Guest teachers are more than just substitutes at District 123, so it’s important that they are equipped with the necessary tools and strategies to make for a successful day of learning when they fill in for the classroom teacher.
District 123 hosted another successful Guest Teacher Institute Day with a professional learning experience on Friday, Oct. 17 to provide guest educators with tactics for a successful and meaningful day in the classroom. D123 hosts two training sessions each school year during the Friday of Fall and Spring Family Conferences.
This year, the Guest Teacher presentation focus areas cover the benefits of setting clear expectations and implementation strategies to support guest teachers in various settings. Additionally, the main emphasis will be placed upon engagement and motivation strategies and how they look different from simply nurturing a culture of compliance. When reinforcing a culture that moves beyond simple compliance, we develop intrinsic motivation and students begin to take a genuine interest in their own investment in learning.
"As an Instructional Coaching Team, we believe it is important to support all educators in our system, so that disruption to learning is minimized when a colleague is out for the day. Supporting our guest teachers two times per year ensures that they feel like a part of our D123 family, and helps to equip them with the same level of individualized support that our staff receives each day." Michelle Gustafson, Allison Olivarez, and Colleen Koch.