Teachers Serve Up Tasty Teaching Treats at AISM's TNT Cafe

Collaboration is "da bomb" at AISM's TNT Cafe.  Launched last year by mathematics coach and teacher Francois McCurdy, the goal of the effort is for teachers to help each other in ways both big and small.  If you haven't guessed by now, TNT stands for teachers nurturing teachers.  

Francois wanted to foster a positive, collaborative environment among the professional teachers at AISM. The idea was start slow.  Begin with a group of teachers as a demonstration group and let it grow from there.  He wanted it to be engaging and organic.  This isn't mandated professional development.  Instead it is acknowledging good teaching when it is seen, either when directly observing a teacher in action or indirectly when someone happens upon something particularly interesting.  The ultimate would be to have a teacher's lesson videotaped and critiqued by fellow teachers.  There were many possible ways teachers could help each other, literally a menu of options.

Francois consulted with the communications office and brainstormed ideas.  And it was in the brainstorming of possible ways to frame the idea, that the idea of the TNT Cafe was born.  Graphics came next.  From there, the idea of the menu and the naming of items gave way to even more creative ideas.  

This year, teachers have already given each other a "Pat on the Slack" for wonderful creativity in the design of a lesson.  Sweet Tweets have gone out for an intriguing math prompt (teacher talk for the part of a lesson that helps students in an interesting way).  Even teachers who have creating an interesting virtual classroom have received special recognition from their colleagues.  At a time when teachers do not see one another directly, this is an effective method of simple, cost-effective professional development. 

The TNT Cafe is still new, but based on the early reviews, it is clear that it sates the appetites of all who have visited.