Summer is upon us! It’s the time of year for educators to refresh! The time of year for educators to get out and enjoy the sun, vacations, family, hikes, parks, or _____________ (you fill in the blank!).
Summer is also the time of year many educators reflect on their own teaching practice and prepare for the upcoming school year. If you are an educator whose summer plans include preparing for instruction in the 2019–2020 school year, we have four recommendations for you:
1- Collaborative Literacy User’s Guide
The User’s Guide is located on the Learning Hub in the Collaborative Literacy Resources folder. You can find it by going to the General Resources section of a selected program. (While you’re there, you may want to check out some of the other helpful resources.)
The information and activities in this guide are designed to introduce/reintroduce you to your Collaborative Literacy materials. You will:
- Become familiar with the printed contents of your Collaborative Literacy materials.
- Review how to access digital resources.
- Get an overview of Collaborative Literacy and learn about its programs’ special features as you read identified sections of the Introduction in your Teacher’s Manual.
- Get access to the online courses for the Making Meaning and Being a Writer There you can refresh your familiarity with the programs by focusing on the introductory modules.
2- Collaborative Literacy Implementation Guide
The Implementation Guide is located on the Learning Hub in the Collaborative Literacy Resources folder.
These grade-specific guides provide essential information about Collaborative Literacy programs, including guidance for scheduling and planning for instruction. Familiarize yourself with the Implementation Guide.
- Review the Table of Contents. Tab the following three sections:
- Introduction to Collaborative Literacy
- Coordinating Elements Across Programs
- Sample Calendars and Schedules
- Scan the Introduction to Collaborative Literacy section. As you scan, highlight any key insights that will help you as you prepare to teach the programs.
- Discuss or reflect on the Introduction to Collaborative Literacy section. On your own or with your team, think about what key insights from this section.
- Scan and discuss the Coordinating Elements Across Programs and Sample Calendars and Schedules sections. For these two sections, first scan each section, highlighting any key insights; then reflect on or discuss those insights.
3- Collaborative Classroom Webinar Series
The webinars are available on the Professional Learning page of the Collaborative Classroom website. Review the list of webinar series from the 2018–2019 school year. Select a series that interests you, select session(s), and click Watch Webinar for immediate access to the learning.
4- Collaborative Classroom Blogs
Blogs are also located on the Professional Learning page of the Collaborative Classroom website. Locate the Blog Posts section and click More Blog Posts. Read the blogs we offer to extend your understanding of our work at Collaborative Classroom and support your own planning and instruction. Use the Filter by Category option to hone in on topics that interest you.
Happy Summer!
Interested in learning more about how to access professional learning resources as outlined in this blog? Click here to learn more about the Professional Learning System for Collaborative Literacy. Click here to access Sessions 1 and 2 of the webinar series introducing the Professional Learning System.