High school teachers are often grouped into departments both geographically and structurally for a variety of reasons. The most impactful benefit is to promote knowledge sharing within that specific teaching discipline. Teachers collaborate with other teachers within their immediate sphere of influence. While teachers in all departments have contact with each other formally during professional development and informally through daily routines and friendships, this high school structure can create a feeling of isolation for departments. Now consider the ramifications when an entire department is located in a separate building. In my first years of teaching, I observed several German teachers in the county and was committed to our county German PLT. However, it wasn't until my sixth year of teaching that I observed a BHS teacher from another subject. This in-house PD strategy added to my learning but also celebrated the skills of that observed teacher. (Fast forward 10 years to our initiative: #ObserveMe Week.
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