|
Nearly 80 Moonshot Academy educators came together at First Presbyterian Church for a workshop focused on how to develop foundational literacy skills through a project-based learning approach. They will return to their schools and use these strategies at our Moonshot Academy after school programs.
The workshop showcased engaging, research based strategies and inspiring, rigorous activities to tackle critical standards. Participants also deepened their own professional knowledge of the research behind the work and discussed how to bring what they learned back to their classrooms.
Having knowledgable, empowered teachers is necessary for our community to achieve its Moonshot Goal of 90% of our students being proficient readers by the 3rd grade.
Hayes Mizell, an advocate for education for over 30 years, wrote the following as it relates to teacher professional development. Mizell states, "Effective professional development enables educators to develop the knowledge and skills they need to address students' learning challenges. To be effective, professional development requires thoughtful planning followed by careful implementation with feedback to ensure it responds to educators' learning needs. Educators who participate in professional development then must put their new knowledge and skills to work. Professional development is not effective unless it causes teachers to improve their instruction or causes administrators to become better school leaders."
Teachers practicing 7-Up sentences to teach their students how to reflect and
write complex sentences on the content they're studying
Environment proponent, Leslie Kiddy Maloney shared an inspiring tale of why she wrote
Mermaid Meg and the Magic Lagoon. She wanted children to see how we can all make a difference in keeping the Indian River Lagoon healthy. This book launches the unit plan that several schools will use in their Moonshot Academy after school program.
TLA Team Members and author, Leslie Kiddy Maloney
At the institute, teachers had an opportunity to engage in an "Ask the Experts" Q&A breakout session:
Sue Flak from Pelican Island Elementary sharing information
about vegetation
found in our local region
FunFacts:
The Indian River Lagoon is an estuary, not a river.
Also, The IRL has been
cited as one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in North America!
|
