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Educators and leaders participate in an ongoing system of STEM-specific professional learning.
Educators and leaders participate in an ongoing system of STEM-specific professional learning.
Concept 1 - School/program facilitates professional learning opportunities for educators and leaders that lead to improved efficacy in specific areas of responsibility (such as STEM disciplinary content knowledge or instructional coaching).
Concept 1 - School/program facilitates professional learning opportunities for educators and leaders that lead to improved efficacy in specific areas of responsibility (such as STEM disciplinary content knowledge or instructional coaching).
Concept 2 - School/program facilitates professional learning opportunities for educators and leaders that lead to improved efficacy in STEM-specific practices (such as project-based learning, STEM integration, technology integration, etc.).
Concept 2 - School/program facilitates professional learning opportunities for educators and leaders that lead to improved efficacy in STEM-specific practices (such as project-based learning, STEM integration, technology integration, etc.).
At Fairhope West Elementary we thrive on becoming better leaders and educators for ourselves and for our students. We are continually engaged in professional development in the areas of reading, writing, math, Leader in Me, educational technology, and STEM. Professional development is delivered during school hours, after school, and at faculty meetings. Some after school professional development is offered to teachers who want additional training in a specific area.
Over the last three years, FWE has had professional development on the following topics: 21st century skills, growth mindset, Engineering Design Process, STEAM, guided reading, balanced literacy, curriculum mapping, writing, math, Ruby Payne’s Framework for Understanding Poverty, and technology. The results on student academic achievement are reflected in the ALSDE State Report Card and survey data of teacher self-efficacy.
We work hard to identify the needs of our staff with regards to STEAM education. For example during a STEAM PLT meeting we realized that in order to get a deeper understanding of the EDP, our staff needed to experience the Engineering Design Process from the student perspective. We were able to then formulate a training plan to allow all of our staff members to participate in an EDP lesson. Teachers were able to participate in the lesson through Google Classroom. Using the EDP, teachers created a magnetic car. Cars were tested, improved, and reflected upon.
Teachers use what they learned in STEAM PD and used it in the classroom.
New faculty and seasoned teachers attend Down by the Bay field trip professional development.
In August of 2017, Baldwin County invited a speaker to engage our county with an inspirational discussion titled “STREAMING into the New Year w/ Literacy and STEM.” From this point forward, Fairhope West Elementary has been Full STEAM Ahead! FWE fosters and encourages all teachers to engage in STEAM-related professional development. We offer STEAM-related professional development throughout the school year and encourage our teachers to apply for off-campus professional development opportunities. We currently have two STEAM coaches as well as two reading coaches that are on staff and available for continual support and staff development.
During the 2017-2018 school year, we formed a STEAM professional learning team to help drive instruction and help teachers incorporate STEAM into every day lessons. This helps teachers collaborate and share what has worked and not worked in their classrooms. This team has met a few times each year to discuss topics ranging from setting norms to breaking down the new Alabama digital literacy standards. The PLT has collaborated to create Google Classrooms for each grade level.
Peardeck Training
We currently have 19 teachers on campus who are certified or currently completing eMINTS certification. Many of our teachers have attended GRITC (Gulf Regional Innovation Technology Conference) and some have even been presenters at this amazing event. Our school leadership encourages teachers to share their wealth of knowledge. Thirty-five percent of our teachers are AMSTI trained and 27% of classroom teachers are eMINTS trained. eMINTS is a two-year educational program designed to train educators of children in the United States. The program's goals focus on technology in the classroom as well as social interaction and student research. The program began in the US state of Missouri. Fairhope West Elementary teachers are provided the opportunity to attend the Ron Clark Academy, LIM Symposium, Empower Conference, AGI Exxonmobil, and NASA.
eMINTS
AGI ExxonMobil
Baldwin County Coding PD
NASA
ISTE
Empowered LIM Training
GRITC
Ron Clark Academy
LIM Symposium
Sustaining Current Practice
Sustaining Current Practice
Encourage and support teachers to go through eMINTS and AMSTI training.
Continue varied professional learning teams on campus including STEAM, Math, Literacy, Lighthouse, SILT (School Improvement Lead Team).
Continue to empower teachers with innovative professional development here at our school.
Asynchronous STEAM courses offered by Baldwin County.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Professional development is expensive, especially those sessions that are held off-campus, require overnight stays, or simply require speakers and coaches to come to our school. Therefore, one of our challenges is raising enough money to continue to provide teachers and coaches professional development opportunities that will continue to raise the bar for STEAM education in our classrooms. Our future is bright because our citizens just voted a 3-mill tax increase to support instruction. The impact that FEEF (Fairhope Educational Enrichment Foundation) and the PNSL (Pelican's Nest Science Lab) have had on our community over 20 years came to fruition when the citizens voted to pass the additional tax levy securing STEAM professional development for many years to come.
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