Today, all of the
teachers in our district met in fourteen different schools to engage in a
common, two-hour professional learning session.
Our principals led the learning, centered around our first year of the three-year
implementation of the Instructional Framework . In addition to the two hours of common learning,
our teachers are spending an additional four hours of collaborative learning based
on plans developed by individual school teams.
Sometimes, the public
wonders what it is that teachers do on these professional learning days, and
rightly so. After all, we are holders of
the public’s trust and engage in one of the most important responsibilities of any
civilized society – teaching the next generation. So, in some ways, I write
this blog entry for our stakeholders who weren’t present with us today.
The common learning
session, with a focus on learning, collaborative culture, and results aids us to
continue to ensure that we “face the same direction.” What this means is that
we are all working toward the same overarching goal – holding true to our
guiding principles while ensuring that all learners achieve individual
potential.
I was fortunate to be at
Northern High this morning, where all three high school faculties were meeting. Listening to teachers engage in high level discussions,
make noticings, and pose wonderings was a privilege. Did we solve all of the challenges facing
educators this morning? Of course not –
but that was never the intent. Like any
good lesson plan, we had a clear learning goal, learner-friendly targets, and
measures for success. Our learning goal
continues to be a successful three-year implementation of the Instructional
Framework. Our learning targets were to
deepen our understanding of how to implement clear learning goals and scales,
monitoring for desired effect, and effective assessment practices. Success in meeting those targets was measured
by the intensive and productive collegial conversations around the
Instructional Framework and the commitment of each teacher to implement a new
piece of learning in their classrooms over the next few weeks.
While any weekday out of
the classroom is a sacrifice for immediate teaching and learning, rest assured
that the learning our teachers engage in today will serve our kids in the days,
weeks, months, and years ahead. We
remain committed to perfecting our craft and helping our kids learn. In this way, all learners – teachers and
students alike – will achieve their individual potential.
J. Walton
