Professional Learning Cycles – Hybrid Approach

Overview of the approach and what is on this page. Some quotes of the purpose and impact.

Overview of Professional Learning Cycles

Professional Learn Cycles are a key component of National Urban Alliance’s partnerships.

School Coaches meet with Professional Learning Community (PLC) Teams (Professional Learning Teams – PLT)

The school coaches and leadership team meet with grade level (or content specific), support specialists and paraprofessionals prior to the virtual (Zoom, Google Meet) sessions with the NUA mentor. The purpose of these meetings are to set the stage for what the educators as a team wish to partner with NUA, and as an outcome ownership in the process. The meetings include:

  • Leadership team visions / guides
  • District curriculum
  • Grade level teams
  • School coach with teams

An example of a NUA mentor setup including white board, document camera, software for overlays to create a communicative environment connecting with educators prior to the site visit (usually the week prior).

During COVID NUA actively used Zoom, and continues as part of the hybrid approach. Fourth and fifth grade team at Clifford School in the Redwood City School District (San Francisco Bay Area) share reflections with a district coach on their collaborative experiences with NUA virtually. The collaboration includes regular demonstration lessons in classrooms (both when students have been virtual and in-person), teacher professional development, staff meetings and with leadership including the school board.

Virtual PLC with NUA Mentor(s)

The NUA mentor meets with each PLC (by grade level with all team members or by content team) for approximately 30 minutes using their input to guide the process for what will be demonstrated and facilitated at the upcoming site visit (usually the next week). The NUA mentor uses a setup to be like a classroom with use of a white board, document camera and other tools to facilitate the process. The decisions are then documented by the coach / PLC teams on a shared online document (e.g. Google Docs or Microsoft 365) with focus for the upcoming site visit.

  • School Coaches in all sessions
  • 30-40 minutes with teams
  • HOPs for HIPs supports curriculum
NUA Mentor Demonstration

On Site with NUA Mentors

The importance of on-site with the NUA mentor includes authentically seeing the High Operational Practices in action. This includes demonstrations by the NUA mentor as well as educators with their grade level teams observing (or teams as seen in best interest of the school). Participants often included in the grade level teams include EL and SPED teachers, as well as sessions with specialists (e.g. music, media, PE).

Peer to Peer Coaching
Powerful Questions in a Fair Oaks Elementary School third grade classroom part of the National Urban Alliance (NUA) and Osseo Area Schools collaboration. The video is an example of a developing regular practice of peer to peer coaching with colleagues and the school academic coach, along with using video as part of the reflective practice. The use of Powerful Questions includes the modeling of the inquiry strategy, and inductively categorizing the questions in small groups. 

School Coach(es) Lead by Doing

Paraprofessionals

Monitoring and Assessment:  HOPs with Whole School Community

NUA HOPs Monitoring System
(School community teams)

Students in Jeanne Kivi’s Kindergarten classroom:
Fishbowl with audience leading to breakout groups. Guiding premise is: How have you shown CARES (cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, self-control) this year? 
Students in Jennifer Perusse’s classroom:
Brief Fishbowl to model discussion followed by breakout groups. Guiding Premise: How do you share your thoughts and ideas in the classroom at Fair Oaks?  

Fifth grade students in Catherine Rawitzer’s classroom develop survey questions.
National Urban Alliance – Newark Public Schools 
“…teachers also have to be willing…”

Amplifying Student Voice
(Hear the students feedback)

 

District Coaches & Lead Teams Sessions
(Cross site collaboration)

NUnity teams)