Curriculum implementation is complicated and requires significant planning so that the system, including everyone in it, can make the needed shifts in practice to reap the benefits of using high-quality instructional materials to strengthen science teaching and learning. Participants will have a common experience with “a change” and consider important lessons that can help them lead change in their systems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Leaders can create a culture that is conducive to the significant changes in knowledge, beliefs, and practices required to support the implementation of high-quality instructional materials for next generation science.

SPEAKERS:
Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Curriculum implementation requires a robust professional learning program to support teachers in making the shifts toward the three dimensional phenomenon-and-problem-driven science teaching and learning called for in NRC’s Framework for K-12 Science Education. This experience is grounded in BSCS Science Learning’s new instructional model, Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL), and an immersion model of professional learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Leaders can support teachers with making the instructional shifts called for in the NRC’s Framework through immersive, curriculum-based professional learning programs.

SPEAKERS:
Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Leaders will study the Core Design Features and Structural Design Features of curriculum-based professional learning to figure out how they can use them together to support teachers in making the shifts called for in NRC’s Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards. These shifts promote three-dimensional phenomenon and problem-driven science teaching and learning. Participants will read and discuss excerpts of the report from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Elements: Transforming Teaching Through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning. They will have opportunities to make connections from the text to the previous two sessions in this series and/or to their prior experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
By attending to Core and Structural Design Features of curriculum-based professional learning, leaders take a systems approach to supporting teachers in the instructional shifts called for by NRC’s Framework. These shifts promote three-dimensional phenomena/problem-driven science teaching and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Belcastro (Science Educator/Grad Student), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Content will be delivered through Google Slides: participants discuss what bias is and the different types of biases that can show up. Participants will be asked to share biases they may hold (inside or outside of the classroom). We will watch a short video clip, then participants will engage in an activity called "How diverse is your universe?" Several prompts will be read and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. An example prompt: "the people I grew up with in my household were...," and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. Next, as a group, we will come up with our own definition of bias, and come up with examples of the different types of biases and what they look like in the classroom. We will then look at strategies on how to keep these biases in check. Next, we will discuss how to apply anti-bias work in STEM classrooms. We will develop and share content-specific lessons that we can implement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anti-bias work in the classroom can be implemented in all curricular areas, especially in STEM/STEAM.

SPEAKERS:
Anissa Williams (Niper Middle School: Kirkwood, MO)

We believe that to transform science teaching and learning to benefit all students, we as district leaders need to foster educator interest and capacity. A Framework for K-12 Science Education states, “Alignment of teacher preparation and professional development with the vision of science education advanced in this framework is essential for eventual widespread implementation of the type of instruction that will be needed for students to achieve the standards based on it” (p256). The NSTA position paper on Elementary Science declares that to support high-quality elementary science learning, school and district leaders should create time and space to facilitate collaborative professional learning communities for teachers. In the 2023-2024 school year our Howard County Public School System (Maryland) Elementary Science Teacher Leader (ESTL) cohort will be going on its eighth consecutive year. We'd like to share this cohort as an exemplar model for supporting the aforementioned goals.

TAKEAWAYS:
Whether you're starting small with limited resources or looking to enhance an existing structure, join us in this interactive session to learn specific strategies for facilitating -- starting and maintaining -- a collaborative professional learning community for science teacher leaders.

SPEAKERS:
Kelley Hatcher (Hollifield Station Elementary School: Elkridge, MD), Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Baltimore, MD)

At its core, differentiation stems from the recognition that individual learners arrive in classrooms each day with ranging knowledge, experiences, abilities, ways of thinking, curiosities, and dispositions. A one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and learning undermines the potential of all students to achieve successfully, yet we struggle with how to meet the needs of individual students in our classrooms. Similarly, we know that one-shot workshops are not an effective means of professional development (PD). Yet, we continue to provide one-shot workshops to teach and rarely, if ever, do we consider how PD may need to be differentiated for teachers. We may differentiate by focusing on different content areas, grade levels, or contexts, but rarely do we take time to look at what individual teachers need. Just like students, we need to consider the individual needs of all teachers. This session will provide several strategies for differentiating PD for teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Differentiation is not just for the classroom, it is also a component of designing effective professional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Brooke Whitworth (Clemson University: Clemson, SC)

In May 2008 a group of educators exanimated current research and the critical role that teacher leaders play in education. Upon reviewing this data, they believe that teacher leadership is the most powerful method to promote effective and collaborative teaching practices leading to student success. The Teaching Leadership Exploratory Consortium developed the Teacher Leader Model Standards. This set of seven domains describes the knowledge base and skills needed by a teacher leader to assume a leadership role in all aspects of education. In this session participants will examine and discuss the Teacher Leader Model Standards. Digging into the standards they will describe key actions and practices for each of the seven domains. Participants will be asked to reflect on their role as a teacher leader and select one of the domains to focus on as they begin or continue their work as a teacher leader.

TAKEAWAYS:
Digging into the standards, participants will describe key actions and practices for each of the seven domains. They will be asked to reflect on their role as a teacher leader and select one of the domains to focus on as they begin or continue their work as a teacher leader.

SPEAKERS:
Jenne VandePanne (Michigan Technological University/Newaygo Public Schools: Newaygo, MI), Jessica Wagenmaker (Holton Middle School: Holton, MI)