We have designed our schools to nurture a rich intellectual life for teachers. You will have access to accomplished master teachers and sophisticated professional learning opportunities.
Progressive Education Institute Through the Progressive Education Institute, we aspire to build an enduring institution that will prepare the most inspiring, effective teachers this country has seen. Our plan is to create a new approach to teacher preparation while showcasing our obsession with exquisite instruction.
A Month of Vibrant Learning Every Summer HVA’s annual month of learning is the centerpiece of our continual improvement cycle. This month gives teachers an opportunity for reflection on the prior year and planning for the upcoming year. Starting with our opening Community Day and culminating with our Closing Ceremony, it is truly a special experience. Teachers observe master lessons, develop unit plans, study pedagogical methods, improve school systems, and all while playing ping pong, basketball, yoga or dancing, eating real fruit pops, and building bonds of friendship with colleagues throughout our school system!
In-Class Coaching Throughout the school year, teachers receive individual or small group instructional coaching in real time while teaching. You will receive guidance on planning a lesson, teaching the lesson, reviewing and analyzing one’s own teaching, and looking at student work from the lesson.
Looking at Student Work During our authentic assessment sessions, teachers look at student work together and discuss implications for instruction and curriculum. While we do analyze quantitative assessment data, we do not value shallow analysis of numbers alone. We value deep analysis and thoughtful discussions centered on the sophistication of student thinking.
Lectures and Guest Speakers Our in-house master teachers and coaches offer periodic lectures based on teacher needs and topics of interest. In addition, we invite experts from the field for speaking engagements on topics requested by our teachers.
School Visits and Retreats You will have the opportunity to observe educators at other charter, district, and private schools and to attend professional learning retreats. These offerings vary each year based on teacher interest and school priorities.
Peer Observation and Feedback Our classroom doors are always open! We embrace constructive feedback to improve our instruction. On any given day, teachers observe each other and debrief to share ideas and strategies.
Workouts Workouts take our faculty meetings to a new level. Originally inspired by Jack Welch, workouts are sessions in which teachers and staff identify school-wide problems and tap into our collective wisdom to develop solutions and continually improve our schools.
We have a very robust professional development model in which we plan together and support each other. It’s a very collegial environment and it’s based on respect for the intellectual work that we do.
We have a lot of structures here at HVA. Whether you’re new to teaching or you’re just new to this school, you have coaches, you have your principal, and you have academic leaders that will support you and your colleagues.
We’re always looking to recognize teachers’ potential, their interests, and what they want to do, and we are really open to making sure that teachers can continue to challenge themselves to grow no matter how long they’ve been here.
