Connecting with PreK: Intentional Staff Development Opportunities #ECECHAT

With a nudge from this year’s MN Pre3 Principal Leadership Series we have been looking at ways to more intentionally work with our preschool educators in our community.  On Wednesday, March 9th we will put this into action with our first preK/K collaborative staff development opportunity.

Goal: Create a PreK-K Literacy Workshop  

• 1.1  Engage your learning community in understanding the importance of the early learning continuum and the transitions along it.   

• 1.2  Set expectations that the continuum of learning from age three to grade three is fundamental to your school’s mission. 1.3 Expand the concept of ‘learning community’ to include collaboration among external, as well as internal, stakeholders. 

• 1.3 Expand the concept of ‘learning community’ to include collaboration among external, as well as internal, stakeholders. Take from Leading Pre-K-3 Learning Communities: Competencies For Effective Principal Practice

Step 1: Seek buy in from preschools and elementary sites Ensure I have an accurate list of current PreK sites and Directors. Find partner with workshop model (U of M PRESS)  Step 2: Peer Observation Process Set up dates that least involve sub coverage for grade level teachers to go and observe at a different level/site. Develop walkthrough template relevant for literacy walkthroughs preK-1st grade Step 3:  Workshop follow up We did this….now what? For 2016-17: Do we want to continue to offer PreK-1st grade trainings? What are we doing with what we learned this year (parent workshops-parent education on what makes a child a reader in Austin?). What will I change in my walkthroughs based upon this learning?

We are looking forward to our first partnership with local preschools and excited to learn alongside each other.

Continue to Dream BIG for our LITTLEST Learners,

Jessica