BAUXITE, AR - The "Planning for Success" workshop June 1-2 was the first in a series of professional development sessions that make up the new Arkansas New and Emerging Teacher program (formerly TPTTP), a teacher certification program offered by The Arkansas Department of Workforce Education in partnership with The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning.

The initial workshop focused on practical classroom management techniques and teaching strategies that will help participants teach their content and keep students interested. The participants came from areas as diverse as cosmetology, building trades and auto service.

Activities during the initial TPTTP workshop focused on ways to engage students in learning the skills-oriented content of Technical and Professional Education courses.

How did one workshop meet the needs of such a diverse group? By focusing on issues common to all, such as learning styles, teaching approaches, and the use of technology and other tools.

"We do not teach content," says instructor Tamara McCulloch. "They already know the content they are teaching. What we teach is effective strategies to increase student learning."

What does that look like? Here's how the first session went:

• Participants were first focused on the variety of ways in which different students learn. They examined their own learning styles and talked about how their own experiences in school succeeded or failed based partly on how they were taught. They assessed their own approach to teaching and how they might better address their students' needs.
  
  
• They experimented with graphic organizers and got a demonstration of effective practices like the strategic use of video, note-taking guides and other tools.
  
  
• They explored the Internet to find valuable teaching resources for the classroom, then developed short lessons using those resources.
  
  
• They participated in several effective reading strategy lessons.
  
  
• They learned about assessment tools such as rubrics, informal assessment (such as performance-based, hands-on activities) and 'authentic' assessment (tasks that resemble reading and writing in the 'real world').
  
  
• They were exposed to a variety of strategies integrating reading, math and science across the content area.

"This was a diverse group," says McCulloch. "Several have had successful careers in their specialty areas, or have other jobs and decided to come into the classroom to share their knowledge and expertise. Our strength is bringing teachers together and having a common conversation - regardless of their content - sharing what they all have in common, which is teaching students."

Participants said they felt positive about the session even though they weren't sure what to expect when they started.

Find more details and online registration here.