Exciting New Experiences at my New School!

I'm excited to be working with a great staff at Collins Intermediate school.  We have a bit over 750 students enrolled, and that is a lot of 5th and 6th graders!  Although the school is large, we have a family atmosphere, and we enjoy working together to help our students succeed!

One emphasis on professional development is a structure called Instructional Rounds.  The staff began exploring this way of continuous improvement last year, and this year we made a schedule using a Google Sheet so that teachers can sign up to visit another teacher's classroom.  Teachers can visit someone who is teaching the same content, or they can switch it up, knowing that good teaching strategies and management can be used no matter what you are teaching! 

After the teacher(s) visit a host classroom with our Instructional Coach, Pat Mills, they spend a few minutes debriefing.  Wow, you can really use what you saw quickly in your own classroom!  Or, you can get affirmation about strategies you are already using, which is just as helpful!  We have also enjoyed starting conversations about instruction happening in the host classroom.

I am attending this year's Instructional Coaching Institute lead by Jim Knight. I am learning a lot about myself and strategies to use with the teachers I'm working with at Collins.

Here are a few pictures to give an idea- it's so simple to implement, and yet has really given us insight, support, and ideas for our own students and classrooms!