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Elizabeth Raff PA TOY Teacher Leadership Creating a Culture of Learning

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Elizabeth Raff PA TOY Teacher Leadership Creating a Culture of Learning

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Instructional Coaching - New Position created using AARP and ESSR funding adopted permanently into local budget

Uses Jim Knight Coaching Model

Identify

Learn

Improve

Model and coaching based on teacher choice and teacher voice

Instructional Support for Principal Leadership

Support Observations to help teachers unpack their pedagogy

New Teacher Support

Peer observations

Detailed Checkpoints

2 year induction program

Year 1 - Formalized PL

Year 2 - Coaching Conversations (must complete 2 coaching cycles)

Instructional Playbook

sites.google.com/pennmanor.net/playbook

Use Social Media to build culture

"When teachers stop learning, so do students"

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Highlights and summary of what your colleague shared. Please feel free to include links, images (with permission) and anything else that would be helpful to another teacher trying to learn more.

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Dani taught us how to think about writing with different tools, using a power writing prompt. She started by telling us this wonderful story about a student trip to NYC where one of her students came in 3 inch heels and needed flip flops. She used this to launch us into a power writing exercise where, like her student and her alternate pair of shoes, we had to use tools to write that may be new or different from our favorites (e.g. a different pen, a pencil, etc).

We did a 1-minute power writing (can't stop or cross out any words) with the prompt: write about a pair of shoes that meant something for you.

After a minute we paused, and used a different writing tool to complete another 1-minute power writing.

Dani taught us that changing tools (even using voice to text) can help student writers who are stuck get unstuck. Thanks Dani!

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Supporting New Teachers Year One and Beyond (Kimberly Radostits, IL)

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Supporting New Teachers Year One and Beyond (Kimberly Radostits, IL)

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Starting Activity (Plate Activity): Write on your plates all the things that are "on your plates" (e.g., emails, grading, lesson planning, calls, home visits, administrative work) and reflect on how it's overwhelming, esp., for new & developing educators.

Context: Many educators in Kim's district didn't have mentors. Today, 30% of new teachers leave the profession within 5 years of teachers. We want to ensure every teacher, like students, need the support be set up for success. And like the support Kim received from her community in the wake of the tornado, new teachers need love, mentorship, and community.

New Teacher Academy (NTA): Holds monthly teacher retreats that convenes at a convention center. They have dinner, connect with faculty, and have monthly guest dinners throughout the year (to not bombard teachers with information).

Desirable veteran teachers: Union involvement, mix of experience and grade levels

NTA orientation: A 2-day opportunity to connect teachers to the community and its culture (via bus tours, tech supports).

All are invited! Every teacher, old or new, are allowed to join the NTA.

Academy Topics of Discussion

Danielson & Teacher Evaluation

Parents Contracts & Communication

Special Education Considerations

Student-centered Classrooms

Teacher Celebrations/Reflect & Relax

Using and Managing Student Data

Mindset in the Classroom

Sharefest

NTA Benefits

Due to the success, they've only lost 3 teachers and no one let go. It's cost-effective.

Continuing PD (CPDUS)

Relationship building

Stipend

Connectedness to the district/faculty

Mentorship

New Teacher Club: Models, inspires future teachers, and creates membership.

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Starts off with origin story - poverty, love of reading, etc. - "Head Start kid"

Passion for special education - meaningful because it's personal

Private tutoring business to cover medical costs

Launched RRW to improve literacy for all children

HB3035 - "Third Grade Success Act"

Must invest in education - specifically literacy

6 talking points

"Reading Wars" - pendulum swing

"3-cueing"

Orthographic Mapping - Visual, Speech

6 Talking Points

High poverty in WV

Success Sequence - "we have to make literacy accessible to all students"

"Books take you places"

For more info: https://wvde.us/ready-read-write/

Amber makes a strong case for why literacy is vital for ALL kids. Well done!

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Rosa: Cosecha Mestiza: Community Dance Group

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Rosa: Cosecha Mestiza: Community Dance Group

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How do we create a sense of belonging through community connect?

-Language fosters a sense of belonging

-Bilingual programs in Spanish and Russian

30 Years Ago, worked as a teacher's assistant, was an architect in Mexico

-Saw the challenges of finding new belonging

-Dancing became a way to creating a respectful community to foster a sense of belonging for all, Kinder-High School

-Some students have been in dance with Rosa from kinder-high school, she is able to support them through their entire education through the dance program

-108 students kinder-college, 24 adults (teachers and administrators too)

-started with 4 students and 2 parents

-Community Involvement: Organize a big celebration, the Cosecha Mestiza, a community fair

-There is a huge impact of having parents dance as well, fosters pride from students to see their parents involved and participating alongside the teachers in a cross-cultural setting

-"It is UP TO US to create spaces and opportunities for students to grow"

-Students: "Our culture is alive in the United States, it is a safe place for us to learn." ... " I dance because who I am... I am a long way from home and dance is a way I stay connected to my home." ... "I do dance because of my love for people... I dance because my heart beats to the rhythm of mestiza"

POST VIDEO

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Shaping School Culture with Mentoring and Recognition

Shaping School Culture with Mentoring and Recognition

Lakeside Ladies Mentoring Program - 11 years.

Asked faculty for recommendations for girls who might need extra time and attention based on their identities

Each gets a personal invitation to join from Melissa and she matches them with a list of volunteer faculty

Meet every Friday for breakfast together (all mentors and mentees) - this is in addition to a weekly check-in that may happen at lunch or after school.

At meetings and events, faculty and community members come in and give talks. Meetings have themes like courage, love, etc.

The goal is to build their knowledge of who they are and what they can do. It helps them to name a goal, plan, and navigate where they want to go/be. The girls validate each other and share advice for specific issues.

Success stories:

Sarah, an aspiring artist, world with Melissa to navigate admission to the arts high school, along with her parents.

Fabulous Finale celebration dinner. They choose from suits/dresses and get makeup/hair done and then a dance. Parents attend at the last hour. They get to see their children’s growth and the community they’ve built.

This means that junior high girls in the program always have a safe space and a friend, someone to go to as they cope with the challenges of middle school.

Support of their social, emotional, and academic development. It increases attendance, sense of belonging, achievement, and community engagement.

Second Intiative: A School-Wide Recognition Program -it is still going even though Melissa is no longer there.

Created to address culture and climate in the midst of constant administrative turnover.

Google Form the teachers, students, support staff can access to nominate for shout-outs. It helps to recognize the students who may not be academically gifted. Students can nominate teachers and support staff and vice-versa. Shout outs are printed and then hand delivered to the teachers to their classrooms. Photos for students and personal recognition from the nominee.

This has had a real impact on culture and climate. It builds recognition of contribution, commitment, and community.

What mentoring and recognition programs do you have at your schools?

How can you make them better? Or create new ones?

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Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone & Team Building

How do we get out of our comfort zones? How do we realize our peers' strengths?

How do get students into the learning zone... support students who need SE and those that need an academic challenge?

Room is divided into 3: comfort zone, learning zone, panic zone

Prompts are given and people self select where they are in relation to topic

Look at community for who you can lean on when you are in the panic zone but they are closer to the comfort zone

Prompt examples, how do you feel about:

snakes, dancing, football, working with someone you don't know, climbing towers/ropes

Reflection time:

-When students are making excuses, not doing the work, it's because they are in the panic zone, support them through that

-Students journal and reflect where they were before/after

Building Communication Time Through Games:

*Challenge by choice, everyone has to challenge themselves in the way that fits best

"Helium Hoop" stand in a circle with partners, move hoop from chest to ankle by only holding the hula hoop with your two pointer fingers and you must keep your two fingers on the hoop, if it falls, you have to start again

-Every game/activity: We have to debrief

-What did you have to do to communicate to complete the task?

-Why did the hoop rise?

"Salt and Pepper" card is placed on back, there are matching cards (IE salt and pepper, big and small), find the card that matches and find someone you have something in common with someone... you can't tell someone their word

Trust Wave: Make two lines, reach out arms and do the wave as someone walks or runs through the line

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Billie NY TOY The Power of Creating L.A.B. Classroom Spaces - centering love access and belonging to optimize student learning

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Billie NY TOY The Power of Creating L.A.B. Classroom Spaces - centering love access and belonging to optimize student learning

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Think back to the first time anyone ever taught you something.....

Parents are original teachers - UCLA (haha)

Identity is the first thing we learn - The work will hate you but home is the place you will get love

The Experience of Subtractive Schooling

Process of subtracting resources from US-Mexican Youth

Schools are set up to divest from their culture

Everyone should create historical literacies of the communities they serve to engage in inclusive practices

Love is providing authentic care and compassion to all students so they can heal others and themselves

Use cultural and historical references to reinforce academic terms to build self esteem and positive affirmations of students

Access - providing students opportunities to enrich the experiences of their learning and straighten their communities

GHETTO - GETTING HIGHER EDUCATION TO TRANSFORM OTHERS

No extra credit unless you are doing something to advance your life

Belonging - Creating a space where students are valued and feel a part of the environment

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Michael Ida: Origami for Teaching in an Overstimulated World

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Michael Ida: Origami for Teaching in an Overstimulated World

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Michael started with some personal background and what makes origami personally meaningful and relevant to him. Then the premise that when we're working in an overstimulated world, we need to refocus on mindfulness and that can be done by engaging the mind in a focused way on the art of origami.

He also used creating origami as a metaphor for teaching with more mindfulness:

1. Focus the mind and body

2. Small steps conquer big obstacles

3. Sharp creases: be all in

4. Trust the process (when you are starting to let go of overstimulation in your classroom you have to trust the process)

5. Capture the essence: use details sparingly (students don't need to memorize everything the first time)

6. Show exemplars before cutting loose on creativity

7. It's all about giving kids wings to soar

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Outdoor Learning: The Art of Learning How to Build a Fire (Lori Danz, WI)

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Outdoor Learning: The Art of Learning How to Build a Fire (Lori Danz, WI)

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Context: A description and explanation of the philosophy of how outdoor learning can address & meet the needs of social-emotional needs of students (and teachers)!

Making Connections: Lori uses a magic metaphor to show that we think we're making connections (like how we assumed the sticks in her magic trick were connected) when we're not. This connects to the reality of how our youths are not feeling connected and have many mental health challenges stepping from biological, stress, and socioeconomic factors.

Outdoor learning: Helps students acquire socio-emotional skills. Lori believes this is so based on two reasons:

1. Sound educational pedagogy. The importance of movement that engages all senses, integrates content (e.g., STEM, art, writing, music, service learning)

2. Basic laws of ecology. Nature teaches us many important lessons:

1. Interdependence is ever-present, even if we don't see or understand it, similar to how every student plays a role.

2. Diversity is a strength. We know that the strength of an ecosystem is connected to its diversity.

3. Nature is resilient. Nature always recovers, even though survival is not easy and organisms face many challenges.

3. Perspective. Nature offers a different perspective that offers empathy (e.g., students interacting with and caring for animals). It also helps teach us patience, as nature has it's own rhythm and time. Lastly, it instills in us the Power of Awe (e.g., gazing the stars, looking into the stars, connecting together).

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Tara Hughes: Shadows of Imagination: Storytelling Through Shadow Puppetry

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Tara Hughes: Shadows of Imagination: Storytelling Through Shadow Puppetry

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Teaching through puppetry

"Gingerbread Man"

Embracing discomfort

Group participation "run, run, as fast as you can..."

Group feels part of the story - communal feeling

Engaging storytelling - entire group is enthralled and enjoying it

Discusses vocab she would've taught prior to the lesson "aroma, disintegrate"

Such a powerful, engaging lesson. Great job, Tara!

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qaH6m4KolPBEWBE1O-DqXd1IQNpLAyuG9eypGrB1xlI/edit?usp=sharing

Unpacking Local Indigenous History Through Primary Source

Students are historical detectives

I can analyze the past and present experiences of Wabanaki -the Dawn Land- peoples in Maine in order to tell a more accurate and truthful history

-Wabanaki are still a present people, 5 tribes, who all have been continuously living in their homeland for over 13,000 years

-Developing K-12 studies, in partnership with Wabanaki people

-Legacy of erasure is not true, Wabanaki are still present and alive, they have never been fully removed from their ancestral lands although they have faced signification violence in an effort of erasure

-Team will look at sources and summarize conclusions from the sources

- questions are posed to help, student do not have to

answer each question

-Each detective group shares their source that only they saw [primary sources are order in chronological order]

1. Decree from the Pope: Spain has purpose and permission to fund Columbus' next voyage to claim lands and religious conversion, 1493

2. Levet: 1623-4, journal entry about fishing experiences, describing land for future plantations and towns that he "discovered" although it was already there

3. Proclamation of Lt. on behalf of the King: Complete genocide with a list of indigenous peoples to be killed or taken for enslavement for a monetary reward (approx 12K today), paid by the government, 1755

4. George Washington, 1776: Proclamation to indigenous people (Pasamakati) before crossing the Delaware River (famous painting) thanking them for accepting chain of friendship, GB wants indigenous people to fight vs army so Washington is campaigning to win support/alliance of indigenous communities (and giving them money)

Finished with painting by James Eric Francis (Penobscot) that is a replica of the proclamation with the Penobscot word We Walk On Eternally

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Jermar Rountree: Dramatic Engager: Roll on the Wall

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Jermar Rountree: Dramatic Engager: Roll on the Wall

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Starts with activity

Asks for audience participating from the start - 6 volunteers

Opening up the year asking students "how do you feel about the start of the school year?"

Directions: Team writes down as many feelings as they can - each member can only write 1 - 30 secs

students are in a race to write down their feelings - very competitive - everyone is engaged

Jermar discusses different feelings that people wrote down - "tired" "excited" etc. - talks through these feelings and why students put them

Different colors represents different emotions - tacks for students who prefer a non-color option

Switches to PD for adults

He has the group draw a line down the body on a sheet of paper

one side: write down the emotions that you felt before California (asks for volunteers)

other side: "how are you feeling right? What are some of the emotions that you feel right now? After California? Being here?" (asks for volunteers)

He closes out with a conversation about how people are feeling and why.

Multilayered and differentiated lesson! Awesome!

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It’s a Small World After All

How I Make a Social Studies Relevant to Students

Our humanity gives

Zoom in to favorite map and find something that pops out to you

-"an elephant, people, trees, crescent moon, a ship...."

Shows class a map from 1507 day 2 of school:

Do you have a feeling when you look at the map? Use your senses

When was this map made?

What is the darkest part of the map?

It's her favorite map because it is the first time America was pictured and named as America

EQ- it is the most important part of learning, who we are as humans is asking questions

"It is my job to make the world smaller for my students"

Discussing tough subjects: don't avoid them, learning to be brave to go to into the discussion

"I don't compromise, I navigate" (To facilitate discourse with challenging topics)

"Break their hearts -> give them hope"

Activity: Focus Anchor Activity

It is important to know other's anchor (teachers -> students, admin -> teacher, etc)

I'm not teaching my worldview, I'm teaching how to think so you can develop your own.

House Bill 1447: Law that bans incentives a student to engage in political activism, lobbying, or efforts to persuade

My students are world-changers....

Rural Indiana: could be considered a "civic deserts" communities without opportunities for civic engagement (60% students in rural areas do not have a connection to places where they can engage in civic engagement)

What are your places of civic engagements?

How do you get around stuff? Playing games and generating curiosity to ask questions about the topic

IE: a game about water shortages in Darfur, TukTuk Trek 2023 Videos from organization Forgotten Children, GeoGuesser

This type of teaching gives me the freedom to be a human being as I teach

Have fun, make the world smaller, break their hearts and give them hope

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Berol Dewdney - Impact of Influence Mini Lesson

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Berol Dewdney - Impact of Influence Mini Lesson

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We are not Born Ready Pre K

Science of Connection

Conscious Discipline Brain State Model

Must have ed tools rooted in Science

Connecting a hug

Teachers teachers, we are a team Teacher, Teacher hanging with you we are a dream

Breathing exercise

1. Spiderman Breathing

Eye Contact

Appropriate touch

Executive Function Development

mental tools that facilitate all of learning

3 components

1. Inhibitory Control - ability to control your responses (marshmallow test on youtube)

2. Working Memory - ability to hold information in your mind

3. Cognitive Flexibility - changing focusof thinking

Play is the most important thing for learning

Mature Make Believe Play

1. Planning

2. Roles

3. Props

4. Extended Time Fram

5. Language

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Getting Their Best: Effective Instructional Strategies (Jimmy Day II, CO)

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Getting Their Best: Effective Instructional Strategies (Jimmy Day II, CO)

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How do I get the results?

1. Discourse: Engage and reinforce concepts via presentation. Get students to talk, collaborate, and emerge leaders.

Performing on their instruments

Self-reflections

2. Modeling: An "I/We/You Do" that gets the desired results or expended behavior. Can be iterative process.

I do: I demonstrate the concept through playing an instrument (students "ghost play")

We do: We all play together

You do: They do on their own, I coach and give feedback

3. Independent Practice: Set class to support whole group practice at the end of the wk. For example:

Mon: Individual practice (15-20 min)

Tue/Wed: Small group rotation

Thu/Fri: Whole group (full band)

Check out Jimmy's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jday26

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Introduction: Discussing the importance of stem and integration into curriculum

Provides anecdotes to give the audience of semblance of what this looks like in his stem lab

"What can students do?"

3D printing, sewing projects, art in 3D, hit things with a hammer, etc.

Tools of the Trade: Displays all of the tools he uses for students

"Where do I start?"

Zach displays ways for this to be done - simplifies it and provides a "no tech" option for others and non-STEM folks

Zach provides wonderful stories about a student using a 3D printer with wonder/success - emphasizes "giving students that space and time to explore and figure out"

People ask questions about funding, patents, etc. Zach breaks it down for everyone

Zach discusses the origin of the class - he organized it and fought for it at his school

Zach discusses his all of his equipment: drones, printers, etc - their origins, differences, benefits, etc.

Everyone is engaged! Wonderful lesson, Zach!