2015 Professional Development Team
Ensuring learning and growth on both sides of the classroom
I trust your Summer is off to an amazing start!
Enjoy your Summer!
See you soon,
-Kali
2015 PD Team Goals and Objectives
This year I would like to place emphasis on what it is we're doing between our monthly sessions. I thought of three possible solutions to aid us in extending the conversations and growth spurred by our sessions.
- I'm in the process of creating a website for us to archive the various resources we present over the course of the year and serve as an easily accessible location for our colleagues to find answers to the easier questions they may have.
- Bi-monthly newsletters (such as this one) that highlight helpful resources and strategies related to the following areas (plus whatever suggestions you all have): engagement, technology, differentiation, RIGOR classroom examples, and staff feedback.
- For the teachers that are so inclined I am also creating a professional learning platform where they can reflect and document the ways they are applying what they're learning as a result of our efforts. This will also better inform us about how we are supporting growth. Administration has said this can supplement TKES evaluations.
If you have any suggestions regarding what we can do in between our sessions please email me and let me know. Also, if you are interested in spearheading one of the above areas of the newsletter please let me know.
Stuff from the Meeting
PLCs
To assist in this endeavor each month at least one of the sessions we offer will be geared toward some aspect of helping PLCs function effectively. Additionally, during several months we're going to "strongly encourage" that members of course teams go to different sessions so that each comes back to course team meetings able to redeliver what they learned in their session.
The Admin plans on being more present during PLC meetings to evaluate the use of our PLC PD session strategies. They will then discuss what they're seeing during leadership meetings. Brittany Wood will serve as our PLC Liaison to report back to us so we can tweak what we're doing accordingly.
Rigor
Pre-Planning
- Updated Roles of PLCs at Riverwood (Mandatory for all faculty) Brittany Wood
Offered: 1:30pm-2:00pm - Lesson Planning and Admin Expectations (Mandatory for some) Dr. Shaw
Offered: 2:05pm-2:30pm - Defining Rigor ( By DC choice) Mr. Garrett
Offered: 2:05pm-2:30pm; 2:35pm-3:00pm; 3:05pm-3:30pm - Connecting the Dots Between Scope & Sequence and Lesson Plans (By DC choice) Anna Swafford, Kris Hale & Dana Munson
Offered: 2:05pm-2:30pm; 2:35pm-3:00pm; 3:05pm-3:30pm - Rigorous Instructional Strategies (By DC choice) Mary Ellen Graves & Sandra Bradley
Offered: 2:05pm-2:30pm; 2:35pm-3:00pm; 3:05pm-3:30pm
Monthly PD Themes
Below you will find the monthly PD themes as decided upon in our planning meeting. For the most part the themes are set in stone, but the sessions offered each month can be changed.
Note: There will be NO PD sessions offered in December, April, or May due to grades, testing, and limited post-planning days. Additionally we have not assigned themes for the months of February and March to allow flexible for needs as they arise.
September: Assessment
Suggested Session Topics:
Aligning Assessments to Standards (not optional to some)
Creating Common Assessments
Upping the Rigor in Assessments
Discussing Data from Assessments
October: Differentiation
Suggested Session Topics:
Flexible Grouping
Learning Styles
Pre-Assessments
Collaborative Teaching
Additional Assessment Strategies
November: Instructional Strategies
Suggested Session Topics:
Teaching for Excellence
TAG
December: Professional Development & Admin Teams convene to reflect on 1st semester and to further plan 2nd semester
January: Data, Differentiation & Responsive Strategies
Suggested Session Topics:
Grade Norming Based on Assessments
In Conclusion
Looking forward to working with you all!