Samples of Teacher Support

The Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession has asked many teachers from around Washington State to provide examples of current support they receive at their schools to illustrate the positive support all teachers deserve.

Schools structured so that teachers can collaborate and learn together

Jeni Zapatka - Ridgetop Junior High School, Central Kitsap School District

Ridgetop has a district funded program we call Collaborative Coaching and Learning (CCL). The district provides the opportunity to use Literacy Coaches to provide the resources, training, research, and release time for professional development. The teachers opt into the CCL group of their choice, either by department or integrated subjects. The first tier, those who are participating in year one, is focused training on using the Literacy Strategies that aid in student involvement, active engagement in their learning and working at a higher level. All of these techniques are modeled using the strategies and reflection is given for implementation in the classroom. The second tier is more focused on the tier/groups needs. What the tier/group I participated in was work together to create Constructivist Lessons around the State Reading GLE's. The group processing and feedback allowed for great collaboration and student improvement is beginning to be visible with RT's WASL scores. Tier three is starting this year, we will decide the focus but it is predicted, based on initial staff feedback, that it will focus on staff observation. Observing each other in the classroom, not to evaluate the teacher but to provide insight to our own classroom.

The CCL program is easy for teachers to participate and the feedback is positive. The district has hired CCL subs that are sent to various participating schools each day. The teacher does not need to call for the sub, and the sub consistency allows for easy transitions on CCL Days. The sub is in the building for a full day, split between teachers for AM and PM CCL groups.

The collaboration and cooperation that is developed in these groups is helping the building develop Relational Trust, improving student performance, and creating a common curriculum among teachers who teach all levels of students; gifted to special ed will study the same concepts, the same topics but at varying levels appropriate to student needs. Having this time for professional development is having only a positive impact on student achievement. Another result is that the CCL participants are able to use the district early release day, Thursday, to continue working on ideas developed during the CCL sessions.

Marcie Zambryski - Indian Trail Elementary, Spokane School District

This year our school district has added an extended elementary collaboration time in its schedule. Every Thursday our students arrive one-half hour later than the usual start time of 9:00 AM. Our staff is dedicated to improving instruction, so that now we arrive at 8:00AM and meet together until 9:00AM. Our school is focusing on improving our reading and writing assessments. During the one hour collaboration we will meet as a grade level to discuss new learning targets and best practices, or we will meet with an upper or lower grade level to discuss what we can do as a staff to improve our teaching strategies across the grade levels.

This is a first for our school to have one morning set aside. An hour isn't much time, but it is a great start to get our teachers involved in a school wide collaboration for the benefit of our students.

James Walsh - Shuksan Middle School, Belllingham School District

Bellingham School District has a district-wide coaching model. We use the learning/teaching cycle as a springboard to coaching. At Shuksan we use The Learning Net (a Richard C. Owens model). In our model every teacher is being coached by one of our building coaches who have received extensive training in effective coaching practices. Each coach is a well-respected teacher in the building. As part of our coaching process, teachers collaborate with their coaches regarding what they plan to focus on. The coach and teacher have weekly dialogues on the specific issue that the teacher is working on. There is enormous emphasis on providing evidence for the purpose of the instructional focus and the evidence for improved learning.

Laura Lee Walrond - Tyee High School, Highline School District

We just expanded our 9th grade house from a pilot to the whole 9th grade at Tyee High School. Teachers share proximity and a common planning (6 Reading/Writing teachers; 3 Science teachers and 3 Social Studies teachers) For math and electives the 9th graders move out into the general campus.

Principals who support teachers

Kimberle Hoff - Madrona Elementary, Highline School District

Mike Fosberg, principal at Madrona Elementary, strongly supports teachers, staff and students in numerous ways.

He knows the programs and the curriculum. He is knowledgeable in Special Education and English Language Learners. He knows our reading curriculum well, and works with literacy coaches to help teachers improve instruction.

He is in the classroom as frequently as possible so he knows what is happening. This is done in a non-threatening way, so we don‚t feel like we are being judged, but rather are supported by his presence. He gets us excited about district initiatives, and helps us to see how they will benefit students so that we want to implement them fully.

He delegates leadership within the building well, and really listens to the staff's suggestions. He will also listen to our frustrations in a constructive manner as a prelude to problem solving, but strongly discourages negative talk. He has a great sense of humor, but understands the balance between being goofy and being serious. This makes him very approachable. He will do his best to get us the resources we need, and he follows through with everything he says. For example, I sent him an email the other day wondering if there was $12 available to purchase a book I thought would benefit the school. He replied that, "We can always find $12" and sent me a CC of the e-mail he then sent to the literacy coach and school office manager about ordering the book and which budget to use.

If you come into our beautiful, brand new building, you will feel the positive energy and strength of all in it. This atmosphere is a direct result of the positive energy of our leader.

Linda Anderson - Harmony Elementary, Mt Baker School District

Jim Frey, principal of Harmony Elementary, supports teachers by managing the building well AND he knows instruction well enough to help teachers improve what happens in
the classroom. He has been a promoter and participant in the book studies our staff has been involved in during the past two years that focused on our building improvement goal of improving literacy. He has attended workshops and
conferences with staff members, increasing his knowledge in the area of literacy and best practices. He is knowledgeable about effective teaching strategies and methods and has helped staff members implement these in
their classrooms.

He greets each staff member daily as well as meets children coming of the buses with high fives and "good morning". He spends lunchtime managing the 5th and 6th grade lunches in the cafeteria--sitting down with them and establishing meaningful contact. He is a visible presence in classrooms, strolling in and out, asking children questions about their
learning, working with a struggling child, and even joining in with the lessons. He wears a smile all the time. His positive energy in contagious!

He meets with parents, watches our kids so we can meet with a parent during the school day when necessary, and works closely with our very active parent group. He is well respected by the community.

All of this makes for very few disciplinary problems in this building. It also makes this the best place to work!

James Walsh - Shuksan Middle School, Bellingham School District

Principal Chris Stevens and Assistant Principal Bill Stuckrath both have incredible understanding of the learning cycle and effective instructional practices. Both principals have their typical observation/evaluation responsibilities, however, our model is unique in that it requires the principal to participate in practices (and training) that teach other teachers how to be reflective educators. Our principals support and encourage teachers to have the power to recognize needed improvements.

Sherry Flanigan - Forks Elementary, Quillayute Valley School District

Our principal, Shele Kinkead, manages over 500 students, 40 teachers, support staff, and does it well. She has positive behavioral programs established for all students, and provides after school and evening programs. She uses consensus as her management style and gives everyone a chance to speak their minds. She really knows instruction, and stays on the cutting edge and knows the best practices. She leads this school.

She makes time for all students and staff. She reads with several students and keeps track of any others.

Laura Lee Walrond - Tyee High School, Highline School District

Max Silverman is the best principal I've ever worked for. He focuses on instructional leadership, uses all meeting time as professional development time, allocates funds to support best practice instruction-especially in literacy since this is our district wide focus, and is committed to equity of outcomes via powerful instruction. This year he's spearheading our conversion to small schools after orchestrating a successful grant bid to/from Coalition of Essential Schools for 600K over four years.