Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 32, No.

4, February 2005 ( 2005)

DOI: 10.1007/s10643-004-1428-2

Professional Development

Teacher Professional Development through

Childrens Project Work

Susan Catapano1,2

Teachers working in early care and education programs are engaging in professional devel-
opment activities, many times without a foundation in child development or early childhood
education. It is dicult for teachers to apply what is presented in professional development
experiences to their classroom. The use of childrens projects, the topic of many research
studies and published manuscripts, can be used as a catalyst in teacher development. One such
project, the development of an outdoor learning center at the Child Development Center of
the University of Missouri-St. Louis has provided some of the teachers involved with
opportunities to recognize the development of their own constructive practice. As they sup-
ported the childrens interest in the on-going outdoor project, teachers honed their skills in
observation, documentation, curriculum development, and reective practice.

KEY WORDS: teacher development; project work; professional development; outdoor learning;
documentation; observation.

INTRODUCTION What must happen to change the direction of profes-

sional development for a teacher and support teachers
There are 1.7 million teachers working with young
to construct in their own knowledge about how chil-
children in childcare centers, family childcare homes,
dren learn? How does a teacher become a researcher of
and public school settings. Less than half of these
childrens learning? Can childrens project work be the
teachers hold a formal degree and even fewer are
catalyst to move teachers from directors of childrens
graduates of a teacher education program (Center for
learning to co-learners and co-researchers? The answer
the Child care Workforce, 2002). The fact that teachers
to this question is a resounding yes, as this study
are engaging in professional development activities
examines the development of two early childhood
without a foundation in best practices for young chil-
teachers at the lab school at the University of Missouri-
dren calls into question the value and impact of the
St. Louis as they evolve from teacher to researcher and
experience for the teacher and the children. Fosnot
facilitator of childrens learning through the develop-
(2003) describes most professional development as
ment of a project with the children. The development
having a starting and ending point, in contrast to what
of the Outdoor Learning Center (OLC) provides a rich
we know about constructivism and the development of
story of project work and the development of young
lifelong learners. Goodlad (1987) and Jones (1993)
children; however, the story to be discussed here is that
both determined that teachers tend to naturally teach
of the development of the teachers working in the Child
as they have been taught (as cited in Fosnot, 1989).
Development Center (CDC). Childrens project work
is well-documented and provides opportunities for
1
Department of Early Childhood Education, University of interesting study and conversation about how a project
Missouri-St. Louis, MO. develops and how children learn through the unfolding
2
Correspondence should be directed to Susan Catapano, Depart- of the projects components. How do teachers grow
ment of Early Childhood Education, University of Missouri- and develop through the project work of the children?
St. Louis, 369 Marillac Hall, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis,
MO 63121; e-mail: catapano@umsl.edu
What professional development opportunities are

261
1082-3301/05/0200-0261/0 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
262
available through the unfolding of the project? How do
teachers practices develop and change as childrens
projects unfold? The answer to these questions
can inform both the work of faculty engaged in
teacher preparation programs and those working with
classroom teachers in professional development
activities.
BACKGROUND
The OLC at the CDC is a place that was created
through project work with young children. The OLC
began as an investigation into what the birds eat during
the winter. The children spent the fall of 1999 exploring
dried corn as a teacher directed strategy to help develop
ne motor skills. As the children shucked the corn they
had opportunities for sensory development. Two
strands of inquiry that the teachers and children
explored were where the corn came from and who
would eat it and use it. Parents became involved by
donating products to extend the project. They
provided the corn and a grinder to turn the corn into
meal. Next, the children asked about what the birds
would eat during a snow storm that winter. They
decided to give the birds some of corn. Over the next
few days the children watch. It had been snowing and
in the snow they could see where some animals had
come to eat the corn. The project progressed in the
spring and a garden was planted. The children and the
teachers used the vegetables to add fresh food to
several meals for the children that included salsa and
salad. The next year the children and the teachers
added a buttery garden and began to explore what
attracted the birds to the OLC. They wanted to watch
what the birds were doing when they came to the OLC
to eat so they built an observation box. They could
observe, draw, and journal about the birds while they
watched them from inside the observation box. Then
they learned, through research, that the birds were
attracted to the sounds of running water so they
planned and built a pond for the birds and the goldsh
that call it home (Whyte, personal communication,
2004).
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Children having the opportunity to experience
the activities described above is sound educational
practice; however, what does it really mean in the
development of the children and the teachers
involved? The practice of the teachers comes from
an intricate set of values, ideals, knowledge, and
Catapano
inquiry that the teachers apply to the everyday
activities within their classroom (Wien, 1995). The
formal education and years of experience of the
teachers involved suggest that many years of study
and observation about best practices in early child-
hood education is needed by a teacher to understand
their own development as a result of the childrens
project. The teacher who spearheaded the OLC
project has been at the CDC over 20 years. Over the
past three years, the work of Reggio Emila and the
Project Approach has been under study by the
teachers of the CDC. At what point in each tea-
chers professional development did this interest in
pursuing project work occur? At what stage of
development are the teachers working within that
allowed them to embrace change and develop as
they support the children? Wien (1995) uses the term
framework to describe a set of beliefs and values
that inuence how the teacher applies the theory
that he or she embraces in his or her classroom
practice. During the study of how the OLC im-
pacted the development of the teachers, I asked the
teachers to describe the framework they embraced
before and during the unfolding of the childrens
project. Although the teachers had been using a
Project Approach prior to the work in the OLC,
they commented that they had not applied the ap-
proach with much depth. The projects were more
thematic-based than true projects that were the di-
rect result of childrens interests. In order for
teachers to embrace the opportunity presented by
the project of the OLC for personal growth and
development, they must be at a point in their
development to be seeking answers to their own
questions. Two areas of knowledge must be well-
established in the teachers daily practice. First, they
must understand child development and relate what
they see in their classroom to what they plan for the
children. They must understand what children do in
their explorations and why. Next, they must be child
watchers, using observations to inform planning and
practice as a regular part of their classroom struc-
ture. If both of these are in place, the teacher looks
at a project, like the OLC, as the place to expand
what they already know and then watch for new
knowledge to emerge. The interest of the teacher in
the project for personal development must be at the
heart of the experience in order for the experience to
be meaningful to the teacher (Jones, 1993). Other-
wise, the teacher provides the experience for the
children without reecting on his or her own
development as a result of the project. Without this
Teachers Development through Projects
connection, the teacher will have less interest in-
vested in the project and will not support the chil-
drens investigation with as much depth.
CONSTRUCTIVISIM
DeVries and Kohlberg (1987) describe cogni-
tive-development learning theory as . . . evolving
from a psychological core through an interaction or
dialogue with the physical and social environment
(p. 7). Although this is generally used to describe
the application of the psychological theory of cog-
nitive development to the education of young
children, this statement can also be used to describe
the application of the same theory to the develop-
ment of adults. Piaget was hesitant to suggest that
the theory he developed could be taught as a
practice to young children. However, he urged
teachers to consider the application of his theory to
what goes on in the classroom by observing what
children do through experimentation as they go
about their day. Oering children many choices to
experience what is to be learned allows children to
develop constructs of knowledge to continue the
learning process. Dewey also commented that chil-
dren must experience the world on a practical level
and be encouraged to construct their knowledge
from these realistic experiences (Glassman &
Whaley, 2000). As new ideas and knowledge are
discovered they are added to what was previously
known or discovered. In addition, cognitive-devel-
opment theory recognizes that the learner takes the
position of inquirer and knower who dynamically
interacts with the environment to confront inade-
quacies and contradictions. Ideas that prove to be
wrong will disappear as the learner experiences the
results of the interaction with the environment
(DeVries & Kohlberg, 1987). Piagets work focused
on how children reason and described the process
of their thinking. Piaget and Dewey both found
that the process of thinking through the concept
was more important in informing the teacher about
the childs development than the product that
might be produced (Waite-Stupiansky, 1997;
Glassman & Whaley, 2000).
Fosnot (2003) discusses teacher development
through four levels. First, teachers construct peda-
gogy after analyzing their own learning using dis-
cussion with other teachers, both at their level and
those who are facilitating the learning, and through
regular journaling of what they are discovering.
Next, is the construction of pedagogy from an
263
analysis of childrens thinking by observing and
interviewing the children, and by collecting and
analyzing examples of childrens work. Under-
standing how children developed their own knowl-
edge informs the teachers about how they develop
their own knowledge about how children learn.
Level three in Fosnots model was eld experience
where the novice teacher plans and implements
curriculum with experienced teachers. Finally, the
novice teacher becomes a classroom teacher, in
level four, and is mentored by an experienced tea-
cher for his or her rst year in the classroom.
Through this model of developing constructivist
teachers, Fosnot concludes that as young learners
construct knowledge, so do preservice and inservice
teachers working together in a systematic approach
to teacher education (2003). Although the teachers
in the OLC are not part of a teacher education
program, their development of constructive practice
emerged in a similar way.
Brooks and Brooks (1999) developed a list of
12 descriptors of a constructivist teacher. The de-
scriptors draw the cognitive-development theory
into practice within the classroom. I asked the
teachers to describe their practice and give an
example of something that had happened in the
OLC project that was a good example of their
constructive practice. Teachers stated that they
developed skills in actively listening, questioning,
summarizing and restating what children were
saying about what they were learning. Active lis-
tening is the key component to constructive learn-
ing that sets it apart from other models of learning
(Dily & Sassman, 2002). Not only do teachers
record what children say, they must engage the
child in meaningful conversations. To support the
autonomy of the learner, Jeri said that when she
facilitated the children in the planting of the gar-
den, she had to hold back and let them gure out
how to plant the seeds and bulbs. Some planted the
bulbs upside down. She initiated a conversation
about how the bulbs grew into plants and allowed
the children to discover that putting the bulbs in
upside down would not allow them to grow prop-
erly. In the past, Jeri said she might have given the
children specic directions on how to plant the
bulbs, but now she was allowing them to gure it
out and she took the role of observer and a true
facilitator. She said that she is always amazed at
the thought processes of the children and that if
she just waits, and asks some questions, they will
discover the answers for themselves.
264 Catapano

TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and developed inquiries that they needed to investi-
gate in order to support the learning of the children.
Fosnot (1989) suggests an alternative model of
The discourse brought the teachers together and
teacher professional development that is based on the
provided the support needed to keep the project
teacher as a researcher. This model, also discussed by
developing.
Duckworth (1987, as cited in Fosnot, 1989), encour-
Teachers discussed what changes they experi-
ages teacher preparation that is grounded in eld
enced in their development as the project progressed
research with children that requires the inservice and
and what ideas proved to be false over time. The two
preservice teachers to question children, discover
teachers who led the project, Jeri and Denise, both
their understanding of concepts, and then reect on
identied their level of development on Katz and
how the children came to their understanding of
Chard (1998) stages as the project began as some-
concepts. What and how the teacher learns will
where between consolidation and renewal. Denise
inuence what and how they teach children. As
commented that she uctuates between all the stages
teachers develop skills of inquiry about their own
depending on what is evolving with the children in
learning, they will help children develop their own
her classroom. Both commented that they were now
skills of inquiry. Teachers working on the OLC
functioning between renewal and maturity and rec-
project asked their own questions about the estab-
ognized that their work on the OLC project helped
lishment of the garden and the pond. From their
move them along through the stages. Jeri commented
inquiries, they were able to support the questions that
that she is eager to work with other teachers to share
the children posed as the project progressed.
her knowledge, to create a community of learners for
Two other key elements in teacher development
discourse. She is at the point in her professional
are the establishment of ongoing discourse within the
development that she is not motivated to engage in
community of teachers and development of owner-
many of the traditional professional development
ship of the learning by the teacher (Rainer &
activities, usually workshops and conferences, which
Matthews, 2002). Through discourse new ideas must
follow the model of a beginning and an end to the
be investigated and new knowledge gained becomes
information. She wants to engage in professional
owned by the learner (Rainer & Matthews, 2002).
development that challenges her to use her knowledge
The teachers working on the OLC met regularly to
and experience to help others. She said that working
discuss what was happening and what needed to
with other teachers helps her clarify her own thoughts
happen in the project. They shared their observations
and beliefs (personal communication, 2004).

Jeris Story
As the lead preschool teacher to develop the OLC at the CDC, Jeri Whyte, has supported project work within her classroom for a long time.
She recalled that she used to ask the children what they wanted to do or were interested in and got crazy answers like the time the children told
her that they were interested in exploring castles. The project was only okay as the children built a castle and planned a feast where they ate
lunch with their hands. Jeri felt like something was missing. Were they really interested in castles or had one of the children watched something
on television at home that was of interest for that moment? She developed her observation skills and projects began to follow the childrens
genuine interests. She measured genuine interest as questions that emerged and seemed to spark more questions by other children in the group.
Her own development into a constructivist teacher required that she look at her practice and make some changes. She found out that she
wanted to direct and control everything the children were learning. She had to learn to give up the control and work along side of the children
in order to guide them. She determined that her role was to work to bring surprises to the childrens discoveries by asking questions and
pointing out dierent perspectives. One thing that she learned was to slow down and accept that things did not have to happen within a
specic timeframe. It was hard for Jeri to relax with the project and follow the childrens lead. She found out that it was okay to come back to
something and not nish it before going on. She said that she studied constructive practice but not specically the project approach at rst. As
Jeris practice developed she began to realize that the projects she had supported in the past were contrived and not meaningful to the children.
When Jeri assessed what the children were learning through the OLC, she saw a huge growth in cognitive and social skills. Jeri learned to
trust the children to know what to do. She began to hone her observation and reection skills. Before her growth and development through
the OLC, Jeri would just tell the story of what happened in one of the childrens projects. She included no personal reection because she did
not think anyone would nd it valuable or want to read it. When she rst began recording the OLC project, she reports that the story became
very personal and she was very surprised and overwhelmed at the depth of her feelings about the project and her understanding of the
children. Jeri changed how she viewed the children, how the children learned, and how she worked as a teacher. Through her observations and
reections, Jeri felt like there was more to her than just a preschool teacher. She had something important to say and she felt more valuable
with a greater sense of purpose. She was also motivated to get to work every day because she did not want to miss what the children were
learning and doing.
Teachers Development through Projects 265

Denises Story
Denise reported that her interest and motivation in the OLC wavered up and down over the years. She approached the project with specic
goals in mind but learned to let go of the control as things changed along the way. As a result, the experience for the children was more
meaningful. An example that she gave was the planting of the strawberries. She planned to have the children plant the strawberries in a set row
in the garden. Instead, the children placed them randomly throughout the garden. The children had more ownership in the garden that they
designed than one that Denise had designed for them. She also commented that it is better to start a project with simple ideas and goals. If you
start with complicated goals it is too much and everyone, including the teachers, gets overwhelmed and burned out. A true long-term project
allows new children to join in the work and nd meaning. Teachers have to keep evaluating the project to keep it interesting to all the children.
In analyzing her personal professional development, Denise thinks the OLC had the greatest impact on her strategies to assess the children.
Now she feels freer to step back and just watch and listen to the children discuss what they are doing or what they are wondering about. She
said that the best ideas for the project have come from the children talking to each other and talking to her about what they wanted to do. In
the past she had felt like it was her job to guide all of the learning. As a result of her observations, she has brought more activities outdoors
and into the OLC. Denise has participated in more professional development as a result of working with the OLC. She seeks out workshops
on outdoor learning and does research on her own to inform her practice. She also seeks opportunities to plan projects with her peers. The
project has provided many occasions for teachers from several dierent classrooms in the CDC to work together to plan curriculum. The
discussions have been challenging and Denise attributes the activity to helping to build a true community of learners in the center as well as
within her classroom. Many of the classrooms work together to accomplish tasks in the OLC and the children learn to work with a variety of
people.
Denise still struggles with the concept of the pond and the safety issues represented by the children having access to the pond. She also
wonders about the safety of the children using metal gardening tools. As part of the exploration, children have access to and use real garden
tools with sharp ends. So far there have not been any accidents, but Denise still thinks about that issue. She also thinks about the lessons that
have been learned through the process of developing the OLC. One year the vegetable garden was a challenge because the weeds took over and
it was hard to keep up with the work required to have a successful garden. Another time, she had not thought about how hot it would be in the
summer and the heat would keep the children from being able to go outside and work in the OLC. She continues to learn from the experience.
She hopes to continue to simplify the project so there is more time and energy to enjoy the experience with the children

THE PROJECT AS A CATALYST FOR and predicting (Palinscar & Brown, 1984; Berk &
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT Winsler, 1995). Jeri and Denise, working within the
OLC project used these strategies to support the
The schools of Reggio Emilia recognize pur-
children, move the project along, and add to their
poseful research as the work of both the teacher and the
own knowledge of how children learn. Learning
child within the classroom (Rinaldi, 1994). Rather
how to use questioning, summarizing, clarifying,
than random events of sta development, Rinaldi
and predicting eectively is dicult and requires
suggests that ongoing exploration within a project of
practice and experience. It also requires that the
interest to both the teachers and children provide the
teacher receive feedback, both from the children and
most authentic opportunity for growth and develop-
from a peer or supervisor, to determine what re-
ment of the teacher. Teachers work with the children to
ciprocal teaching skills need further development
research, learn and develop their constructs. They also
and what skills have been mastered. Documentation
research and learn with other teachers. Discussion,
of the project, as it moves along, provides some
planning, and evaluating what they are doing in their
evidence of the feedback from the children. Docu-
classrooms and listening as colleagues do the same,
mentation includes photographs, narratives from the
provide the opportunity for the teachers to engage in
teachers perspective, and scripts of what the chil-
active listening and learning through a model of
dren have discussed. Reecting on what they are
interactive collegial relationship (Rinaldi, 1994). The
seeing and regular discussions with peers can pro-
teachers developed skills in reciprocal teaching and
vide the added support for teachers to develop the
reection-in-action, two theories of teacher develop-
needed reciprocal strategies. The development of the
ment, with their work in the OLC project.
OLC project is well-documented in a manuscript
Based on Vygotskys theory, Palincsar and
that the CDC published and distributed to families
Brown (1984) developed the concept and technique
in the program. All elements of documentation and
of reciprocal teaching by supporting a teacher
observation are included in the manuscript for
working with small groups of children to explore
families to see how and what their children are
new knowledge, supporting each other as they dis-
learning through the OLC. Reading through the
cuss the information, and making sense of what was
manuscript provides a clear view of what the
learned. Reciprocal teaching uses the four cognitive
teachers were also learning about the children and
strategies of questioning, summarizing, clarifying,
266
how their own reciprocal teaching skills were
developing.
Reective practice rises from intuitively applying
knowledge that may have no basis but is strongly
believed by the teachers (Zeichner & Liston, 1996).
This reection informed the teachers of what needed
to happen next and where they needed to be to
scaold the childrens learning. Schon (1987) de-
scribes two processes, reection-on-action and
reection-in-action. Reection-on-action occurs be-
fore the action and includes what the teachers do
before the activity with the children. This includes the
preparation of the materials to scaold the learning
that the teacher hopes will take place. The reection-
in-action is the process that occurs when routines are
interrupted with challenges that require thought,
experimentation, and contain an element of surprise.
Teachers also engage in reection-in-action as they
observe what children are doing, ask them questions,
and work to support their learning. Teachers also
engage in reection-in action when they consider why
children are doing or reacting the way they are and
what this means about the childs construction of new
learning. Reection-in-action can be considered the
theory to practice that is the underlying purpose of
professional development of teachers (Zeichner &
Liston, 1996). Reection also encourages the teacher
to try new things at the time of the challenge and
work through a process of what might work or might
not work (Ferry & Ross-Gordon, 1998).
The teachers who worked on the OLC project
took the role as learner and modeled problem solving
and critical thinking on many occasions for the
children. Jeri remembered the challenge of installing
the pond and how she worked with the children to
design the landscaping around the pond. After the
pond was installed, it needed a light so the children
could see the sh and it needed other adjustments. As
Jeri worked out these details she described what was
happening to the children, asked for their opinion
about solutions, and noted their questions and com-
ments in her journal. From their comments and
questions she was able to further support their
learning. She commented that she was surprised at
what the children already knew and what they could
suggest as solutions to the problems that needed
solving.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
The teachers of the OLC project continue to
meet on a regular basis to discuss what they are
Catapano
seeing and learning from the children, and to discuss
what direction they need to head in next. The OLC
provided the teachers in the CDC with meaningful
and ongoing professional development. The OLC
provides a true constructive model of learning by
allowing the teachers to use observation, documen-
tation, reection, and experimentation to provide a
rich learning environment for the children who attend
the CDC. Early childhood professionals continue to
document and share the powerful learning that oc-
curs for young children through the use of mean-
ingful projects. It is important to stop and consider
the development of everyone involved in the project.
Both the parents and the teachers are also impacted
by the opportunity to engage in the project with the
children. As a eld that experiences high turnover in
teachers in the programs that care for children from
the ages of birth through ve years, opportunities to
engage in meaningful professional development in the
hopes of motivating teachers to remain in their jobs is
important for stabilization of the eld. The teachers
in the OLC were able to develop their own knowledge
and skills in the areas of child development, obser-
vation, documentation, reection-in-action, and
understanding of what children should be learning in
preparation to enter school ready to succeed. The
teachers who are supporting and facilitating the
children can be professionally motivated and develop
their own skills through the same project.
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