By Lauren Gould
Part of our mission at The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower is to bring together communities of educators to learn and refine their teaching craft. We pride ourselves on providing dynamic and transformative teacher professional development that helps move students forward.
There are many ways we partner with schools and educators to lift the level of literacy work for students. Here, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorites:
On-site professional development: Our staff developers bring their literacy expertise to you! This might look like classroom labsites in which staff developers and teachers develop a lesson study–they will plan a lesson together, go into the classroom and teach, and then reflect afterward. Additionally, this might look like one-on-one coaching, in which teachers ask the staff developer for specific feedback about a certain aspect of their craft. It might also look like hosting teacher meetings–perhaps grade-level meetings, perhaps vertical meetings–in which teams study student work, looking for strengths and next steps, or plan upcoming units.
Units of Study Implementation Support: Units of Study days are one-day workshops designed to support educators in implementing Units of Study. This usually looks like one staff developer working with a group of six to thirty-six teachers. Staff developers work with school leaders to plan and align the day with school priorities. The day usually includes an overview of the workshop model, a guided tour of materials including unpacking the curriculum and setting up online resources, and strategies for quick planning and getting the most out of the units. Teachers leave feeling energized with practical ideas they are ready to put into action in their classroom!
Institutes: We host four to five-day institutes around a range of topics that will help teachers move student learning forward. We offer both in-person and virtual workshops, and educators from across the world join for the learning! Some of our newest thinking we’re excited to share this summer includes: AI: Embracing the Possibilities and Navigating the Potential Pitfalls; Weaving a lively Grammar Curriculum into Your Writing Workshop, and Writing Across the Curriculum. We are also hosting an institute on New Frontiers in Reading and Writing at Heinemann headquarters in Portsmouth, N, and an International K-8 Reading Institute at the International School of the Hague in the Netherlands. Click the link to view the Full Summer Institute Brochure.
Homegrown Workshops & Institutes: Our Staff Developers work with your district to plan a multiday teacher professional development workshop tailored specifically to your needs! Districts bring together teachers from across grade levels or schools to learn around targeted topics, such as Responsive, Assessment-Based Small Group Instruction: Nonfiction Reading & Research, and Teaching Foundational Reading Skills.
Workshops: Throughout the year, we’ll host a variety of topic-specific one-day workshops. Topics covered include Tapping the Power of the New Writing Units of Study, High Leverage Small Groups that Make a World of Difference in Reading, and Bring the Science of Reading into Your Upcoming Nonfiction Units. Click on the links to view the complete list of K-2 Workshops and 3-8 Workshops.
Leadership Conferences: Once a month, school leaders including superintendents, principals, coaches, and lead teachers come together for Leadership Conferences. These conferences provide a platform for leadership from across the country to connect and learn together. Each conference features keynote speakers and a range of topics relevant to the month of the year. Past topics include Courageous Leadership in this Era of Social Media with Doug Reeves, Supporting Teacher Collective Efficacy: An Interview with Steve Ventura, and Exploring AI Technologies and Classroom Applications with Holly Reeves. The Leadership Conferences are available to schools receiving onsite professional development.
Interested in learning more? Check out our Summer Workshop/ Institute Brochure and Our Professional Development Offerings for the 2024-2025 School Year.
Ready to get started? Schedule a meeting.
We can’t wait for you to join our community!
Lauren Gould is a staff developer, illustrator and writer at The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower. Follow her on LinkedIn or Instagram, and discover more about our team here.