We find that working with groups of teachers is most effective when we can incorporate information and resource sharing, practice and reflection. Spreading the collaboration out enables teachers to take their learning back into their classrooms, work and experiment with students, and then come back together to process, reflect and revise. The flow below outlines the sequence in which we collaborate. How extensive this collaboration is depends on the needs and capacity of each group.
Flow
Collaborative planning session with organizer
Optional (and suggested) reading to prepare for first class
Classes (5-6 classes, determines pace)
Debrief with organizer
Reflection, check in, praxis space (ongoing suggested)
Small group forms of continued collaboration
1:1s with teaching team
Curriculum collaboration
Large group forms of continued collaboration
Talking about death with children
Alternatives to reward and punishment based classroom management
These options focus on groups of adults (classroom teachers, homeschool parent teachers, community educators, parents) working and building with each other. For groups of non-homeschooling teachers, expanding to include parent’s of your students can be very meaningful. Parent collaboration and classes can be incorporated into many of these options above.