Hi Joni, thank you for your questions.  This is a continuing initiative that took my team about a year to develop.  It has several components to shift teacher practices.  We implement a reciprocal coaching model were we work in dyads to support each others growth on strategies that teachers want to focus on within our framework.  This involves develop a lesson together, peer observations, and debriefs.  The reciprocal coaching model is different in that all teachers are mentors and are collaboratively together on a common strategy they want to improve on.  The other parts include PDs on how to teach reading and literacy in science and engineering and implementing instructional reading moves to facilitate its incorporation into lessons.  The framework also includes UDL elements and 3D learning through NGSS.  There has been a shift in how STEM is taught and students and teachers are more engaged and motivated.

Hi Ruth,  Thank you for visiting my page.  I would be happy to share the components of our program with you.  Right now our framework is a work in process.  We had a large turnover in our science staff this year so we are having to train and support our new teachers.  If you click the link on this page it will take you to our framework page.  If you have questions about the framework please let me know in the comments.

Hi Kaye,

It is definitely possible!  It has several components to implement that would well with any STEM program.  Please take a look at the link to our framework and if you have any questions please let me know.

Thank you for viewing my video.  I will definitely take a look at your resources and pass it along to my elementary school science colleagues.  

Hi Flo,

California developed a Road map and standards for EL students.  As science, engineering and trade teachers we miss the connections of the importance of literacy and reading in our subject areas.  Along with connecting to NGSS and UDL practices the focus for initiative is to provided STEM teachers a framework that can help them to better teach to these populations and enhance the access to these content areas.  Language can be a major barrier and STEM is rich in content language that even English only students struggle to understand.  If you view our framework is it differentiate by EL levels based on our CELDT testing.  Each strategy is scaffolded to support all learners.  Using a reciprocal coaching model teachers work in dyads to support the implementation of reading and literacy in their content.  

Hi Wanda,

Thank you for sharing this resource with me.  It is definitely that help in make strong connections with our students understanding of concepts.  This would fit in well with our reading instructional move.  The instructional move connects how students engage with the same text multiple times using key vocabular, partner reading and guided questions.  The multiple text can be incorporate across the span of the lesson to engage students even more.  Thanks!

Hi Margo,

Good to hear from you! Hope you are well.  The goal is to align and collaborate with our English department.  However, we are just focused on our department.  We had a large turnover of teachers losing half our department.  Right now we are building up the program and I am training and supporting the new teachers.  Hopefully, by next school year we will be working actively with other departments.

Hi Jodi,

A lot of the times teachers don't see themselves as leaders.  So in this model leadership is distributed through the use of reciprocal coaching where students work together to engage in lessons that are meaningful and also applying the elements of our framework.  There is no one teacher over an other.   The observations we have with each other are purely for the purpose of improving each others craft.  It makes it less intimidating and teacher are more willing to be authentic.  Since our implementation their has been a more united vision for what we want for our students and our last state test scores for science improved.

Yevgeny, thank you for your question.  The lessons are planned within our science and engineering department using a reciprocal coaching model and peer observation.  The rubric we use is a standards based rubric with a simple 1 - 5 rating for students and for teacher observations.  The rubric is merely used a vehicle for discussion and feedback.  In terms of lesson design we implement NGSS 3D learning using a modified framework I created to engage students based on research from Universal Design for Learning, Dylan Wiliam and Page Keeley.  If you have a chance click on the link on this page so you can view framework and the specific strategies we use connected to Reading and Literacy.  The distributive leadership model we use takes time to implement across the entire department, but there have been positive shifts.

Hi Gloria,

As a department we meet once a week for about a 45 minutes to an hour in the morning before school starts.  We have a late start so that helps.  We a rotating meeting schedule after school were we have longer meetings once a month with our departments.  Since the teachers work in dyads each group meets additional times to debrief observations and discuss lessons.  Our admin is also supportive in terms of getting subs for observations.  I try to make it so that it is not another thing we have to do as a department.  It is a common vision that we all have and that we know will help students.  The buy in is critical and I made a compelling case why we need to do this.  If you have a chance please review our framework linked on this page.

Hi Rebecca,

As a department we meet once a week for about a 45 minutes to an hour in the morning before school starts.  We have a late start so that helps.  We a rotating meeting schedule after school were we have longer meetings once a month with our departments.  Since the teachers work in dyads each group meets additional times to debrief observations and discuss lessons.  Our admin is also supportive in terms of getting subs for observations.  I try to make it so that it is not another thing we have to do as a department.  It is a common vision that we all have and that we know will help students.  The buy in is critical and I made a compelling case why we need to do this.  If you have a chance please review our framework linked on this page.

Definitely, we connected 3D learning and UDL practices to developing lessons that engage students through cognitive science applications.  The example you posted is what we aim for as much as possible when we create lessons together.  It is a process, but the time is worth it in terms of student engagement and understanding of the material.

The reciprocal coaching model is very powerful and allows for more distributive approach to teacher leadership.  Everyone is working together on a common goal and each person growing at their own rate.  Here is the link to the research I used to setup the program if you have any questions please message me.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46715270_Which_Characteristics_of_a_Reciprocal_Peer_Coaching_Context_Affect_Teacher_Learning_as_Perceived_by_Teachers_and_Their_Students

Also, if you have a chance please take a look at our framework in the link provided on this page.

Definitely, science is all literacy.  Through science instruction all content areas are connected and provides in my opinion access to developing critical thinkers that can analyze and create solutions to big problems.  I wish especially at the elementary level that science instruction would take a more central role.

Language is powerful and the more connections we can make to a students L1 language the easier it will be for them integrate new concepts in their L2.  Science is rich with new words that can be very difficult for EL students, but also to native English speakers.