ST 1.9
STEM teachers and leaders participate in a continuous program of STEM-specific professional learning.
Learning to Lead...
Leading to Learn
At Munford Elementary, we realize the importance of teachers being immersed in an environment that supports STEAM education. During the past three years, we have embedded professional development for our teachers to learn about integrating STEAM into all content areas. In addition, all of our teachers attended the STEAM by Design Learning Symposium for Talladega County which is held at B.B.Comer Memorial High School every October.
Many of the teachers at Munford Elementary School presented at STEAM by Design and led sessions for other teachers in our school district. Lead teachers also participate in district STEAM cohorts and Experts Down the Hall professional development and take their learning back to their colleagues.
Mrs. Betts participated in a year long STEAM Cohort Training from the district to learn about new technologies she could share in her classroom and with her colleagues. Pictured to the left is Mrs. Betts learning to code Spheros.
STEAM is always a component of our professional development sessions that take place during the school day through embedded training. The school leadership team leads these professional development sessions for teachers. Additionally, these trainings provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate with one another to share classroom successes in STEAM instruction.
STEAM Specific Professional Learning
Some of our professional development opportunities come through professional development sessions led at our school by members of the school leadership team. In December 2018, we held a two day professional development session where our teachers learned how to integrate STEAM into all subject areas by engaging in grade-specific activities designed for them in four main subject areas: reading, math, science, and social studies.
Summer PD
Lifelong learning = the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of knowledge
Teachers have spent summer months attending professional development in order to advance student learning. At Empower, educators were able to interact, share with peers, and partner with local and national energy organizations in order to learn about the exciting technologies in development today. Teachers learned to be a vital link in the process to make energy a priority at home, in the classroom, and in daily conversation. NASA's, A Teacher In Space program allowed our teachers to participate in astronaut training that conveyed new ways of teaching STEM concepts through hands-on learning activities designed to be easily implemented into classroom instruction.
Snapshots of PD
Critical Thinking
Collaboration
Communication
Educator Engagement
Teachers at Munford Elementary School seek out opportunities to learn year-round! For the past two years, several teachers from various grade levels have attended the Empower Conference in Destin, Florida, where they learned how to teach energy through inquiry-based learning and hands-on activities. Each year, fourth grade teachers and students visit the 4-H Science Center where they learn about nature and preservation through problem-based experiences. During the past three years, twenty-five teachers from Munford Elementary School visited Ron Clark Academy and learned strategies to better engage students. The visits to Ron Clark Academy were the inspiration for our Student House System! Several teachers in fourth and fifth grade attended Space Camp for Alabama Educators, where they learned STEAM strategies for science and math. The teachers who participated in Space Camp led turn-around-training for teachers across our school district. Each summer, several teachers also attend the Alabama Educator Technology Conference and CORE Academy at JSU. For the past four years, Munford teachers have presented technology sessions at CORE Academy and shared their learning with teachers across the state. All teachers attend Talladega County’s annual STEAM by Design sessions where they learn strategies to better integrate technology and STEAM in their classrooms.
Mrs. Robinson, the principal, and Mrs. Smith, the technology coach also attended Dynamic Learning Project training to help train our teachers how to use technology in impactful ways. Mrs. Robinson spent a week in California at Google's Headquarters, and Mrs. Smith spent a week in New York at Google's Headquarters; both educators focused on making technology instruction more purposeful for students. Mrs. Smith holds extensive coaching cycles with up to eight teachers each 9 weeks in addition to supporting all other teachers at Munford Elementary School implement technology into their daily lessons. Mrs. Smith also works with the STEAM teacher, Mrs. Clifton, and the Instructional Partner, Mrs. Watts, to develop professional development for teachers to help them seamlessly implement sound instruction, purposeful technology, and STEAM instruction into the classroom.
To the Classroom and Beyond
Many faculty meetings are designed to support teachers in their understanding of the STEAM standards. A representative from the STEAM Team is always available to assist each grade level as they create and reflect on engaging and rigorous lessons planned to inspire, challenge, and advance student learning.
