From Baltimore City Public Schools, December 2, 2021

Collaborative program has grown six-fold in three years

“The more adults that show time, compassion and instruction, the better students will flourish. Love isn’t always a hug – sometimes it’s extra work, a motivational push or a consequence – but the more that teachers work together, the more love we have to go around.”
 – David Carey, Multi-Classroom Leader in Opportunity Culture at Holabird Academy. 

Collaboration, encouragement, guidance, and support are pivotal for growth. When educators collaborate, students benefit. Two years ago, City Schools launched Opportunity Culture to help educators do just that. Since then, this unique program has expanded exponentially — from three Opportunity Culture Schools in 2019 to 20 this school year, now impacting 7,000 City Schools students supported by the collaboration of more than 150 educators. And several more City Schools principals are currently exploring bringing this program to their schools.

Opportunity Culture looks at school staffing differently by placing high-performing educators in leadership positions to collaborate, coach, support a small team of teachers, and extend excellent instruction to more students. These Multi-Classroom Leaders provide guidance, co-teaching, observation and feedback, best-practice modeling, instruction to students, and weekly coaching.  

For example, some groups may discuss innovative ways to encourage student participation in class. Others may explore integrating the arts in instruction to engage students differently. No matter the  discussions, they’re all intended to ensure students are getting the high quality education they deserve. Read more…