Professional learning about sharing time
As noted in Recommendation 3—Time, effective middle grades programs use flexible scheduling to create multiple opportunities for teachers to discuss instructional strategies that improve student learning. This flexible scheduling is also critical for involving members of the extended school team into important planning sessions. For example, flexible scheduling will allow time for physical education teachers, special education resource teachers, counselors, and library/media instructors to attend teaching team meetings or professional learning sessions that affect their work with students. Likewise, creative scheduling ensures that school secretaries and custodians participate in professional learning exercises about school safety, student behavior expectations, or schoolwide events.
In the Spotlight
Olive Peirce Middle School, Ramona City Unified School District, a California Middle Grades Partnership Network School
The master schedule provides a rotating-block schedule with extended time twice a week for team planning and collaboration. Instead of holding faculty meetings, staff members devote every Wednesday to professional collaboration in interdisciplinary, leadership, horizontal (subject-area), or all-staff team meetings. The use of substitute teachers allows team members release time to score and analyze quarterly benchmark assessments and to develop SMART (strategic and specific, measurable, attainable, results-based, time-bound) goals.
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