At the height of summer, we hope you’re taking the time to rest, relax, and recover from last school year. Even so, many of you are likely already prepping for what's next and planning professional learning to get ready for the fall.
Whether you’re helping coordinate sessions or simply an enthusiastic participant, we’ve picked 10 of our favorite SOS Instructional Strategies for a fresh take on PL. Use these to maximize your summer learning, encourage active participation, and make valuable connections with other educators.
Break the Ice
Three Truths… One Lie
DEN STAR Educators Tom Clowes and Sheila Fredericks recommend using Three Truths… One Lie as a fun and easy icebreaker for participants to introduce themselves or for the facilitator to introduce a topic related to the session’s focus.
Check out educator-facing videos and downloadable PDFs for each strategy in our SOS Top 10: Professional Learning Studio Board!
Summarize Key Ideas & Details
AEIOU
Another favorite among many of our users, Emy Aultman suggests using AEIOU as an exit ticket that summarizes key ideas and details from the professional learning session.
ABC Summary
Science teacher Curt Witthoff uses ABC Summary as a collective summarization of professional learning or staff day sessions. For this strategy, collect A-Z responses with traditional paper-and-pencil submissions or in a digital format, then share the outcome as a collaborative summary.
Sticky Back
Instructional Technology Coordinator Lindsay Foster uses Sticky Back to increase engagement and give everyone an opportunity to summarize and share key takeaways. She also suggests using this as a management strategy, with a variety of colored sticky notes allowing participants to respond to multiple prompts.
Analyze & Synthesize Information
Six Word Story
DEN STAR Dana Johnston recommends using Six Word Story to gauge where teachers are in their learning. Responses that indicate teachers are overwhelmed might mean it’s time for a break, while indications of confusion might mean it’s time to revisit and clarify material.
3-2-1 Pyramid
3-2-1 Pyramid gives participants an excellent way to wrap up a professional learning session. Ask teachers to synthesize their experience by listing three things they learned, two people they will share those things with when they return to school, and one thing they will commit to using in their classrooms in the coming weeks.
