Professional Development Trainings with Growing Educators

Our team had the wonderful opportunity to work with Jessica Martin, co-founder of Growing Educators, over the 2-year grant period to learn about and improve in teaching literacy through a Reading Workshop approach. In these 12 day-long trainings, we:

• studied best practices through video study, readings, and discussions
• observed model demonstration lessons
• practiced various Reading Workshop strategies with ongoing coaching from Mrs. Martin
• developed units of study
• delved into literary response
  

Mrs. Martin also provided trainings to our entire staff on these topics:

• Interactive Read-Alouds
• Conferring & Strategy Groups
• Envisioning Work
• Launching the Reading Workshop
  

Attending Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project Summer Reading Institute

Members of our team traveled to New York City to study at Columbia University for the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project's week-long institute. At the institute, team members spent mornings learning from Lucy Calkins and Kathleen Tolan the structure, philosophy, and methods in Reading Workshop. In the afternoons, we were in small groups studying Reading Workshop more deeply and practicing teaching methods and strategies. The institute provided rich content on teaching reading as well as opportunities for us to reflect on our own reading lives and how they might inform our teaching. We were inspired by the guest speakers, who included James Howe, Ellin Keene, and Naomi Shahib Nye.

Inquiry Team Meetings

Our team met each week to study practice and theory in Reading Workshop. In these meetings, we:

• shared successes
• provided feedback on lessons, reading conferences, and strategy groups
• reflected on our teaching
• planned lessons
• planned parent workshops
• planned professional development for our staff