Teachers Teaching Each Other

During today’s professional day, Lower School faculty gathered in classrooms, the art studio, and the library for small group workshops on a variety of teaching topics.

Lower School Academic Dean Lee Koch offered a class on “making thinking visible,” or teaching different ways of thinking and developing habits, across topics and grades, that will help students making observations, analyzing information and delving deeper by asking questions.

Librarian Raegan Conlin and history teacher Martin MacIntyre ’05 shared insights into using online resources and technologies for student research and presentations. As an example, they shared the recent Form I Rivers Project, in which students research a river; the terrain, towns and cities it cuts through; and the industries that depend upon it. Students then give a formal talk to their classmates, while showing onscreen Google Earth satelltite and street-view images of the river. 

Educational Technology Coordinator Dawn Berkeley offered a workshop on creating podcasts and shared with teachers the tools available to help students come up with story ideas, write scripts, select music, develop interview questions, record subjects, and then edit their materials to create a compelling podcast presentation.

C, B, & A art teacher Sean Nolan offered ways to incorporate art in the curriculum of any course. He told fellow faculty that he hopes the end-of-the-year art show would become a celebration not just of what happens in art class but also the artistic culture of our entire community.

Lower School Head Fred Chandler led a conversation about articles faculty had read on supporting students of color, teaching cultural agility and helping students thrive in an increasingly connected global world.

We hope our students had a great day off while their teachers went back to class!