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    Teacher-led learning as a lever for equity

The Pomona story:
Teacher-led learning as a lever for equity

When faced with the “Significant Disproportionality” label, Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) chose to implement teacher-led learning as a strategy to address the inequity. District leadership understood that they needed to shift from pockets of excellence to a system of excellence. Making that shift required that their most effective teachers have the opportunity to share and spread their expertise with their colleagues. The infographic and below provides insight into their story.

The context

Teacher-led learning

PUSD is creating a system of teacher-led learning. Teachers who take on Teacher Specialist roles experience a balance of structure and autonomy. The structure originates from the shared goal of creating a more equitable learning environment that better serves all students. The autonomy allows Teacher Specialists to leverage their unique skills and talents.

Below are a few examples of the ways in which teacher-led learning is being implemented in PUSD.

Co-teaching

See how co-teaching is transformative for teachers and students in this video. Co-teaching helps teacher leaders keep their practice grounded in classrooms while also providing the opportunity to lead.
Want to see how co-teaching impacts sixth grade students and their learning? Take a peek into Jamie and Paula’s classroom from the 2018 – 2019 school year by clicking on the image above.
This third grade class flourished when their teacher, Ms. Alvarez, had the opportunity to co-teach and lead without leaving the classroom. See the deep learning in which her student engaged by clicking the image above.
Co-teaching provides opportunities for teachers to lead without completely leaving the classroom. See how these roles came to be and what difference they are making for teachers and students.

Math and science

PUSD teachers learned effective mathematical modeling as a means by which to support elementary school student’s ability to successfully make sense of math problems and solve them using multiple solutions.
A diverse group of teachers collaborated to improve their teaching practice by learning about and implementing Mathematical Mindsets. This led to a collective belief that, “Students have unlimited potential, and teachers who have that belief in students at their core, can change everything.”
Implementing math modeling has dramatically shifted the way that mathematics is taught in PUSD. Click the image above to see math modeling in action in classrooms across the district.
To address the challenges of new science standards, a group of teachers for grades 4-6 engaged in a 3-year program to improve content knowledge and develop leadership. The program helped move participants from learners to leaders of professional learning.

Induction

New teacher induction in PUSD has shifted from being a one-size-fits-all experience to a more personalized learning experience by shifting the focus from content and “telling,” to honoring teachers’ capacities to build their own practice. Prioritizing relationships and trust over compliance has resulted in increased levels of teacher efficacy.

Results

Want to know how CTQ can help your team tell their story? Contact us.