Learning Implementation Outline

Throughout my educational journey, I have consistently valued helping others in their learning experiences. This includes supporting my students in the classroom and now assisting teachers as an instructional coach. By fostering a culture of growth and encouraging teachers to embrace continuous learning, we have seen significant improvements in student progress in the classroom.
One of the greatest joys of my career has been helping to establish a program for new teachers in our district, aimed at supporting their growth and success in the classroom during their first few years and beyond. Our teaching and learning team started from scratch to develop an effective program and identify the teachers who would benefit most from these trainings. We recognized that our team of instructional coaches alone would not be sufficient, so we decided to pair each new teacher with a mentor who is connected to their specific content area or grade level.
The first year of this program went well. We introduced essential concepts to the teachers and provided them with a toolbox filled with resources for their classrooms, including classroom management strategies, learning strategies, onboarding basics, curriculum information, student accommodations and support, and so on. While we were supplying all of these tools, we realized that we needed an additional layer of accountability to ensure that teachers were effectively utilizing these resources and could receive feedback and guidance when necessary.
We shifted our focus to a blended learning approach, which enables us to provide in-person training and modeling for new teachers every other month. These teachers are encouraged to record and share artifacts that demonstrate how they are implementing strategies in the classroom. This process also helps identify areas where they may benefit from support from a coach or mentor. In the months between live sessions, teachers will meet with their mentor or coach to receive guidance and feedback and discuss what is going well in their classrooms.
To view the online learning implementation outline in its entirety, see below.
One of the greatest joys of my career has been helping to establish a program for new teachers in our district, aimed at supporting their growth and success in the classroom during their first few years and beyond. Our teaching and learning team started from scratch to develop an effective program and identify the teachers who would benefit most from these trainings. We recognized that our team of instructional coaches alone would not be sufficient, so we decided to pair each new teacher with a mentor who is connected to their specific content area or grade level.
The first year of this program went well. We introduced essential concepts to the teachers and provided them with a toolbox filled with resources for their classrooms, including classroom management strategies, learning strategies, onboarding basics, curriculum information, student accommodations and support, and so on. While we were supplying all of these tools, we realized that we needed an additional layer of accountability to ensure that teachers were effectively utilizing these resources and could receive feedback and guidance when necessary.
We shifted our focus to a blended learning approach, which enables us to provide in-person training and modeling for new teachers every other month. These teachers are encouraged to record and share artifacts that demonstrate how they are implementing strategies in the classroom. This process also helps identify areas where they may benefit from support from a coach or mentor. In the months between live sessions, teachers will meet with their mentor or coach to receive guidance and feedback and discuss what is going well in their classrooms.
To view the online learning implementation outline in its entirety, see below.
The Big Hairy Audacious Goal & Fink's 3 Column Table
Our ambitious goal for the new teacher academy is to complete a year of professional learning incorporating the five key principles of effective professional development. Additionally, we aim to create a supportive environment for new teachers through our innovative blended learning model, encouraging them to explore and implement new ideas.