Current Reality and Barriers Professional Development
Overview
This professional development will lead a team of math teachers through a goal-setting process where they first identify their current reality, then set goals for improvement, identify barriers, and finish with generating solutions.
Self Assessment of Current Reality
Teachers will take a self-assessment regarding where they are in regard to certain statements as it pertains to their classroom. They will then identify 3 areas where they would like to see improvement.
Step 1: Click on this link to make a copy of the current reality self-survey.
Step 2: Take the survey.
Step 3: Write down three areas where you would like to make some changes.
Goals
The facilitator will monitor the time and gather the sticky notes when finished. Be sure to mix them up to help maintain privacy.
Now that you have identified the three areas where you would like to improve, write each of those areas on a separate sticky note. These notes will all be pooled together to maintain privacy.
Once all sticky notes are gathered, the facilitator will read them all out loud and sort them into categories. The group will then notice patterns.
Now that patterns have been identified, the group will identify three goal areas for the group to focus on. These goal areas will be recorded on this Google Doc. One member of the group will need to name the forced copy and share it with the other team members. Only complete the goal section at this time.
Barriers
Now that goals have been identified, let's acknowledge the barriers that could pose a challenge to us reaching those goals. Grab your sticky notes again, and for the next 3 minutes, write down all potential barriers to achieving those goals as a team. One barrier per sticky note.
With your list of barriers in front of you, take a moment and look them over. Now, remove all of the barriers that are beyond your control. Maybe it's an administrative decision, perhaps it's something to do with the schedule. Whatever the reason, if it is something beyond your control or influence, go ahead and remove those sticky notes from the group.
Each group member will now read his/her sticky notes aloud to the group. If one is read that you also have, let the group know and put those sticky notes together in a stack. Follow this process until each team member has read all of his/her barriers.
Now that you have your list of barriers, let's turn to the possible solutions. Remember to focus on the barriers that you have control over - things like attendance, we can't control. The remainder of your time will be spent completing the Goal Setting Document that you recorded your goals on in the previous section. When you are finished, you will have a list of goals, what further learning is needed, possible solutions, and support that is needed for those solutions.
Goal Setting
Use this Google Form to think through a goal based on the conversations we have had today.