Lake Harriet Community School Upper and Lower campus teachers are spending this year learning how to develop levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 of service for our advanced learner students as well as how to differentiate their instruction to better meet the needs of all learners. We are doing this in partnership with the MPS Talent Development Department. Most of the staff will spend this year working in teams and will have the opportunity to receive the MPS Advanced Learner Certificate. Lake Harriet Community School’s primary emphasis in professional development this year is to increase our capacity to differentiate instruction so that all students will make a year’s growth this school year.

This is what the professional development looks like for teachers:

Minneapolis Public Schools offers a professional development program to train and support educators interested in talent development, advanced learners and differentiated curriculum & instruction. This certificate is recognized within the Minneapolis Public Schools.

To earn the MPS Talent Development Certificate, participants must complete:

• Two required courses (12 hours total - completed in August):
  • Introduction to Talent Development in MPS
  • Foundations in Advanced Learner Education
• Additional 18 hours of elective courses
• A classroom visit and coaching session
• Portfolio presenting evidence of competencies

Participants will work with other teachers to synthesize theory into practice. All courses align with and support the SOEI (Standards of Effective Instruction – the teacher evaluation tool).

Participants will:

• Recognize the unique cognitive and affective needs of advanced learners
• Assess and nurture all students’ interests and strengths
• Use data to plan appropriately challenging learning experiences
• Utilize depth and complexity to differentiate content
• Effectively use instructional methods that foster critical and creative thinking
• Manage a differentiated classroom that encourages small group instruction, student collaboration and independence.

The vision of the MPS Talent Development and Advanced Learner Education Certificate is as follows: All students recognize and develop their talents as a result of enrichment and appropriately challenging learning opportunities.