Welcome to Teacher Lab at the Secondary Level: P rofessional L earning that Works!

1. Welcome to Teacher Lab at the Secondary Level: Professional Learning that Works!

2. Marcia Hudson, Teacher LeaderMichelle Imbrunone, Principal of Avondale High SchoolAvondale School District, Auburn Hills, Michiganmarcia.hudson@avondale.k12.mi.us or 248-537-6040 Michelle.Imbrunone@Avondale.k12.mi.us or 248-537-6199

3. What is Teacher Lab? • An opportunity for teachers to observe a colleague and learn from his/her research-based practices • A time for observers to debrief, reflect, and set personal goals for their own practices • A time to make connections to each participant’s/host’s practical application of knowledge • A system for collaborative inquiry that supports student achievement goals/SIP/DIP goals; builds leadership capacity authentically

4. Typical Model • 1 Facilitating Teacher • 1 Host Teacher • 4-6 Observing Teachers • Meet once a quarter/trimester Responsibilities of each Role Before, During and After each Lab session

5. Professional Reading Materials

6. Pre-observation

7. Sample Schedules 8:30-9:30 a.m. Facilitating and Observing Teachers meet in Conference room while Host Teacher begins school day in classroom ; (Set norms for the day, Professional Reading, Letter of introduction, review process ) 9:30-10:30 a.m. – Observation in Host Teacher’s Classroom 10:30- 11:30 a.m. - Facilitated conversations- collect questions, wonderings, feedback for host teacher 11:45-1:00 p.m. Lunch with dialogue 1:00-3:30 p.m. Debriefing, studying, reflecting, researching, goal setting

8. Avondale High School

9. Avondale Middle School

10. NORMS • Time Management: • Honor the time scheduled for hosts • Try to plan for restroom breaks • We may need to interrupt dialogue (utilize parking lot) • Active Listening and Participation: • Support OR Challenge • Be authentic • Bloom where you're planted • Avoid side conversations • Cell phone/personal business outside of teacher lab time/space • Join in activities and dialogue • “Fly on the Wall” • Avoid interacting with students and teachers while we are in the host classroom

11. Observation

12. Post-observation

13. Variations of Teacher Lab Models • Single grade focus • Single focus area • Combined grade levels • Multiple hosts • Facilitator and Host take turns • Grade Level focus • Individual buildings • “Transition” years • Professional learning teams

14. Checkpoint

15. Why It Works • Voluntary participation • Gives teachers a venue to observe theory in action • Immediately applicable to teachers’ practice • Continuous professional learning over time • Collaborative; provides networking opportunities with colleagues • Non-threatening • Provides time for observation & reflection • Ultimately improves student learning • Administrative support

16. Results of Teacher Lab Learning Survey, 2013-14 • How might you describe what you took away from your teacher lab experience? • New information- 92% • Specific tips and guidance about classroom work – 88% • New understanding of familiar information- 92% • A new insight about student learning – 84% • A new reflection on an instructional strategy – 94% • An example I wanted to try in my own practice – 96% • A sense of connection to my colleagues – 88% • Professional resources – 98%

17. Comments included:“best professional development I’ve had in over 20 years”“always left feeling refreshed and ready to try all the new ideas”“helped me reflect on my own practices” “much better than just hearing about lessons in a workshop” “I have seen huge strides in my students’ reading and comprehension.”“ultimate PLC at its best”

18. Great Teachers Are Made By The Teacher Next Door (Job- Embedded Professional Learning in the Avondale School District, Auburn Hills, Michigan) Post-observation Discussion Pre-observation Discussion Observation • What makes MASB’s 2011 Education Excellence Award winning Teacher Lab so unique? • Teacher Lab provides rich opportunities for teachers to observe colleagues and learn from his/her research-based practices • A system of collaborative inquiry that supports student achievement goals; a place to debrief, reflect and set personal goals

19. Teacher Leaders, Leading from where we stand… E-book, 2014 Possibilities Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me….Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. -Shel Silverstein Cultures of Thinking The Importance of Mentors

20. “Teachers and educators around the country are beginning to see that the goal of improving teaching-improving students’ opportunities to learn-can only be reached by a path that the United States has never taken before. This new path moves educators away from a view of teaching as a solitary activity, owned personally by each teacher. It moves them toward a view of teaching as a professional activity open to collective observations, study, and improvement. It invites ordinary teachers to recognize and accept the responsibility for improving not only their own practice, but the shared practice of the profession. For this new path to be traveled, however, teachers will need to open their classroom doors and, rather than evaluating each other, begin studying their practices as a professional responsibility common to all.” Education Week; The New Heroes of TeachingHiebert, Gallimore, and Stigler (2003)

21. Learning and Leading Through Teacher Labs 5 descriptors of lab formats (similarities/differences) References: Educational Leadership June 2010 | Volume 67 Good Teaching in Action Demonstrating Teaching in a Lab Classroom, by Lisa M. HoukLab classrooms give teachers opportunities to share effective teaching practices and learn from colleagues. Learning Along the Way Professional Development by and for Teachers - Diane SweeneyEducation Week June 2009 The New Heroes of Teaching, by James Hiebert, Ronald Gallimore, & James W. Stigler Identifying a few excellent teachers and hoping others will copy their methods has not improved teaching in the average American classroom. Journal of Staff Development Summer 2008 VOL. 29, NO. 3 Declaration of Interdependence, an interview with Judith Warren Little Educators need deep conversations about teaching and learning to spark real changes in practice

22. Marcia Hudson Marcia.Hudson@avondale.k12.mi.us mlhudson@oakland.edu 248-537-6040 Michelle Imbrunone Michelle.Imbrunone@Avondale.k12.mi.us 248-537-6199