RE Year 2 Newsletter - December, 2016
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
As noted at the November 21st Resident Educator session, you should be focusing on the following:
- Holding collaborative conversations with your mentor and colleagues (handbook p. 77 - 91)
- Completing observations (handbook p. 95 - 99)
- Reflecting on your own teaching (handbook p. 101 - 108)
- Gathering and synthesizing student data (handbook p.107 & 108)
TYPES OF OBSERVATIONS
Observation by Mentor - Your mentor should observe you at least one time. The goal of these observations may be determined by instructional conversations between mentors and REs, and may be related to the professional goals set by the Resident Educator. REs can ask mentors to observe with a particular focus related to goal attainment, a specific instructional strategy or aspect of the lesson or a challenge they have identified. Depending on the reason for the observation, the mentor's focus could be on the students or the teacher or both.
Reciprocal Observations - Reciprocal observations are shared professional observations that may occur between REs and mentors, between veteran teachers and REs, between REs and REs, between administrators and staff, etc. They may be experienced in real time or via electronic devices. This spirit of reciprocity exists in all observation formats. It is the understanding that both the observer and the one being observed gain insights into the complexities of teaching and best practices. Reciprocal observations formalize this philosophy by providing opportunities for professionals to share the same experience, to establish common language and common understandings of teacher standards and common qualities of effective teacher performance.
Exemplary Observations - Teacher to teacher modeling has the greatest impact on teacher improvement. (Douglas Reeves). Exemplary teacher observations bring the deepest change in instructional practices and have the greatest impact on increased student achievement. They should occur as frequently as possible throughout the life of a teacher.
TEACHING AND LEARNING CYCLES
Self-reflection on instructional practices and the use of instructional evidence are essential components in ongoing professional development and growth. The Lesson Cycle Tasks requires Resident Educators to perform both of these processes; professional growth occurs as Resident Educators progress through the task. The Lesson Cycle Tasks ask you to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to implement the plan, teach, reflect elements of the Teaching-Learning Cycle in real time, and describe, reflect on, and analyze how and why lesson planning decisions were made and how they were implemented.
REMAINING RESIDENT EDUCATOR SESSION
Thanks to all who have attended the first and second RE Year 2 sessions. Please see the date below of the remaining session. Be sure to mark your calendar now. It is important that you attend this session to learn more about the Resident Educator requirements and strategies to help you continue to grow as a teacher. The sessions will be held at the Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West, 2275 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo, OH 43620 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
RE 2.3 Tues. Feb. 28, 2017
Formative/Summative Assessment
Professional Development
Meeting Cancellations Due to Weather or Other Circumstances
RE sessions will be held as scheduled unless there are extreme conditions that interfere. This would be a rare occurrence. If a session is cancelled or changed, participants will be notified by email from the ESC of Lake Erie West by 2 p.m. so be sure to check your email prior to leaving school.
A
DDITIONAL RESOURCES
