Why does the Lycée Français de New York place so much importance on professional learning (PD) for teachers? What does PD look like at the Lycée? How does teacher innovation impact the lives of our students? These questions often come up when I meet colleagues new to the school each August.
The answer is simple: professional learning encourages a growth mindset among faculty and staff while promoting a culture of curiosity and innovation across the Lycée, including for our students. It also supports the Lycée’s educational priorities : notably Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging, Sustainability, 21st Century/Digital Skills, Health and Wellness.
We expect all Lycée students to benefit from challenging, rigorous, and motivating learning experiences. Thus, we offer internal and external professional development, including grants, coaching, faculty-led workshops and partnerships, for teachers and staff to thrive in a culture of ongoing growth as lifelong learners.
Professional learning begins for teachers in August with a week or two (for new staff) of collaboration, training, and on-boarding. These learning experiences are extended throughout the year with monthly PD sessions, workshops and professional learning communities that meet on-demand.
Peer-to-Peer Growth Coaching
The growth coaching initiative has been a catalyst for student-centered practices and innovation. This year, 50 teachers and Primary assistants are supported by a growth coach from within our teaching team. The coaches facilitate reflection on an objective they define together to deepen their own learning about best practices and innovation in the classroom. The chart below outlines the main areas our teachers are working on this year.
Impact in the Classroom
Here are just a few examples of growth coaching in action in the classroom!
- In Preschool, students are receiving support to express their emotions in healthy ways.
- Fourth graders are studying the work of Leonardo da Vinci to create models in interdisciplinary projects that challenge them to design and test prototypes.
- Primary students will learn to code so they can participate in the Lycée’s annual night of coding.
- German language students are engaged in planning and designing their upcoming exchange trip to Berlin.
- In the Secondary, students can take advantage of tutorials in TinkerCad to further develop skills to create in the Makerspace.
- Secondary students are benefiting from initiatives that encourage them to enter English composition writing contests to apply their skills to address a public beyond our community.
Research Grants Advance Transformative Initiatives
Through its own program of summer and yearlong leadership grants, the Lycée supports faculty research related to classroom innovation and leadership projects designed to advance transformative initiatives at the Lycée. This year’s grantees are :
- Camille Barré, Secondary Science Teacher, “Défi 2 Tonnes: Quantifier l’impact carbone de nos choix” (“The 2-Ton Challenge: Measuring the Carbon Footprint of Our Choices”).
- Ashley Benic & Brittney Kugler, Elementary English Teachers, “Supporting Student Well-Being During Challenging Times”
- Sylvie Ozon, Secondary Science Teacher, “Connaître son cerveau pour mieux apprendre” (“Understanding the Brain to Become Better Learners”)
- Jennifer Jacquet, Secondary Math Teacher, “Skills-Based Teaching & Learning” (“Enseigner et Apprendre par Compétences“)
- Leadership Grant: James Charrel, Secondary Computer Science Teacher, “The Metaverse: Implications for Teaching & Learning”
Local and International Partnerships
Lycée educators have the opportunity to be part of a rich ecosystem of professional partnerships, which benefit from our connections to New York and France. The AEFE, NYSAIS, the Academy for Teachers, and additional organizations, provide cutting-edge learning resources and networking opportunities for our colleagues.
- Secondary students explore the potential of artificial intelligence from Alexandre Sivera, who was chosen by the Academy for Teachers to participate in an AI seminar with pioneering scholars.
- All faculty and staff participated in multiple trainings with Visions, INC to develop cross-cultural communication skills, to learn to identify and overcome implicit bias, all with a goal of fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging for each other and our students.
- As part of her Lycée grant, Sylvie Ozon participates in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Teacher-Scholar Program for teachers at the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia.
- Primary students appreciate the story-telling of graphic narratives from Kim Goldfarb, who was selected by the Academy for Teachers to join a master class with published authors who shared their craft with teachers.
About the Author :
Arthur Plaza holds a Ph.D in History and French Studies from New York University. He also studied at Sciences-Po and was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to conduct research in France in 2004-2005. Part of his research was published in the collective volume entitled “Politiques de la laïcité au XXe siècle” (PUF, 2007). In addition, he has been an editorial assistant at the scholarly journal, French Politics, Culture & Society.