Introduction

Professional learning, ugh, you’re favorite, right? In-service days always seem exciting when they show up on the calendar, but once they arrive most wish they were teaching. The topics are typically intriguing and have the right intentions. For a while they were all technology based, then discipline based, all important and necessary. The subjects are chosen based around a need within the community. The global pandemic eliminated face-to-face lessons in a matter of hours, so on the fly, so we reacted, responded, and adjusted. Returning from the pandemic, many claimed that students “forgot how to interact with their peers,” so again, we reacted, responded, and adjusted. However, now that we are getting further removed from the asynchronous or synchronous virtual lessons, many are returning to their old ways and forgetting the progress they made over the last several years.

 

My professional learning is built around introducing the blended learning model to my mathematics department at my high school, and eventually to my school as whole. The idea of blended learning will be familiar to some, particularly following the learning COVID-19 forced us in to, however, the way this is presented will be key. Utilizing the different lenses teachers have, clearly defining the need for student vs. teacher driven instruction and highlighting the tools that are already in place can make the transition seamless. The power will come from working collaboratively, problem solving and thinking critically.

 

A change is not only necessary but needed. It is needed for the teachers, administrators, parents, stakeholders, but most importantly, the students. 

 

Call to Action

Frankly, what educators are looking for when it comes to professional learning, regardless of the topic, is time and space. As educators, we consistently hear about the need for change in education, but rarely are we told what it should look like or how it should be done. Although this conversation usually takes place around how our learners learn, the same conversation needs to occur about how we learn. About how we develop. About how we adapt. About how we collaborate. This is not saying we are craving the “sit and get” approach, because we are not. We are not looking for someone to tell us what we should be doing, we are the ones in the classroom each day, learning alongside our students. Every teacher reflects on their day in one way or another as they commute home from work, but what they are doing with these reflections is what matters and what can provide growth.

 

These “sit and get” sessions are not the past, present, or future of professional learning, and in the nicest way possible, are a waste of time for all parties involved. Teachers need to be engaged to further learn how to engage our students. And the focus needs to be consistent, not a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Teachers are learners and learners crave structure (maybe my math teacher bias is rearing its head a bit here). 

 

Call to Action: Alternate PL in Blended Learning

 

Professional Learning Blueprint

As we have established the “sit and get” approach of professional learning must be phased out, and the best way to do so is to have a new approach in place. My professional learning outline provides a framework for the implementation of blended learning into the classroom, focusing around the five key principals: duration, ongoing support, modeling, engagement (active learning), and content specific. 

  

This long-term, hands-on, action-based, professional learning allows the members of the team to grow as educators putting the learning in the hands of the students while allowing the teacher to transition to a facilitator position supporting the learners rather than holding the keys to each lesson.

 

Professional Learning Blueprint

 

Audience

My target audience will vary throughout the professional learning process, as seen in my “Professional Learning Blueprint.” Initially, my audience will be my staff developer, Stephanie Leister, as well as my Algebra 1 team, Becky Chang and Rosie Esposito. I will first be presenting the idea of blended learning and how I see the implementation taking place. This team should be familiar with the basics of blended learning and what it involved, but on a smaller scale for individual lessons, rather than being an entire course model.

 

From here, the audience will swing to my mathematics department at my high school. Our Algebra 1 team has done a lot of flipped lessons and Schoology-based activities in the past, but the same cannot be said about my department. At this point, it will be important that I am providing my audience with more information, proof, and examples to get them to buy in to this transition and to be a part of the blended learning team we are establishing.

 

Ideally, the audience will over time transition to be the high school staff, administration (at my school), and eventually, curriculum supervisors at a district level. At this point, the audience will be more challenging to crack, as many of these faculty members are set in their ways and not willing to be uncomfortable as they try new things in the classroom.

 

Fostering Collaboration

Collaboration is key in all aspects of education, regardless of the role the members play. It is what drives learning, what building communication skills, and what keeps us moving forward. My Professional Learning Blueprint is built around the idea of working together as a team. Below I will highlight some of the ways my professional learning fosters collaboration.

 

In the early phases, what can be viewed as the brainstorming stage, my Algebra 1 team will have some open conversation, which, yes, is informal. However, based on our relationships with another and willingness to be uncomfortable when reflecting on our ways, can go a long way. One of the many collaboration tools we will utilize throughout is OneNote. OneNote allows us all to be the authors, to share our opinions and ideas, and to respond to others. It presents an unstructured format, one that is good in the early stages of a process, almost allowing a stream of consciousness.

 

We will also utilize Padlet, particularly as the team begins to grow, providing a sense of anonymity and encouraging participation without concern of being judged.

 

One of the most pivotal forms of collaboration will take place in the live classroom, with peer-to-peer observations as well as team-teaching. All of which will be support by our staff developer, Stephanie Leister. Once the pilot group for blended learning has been created, teams for these activities will be established by subject matter so continue to provide meaning to the professional learning.

 

Post-observation and post-team-teaching conferences will have multiple stages of reflection, some of which including individual time for reflection, team reflection, and one-on-one reflection with staff developer. Again, the majority of these will be organized via our shared OneNote where all members will have the opportunity to contribute within individual pages, shared pages (by content area), and whole team pages.

 

Fostering Self-Directed Learning

Self-directed learning is where the real transition will take place in professional learning, getting away from the sit-and-get as we have discussed. It will closely mirror the way the students are moving from a teacher-driven to student-driven learning model, putting the keys in the learners’ hands.

 

Although the blueprint lays out a general schedule, it is not set in stone, but rather a recommendation. The teachers are the experts in their craft and should have the freedom to meet as often as possible or as little as possible based on their own needs. A sense of trust will be provided for all parties involved that they are looking to their peers as needed and sharing out concerns.

 

Additionally, many examples will be provided with short videos providing explanations on different components of the blended learning model. Blended learning unit Schoology buildouts will be shared within the shared Schoology resources section as well as a blank template where teachers can go to and plug in their own content/materials. Our staff developer, Stephanie Leister, will have planned drop-in office hours where members can come get assistance.

 

Professional Learning Instructors

As covered in my overview, there will be several stages of teams throughout the way. The thought is that the whole process will be fluid, so some members may take over leaderships roles as the process develops, particularly within the content areas.

 

Initially, sessions will be led by me as I am the one introducing the blended learning model to my Algebra 1 team (Becky Chang, Rose Esposito) as well as to our staff developer, Stephanie Leister. When cohorts meet by content area, namely Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 (to begin), the leadership roles should develop naturally. Some factors that will influence this are confidence and background with the blended learning model, fluency with building out lessons/courses on Schoology, and desire/motivation to go outside of their comfort zone.

 

5 Key Principles of Effective Professional Learning

Duration – My professional learning timeline (see below) is built to take place throughout the second semester of this schoolyear with weekly meetings. However, this 6-month period is mostly devoted to the blended learning pilot team within the mathematics department, the continuation of this will occur in coming schoolyears as the traction builds. 

 

Ongoing Support – As the one responsible for introducing the blended learning model, it will be imperative that I am available to support those participating in this transition. Additionally, our staff developer, Stephanie Leister, will be available for support often with her drop-in office hours as well as being in on observations and post-observation conferences as a coach of sorts. Support will also be provided via the many resources listed above that all members will have access, too.

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Engagement (Active Learning) – Observations, peer coaching, and team coaching will all be ways that members of the professional learning team are getting their hands dirty in the blended learning experience. This will look different as we progress through the stages. There will be opportunities to present mini demo lessons in front of pilot team members, rather than starting right out in the classroom.

 

Modeling – Modeling will begin with demo lessons presented early in the process, most likely by me. Additionally, the blended learning template and course buildout provided in the shared Schoology resources will provide teachers a foundation to build from. Short videos provided in the collaborative OneNote will also models to for participants. Observations, peer coaching, and team coaching will also contribute.

 

Discipline Specific – This will originally start with the Algebra 1 team, however, will expand to various content area based on who joins the pilot team. Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 (to begin) will each have subgroups within the pilot team. This will allow for the learning to be authentic and applicable, true to the content at hand and in alignment with the level of students in the courses.

 

Timeline

For some background information, my school operates in a six-day cycle, with three-58-minute meetings and one block meeting each cycle. For this reason, dates/times get a bit tricky, but all meetings (aside from in-service days) will be during common prep periods depending on participants or after school. 

A more detailed timeline is available on my Professional Learning Blueprint, however, the general roll out of my professional learning will take place throughout the second semester of the schoolyear, January-June, occurring in three separate stages.

 

Phase 1: Introducing Blended Learning to the Algebra 1 Team (January 13 to February 4)

Phase 2: Blended Learning Expansion to Mathematics Department (February 17 to March 17)

Phase 3: Implementation, Reflection, and Continued Support (March 27 to June 13)

 

Again, this is a fluid journey, so we will continue to adapt and adjust as we see fit.

 

Resources and Media

One of the most essential resources for this profession learning will be our collaborative OneNote. This will be the go-to for all things blended learning, including: notes/reflections, lesson plans, materials, formative assessments bank, FAQs, etc… Using OneNote as the collaborative home provides transparency and access to all members, each having to opportunity to participate while also having access to the numerous resources housed there. My Algebra 1 team has been using OneNote for many years to organize our materials, reflect on past lessons, critique, and share. Additionally, all members of the professional learning community are proficient with navigating OneNote which will help with the transition.

 

Also housed in this OneNote will be short video explanations, examples, and reflections mostly by myself and our staff developer, but also my any member who wants to share out. These quick hitting videos are designed to support the blended learning facilitators.

 

There will also be a shared Schoology folder that all members will have access to. Within this will be (1) a built out blended learning course to reference as an example, (2) a blank blended learning course template where teachers can simply plug in their own materials. By providing this, teachers will have a jumping off point which they can then tailor to their own classes.

 

Since my whole ePortfolio created for the ADL program has been based around blended learning, this link we be posted on the OneNote as well. Within this, teachers will have access to all of the material I created along this journey. One of the most applicable sections will be my videos created in EDLD 5318 covering the Instructional Design and Implementation stages of blended learning.

 

Summary

There is a disconnect, and it is evident. Teachers want to learn. They want to learn new ideas/tools they can implement into the classroom. They want to have discussions with colleagues they do not typically converse with. They want to compare/contrast strategies, content-based or classroom-management based with their fellow expert educators. What do they not want, but are continuing to get year-in and year-out despite what the data suggests? To be talked at. Where is the fun? Where is the getting learners up a moving around? Why does it look like the veteran Chemistry teacher is wrapping up his 19th game of Spider Solitaire of the day in the back row? Yes, I am talking about you Mr. Livengood.

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My overall goal for this professional learning is to flip to script, and put growth in the hands of the experts, the teachers. The blended learning model that my professional learning is based around will get teachers talking, acting, reflecting, and developing. It has the potential to change the way students view and achieve their own goals. 

 

In a recent interview with a student surrounding education, I was asked a question regarding my goals for my students, content aside, and I responded with four main ideas that I consistently base my teaching around, “communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking.” He then followed up with goals that I have for myself, and I responded with the same four idea.

 

Teachers, students, administrators, stakeholders are all on this journey together. Roles are not set in stone, nor should they be, but it is about the process. Appreciate each stage, take it for what it is, and grow together.