Recently, representatives from each elementary and middle school, grades K-6, as well as Instructional Coaches, participated in Jamestown Public School’s first ELA and Math Communities of Practice presented by Instructional Coaches Amanda Sischo and Christina Spontaneo. Throughout the school year, teachers will take part in two additional Communities of Practice designed to promote collaboration with colleagues and further develop their instructional practices.

The focus of the math workshop was to deepen teacher’s understanding of how to apply the Standards for Mathematical Practices in their classrooms. Teachers also had the opportunity to look at upcoming math units and work as grade-level teams to create Number Talk lessons. The focus of the ELA workshop was to develop teacher’s understanding of how purposeful use of speaking and listening protocols can increase student engagement and build students’ oral language skills within a collaborative setting.

“Both workshops were a great way for us to share information between buildings and to take the information we learned back to the rest of the grade level at our own buildings,” said 2nd grade teacher, Trevor Hitchcock. “A lot of really good ideas came out of both the math and ELA workshops to help build lesson plans and concepts together. It allows us to hear what others are doing and to keep grade-level instruction consistent across the district.”

Not only were teachers and Instructional Coaches able to refine their teaching strategies in ELA and Math, Communities of Practice provided participants with an opportunity to collaborate, share best teaching practices, and develop relationships across the school district.

Jefferson Middle School 7/8 ELA mentor teacher Norm Arthurs met with fellow teacher Casey Leenders, a new teacher to the district this year. They meet regularly to talk about teaching and classroom strategies along with helping to set goals for the school year. There are 27 mentor teachers in JPS who are full-time practicing teachers assisting new teachers by helping to assistance in developing sound teaching skills.

“I had positive feedback from Fletcher teachers who attended the workshops,” said Stephanie David, Fletcher Elementary School’s Instructional Coach. “They loved that Tina and Amanda, who are both teachers, delivered the information in a comfortable way that truly met their needs. The atmosphere allowed for the sharing of successful strategies and practices with other teachers from their same grade level. The teachers were given a variety of resources and activities that they could use with their students the following day.”

Mrs. Sischo and Mrs. Spontaneo, who are in their second year as district wide Instructional Coaches, are full-time teachers on special assignment who provide support for colleagues working to improve their practice. The district Instructional Coaches broadened their role from last year to offer more professional development to a greater segment of their colleagues through workshops.  In addition to the district wide instructional coaches there are four instructional coaches at school buildings: Marci Centi (Ring Elementary School), Danielle Russell (Love Elementary School), Priscilla Menzies (Washington Middle School) and Mrs. David (Fletcher Elementary School). All of the instructional coaches address these three key priorities in their coaching duties:

¯ Observing teacher’s lessons and providing feedback aligned to the Framework for Teaching and/or Common Core Practice Guides

¯ Helping to ensure that planning and instructional practices are aligned to Common Core standards and curricula in ELA/Literacy and Mathematics and;

¯ Using data analysis to plan effective and strategic interventions designed to improve student learning for all students

Elena Aguilar, author of “The Art of Coaching” states that [Instructional] Coaching is an essential component of an effective professional development program. Coaching can build will, skill, knowledge, and capacity because it can go where no other professional development has gone before: into the intellect, behaviors, practices, beliefs, values, and feelings of an educator… A coach can foster conditions in which deep reflection and learning can take place, where a teacher can take risks to change her practice, where powerful conversations can take place and where growth is recognized and celebrated.