Consulting with faculty and administration can be a stand-alone event or part of a bigger professional development package for an entire school or department. As part of the package, the consulting, coaching and follow-up are necessary to ensure that teachers not only understand the software or hardware, but have ideas for implementation.
“Ok, so I have an interactive white board, now how do I use it with my students,” I have lots of ideas for teachers and life-long learners when it comes to technology.
Grant Writing – I don’t write grants, but I’ve read them while working at the Department of Education. I know what readers look for and I can assist with terminology and ideas. I helped one Indiana elementary school create the idea for a science/writing grant that helped them get laptops, printers, software, and cameras. We used interactive white boards and the internet. We created rubrics for assessment, and helped students write and create presentations.
Existing Resources – I love to take what a teacher has and brainstorm all the strategies that he or she might incorporate into their classroom.
Student Data – I’ve worked with many schools over the years to look at their student data and make informed decisions about increasing achievement.
Teacher Data – Sometimes looking at data over a period of time, helps teachers reflect on their instruction and practice. I’ve helped school triangulate data and make decisions about their own work.