School-University Partnerships:School-University Partnerships:Power of complementarity Power of complementarity

Joseph P. McDonaldJoseph P. McDonaldNew York UniversityNew York University

American Educational Research American Educational Research Association Annual MeetingAssociation Annual Meeting

San DiegoSan DiegoApril 2009April 2009

Two Claims

• Complementarity arises from paired institutional traits that under the right circumstances balance asset and deficit.

• The power of complementarity is the power to lend a necessarily joint enterprise (for example, teacher education) adventurousness and continuity.

University v. School

• Theoretical

• Very Loosely coupled

• Grounded

• Increasingly Tightly coupled

University v. School

• SkepticalSkeptical

• StableStable

• Resolute Resolute

• UnsettledUnsettled

University v. School

• TraditionalTraditional

• PrestigiousPrestigious

• Comparatively Comparatively lots of resource lots of resource slackslack

• Experimental Experimental

• Under threatUnder threat

• Comparatively Comparatively little resource little resource slackslack

What is needed to Tap the Power What is needed to Tap the Power of Complementarity?of Complementarity?

1.1. ChampionshipChampionship

2.2. InterpretationInterpretation

3.3. ContactContact

4.4. Formal AgreementFormal Agreement

5.5. Action spaceAction space

1. Championship1. Championship

• Champions with clout on both Champions with clout on both sidessides

• Aware of the culture gapAware of the culture gap• Appreciate the value of the Appreciate the value of the

university’s social capital, and of university’s social capital, and of the school’s grounding. the school’s grounding.

• Speak well of the otherSpeak well of the other

2. Interpretation

• Bi-cultural liaisons on both sidesBi-cultural liaisons on both sides

• Return each other’s phone callsReturn each other’s phone calls

• Show up in each other’s worldShow up in each other’s world

• Feel empowered in each other’s worldFeel empowered in each other’s world

• Scout opportunities for mutual self-interestScout opportunities for mutual self-interest

• Expect and handle problemsExpect and handle problems

• Interpret one world to the otherInterpret one world to the other

3. Contact3. Contact

• Critical mass of interning Critical mass of interning professionalsprofessionals

• Research involvementResearch involvement• Shared spaceShared space• Service on each other’s Service on each other’s

committeescommittees

4. Formal agreement4. Formal agreement

• To operate in mutual self-interestTo operate in mutual self-interest

• To exchange liaisonsTo exchange liaisons

• To scout needs and resources on both sidesTo scout needs and resources on both sides

• To license each other’s use of the To license each other’s use of the relationshiprelationship

• To work toward critical mass in contactTo work toward critical mass in contact

• To expect sustainability, but exit gracefully at To expect sustainability, but exit gracefully at either partner’s choosingeither partner’s choosing

5. Action Space5. Action Space

• Something of mutual interest and obvious Something of mutual interest and obvious importance is at stake.importance is at stake.

• A community of reliable inquiry has A community of reliable inquiry has formed.formed.

• Multiple sources of knowledge and Multiple sources of knowledge and intuition are brought to bear.intuition are brought to bear.

• Resources are committed.Resources are committed.

• A strong sense of A strong sense of we we developsdevelops..

Example of Action Space

Co-teaching Inquiries into Teaching & Learning in NYC schools

• Introductory course for all NYU aspiring teachers

• Co-taught by NYU faculty or doctoral students, and NYC teachers appointed as NYU adjunct faculty

• Taught in high-needs schools• Up to 28 sections a year