Classroom Learning Labs
Classroom Learning Labs are a form of job-embedded professional learning that takes place during the school day.
GOAL – Opportunity for MSTF Fellows to experience in-depth, professional thinking and learning around the craft of teaching within a collaborative community.
Coaching/Planning Conversation Prior to Classroom Learning Lab
- The Classroom Learning Lab Facilitator arranges for a prep/planning/coaching conversation prior to the lab day.
- The Learning Lab Facilitator helps the host teacher focus the lesson that exemplifies target be practices and identified goal
Pre-Observation Conversation – Pre-brief
- Welcome – Facilitator
- Host Teacher shares their intentions for teaching the lesson, student learning and also the pre-observation work that students may have had.
- Network guests select individual focus intentions for the CLL Observation – share with group and host teacher.
- Host teacher leaves to prepare students for the day.
- Guests review observation and note-taking format using Classroom Learning Lab Observation form.
- Norms on Classroom Learning Lab form – Review and set an intention for yourself – share with a partner.
- Silence cell phones and move to the classroom.
Observation
- Try to stand off to the side or back of the room. Be prepared to shift quietly as needed.
- Share a rotation of 3 people moving about the classroom to capture student / teacher evidence.
- Keep track of evidence of student learning and the craft of teaching. Jot down questions you might have.
Post-Observation Conversation – Debrief
- Each participant writes down what they noticed and wondered about on the Guest Reflection form, Host teacher completes the Host Reflection form.
Studio Days
Developed at the University of Washington and the Ambitious Science Teaching Project, Studio Days are a form of job-embedded professional development that take place during a school day. School teams develop a vision of “what is possible” in instruction and to take principled risks with practices. Multiple role-actors (classroom teachers, coaches, administrators and researchers) collaborate to provide real-time feedback within current lessons. Although Studio Days feature a wide variety of science content, the goal of each science studio day is the same: to support students in improving explanations, models and arguments of scientific phenomena. Prior to the studio the MSTF advisor and mentor will help facilitate a common planning meeting with teachers from a school; they design a unit of instruction and lessons to be used for the following studio day. On the day of the studio, teachers and others attending studio days engage in multiple rounds of co-planning, co-teaching, and co-debriefing.
Instructional Coaching/Impact Cycles
