Professional Development Framework
Offerings
Danielson Framework for Teaching
Classroom observations are conducted using the NYC DOE Advance rating system. Teachers are evaluated on the Danielson Framework for Teaching on indicators: 1a, 1e, 2a, 2d, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4e. The Learning Cultures format rubrics serve as tools for actionable feedback on teaching practice. The Learning Cultures format outline teacher actions that represent Highly Effective teaching practice in the Danielson Framework. School administrators and teachers make reference to the LC rubrics and feedback to guide self-assessment and professional goals. School leadership provides feedback on Danielson Evaluations using the Learning Cultures rubrics to ensure that all students have opportunity to participate in high quality, scientifically based instruction provided by qualified personnel.
Instructional Accounting
The Learning Cultures model is based on a tenet of equality of educational opportunity. Within the model, learning opportunities are occasions to take part in social practices, specified by the procedures delineated in the format rubrics. The practice of taking dialogical record in each format incorporates a mechanism to provide immediate feedback to students of evidence of learning and to keep a record of students who have received high quality, scientifically based instruction.
It is incumbent upon the school leadership to assume responsibility to ensure that each student has sufficient opportunity to participate in high quality instruction (Learning Cultures Formats). Periodic goals should be established for how many opportunities each students should have to participate in each type of format (e.g., four UR sessions per week, 2 conferences per week). This is called instructional accounting and is the responsibility of the teacher to plan for and record these opportunities. School leadership monitors records to identify cases where instructional accounting may not be meeting student need and to identify teachers who require more training in the Learning Cultures Formats.
Non-Evaluative PD
Cynthia McCallister works in consultation with the Principal and in collaboration with faculty (study group facilitators, inquiry team members, assessment workshop coordinators) to plan, implement, monitor and participate in PD initiatives
The Learning Cultures Framework for Professional Development is designed to build school level capacity with relative independence of external contract vendors. In order to do so, a number of components must be in place, where a cycle of observation-feedback has been established, and teachers identify their own goals for learning. Within the Learning Cultures curriculum model, all classroom teachers adhere to the curriculum formats; in doing so, they should exercise agency to take part in in-house professional development offerings, described below.