News and Events
School leaders benefit from professional development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Four RE academic leaders engaged in five days of professional development on the topic of "instructional rounds" at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Mass., in December. Assistant Head of the Middle School Jess Merrick, World Languages Department Chair James Monk, Mathematics and Computer Science Department Chair Brittney Ellzey Mujica and Assistant Head of the Upper School Adriana Sanchez attended as a team, and each learned to identify and solve common problems related to teaching and learning through the instructional rounds process.
The four participated in a program entitled Using Instructional Rounds to Cultivate High Quality Learning in Schools. They benefited from interactive discussions, experiential learning and in-depth collaborative planning. They also visited local schools to experience instructional rounds first-hand and engage with the educators.
Back
The program was designed to send participating educators home with the skills, protocols and tools needed to implement instructional rounds in their learning environments.
The RE attendees said they had a great time and look forward to sharing their newfound knowledge at RE.
“Attending the Instructional Rounds Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education was both inspiring and rewarding," Sanchez said. "Collaborating with my Ransom Everglades colleagues to focus on teaching and learning highlighted the power of collective effort. Together, we explored how a shared vision can drive meaningful growth, strengthen instructional practices, and positively impact student outcomes.”
Merrick said the experience "highlighted the transformative potential of teacher-driven collaboration and reflective practice. At Ransom Everglades," she said, "we can empower our professional community to take the lead in observing, discussing, and refining instructional strategies, fostering a culture of shared expertise and continuous growth to enhance student learning."
Ellzey Mujica called the experience an "inspiring" one.
"[It] offered a unique opportunity to collaborate with educators from around the world on best practices in teaching and learning," she said. "As part of the program, we observed classes in local schools, engaging in thoughtful analysis and discussions with our teams to connect our observations to strategies that foster successful student outcomes. Through this enriching experience, we gained practical insights into how the collaborative practice of instructional rounds can enhance teaching and learning at RE."
And Monk added that he "really appreciated the structured approach of Instructional Rounds to ensure that classroom observations lead to meaningful insights and actions for the whole school. The process develops a shared understanding of effective teaching practices by identifying areas for improvement and focusing on collecting and analyzing evidence of what students are doing in their individual classes, across various departments and grade levels."
The RE attendees said they had a great time and look forward to sharing their newfound knowledge at RE.
“Attending the Instructional Rounds Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education was both inspiring and rewarding," Sanchez said. "Collaborating with my Ransom Everglades colleagues to focus on teaching and learning highlighted the power of collective effort. Together, we explored how a shared vision can drive meaningful growth, strengthen instructional practices, and positively impact student outcomes.”
Merrick said the experience "highlighted the transformative potential of teacher-driven collaboration and reflective practice. At Ransom Everglades," she said, "we can empower our professional community to take the lead in observing, discussing, and refining instructional strategies, fostering a culture of shared expertise and continuous growth to enhance student learning."
Ellzey Mujica called the experience an "inspiring" one.
"[It] offered a unique opportunity to collaborate with educators from around the world on best practices in teaching and learning," she said. "As part of the program, we observed classes in local schools, engaging in thoughtful analysis and discussions with our teams to connect our observations to strategies that foster successful student outcomes. Through this enriching experience, we gained practical insights into how the collaborative practice of instructional rounds can enhance teaching and learning at RE."
And Monk added that he "really appreciated the structured approach of Instructional Rounds to ensure that classroom observations lead to meaningful insights and actions for the whole school. The process develops a shared understanding of effective teaching practices by identifying areas for improvement and focusing on collecting and analyzing evidence of what students are doing in their individual classes, across various departments and grade levels."
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.