Frequently Asked Questions

 

Teaching and Learning Team: Chris DeCosta, Dr. Pam O'Day, Judy Droitcour, Dr. Ed Doucette

 

What is a Laboratory Classroom?

 

A Laboratory Classroom is a model of job-embedded professional development that pairs an instructional coach and a classroom teacher who are willing to work together to implement best practice and open up their classroom to peer observations and professional conversations.

 

What does the coach do?

 

The coach provides instructional support for the lab teacher by

 

·         Planning curriculum and instruction around standards and assessments

·         Demonstrating best practice in the classroom

·         Co-teaching, observing, and providing feedback

·         Discussing and analyzing student work

·         Facilitating study groups and action research teams

·         Providing school-wide in-service workshops

·         Supporting the principal in arranging for lab visits.

·         Facilitating the lab visit protocol

 

 What “best practices” are used?

 

The coach and teacher agree to implement:

 

·         Workshop format for instruction

·         The gradual release of responsibility model

·         The thinking strategies that proficient readers and writers use.

 

 Is there a role for the school principal?

 

The building principal supports the Lab Classroom by

 

·         Providing time each week for the coach and teacher to plan, teach and debrief.

·         Providing substitutes to release teachers for Lab Classrooms visits.

·         Participating in the Lab Classroom experience.

·         Supporting all building teachers as they implement best practice

·         Attending the leadership series at EBEC

·         Promoting and supporting study groups

·         Providing information about Lab Classrooms to the whole faculty

 

 

What grade levels can implement a Lab Classroom?

 

The Lab Classroom model is appropriate for all grades and content areas K-12.

 

 

What training does a teacher need to be a Lab Classroom teacher?

 

Lab Classroom teachers participate in five full-day professional development experiences per year. The trainings are focused on:

 

·         Using  workshop format as an instructional design tool and management model

·         Using the thinking strategies that proficient readers and writers use

·         Use the gradual release of responsibility model to help students gain independent application

          of critical think and problem solving competencies.

·         Using differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design to create units of study.

  

How do other teachers benefit from the school’s Lab Classroom?

 

The Lab Classroom design fosters the development of Professional Learning Communities within the school by: 

 

·         Providing tangible examples of best practice

·         Creating time for  professional conversations about teaching and learning

·         Providing opportunities for administrators and teacher-leaders to practice the skills of          

          instructional leadership.

·         Fostering a natural curiosity about what works to improve student achievement

 

What are the benefits to the students of being in a Lab Classroom?

 

Research and our everyday experience validate the strong relationship between best teaching practice and improved student achievement. Lab Classrooms:

 

·         Create a nurturing environment

·         Demonstrate the efficacy of high academic expectations

·         Create meaningful participation for students.

·         Demonstrate “learning to learn”

·         Fosters the independent use of critical thinking and problem solving strategies

 

Do all Lab Classroom teachers use the same instructional strategies?

 

Lab Classroom teachers and coaches make a commitment to learn and implement best practice:

 

·         Using the workshop format to organize instruction

·         Fostering independent thinking through gradual release of responsibility

·         Modeling the thinking strategies that proficient readers and writers use.

·         Differentiating instruction

·         Integrating and transferring these strategies within and across content areas.

 

 Does the Lab Classroom help the teacher increase content knowledge?

 

EBEC’s Comprehensive Professional Development opportunities help teachers to understand that disciplinary knowledge is of two types: The content itself and how the content is best learned, understood, and applied in real world situations.  

 

 

Does the Lab Classroom help teachers as they differentiate instruction?

 

Absolutely.

 

The workshop format is a means to organize daily instruction around three necessary and research-based processes of learning:

 

·         Focus lesson: Teacher establishes the instructional target for all students. During the focus lesson, the teacher models, demonstrates, or read/talks aloud conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, vocabulary, or strategy knowledge.

 

·         Practice: An extended period of time during which instruction is differentiated. Students practice the instructional intent of the focus lessons in:

 

a.       independently,

b.       in pairs or small groups,

c.       while conferencing with the teacher,

d.       Using appropriately leveled text/material

e.       All of the above with or without teacher intervention

 

·         Share and Reflect: A brief period during which the students are brought together to share

          and reflect on their learning.

 

What are some problems/challenges associated with implementing Lab Classrooms?

 

• Providing weekly time for coach and lab teacher to plan for instruction and debrief
• Providing substitute coverage to release lab teachers & visiting teachers or administrators (Observation protocol is three hours: Prebrief—observation—debrief)
• Finding time for coaches and lab teachers to attend EBEC professional development days
• Providing coaching support for all interested lab teachers

 

 

What happens in the classroom in the absence of the lab teacher?

 

Because Lab Classrooms

 

• Have well established rituals and routines.
• Have well-defined roles and responsibilities

• Have students who are taught to work independently, in partners, or in groups
• Expect students to assume responsibility for accessing both materials and information
• Expect students to show respect and support for each other at all times

 

. . . students in Lab Classrooms are typically able to take responsibility for their learning with minimal help and guidance from a substitute teacher.

  

Are there any systemic change aspects to the Lab Classroom model?

 

The Lab Classroom model of professional development fosters a school wide conversation about best practice in teaching and learning that leads to increased student achievement. That is the conversation of a Professional Learning Community.  The Lab Classroom model supports additional forms of professional development such as:

 

·         Study groups

·         Strategic planning teams

·         Advisory committees

·         School-community partnerships

·         Departmental demonstrations

·         Whole faculty meetings

·         School and higher education alliances

·         PTO

·         other

 

Does the Lab Classroom approach advance student personalization in the school?

 

The instructional design and structures a the Lab Classroom creates an environment in which teachers, students, and administrators know each other very well as persons and as creators of knowledge and learning. That is personalization

 

Do parents have a role in a Lab Classroom?

 

Many Lab Classroom teachers invite parents to participate in the observation protocol -- with wonderful results. Parents typically leave with a clear understanding of the deep thinking that their children participate in and a clearer conception of the curriculum.

 

Why should a school or teacher consider the Lab Classroom approach to teaching?

 

·         The Lab Classroom school receives much needed support from EBEC.

·         EBEC also provides the Lab Classroom principal, coach, and teacher with focused

          professional development related to best practice in teaching and learning.

·         Students achievement will increase

·         Lab Classrooms establish a strong foundation for building Professional Learning

          Communities within the school

·         Lab Classrooms cultivate a network of collaboration within and across districts

 

History of Lab Classrooms in the East Bay

  

• April-May 2003: EBEC Literacy Team visits Denver Lab Classrooms to explore thinking strategies used by proficient learners

 

• 2003-2004: Designed EBEC Coaches training around the thinking strategies.

 

• 2003-2004: Designed four part leadership series around the thinking strategies

 

• April 2004: Return to Denver and PEBC to refine our own Lab Classroom network.

 

• June 2004: Present preliminary Lab Classroom proposal to Superintendents of the East Bay.

 

• 2004-2005: Created and support EBEC Lab Classroom network of 35 classrooms most at the elementary level with some middle school.

 

• 2004-2005: Four part leadership series focused on supporting Lab Classroom model and visitation.

 

• January 2005: Ellin Oliver Keene provides kick-off workshop for Lab Classroom network.

 

• Early spring 2005: Lab Classroom coaches and teachers visit each other.

 

• Spring 2005: 29 Lab Classroom opened for 250 visitors including 60 principals or aspiring principals

 

• Fall 2005: Opened first high school Lab Classrooms

 

• 2005-2006: Expanded Lab Classroom model to middle and high school with more on-site support

 

• 2005-2006: Provided deeper level of support for coaches on thinking strategies

 

• April 2006: Return to Denver and PEBC to focus on secondary content Lab Classrooms and leadership support

 

• April-June 2006: Reconfigured secondary Lab Classroom model to provide on-site EBEC Coaching and instructional leadership development
   
• September 2006 – June 2007:  Adding additional Lab Classrooms in East Bay Middle and High Schools:  in Mathematics, ELA, Science and Social Studies (as well as other content areas with teachers who volunteer).