Case Study: Professional Development for Teachers

Four adults looking at a computer screen

The New York State Department of Education created the EngageNY website to act as an online repository of high-quality video examples of teaching aligned to the new Common Core State Standards. SchoolWorks played a key role in identifying exemplary teachers to be featured on the site, and in monitoring the quality of content throughout production.

The Challenge
  • Develop exemplar videos of classroom instruction aligned to Common Core standards to be used for professional development
  • Feature high-performing teachers from every grade level, content area and region of the state, as well as school leadership
The Process
  • Develop a scouting process to identify and recruit teachers well-versed in the Common Core from more than 110 district statewide
  • Assemble a team of consultants with a broad range of expertise across different subject areas and grade levels to serve as “virtual coaches” during the production process
  • Work with teachers to identify and refine lesson plans, collaborating with NYSED officials to ensure they capture a specific element of the Common Core
  • Oversee content during filming and production
  • Identify the most important footage to include in each lesson during the editing process
  • Ensure that resulting videos are of high quality and aligned with the principles of Common Core instruction
The Results
  • More than 150 educators in 20 districts were filmed, yielding more than 200 video clips for EngageNY
  • The website emerged not only as a key resource for New York teachers, but also as one of the nation’s leading Common Core resources
Dates: 2013 – 2015

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