Teachers have a challenging role, expected to be content experts, differentiation wizards, and social and emotional specialists. To deal with these, teaching needs to be considered an art form mastered through effective professional learning and ongoing practice. Many school districts, recognizing a positive correlation between effective teacher professional learning and student achievement, are providing ongoing access to in-house, online, and off-site professional development (PD).

One such initiative to promote effective professional learning is the creation of middle school math learning labs at Prince George’s County Public Schools. The math learning labs serve as live, in-depth learning experiences for math teachers facilitated by numeracy coaches. During these, math teachers or administrators can sit in on a class taught by a coach, observing their teaching methods and strategies without any alteration to their scheduled lesson plans. These numeracy coaches equip visiting teachers with skills and tools they can immediately implement to advance teaching and learning.

The process of the learning lab consists of a pre-brief stage to discuss the focus of the observation and establish expectations, the observation stage itself that is centered on notable teaching strategies or outcomes, and a post-brief stage to review and discuss the observation. A follow-up stage then occurs to discuss teacher concerns and further extrapolate on the subject-specific instructional practices learned during the lab.

The article concluded with a strong recommendation for teachers and administrators to be open to engaging in a professional learning lab experience or creating one, emphasizing its effectiveness in fostering significant professional growth.

If you wish to know more about the math learning labs at Prince George’s County Public Schools or are interested in implementing a similar initiative, eddcaller.com provides further resources and insights. This platform also offers contact information and guidance for teachers and administrators looking to directly discuss this opportunity with a live person at the Education Development Department (EDD). This valuable resource can therefore be instrumental in not only facilitating teaching efforts but also in making professional connections in the field.