All too often when planning for student learning, teachers end up working in isolation.  The reasons for such isolation can vary, but frequently relate to a lack of administrative support, time, and/or resources for collaborating with colleagues.  Much good practice goes unshared and unrefined without teacher collaborations.  This talk will share how two different, but intensive support programs for high school teachers utilized mentorship as an underlying principle for helping teachers build their instructional repertoire and expertise.  Particular areas of focus within the programs included: (1) fostering deep understanding of content and skills, (2) utilizing consistent pedagogies of inquiry, (3) creating aligned assessments, and; (4) practicing critical reflection on student data in order to build lesson plans that address student needs.  These programs highlight the critical role of teacher collaboration and leadership in fostering essential learning for students in the 21st century.

No teacher is an island: The role of communities and coaching for building best practices in high school science

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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