While the first day of our Winter Professional Development focused on school updates, such as our upcoming WASC accreditation visit and department breakouts, the second two days were led by Tamara Thompson from Mockingbird Education. We invited program staff to join our school staff for these two days of Mockingbird Training, and it was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to come together and learn how to implement Mockingbird's strategies around teaching, coaching and mentoring vulnerable learners. Our staff members left reinvigorated and ready to start "peppering with purpose!" Read more about Mockingbird and check out photos from PD below!
Mockingbird Methodology
Grounded in over 70 years of research, the Mockingbird Methodology is a model for teaching, coaching, and mentoring students. The approach helps practitioners teach content while simultaneously coaching and mentoring students in cognitive and socio-emotional skills. Mockingbird Methodology recognizes the role that emotion, psychological, and social engagement play in the learning experience. Although the Methodology is appropriate for all learners, the approach targets the needs of vulnerable learners. Practitioners using the Methodology report the following changes in student behavior:
- Increase in Engagement And Participation
- Increase in Student Attention
- Increase in Motivation And, Self Esteem, And Confidence
Mockingbird's mission is simple…Help educators teach more effective and more consistently using practical, research-based strategies that address the WHOLE learner. It is a BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL approach to learning. It is grounded in research, but it is also grounded in the grit of real teachers, teaching really hard, getting real results with learners leading really difficult lives.
