Changing the Way I Teach: Building Teacher Knowledge, Confidence, and Autonomy

In this article, the authors examine the effect of a National Writing Project professional development model on a group of middle school writing teachers. The authors examine how contact with other professionals in intensive week-long sessions as well as mentoring from the professional development coach affected the teachers' concept of themselves as professionals, as writers, and as colleagues, as well as how this attitudinal change affected their classrooms and students. The authors begin with an overview of recent scholarship on teacher "empowerment," efficacy, and the National Writing Project. The authors then explicate their methodology and findings from this 2-year study, including how advanced knowledge builds confidence, how autonomy sustains empowerment, and how support can strengthen teachers, whereas other disempowering forces can negatively affect teacher actions. Implications for other professional development models as well as for future National Writing Project endeavors are included.