In this project, CU Boulder teacher educators (faculty and doctoral students) collaborate with east central Colorado elementary school teachers in a professional development (PD) partnership to support teachers in co-designing engaging and equitable literacy instruction that is also responsive to increased state mandates in literacy instruction.

This project addresses a key imperative in rural elementary schools: providing place-based PD that supports teachers’ collective learning about literacy content and instructional practices, while tailoring professional learning structures to the unique needs of rural educators. The team of teachers and CU Boulder educators engage a school-based, collaborative model of professional learning focused on literacy content and teaching practices that arise from teachers’ goals. The monthly PD sessions support teachers to collaborate in cycles of innovative literacy instruction, including co-planning and co-teaching of lessons, collective debriefs of practice, and support for individual instruction between sessions.

In addition to supporting the participating teachers in their practice, the project aims to 1) generate rich curriculum and instructional practices that participants can share with other teachers in their school and other districts in east central Colorado and 2) collaborate with participating teachers to study and share what we learn about innovative structures and tools for collaborative, school-located, place-based professional learning.

Project Timeline and Trajectory: The project launched with building relationships with East Central BOCES partners (summer 2021), which led to connections with teachers and administrators from member districts (fall 2021), including a district, Strasburg, that sought collaboration to launch the PD (December 2021). Starting in January 2022, we initiated the first phase of the PD cycle and cultivated relationships with school leaders and a group of thirteen teachers at our partner school, which will continue throughout the 2022-2023 school year. We are pursuing funding to continue the project into 2023-2024.

• Professional Development Collaboration with Strasburg Elementary

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  Location

  in colorado

  Strasburg

  Dates

  1/10/2022 - 7/31/2023

  Public or Private

  Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program