Welcome to
Teacher Lab at the
Secondary Level:
Professional Learning
that
Works!
Marcia Hudson, Teacher Leader
Michelle Imbrunone, Principal of Avondale High School
Avondale School District, Auburn Hills, Michigan
marcia.hudson@avondale.k12.mi.us or 248-537-6040
Michelle.Imbrunone@Avondale.k12.mi.us or 248-537-6199
What is Teacher Lab?
• An opportunity for teachers to observe a colleague and learn
from his/her research-based practices
• A time for observers to debrief, reflect, and set personal goals for
their own practices
• A time to make connections to each participant’s/host’s practical
application of knowledge
• A system for collaborative inquiry that supports student
achievement goals/SIP/DIP goals; builds leadership capacity
authentically
Typical Model




1 Facilitating Teacher
1 Host Teacher
4-6 Observing Teachers
Meet once a quarter/trimester
Responsibilities of each Role
Before, During and After each Lab session
Professional Reading Materials
Pre-observation
You are cordially invited to a Teacher Lab!
Topic: The Secrets of Running
an effective Readers’ Workshop
Host: Linda Maniago, Grade 3, Auburn Elementary
Facilitators: Marcia Hudson
Date: January 12, 2010 (Full day)
There are 8 seats available for this lab; first come, first served!
You will receive confirmation of attendance from Marcia
Hudson. Please do not arrange for a substitute unless you
receive confirmation of attendance.
(This lab is constructed around the specific learning of Grade 3,
so it would be most appropriate for teachers that
instruct third-fifth grade readers.)
Questions: Please contact Marcia Hudson (Ext. 6515)
GREAT TEACHERS ARE MADE
BY THE
TEACHER NEXT DOOR!
Sample Schedules
8:30-9:30 a.m. Facilitating and Observing Teachers meet in Conference room while
Host Teacher begins school day in classroom ; (Set norms for the day, Professional
Reading, Letter of introduction, review process )
9:30-10:30 a.m. – Observation in Host Teacher’s Classroom
10:30- 11:30 a.m. - Facilitated conversations- collect questions, wonderings, feedback
for host teacher
11:45-1:00 p.m. Lunch with dialogue
1:00-3:30 p.m. Debriefing, studying, reflecting, researching, goal setting
7:45 AM
at Avondale High School located at 2800 Waukegan Auburn Hills 48326 #248-537-6100
Please sign in with Main Office staff prior to coming to the LIBRARY.
8:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions, Lunch orders from JoAngela’s, Norms for participation, restroom
locations, Resources in Folder, Communication from Ryan and Leigh, Introduce professional reading
with “What Excellent Visual Arts Teaching Looks Like” by Beudert, Burton & Sandell 7/2012.
(RTL, Visual Thinking strategy practice)
9:12-10:02 Observe (until 9:45ish) Ryan's 3rd period 3-D/Metals Class in Art Suite: Science and Art
Curriculum Integration and large group(35!) demonstration. Ryan also requests specific
feedback on student engagement and large group management.
9:45-11:00 Debrief in Library, also includes time for professional reading to continue
after reflection and dialogue.
11:05-12:34 Observe (until 12:15ish) Leigh's 5th period Drawing and Painting Class in Art Suite:
Teaching Writing in Visual Arts. Students have previously written a paragraph without
instruction. Today is instruction and re-write with purpose being for students to develop INTENT
in their own work and focus on art making PROCESS.
12:15-1:30 Debrief and LUNCH delivered in Library. After reflection and dialogue, may also continue
Reading and/or dialog on some of the content below:
What does “Literacy” include? What is high quality Visual Arts Education? 21st Century learning,
School Improvement Goals and the Visual Arts Curriculum, Professional Evaluation Process and Student Growth
Data, Cultures of Thinking(Visual Thinking strategies), Reading and Writing strategies, Best Practices…
1:30-2:45/3ish Continue reflection and Dialog and “Gift Back” to Ryan and Leigh.
Scheduled
Time
Roo
m
#
Host &
Class
7:40-8:10 A.M.
307
Facilitators:
Lisa & Shevy
8:15-8:40 A.M.
210
Pre-Reading Strategy: KWL (adapted)
8:45-9:15 A.M.
307
Kristen Little
Math 6
Facilitators
9:15-9:45 A.M.
311
Crystal Doyle
English 7
During Reading: text annotation
Post Reading: locating textual evidence
Fish Bowl discussion activity
9:50-10:10 A.M.
307
Facilitators
10:15-10:35
A.M.
10:40-11:10
A.M.
11:00-11:40
A.M.
407
Laura Amatulli
Science 8
Facilitators
307
408
Focus Areas: Shared Reading &
Academic Vocabulary
Introductions and information about the
day
Enjoy coffee and muffins
Dialog
Dialog
Pre-Reading Strategy: List~Sort~Label
Dialog
Kristy Blewett & Becky Pre-reading: Generate-Sort-Connect-Elaborate
Cole
During Reading Strategy: Vocabulary in the Middle
English 8
307
Facilitators
Dialog
11:45-12:00
P.M.
12:00-1:00 P.M. All participants meet for lunch catered by Subway
1:00-2:45 P.M.
307
Facilitated dialog between participants and hosts
Time Management:
 Honor the time scheduled for hosts
 Try to plan for restroom breaks
 We may need to interrupt dialogue (utilize parking lot)
Active Listening and Participation:
 Support OR Challenge
 Be authentic
 Bloom where you're planted
 Avoid side conversations
 Cell phone/personal business outside of teacher lab time/space
 Join in activities and dialogue
“Fly on the Wall”
 Avoid interacting with students and teachers while we are in the host classroom
Observation
Post-observation
Variations of Teacher Lab Models
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Single grade focus
Single focus area
Combined grade levels
Multiple hosts
Facilitator and Host take turns
Grade Level focus
Individual buildings
“Transition” years
Professional learning teams
Checkpoint
Why It Works
 Voluntary participation
 Gives teachers a venue to observe
theory in action
 Immediately applicable to teachers’
practice
 Continuous professional learning
over time
 Collaborative; provides networking
opportunities with colleagues
 Non-threatening
 Provides time for observation &
reflection
 Ultimately improves student
learning
 Administrative support
Results of Teacher Lab Learning Survey, 2013-14
How might you describe what you took away from your
teacher lab experience?
 New information- 92%
 Specific tips and guidance about classroom work – 88%
 New understanding of familiar information- 92%
 A new insight about student learning – 84%
 A new reflection on an instructional strategy – 94%
 An example I wanted to try in my own practice – 96%
 A sense of connection to my colleagues – 88%
 Professional resources – 98%
Comments included:
“best professional development I’ve had in
over 20 years”
“always left feeling refreshed and ready to try
all the new ideas”
“helped me reflect on my own practices”
“much better than just hearing about lessons
in a workshop”
“I have seen huge strides in my students’
reading and comprehension.”
“ultimate PLC at its best”
Great Teachers Are Made By The Teacher Next Door
(Job- Embedded Professional Learning in the Avondale School District,
Auburn Hills, Michigan)
Pre-observation
Discussion
Observation
Post-observation Discussion
What makes MASB’s 2011 Education
Excellence Award winning Teacher
Lab so unique?
 Teacher Lab provides rich
opportunities for teachers to
observe colleagues and learn from
his/her research-based practices
 A system of collaborative inquiry
that supports student achievement
goals; a place to debrief, reflect
and set personal goals
Teacher Leaders,
Leading from where
we stand…
E-book, 2014
Possibilities
Listen to the mustn’ts, child.
Listen to the don’ts. Listen to
the shouldn’ts, the
impossibles, the won’ts.
Listen to the never haves,
then listen close to
me….Anything can happen,
child. Anything can be.
Cultures
of
Thinking
-Shel Silverstein
The Importance of Mentors
“Teachers and educators around the country are beginning
to see that the goal of improving teaching-improving
students’ opportunities to learn-can only be reached by a
path that the United States has never taken before. This new
path moves educators away from a view of teaching as a
solitary activity, owned personally by each teacher. It moves
them toward a view of teaching as a professional activity
open to collective observations, study, and improvement. It
invites ordinary teachers to recognize and accept the
responsibility for improving not only their own practice, but
the shared practice of the profession. For this new path to be
traveled, however, teachers will need to open their classroom
doors and, rather than evaluating each other, begin studying
their practices as a professional responsibility common to
all.”
Education Week; The New Heroes of
Teaching
Hiebert, Gallimore, and Stigler (2003)
Learning and Leading Through Teacher Labs
5 descriptors of lab formats (similarities/differences)
References:
Educational Leadership
June 2010 | Volume 67
Good Teaching in Action
Demonstrating Teaching in a Lab Classroom, by Lisa M. Houk Lab classrooms give teachers
opportunities to share effective teaching practices and learn from colleagues.
Learning Along the Way Professional Development by and for Teachers - Diane Sweeney
Education Week
June 2009
The New Heroes of Teaching, by James Hiebert, Ronald Gallimore, & James W. Stigler
Identifying a few excellent teachers and hoping others will copy their methods has not improved
teaching in the average American classroom.
Journal of Staff Development
Summer 2008 VOL. 29, NO. 3
Declaration of Interdependence, an interview with Judith Warren Little
Educators need deep conversations about teaching and learning to spark real changes in practice
Marcia Hudson
Marcia.Hudson@avondale.k12.mi
.us
mlhudson@oakland.edu
248-537-6040
Michelle Imbrunone
Michelle.Imbrunone@Avondale.k
12.mi.us
248-537-6199