School Reform Initiative SA
Critical Friends
New Coaches Seminar
Collaborative learning communities are part of a significant movement in education to promote
professional learning and implement professional development programs that improve student
achievement through teacher collaboration, critical friendship, and inquiry. These professional
learning communities are small groups of teachers and administrators who commit themselves to
learning together – with and from one another. Critical friends groups, one form of collaborative
learning community, meet regularly as an intact group, and over time they use a variety of protocols - agreed-upon guidelines for structuring conversation -- to examine student and teacher work, build a
learning community among colleagues, reflect on practice, and identify issues that affect student
achievement. The ultimate aim of critical friends groups is to improve the learning of all students. This
requires the intentional work of educators to examine with care their own practice as well the
practice of their institutional settings in terms of student learning and equitable educational
outcomes.
This New Coaches Seminar is a five day experience designed to give participants the background
information and skills needed to facilitate the learning experiences of students and adults and to
“coach” critical friends meetings in professional learning communities. The seminar is also very helpful
for administrators interested in facilitative leadership and supporting this type of teacher-directed
professional development in their schools. In this seminar, participants will study and experience:
Ø strategies to build and sustain a learning community among colleagues
Ø protocols educators can use together to examine their own and student work
Ø techniques for facilitating text-based discussions
Ø approaches for peer observation
Ø methods for documenting and reflecting on teacher and student growth.
Seminar Details & Registration Information
Dates:
June 24-28
Participants must commit to completing all five days of this seminar.
Time:
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (breakfast and lunch included)
Location:
Trinity University campus, Room TBA (map on www.trinity.edu)
Cost:
$700 per participant; $400 if district is a member of Trinity’s Center for Educational
Leadership* (limited registration)
Registration includes meals and all training materials. Educators from all arenas of the
profession are welcome. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend in school teams
of 2 or more.
Lodging:
http://www.trinity.edu/departments/admissions/mz3/lodging.shtml We recommend
the San Antonio Airport Hyatt Place for those needing transportation -- it has shuttle
service to Trinity (phone is 210 930-2333) (fax is 210 930 2336)
Continuing Professional Educator hours will be given for this institute.
Deadline: Wednesday, June 19
Payment: Complete and return attached registration form along with a check or purchase order
made payable to Trinity University to: Angela Breidenstein
Trinity University
One Trinity Place
San Antonio, TX 78212-7200
Questions: Contact: San Antonio SRI Center at Trinity University by emailing cfg@trinity.edu, Ileana
Liberatore (iliber@neisd.net), or Pat Norman (pnorman@trinity.edu).
* CEL member districts include Alamo Heights, Boerne, Comal, East Central, Edgewood, Ft. Sam, Harlandale,
Judson, KIPP SA, Lackland, North East, Northside, Pleasanton, Randolph, San Antonio, Somerset, South San
Antonio, Southside, Southwest, and The Winston School of San Antonio.
SRI* San Antonio Center of Activity at Trinity University
Critical Friends
New Coaches Seminar
June 24-28
REGISTRATION FORM
About You:
First Name ______________________ Last Name_________________________________
Title / Position _______________________________________________________________
School District / School ______________________________________________________
School Address
____________________________________________________________
City ______________________________
Daytime Phone ___________________
State __________________ Zip ______________
Evening Phone __________________________
E-Mail (Work)________________________ E-Mail (Personal) _____________________________
Payment Method: (please select one)
q
Check made out to Trinity University ($700 per person, $400 per person if district is a
member of the Center for Educational Leadership*)
q
Request an Invoice: Attn: _____________________________________________
District _____________________________________________________________
District Address: _____________________________________________________
District Contact Phone: _____________________________________________
Please note: a fee of $100.00 will be charged if cancellation is not made by Wednesday
June 19, 2013 because of food and materials that will be ordered after that time.
Please mail registration form including payment by June 19 to:
Dr. Angela Breidenstein
Department of Education
Trinity University
One Trinity Place
San Antonio, Texas 78212-7200
Or fax this form to (210) 999-7592 (attn: Angela Breidenstein)
* Note: Space is limited as is the discounted rate for CEL members. CEL member districts include Alamo Heights,
Boerne, Comal, East Central, Edgewood, Ft. Sam, Harlandale, Judson, KIPP SA, Lackland, North East, Northside,
Pleasanton, Randolph, San Antonio, Somerset, South San Antonio, Southside, Southwest, and The Winston School
of San Antonio.