Connecting and communicating your ideas
Moving toward the simplicity of communication in schools is School Sphere. This program is similar to many human-centered digital platforms in that it helps its users fulfill their tasks better. In this case, the users are schools and the people in them, teachers, parents, and students. School Sphere moves these users closer to a state of simplicity in which they can better see what is going on in.​ As a peer often assisting colleagues in the navigation of digital tools, I sometimes experience their overwhelm and platform fatigue. Yet for all their promise and potential, multiple platforms can do far more harm than good.
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The goal of this learning strategy is to execute structured, engaging, and supportive learning experiences to integrate School Sphere into the daily practice of teachers and staff. We rely on this professional learning design to help ensure that all users of School Sphere develop a high level of confidence in using this new platform.
5 Key Principles of Effective PL
To ensure meaningful professional learning that actually translates into classroom and campus improvements, this strategy uses five research-based principles:
1. Sustained and Ongoing Development
Rather than one-off trainings, School Sphere PL is rolled out across a timeline that includes launch sessions, implementation support, and follow-up checkpoints to build comfort and confidence over time (Gulamhussein, 2013).
2. Support During Implementation
Campus leaders, digital learning coaches, and peer mentors will provide in-context help through modeling, Q&A forums, and PLC discussions — ensuring educators aren’t left to figure it out alone (TNTP, 2015).
3. Active Participation
PL sessions are hands-on and job-embedded. Participants engage with School Sphere through role-play, scenario-based activities, and team challenges that reflect real classroom needs (Desimone, 2009).
4. Modeling of Best Practices
In each session, facilitators will model key workflows like parent messaging, student check-ins, and calendar syncing — so participants don’t just hear it, they see it in action (Knight, 2007).
5. Discipline-Specific Focus
Training includes examples tailored to departments: classroom teachers, elective areas like Robotics or Theater, and front office staff — ensuring it’s relevant to each user’s workflow (Joyce & Showers, 2002).
Alternate PL Model: Go and Show
In my “Alternate PL: Call to Action” presentation, I introduced a Go and Show model. It replaces passive sit-and-get PD with a structure that focuses on doing, not just hearing. This model is especially effective for introducing new tools like School Sphere because it blends exploration with peer collaboration. Teachers will:
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See key features modeled
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Try tasks in real-time simulations
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Reflect with peers
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Apply immediately in class or communication tasks
Professional Learning Outline
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Intro to School Sphere – Overview of the problem it solves, tour of key tools.
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Hands-On Lab – Teachers set up their accounts, test features, and practice parent messaging.
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Feedback Roundtable – Troubleshooting common barriers with peer suggestions.
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Collaboration in Action – Groups design quick communication campaigns using School Sphere.
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Follow-Up Coaching – Office hours and drop-ins with digital learning support staff.
Audience and Their Needs
This PL Strategy is designed for:
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Teachers and Staff – Seeking one streamlined platform for school communication.
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Administrators – Looking for efficient ways to reach families and support teachers.
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Parents and Students – Indirect audience who benefit from simplified access to information.
Teachers are currently juggling multiple platforms (email, Remind, Google Classroom, etc.). This initiative reduces tech fatigue and brings everything into one tool. Sessions are paced to avoid overload, and modeled in a way that shows how it directly benefits teachers and families.
Leadership and Facilitation Roles
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Lead Facilitator (Me)
Introduce School Sphere, model core features, guide the PL sessions. -
Instructional Technology Coach
Provide 1:1 coaching and help during classroom implementation. -
PL Champions (Selected Teachers)
Model classroom use, lead team walkthroughs, share peer feedback.
Collaboration and Modeling
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Teacher-Led Demos of how they used School Sphere to streamline newsletters or behavior reports.
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Modeling Common Tasks like scheduling conferences or sending updates.
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Reflection Circles with guided prompts on what’s working and what to improve.
BHAG + 3 Column Table
Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG):
"To empower educators to streamline communication and strengthen school-community relationships by fully integrating School Sphere as a central hub for transparent, collaborative, and accessible school engagement."
Weeks 1-2
Weeks 3-6
Classroom use + coaching drop-ins
Weeks 7-8
Schedule & Timeline
Phase
Phase 1 - Launch
Phase 2 - Implement
Phase 3 - Reflect
Timeline
Activities
Intro session + hands-on Training
Feedback forum + next steps planning
Slide Decks & Resources
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Session 2 Slide Deck – Intro to School Sphere (Coming Soon)
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Session 3 Slide Deck – Hands-On Practice (Coming Soon)
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Session 4 Slide Deck – Reflection + Peer Coaching (Coming Soon)
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Resources
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Printable Tip Sheets
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School Sphere FAQ
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PL Journal Template
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Video Tutorials
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Final Thoughts
Launching a new digital tool like School Sphere is a big change, but this PL Strategy breaks it down into manageable steps with hands-on learning, peer support, and real-time modeling. By giving teachers voice and ownership in how they use it, we set the foundation for long-term adoption — not just compliance.
Collaboration and Modeling
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Teacher-Led Demos of how they used School Sphere to streamline newsletters or behavior reports.
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Modeling Common Tasks like scheduling conferences or sending updates.
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Reflection Circles with guided prompts on what’s working and what to improve.
References
Brown, D. (2023). Support staff in a school need professional learning too. Learning Forward. https://learningforward.org/journal/the-time-dilemma/support-staff-in-a-school-need-professional-learning-too/
Butzin, S. (2007, April 25). For technology to work, ‘sit & git’ model must go. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-for-technology-to-work-sit-n-git-model-must-go/2007/04
Desimone, L. M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers’ professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational Researcher, 38(3), 181–199. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X08331140
Duarte Inc. (2009, December 16). What are some tips for presentation design? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/hT9GGmundag?si=oZA5W3KCgu0YMpVV
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers: Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. https://www.basicknowledge101.com/pdf/teaching%20teachers%20Professional%20Development.pdf
Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (2002). Student Achievement Through Staff Development. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction. Corwin Press.
TNTP. (2015). The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development. http://tntp.org/publications/view/evaluation-and-development/the-mirageconfronting-the-truth-about-our-quest-for-teacher-development