This summer, a consortium of schools (Sope Creek, Clarkdale, and Kennesaw Elementary) are sponsoring MTW again. It is exciting because the professional development will be differentiated for teachers at different levels of Implementation of the model. Over 120 teachers and 11 schools will attend, and visitors from the Central Office will have an opportunity to visit model classrooms.
New teachers will be immersed in the elements of Stage One implementation while returning teachers will begin to explore Stages Two-Five of the model. Stage Two begins to develop the intellectual environment by planning “being there” learning experiences and developing essential questions to focus lessons. Stages Three- Four focus on the development of the yearlong theme and conceptual curriculum. Stage Five focuses on developing the service learning and social action component of the model. MTW is one of the very best models for professional development because it allows teachers to be immersed in the concepts of the HET Model. They have the opportunity to learn both “classroom style” as in traditional professional development, but they also get to immediately observe what it looks like in the on-site model classroom. Time for reflection and collaboration is built into the week, something teachers rarely have time to do during the regular school year. This powerful professional development opportunity has an immediate and positive impact on their teaching practices and student achievement.
