Teacher Support Network
The Teacher Support Network Approach is based on the belief that school should be approached holistically in terms of workplace, health, and
well-being for both students and teachers.
CCUSD has a strong professional development program to support teachers in a world of growing demands in a changing profession. This approach supports highly collaborative work (group work) in addition to focused, individual, and specialized work. Providing professional collaboration and work spaces in each of the small learning communities provides for maximum efficiency of space usage, which results in cost savings—all learning spaces can be used all periods of the day independent from a teacher’s schedule.
Dispersed Teacher Collaboration Workspaces will give teachers a professional workspace and place of respite to connect to each other, plan, share information, share resources, reflect on their teaching and on their students’ progress, research and plan best practices, and help each other help the students. The Teaming Studios, dispersed Small Huddle Rooms, teacher dining areas with healthy food, and access to meditation space, fitness rooms and showers before and after school contribute to the Teacher Support Network Approach.
The Why
Teachers need spaces and ways to connect with each other and their students in a variety of modalities that help them each recognize their shared humanity. All CCUSD campuses have an inadequate “Teacher Lounge” and “Teacher Workroom” which the PTA must use since they do not have another space to do volunteer work in. The workrooms tend to be tight on space for storage and equipment, while the lounges are not spaces of respite. All CCUSD campuses currently have the traditional classroom ownership model which makes it more challenging for teachers to collaborate and communicate fluidly.
Uses
Planning and Teaming
Facilitating multiple styles of learning simultaneously and team teaching for cross disciplinary learning entails more collaboration between teachers. The Teacher Collaboration Workspace will give teachers the space to support this high collaboration fluidly. Teaming Learning Studios will support team teaching to encourage cross disciplinary learning and will transform the culture, changing the siloed nature of school. Teachers will use a variety of purposeful spaces to facilitate learning and engage in side-by-side learning with students. Dispersed Small Huddle Rooms will serve as shared multi-purpose spaces for both students and teachers.
Building Partnerships
Studies have shown that when teachers collaborate more, they are better able to help each other help students at risk. The Teacher Collaboration Workspace will give teachers the space to support this high communication more fluidly daily regarding the progress of their students. The space will include a small conference table which teachers can scoot their task chairs over to for planned or impromptu meetings.
Socializing
Provide soft seating to create a small zone of respite and a place for a brain break. Teacher dining areas can be placed outdoors to give teachers a better alternative than what is currently offered as a lunch space in teacher lounges mixed with workroom program and PTA work/storage space.
Health and Well-being
Teachers need time to reflect whether its for a few minutes to be alone or talk to another adult. Teachers give a lot of themselves and need spaces that make it easy for them to have the time to take care of their wellness. Meditation space, fitness rooms and showers can be incorporated for teachers to use before and after school.
Key Concepts
Relationships
LEGEND
