Middle School Science Learning Site
In a Learning Site, educators come together for a full day in a live classroom around a common area of practice (also can accommodate a ½ day model). Participants talk with the host teacher and set goals for their own classrooms. Participants who continue the learning through virtual follow-up sessions are also able to earn an academic ladder credit.
Middle School Science Learning Site: This learning site on March 31, 2023 addresses the question "How do we develop conceptual understanding in a student-centered science classroom?" Hosted by Michelle Carroll (6th grade science teacher @O’Donnell Elementary), the site will demonstrate one teacher's approach to answering this question while thinking through engaging students in science practices like modeling while ensuring that all students come to a shared understanding of key ideas. After the observation educators will debrief with the host teacher around the hows and whys of their teaching practice, and then engage in virtual follow-up coaching sessions for an ALC/PDPs.
Time: One half school day (sub $ available)
Feedback: 99% recommended
Credits: Up to 12 PD hours or 1 ALC
Capacity: 10-15 per session
Mode: In-person
Resources: Learning Site Packet, Debrief Notes
THANK YOU for all the educators that attended the Learning site at O’Donnell Elementary School in East Boston. Our host teacher was Michelle Carroll (5th and 6th grade science teacher). We had 7 participants join from 5 different BPS schools/departments join this session.
After the session, 100% of participants (6 out of 6 exit ticket responses) said that they would recommend this session to a colleague. Additional comments from participants:
“I am inspired by the classroom discourse that I saw from the HR 002 students and led by Michelle's questioning.
“I am also grateful for the opportunity to see OSE done with fidelity in the classroom. I have struggled to implement OSE as written. This gave me energy and incentive to pursue this more aggressively again.”
We asked, “What's one thing you learned today that might benefit your students?” Sample responses:
“A few questions to ask before the lesson. Question students thinking throughout class.”
“Utilizing the 3 sentence frames I have chosen to implement to set students up to lead the conversation in discussion. 1. “Does that fit your idea?” 2. “Say more about that?” 3. “Share a partners idea”