Facilitating Professional Learning Institute

The Facilitating Professional Learning Institute is built around Domains 1, 3, and 4 of the Teacher Leader Model Standards. This is geared for educators who want to learn how to lead dynamic and engaging professional learning communities (PLCs), data teams, grade level teams, coaching cycles, mentoring, and other professional learning experiences in their schools, districts, unions, associations, or beyond. This institute is comprised of three graduate level classes:

  • Fostering a Collaborative Culture (X.EDUC 441): Modules include defining teacher leadership, exploring formal and informal teacher leadership roles, adult learning theory, facilitation of group learning and discussion, mitigating difficult discussions and building consensus, organizational change and the change process, building trust, and other skills to create inclusive cultures for professional growth (and student learning!).  This unique class has an embedded teacher leader practitioner from the National Network of State Teachers of Year to co-facilitate discussion and coach participants in their leadership growth. This is an accelerated 5-week Summer I class offered in June-July.
  • Promoting Professional Learning (X.EDUC 456): This class guides teachers in evaluating professional development needs and designing professional development experiences to improve both adult learning and student learning. This class has an embedded teacher leader practitioner from the National Network of State Teachers of the Year to co-facilitate discussion and coach participants in their leadership growth.  This is an accelerated 5-week Summer II class offered in July-August.
  • Coaching, Mentoring, and Facilitating Instructional Improvements (X.EDUC 467): This course provides opportunities for teachers to design, develop, critique, implement, give, and receive feedback on professional development experiences that align with the Common Core standards and the particular needs of the school/district's participating staff. Each participant focuses on an area of his or her choice: instructional coaching, peer coaching, or mentoring. This is an intensive, week-long class offered in Summer II during July. 
Each of these 2 credit classes can be taken separately, and students can elect a credit or non-credit option.
 
Modules can be personalized for individuals, groups of teachers, districts, states, or associations. All classes are held in dynamic virtual learning environments and can be accessed from the participant's individual device or on our beautiful campus.
 
Click here to read more about the online learning at Mount Holyoke or contact Gwen Bass at gjbass@mtholyoke.edu for questions.
 

Mount Holyoke College's Professional and Graduate Education division is an approved professional development provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.