Assistant Principal Frank Little William Pinderhughes Elementary/Middle September 8, 2009

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to self evaluate their lesson planning in order to further student achievement.

Teachers will become active participants in a professional learning community. They will take an objective look at a sample lesson in preparation for future lesson plan study.

The term professional learning community describes a collegial group of administrators and school staff who are united in their commitment to student learning. They share a vision, work and learn collaboratively, visit and review other classrooms, and participate in decision making (Hord, 1997b). The benefits to the staff and students include a reduced isolation of teachers, better informed and committed teachers, and academic gains for students. Hord (1997b) notes, "As an organizational arrangement, the professional learning community is seen as a powerful staff-development approach and a potent strategy for school change and improvement."

1. Think about the aspirations that you have for your students. What kind of students do you want to foster and help develop at your school? What qualities do you want your students to have by the time they leave your school?

2. What gaps do you see between these aspirations and how children are actually developing at your school?

3. Discuss these gaps with your group. As a group, select a “gap” that you would like to focus on with your lesson study. What “gap” have you selected?

4. Write a group goal that states the quality you would like to develop in your students, in order to address the gap that you have chosen.

Take a moment and read the lesson plan before you. As you are reading, please take a moment and think of the gaps of your students and how this lesson can be amended/improved to address that gap.

Your charge is to look at the content of the lesson, assist in put it in the proper context and improving the capacity of our students.

 How is this lesson related to the curriculum?  Instructional Sequence for the Unit (Where do you believe this lesson falls in the sequence of objectives for the unit?)  Goal of the lesson? (What they should know by the end of the lesson?)

Does this lesson address the gap(s) that you have identified for your students?

Take a moment and compose a list of ways you would amend the lesson to address the “gap” that you have identified.

 How is it that you can use this activity to address your own professional growth?  How can you amend your own planning so that it effectively meets the needs of our student population?

 How can I work with my colleagues to address this gap and increase student achievement?  What are the necessary tools that I need (address the things you don’t already have) in order to make my aspirations become a reality?

Please complete the evaluation form before you leave.