Training Model

Professional development that supports whole school reform is the primary focus of the inservice training provided by the Foundation. These trainings include planning for schoolwide change, sessions focused on improving classroom instruction, support for site administrators, increased family involvement, developing site capacity, and methods to ensure successful implementation of the model.

Focus on Teaching

Awareness and Planning Workshops
An awareness session and initial planning activity are available to each new participating site. The model design and training model are reviewed and initial planning for whole school reform is initiated. The commitment and consensus agreement to participate in the model are also reviewed.

School-Based Planning Teams
Participation in the model is initiated with a series of training workshops that focus on planning for whole school reform, alignment of curriculum, and the use of common research-based teaching methods. This planning team consists of the principal, reading specialists, special education teachers, content area teachers, and representative teachers from each grade level. Five training workshops are typically scheduled every other month throughout the school year.

Faculty Study Groups
Faculty study groups take the form of guided meetings and are developed to continue the school reform process and are scheduled monthly throughout the initial training year. The agenda for these meetings is created by the Foundation trainers and are correlated with the School-Based Planning Team training.

Schoolwide Training
Schools can elect to train the entire school staff as an alternative to the School-Based Planning Team option. This training is provided by the Foundation trainers for the entire staff at the site. This training parallels the School-Based Planning Team training in format and emphasis.

Focus on Content Instruction
Training activities sponsored by the Foundation are organized by grade level and classroom organization (self-contained versus departmentalized). Training is provided to use various teaching methods to meet state contents standards in mathematics, social studies and science. CELL + Math and ExLL + Math are two content area trainings currently available.

Site Visits
Site visits are organized to support teacher learning and model implementation. These full day visits include classroom observations, teacher debriefing and coaching, and consultation with site administrators regarding model implementation. Site visits include the participation of all school staff.

Implementation Visits
Participating schools are eligible for an implementation visit conducted by one of the model developers. This visit is an extensive consultation with teachers and administrators to review implementation and make recommendations for adjustments and improvements. This visitation can take either a one or two day format. These implementation visits involve all members of the school staff.

Advanced Training
After all members of the teaching staff have participating in initial training, an advanced training is available to support the continued implementation of the model. Inservice training sessions focus on continued alignment of teaching methods used across grade levels and efforts to meet state content standards. This training is provided to all members of the school staff.

Family Literacy Training
During any phase of model implementation, family literacy training can be initiated. These training sessions help teachers plan and implement a family literacy program to support the model implementation in the classroom. This training is provided to all members of the school staff.

Assessment & Test-Taking Training
A specialized training session has been developed to help teachers prepare for assessment and test-taking requirements. This one-day session emphasizes integration of assessment and test-taking into classroom activities. This session is open to all members of the school staff.

CELL-ExLL-Second Chance Intervention Program
Some schools involved in the project have identified the need to provide specialized training for staff members who focus on children who are struggling in the general classroom. This training activity provides support that is aligned with the work of the general classroom teacher. These training workshops are open to all school staff but they maintain a particular emphasis on the intervention specialist.

Demonstration Teacher Training
Model demonstration teachers are trained to provide a support system for schools entering the project. These demonstration teachers are used for the training of Site Facilitators and are also available for visitation by any school participating in the project.

Demonstration School Development
Schools with advanced model implementation are developed to serve as schoolwide demonstration sites. These schools are strategically located to support the project with existing sites in northern and southern California, Nevada, and Utah. Additional sites are under development in Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming. These sites are also used as a pre-conference site visitation opportunity during the conferences sponsored by the Foundation.

Conferences
The Foundation organizes and sponsors two professional development conferences. The West Coast Literacy Conference is scheduled in southern California in the Spring of each year. A regional conference is also conducted and typically scheduled for the Fall (past conferences have been held in Sheridan, Wyoming; Billings, Montana; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Reno, Nevada). These conferences are characterized as teacher-to-teacher conferences where presenters are experienced both in teaching and model implementation. A specific conference strand for model implementation is also included in the conference. The conference is open and not restricted to participants in the project.

Mini-Conference
An alternative to the major conferences sponsored by the Foundation is a smaller and more specifically focused conference that can be conducted as a district wide event. The mini-conference is similar in content and scope to the larger conferences. These events are open to all school staff members.

Focus on Capacity Building

Site Facilitator
To ensure the sustainability of the project, a site-based facilitator is trained to support each school participating in the project. This five-week training is scheduled throughout the year and typically coincides with the School-Based Planning Team training. Schools use various titles for this position (Literacy Coordinator is the title used most frequently) and the position requires both a classroom assignment and release time to perform the various site facilitator responsibilities. The training for these individuals includes focus on best classroom practices, peer coaching, staff development, and data collection and research. The participating school selects the person to serve in this position. Each trainee receives two site visits from trainers to support their learning.

Administrator Training
Two specific training opportunities are provided for site administrators. During the site facilitator training, an administrator day is available that includes a visit to a model demonstration site and a training session to review model implementation. A separate two-day training is also scheduled to support model implementation with a specific focus on classroom observation and teacher evaluation that is supportive of the model. This training is open to principals, assistant principals, and other district level administrators.

Resource Development Workshop
This annual workshop is provided by the project director and is open to participation by anyone interested. The workshop focuses on identifying new resources and grants to support model implementation and the reallocation of existing resources.