The Aussies are Coming

Actually they are here. The Aussies have been involved with Professional Development in New York City schools for a decade. I have worked with some fine individuals over the years in some of the schools I have worked in. Last year we were introduced to a book innovative teachers' companion. This book is a very useful spiral publication that serves as a teacher planner, resource book, and professional learning tool.

The design is brilliant. A clear plastic cover front and back protects the book. The spiral makes it easy to fold over the pages. Useful pages in the beginning for lists, calendars, and planning. We first have a yearly planner, followed by a monthly planner. A few pages of important charts like weights and measures and temperature conversion charts. Differentiated charts precede the weekly planner. The weekly planner has a topic of pedagogical import that is practiced for a few weeks. Then another neat pedagogical strategy is presented and so on throughout the year. The importance of this we have found is that those topics become the basis of our own in house professional learning sessions. Since all teachers are using the planner, we are all seeing the weekly topics and are employing them and seeing how we already use them. As we gather the data, we now have substance for our own professional learning as a school.

The first strategy is "Classroom Management." The first page provides a process and then each of days that follow have an variation or asks a question to reinforce the initial strategy. After the first week another strategy is introduced and so on throughout the year.

By viewing the Table of Contents, we find that Bloom is used, several types of maps and charts are introduced, the Habits of Mind, Gardner, and brain resources are all topics throughout the year.

One of our English teachers gave us a short presentation on "Brain Compatible Learning: Emotional Rooms." She first explained about how she uses the room designations of Red, Blue, Orange, and Green to help define certain behaviors in class. When the scholars are aware of the mood of the room, they can be more effective in achieving the desired effect. We spent lots of time last year on brain research, so this application was perfect and fit right in seamlessly.

In the back of the book, lots and lots of various types of forms and charts exist. This is a great tool for all teachers of all grade levels and at all levels. It has helped our staff find a central point around which to engage ourselves as teachers during professional development because we all bring something to the table.