Designing and implementing professional development program of multi-tiered teacher community: Joint collaboration between teachers and PD program developers

This research has an intention of developing a professional development program. We proposed an alternative mathematics teacher training model based on the situated learning theory, community of practice, and reflective practitioner. The developed mathematics teacher professional development program recruited participation unit that was consisted of 3 or 4 teachers in same school and total of 28 teachers from 9 schools. Also, there were 18 mentors to support each school. In this sense, it can be called multi-tired teacher community professional development program. Through the program, the teachers improve their teaching competency. Also, the operation ability of teacher learning community was improved. Learning community culture has been formed in each school. It shows ability that the explorative learning community can be operated voluntarily although the program finished. Furthermore, community shared corporate responsibility about open class. They recognize open class as a new method to improve community teaching ability than a tool to evaluate individual teaching ability.