Kindergarten Teachers Tackle Curriculum and Collaboration

One of the most positive comments we receive about having a Teacher Leader Program in our district is that teachers have more opportunities to see teachers in action not only within their own school building, but also across the district.  Previously those conversations took place on district professional development days and were limited based on the time needed to cover pertinent district initiatives and curriculum.  Everything is necessary and has meaning, but we are always battling the clock.  Time. Time. Time.  How do we get more?  How do we make the most of what we have?  We know we cannot add hours to the clock, but we can maximize the hours we have. Recently our technology coaches helped a group of kindergarten teachers accomplish some pretty big tasks in one instructional day.

Jessica Zimmerman, Technology Integration Coach has been working with the other elementary TICS(Technology Integration Coaches) Ryan Gotto, and Karla Koenen on ways to effectively implement the use of Mimio boards and software into classrooms all across our district.  This week a group of kindergarten teachers met to work on creating Smartboard/Whiteboard compatible lessons to go with Linn-Mar’s Journey’s curriculum.  Jessica and Karla helped teachers take the Journeys Curriculum Software created by the company and purchased by the district to create white board lessons. Kindergarten teachers from two buildings joined forces to learn something new and work on this venture with with Technology Coaches, Jessica Zimmerman and Karla Koenen.  Jessica spent a couple of hours working with teachers on learning the ins and outs of how to use the Mimio board.  Then they broke into a large group session discussing and creating Journeys curriculum and lessons to use with the hardware.

At the end of the day they had learned valuable skills to operate the hardware, had created 3 units of whiteboard/smart board compatible information, and had the time and opportunity to network with others across the district. 

The very next day Sharaya Peck was able to begin using lessons with her kindergarten class at Novak Elementary.  

Sharaya Peck utilizes the mimio board and Journeys lessons in the classroom.

This group of teachers and teacher leaders are just one of many examples of collaboration taking place district wide at Linn-Mar.