The Five Templates

1. INTERACTIVE OBSERVATION provides an opportunity to observe a lesson with students. The lesson can be presented by a teacher(s) and/or consultant(s). This will provide a platform to observe both strategies, the art of teaching, and students. Also an excellent opportunity to implement peer coaching and observation techniques.

The format is:
a. Briefing — description of the lesson and focus for peer coaching/observation.
b. Lesson — actual lesson with observers discussing and taking notes.
c. Debriefing — discussion of observations. Format is highlights, questions, and what you will take away from the observation.

Examples: science lesson; specific writing process; symphony; making paper and recycling; integrating culture with games and with reading literature; creating project (e.g. diorama) after studying a particular topic.

Extensions: include recording on video for future use and additional schools observing the two interactive schools.

2. COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT provides an opportunity to work collaboratively on professional development between different school sites. An example might be how to integrate NUA strategies and techniques within an established reading program (e.g. Open Court). Another example is how to implement assessment techniques such as DRA (could incorporate live work with a student or video footage to observe and discuss).

The format is:
a. Agenda — briefing of the outline of the session and goals.
b. Interaction — development of ideas.
c. Debriefing — discussion of observations. Format is highlights, questions, and what you will take away from the observation.

Examples: sharing between different grade levels; one school experienced with a program assisting another school just beginning the program.

The Collaborative Development format would benefit from a follow-up session(s).

3. VISITING DYNAMIC CLASSROOMS provides an opportunity to visit dynamic classrooms with a mobile camera. Goals include seeing and learning from different classrooms, observe and discuss between different educators and schools, and facilitate growth with the art of teaching and different classroom environments.

The format is:
a. Briefing — meet the person and room. Develop observation focus(es).
b. The Visit — includes room overview, room in action, and observations through discussion and notes.
c. Debriefing — discussion of observations. Format is highlights, questions, and what you will take away from the observation.

Examples: seeing someone else’s classroom, observing different teaching styles, doing outstanding poetry with students.

The Dynamic Classroom model provides an opportunity to put the picture is worth a thousand words philosophy into action.

4. SHARING EXPERTISE is an opportunity to share a specific expertise while building an interactive session/model between the two participating schools. The ‘expertise’ could originate at one of the two schools (or both), or from another location (e.g. an art museum). One (or more) person takes the lead on sharing an expertise.

The format is:
a. Briefing — outline of the session including goals.
b. Expertise — the specific expertise is presented in a multi-dimensional format that provides understanding with examples. The presenter would actively engage all participants.
c. Debriefing — discussion of session. Format is highlights, questions, and what you will take away from the session.

Examples: meet the author; read across America.

A goal of the Sharing Expertise sessions is bringing together ideas that work (expertise) with those who wish to develop a deeper understanding of the topic. This will tie in with the online leadership academy participants database.

5. PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION provides a structured forum to discuss specific topics based on an article(s), book(s), passage from a publication, or other sources. Preparation will include reading and learning about the topic prior to the distance learning session.

The format is:
a. Briefing — outline of the topic and purpose.
b. Topic — facilitator will set the stage for discussion with information on the topic and presentation of the information. All participants will be active with the discussion. Facilitator will lead without opinions while providing direction (questioning strategies in action).
c. Debriefing — discussion of session. Format is highlights, questions, and what you will take away from the session.

Examples: follow-up to the book club; follow-up to boundary sessions.

Extensions include pre-discussion &/or post-discussion on a listserv, and townhall style distance learning with multiple schools observing the interaction between two schools.

Leadership Academy

Components

The Collective

Databases

Schedules

Links