For my Master's course this week, we are reflecting on professional development through collaboration and professional learning communities. We are asked to write a blog post about "a topic related to improving student learning and, preferably, also be related to issues and initiatives you’ve been discussing within your own school community." I thought, why not reflect on the collaborative practices at our school and how it impacts student learning.
At our school collaboration happens at multiple levels:
* At the beginning of every odd term, we have INSET days where the entire school meets and talks about broad things like the mission of the school and how it is seen in the classrooms. We also participate in creating and self-evaluating our policy documents.
* After school, every Tuesday, the entire junior school meets to discuss the junior school curriculum, assessments and teaching and learning practices. Different members of staff take PD sessions some times.
* After school, every Thursday, all classroom teachers meet together to plan their units and to discuss various other things, depending on the need.
* One lesson per week, the curriculum coordinator meets with different groups of teachers (Grade level teachers and single subject teachers) to plan their units with them. They brainstorm assessments, learning engagements, resources, field trips, guest speakers, etc.
* Classroom teachers of the same grade meet for 3-4 lessons per week to finalise their planners and discuss student performance
So far, these routines are working out well. My only concern is that many teachers are exhausted by the end of the day and I am wondering weather we must revisit the Tuesday and Thursday timings and maybe try to meet early in the mooring instead. This will need a lot of planning along with the heads of school and logistics teams.
We have also recently begun implementing PLCs. We currently have 3 smaller groups of teachers: Grade teachers from grades 1 to 3, grade teachers from grade 4 to 6 and single subject teachers. These groups are led by a 'team leader' and they meet once a fortnight to discuss agenda points (sometimes suggested by coordinator and head of school). Currently they have begun visit each other's classrooms in order to learn from each other.
My goal for the upcoming term is to improve the structure and functioning of these PLCs so that we all benefit from each other. I am looking forward to reading the course materials provided by the university this week to gain insights and to better plan this kind of professional development for the teachers.
At our school collaboration happens at multiple levels:
* At the beginning of every odd term, we have INSET days where the entire school meets and talks about broad things like the mission of the school and how it is seen in the classrooms. We also participate in creating and self-evaluating our policy documents.
* After school, every Tuesday, the entire junior school meets to discuss the junior school curriculum, assessments and teaching and learning practices. Different members of staff take PD sessions some times.
* After school, every Thursday, all classroom teachers meet together to plan their units and to discuss various other things, depending on the need.
* One lesson per week, the curriculum coordinator meets with different groups of teachers (Grade level teachers and single subject teachers) to plan their units with them. They brainstorm assessments, learning engagements, resources, field trips, guest speakers, etc.
* Classroom teachers of the same grade meet for 3-4 lessons per week to finalise their planners and discuss student performance
So far, these routines are working out well. My only concern is that many teachers are exhausted by the end of the day and I am wondering weather we must revisit the Tuesday and Thursday timings and maybe try to meet early in the mooring instead. This will need a lot of planning along with the heads of school and logistics teams.
We have also recently begun implementing PLCs. We currently have 3 smaller groups of teachers: Grade teachers from grades 1 to 3, grade teachers from grade 4 to 6 and single subject teachers. These groups are led by a 'team leader' and they meet once a fortnight to discuss agenda points (sometimes suggested by coordinator and head of school). Currently they have begun visit each other's classrooms in order to learn from each other.
My goal for the upcoming term is to improve the structure and functioning of these PLCs so that we all benefit from each other. I am looking forward to reading the course materials provided by the university this week to gain insights and to better plan this kind of professional development for the teachers.
