Standard 6

Standard 6 - Educators and leaders participate in an ongoing system of STEAM-specific professional learning.

All of our teachers participate in the planning process and creation of project -based learning and STEAM inquiry opportunities with our STEAM lead teacher. In addition to planning and professional development, our teachers have the opportunity to co-teach STEAM lessons with our STEAM lead teacher to put philosophy into reality. In addition to co-teaching with our STEAM lead teacher, teachers have the opportunity to request to set up a peer observation on any teacher in the school in order to learn from our strengths within. Through the in-school opportunities, we have been able to provide unique professional development to our peers. In the summer of 2019, we were able to receive training through the APS STEAM department on developing high-quality project-based learning. This opportunities enhanced current units and was the springboard to create even more project-based learning opportunities for our students. As we looked ahead to the 20-21 school year, we made the decision to work towards our staff becoming Google Certified Educators Level 1. By focusing on increasing our teachers’ technology skills, we are focusing on the “T” in STEAM. This has been significantly important as we are still 100% virtual with the hopes to return partially in-person on February 1st.

In addition to on campus professional development, our faculty has been given the opportunity to attend off-campus training. In the summer of 2018, a team of teachers and support attended Buck Institute’s PBL World conference to learn how to create high quality project based learning.  In 2018 and 2019, the Georgia Department of Education STEAM Forum was open to all teachers who wished to attend. The sessions at the Forum provided teachers with tangible, practical professional development that was later redelivered with the staff unable to attend. Also, our STEAM lead teacher and a 1st grade teacher presented at the GA STEAM Forum in fall of 2019. This opportunity provided us to share with others the successes that our school has learned and provide information to others. In addition to the GA STEAM Forum, our STEAM lead teacher, Media Specialist, and 4th grade students shared our knowledge and learning from using Lego WeDo 2.0 in the Student Showcase at the 2019 Georgia Educational Technology Consortium  conference.