Professional Development & Support

At 91Թ, the intentional development, support, and care of our teachers is a critical priority. We
believe that, just like our students, all teachers can learn and grow, and that it is our responsibility to help nurture our teachers’ success. A strong adult culture, consistent coaching, and targeted professional development sessions rooted in anti-racist practices are the hallmark of these efforts.

Our Vision for Teaching Excellence

  • Content KnowledgeTeachers at 91Թ are experts in their content areas and display an exemplary ability to build understanding and interest in students at multiple ability levels. Teachers connect content across disciplines, to real life, and use their own content master to empower students to think deeply about academic content.
  • Instructional Responsiveness Teachers use data to engage in a deliberate cycle of internalization, planning, delivery, questioning, feedback, and reflection to move student mastery forward in academic and socio-emotional learning. Teachers are aware of of how all students are performing and are able to adapt to meet the needs of students.
  • Care of Students & Classroom Culture – Teachers set a joyful authentic tone and build loving relationships so that each student and family feels valued. Teachers encourage student voice, promote independent thinking, and encourage students to take risks academically and socially. Teachers collaborate with families and empower students to work towards ambitious academic and socio-emotional learning goals.
  • Teacher Leadership – Teachers at 91Թ are continuous learners and seek out feedback and development opportunities while also being self reflective about their own practice. Teachers apply flexibility and a problem-solving approach to persist through challenges. Teachers have a deep and growing understanding of their own identity, mindsets, and biases and use this insight to inform their teaching and professional development.

School Based Development

  • Adult Culture and Community

    We strive to build communities where individuals are known, valued, and recognized. Strong relationships, trust, and teamwork are fostered amongst community members.

  • Coaching, Observations, and Feedback

    A coach, leader, or teacher leader observes the teacher and follows up with a meeting or conversation about the observation. A coach could also conduct several short observations to gather data or trends before having a follow-up. Both coach and teacher have the Vision for Teaching Excellence in mind as the bar towards which they are working.

  • Check-ins/One-on-Ones & Classroom Videos

    A meeting with the teacher’s leader and/or coach about their professional goals, teaching performance, student data, classroom management, student behavior, other school-related duties, or anything the teacher and coach think is important to the students’ and teacher’s success.

    The filming and viewing of a teacher delivering a lesson or students learning in order to watch the video and analyze it in support of coaching goals.

  • Content Meetings

    This meeting is used to develop teachers’ content knowledge, internalize upcoming lessons, answer questions about content and delivery, model teach, practice, reflect on data, and learn from each other’s strengths. These meetings can be individual or with a team of teachers.

  • Data Analysis

    A meeting with a school leader, coach, or peers to review and analyze data and establish next steps.

  • Demonstration Lessons/Side-by-Side Coaching

    The modeling of classroom management or lesson delivery strategies by a school leader or coach and/or “whisper coaching” as a teacher is delivering a lesson or working with a student.

  • Equity Fellowship

    The Equity Fellowship is a year-long opportunity for school and headquarters staff to come together to learn and grow in diversity, equity, and inclusion practices by participating in monthly learning sessions and training.

  • Peer Observations

    This is a teacher observation of a peer to learn from other’s expertise. This can involve a pre-meeting with the coach/leader to set the purpose of the peer observation, and a post-meeting to debrief.

  • School Specific Professional Development

    Sessions, led by regional or school-based teams, that are aligned with the goals of the school, the current school data, or the learning needs of teachers.

  • Individual Professional Development Opportunities

    Learning opportunities for individual teachers, possibly sought out on their own, based on their current growth goals. This may be access to resources like books or attendance at conferences.

Regional Development

  • Curricular Materials

    Pacing calendars, unit plans, lesson plans, resources and assessments aligned to content standards provided by regional coaches.

  • Summer Professional Development Sessions

    Regional and school-based sessions that are aligned with regional goals, new initiatives, and/or school-based goals. These sessions can be delivered by regional teams or external providers.

  • Development and Wellness Days

    Strategic regional or school-based development sessions used for developing teacher practice and data analysis, followed by individual wellness time for teachers.

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Professional Development

    Diversity, equity, and inclusion learning is a key component of our staff’s experience and the work we do for our students and families. Staff regularly engage throughout the year in professional development and learning on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics through designated Development and Wellness days, summer professional development, and other opportunities throughout the year to ensure we continue to promote anti-racist and anti-bias practices across our organization.

  • Professional Learning Communities

    Teams of teachers, facilitated by a regional team member or teacher leader, meeting in order to grow their skill set in a particular area.

  • Teacher Leadership Opportunities

    Teachers coming together with other teacher leaders to work in a specific area of development and/or contribute their skills and insights to the larger 91Թ Community.

  • Certification Programs

    Capital Teaching Residents and Special Education Fellows pursuing their state licensure through intensive professional development and training programs.

  • New Teacher Support

    Extra professional development sessions and learning communities provided to new teachers to meet their needs.

Continuing Education Credits for
Licensed Student Support Team Members

91Թ supports mental health practitioners and related service providers to maintain their licensure. Annually, we allocate funds to pay for approved external continuing education credits (CEUs) for roles on the student support team that require licensure. In addition, we provide in-house professional development opportunities for individuals to earn CEUs and grow professionally. Past examples of in-house CEU workshops include Learning Styles and Intervention Strategies for Children with Autism, Tier 1 Mental Health: Mental Health for All and Diving Deep into Social Emotional Learning Curriculum, and Making the Connection Between Play Therapy and Treatment Goals in the School Setting.

 

Stay Connected

We’d love to stay in touch!

Contact Recruitment Team