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Since school began I have observed a third-grade teacher lovingly creating and reinforcing routines in her classroom that preserve teaching time and help students to enjoy an orderly environment where they can focus on learning. I also observed another third grade teacher using hand motions to help students remember a definition of history and how part-whole and comparison bar models work. I observed a fifth-grade AT greeting students in the morning with a friendly "How are you?" and coaching them in the mannerisms of eye contact and a fifth-grade lead asking students to name a prime number as they enter her class. I observed Kindergarten teachers instructing their students in forming their letters with care and a fourth-grade class full of volunteers excited to work out an order of operations problem on the board. In these few short weeks, I could share so many moments when our teachers successfully helped students with academics, with social situations, and with fully participating in a classroom.
I am the member of the leadership team with whom you are least likely to interact because I spend most of my time working with teachers and visiting classrooms. I want to share with you the elements of my position and how working with teachers impacts your students.
Our teachers are the most influential factor in improving student performance and impacting the students' life at school. As Dean of Teachers, I support our faculty in reaching their potential as educators to positively impact our students. Towards this goal, I observe as many classrooms as I can each day to see our teachers in the practice of their craft. This year, I will conduct multiple observations of each lead and essentials teacher and meet with them to share their successes and discuss opportunities for growth, grounded in the proven techniques of Teach Like A Champion by Doug Lemov. Just like we do when we teach our students a new skill, I sometimes use an I-do-You-do method to help teachers observe and practice a new teaching technique: I teach a guest lesson in the classroom and then observe the teacher in the next lesson, focusing on the technique we are practicing.
We also use peer observation as another key method of teacher development. We learn new teaching techniques and gain fresh insight for our classrooms each time we observe another teacher. This semester our grade-level and essentials teacher teams are competing in Peer Observation Bingo. Teachers who complete the bingo will complete 4-5 teacher observations this semester! Teams in which every teacher finishes their bingo cards will have an opportunity to win a prize for their team. In line with this effort, I look to highlight exemplary teachers in their areas of excellence, whether as an expert of certain subject or of certain teaching techniques, by recommending that others observe their class so that all of our teachers can grow. I also use video recording to capture those areas of excellence to use in future teacher training and coaching.
Finally, I work with exemplary teachers and our school leadership team to develop and execute professional development trainings to improve the rigor of our teaching practice at GHLO.
Parents, I am so excited to continue my work with teachers this year and to see how their growth leads to student growth.
Soaring together,
Katie Franzmann
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