#professional-development

Design an engaging 90-minute PD session on a new instructional strategy. Agenda: 1. Why (10 mins): Start with research or data showing the need for the strategy. 2. What (20 mins): Clearly explain and model the strategy. Show a video of it in action. 3. How (30 mins): Active engagement. Have teachers try the strategy themselves (e.g., plan a short lesson segment using it). 4. What If (15 mins): Facilitate a discussion about potential challenges and solutions for implementation in their own classrooms. 5. Now What (15 mins): Teachers set a specific goal for how they will try the strategy in the next week. Provide a resource handout. Avoid 'sit and get'; prioritize active learning and collaboration.

Develop next generation of researchers through effective mentoring. Mentoring models: 1. Dyadic: traditional one-on-one mentor-mentee relationship. 2. Team mentoring: multiple mentors with different expertise areas. 3. Peer mentoring: lateral relationships between researchers at similar career stages. 4. Group mentoring: mentor works with cohort of mentees simultaneously. Mentoring competencies: 1. Research skills: methodology, analysis, writing, grant writing. 2. Professional development: networking, career planning, work-life balance. 3. Personal support: confidence building, resilience, identity development. Structure and process: 1. Goal setting: specific, measurable objectives for mentoring relationship. 2. Regular meetings: monthly face-to-face or virtual meetings with agenda. 3. Progress monitoring: quarterly reviews of goal achievement and relationship satisfaction. 4. Feedback: bidirectional feedback on mentoring effectiveness. Training programs: 1. Mentor training: active listening, giving feedback, cultural competence. 2. Mentee training: goal setting, communication, relationship management. Evaluation: surveys, focus groups, career outcome tracking for evidence-based improvement.

Structure an effective 60-minute PLC meeting for a grade-level team. Protocol: 'Tuning Protocol' for examining student work. Agenda: 1. Welcome & Norms Review (5 mins). 2. Data Dive (15 mins): Review common formative assessment data. Identify one specific area of student struggle. 3. Presenting Teacher (15 mins): One teacher presents a lesson plan and samples of student work related to the struggle area. Asks a focusing question (e.g., 'How can I better support my English learners in this task?'). 4. Clarifying & Probing Questions (10 mins): Team asks questions to better understand the work. 5. Feedback & Discussion (10 mins): Team provides warm and cool feedback focused on the work, not the teacher. 6. Action Steps & Closing (5 mins): Team commits to trying one new strategy. Roles: facilitator, timekeeper, note-taker.

Structure a coaching cycle with a teacher using the GROW model. 1. Goal (Pre-observation meeting): Coach and teacher collaborate to set a specific, measurable goal for the lesson. (e.g., 'I want to increase student talk time to 60%'). 2. Reality (Observation): Coach observes the lesson, collecting data specifically related to the goal (e.g., tracking teacher vs. student talk time). 3. Options (Post-observation debrief): Coach shares data. They brainstorm multiple strategies to achieve the goal. ('What could you do differently? What have you tried before?'). 4. Way Forward (Action Plan): Teacher chooses one strategy to implement. Coach and teacher define what success looks like and schedule the next observation. This non-evaluative, teacher-centered approach fosters trust and growth.