Start:

June 28, 2010 9:00 am

End:

June 29, 2010 3:00 pm

Cost:

USD

Venue:

Belmont Day School

Address:

55 Day School Lane, Belmont, MA, 02478

Relationships at the Heart of Collaboration

The Peers Forum Summer Educator’s Institute is a two-day experience that will transform your teaching practice!

Opening Keynote Address

Diana Chigas, Professor of Practice of Conflict Resolution at the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, will be the keynote speaker. Her work focuses on international collaborative efforts to achieve peace and advance diplomatic and humanitarian efforts around the world. Professor Chigas’s remarks will present a far-reaching perspective on the importance of collaboration.

Day One

Building Collaborative Relationships
What factors contribute to successful teaching teams?

The morning session will focus on the small and large moments that forge meaningful partnerships. Teachers will share reflections about overcoming misunderstandings, sharing “ownership” of the class, dividing curricular responsibilities, coming to consensus about teaching methods and classroom management, and working with families. A portion of our session will include an observation of a model lesson taught by a Belmont Day School teaching team.

The Roots of Collegiality
How do we mentor and guide new teachers and veteran colleagues?

The afternoon session follows individual teachers’ evolution from novice to expert. We will present case studies from our longstanding teacher training program as well as our faculty trios program. Teachers will discuss approaches to observing colleagues and apprentices, providing feedback, and building a culture of reflective practice at all stages of the profession.

Field Lab
In Search of Hidden History

We will lead an interdisciplinary walking tour of local sites highlighting African American and abolitionist history, emphasizing the challenges of teaching difficult topics to elementary students. Our field lab will be followed by a festive meal back at Belmont Day School.

Day Two

Health and Wellness
How do these topics become school-wide initiatives?

Our session will examine the responsibilities of schools to serve as resources for teaching life skills, personal responsibility, human growth and development, nutrition, and environmental consciousness. We will share our mission statement for health and wellness, and discuss strategies for encouraging participation from all constituencies in a school.

Technology and Collaboration

We will share applications of multimedia tools for building connections and extending the virtual reach of the classroom. We will also lead a discussion about building students’ awareness of the risks, rewards, and responsibilities of using digital resources.

Participants’ Stories

Returning Peers Forum members will present their own case studies of collaboration and relationship building.

Content Area Discussions

Participants will meet in small groups to continue the conversations from previous sessions.

Analysis and Reflection

Our final discussion will encourage participants to identify ideas or experiences that they want to incorporate into their own teaching, or bring back to their own school communities.

4 Comments

1. 
   Lisa Flannery said: On June 1, 2010

   Hello,
   I am interested in this opportunity, and was wondering if I could get some more information about the logistics of it. If you have a more informative brochure or could answer the following questions that would be wonderful.
   It says that it is from 9 am on the 28th to 3:00 on the 29th does that mean that it is an overnight?
   Is it a seminar or small group workshops?
   Any information on the format would be great, such as if it is a course, or if there is outside work that would be done after the institute. Thank you for your time.
2. 
   Lauren Goldberg said: On June 2, 2010

   hi Lisa,

   Thanks for your inquiry. Here are some answers to your questions:

   The event is not an overnight; it’s two full days, mainly hosted here at Belmont Day School. Our first day includes a field lab and a dinner, so the program on the 28th runs from 9 am until approximately 9 pm, with lots of breaks. The second day (June 29) will run from 9 am until about 3 pm.

   The agenda includes some presentations, some small group sessions, and a lot of opportunity for participants to exchange ideas with the facilitators and each other. There is a workbook/handbook that we will be giving to all participants; they are encouraged to use it as a notebook and a guide to reflecting on the issues raised in the program. Otherwise, the only outside work involved would be your own follow-up on the ideas raised during the Institute.

   Let me know if you’d like to register–we are able to offer the program at no cost to public school teachers, but we do need to know who’s coming so that we can plan materials and meals accordingly.

   All best,

   Lauren Goldberg, Ph.D.
   Peers Coordinator
   Director of Teacher Training
3. 
   Anahi Pari-di-Monriva said: On June 7, 2010

   Hello, I, too, am interested in this event. How do I sign up?

   Thanks!

   Anahi
4. 
   Rachel said: On June 8, 2010

   When is the registration deadline? Thanks!