Module 6: Skills - Educator Development

Build Coherence in Educator Development (Skills). Evaluate opportunities to build coherence in educator development efforts, aligning professional development and coaching systems with structured literacy implementation and TXRL outcomes.

Opening Reflection Prompts

Respond to the following questions by clicking the link and entering a response:
What’s your personal ‘why’ behind doing this work? | Link to live responses
How does your ‘why’ show up in your actions, conversations, and leadership? | Link to live responses

Synchronous Session - Coherence in Educator Development

Common gaps which exist in current educator development systems include:
- Isolated, one-time experiences or multiple, disconnected experiences.
- Coaching structures not fully integrated with professional development departments and other training and development structures.
- K-3 reading professional development /learning experiences often fail to make EXPLICIT connections to Scarborough’s Reading Rope and the district’s VISION for Structured Literacy.
To remedy, experiences must:
- fully align to structured literacy and the district's vision for Structured Literacy;
- integrate through cycles of learning which affords participants consistent opportunities for learning, and processing and practicing the learning in their daily work; and
- address both mindset (WHY) and practice (HOW) shifts.
Coherence in professional development must be prioritized. All stakeholders (district leaders, principals, coaches, and teachers) must work from a shared foundation of knowledge and practice which includes four key areas:
- Content Knowledge (Content): Knowledge of STR and Structured Literacy principles to make strong correlations to the district’s K-3 RLA Instructional Block approach.
- Pedagogical Knowledge (Pedagogy): Knowledge and skills to effectively deliver or oversee structured literacy instruction.
- Knowledge of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM): Mastery (deep knowledge and internalization) of structured literacy instructional materials to ensure fidelity of implementation.
- Understanding of Student Needs (DDI): Proficient use of universal reading screeners for effective data-driven instructional planning and instructional delivery which meets the needs of every student.
All stakeholders must have access to these four areas, and practice and apply them consistently across the district.

Team Activity: Map & Evaluate the Current Educator Development System for Key Stakeholders (Principals, Instructional Coaches, Teachers, District Leaders)

Step 1: Map the System - Make it Visible

What: List all current experiences offered (e.g., training sessions, workshops, coaching).
Focus: Identify which skills or topics each experience addresses (Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge, HQIM, DDI).
When & How: Document the frequency, cycles, and modality (e.g., in-person, online).
Who: Indicate who plans, sponsors, and leads each experience.

Step 2: Evaluate the System

As you look across the mapped experiences, consider the questions below and provide evidence of the current status.

Processing: Does the system provide educators with ongoing opportunities to discuss, reflect, marinate on or ask questions about what they are learning?
Practice: Does the system provide ways for educators to apply new knowledge or skills directly in their classrooms or campuses?
Alignment: Are all learning experiences fully ALIGNED with structured literacy implementation goals?
Integration: Are learning experiences INTEGRATED to allow for maximum impact?

Step 3: Debrief & Reflect on the System

As you step back from your map, what is visible now that perhaps was not clear before?