The best curriculum is only as effective as the teacher implementing it. For over a decade, TDMG has provided multiple tiers of support and professional development to enhance instruction, reinforce implementation, and build sustainability. Studies indicate that professional development is more likely to have lasting results when linked to academic content and connected to daily classroom experience. The No Child Left Behind Act calls schools to provide “high quality” professional development programs that are “sustained, intensive, classroom-focused.” - TDMG offers 35-50 hours annually of subject- and grade-specific professional development linked to the curriculum.
- Monthly professional development sessions model upcoming activities, provide content knowledge, demonstrate effective instructional approaches, and provide an opportunity for teachers to engage in collaborative, reflective practice.
- TDMG curriculum coaches in math, reading/English language arts, science, and Unites States history provide non-evaluative in-classroom support including modeling, troubleshooting, and peer coaching.
- Lead teachers, who are identified by the school administration, receive intensive training. They provide additional support for teachers and help build capacity and sustain reform.
- TDMG instructional facilitators work closely with curriculum coaches, lead teachers, and principals to design staff development, customize and align instruction with district standards and local initiatives, and keep support on track.
Finally, TDMG staff can conduct full-day or half-day training sessions on various topics, including: All Hands on Deck! (literacy across the curriculum); Math Praxis Preparation; Holding a Successful Science Fair; Cooperative Learning; Classroom Management; Differentiated Instruction; Crafting higher Order Questions; and Teaching in the Extended Class Period.
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