Lab Class: Professional Learning Through Collaborative Inquiry and Student Observation - Softcover

Cranston, Lisa Ann

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1544327951 ISBN 13: 9781544327952

Publisher: Corwin, 2018

Synopsis

School-based, collaborative teacher learning that drives student achievement 

Meaningful growth comes when teachers get to roll up their sleeves and study what’s really going on in classrooms. The Lab Class model helps teachers collaboratively plan, investigate, and develop solutions to a specific problem of practice by observing a host teacher’s classroom through the eyes of students. This book provides observation protocols that encourage teachers to:

• Plan collaborative inquiry projects by identifying a focus of the inquiry, combing the research literature, and identifying resources needed
• Observe and analyze student conversations, actions, and products
• Identify patterns and determine next steps for professional learning

About this title

About the Author

Lisa Cranston has over thirty years of experience as an educator and has taught grades kindergarten to four, worked as an instructional coach for literacy and mathematics, and as an educational consultant for kindergarten and primary grades. She has also provided induction for new teachers and support for their mentors. In her role as a curriculum consultant, Lisa and her colleagues developed the Lab Class model to support professional learning for teachers and administrators. This model reflects Lisa’s beliefs that collaboration is key to professional learning and that educational leaders must engage as co-learners with teachers if we are to create sustainable change in practice.

Lisa recently completed a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Western University and has a Masters degree in Curriculum Studies from the University of Windsor and an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Ryerson University in Toronto. She is a consulting editor for the National Association for Young Children’s journal Teaching Young Children and a presenter for The MEHRIT Centre. She enjoys travelling with her two daughters and her husband or relaxing in their home on the shores of Lake Erie near the vineyards of Southern Ontario.

Review

"Cranston draws on her rich experiences as a professional learning facilitator and presents a compelling case for conducting Lab Classes as a practical and viable approach for realizing positive changes in schools and classrooms. This resource provides everything needed to get started - including examples, templates, and tools for monitoring progress. For those looking to empower teachers by bringing the learning of teaching closer to the classroom, this resource will help you achieve your goals." Author: Jenni Donohoo, Provincial Literacy Lead, Council of Ontario Directors of Education Published On: 2018-02-12

"Effective professional learning includes personalized, purposeful and precise actions that support educators to leverage their craft to positively impact student learning. Staff developers have come to realize that the most effective educator learning is that which is closest to the classroom ... closest to the student.  When educators learn from other educators in a classroom setting during "real time" teaching time with a skilled facilitator it is the ultimate educator learning experience. The Lab Class model provides that ultimate educator learning experience. The author, Lisa Cranston skillfully provides a scaffolded approach that provides the practical steps for educators, and district level support staff to create and sustain a highly effective professional learning model. 

Educators must have agency and ownership of their craft. This is the essence of professionalism. Lab class provides the structure for educators to witness, reflect, discuss and consider their next best step in their educator moves to support student learning. Lab class essentially allows the educator to "live" the teaching and learning experience while also have a safe space to engage in purposeful dialogue with other trusted professionals. I highly recommend districts to consider this model of professional learning if they want to create rich and authentic professional learning experiences for their most valuable resource in supporting students- their educators."
Author: Dr. Clara Howitt, Superintendent of Education, Greater Essex County District School Board Published On: 2018-02-14

"Lab Class is a must have book for educators seeking to engage in effective, job-embedded, learner focused professional learning that will result in higher levels of learning not only for students, but educators as well." Author: Chris Bryan, Senior Consultant, Learning Forward Published On: 2017-11-21

"Lab Class is a professional learning structure to take learning walks to the next level. It provides a process to deepen inquiry and focus teacher observations and learning." Author: Ellen S. Perconti, Superintendent, Mary M. Knight School District Published On: 2017-11-21

"Lab Class provided a structured experience that allowed the West Gate educators the opportunity to take control of our learning and that of our students. Our team used qualitative and quantitative data to determine the overall focus of our inquiry. As a team we designed and implemented the instruction, observed marker students as they experienced the learning, and reflected on our joint observations to explore possible next steps for instruction and teacher/student learning. 
As the focus was not on individual practice but on student learning and the conditions that were present to support student growth, our educators gained the confidence to take risks in trying new modes of instruction to observe the effect on student learning. They gathered data about the conditions that existed that fostered the learning. And finally determined strategies to extend the learning. " Author: Debra Laforet, Principal, Greater Essex County District School Board Published On: 2018-02-21

"An excellent model for effective, engaging and meaningful professional development.  The Lab Class model embraces what we know to be effective strategies and methodologies in the classroom, and integrates those standards of learning into an exceptional model of professional development.  It only makes sense that the strategies and methods effectively used in the classroom be transferred to methods of professional learning for the adult learner. Lab Class should be the new standard for professional development"

Author: Miriam A. DeCock, Classroom Instructor Published On: 2017-11-21

Edition details

• Publisher: Corwin
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1544327951
• ISBN 13: 9781544327952
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168