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Wherry Elementary School
Albuquerque, NM
School Type: Public
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School Setting: Urban
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Level: Elementary
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School Design: Traditional
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Content Presented By:
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National Awards Program for Model Professional Development
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Summary
The practice: Professional development should involve teachers in the identification of what they need to learn and in the development of the learning experiences in which they will be involved.
- 100% of teachers propose individual professional development (PD) plans that are approved by the principal
- At the end of each year every teacher writes reflections about each student's strengths and needs
- Teams of grade level teachers use these needs to identify their PD plans for the following school year
- Time for PD (four full day inservices) is generated through the voluntary 10-minute lengthening of each school day by teachers
- Study groups
- Monthly mini inservices
- Individual consultations with literacy specialist
Teachers at Wherry Elementary School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, live to learn and have considerable flexibility to focus their professional learning in areas where they perceive a need. They eagerly participate in the School Restructuring Committee and contribute to the development of the annual school improvement plan in order to designate the type of professional development they will have at their school. In-house experts in literacy and behavior management are available to assist individual teachers, small groups, or the whole faculty address their own learning needs. Teachers have access to district-provided staff development opportunities, conferences, workshops, and seminars about topics of interest to them that are also related to the school's improvement goal. Their individual professional development plans allow them to identify areas they want to emphasize to strengthen their practices. A strong link exists among the school's improvement plan, the individual professional development plans of each teacher, and opportunities for learning onsite.
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