Professional Learning: Implementing Blended Learning in a Kindergarten Classroom
Why.
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As educators we don’t want our students to be disengaged in our lessons, we expect them to be active and participatory. So why then do we design professional learning FOR teachers the opposite?
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I, like many educators, find myself often sitting in district or campus professional developments thinking “I didn’t get anything from this” or “This wasn’t worth my time, I already knew this.” What was supposed to be a time to help me and give me something, leaves me with more questions and unfinished work.
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I believe that learners should be active participants in their learning, not just for students but teachers too. This is why I want to develop and propose a blended learning model for professional learning. This ties directly into my innovation plan, where I am implementing blended learning through the station rotation model in my kindergarten classroom.
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What.
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My plan to implement blended learning for professional development will foster a shift in how we do professional learning. My goal is to see teachers engaged, active and collaborating during professional learning so that they become active participants in it. Teachers will be provided a menu of stations that they may visit during their learning time. No longer will educators come and just “get” information and handout after handout that they will never look at again, but instead they will visit stations around the room that they choose to learn about.
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Implementing this model allows for educators to experience and embrace the COVA approach (choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning environment) that I am going to be leading as an initiative in the classroom.
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How.
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According to Thomas (2011), “change forces us to learn differently.” Keep that in mind, I took his notion of play-based learning to heart as I want to incorporate that into my own classroom through blended learning. Based off the 5 Principles of Effective PD, “Modeling has been found to be highly effective in helping teachers understand a new practice.” (Gulamhussein, 2013) I decided that I wanted my teachers to experience blended learning first-hand. I wanted them to see the benefits of this style learning before I asked them to start it in their classroom.
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This led to my idea of creating a menu for them to visit stations around the room, just as I would do in my classroom for my students. Do this allows them to have choice, ownership and voice in an authentic learning environment.
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The photos below show the creative process as I designed this professional learning call to action.
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Duration: Professional development will be implemented over the course of 9 weeks.
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Support: Teachers will be supported by coaches and teacher models (like me), who can help them through the implementation of the initiative.
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Engagement: Teachers will be actively participating in their learning using a station menu to choose what interests and benefits them most. Facilitators will walk the room and be available to teachers should they have any questions.
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Model: The model of the professional learning is directly related to the content of the professional learning. Teachers will be actively experiencing blended learning through station rotations with a station menu, while learning and gaining skills.
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Specific: The content of the professional learning will be specific to blended learning through the station rotation model. While there are other models of blended learning, research shows that for lower elementary the station rotation model is most effective.
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I know you don’t enjoy sitting in your chair and being fed information for hours at a time. Neither do your students. Are you ready to give them the kind of learning you wish you had? Let’s give our students an environment they can thrive in. Let’s give them a chance to show us what they are made of. They just might surprise you!
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References
Boryga, A. (2022, August 5). For Young Kids, The Power of Play-Based Learning. edutopia.org. November 28, 2023, https://www.edutopia.org/article/young-kids-power-play-based-learning/
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Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
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Horn, M. B., Staker, H., & Christensen, C. M. (2015). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. Jossey-Bass.
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Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.
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Thomas, D. [TEDx Talks]. (2012, September 12). A new culture of learning, Douglas Thomas at TEDxUFM [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM80GXlyX0U&feature=youtu.be
