Curriculum Learning Communities: A
sustainable model for building
teacher capacity
ELC Mission & Vision
Mission
To promote high-quality school readiness, voluntary prekindergarten and after school programs, thus increasing all
children’s chances of achieving future educational success
and becoming productive members of society. The
Coalition seeks to further the physical, social emotional
and intellectual needs of Miami-Dade and Monroe County
children with a priority toward the ages before birth
through age 5.
Vision
To ensure a comprehensive and integrated system
providing for all families and their children, beginning
before birth to five years the affordable opportunity to
enter school ready to learn and succeed in life.
Curriculum Learning CommunitiesOur goals
• Improve fidelity and accountability for
curriculum implementation through job
embedded professional development;
• Empower programs and teachers by building
onsite capacity through innovative strategies
and systematic training and support; and
• Assist Quality Rating and Improvement
System (Quality Counts) programs in making
progress in their rating.
Challenge
• To provide effective curriculum training
which is:
– Supportive
– Job-embedded
– Curriculum focused
– Collaborative
– Ongoing
to early childhood professionals in Miami-Dade
Our Strategy
• Combine best practices and lessons
learned from:
– comprehensive, research-based early childhood
curricula (HighScope, Creative Curriculum)
– Ready Schools Miami work and job-embedded
master’s program
– other curriculum implementation trainings
• Create a cost-effective, efficient, and
scalable model for curriculum
training
Curriculum Learning Communities
Model
Components of learning communities
National School Reform Faculty
– Developed protocols for educators to
improve their practice to impact student
learning
– Categories of Protocols:
•
•
•
•
•
Building community
Learning from Text
Learning from Student (Child) and Adult Work
Learning from Dilemmas
Learning from School and Classroom Visits
www.nsrfharmony.com
Professional Development
– 4 days for program directors on curriculum and
protocols (2 days up front and 2 days around
month 6)
– 5-day Facilitating Learning Communities session
for peer facilitators (3 days up front and 2 days
around month 6)
– 18-20 days specialized curriculum sessions for
peer facilitators over 10-12 months
Work between trainings
– On-site Learning Community and
homework between trainings
– Directors meetings to strengthen
collaboration and address concerns
– Work as a PFLC to assess what
worked/didn’t and provide feedback to
trainer
The ELC and its partners provide:
– All training and orientation sessions;
– Curriculum materials;
– Incentives to participating centers to help
cover staff time;
– Support of all learning communities to
ensure successful implementation and
adjust strategies as needed;
– Ongoing coordination and follow up.
During Year 1 (2009-2010):
• 37 Centers, 74 teachers, 22 community
members from QC, MDC, MDC-CDS
• Provided curriculum materials and onsite
support for teacher planning and the
curriculum learning communities
• Distributed FLIPs to participating
teachers to support reflective practice,
interaction between teachers and online
support using technology
Steps for Year 2 (2010-2011):
• Working with 60 centers-20 continuing,
40 new
• Continue to build on-site capacity with
use of protocols
• Embed use of NSRF protocols and
principles of learning communities in
other trainings in the community to gain
synergy
• Work closely with Quality Counts in
curriculum implementation standards
Steps for Year 3 (2011-2012)
For teachers and directors:
• Working with 60 centers
• Continue to build on-site capacity with use of
protocols
• Build web-based support for cohort 1 & 2 to ensure
sustainability
• Embed use of NSRF protocols and principles of
learning communities in other trainings in the
community to gain synergy
• Design and implement collaboration with
MDCPS/teacher fellows program (guided inquiry
approach)
Steps for Year 3 (2011-2012)
For Leadership Cadre
• Develop facilitation skills of 8 support
team members through presented PF
sessions
• Train 25 participants using HighScope
Trainer of Trainer model
Evaluation
• Pre-post assessments using:
– ARNETT (infant), CLASS (preschool)
– Program Quality Assessment-PQA (HighScope )
– Creative Curriculum Implementation Checklist (Creative
Curriculum)
– Program culture survey (all staff)
– Focus groups (directors, teachers and trainers)
– ITERS and ECERS on QC programs
• Indirect impact from
Y1(not formally assessed):
– Teachers’ working on higher level degrees (CDA,
AA, BA)
– PF designated to higher level positions in their
centers i.e. curriculum specialist, director
– More demand from centers for training and
identification with curriculum
What teachers and directors say…
• We share and develop productive and supportive
relationships with our group.
• We are working together exchanging ideas and
sharing materials.
• The tools that we have learned regarding
curriculum have been of great value. It’s wonderful
to see people working together and willing to learn.
• The CLC is one of the best things that happened to
staff and to our center. We are eager to start a
second year.
• We can see how beneficial consistent ongoing
training can be. I am excited to be involved with
CLC.
• It’s a great opportunity. It empowers staff and
brings communities together.
Any questions?