Winston Churchill High School
Professional Development Learning Menu
2010-2011
A Learning Menu is an instructional strategy designed to assist with student engagement as well as classroom
differentiation. Simply put, it provides choice. This classroom strategy has been adapted for this year’s
professional development plan. It has been designed to offer information on and support with a variety of
instructional strategies as well as opportunities for skill building, collaboration and reflection. The menu
choices were developed based on student data, feedback from teachers, Leadership Team discussions, and
Churchill’s School Improvement Plan goals for 2010-2011.
Appetizers: Choose Two Workshops
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Professional Development Plan (PDP) and Portfolio Development
Classroom Management Best Practices and Strategies
Differentiation Strategies
Recognizing and Addressing Anxiety in Students
Understanding the Complexity of Your Students’ Learning Challenges
Promoting Integrity in Your Classroom
Cross-Curricular Grade Level Discussions (9th grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, 12th grade)
College Board AP Training
Studying Skillful Teaching 1 or 2 (this choice counts as completing two workshops)
Main Course: All Must Dine
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Department meetings to identify and brainstorm rigorous instruction skills/strategies and
department specific follow up sessions on integrating the strategies into lessons
Peer Visit with Reflection—Peer observations allow teachers to enlist a colleague to help reflect
upon an specific aspect of their instructional repertoire. It provides a mechanism for reflection
and collegiality. This activity will be completed once a semester after attending the Introduction to
Peer Visits Workshop in September.
Workshop about How Teachers Can Support Students Through Stress, Anxiety, and Time
Management. This activity will be completed at a whole-staff monthly faculty meeting.
Desserts: Choose One Activity/Workshop
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Work on National Board Certification or Take One
Mentor a student: Attend a workshop on how to mentor a student. Mentor an ineligible student
for the school year.
Mentor a new teacher
Attend a Focus Group Discussion on Best Practices for Sponsoring Clubs
Video Tape one classroom lesson from bell to bell and reflect on what you see with your SDT or RT
Design and reflect on a lesson and/or assessment with your SDT, RT, or Media Specialist
Attend a WCHS Workshop on Producing Products for your Portfolio
Complete graduate course work (University or CPD) related to your teaching area/instruction and
share what you learned at a department meeting
Attend and/or present at a conference and share what you learned at a department meeting
Serve on an MCPS Committee
Share at a department meeting your best practices for creating a welcoming environment in your
classroom
Share at a department meeting a new instructional strategy you used in class and your reflection
on how it impacted students
Share at a department meeting information learned during summer coursework related to your
teaching area/instruction
Share at a department meeting strategies or information on an activity you used to teach at the
college level
Create Your Own (activity details must be given on your Submission Form)
Winston Churchill High School
Professional Development Learning Menu
Selection Descriptions
Appetizers: Choose Two Workshops
Workshops will be offered in room 124 at lunch and after school as flex-time.
Specific dates for each session will announced through email by October 1, 2010.
PDP and Portfolio Development
Learn about the process and how to write your Professional Development Plan (PDP) to support your own
growth and school initiatives. Learn about organizing and building your Professional Portfolio.
Classroom Management Best Practices and Strategies
Meet with other teachers to discuss your best practices and strategies for classroom management. Learn
about ways to establish a consistent routine, hold students accountable for their behaviors, and build on to
your repertoire of one-liners/phrases.
Differentiation Strategies
Discuss various strategies on how to reach all students’ learning preferences and styles. Learn about
strategies on how to differentiate your instruction.
Recognizing and Addressing Anxiety in Students
As a follow-up session to the faculty meeting about Student Stress/Anxiety, meet with other teachers and
counselors to discuss building relationships with students to support them through their adolescent years.
Identify signs of student stress and stress reduction techniques and strategies to reduce student anxiety.
Understanding the Complexity of Your Students’ Learning Challenges
Discuss the best practices to get maximum achievement from all students in your class. Learn about
considering the medical, emotional, and disabilities of your students and how to best handle these
situations.
Promoting Integrity in Your Classroom
Meet with colleagues to discuss how to promote student integrity and academic honesty in your classroom.
Share strategies, stories, and best practices.
Cross-Curricular Grade Level Discussions (9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade)
Meet with teachers from other departments who teach the same grade level students. Share best practices,
successes, challenges, and discuss students you share.
College Board AP Training
Attend a College Board sponsored AP Professional Development Course. See Luana Zimmerman or Ilyssa
Weiss for information on dates, locations, and registration.
Studying Skillful Teaching 1 or 2 (this choice counts as completing two workshops)
Register for the MCPS Studying Skillful Teaching Course through PDO in the Fall or Spring semester. The
course examines the knowledge base on teaching in such a way as to cultivate collegiality and
experimentation among participants. Teachers expand their repertoire of instructional strategies and
learn skills for effective peer support. If you complete this course it fulfills both of your Appetizer
requirements.
Professional Development Menu Choice Submission Forms are due to Ilyssa Weiss no later than
September 15, 2010. Choices can be amended at any time.
Professional Development Requirements are to be completed no later than April 30, 2011.
Questions/Concerns: Please see Ilyssa Weiss, SDT, in the room 124 or your Department RT.
2010-2011
Professional Development Learning Menu Choices
Submission Form
Return to Ilyssa Weiss’ mailbox or room 124 by September 15, 2010
Name: _____________________________________
Department: ___________________________________
Appetizers—Place a  in the box to select your TWO choices. You may choose more than
two; however, two is the minimum requirement.
PDP and Portfolio Development
Promoting Integrity in your Classroom
Classroom Management Best Practices/Strategies Cross-Curricular Grade Level Discussions
circle your grade level choice: 9 10 11 12
Differentiation Strategies
College Board AP Training
Recognizing and Addressing Anxiety in Students
Studying Skillful Teaching Course
Understanding the Complexity of Your Students
Desserts —Place a  in the box to select your ONE choice. You may choose more than one;
however, one is the minimum requirement.
National Board Certification or Take One
Graduate Coursework & present at Dept Mtg
Mentor a student workshop and mentoring
Attend Conference & present at Dept Mtg
Mentor a new teacher
Serve on MCPS Committee ____________________
Focus Group on Best Practices for Sponsoring
Share at Dept Mtg best practice for creating
a welcoming environment
Video Tape a lesson and reflect with SDT or RT
Share at Dept Mtg new instructional strategy
Design and reflect on a lesson with SDT, RT, or
Share at Dept Mtg information learned from
Media Specialist
summer coursework
Workshop on Producing Products for your Portfolio Share at a Dept Mtg best practice from your
teaching at the college level
Create Your Own—write the details below: