PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

August Professional Development Opportunities
Offered by the Minnesota Department of Education

The following Minnesota Department of Education workshops will be hosted by South Central Service Cooperative at our Conference Center at 2075 Lookout Drive in August. Please register online: www.mnscsc.org – click on “events.” Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and workshops will follow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates:

August 4 & 5 – Classroom Formative Assessment: Knowing the Essentials and Building the Foundation

Assessment designed to promote student learning is the most powerful instructional tool to increase student achievement. This two-day workshop will focus on the collaboration between teacher and student in the classroom formative assessment process. It will provide a framework for helping students learn how to self-assess their progress toward well-defined learning goals.

Learn the essentials of formative assessment on day one, and work with a team to learn how to build instructional support on day two.

Discussion and activities will provide opportunities to: 1) learn about a comprehensive classroom assessment model, 2) practice effective feedback, 3) practice constructing learning goals and progressions for the classroom, 4) practice identifying formative assessments aligned to learning goals, 5) learn strategies for classroom culture to support formative assessment, and 6) learn basic common assessment structures to enhance formative assessment. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to attend as a school team and to bring curriculum maps or similar documents to support team discussions.

August 20 – Teacher Observation I: A Standards-Driven Approach

Based on best practices and a common understanding of effective teaching, this workshop encourages reflection on instructional practice, student learning and the observation process. Focus includes tools and strategies for evidence-based formative observation and summative evaluation. Participants will engage in activities that examine usage of rubrics and how inter-rater reliability impacts teacher observation.

August 21 – Professional Learning Communities: Building a Team for Professional Development

The focus of this session is building a team for reflection in sustaining continuous improvement. Participants will align the development of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) with national and state standards in the context of their district, school and team goals. Participants will identify the critical elements and structural conditions for a successful PLC and apply tools and strategies for enhancing teacher collaboration and improved student learning.

August 22 – Teacher Leadership: Essential Skills for Facilitating Professional Growth

With the goal of improving student achievement, teacher leaders such as coaches, mentors and team leaders will discuss and determine how to mobilize and energize others to sustain the vision of the school. This workshop will support teacher leaders in developing skills for peer-to-peer coaching, group facilitation and professional dialogue needed to improve student achievement. We will reflect on leadership to determine how teacher leaders’ roles support sustainable change for student academic growth. The opportunity to dialogue with fellow leaders is embedded throughout the workshop.