Activities in this module are designed to be facilitated by the educational leader in a face-to-face session with teachers. These short activities would be an effective way to begin a faculty meeting or work session. These can be reviewed in any order.
Each activity below contains a short stand-alone professional development session. Each session offers content to prompt thinking, a processing strategy and a connection to classroom practice. Ideas for follow-up are included. The sessions offer the educational leader a means to provide continuous improvement of instruction and assessment practices based on the most current research on the impact of educator practices on student learning.
This module is related to NEE Indicator 5.1, 5.3, 5.3b
Use the bookmarks below to go directly an activity in this page:
Open an activity below as part of the Food for Thought activity. When an activity is completed, continue with the Process It and Tie in the Classroom Practice tasks below.
Ask each teacher to select one tip they feel is important to building a positive relationship with students.
In the small groups, have each teacher read the tip he/she selected and tell why it seems important in building relationships.
TIE IT TO THE CLASSROOM
Ask teachers to commit to trying a different strategy from the list each week for the next four weeks. Teachers will report out at the next meeting on what they tried, how it went, and any differences in the relationships they have with their students. If preferred, teachers can share by creating a Journal entry and sharing it with the full school group.
Helps teachers learn about noticing noteworthy instructional practices when viewing classroom instruction.
PROCESS IT
Have teachers work in small groups, assign a lens to each group (each of the four lenses is one of the NEE Performance Indicators). The teachers will watch for the specific indicator on their lens during the video. (Click here for lens handout (PDF))
Teachers should mark the time on the video for anything they think represents the indicator on their lens.
After the video, the small groups should discuss what they saw in terms of their lens and create a list of all the points where they feel they saw the indicator.
Have each group report out to the whole group by running the video again with small group members stopping the video at the call-outs they agreed upon.
TIE IT TO THE CLASSROOM
Teachers may elect to:
create grade-level or subject-area video clubs to work on the indicators in their personal teaching practice
select some of the actions used by the teacher in the video to try in their classrooms
watch additional videos through the lens of indicators to help them become more familiar with the actions that comprise an indicator
Walks teachers through an activity designed to promote a growth mindset. Teachers can replicate this activity with their students by using the accompanying lesson plans.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Once the activity is completed, show the two videos below.
Khan Academy - Growing Your Mind
Sentis - Neuroplasticity
PROCESS IT
Divide your faculty into small groups of four or five individuals.
Direct each individual to share a personal story about a time when hard work was required in order to get better at something. Individuals can tell about
hard work
strategies
help from others
When all group members have shared their stories, the discussion moves to how the following can make a person smarter
working hard
taking on challenges
finding the right strategy
TIE IT TO THE CLASSROOM
Ask teachers to examine the full Growth Mindset Lesson Plan and consider what parts might be used in their classrooms to help students develop a growth mindset. Cultivating Growth Mindst Lesson Plans (PDF)
Challenge your teachers to utilize at least one small piece of the lesson plan with their students and to be ready to report back to the full group about what was used and how it affected students. The sharing can be done at your next meeting or by creating a Journal entry and sharing it with your full school group.
4. 12 Words that Should be in Our Educational Vocabulary
You may copy the pdf if you’d like to give the teachers a copy of the words.
Divide the words evenly among the groups .
Each group should discuss the word(s) and why they believe the author included that word on the use more list.
When the group members feel the discussion has run its course, they can read what DeWitt wrote about each word and discuss how his view connects to their analysis.
When the groups have finished their work, have a spokesperson from each group share their thoughts about a word briefly and a reporter from each group read what DeWitt wrote.
Conduct a short full-group discussion about what meaning the two lists of words might have for your school.
TIE IT TO THE CLASSROOM
Challenge your teachers to find ways to incorporate the words from the “use more” list in their reflection, planning and instruction.
Take time at your next meeting to have teachers report on anything they may have noticed or changed as a result of the activity with DeWitt’s list of words.
5. How Can a Pineapple Support Professional Growth?
Introduces the practice of peer observations. It provides an opportunity for the faculty to discuss and consider adopting the practice. The pineapple chart is provided as a format for teachers to welcome others into the classroom to observe.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Introduce the idea at a faculty meeting.
Show the video clip from the activity.
Share some of the facts about peer observations regarding the benefits experienced by teachers who participate. Peer observations provide:
an opportunity to engage in reflective dialogue about teaching
focused classroom support
a chance to improve classroom practices
support from an “expert” (peer) who understands the daily demands of the classroom
satisfaction with one’s work
reduced job stress (especially for new teachers)
a welcoming atmosphere for new teachers
someone who is available to help, explain and assist with teaching strategies
The pineapple has been a symbol of welcome for over 400 years
The pineapple chart is a voluntary way for teachers to welcome other professionals into the classroom for either party’s benefit
PROCESS IT
Ask teachers to discuss their reactions, thoughts, hopes and fears about initiating Pineapple Peer Observations in your school. Ask them to share in small groups first and then have the groups share out.
TIE IT TO THE CLASSROOM
If teachers seem ready and willing to adopt the practice, ask for volunteers to kick-off the first week. Have the volunteers fill in the information on the chart later.
Challenge your teachers to commit to completing at least one visit and signing up to host at least once during the remainder of the school year/semester.
If you want teachers to focus on the NEE Indicators and Look-fors during peer-observations, you may want them to use the NEE Peer Observation Sheets. If you choose to have teachers try scoring, you may want to conduct a few practice scoring sessions using the example videos for the indicators your school has selected for focus. Make the Peer Observation Etiquette sheet (Word) available to teachers and review it with them.
Explains goal orientations and how they affect student motivation and learning. Teachers consider the ways classroom policies and practices influence student goal orientations.
Each teacher in the group takes one card and reads it.
Regroup the teachers into three large groups according to the goal orientation card received.
Each group of teachers should talk about how a student might act, talk and respond in the classroom when working from that goal orientation. Teachers may be able to think of classroom examples.
Each of the three groups should brainstorm a list of teacher practices that might encourage students to work from that goal orientation.
Teachers return to their original 3 person group and share the practices for their goal orientation.
TIE IT TO THE CLASSROOM
Ask teachers to share anything from the small group discussions that they think is important for everyone to hear or discuss.
Challenge teachers to discontinue one or more of the practices on the brainstormed list for the performance or task-completion orientations and adopt one or more practice from the list for the learning orientation.
Ask teachers to be ready to report on their trials at the next faculty meeting or work day.
Be sure to allow time in the next agenda for the report.
*Alternately, you could number teachers off into three groups and ask each to create a chart of classroom practices that encourage students to operate in one of the orientations. When finished conduct a gallery walk moving each group to the next chart. After examining the chart the group can add to the list or write questions or comments on the existing items. When all groups have visited each chart they return to their original chart, discuss any additions, comments or questions and then share it with the entire group. Tie this to practice in the same way as with the jigsaw.
Provides information on using education author Alan November’s The First Five Days to make the beginning of the school year as productive and relevant as possible.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity link above, use the pages as your slides.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Divide teachers into groups by grade level or content area. Ask them to discuss Alan November’s First Five Days and how they might alter the ways that they begin the school year in order to incorporate some of his ideas. Possible conversation starters:
What things do you do now to kick off the school year to build Relationships (student/student and student/teacher), encourage Risk-taking and establish student Responsibility for learning?
Which other ideas could be used to support the development of the 3 Rs in your classroom?
What other ideas come to mind as you consider ways to incorporate the 5 daily themes into your classroom at the beginning of the year. 1) Ask questions, 2) Search for Answers, 3) Incorporate student responsibility, 4) Messy problems, 5) Global connections
Is this type of inquiry something that could continue on throughout the year (in some way) in your classroom?
What might be the advantages for students in utilizing this beginning of the year strategy? What about advantages in the routine use of this strategy?
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to commit to incorporating (even a small piece of) November’s plan to stimulate their students’ curiosity and eagerness to learn and help to build relationships, risk-taking and responsibility in the classroom.
Challenge your teachers to plan their first five days, teach as planned and then reconvene to discuss the experience.
Note* Ideally the first 5 days would actually be days 1 through 5 of the school year. However, even after the school year has started, the ideas behind the suggested activities offer value in redirecting a class that perhaps has lost its focus on curiosity and the wonder of learning.
Each year teachers and their students set out to attain a specific set of learning goals. Author Dave Stuart Jr. likens this to climbing Mt. Everest. He points out that it's easy to become distracted by those myriad goals and lose sight of the mountain altogether. He suggests that every teacher begin their year by "defining Everest."
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity link above, use the pages as your slides.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Dave Stuart defined the Everest his students face by identifying the critical skills and knowledge they will gain from his class that will lead to their success in college, career and life.
Ask teachers to write about the critical skills and knowledge that constitute the Everest in each of their classrooms. Remember, these are the big picture skills, dispositions and understandings students will gain - not a laundry list of learning objectives.
Reorganize teachers into like groups by grade level or subject taught so that they can discuss what they see as the Everest they will scale with their students during the upcoming year.
Dave Stuart defined the Everest his students face by identifying the critical skills and knowledge they will gain from his class that will lead to their success in college, career and life.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to keep their list handy and refer back to it often as they create assessments, write units and plan lessons.
Challenge your teachers to consider how everything they ask their students to do contributes to scaling their Everest.
Introduces teachers to a quick instructional strategy designed to uncover and address common misconceptions.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity link above, use the pages as your slides.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Ask teachers to spend a few minutes thinking about how My Favorite No could work for them and their students. Ask them to jot down several ideas for using the strategy with their content, at a specific point in an upcoming lesson, and how it might benefit both student understanding and their own perceptions about student understanding.
After teachers have completed their quick writes about using the strategy ask them to share their ideas in small groups by grade level or content area.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to use their ideas in the classroom over the next week or two. Be sure to reserve time for teachers to share the results of the trial at the next faculty, PLC or grade level meeting.
Challenge your teachers to adopt this strategy as a routine part of their teaching to
This activity asks the teacher to reflect on the instructional practices and strategies that provide a foundation for their success as a teacher. By identifying their teaching fundamentals, teachers can better focus their work on the things that support student success in their classrooms.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity link above, use the pages as your slides.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Provide a copy of the handout to each teacher.
Ask teachers to reflect on the fundamentals shared by Suzanne Farrell Smith and to identify the top 5 items that would be on their personal lists. The teachers may add different items if they feel something is missing. Have teachers share with a partner and then in a group of 4. The teachers may revise their lists if they hear something that changes their thinking.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to consider how they incorporate the items on their list into their teaching. Have them jot down a few concrete things they do that support each item.
Challenge your teachers to consider their list of fundamentals each day as they plan and deliver instruction. Have teachers revisit their lists at a future meeting to self-check how they are doing.
12. What To Do About An Unsatisfactory Classroom Observation
Teachers can become discouraged when a lesson goes badly especially if it just happens to be observed (and scored) by their evaluator. This activity urges teachers to remember that everyone has a bad day occasionally. The important thing in this situation is not that something went wrong but how you handle it.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity link above, use the pages as your slides.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Hold a discussion about expectations for classroom observations. Discussions items might include:
The rubric for particular indicators
Administrator expectations concerning classroom observations, lessons and the instructional strategies that are used
Teacher expectations or concerns about classroom observations
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to bear the "bad day" philosophy in mind and to look at bad days as opportunities for reflection and learning about what to do in the future.
Challenge your teachers to look back at their classroom observation reports and consider the actions they could take in order to improve their scores.
Students encounter numerous "signals" in their schools every day. What do those signals tell them about learning?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity link above, use the pages as your slides.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Provide a copy of the handout (PDF) to each teacher.
Ask teachers to think about the signals their students receive on a daily basis and then complete the chart. When finished, place the teachers in small groups (grade level, content area, or mixed groups). Have small groups share their answers and create a list of actions individual teachers, groups, and/or administrators could use to improve the signals the students experience.
When small groups have finished, have each share some of their favorite ideas.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to commit to making changes in their classrooms to adjust the signals experienced by their students.
Challenge your teachers to keep track of the changes they make over the coming 2-4 weeks and note any corresponding changes they observe in their students.
Ask individuals and groups to share their changes and observations at a later meeting.
When your teachers have completed the assessment and have received their results, lead them through the following steps:
Ask teachers to reflect on their top-5 strengths. Were there any surprises? Do they think they use these strengths in their work with students?
Distribute the handout and ask teachers to list their top-5 strengths on the lines in #1.
Conduct several rounds of Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up where teachers circulate the room and locate a partner. Once paired up, the partners compare their top 5 strengths. Each partner then takes a turn to share some way they think one of their strengths supports their delivery of instruction. When one duo is finished sharing, the two thank each other and raise their hands to locate a new partner.
After the teachers have worked with 4 or 5 different partners, have them return to their seats. Select one of your school's focus NEE Indicators. Ask for suggestions about how a specific character strength might be used to support that Indicator.
Have teachers work in table groups to discuss each of your focus indicators and brainstorm ways the different character strengths can support them. Teachers can use the chart #2 on the handout to record their favorites.
Explain how you will be incorporating character strengths into the NEE Components.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to complete the chart on the handout listing ways they can use their character strengths to support the focus indicators of your school.
Challenge your teachers to plan for and track the ways they use their character strengths in the coming days. Ask them to record their reflections on what this new aspect of instruction adds to student learning in their classrooms.
Dedicating your work is a practice that takes only minutes but can be a powerful way to develop a learning environment that fosters caring for each other and engenders pride in the work that is done. When undertaken with teachers and replicated with students, the relationships that are built in the learning community become deeper and stronger.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity linked below, use the pages as your slides.
Have the handout ready to use with Slide 6.
When the slides have been completed,
PROCESS IT
Have volunteers share their dedication with others as desired.
Ask how dedicating their work to someone important in their life might support their teaching.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Ask teachers to consider how using this activity with students might help support them and their learning.
Have teachers share their ideas for using this activity with students.
Challenge your teachers to try using it in their classrooms and have students revisit their dedication a few times during the school year.
Later in the year ask for teachers to report on how forming dedications may have impacted their teaching and their students.
This is a great activity for back-to-school meetings. It asks teachers to think about the importance of everything that will take place in their classroom during the school year. They are encouraged to share their thoughts with students to help them perceive the value of their learning.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Open the activity linked below, use the pages as your slides.
Stop on slide 4 so the instructions will be visible to your teachers.
PROCESS IT
Give your teachers time to complete the instructions to reflect, plan, and share the value of what they teach.
TIE IT TO PRACTICE
Challenge your teachers to follow their plan to explain the value of learning in their classrooms to their students over the first few days of class.
Ask teachers to share how their explanations went at your next meeting. Ask them how student motivation might have been affected by their explanations.
