Classroom Learning Labs Training - A Reflection

On Monday and Tuesday last week, I was able to attend a workshop on becoming a facilitator of Classroom Learning Labs. Classroom Learning Labs is a protocol that allows educators to participate in deeper, more meaningful communication around the practices in their classrooms and their colleagues’ classrooms. Classroom Learning Labs involves a series of meetings and plans that allows for teachers to devise a plan and observe a colleague’s teaching practice, then have a positive reflection period after.

There are multiple roles in which that educators participate in. To begin, you will need to determine a facilitator or co-facilitators to oversee the process. The facilitator's’ role is to help the group maintain the process of the protocol. Next, you will need to locate a “host teacher.” The host teacher is who will be observed by the team. Next, you will need guest teachers that agree to come in and assist the host with a problem that they are having within their classroom.

To begin the protocol, about a week before the lesson, the facilitator(s) will meet with the host teacher to begin a planning process. During this process, the facilitator will ask questions that will keep the focus on the lesson in question. Next, the morning of, the entire group, facilitator(s), host teacher, and guest teachers will meet to discuss the plan and what the guests should be looking for. The focus here is on tangible evidence. Then, when the Classroom Learning Lab is in the classroom, the team will follow a set of norms on behavior that is set during the pre-meeting. After the observation of the lesson, there is a debrief session with different levels of sharing by all participants. After the conclusion of this debrief session, the facilitator and the host teacher set up and action plan and create a follow up plan.

Using this protocol, educators are able to ensure that they are doing a few great things for students. First, teachers are asked to reflect upon practice. This is something that is difficult and time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. This protocol allows for the reflection to happen authentically with colleagues to cement the ideas. Second, it allows for teachers to develop more thorough lines of communication focused on the education and nothing else. The beautiful part of the protocol is that it allows one to really focus on the present, and with the collection of evidence, what is actually in the classroom. This is a way that even staff members with difficulties or significant differences can assist in helping to focus on relationships between staff members. Finally, the protocol helps to identify the items that teachers can work on to improve their practice. Ultimately, that is the goal of the Classroom Learning Labs.

Classroom Learning Labs was described by the organizer as some of the best professional development that teachers can get. For instance, it is job embedded and completely applicable to their own classrooms. It allows teachers to be more reflective in their practice and improve, even if they are a guest teacher during the process. There is also a significant focus on communication, which helps in both personal and professional life. Overall, Classroom Learning Labs are something that will greatly assist and impact professional practice.