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Middle School Flips The Script

With inside-out PD, professional learning starts in the classroom

By Niamh McQuillan
April 2018
Vol. 39 No. 2
I was at a meeting with two 8th-grade language arts teachers co-planning a unit on Macbeth. Both Stephen St. Germain and Rafe Park were expert teachers, and the creative sparks were flying. “There’s a microcredential for questioning,” I said. “Would you like to try it out?” The pair didn’t hesitate. I decided to open a few more doors.“How about a lesson study on the same lesson and a Greenlight Learning Walk so other teachers can come into your classroom and see what you’re doing?” They hesitated for a moment. I held my breath. After exchanging glances, they said, “Sure!” A bubble of excitement burst in my chest. “This is working,” I thought. “Inside-Out PD is working just as we hoped.” THE WHY As a professional

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Authors

Niamh McQuillan

Niamh McQuillan ([email protected]) is a professional development and instructional coach at Windsor Mill Middle School in Baltimore County Public Schools, Maryland.

References

Aguilar, E. (2016). The art of coaching teams: Building resilient communities that transform schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Danielson, C. (n.d.). The framework for teaching. Available at www.danielsongroup.org/framework.



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