Inspired Teacher Leaders and Mentors - Center for Inspired Teaching

October 21, 2015

(Photo credit: Bria Stephens/Center for Inspired Teaching)

This piece was written by Aleta Margolis, Inspired Teaching’s Executive Director. This piece appeared in Inspired Teaching’s October 2015 newsletter.

On a recent visit to the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School, a student and I were discussing what he was working on. He then asked me about my work. “I teach teachers,” I said. “Did you know that teachers are learning as much as you are every day in class?” Without batting an eye, he responded, “Of course!”

When I was growing up, teachers seemed distant, static, and omniscient. In the classrooms of Inspired Teachers, they’re the opposite: relatable, dynamic, and committed to continuous improvement. Learning is not confined to a particular building or a particular moment in time; rather, it is something you do every day of your life.

At Inspired Teaching, we know that being a lifelong learner is a position of strength. We know that great leaders dedicate themselves to continuous improvement. They reflect on their practice and identify areas of growth. They approach their professional and personal development as a joyful and ongoing challenge. They change themselves, so that they can lead others to change. This is the work of the Inspired Teacher. We support them along the way.

In the Inspired Teacher Certification Program, we pair each new teacher with experienced classroom practitioners who act as “critical friends,” engaging their mentees in discussion and reflection, broadening their experience, and encouraging independence and risk-taking. This intentional program component builds better Teacher Leaders and it contributes to our exceptionally high retention rates.

A key finding in the Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study, as noted by Sarah D. Sparks in Education Week, indicates the importance of mentorship: “80 percent of teachers who had a mentor in their first year stayed in teaching all five years, 16 percentage points more than teachers who did not have an early mentor.” 92% of Inspired Teaching Fellows in our residency-based program are still teaching today. The majority of these teachers move on to formal leadership positions – even as they stay in the classroom.

The experienced teachers in our district partnerships also benefit from the support and guidance of “critical friends” – Inspired Teaching staff and their fellow teachers. We train cohorts of Teacher Leaders to be Instigators of Thought, to develop standards-aligned curricula, and to train their peers district-wide in inquiry-based instruction.

The professional learning community that grows out of this work – among Inspired Teachers and between Inspired Teachers and their peers district-wide – is crucial to shifting the norm in instruction. Ms. Aqueela James, the principal of John Burroughs Elementary School, says she is excited to have four of her teachers enrolled in Inspired Teaching’s SCALE: Science Curriculum Advancement through Literacy Enhancement because “teachers learn best from teachers.” In fact, studies show that teachers are five times more likely to incorporate changes into their classroom through work with a peer coach rather than through any other form of professional development.

This month, you’ll read about Teacher Leaders and school leaders who are growing in their own practice, supporting others as they grow, and changing the norm in education from their classrooms. I founded Center for Inspired Teaching twenty years ago because I believed then, as I do now, that teachers are the key to educational reform. We continue to mentor, coach, and cultivate Teacher Leaders so that, together, we can build a better school experience for all learners.

Learn more about Inspired Teaching and our 20th Anniversary celebration.

Micaiah Anderson

Community Outreach Specialist

As a Community Outreach Specialist, Micaiah is responsible for program promotion and outreach support for Inspired Teaching events and workshops. Micaiah has a passion for collaborating with community members to build-power and connect. She is an educator with a heart for youth and has experience supporting students fight injustices within their schools and communities. She has a BA in Political Science from, the real HU, Hampton University & anticipates graduating in May 2024 with a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Policy Transformation from Georgetown University.

AUTONOMY

"I want to have a say in what happens to me."

Autonomy is the need for independence; the ability to make choices, to create, to explore, and to express oneself freely; to have sufficient space, to move around, and to feel unrestricted with opportunities to exercise free will.

Brady Maiden

Outreach Coordinator

As the Outreach Coordinator, Brady helps maintain Inspired Teaching’s social media presence and supports the organization’s mission to connect with DC community leaders, educators, and parents. Brady has her Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University and her BS in Political Science from Northern Arizona University. She is passionate about community, equity, and coalition building recognizing that learning and growing with the community at large is how we continue to be impactful.

What brings you joy in life?

I find joy in spending time with my friends and family and meeting new people. I like going to concerts and festivals, and finding new books to read.

The Learner’s Cycle, Wonder-Experiment-Learn, and the Teacher’s Cycle, Observe-Plan-Instigate, comprise Inspired Teaching’s approach to engaging students in inquiry-based learning.

When they are engaged in the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, students are immersed in learning. They take the lead in designing authentic learning experiences around their own interests and their school’s standards of learning. Each discovery leads to a new question which in turn leads to more wondering and more learning. In the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, Learn is not a destination or an endpoint; it is a deeper understanding, leading to a deeper wondering and new possibilities that create new entry points to further exploration. The cycle continues because what students have learned generates more wonderings that require more experiments that foster more learning – and on and on.

The Observe-Plan-Instigate Cycle is the work of an Inspired Teacher. While a student is expected to follow the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, the teacher joins them on the learning journey while following their own cycle of Observe-Plan-Instigate. This cycle ultimately serves to ensure an inquiry-based atmosphere is at play in the classroom.

Jaqueta Abbey

Teaching and Learning Specialist

Jaqueta is the Teaching and Learning Specialist for Inspired Teaching. In addition to her current role with Inspired Teaching, Jaqueta is a first-grade teaching assistant. Her background features a variety of traditional and non-traditional experiences in the field of education, including working as an adjunct professor, teaching summer reading programs to children and adults, and tutoring children in the foster care system. Jaqueta earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University.

What brings you joy in life?

Creative self-expression! In addition to my passion for storytelling, I love dancing of all kinds. I've studied belly dance, bachata, and Brazilian Zouk among other styles. I also enjoy glass fusing, crocheting, photography, and cross stitching. These art forms allow me to express myself and build connections with other people at the same time. I think life would be a lot less vibrant without artists and storytellers!

Michelle Welk

Communication & Marketing Specialist

As Communications and Marketing Specialist, Michelle is responsible for finding and creating new ways to highlight Inspired Teaching and promote its programs in order to expand and deepen the organization's impact. Michelle has worked in communications in an array of settings, from creative agencies to state politics to national nonprofits. She has a BA in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and is passionate about education, access, and equity.

What brings you joy in life?

My son, the beach, making a persuasive argument and good food!

Max Peterson

Real World History Assistant Teacher

Max received his Bachelor’s degree in History and African American Studies from Boston University in May 2016. He has worked in museum curation at the Museum of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Max has worked with young people of varying ages from young children to young adults transitioning to college.

Feedback and Accountability

We grow through feedback and an understanding that the quality of our work is a reflection of what we are learning, but the shift to remote learning this spring disrupted a lot of the tools teachers were used to using to evaluate student growth. How might we do things differently this fall? Participants in this workshop will explore ways to bring meaningful assessment into the virtual and/or socially-distanced classroom and approaches to student feedback that strengthen motivation, and build relationships and achievement.