Professional portfolios are collections of credentials, artifacts and reflections that document a teachers professional practice. Changes in school organization and roles within the school require teachers to rethink what professional development means and who controls it. On each card, have them write one word that they think describes the school culture. Choose a picture of an item (a bicycle works well for this activity) and make enough copies for half your staff. Furthermore, Internet sites change over time according to the commitment and inclination of the creator. When everyone is done, give them time to look at the wall together, reflecting on those memories. Host teachers are ultimately responsible for their students and therefore must closely supervise what the student teacher does with respect to lesson planning, classroom instruction and student evaluation. In undertaking action research, educators begin by asking how current practice might be improved. The time spent during the workshop is just the beginning of a long-term partnership. Here is a list of the tasks you will need to complete as you work through logistics: We offer workshops on weekends and weekday afternoons to accommodate different school schedules. Any technology and tools that are used for student lessons should be rigorously reviewed and tested. They must work together to write a single word (TEAM is a good one). Student work provides teachers with a critical source of information about how a student is learning, developing, acquiring new knowledge and applying new skill sets. Some programs are offered using outreach or online strategies. The guesser must try to determine who the leader is by watching the groups actions closely. The Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) provides schools with the opportunity to address contextual school issues using a process of strategic planning and action research. Finding out what teachers need to be successful requires a continuous series of conversations between educators, administrators, and community members. Studies on beginning teachers demonstrate that the first three years of teaching play a crucial role in shaping a teachers perception of the profession and in helping the teacher decide whether to stay or leave. Its best not to dread the possibility of presenting a demo lesson plan, rather embrace it as an opportunity to sell your value. Think art supplies, gym equipment, lunch trays, and so on. Most educational videos have a facilitators manual and workshop material that group leaders can use to offer professional development at a time that is convenient for the group. Allow one member of each team to come view the structure for 10 seconds, then return to their team and provide instructions based on what they remember. At the meeting, pass out pads of sticky notes. This trial period allows us to gain experience with the multitude of variables that can occur when working outdoors with students. More information on mentorship for leadership is available in the ATA publication Administrator Mentorship Handbook. Escape rooms have become all the rage in recent years, but you dont need to shell out big bucks to take your whole staff to one. We have found that the level of teacher comfort with the outdoors is the deciding factor for successful school gardens and positive outdoor experiences for students. Decentralized decision-making affords the opportunity to explore the talent that resides within the school. . Data come from a variety of sources. One role of the teacher trainer is to help a group of teachers identify a project that is meaningful to them and then work through the steps required to carry it out: implementing curriculum, conducting research, holding workshopsand establishing new lines of communication among staff. Find out more about ATA workshops. The ATA offers a wide range of professional development workshops designed for school staffs. To implement a study group, follow these steps: As the work of the study group progresses, participants may decide to redefine goals or to invite a specialist to attend a scheduled meeting. Local, provincial and national conferences provide a forum in which ideas can be debated, analyzed and sometimes validated. National Science Teaching Association
Curriculum maps, which can be aligned both horizontally and vertically, organize content, skills, assessments, and resources over time. In this game, your teams will guess which of todays classroom must-haves will become antiques in fifty years. However, Internet research has a number of limitations. Tips for your teacher interview. Our student lessons incorporate hands-on experiences in the garden such as moving soil, turning compost, or planting seeds and are tested by hundreds of students before being presented at our workshops. Play like traditional bingo and try to get a row across, down, or diagonally, or give a prize to the first person who fills in their whole sheet. Being aware of all the components of your workshop presentation, especially resources intended to be applied in the classroom, will prepare you to speak from experience. Some data help determine the degree to which an individual student or a group of students has achieved specific standards as measured by teacher-made tests and assignments, norm-referenced tests, student portfolios, observation surveys and other sources. Establish appropriate meeting behaviours. Allow them to exchange pieces as needed and help each other if they wish. You can make things even harder by blindfolding some of the team members. Administrators can use action research to address issues related to their leadership role in schools. Before the meeting, have each teacher submit a photo of a space in their classroom (without students). At the conclusion of the book study, ask the following questions: Did the book stimulate thought and discussion? Include the date your school was built or your district was founded and add in other important local and global events, too. Sending participants home with a materials kit will encourage implementation of the lessons presented. Watch a video of this activity here. Discuss criteria for achieving and evaluating goals. The components of effective professional development activities in terms of teachers perspective. Teachers and school administrators solicit and receive feedback about their practices after being observed by a peer or other observer. They can inspire, motivate and create feelings of renewal. Professional development offerings should be of the highest quality to maximize the time and resources invested. Institutes are intensive, specialized sessions that focus on one topic or issue. Find out more about Teachers' Conventions. To provide focus and direction to this work, teachers select an overarching goal and related research question that they want to explore. This enables the workshop facilitator to provide a preview of possible complications that may arise along with tested solutions. I always love hearing phrases that other SLPs use in the speech room so I hope some of these are helpful! Mentors can provide the advice, suggestions and constructive feedback that can make the difference between whether a new teacher succeeds or fails. Effective professional development initiatives use a variety of communication networks and strategies. Conferences can provide very effective professional development opportunities, particularly when they are part of a teachers ongoing professional development plan. Calendar year and short-term exchanges are offered in a number of countries. Also, keep notes on the presentation so you can draft an outline to distribute in a follow-up email. In an effort to accommodate different learning styles and teacher schedules we offer three workshop models: formal seven-hour workshops that blend didactic lecture and hands-on experiences with a heavy focus on understanding gardening basics, casual 90-minute workshops that focus on collaboration and networking, and hands-on 60 minute workshops that walk teachers through a specific science lesson (see Figures 1 and 2 for sample agendas). Commitment to a study group is greatly enhanced when participants are directly involved in setting the task and its parameters. The strategic planning process also involves reaching a consensus on the expectations of the organizations. (Depending on the group size, you can have them each do more than one.) The premise is simple: attach four lengths of string to a rubber band. Some may be updated daily, while others may be outdated. We update these outlines regularly to ensure all website links are active and that we are presenting information that is relevant to our network. Alberta Education funds six regional professional development consortia. It is important for community organizations to invest time building relationships with teachers and school district staff. Youll need one fairly long piece of rope or string for each group of four to six for this game. We can construct a better world for our children and it starts with empowering teachers. Study groups work best in a collaborative environment that allows for intellectual exchange and shared experience. Don't miss our HUGE, free writing template bundle for K-5! Many organizations offer publications and professional development programs for teachers, among them the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Phi Delta Kappa,the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Each players goal is to find someone who meets the criteria for each square. Self-reflection can be combined with other PD strategies such as action research, journalling and developing a professional portfolio. During the debrief, encourage staff to use shadows as a metaphor to talk about the impacts individuals and teams have on a larger organization. Mentoring is an effective process to support teachers whether they are new to the profession, new to a curriculum or grade level, or new to an administrative designation. Observation is critical in understanding teaching style and level of expertise. You can give prizes for the most creative, the most likely to work, etc., or just debrief at the end. All costs of the program are borne by the participant but the benefits of an exchange are both personal and professional. 2014. Grab three balls or stuffed animals (anything you can toss around). Today, the emphasis is on school-based activities such ascoaching, partnerships and team/group development. We all know and love Kahoot, right? Collaborating with multiple organizations will strengthen your educational community. The results are often hilarious and highlight how difficult it can be to give clear directions to other team members. You can do all the cards at once or save the bag and draw a few at each staff meeting throughout the year. The group then meets to discuss their observations. School administrators may benefit from visiting a school in the jurisdiction or another jurisdiction to view the facility, explore alternatives for organizing resources and discuss leadership strategies with the hosting school administrator. Invite the guesser back in to stand in the middle of the circle as the movements continue. The right team building games for adults help establish a sense of community and remind staff that when they work together, they can achieve more. This one will make teachers laugh and remind them that things are always changing, often for the better. Buzzwords for Teacher Resumes! The Learning Hypothesis | teaching + homeschooling + student success+ science lessons galore, Pins that give great information to share with Teachers in formal training sessions or workshops, *** 3 *** VERSIONS OF Teacher Resume Template | Teacher CV Template + Cover and Reference Letters for MS Power Point. Teachers then jointly draw up a detailed plan for the lesson that one of the teachers delivers to students in a real classroom. Integrated curriculum planning includes these features: The Internet provides access to a wealth of information on countless topics contributed by people throughout the world. Choose a book on a topic that interests everyone in the group but that is sufficiently open-ended to encourage new learning through reading and discussion. Strategic planning empowers all members of the school communityadministrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, support staff, parents, trustees and other stakeholdersby enabling them to build their future exactly as they want it at the professional and personal levels. On the Internet, a user has access to a wide variety of services: vast information sources, electronic mail, file transfer, group memberships based on interest, interactive collaboration and multimedia displays. After one minute, allow a second person from each time to come view the structure for 10 seconds, then return and continue to help with the building. (TV/VCR carts, mimeographs, and even chalkboards come to mind!) This allows you to address questions at a later time or use them as focus areas for future workshops. Have groups work in teams, and be sure to pair new staff with old-timers. We are excited to share our strategies with you and welcome your input. Find out more about specialist councils. Pro tip: Want to save time on returning things after the hunt is over? Here are 9 ways you can differentiate your whole group instruction. More information on mentoring is available in the ATA publication Mentoring Beginning Teachers: Program Handbook. Each step is described in detail below. Professional Development Schools are schools that collaborate with a university. Video conferencing enables teachers to consult with their peers when distance would otherwise prevent them from doing so. Summer institutes provide teachers with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a curriculum or pedagogical topic for an extended period of time. Many of them work online, too, so you can use them for Zoom staff meetings. Give each player five notecards and a pen. The value of strategic planning depends on the extent to which the school administration and staff are willing to change and to invest the time required to bring about that change. Observation and assessment encourage educators to reflect on their everyday professional lives and can take many forms. For example, during the fall season, a school district we work with launched an environmental science initiative that suggested covering the topic of environmental change in fourth grade. Most summer institutes are three or more days in length and some are offered for university credit. Specialist councils publish journals and newsletters, organize regional professional development activities and sponsor annual provincial conferences. Through on-site modeling and professional development offerings, we create opportunities for teachers to build comfort and confidence using nature to cover scientific content areas. (T) 703.524.3646 (F) 703.243.7177 Within the scope of a professional growth plan, teachers and school administrators canundertake a range of professional learning activities includingreading professional journals, trying out new practices in the classroom and joining professional organizations. Continue until each person has received the ball once. Thinking analytically about the work can give teachers greater insights into teaching and learning. Create Engaging Workshop Experiences in Five Simple Steps, Share We typically reserve the use of technology until after the workshop, as we link teachers to relevant blog postings and websites and reduce the chance of interrupting a productive workshop with technical difficulties. However, varying viewpoints are important because they inject diversity of opinion and enliven discussion. (via Mrs. Sepps Counselor Corner). Open systems can connect teachers to existing online libraries, databases, list servers and other communication systems. The ATA sponsors 22 specialist councils whose mandate is to promote the professional development of teachers in a particular specialty. Still other data provide insight into structures, attitudes and practices that comprise the school programfactors such as curriculum organization, instructional strategies, assessment practices, report card, course completion rates and school satisfaction surveys. Many effective teachers use three levels of reflection: reflection on action, reflection for action and reflection in action. Always put safety first and visit outdoor areas prior to student lessons to remove potential hazards. Standards for professional learning. Engaging them with hands on activities and ideas they will love! A computer, a modem and access to a telephone line can link teachers to the electronic village. Examples of community/service organizations include church, service clubs, 4-H, Scouts, Girl Guides and sporting groups. The optimum size for a study group is about six so that each participant is equally responsible for the success of the group.
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