Professional Development
Professional Development for LISD VIP Teachers
Teachers in Lockhart ISD have consistently requested professional development for instructional technology. Teachers have reached out to district technology instructional mentors for assistance, attended out-of-district professional development or participated in online training and webinars. VIP teachers are given district training opportunities when they join the initiative.
As the program scales across the district, additional training events are offered to VIP and non-VIP staff.
Cohort 1 after a day at TCEA 2016
VIP Professional Development Days
Purposeful use of the VIP tenets, TEKS, and technology is what drives the district's professional development. Sample presentations, choice boards, and other training items that are used for district professional development are shared in this section.
Professional development day specifically for VIP Cohorts in Fall & Spring with a summer professional development day for the new incoming cohort.
Samples of District VIP PD Days
Click here for the slideshow for one of our PD days.
PD Choice Board
Here is a link to one of the choice boards the district used for professional development with our VIP. This was created using Google Slides linking back and forth within the slides. Viewing in ¨present mode¨ is the option for the moving between slides feature to work. Feel free to make a copy and use.
PD Choice Board
Here is a link to another one of the choice boards the district used for professional development. This was done using Google Docs. Feel free to make a copy and use.
Instructional Technology Coaching
- Technology Instructional Mentor (TIM) provides support using various methods. TIMs are certified teachers.
Two TIMs support five elementary campuses
Two TIMs support one junior high and one high school
Teachers can request technology coaching support. Topics can range from specific tech tools, TEK support, anchor charts to classroom management. Team Tech Time is also offered for teachers to bring their questions and needs to a team of their peers and instructional coaches and receive assistance.
Team Tech Time is open to all teachers and not just VIP. However, the VIP teachers are asked to attend to help facilitate the session. This shows that our VIP teachers are Lead Teachers and are helping to scale out learning. This session is for all campuses to promote horizontal best lesson planning with our Instructional Focus Document, SAMR, the Tenets, and the 4Cs.
Lunch-n-Learn
Optional training session during lunch is sometimes offered by the district. Bring your lunch and let´s ¨get our learn on together while we munch¨ is how the district promotes this learning time. The district also uses this time to have the VIP teachers scale out learning. The teachers discuss what works in their room and what does not and then share out their lesson plans to help other teachers feel comfortable using technology integrated lessons.
Monthly Technology Trainings
The district curriculum and instruction teams send out a weekly communique newsletter to teachers with all the happenings in regards to lots of topics, one being tech training. The district uses surveys at the beginning and end of the year to determine what faculty wants to learn and use the findings to drive district workshop offerings.
Training is led by the Technology Instructional Mentors, the curriculum and instruction team, and VIP teachers. Times vary such as before school, during conference, after school or at faculty meetings.
State & National Conferences
ISTE: Members of the LISD VIP team have attended the International Society for Technology in Education conference to learn more about leveraging technology in the classroom.
TCEA: The district sends each new VIP cohort to the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) convention held in February. The district is now asking a few VIP teachers to submit proposals to present at TCEA in order to gain confidence as Lead Instructors. This serves a dual purpose and the teachers can also utilize this presentation to help scale out learning in district too.
Elementary Technology Conference: Held each summer in Galveston and hosted by TCEA the district sends a group of VIP teachers to this conference. Once teachers have attended the district then asks them to submit a proposal to present at this conference. This is a way for our teachers to gain confidence in their ¨scaling out¨ abilities.
Teachers need the time and space to come together to collaborate and share ideas.
After returning from TCEA the district has a ¨debrief¨ professional development day for all cohorts. If only one cohort attended TCEA that year this group shares out their learning with the rest of the team.
EdCamp Lockhart
The district hosts an annual EdCamp each September on a Saturday. The purpose is to bring excitement for creativity and new ideas into the classroom with all our teachers, not only our VIP cohorts. VIP cohorts are asked to participate this day and to put an idea for a session up on the session building board. This is another way the district showcases VIP teachers as Lead Learners helping to scale out knowledge.
Inviting other districts to join the EdCamp broadens the networking opportunities and using the model of Edcamps is a fun way to learn and feel comfortable moving from session to session.
Click here to view the EdCamp Lockhart website. The district is still adding to this site to get ready for September 2020. LISD would love to have you register and come join us in Lockhart on September 19, 2020 for a great day of sharing and networking in our town where the district is ¨more than just great barbecue.¨ Although planning to eat lunch in town at one of our local joints is a yummy way to end the morning!
