Because we believe in access to new ideas… Why this matters What this will look like You will get to observe a peer at least twice During peer observations, we can glean best You will be assigned a peer observation a month. practices and consider how other teachers, partner for each two-week period of the in the same teaching community with the school year. During that time, you and your same values, conducts class similarly or partner will observe each other it is up to – differently from ourselves. Furthermore, you two when the observations will happen. ideas… observing and discussing teaching with our After those observations, you will meet to colleagues helps us refine our beliefs about engage in a conversation around those new what makes teaching effective; from observations. Then during the next to watching and evaluating the teaching of biweekly period, you will either have a new others, we can develop skills that we can partner or you will keep partners for a then direct back on our own teaching. longer period of time to allow repeated access observations. in You will reflect on and build your capacity in We believe that great teaching closes the Each week during our professional the essential components of effective achievement gap. So we need to define development we will engage in a teaching through whole-school professional great teaching, discuss great teaching, and session focused on developing one believe development focused on teaching work to develop our ability to provide great teaching standard. Each teaching standard we standards. teaching. Weekly professional module will look distinct because sessions development should build this capacity will be tailored to develop that individual through direct, focused, and specific teaching standard, but they will usually conversation about what great teaching involve some form of video and/or Because looks like and how we can consistently examination of student work. Most provide it. modules will last about 9 weeks.
Because we believe in access to new ideas… Why this matters What this will look like Because we believe in access to new ideas… You will get to observe a peer at least twice a month. During peer observations, we can glean best practices and consider how other teachers, in the same teaching community with the same values, conducts class similarly or differently from ourselves. Furthermore, observing and discussing teaching with our colleagues helps us refine our beliefs about what makes teaching effective; from watching and evaluating the teaching of others, we can develop skills that we can then direct back on our own teaching. You will be assigned a peer observation partner for each two-week period of the school year. During that time, you and your partner will observe each other – it is up to you two when the observations will happen. After those observations, you will meet to engage in a conversation around those observations. Then during the next biweekly period, you will either have a new partner or you will keep partners for a longer period of time to allow repeated observations. You will reflect on and build your capacity in the essential components of effective teaching through whole-school professional development focused on teaching standards. We believe that great teaching closes the achievement gap. So we need to define great teaching, discuss great teaching, and work to develop our ability to provide great teaching. Weekly professional development should build this capacity through direct, focused, and specific conversation about what great teaching looks like and how we can consistently provide it. Each week during our professional development we will engage in a session focused on developing one teaching standard. Each teaching standard module will look distinct because sessions will be tailored to develop that individual teaching standard, but they will usually involve some form of video and/or examination of student work. Most modules will last about 9 weeks.