BCP Participates in Project CYCLE

(l to r)  UVA Curry School of Education Research Scientist
Sharon Deal;  BCP Academic Coach Sue Lattimore;
 and Wolfe Street Staff Developer Rosemary Byron

The Baltimore Curriculum Project is participating in Project CYCLE; a project focused on the engagement of teachers and mentors in the cycle of development through the use of innovative technology and research-based mentoring/coaching methods.

On Monday Wolfe Street Staff Developer Rosemary Byron and BCP Academic Coach Sue Lattimore met with Sharon Deal,  a Research Scientist from the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education and one of the coordinators of Project CYCLE, for their initial round of mentor/coach training.

Project CYCLE is sponsored by the Baltimore City Schools Office of Teacher Support & Development and is being implemented with the support of thereNow, PD360, and the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education.

Baltimore City Schools has procured a small number of thereNow’s LiveView cameras and the IRIS Connect online platform, which allow instructional coaches to observe teachers remotely. The iris LiveView camera enables an instructional coach to see and hear at a level of detail that even an in-person observation couldn't provide.

iris LiveView gives a remote observer full control of the camera from anywhere in the world, in real-time. That means that with only a computer and an internet connection, an instructional coach can see every corner of a room and hear high definition audio.

These tools will allow participating teachers and mentors to more fully engage in the cycle of development through video capture, review, reflection, and feedback on classroom instruction.

In concert with the thereNow’s LiveView camera and IRIS Connect online platform, participating teachers will engage in the University Of Virginia Curry School Of Education’s My Teaching Partner (MTP) coaching cycle. This component of the project will guide mentors in the use of prompts, protocols, and action plans as they provide meaningful feedback to teachers.
Finally, teachers will also have the opportunity to share their video through PD360, an online platform for sharing video with other teachers in the district.
Together these supports are designed to improve teaching and learning in the district; including, but not limited to, improved instruction, classroom management, teacher retention, mentoring, and student outcomes.

Egyptian Educators Visit Collington Square School

Educators from Egypt with BCP Director of Training
Tara Anderson (third from left)

Today a group of five educators from Egypt visited Collington Square School of the Arts to learn about the Baltmore Curriculum Project's educational model and to tour the school. They were thoroughly impressed.

BCP Director of Academic Affairs Jon McGill, BCP Director of Training Tara Anderson, and BCP Executive Vice President Larry Schugam talked with the group about BCP's approach to instruction, training, coaching, behavior management, and resource development.

The teachers were especially interested in BCP's use of the CHAMPS curriculum for classroom management and Restorative Practices for conflict resolution. One teacher even asked Ms. Anderson if she would come to Egypt to provide CHAMPS training for her school.

The school tour included visits to Phyllis Wyman's sixth grade language arts class and Andrew Gorby's fifth grade mathematics class. The group also caught a Restorative Circle led by Restorative Practices Facilitor Kevin Bevacqua in action. Mr. Bevacqua was helping two students resolve a conflict so that they could return to class.

We would like to thank Ms. Heba Tahseen Mohamed, Dr. Osama Mohamed, Mr. Hamada Ahmed Fahmy E-Farargy, Ms. Abeer Atif Mohamed El Galfy, Ms. Hoda Kasem, and Mr. Marwa Salama for visiting our school. We would like to thank the World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) and Janine Downey, WTCI Manager for International Visitors and Client Services, for organizing the visit.

About the World Trade Center Institute
The World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) is the largest international business network of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic – a who’s who of the top global business executives in the region. At WTCI we strive to drive the growth of Maryland’s flourishing global business community. Today more than 2,500 Maryland firms benefit from WTCI’s global connections, events, and extensive international business services. WTCI was established in 1989. Financed jointly by area businesses and the State of Maryland, WTCI operates as a private, non-profit membership organization. For more information visit: https://www.wtci.org/

Chat n' Chew Supports Professional Learning Community

On Tuesday the Baltimore Curriculum Project and Wolfe Street Academy hosted the first after-school Chat and Chew. Melissa Anderson, Dawn Burks, Jovan Campbell, and Terry Houck participated in this opportunity to practice Direct Instruction instructional delivery, signals and corrections.

The weekly sessions are being organized by Wolfe Street Staff Developer Rosemary Byron and BCP Academic Coach Sue Lattimore. During Tuesday's session the teachers were very engaged in the discussion and practice, and shared some of the good ideas that are working in their classrooms. For example, Terry Houck showed how she uses a ring of "Equity Chips" to keep the students attentive during individual turns.

These teachers have taken an active role in their development as professional educators and plan to continue to join these sessions, which will be held every Tuesday from 3:00pm - 4:00pm, throughout the fall semester.

Collington Square Miracle Growers Beautify School

On August 21, 2012, The Collington Square Miracle Growers planted a beautiful garden at the entrance of Collington Square School of the Arts. The project was sponsored by the 4-H Club and Elev8 Baltimore .

Four Collington Square families planted the garden:

• Afiya  Smith (parent), Krysten Myers (7th grade, Collington Square School of the Arts), Kevin Myers (6th grade, Collington ), and Kyron Myers (6th grade, Collington)
• Latarsha Fowkles (parent), Michael Harris (8th grade, Collington), and  Ja'Audra Jones (Dayspring Head Start)
• Wanda Gary (parent), Keywona Gary (9th grade, Mervo High School), Keisha Gary (8th grade, Collington), Dominique Gary (5th grade, Collington), and Keyvon Gary (1st grade, Collington)
• Lesslie Tucker (parent), Sabriaya Shipley (11th grade, Institute of Notre Dame), Shanika Brown (10th grade, Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy), Toni Brown (8th grade, Collington), and Anthony Battle (4th grade, Collington)

We would like to thank all of the volunteers, 4H Club, and Elev8 for creating this garden.