Science teachers analyze teaching practices at Chute

Students aren’t the only ones learning from their peers in District 65. Last week, a group of 12 middle school science educators gathered at Chute Middle to observe a lesson, provide feedback, and analyze how students were understanding the material and being included in the discussion.

Teachers sat in on Aubrey Chang and Cynthia Larios’ sixth grade lesson where students were working to figure out the puzzling phenomenon of how and why hail forms when it’s relatively warm out.

“Both of you are the epitome of warm demanders,” said one educator, referencing a framework that embraces failure and builds trust with students. After giving feedback, the group analyzed student work and student talk to see how students across different learning styles or language access were included.

Chang and her co-teacher, Ann Fordon, taught the same lesson to a later class, immediately implementing the group’s co-planned adjustments. Educators described the experience, which occurs 1-2 times a year for a cohort of elementary and a cohort of middle school science teachers, as invaluable.

“Being able to use feedback in real time and teach the lesson again to another group of students makes the experience unique and gives us the opportunity to ensure equitable sensemaking in our science classes,” Ms. Chang says.

Learn more about this continuous improvement model for teachers