that not all Master Teachers arrived at

their schools via the established protocol. Some, did not complete all three phases, some did not

meet all the requirements, some principals appointed seasoned staff members and they

circumvented the process all together. You can only imagine how this made the rest of us feel

after we did meet all the requirements and fulfilled all the district was asking. This created a lack

of respect for the district’s process. I was unclear about the direction the district was moving in

so I asked my school leader about our mission, vision, core values and goals and she directed me

to a poster on the wall that read BLUEPRINT 2020.

BLUEPRINT 2020 is the district wide initiative which has strategic plans for rebuilding

Detroit Public Schools by the year 2020. Prior to this schoolyear every school had their own

individual mission, vision, core values and goals. Moving forward there is just one mantra for the

entire district. The mission states,” We educate and empower every student, in every community,

every day, to build a stronger Detroit.” To date teachers are not able to print, copy or scan and
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we don’t have a 1:1 ratio of computers to execute computer-based learning. I’m not convinced

that our current situation aligned with our mission.

The vision states, “All students will have the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary

to thrive in our city, our nation, our world.” To date The Master Teachers don’t have the training

and skills needed to help the teachers, therefore, the vision will not become fruitful until staff is

empowered with the tools needed to support the instructors so that they may develop the

students. Whereas the mission statement reminds us of why we exist, a vision paints a picture of

what we can become (Blankstein 2013). It seems so far off to see the picture pained by this

vision statement as I’m surrounded by the current day to day chaos. Clearly there are currently

no specific values or goals tied to the Master Teacher program that support the 2020 Blueprint.

Principle 2: Ensuring Achievement for all Students

As a whole the Master Teachers don’t feel like we have a handle as to what is going on.

Also, because it’s a new position, who do you ask? The mentor in charge of the program seems

to guide us in regards to administrative concerns as far as completion of paperwork and

deadlines. However, I need support with day to day operations and no one has been defined as

the go to person to field these concerns. Some members of the school community have had

experiences that, to them confirm the worst (Blankstein 2013). These are my sentiments exactly.

Having clarification on my role as well as support in place will ensure I’m able to

successfully execute my job functions. Providing continuous support for the teachers on a

consistent basis will help to ensure achievement for all students. Also, systems for prevention

and intervention can run more smoothly when job functions are performed with continuity on a

consistent basis.
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The after-school program is slated to begin next month. This program is to be

spearheaded by City Year. They are not certified teachers; however, they are willing to run the

afterschool enrichment program for invited students. These students have been identified based

on their current assessment scores. They will receive computer-based learning, enrichment and

homework assistance. The counseling department has several wholistic initiatives in place to

support families such as uniform purchase program, purity and abstinence, anger management,

home visits and adopt a family. Once some of the student’s basic needs are met perhaps they will

be able to focus more on school. Also, having a closer look on the dynamics of their family

should inform staff on how to better support our pupils. My suggestion would be to make

referrals for at-home tutoring programs for our at-risk student population.

Principle 3: Collaborative Team Focused on Teaching for Learning

Personally, I don’t feel that the district has any regard for me as a professional. Their

onboarding process took 9 weeks! I’ve lost valuable time this summer. I could have been taking

advantage of pertinent training and professional development. Because of their negligence, I’m

learning these processes right along with the staff I’m responsible for coaching. Of course, this

situation is not ideal.

Collaboration among colleagues is a means to an end: enhancing teaching for learning

(Blankstein 2013). We need the ability to be able to collaborate on a more consistent basis.

Schedules are dictated day to day depending on classroom coverage. This is inappropriate!

Students appreciate routines and structure. I am not able to let a teacher know in advance that I’ll

be there to observe, plan or debrief because currently, I’m being used as a glorified substitute

teacher. Another contingency needs to be put into place for absent instructors. It’s very
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disheartening to be dumped upon to cover at the last minute. The program will not thrive if value

is not placed/redirected on Master Teacher adhering to the appointed duties. I’m certainly going

to ask at our upcoming meeting with Monica...our mentor. The suggestion is for an afterschool

paid common planning period which would include 4 team members working collaboratively

after school for 1.5 hours. While it’s a good concept, it stretches the teachers and master

teachers. We must push and persevere after a full day’s work, brave rush hour traffic, and

provide additional paperwork that supports our sessions. It was further recommended that we

invite our principal so that she can see the breath of what is required. Growing the leadership

capacity to collaborate, with a focus on teaching for learning, and a basis and foundation of trust

(Blankstein 2013). Collaborative teaming is essential; however, it should be built into the master

schedule so teachers are not required to pour from an empty cup by working late and pilfering

time away from their families.

Principle 4: Data-Based Decision Making for Contiguous Improvement

Upon reflection of my standardized test score, none of my 22 students are on grade level.

The students’ scores range from 1st grade level to 5th grade level. I teach 7th grade. Data without

relationship merely causes more information glut (Blankstein 2013). It’s hard for me to break

this news to my students and we are just getting to know each other. Also, only 20% of the

families showed up for open house. So, for some families their first interaction with me will be

through receiving these unfavorable test results, accompanied with their first progress report

going home this week. Unfortunately, I did not receive formal training on this assessment, before

I administered it to my students. I was sent some instructions; an email and it was briefly touched

upon at a staff meeting. There is a whole class and manual that I should have been apprised of
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prior to the implementation/administering of this new assessment tool. At a minimum useful data

should be multisource, relevant, timely, consistent and disaggregated. Training on I-Ready, our

current assessment tool, is being offered to district employee so everyone can have a clearer

understanding of how to use the data to drive instruction. The data/curriculum committee is

brainstorming ideals on how to utilize this hard data to close educational gaps while attempting

growth towards staggering low-test scores. In order for assessments to indicate trend lines,

outcomes from the same assessment instruments are viewed at different points in time

(Blankstein 2013). This monthly meeting is not going to support the outcomes we desire. Data

analysis will need to done more frequently especially in the early stages. My recommendation is

that the academic leadership teams should also be looking over the data collectively during their

meetings and the Master Teacher facilitated PLC agenda should also include some time for data

dialogs.

Principal 5: Gaining Active Engagement from Family and Community

The research shows that the most accurate predictor of student academic achievement is

the ability of the student’s family to create a home environment the encourages learning

(Blankenstein 2013). I need the parents on my side to alleviate these staggering stats, I have 3

out of every 11 of my students are at a 1st grade level. We need to work collectively to devise a

plan. We also need to be on the same page. It is crucial to their success! I saw their faces as I

conducted teacher-student conferences with them and distributed their scores. We set goals and

established strategies they could utilize to improve; however, my students are going to need the

support of their families with this kind of a learning deficit. Develop positive feedback systems

to show appreciation of social emotional intelligence, small amounts of progress, and academic
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success (Blankstein 2013). Durfee is taking a run at this approach with classroom Dojo. Students

receive rewards/consequences for their behavior. Parents are invited and given access so they can

view their children behavior. Students can earn treats, gym time, movie days and recess. My

suggestion at our last meeting was that we should have a caught being good campaign where

student could be rewarded immediately for positive behaviors in addition to the current weekly

positive behavior system.

Principle 6: Building Sustainable Leadership Capacity

The teacher will need to assume leadership roles to turn thing around at Durfee. Three key

words for long-term school success: leadership, capacity and sustainability (Blankstein 2013). It

has to be all hands-on deck in order for us to pull our scores of out the slump we find ourselves

currently in. There are too many new positions, initiatives and programs running simultaneously

for two administrators to govern alone. The principal and assistance principal are both new

administrators. They will need support from their team to help elevate the school to new heights.

Master Teachers will need to receive the proper training along with other support staff to be able

to be proficient in supporting the district new initiatives. The vision is clear, the path and proper

protocols to take in order to get there, is blurry at best. As we work toward developing teachers

as leaders, we must move beyond the narrow definition of leadership and the minimal number of

roles that it comprises (Blankstein 2013). Teachers are the experts as many of the principals have

not engaged in curriculum training to the point of mastery. Master Teachers were asked to invite

their leadership team to the PLC meeting that they will be facilitating so that they may have a

full understanding of the execution on the new curriculum. Shedding light on what is required is

paramount. How can you evaluate what you don’t fully understand?
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Conclusion

If in fact the district desires to have the master teacher position to be regarded with respect

they need to do following:

1. Change the title for this position to something that will be embraced by all.
2. Hire candidates with continuity
3. Streamline the onboarding process
4. Front load all training
5. Provide Support

The district will need to have the PLC meeting with Master Teachers before school starts

moving forward to address concerns to ensure everyone is on the same page and feels competent

about executing their job duties.

Human resources need to conduct themselves with professional courtesy by hiring enough

personnel to process applicants in a timely manner and to ensure they get exposure, empowerment,

training and all tools needed to perform their job duties that they have been hired them to fulfill.

Lastly, the Master Teacher needs support with day to day operations over and above the

administrative paperwork to ensure the integrity of the program. The lines of communication need

to remain open so that all can benefit, especially the students from this new initiative. The district

has responded with a plethora of training opportunities. The majority of this training takes place

evenings and weekends which is not always ideal. My suggestion would be to access webinars,

conference calls and online modules. These learning opportunities would allow teachers to be at

home. While building communities is our charge, there has to be a balance in place for our families

to give them the time and attention they so richly deserve as well. Align focus with SMART goals

for the organization and choose a starting point (Blankstein 2013). The 2020 Blueprint is the

district’s plan to align their core values with the needs of their pupils’ academic needs. This is only

a year away. While I do see growth/progress this aggressive turnabout may not happen in the time
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slot allowed. One of the biggest challenges school leaders face is the tendency towards

fragmentation of efforts and focus (Blankstein 2013). In my assessment time is the enemy. In light

of this obvious hurdle we need to develop more creative ways to save time and money while still

accomplishing our SMART GOALS without burning out our teachers. The focused becomes

fragmented because currently there are too many new initiatives running concurrently. The focus

needs to be narrowed by prioritizing what really matters as it relates to achieving academic

excellence. After forming teams to work on different aspects of teaching and learning in your

schools, teams establish protocol (Blankstein 2013). Establishing structure is lacking in every

aspect of this educational turn around model. Systematic strategic next steps need to be in place as

a bridge to help get us from where we are currently, to where we desire to be. Alternatively, it is

the use of formative teacher assessments (for coaching purposes only) to assist in better outcomes

on final summative assessments(s) that are used for evaluation (Blankstein 2013). Master Teachers

have administrative rights to view all the data is an effort to provide coaching and support to the

teachers they service. The end result to offer support to both the teachers and the students and

move toward growth/development by utilizing the data as a blueprint to do so. Create opportunities

for community service and more meaningful, widely participatory student government (Blankstein

2013). Durfee has students currently writing essays and running for student government and I think

it’s a wonderful ideal. In addition to this opportunity for parent involvement. We need to also

partner with the local churches in our area to seize further outreach opportunities. Instructional

learning walks contribute to building shared understanding of quality instruction within the

professional learning community through the process of defining indicators of quality instruction

(Blankstein 2013). Ultimately, this is the goal of the Master Teacher to observe, model and support

instructional staff in an effort to provide access to the exceptional learning environment. All six
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principal need to be implemented with fidelity to adopt the core values outline in the Detroit Public

School Community District 2020 Blueprint. Master Teachers are a part of a grass roots initiative

to help grow Dr. Nickoli P. Vitti aggressive new plan to reform the district.
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References

Blankstein, A.M. (2013). Failure is not an option: 6 principles that advance student achievement

in highly effective schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

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