Our partnerships are enduring and powerful.
Our partnerships include a rich blend of school-based one-on-one coaching for teachers and administrators, building-based workshops on content and pedagogy, Lab Classroom development, guided observations, learning walks, and targeted training for instructional coaches and other high-leverage faculty members. Partnerships begin with in-depth dialogue and "walking the halls" with school leaders to co-develop laser-focused professional development goals and action steps. Partnerships may entail content-specific goals or generalizable approaches for effective teaching and learning across content areas. Partnerships may focus on one area of instruction, such as Balanced Literacy, or combine multiple areas of concentration in a Comprehensive Partnership.
Balanced Literacy Partnership
Teaching and Learning Alliance has successfully trained teachers and administrators to implement Readers' Workshop, Writers' Workshop, phonics/word study, and interactive read-aloud in urban, suburban, and rural districts for the past 25 years. Balanced literacy partnerships result in any or all of the following goals based on school needs:
Curriculum Development Partnership
For school districts launching new curriculum in literacy, mathematics, science, or any other subject area, Teaching and Learning Alliance offers customized support for teachers and administrators to accomplish the following:
Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered System of Support Partnership
Successful multi-tiered systems of support knit a complex mesh of highly differentiated curriculum, significant opportunities for in-class intervention, regular data study, intricate scheduling matrices, responsive relationships among regular and special educators, and varied daily delivery models of instruction and intervention, including whole class, small group, one-to-one, and push-in/pull-out. Teaching and Learning Alliance assists educators in the development of these coordinated components to effectively implement district-wide or school-based RTI/multi-tiered systems of support in the following ways:
Leadership Development Partnership
Teaching and Learning Alliance provides customized professional learning for school and district administrators seeking to take instructional leadership skills to the next level. Focus areas are tailored to the unique needs of each administrator and may include the following:
Comprehensive Partnership
Teaching and Learning Alliance fully customizes professional learning plans for partner districts allowing a comprehensive approach that combines literacy instruction, content area teaching, curriculum development, and/or leadership capacity-building. Comprehensive partnerships support districts on many levels ranging from administrative planning, teacher workshops, Lab Classroom coordination, in-class coaching, literacy coach training, and development of units of study. Teaching and Learning Alliance project managers guide administrators in selecting professional learning experiences based on precise areas of need, anticipated timeline for implementation, and outcomes for stakeholders.
Balanced Literacy Partnership
Teaching and Learning Alliance has successfully trained teachers and administrators to implement Readers' Workshop, Writers' Workshop, phonics/word study, and interactive read-aloud in urban, suburban, and rural districts for the past 25 years. Balanced literacy partnerships result in any or all of the following goals based on school needs:
- Craft engaging whole-class mini lessons (also known as focus lessons)
- Understand the underpinnings of effective literacy instruction such as close reading, writing craft techniques, independent reading, nonfiction strategies, and approaches for moving students through increasingly complex text
- Create anchor charts to reinforce mini lesson concepts and "make thinking visible"
- Develop and maintain a classroom library and teach students to select "just-right" books
- Engage students in small-group instruction for differentiated learning through guided reading and writing, strategy groups, book clubs, literature circles, student partners, and peer editing
- Master conferring, or 1:1 conferences to assess, teach, and intervene based on individual student needs
- Develop accountable talk among students to foster deep discussion of texts
- Utilize mentor texts to immerse students within a genre before writing independently
Curriculum Development Partnership
For school districts launching new curriculum in literacy, mathematics, science, or any other subject area, Teaching and Learning Alliance offers customized support for teachers and administrators to accomplish the following:
- Draft multi-year plan to effectively transition from and blend curriculum approaches for maximum student success
- Develop units of study with year-long unit calendars and daily mini lessons aligned to Common Core State Standards or district goals
- Co-construct accompanying professional development to guide successful implementation
- Craft relevant assessment tools and techniques
Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered System of Support Partnership
Successful multi-tiered systems of support knit a complex mesh of highly differentiated curriculum, significant opportunities for in-class intervention, regular data study, intricate scheduling matrices, responsive relationships among regular and special educators, and varied daily delivery models of instruction and intervention, including whole class, small group, one-to-one, and push-in/pull-out. Teaching and Learning Alliance assists educators in the development of these coordinated components to effectively implement district-wide or school-based RTI/multi-tiered systems of support in the following ways:
- Draft district/school-wide multi-year plan and vision for tiered support/RTI implementation
- Guide development of tiered support/RTI schedules to facilitate intensive intervention dosing
- Co-construct instructional tools, units of study, and intervention approaches to address needs of student populations
- Build sustainable models of professional learning to support continued growth of effective practice
- Co-develop indicators of success to measure effectiveness and improve practice within multi-tiered systems of support
Leadership Development Partnership
Teaching and Learning Alliance provides customized professional learning for school and district administrators seeking to take instructional leadership skills to the next level. Focus areas are tailored to the unique needs of each administrator and may include the following:
- Understand Common Core State Standards and drive related curriculum changes
- Address student data trends with curricular and pedagogical solutions
- Establish and facilitate effective school-based leadership teams
- Utilize 1:1 in-class coaching to differentiate professional learning for the experienced to novice educators in your classrooms
- Plan high-impact workshops to support professional learning around content, pedagogy, and/or changes processes
- Evaluate and grow instructional expertise
- Develop effective walkthrough practices and educator evaluation practices to support improved pedagogy
- Utilize Lab Classrooms to infuse, ignite, and sustain effective practices school-wide
Comprehensive Partnership
Teaching and Learning Alliance fully customizes professional learning plans for partner districts allowing a comprehensive approach that combines literacy instruction, content area teaching, curriculum development, and/or leadership capacity-building. Comprehensive partnerships support districts on many levels ranging from administrative planning, teacher workshops, Lab Classroom coordination, in-class coaching, literacy coach training, and development of units of study. Teaching and Learning Alliance project managers guide administrators in selecting professional learning experiences based on precise areas of need, anticipated timeline for implementation, and outcomes for stakeholders.
