A Teamwork Approach to Professional Development
Ask any teacher here at Da Vinci what, aside from the students, is their favorite aspect about working here, and without fail they will mention the support they receive.
Our site leaders and teachers all work tirelessly to support and sustain the efforts of the whole staff and, by natural consequence, the students that we serve. This school year, returning teachers receive 20 days of professional development (PD), while new teachers receive 23 days of PD to collaborate across schools, grow in their profession, and learn new tools and resources. The average number of PD days that educators in schools across California receive is 3 days. This is one of many ways that Da Vinci educators model lifelong learning for students.
Earlier this month, Da Vinci welcomed a group of 12 new teachers and 2 new counselors to the Da Vinci family with a 3-day professional development experience in which staff got to know each other and learned about the history and culture of Da Vinci Schools. The first day of the experience included an introduction to all the Da Vinci schools and programs, a welcome by the central office support staff, and an introduction to the programs and practices that characterize the rich learning environments in the Da Vinci Schools. As an organization that believes in putting people first, Da Vinci recognizes that investing time and energy into the support of our new teachers and staff members is a critical component of maintaining a thriving culture.
The 3-day experience was designed to reflect the values expressed in “An Ethic of Excellence” by Ron Berger, one of Da Vinci’s foundation literature pieces. Ron Berger, one of the nation’s leading voices in education writes, “We can’t first build the students’ self-esteem and then focus on their work. It is through their own work that their self-esteem will grow.”
Da Vinci prepares its teachers to create environments for excellence by providing workshops led by veteran teachers from across Da Vinci Schools. On Day 2, English teacher Jason White led a workshop on Project-Based Learning and Assessment, and Physics teacher Jamie Taube led a workshop on Mastery-Based Grading. On Day 3, Science teacher Lolita Go led a workshop on Advisory, and Math teacher Katie Kondo led a workshop on Building a Caring & Compassionate School Culture. Together, these workshops set teachers up for success in creating powerful learning environments for students.
“The thorough new staff and professional development program made it easy for me to readapt to the school environment,” said Adolfo Topete, a new Education Specialist in the special education department at Da Vinci RISE. Adolfo previously worked at Da Vinci Design as a paraeducator and long-term substitute teacher.
“The 3-day new teacher orientation at Da Vinci was well-structured and not overwhelming, providing clear and accessible information. The PD sessions were engaging, as it allowed current teachers to share their insights and contribute to the collective growth,” said Alicia Galindo, a new Resource Specialist at Da Vinci Science.
New teachers and counselors were joined by returning staff on August 9 for a Welcome Back All Staff PD day. The day’s agenda included celebrating our community’s accomplishments from last school year, looking ahead to priorities for 2024-25, and hearing updates from each of our schools. The day also included time for staff to explore AI tools to support project planning with Yusuf Ahmad, Co-Founder and CEO of Playlab. Additionally, afternoon sessions offered teachers, counselors, and our special education staff opportunities to collaborate together as they prepare for the year ahead. The week of August 12th included additional professional development at the school site level representing a variety of topics from project-based learning, to restorative practices, preparing learning spaces for students, and revisiting our core values.
According to Berger, “Work of excellence is transformational. Once a student sees that he or she is capable of excellence, that student is never quite the same. There is a new self-image, a new notion of possibility. There is an appetite for excellence.”
We are looking forward to watching our new educators thrive and build an appetite for excellence in their students!
