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00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Welcome to Your Morning Boost, your daily leadership advice to help you lead your school community.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 Brought to you by AWB Education and sponsored by Grundmeyer Leader Services,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:14 where together we are transforming education, one leader at a time.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:18 Now here's your host, Adam Bush. Good morning, school leaders.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:22 Welcome to Your Morning Boost. I'm so glad you're joining us for another productive day.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:27 Today, we're focusing on a group of invaluable educators, often overlooked in
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 traditional professional development structures, and that is our specials teachers.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 We'll explore practical and inclusive strategies to ensure your PE,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:39 music, art, and other specialized educators are fully integrated into building-wide
00:00:39 --> 00:00:43 professional development, even when they don't have a specific PLC to join.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:47 Get ready to discover how to leverage their unique perspectives and expertise
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 for the benefit of your entire school community.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 Feeling the pressure of school leadership ready to
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 make a real impact then listen to control shift
00:00:57 --> 00:01:01 lead the podcast
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 designed exclusively for all school leaders
00:01:04 --> 00:01:10 this partnership between awb education and inspired edification will bring you
00:01:10 --> 00:01:15 three powerful takeaways in every episode something you can control in your
00:01:15 --> 00:01:19 work something that will shift your thinking or practice and Find something
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 concrete to help you lead your school or district.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:28 Get practical strategies and fresh perspectives to empower your leadership,
00:01:29 --> 00:01:34 New episodes drop on the first of every month. Search for Control Shift Lead
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe today.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:43 Now let's delve into effective ways to include these specials teachers in our
00:01:43 --> 00:01:47 building professional development, recognizing their unique roles and contributions.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:51 One key approach is to create interdisciplinary professional learning communities
00:01:51 --> 00:01:55 or affinity groups that cross traditional subject boundaries.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:59 Instead of only forming PLCs based solely on core subjects, consider grouping
00:01:59 --> 00:02:03 teachers with other educators who share common instructional goals,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:08 such as fostering creativity, promoting critical thinking, or integrating technology.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:12 For instance, an art teacher, a science teacher, and a technology specialist
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 might form a PLC focused on project-based learning.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:19 Another strategy here is to designate specific PD sessions that are universally
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 applicable to all staff, regardless of their subject area.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:26 Topics like classroom management strategies, positive behavior intervention
00:02:26 --> 00:02:31 and supports, or cultural responsiveness, these are all relevant to every educator in our buildings.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:36 When we introduce a new school-wide initiative, ensure that the training and
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 follow-up support are designated to be relevant and accessible to all teachers,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:44 perhaps even including specific examples to the unique classroom environments
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 that our specialist teachers have every day.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 Furthermore, empower specials teachers to lead professional development sessions
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 on topics where they possess expertise.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 They often bring a wealth of knowledge in areas like creative problem-solving,
00:02:56 --> 00:03:00 performance-based assessment, or kinesthetic learning, which all of these can
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 be increasingly beneficial for core subject teachers.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:07 Imagine your music teacher leading a session on how rhythm and timing can improve
00:03:07 --> 00:03:11 reading fluency, or your PE teacher demonstrating active learning strategies
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 that can be adapted for any classroom.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:17 As research from Learning Forward emphasizes, effective professional learning
00:03:17 --> 00:03:22 is sustained, job-embedded, and collaborative, and this applies equally to all educators.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 Another valuable area is to schedule dedicated time for specials teachers to
00:03:27 --> 00:03:31 collaborate horizontally across grade levels within their own departments.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:35 While they may not have a PLC with core teachers, they can certainly benefit
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 from discussing curriculum alignment, assessment strategies,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 and student progress with their colleagues in the same subject area,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 even if they teach different grade levels.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:48 Finally, ensure that communication about PD opportunities is inclusive and timely,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:53 reaching all specials teachers directly. Don't assume that information shared
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 through core subject teams will just automatically filter down to them.
00:03:56 --> 00:04:01 A principal once shared a story about how after realizing their specials teachers
00:04:01 --> 00:04:06 felt disconnected from PD, they started holding a brief bi-weekly specialist connect meeting.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 This dedicated time allowed for shared learning, problem solving,
00:04:09 --> 00:04:13 and a stronger sense of belonging for these vital educators.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:21 Okay, so to recap, effectively integrating our specials teachers into building
00:04:21 --> 00:04:26 PD involves creating interdisciplinary PLCs, designing universally applicable PD,
00:04:27 --> 00:04:31 empowering them to lead sessions, facilitating horizontal collaboration within
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 their departments, and ensuring inclusive communication.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:38 By taking these steps, we not only provide valuable professional growth opportunities
00:04:38 --> 00:04:42 for these dedicated educators, but we also enrich the entire school community.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:47 We are going to leverage their unique talents and perspectives to move all of us forward.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:51 Every teacher, regardless of their subject, plays a vital role in student success.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 Thanks for listening. Have a wonderful Tuesday. Thanks again for joining us.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:58 We appreciate your support every day, and we will talk with you again tomorrow.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:03 You have been listening to Your Morning Boost by AWB Education in partnership
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 with Grundmeyer Leader Services.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:09 You can find out more about our services by clicking on the links in the description.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:14 Remember, you are doing this vital job that only a few can do.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:19 So until next time, thank you for your service to your community.