The Online Social Network for School Reform Initiative, Inc.

Professional Learning Events Work Group

Information

One of the 5 work groups for SRI. Anyone can join. It is responsible for the work of preparing next year's Winter Meeting as well as designing and carrying out local, regional and national learning events related to CRGs and SRI.

Members: 11
Latest Activity: Nov 3, 2010

Ideas for a Regional Meeting

Hello Everyone,

We are looking for your feedback in terms of interest in creating and attending a one day Regional Meeting of the NH, VT, MA and ME (others?) Centers of Activity. The purposes of the meeting would be to:
1. Connect, refresh and network with each other as a means of strengthening SRI through positive communication and collaborating on meaningful work
2. Business: share what is going on in the region’s Centers of Activity to look for places where we overlap or where we need to expend more energy; share ideas
3. Strengthen our work through the use of protocols on matters of importance to the individual centers
4. Check in on the work groups and perhaps accomplish some things in small groups of interest

Let us know if this sounds like something you would like to attend. Some things that would help with this initial planning phase would be suggestions of:

o dates and days of the week that are good for you and;
o ideas for places which are central to as many of us as possible;
o Others who might be interested in such a gathering;
o other agenda ideas that might be of interest and continue to help strengthen SRI.

Let us know what you think. It would be great to plan a Regional Meeting to take place before the summer and add Coaches Training ideas and discussion to the agenda!

Thanks!

Heidi Vosekas and Maura Hart

Discussion Forum

Spring Regional Meeting 3 Replies

Hi Everyone, So the fact is I let the ball drop on this one :-( No excuses -just too busy and this never emerged on the priority list for me. I may be able to still set something up if there is…Continue

Started by Maura Hart. Last reply by Susan Adams May 5, 2010.

Update of NH, VT, MA, ME, Others? 4 Replies

Hi Everyone, So far I have heard from people in NH, ME and VT regarding a Spring Regional Meeting. The common input is that people would like it very much and would try to come. People are busy! A…Continue

Started by Maura Hart. Last reply by Jennifer Flewelling May 5, 2010.

Draft Graduate Level Coursework for SRIU

:-) I just couldn't figure out how to attach more than three items to the last discussion so I had to open a new discussion. Here are two draft ideas for graduate level coursework that may fit into…Continue

Started by Maura Hart May 5, 2010.

Spring Leadership Meeting Agenda and SRIU Continued Discussion

Hi Everyone, A couple of things. First, I will post a draft agenda for the Professional Learning Events Work Group meeting at the upcoming Leadership Meeting in Boston to this discussion for your…Continue

Started by Maura Hart May 5, 2010.

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Comment Wall

Comment by Susan Adams on January 28, 2010 at 11:09am: Although I did not get to stay for this group meeting in Cambridge, I am really interested in working together to both sustain what has worked well historically and to re-imagine how we might create new learning opportunties in the future. I am looking forward to jumping in with all of you!
Susan

Comment by Jennifer Flewelling on January 28, 2010 at 11:28am: Heidi - thanks for leading this work group. Please let me know what I can do to help you plan for next Winter Meeting as well as other events.

Comment by Gene Thompson-Grove on February 4, 2010 at 11:03pm: I would like to join - I am helping to coordinate the resource book group, but my heart lies here with this group!

Comment by Heidi Vosekas on February 9, 2010 at 12:04pm: Organizational Meeting - notes from grp. 3.docx

Hi All - I have attached the notes I took at our meeting on January 16th. Please take a look and share any thoughts/comments.

Steven and I continue to work on selecting a location for Winter Meeting 2011 and will share those developments.

Susan's comment below about this group "working together to both sustain what has worked well historically and to re-imagine how we might create new learning opportunities in the future" is exactly my vision for this work group.

Gene Thompson-Grove recently shared with me that some WM participants reflected that for the more experienced coaches and national facilitators the WM left them hungry for more opportunities to learn together with others who have been coaching and leading seminars for a while. IN the absence of a spring meeting this year, what are some ways we can create such opportunities? Does the idea of SRI University resonate? SRI University could be a way to link varies seminars/gatherings/meetings across the country that are geared toward the leaders of or work.

Comment by Susan Adams on February 9, 2010 at 12:09pm: Thanks for updating us, Heidi.
Could you say a bit more about how you see SRI University working (structures, details, format, etc)?
I am personally interested in encouraging regional events for experienced coaches and would love to see the Indianapolis folks figure out how to host a weekend that would be driveable, inexpensive and productive.
I am anxious to see what others are imagining, so I hope we will hear from others soon.
Susan

Comment by Jennifer Flewelling on February 9, 2010 at 12:21pm: I agree with Susan and am also interested in thinking about opportunities at the regional level as the "other events" component.

Comment by Heidi Vosekas on February 9, 2010 at 12:29pm: I can imagine centers like yours offering sessions for experienced leaders (facilitative leadership, coaching for equity, looking at student work, etc.) that SRI can help to both organize and promote nationally. There could be a common thread among these sessions (a reading, core questions - others probably have much better ideas!) that links the work so that these aren't necessarily isolated events - rather, opportunities to develop shared resources/experiences among members of SRI. This idea begs that we begin to answer the question, "what is our work?"

Comment by Susan Adams on February 9, 2010 at 12:40pm: Heidi, this is exactly what I would love to see my center offer with support from you and Chris.
I think it is also quite possible that these kinds of events might actually enable us to begin to answer the "what is our work" question. I guess I should admit that I do not feel the urgency to answer that question that I know others feel. I see the way that we work and learn together as the "work" we do, if that makes sense.

Comment by Maura Hart on February 9, 2010 at 12:56pm: Heidi, did you get the draft of a communication regarding a regional meeting via e-mail from me last week?

Comment by Gene Thompson-Grove on February 9, 2010 at 6:54pm: I would like to coordinate some sort of "experienced" coaches/facil. leaders seminar in the New England region. I can offer space and logistical help ... can this work group connect those of us in NE? I am also thinking about offering "designing and facilitating adult learning" 4 day seminar in Brookline, and could open that to SRI members nationally at a nominal fee. Finally, we have a 36 hour course titled Cultural Proficiency/Anti-Racist Teaching that I could also open up ... the trick with that one is that we offer it on three days one week - and three days the following week so people have time to read, write and reflect between sessions, so people would have to be local or have friends they can stay with in the Boston area. So, how to coordinate?

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