Networking > Communities Of Practice > Professional Development Community of Practice

PEJE is delighted to be launching the Professional Development Community of Practice (PD CoP) in cooperation with the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University. We are reaching out to school-based professionals with responsibility for the ongoing development of faculty in day schools (e.g., head of school, principal, supervisor, department chair, etc.). Members will address topics determined by their shared needs, interests, and concerns. Their phone-based and online discussions will use protocols for sharing information, solving problems, reporting on results, and exchanging resources. Between calls, members will try out new practices back at their schools.

The ultimate goal of the PD CoP is to build our capacity to make day schools a learning community not only for students, but also for professionals. Together we will explore effective professional development strategies, as well as the factors that promote or hinder success. Four important assumptions will guide our community. First, the quality of teacher learning in a school impacts the quality of student learning. Second, an openness to learning and collegial respect are the hallmarks of an effective community. Third, we build out capacity through an ongoing cycle of sharing, implementing, and reflecting. Fourth, the success of our community will depend on your commitment to ongoing participation.

As a member of the CoP, you will have opportunities to participate in monthly hour-long conference calls by logging in to a Web-based conferencing system and calling in on a toll free number. Between calls, you can use the online discussion forum to share resources, discuss problems of practice, share results of those practices tried with staff at school, and generate new ideas.

The facilitator for the PD CoP is Pearl Mattenson. As a day school principal and BJE staff member, she developed and implemented a variety of school-based PD programs. In addition, Pearl helped to create two pre-service teacher education programs for day schools and most recently served as the co-director of the Mandel Center's Induction Partnership, a project designed to enable day schools to offer comprehensive induction to novice teachers.

If you are interested in joining the PD CoP, please send an email to Pearl Mattenson, CoP Facilitator. In addition, please feel free to pass this on to other PD leaders in your school. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Pearl Mattenson, CoP Facilitator.

Special Thanks

PEJE expresses its gratitude to the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University for its very generous support of this CoP.

Conference Call Information

Topics to be explored: Change Leadership, Induction, Structures that Support PLC's
Thursday May 22, 2008 12:00 Eastern

Topic: Review of End of Year Survey Results and Planning for '08-'09
Tuesday June 17th, 2008 12:00 Eastern

For more information, email Pearl Mattenson, CoP Facilitator

Conference Call PowerPoint Presentations

• From Professional Development to Teaching Excellence One School's Journey
  February 25, 2008, Rabbi Larry Scheindlin, Leslie Trask, Sinai Akiba Academy, Los Angeles, CA (Guest)
• MFE Professional Growth and Renewal: An Expanded View
  January 14, 2008, Chip Snowden, Senior Consultant, Independent School Management (ISM) (Guest)
• Implementing ISM's Meaningful Faculty Evaluation Process at Chabad Hebrew Academy
  December 17, 2007, Dr. Linda Kelley, Head of School, Chabad Hebrew Academy of San Diego (Guest)
• Sustained Professional Development Initiatives: A Look at One School's Approach
  October 24, 2007, Karen Feller, Head of School, Donna Klein Jewish Academy (Guest)