Hybrid Considerations: Professional Development

During hybrid learning, how should teachers maximize their in-person time given the constraints of social distancing? How should teachers maximize the remote portion of the week? Teachers have consistently shared with us that they received no professional development to help them navigate this path. Most teachers noted that because of social distancing and other hurdles in classrooms, they are most often using remote learning tools, even while young people are face to face in classrooms. While districts are going to great lengths to get students into classrooms, without more guidance from education leaders, teachers may not consistently use that time for maximum impact.

Guiding Questions:

How is the district’s vision of a strong hybrid classroom reflected in the professional development offerings for teachers?
How can you give teachers actionable feedback about their hybrid teaching?

HIGH-LEVERAGE STRATEGIES	ALIGNED RESOURCES
Provide PD on Hybrid-Specific Practices Teachers consistently said they have had no professional development to help guide them in hybrid learning. Districts and principals can build professional development opportunities that help teachers: Use synchronous class time for collaborative work and discussion, not for lectures, which can be prerecorded for students to watch in remote sessions. Use small group and one-on-one time and communication to individualize instruction as much as possible. Leverage the flexibility of where students can learn to engage them in a variety of mobile-learning activities. (Edutopia)	This one-pager provides guiding questions and a quick activities checklist for districts and schools to use with teachers providing hybrid instruction (adapted by FHI 360 from An Introduction to Hybrid Teaching, College of DuPage)
Give Feedback on Plans Many schools are limiting the circulation of adults from classroom to classroom during the pandemic. While this strategy is important from a public health standpoint, it does impact administrators’ ability to be in teachers’ classrooms. Instead, administrators can consider giving teachers supportive and actionable feedback on their lesson plans, focusing on how teachers have planned remote time versus hybrid time.	Teaching Channel’s feedback guide provides examples of actionable coaching around a lesson plan.
Create Teams of Hybrid Teachers Schools are currently being programmed in very different ways to cover all the various groups of students. However, blocking off some time during the week for hybrid teachers to meet could help support their learning from one another.	Consider using a lesson study model like this example from Teacher Development Trust so teachers can plan, execute, and reflect on a hybrid lesson. In a large school, they might all plan the same lesson. In a smaller school where no teachers teach the same grade/subject, they might simply use some of the same strategies for building student engagement and interaction and then reflect on the results.

HIGH-LEVERAGE STRATEGIES

ALIGNED RESOURCES

Provide PD on Hybrid-Specific Practices

Teachers consistently said they have had no professional development to help guide them in hybrid learning. Districts and principals can build professional development opportunities that help teachers:
Use synchronous class time for collaborative work and discussion, not for lectures, which can be prerecorded for students to watch in remote sessions.
Use small group and one-on-one time and communication to individualize instruction as much as possible.
Leverage the flexibility of where students can learn to engage them in a variety of mobile-learning activities.

(Edutopia)

This one-pager provides guiding questions and a quick activities checklist for districts and schools to use with teachers providing hybrid instruction (adapted by FHI 360 from An Introduction to Hybrid Teaching, College of DuPage)

Give Feedback on Plans

Many schools are limiting the circulation of adults from classroom to classroom during the pandemic. While this strategy is important from a public health standpoint, it does impact administrators’ ability to be in teachers’ classrooms. Instead, administrators can consider giving teachers supportive and actionable feedback on their lesson plans, focusing on how teachers have planned remote time versus hybrid time.

Teaching Channel’s feedback guide provides examples of actionable coaching around a lesson plan.

Create Teams of Hybrid Teachers

Schools are currently being programmed in very different ways to cover all the various groups of students. However, blocking off some time during the week for hybrid teachers to meet could help support their learning from one another.

Consider using a lesson study model like this example from Teacher Development Trust so teachers can plan, execute, and reflect on a hybrid lesson. In a large school, they might all plan the same lesson. In a smaller school where no teachers teach the same grade/subject, they might simply use some of the same strategies for building student engagement and interaction and then reflect on the results.

Nurturing Instructional Leadership during Remote and Hybrid Learning