Posted on February 17, 2023 in response to JillMerk In response to JillMerk
Hi Jill! I am soooo excited for you and your Vanguard journey! It has by far been the best thing I’ve ever done with the teachers I work with and has really helped deepen the level of tech integration across our district. I am by no means an expert but I have started Vanguard teams in two different districts now and have learned a few things along the way. I would love to share with you. Here are some thoughts to get you started.
- Create an application so those interested can apply. This allows everyone to feel as though they had an opportunity to participate.
- Start with a manageable number of teachers. So you can complete coaching cycles with them in between Vanguard meetings. I currently have about 20 on two teams (freshman and senior vanguard)
- Plan a kickoff. We host ours during the summer. Two days for our freshman team and one day for our seniors. It’s a great way to create excitement and set the tone for the year.
- Plan meetings for the year. Our freshman team meets once a quarter for half a day. Then between meetings I do individual coaching cycles. Our senior or year 2 vanguard team members meet once a quarter for an entire day.
- We structure our trainings grounded in Apple’s 5 Elements of Learning. With a focus on immersive learning experiences so our teachers can experience the tools and learning experiences we want students to have.
- If you can look into the Apple professional learning opportunity called Apple Academy. It was where I first got the idea of Vanguard.
Thats a lot! I would love to share more with you and can share examples of our trainings and activities. You can email me at ortonj@troy.k12.mo.us or find me on Twitter @jenniferlorton check out our Vanguard team work by searching #lcr3Vanguard on Twitter
I'm interested in staring a vanguard group of teachers in my building/district. If you have experience establishing teach leaders, I'd love some advice and guidance.