Customized Sessions

In addition to more traditional “workshop style” professional development, MindWing also offers Classroom Demonstrations, Coaching, Trainer/Mentor Program and Home Connection (Parent/Guardian Mini-Workshops). These customized sessions can be arranged as part of initial training or as follow up professional development.
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Classroom Demonstrations

Many educators learn best by observing a particular instructional approach being conducted with their own student population. During classroom demonstrations, a MindWing presenter conducts lessons using MindWing’s methodology and tools in classrooms in that school district, while participants in that Professional Development observe the lesson. In weeks prior to the classroom demonstrations, the school district shares with MindWing the grade and ability level of the students in each of the sessions. A typical day of classroom demonstrations involves the MindWing presenter conducting 3 different lessons with 3 different groups of students. Between each lesson, there is time for the presenter to meet with the PD participants to discuss the lesson.
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Coaching

Another customized session with MindWing involves coaching sessions with Professional Development participants. Coaching sessions usually involve fewer than ten participants and are designed for targeted work with the MindWing Presenter. During a day of coaching sessions, a MindWing presenter may observe, assess and provide feedback for individual educators or teams of educators conducting lessons using MindWing’s methodology. Another option for the coaching session is to have a MindWing presenter participate in a “think tank” or brainstorming session with a small group of participants to discuss plans and challenges specific to their school district goals, curriculum and initiatives regarding the implementation of MindWing’s methodology.
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Trainer/Mentor Program*

MindWing’s Trainer/Mentor workshop is an in-depth, higher level of professional development on MindWing’s cognitive-linguistic methodology, using MindWing’s child-friendly materials. The select group of participants (who have already been initially trained in MindWing’s methodology) is small in size which allows for MORE interaction, discussion, analysis, guided practice and demonstration.
The ultimate goal of MindWing’s Trainer/Mentor Program is for long-term school system implementation whereby MindWing’s materials are purchased to expand use by more staff members, and the school system has on-site Trainer/Mentors to provide staff development in order to:

Insure staff implementation of MindWing’s instructional materials & methodology with fidelity
Improve quality of instruction related to State Standards and curriculum goals
Monitor Progress of student outcomes to insure student academic achievement & success
Gain support and cooperation school principals and show how to utilize feedback from Trainer to inform instruction of her/his staff

How will MindWing’s Trainer/Mentor Program accomplish these goals?

The goals will be accomplished through Trainers’ expertise, observation, training, mentoring & feedback.

Expertise:

The professional development will help trainers refine their skills in:

MindWing’s Theory (the Strands of language, building blocks of language)
MindWing’s Research-Base (articles/related quotes)
MindWing’s relationship to literacy: oral language, listening & reading comprehension, writing, drawing, play, critical thinking, social-emotional development
Narrative Stages of Development
Use of Braidy the StoryBraid™ and Story Grammar Marker® tools & East Meets West™
Critical Thinking Triangle™ & Perspective Taking
The Writing Process using Talk to Write, Write to Learn™
MindWing’s Data Collection and Progress Monitoring Process™
Response to Intervention – Where MindWing’s methodology fits in!
Differentiating Instruction - focus on ASD, ELL, Early Childhood, LLD, etc.

Observation:

Trainers will receive MindWing’s Narrative Observation Protocol which will be used for observing staff doing lessons with MindWing’s tools and help Trainers to design training and mentoring tasks and goals.

Training:

Trainers will receive a Training Handbook, PowerPoint CD-Rom & DVD for providing in-service with a consistent message for all sections of school staff. Trainers will be required to send MindWing a 10 minute video of a segment of the Trainer providing staff development. (Due date TBD)

Mentoring:

Trainers will observe the presenter modeling and providing feedback and guided practice. This is the technique MindWing encourages Trainers to use with staff. Trainers will be required to send MindWing a 10 minute video of a lesson co-taught with a member of the staff who the Trainer is mentoring. (Due date TBD)

Feedback:

MindWing’s presenter will provide feedback on videos submitted. MindWing will contract for annual follow-up training as time & budget allows.

* MindWing’s Trainer/Mentor program is designed for participants who have received training by MindWing Concepts and have worked with the instructional materials in the classroom or in therapy. The intention is that school districts will purchase MindWing’s patented, copyrighted materials & utilize the Trainers to expand use of the methodology throughout the school district. (MindWing is currently working on production of training videos for use in assisting the Trainers in in-servicing staff. These videos are expected to be produced for the ‘09-’10 school year).
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Home Connection; Parent/Guardian Involvement=Student Achievement

As another customized session of Professional Development, MindWing offers a Parent/Guardian Mini-Workshop. This workshop can be provided in tandem with another session of Professional Development, to be held in the evening and it lasts 1-2 hours. This workshop will give parents/guardians working knowledge of MindWing’s methodology so that they can support what and how their child is learning in school. Parents/Guardians will also learn how to use MindWing’s tools to guide family conversations, help their children “make connections,” resolve conflicts and solve problems at home.

Why is the Home Connection an important part of Professional Development?

According to the National Education Association (NEA), parents must be actively involved in order to insure a child’s success in school. Research indicates that a child’s educational experience is enhanced when a parental figure is involved. “In study after study, researchers discover how important it is for parents to be actively involved in their child's education. Here are some of the findings of major research into parental involvement:

When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school — and the schools they go to are better.
The family makes critical contributions to student achievement from preschool through high school. A home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background.
Reading achievement is more dependent on learning activities in the home than is math or science.
Reading aloud to children is the most important activity that parents can do to increase their child's chance of reading success. Talking to children about books and stories read to them also supports reading achievement.
When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform better academically.
Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher student achievement: actively organizing and monitoring a child's time, helping with homework and discussing school matters.
The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child's educational process, the more powerful the effects.
Positive results of parental involvement include improved student achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children's schooling.”
- www.nea.org
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