On Tuesday, our staff participated in an Amplify CKLA Coaching Day as part of our continued implementation of the district’s new ELA curriculum. Teams had the opportunity to choose how they wanted to engage in the coaching process. They could either spend time lesson planning with the coach or participate in a lesson observation followed by feedback and reflection. Our kindergarten and first grade teams chose to participate in a lesson study so they could see the curriculum in action and reflect together on instructional practices.
The kindergarten team visited Charity McCollum’s classroom, where students were practicing writing sentences about royalty as part of their CKLA unit. Mrs. McCollum did a great job explicitly teaching expectations before students transitioned to their next activity, setting them up for success. Students were highly engaged in the lesson, and to make the learning even more memorable, the class even had their own King and Queen for the day who sat at a decorated table with special chairs.
Afterward, the group observed Julie Wiehe’s first grade classroom. Students were learning about different types of rocks and were writing facts they had learned about igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. It was great to see students applying their knowledge through writing and discussing their learning with peers.
It was also fitting that this collaborative experience took place during March, as our Leader in Me Habit of the Month is Synergize. Opportunities like this allow teachers to learn from one another, share ideas, and grow together. By observing, reflecting, and collaborating as teams, our staff truly demonstrated what it means to synergize for the benefit of our students.