sol17-9 What about videos?

I am participating in the
Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC).
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day of March 2017. 

A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity
for teacher-writers to share and reflect.

Once a week, our early childhood team (two classrooms each of pre-K 3, pre-K 4, and kindergarten) meets together, while all our students are at specials. This year, we began a practice of sharing videos of our classroom practice. Here's how it works: one classroom is in the spotlight or "hot seat" for a two week period. Meeting/week number one, the lead teacher provides a short videotape of a lesson and asks for feedback from the rest of the team. Each of us reviews the videotape before the meeting. The meeting is spent giving "glows" - what stood out? what are the highlights? what did we love? what is working? and "grows" - what questions do we have? is there something we didn't understand? what changes would we suggest? After this first meeting, the same teacher returns to her classroom and takes a second video of the "new and improved" lesson, attempting to weave in some of the suggestions and feedback received from the team. Week number two, we meet again and have a "glows" and "grows" discussion for the second video.

I am amazed at what we learn through this sharing. I feel as if I have been given a window into my colleagues' classrooms, seeing them in action, witnessing their kind and caring approaches, watching how they work with different personalities. Our conversations have been so positive and enriching. It helps enormously that we all enjoy and respect one another, and that we all are open to sharing and improving our practice. Every time we meet, I take away something new and meaningful for my own teaching. 

We all know: teaching is an action verb - there is no singular way, it is never quite done, there is always more to think about.

Over the weeks, we are all shifting and growing our practice. We are having deep, thoughtful discussions. It is very exciting!

I love this teamwork!