Modern K 12 Schools : Implementing Innovative Pedagogical Practices Essay

The creative curriculum applies Gardner's theory by showing teachers how to provide opportunities for each child to pursuer his or her special talents and to demonstrate areas of strength. In

Professional Development measures the degree to which teachers value continuous personal development and school-wide improvement.

Roberts, S. & Pruitt, E. (2003). Schools as Professional Learning Communities: Collaborative Activities and Strategies for Professional Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Professional development is the systematic and comprehensive approach to continuous learning that will ensure employees remain abreast and current in their field, enhance knowledge and skills, and engage in activities that will contribute to the sustained growth of Catawba Valley Community College. Each employee is responsible for developing an annual professional development plan that aligns with the Catawba Valley Community College short and long term

Unfortunately, thorough research on the impact of professional development on student achievement is limited because it is challenging, complex and expensive to study. Nonetheless, Hoaglund, Birkenfeld, and Box, (2015), conducted a study that illustrated that learning communities are viable tools for providing professional development to both pre-service teachers and current teachers. Their study showed how a group of pre-service teachers and their supervisors participated in a professional experience learning community for two terms prior to the pre-service teacher’s junior year at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Questionnaires and interviews were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The results of the study indicated that all participants valued the experience and consequently were able to gain and identify some benefits of a professional learning community (PLC). Participants specifically reported a greater appreciation of collaboration with more experienced educators as a practical way of solving issues and implementing processes and procedures for increasing student achievement. The activities incorporated within the

Imagine world that is bland, along with its individuals all the selfsame. In result of the reprehension of creative courses in academia. That previously mentioned world would soon become an actuality. When budget cuts were accruing in my school district; I remembered my fine arts teachers were petrified that not only their department would cease to exist but they would no longer have an occupation. There is a constant reminder of how paramount the sciences and mathematics are; but the fine arts such as music, ceramics, art, and all the other courses that allow creative freedom are important as well.

In this age of high-stakes standardized testing the idea of creativity in the classroom has become less and less popular. Susan W. Cress and Daniel T. Holm present a compelling case study for keeping creativity in the classroom in “Creative Endeavors: Inspiring Creativity in a First Grade Classroom” published online April 1, 2015 in the Early Childhood Education Journal.

The West Fargo Public School system is not only the fastest growing school district in the State of North Dakota, it is also one of the most innovative and creative. The district’s Mission is “Educating today’s learners for tomorrow’s world”. Teachers employed by the district take this Mission statement to heart and live it in their own lives. To them, education is a lifelong process, not just something everyone experiences between the ages of 5-17. Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that this past summer 20 elementary and secondary teachers began a 20 month educational journey by enrolling in West Fargo’s second Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA). The Academy is a collaborative effort between West Fargo Public Schools and North Dakota State University’s Educational Leadership Program. The 20 teachers began their journey this summer and will be meeting during the school year every-other Wednesday after school. At the end of five semesters they will be awarded the Masters of Education (M. Ed.) degree. Some of the unique features of the Teacher Leadership Academy are: a) rather than traveling to campus for their coursework, Academy students are taught at the district’s Leidal Education Center, b) classes are facilitated by not only university professors, but the district’s two assistant superintendents [Dr. Allen Burgad and Mrs. Beth Slette], and c) course assignments are focused around the district’s initiatives and strategic plan.

There are many ways one can help an organization achieve its mission. For the purpose of this paper, the student will play the role of the Center Director. Through external excellence, the Center Director can positively impact those serviced by the Creative Learning Center. External partnership with other community business can create added value for the organization. External partnerships include State child care welfare, private elementary school, charter schools, health care providers and local markets for coupon offers. Aside from external partnership, developing a strong internal excellence is also important. The Creative Director can enhance the

When I first began teaching over twenty years ago, I do not believe I had a clear idea of what my vision of education was. I was hungry for knowledge myself and took every opportunity I could to attend professional development and implement new curriculum and instructional strategies. During the early part of my career as a teacher, I developed a

The stand-and-deliver model of teaching and learning is increasingly incompatible with today 's youth; in some schools, it is giving way to more varied methods founded on research about how children learn. Also the students who attend public schools come with more learning challenges than ever before, and the trend shows no sign of reversing (Evans, 2004). The changing needs of children demand that teachers expand their role beyond purveyors of information, to become facilitators, coinvestigators, guides, and coordinators. (Jorgenson, 2006).Changes are taking place rapidly, against a backdrop of the shift from an industrial economy to one based on the instantaneous, global traffic of information. Today 's schools are not designed to prepare children for the explosive economy or its demand for outcomes over process; the traditional model of teachers dispensing discrete, disconnected bodies of information curriculum presented in isolation from the other subject areas is increasingly obsolete as a way to prepare children for our world (Wagner, 2006).

Traditionally, teacher development typically occurs through trial and error in the isolated confinements of each teacher’s classroom with some periodic whole-group professional development (Goddard & Goddard, 2007). Within the past few decades, many schools and districts, including ours, have considered and experimented with Professional Learning Communities (PLC) as an alternative framework in guiding a more efficient development program for their teachers. PLCs are focused on enhancing student learning through developing teacher practices. The concept of PLC relies on using structured collaborative sessions amongst teachers within the school to build internal capacity. Through PLCs, teachers critically reflect on current

The Office of Faculty Development and Rice University delivers wonderful programs, resources, and workshops to faculty in every stage of development at Rice University. Their focus on diversity and mentorship has allowed the OFD to create a positive reputation for itself. Although the OFD has only existed for about five years, its programs have a lasting, positive effect on the campus. The OFD’s resources empower faculty and successfully fills a void on campus. In time, the OFD plans to increase its presence and dependability

The role of a teacher in present context has remarkably changed because of the various factors such as social, cultural, economic and technology developments across the globe. “Teachers in today’s era must be innovative, imaginative, and resourceful and have thorough knowledge of the subject and adopt new techniques to teach innovatively.”

Professional development principles Ben embraces are Rigor, Relationships, Relevance and Realness. Mr. Rhodes continually emphasizes that work needs to have relevance and rigor in assignments and that the relationships teachers build with students is essential for success. Specific content used for staff development goals are Glenn Singleton’s work (Equity), National Achievement Gap, High Performing Schools, 90/90/90 Studies, 21st Century Skills, Marzano’s Instructional Strategies, and Heidi Hayes Jacobs’ literacy work. A variety of activities for teaching new skills to teachers occurs throughout the year. These include study groups, guest speakers, ERO (staff development classes), open classroom visits, master teachers sharing best practices in literacy, differentiated instruction, , math, and culturally responsive teaching, conference opportunities, mentors, district content area inservices, building inservice days, monthly district content area meetings, partnerships with universities, Collaborative Action Research for Equity (C.A.R.E.) cadre, and monthly building equity meetings. Mr. Rhodes uses the district Teaching Learning Cycle (Plan-Teach-Monitor- Adjust) to evaluate and assess the learning goals and make improvements. Ben also meets with Ben and the leadership team about the goals and creates the timeline to provide training and analyze progress. Evaluation of the learning goals using the SIP (as a living document) and individual goals are important