Paula White, Facilitator
Dena Sukol, Recorder
PARTICIPANTS:
Christine Coppa, BHHS, ccoppa@ccp.edu
Dave Freeman, Justice, dfreeman@ccp.edu
Theresa Grady, Dental, tgrady@ccp.edu
Sue Ellen Liebman, Humanities, sliebman@ccp.edu
Fran Lukacik, Allied Health, flukacik@ccp.edu
Madeline Marcotte, English, mmarcote@ccp.edu
Kelly McQuain, English, kmcquain@ccp.edu
Janet Olson, Dental, jolson@ccp.edu
Dena Sukol, Paralegal, dsukol@ccp.edu
Faith Watson, English, fwatson@ccp.edu
Regina Wertheimer, Dental, rwertheimer@ccp.edu
Paula White, English, pwhite@ccp.edu
I. What did the film discounted dreams say about the need for faculty professional development?
(Note: As I had indicated before 10/8, I was not able to be present for the film so I only saw the last part of it. Thus it was sometimes difficult for me to put comments into context of the film with respect to this Discussion Question.)
Advising
Enormous amount of concern about the level of preparedness and support faculty have been given with respect to their responsibilities to do advising. Apparently, during the film, students were speaking about getting poor advice -- certainly our students here speak about that -- and the advising routine that has been established at CCP plays right into that problem. Most of the faculty members in our group related stories surrounding students who had been given poor information in their advising, as a result of which, they were not prepared to graduate when they should have been or they did not have proper prerequisites for courses they were taking.
FINAL CONSENSUS: There should be a MODEL FOR ADVISING that all of us can easily use and are trained in. “We have no models.”
Counseling
Our students have extraordinary needs for a large number of counseling services. We need help in understanding “where our students are coming from”. We need a source for faculty to learn how to fit into a counseling model and help in developing different skills to handle the counseling needs of our students.
During our discussion of this, one of the participants related a potential problem that comes up when we attempt to counsel students. This participant stated that there were negative repercussions in referring students to the Center on Disability. There was a definite need for clarity as to whether we are permitted to/able to refer people directly to the Center or whether we have to first refer individuals to Counseling and allow Counseling to refer the student to the Center on Disability, for legal reasons. Most participants stated that they had referred students directly to the Center on Disability and were not aware that they should not be doing that.
FINAL CONSENSUS: We need to know, definitively whether we are permitted to refer students directly to the Center on Disability.
White and Sukol brought this to the attention of Susan Tobia at the end of the Roundtable Discussion. Within hours, she provided the following direction which she received from Ms. Francesca DiRosa:
“Of course faculty can refer students to the Center On Disability...if
they find that a student is demonstrating evidence of a learning
disability, they can definitely meet with the student and suggest that
they meet with a counselor in the Center...same if there are issues in the classroom whereby a student is having a physical or visual problem, etc. and may benefit from services.
However, if a student is demonstrating behavioral issues that pose a threat or disrupt the class, then the faculty member should call security.. or if not immediately a threat or disruption refer to counseling... not the Center on Disability.
Also, the Center On Disability does not test students for learning disabilities....students should be referred to [the Center on Disability to] meet with the counselor in the Center to go through the Assessment process to discern the need for testing...if found to need such they will be referred out for testing..."
Student Responsibility & Motivation
There was some discussion about the teacher in the film who stated that he would not stop students from using phones or text messaging; that it was their responsibility to come to class prepared to learn and not his responsibility to cajole them into learning. Juxtaposed to this teacher was the teacher who gave out candy to motivate students. Some of our participants took exception to “dangling the carrot” -- stating that it was demeaning and not what should be done with college students. Another participant noted that “extrinsic motivation leads to intrinsic motivation.”
2. What do we already do at CCP with faculty professional development?
There were several who felt that PD efforts on the part of the Administration were moving in a more positive direction. Participants were, for the most part, positive as to the ability to see genuine change in the quality of PD offered. There was a sense on the part of some that there were more collaborative efforts being made to develop meaningful PD.
Most participants felt that Professional Development programs in the past years had adopted several themes seriatim, making consistency, focus and real growth very difficult. One of the benefits of “Achieving the Dream” is that we are locked into one theme for four years which will allow for more meaningful PD.
Other concerns about PD programs of the past
- PD efforts were designed to “keep faculty on message” rather than addressing real concerns that faculty had.
- Sign-in sheets required at some events in the past took the wind out of everyone’s sails, indicating a failure on the part of the Administration to accord faculty the professional respect they deserved;
- Some members of the Administration did not assume that faculty members would be truly interested in programs that helped develop their skills. It often felt that several members of the Administration focused on the relatively few inadequate faculty members.
3. What have we learned from these efforts?
4. What more do we need to do?
Based on the thoughts and concerns shared at our table, faculty are more than willing to “get with the message and program” that the Administration wants, provided there is respect for faculty’s professionalism. Faculty are “hungry” for genuine, high quality professional development programming. They want a strong sense of collegiality and sharing. Most at the table were hopeful and optimistic about more rewarding PD programming in the future.
SPECIFIC SUGGESTION FOR PD WEEK: Rather than begin with an address by Dr. Curtis, put his address on the web so that we can listen to it beforehand, and begin the week with a question and answer period. Even better, begin the week with a Pep Rally. Most of us are excited to get back to school -- there doesn’t seem to be a recognition of the positive energy that exists in this room after a summer or semester break hiatus. We should be capitalizing on that energy! Start the week off with something that gets all of us talking and using that energy.
Administrative focus on “bad actors” rather than on the majority of faculty who choose to learn and grow is self-defeating for the institution as a whole. It would make much more sense to focus on those who bring positive energy to their profession rather than focus on those who do not.
Seminars should be offered on a regular basis, several times throughout the year
A strong agreement existed that more Professional Development programs are needed that address the specific pedagogic, professional, career needs of faculty. For example, there should be support for attending conferences; many more seminars provided on, e.g.,
- How to Take Leadership Role in National Organizations
- How to Write a Mini Grant;
- How to Write a Grant to a Foundation/Govt Agency
- How to Work at Promotion (Acknowledgment was given to the fact that Judy Gay is in fact going to provide such a seminar )
Conferences
We would like more presentations from faculty who have attended conferences so we could benefit from their experiences.
Keeping up With Pedagogical Reading
It’s impossible to keep up with everything going on in the field. If we had some way to split up the journal reading and have regular abstracts published, it would be great. This way we would all be more “on top” of the hot topics in our field.
Faculty enjoy and want to contribute to Institutional Issues
For example, during PD Week, there could be a focus issue, e.g., the new building. Use the energy in this room as a think tank -- solicit faculty involvement on these issues.
More Collegial Environment Desired
For the first time in 40 years, we had a Mixer. That’s an excellent move in the right direction. Many years ago there used to be a splendid holiday party. Formal. For those who were there, they report a feeling that it was a wonderful gift to recognize their contributions and hard work.
5. How do we know if our pd efforts are effective?
Well designed, easy to take Faculty Feedback questionnaires that ask questions directed not only to whether faculty have/are implementing specific methods but also address whether the PD efforts actually address faculty needs. Do the Feedback questionnaires ask faculty to tell you what they really want? This is critical.
Some indicated that wise education leaders walk through their campuses from time to time to see, hear, feel what the tenor/pulse of the college is. Seeing their faces, being asked how things are going...these are important, although not directly related to PD.
