The Collaborative Classroom Creating a Supportive Learning Community

Improving and Refining Instruction at TAPCo  Goal: create a community of teachers that collaborate to improve instruction, resulting in academic improvement for our students  Method: turn Ciana and Robin’s classrooms into “collaborative classrooms” where teachers can work together to develop successful pedagogical strategies that can be used across TAPCo.  Inter-visitations to help identify best practices.

What is a Collaborative Classroom?  A classroom that is open for visits by all TAPCo teachers.  A classroom where we try out new ways to teach our students and improve instruction.  A classroom where we model successful pedagogical strategies found throughout TAPCo.  A classroom where we can analyze how to deal with challenges that we all face each day.  A sample learning environment that we can use to have meaningful discussions about teaching.

How will the Collaborative Classrooms be used?  We will have a process for determining what areas we should focus on in the Collaborative Classrooms.  We will do our best to model lessons that will help teachers excel in this focus area.

The Process  Week 1: Ciana and Robin visit classrooms. Develop list of instructional strengths and target areas.  Weeks 2 and 3: Teachers visit Ciana and Robin’s classroom to see lessons containing strategies to instructional target areas and implement instructional strengths.  Week 4: Within one week of visit, teachers have a debrief meeting with Ciana and Robin.  Cycle repeats monthly.

Collaborative Classroom Corner  We will create a “Collaborative Classroom Corner” in the teacher’s lounge. This area will include:  Schedule of when you can visit the Collaborative Classrooms  Sign up sheets for debriefs with Ciana and Robin  Description of strategies being targeted in Collaborative Classrooms  Resources to help improve instruction

So, what does this mean to you?  Ciana or Robin will visit your classroom. These visits are non-evaluative and will only be used to help you and other TAPCo teachers. You are welcome to discuss what Ciana or Robin saw after the visit.  You will visit Ciana or Robin’s classroom to view a lesson. You will then discuss the visit with Ciana or Robin within one week of your visit.  We want to act as a resource to you. Please let us know the best way to support you!

Will you be working with Ciana or Robin? ( Although you can observe either teacher’s classroom, Ciana and Robin will visit the following teachers due to scheduling) CianaRobin AlvarezRiceCasperLevenberg BrancaRobertsCastelliMcGill BrigidaSilvaCooperMudrick BuchbinderSoltisDelpechOtonoga CerroneStavisGalimidiPerez CouvertierStuartGiardiniSandrowicz GoldbergTomGisterSklar DowningValdezGoldmanThorpe KrakauerVieryJosephWold PastoreFroehlichLaurent

Want to talk more?  We are happy to hear your thoughts!  Ciana is free periods 3, 4, 7 (MTW) and 8 (RF).  Robin is free periods 3, 4 and 6.