First quarter in the books
Becky Albrecht
First quarter is officially over in the Maryville R-II District. During this first quarter, school has been released twice for staff development, and another six release dates are scheduled throughout the remainder of the year. In addition, before school began staff members reported for at least three other days of training; some for even more. This may seem like a lot of time off, but it isn’t. The staff isn’t off at all – just the opposite, actually. Most don’t realize just how busy these days are for teachers.
During staff development days, classes are not in session, but teachers report to the building at the regular time and put in their regular hours. Activities for the day vary depending on the time of year and need. Most of these activities, however, shift the teacher’s role to that of student. They are sharing, listening, studying, and learning.
In August before the new school year starts, activities are prioritized according to legal requirements, day-to-day management, and new initiatives. According to law, all employees must undergo annual training in several areas. Emergency procedures, confidentiality, child abuse awareness and reporting, prevention of bullying, harassment, and discrimination are only a few. New staff undergo training on district policy, curriculum, procedures for purchasing, requesting transportation, using office equipment and available technology, and other day to day routines. Any new programs or initiatives are also workshop topics for appropriate staff. This year, co-teaching and myON Reader were topics.
Once school is underway, training topics are less about procedures and more about improving professional practices. Since the new Missouri Learning Standards were approved by the State Board of Education in the spring, much of our development time this year is dedicated to analyzing and modifying our curriculum to align with them. Every class in every grade will be examined to ensure we are teaching the correct skills in the correct sequence at the correct level. Teachers do this both individually and in teams. Teams are organized by both subject matter and grade level.
Also, literacy is common theme during our development days since we are in year two of three year plan to focus on it. Last year we studied academic vocabulary; this year we are studying close reading strategies. Teachers use their time to read and discuss articles on incorporating close reading into their lessons, share actual practices they use successfully, and discuss how to improve their lessons.
While curriculum and literacy are the main focus of our development days this year, other topics are also incorporated. One morning was dedicated to health and wellness with staff participating in biometric screenings and risk assessments. Another morning, we hosted university and city officials for a presentation on a community issue. Meetings are also scheduled during these days. Quarterly, the entire district staff meets as a large group to share and communicate about district-wide topics; the Certified Teachers Association also conducts meetings regularly.
Teachers are learners, too. Staff development days provide them an opportunity to work together, learn from each other, and grow professionally.
