Support, Mentoring, And Resources for Teachers (SMART): Classroom Cookbook TM
lynch school of education
In order to meet the growing challenge of teacher retention, the Lynch School of Education at Boston College is developing Classroom CookbookTM, an innovative professional development and mentoring program that will enable its graduates to grow as reflective practitioners who are skilled in the classroom and adept at negotiating and resolving dilemmas of practice and policy.
High teacher turnover diminishes the quality of students’ educational experiences and creates significant budget concerns for strained school districts. As a national leader in the field of education, the Lynch School recognizes that effective mentoring programs have the potential to increase teachers’ professional satisfaction and stem the flow of departures. In response, the school is developing Classroom CookbookTM through the Office of Practicum and Teacher Induction.
Classroom CookbookTM will be a unique and interactive web environment. Utilizing Web 2.0 and social networking tools, Classroom CookbookTM will provide participants with opportunities to search an extensive collection of lessons and standards-based instructional resources, rate and review posted resources, and share classroom materials and strategies. They can also reflect on the use of particular tools and engage in critical conversations with colleagues.
Unlike traditional one-on-one mentoring programs, Classroom CookbookTM will connect teachers whenever and wherever they are to a network of colleagues and to a wide range of high-quality curriculum and instructional materials that they can apply to daily practice. Preparation of high school English and history content is underway and these components will be piloted in 2012–13 by Lynch School students, graduates, faculty, and teachers in partner schools.
Online professional development communities hold great promise for supporting today’s teachers and the platform provided by Classroom CookbookTM may prove valuable to other institutions and universities. Throughout the development and piloting phases, the Lynch School is examining the effectiveness of the platform and identifying best practices for future replication and dissemination.
To learn more about Classroom CookbookTM, please contact Dr. Amy Ryan, associate director, Mentoring and Induction, at amy.ryan.2@bc.edu or Kathy Kuy, senior associate director, Corporate and Foundation Relations, at kathy.kuy@bc.edu.