“The people at Park do not pay lip service to excellence, they live it.” - Former Head of School Thomas Fulton (1987-1990) This past November, the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) presented an inaugural Teaching & Learning Conference in Buffalo, thanks in part to the influence of Park administrators. The goal was to encourage peer-to-peer learning, increase collaboration between independent schools, and bring renowned leaders in independent education to Western New York. Our entire faculty joined hundreds of educators from around the state for a day of professional development - planned in part by our Head of Middle School Amy DiChristina - featuring two keynote addresses and a series of selected workshops, including the following two by Park faculty. “One of my favorite moments was workshopping with the other teachers who signed up for our session. We answered questions and helped brainstorm ideas, and many people were generally excited and impressed. It was great to realize that something we do so frequently at Park was seen as so inspiring and unique to those from many schools throughout the state.” - Dr. Anderson Utilizing Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning As Assessment by Dr. Amber Anderson and Kyle Polaske This session argues that project-based learning can be a useful tool in assessing learning outcomes, and boosts student engagement through creativity and ownership. Creative project based learning and collaboration, either across disciplines or grade levels, can provide unique ways for students to engage with, and retain, material. Assessment and Reflection as a Teaching Tool by Caitlin Littlefield In this workshop, we walked through some assessment tools and workflows that can lessen student assessment anxiety, clarify outcomes/expectations, and provide students with a routine to help make learning explicit and self-motivated. By synthesizing the work and experience of many educators, this workshop introduced a method for helping students accurately self-assess, and see their growth. 14 Teaching & Learning Conference
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