Professional Development

1. ProfessionalDevelopment • Watertown Public Schools • 2010-2011 • http://www.watertown.k12.ma.us/wps/pd/index.html 1

2. Professional Development Council Goal • To provide effective and focused professional development that ensures the time and structure to implement district, school, and department goals and ultimately improve student achievement. 2

3. Professional Development Council • Jean Fitzgerald, Assistant Superintendent • Mena Ciarlone, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, PDC Co-Coordinator • Rob Stergis, ELL Curriculum Coordinator, PDC Co-Coordinator • Kimo Carter, Middle School Principal • Bill McCarthy, Hosmer Co-Principal • Bethan Bailey, Lowell ELLTeacher • Lidia Dileso, Cunniff Grade 4 Classroom Teacher • Jill Fantasia, Hosmer Special Education Teacher • Elizabeth Kaplan, Middle School Grade 7 Science Teacher • Sara Patashnick, Hosmer Music Teacher 3

4. Professional DevelopmentProgram Framework • Strand I: Department/Grade Level • Strand II: Technology-In-Practice • Strand III: District/School-Based • Various Other Activities 4

5. Professional DevelopmentProgram Dates • Three Wednesday meetings each month • Two Half Day Professional Days • Oct 6 • May 11 • Five Full Day Professional Days • Sept 1 • Sept 14 • Nov 2 • Jan 18 • Mar 14 • Variety of other PD activities at other times 5

6. Full Day Professional Development Schedule • Fluctuating schedule • Refer to handbook (on PDC website), handout, and school year calendar 6

7. Wednesday Meetings • There are three monthly scheduled meetings: • First available Wednesday Meeting: • Faculty Meetings, 2:45-3:45 • Second available Wednesday Meeting: • Department/Grade Level Meetings, 2:45-4:45 • Third available Wednesday Meeting: • District/School-Based Meetings, 2:45-3:45 7

8. Strand I:Department/Grade Level PD 8

9. Strand I:Department/Grade Level PD • Elementary Schools • Department/Grade Level PD Planning • Middle and High Schools • Department Meetings 9

10. Elementary Focus • Elementary Grade Level meetings are designed by the Task Forces to provide professional development on creating and implementing curriculum. • Focus on: • Reading • Early Childhood • Math • Science • WCAP/BBDT • (ask Jean World Languages) 10

11. Secondary Focus • Secondary Department meetings are designated times for faculty to meet with Curriculum Coordinators. • Focus on: • Department improvement plans • State and district assessment • Mass Curriculum Frameworks • Content of Curriculum 11

12. Strand II:Technology-In-Practice T-I-P 12

13. In an effort to continue to improve professional development we have made several changes this year. To begin, you will notice many new Technology in Practice course offerings. Secondly, you will be able to sign up for a TIP course as a “team” if you elect to do so. For example, a team may consist of a classroom teacher, an instructional assistant and an ELL teacher. We have also changed the format of the TIP classes. The first TIP session will take place on 10/6 which is a half day. November 2, January 18 and March 14 are each full Professional Development days where 2 hours of TIP instructional time have been allotted in the morning and 1 hour and 15 minutes of project time will be included in the afternoon (1/8 and 3/14 only). This will be a great time for you to either work individually or collectively as a team on your TIP project. We encourage staff to think about developing projects which may result from the new technology you will begin to use and how the individual team members can contribute to the development of this project. We are continuing to work on closing the gap with respect to the amount of time that lapses between one TIP session and the next. Finally, some TIP courses have been designed for a specific population, so please pay attention to these restrictions. 13

14. XTRA NORMAL TIP • Here is an Xtra Normal movie which features TIP changes that have been put in place: • XTRA NORMAL TIP 14

15. Watertown Talks Tech • Teachers want to develop their technology skills within the context of their teaching and the curriculum. • There are three levels of technology use in practice: • Emergent • Proficient • Advanced 15

16. T-I-P Mini Courses You will be asked to select which level of proficiency best describes your technology needs. • You will select a T-I-P mini course to take during the Full Day PD days. • Three Sessions • 10 PDPs • Project time 16

17. Recommended Courses • Some courses are being offered which are recommended for learners in specific departments. 17

18. Project-based • Each T-I-P Mini Course will be project- based so that learners can practice applying and using the new technology • 10 PDPs will be allotted based on six hours of instruction plus four hours of work towards your project. 18

19. T-I-P Extended • Learners have the option of continuing to work on a project beyond the T-I-P course time in order to receive additional PDPs. • Log additional hours under “T-I-P Extended” in MLP. 19

20. A+ Innovators • If a learner has progressed beyond the levels of expertise (Emergent, Proficient and Advanced), he or she may choose to enroll in A+ Innovators which allows you to create your own technology project. • There is also a partnership opportunity with Harvard University graduate students. (See the General Conference memo posted by Mena Ciarlone.) 20

21. T-I-P Web Site 21

22. Emergent Level Courses • TeacherWeb for Beginners • Navigating iPass • Working Smarter With Your Administrative Tools 22

23. Proficient Level Courses • Creating Student Wikis and Blogs • Data Wise • Teaching Science with Gizmos • iTouch for K-5 • VIrtual Field Trips • Using Visuals to Enhance Student Learning • Digital Documentaries 23

24. Advanced Level Courses • Digital Photography • Instructional Media and Production • The TV Studio and the Curriculum • A+ for Innovators 24

25. Department Level TIP Courses-Recommended • Digital Information Literacy and Research Skills for Secondary Humanities • Digital Portfolios • Technology in Physical Education and Health • Music and Technology • Analyzing Data in Math 25

26. Strand III:District/School-Based PD • 3rd available Wednesday Meeting of each month: • 10 or more PDPs over the school year 26

27. District-School-based Mini-Courses • The Barebones of Book Clubs • Second Life • National Health Observances • Carroll Math: Specialized Math Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities • K-3 Math/ Science/ Literacy Connections • Admin Tools for Administrators • Using Google as a Reliable Research Tool • The Leader In Me: Inspiring Greatness in One Child at a Time 27

28. Or… District-School-based Options • Curriculum Planning • Action Research • TIP Extended • Task Forces • Leadership Councils • Out of District PD • Out of District state mandated ELL PD • Peer Observation* • Data Instruction* • Student Work* 28

29. District – School-based Web Site 29

30. Sample Professional Development Plans 30

31. Sample Professional Development Plans 31

32. Professional Development Handbook • Posted on District PD web site • In your school library (a printed copy) • Posted in MyLearningPlan 32

33. Questions? • Ask your PDC representative • Ask your Principal • Read the PD Handbook • Visit the PD Web Site • Visit MyLearningPlan 33

34. Thank You • We need your feedback about Professional Development. • Please sign up for Strand II and Strand III (T-I-P courses) by Friday, September 17. 34