Faculty
BVR faculty are committed to the art & science of teaching. Educational practices are always evolving (or, they should be), so there is a fluidity to how we approach teaching. We are continuously re-examining and rethinking our approach to teaching and learning.
Educational practices should constantly evolve, so our teaching approach is fluid. We are continuously reexamining and rethinking our approach to Teaching for Learning based on what is happening in the world right now (think generative AI, for instance), who our students are, and their needs. This is just one example of what we mean by meeting our students where they are, not where we think they should be.
Professional Learning
When it comes to professional learning, we believe teachers should have an active role in identifying, designing, and carrying out their professional development, and we invest in those opportunities.
The BVR Institute is at the core of our professional learning approach. It is where we keep reimagining how we expand the nature of school, and includes the following programming.
This series focuses on continuous improvement, reflection, and sharing, and we collaborate with students—asking them for feedback on our teaching practice to help focus on growth, deeper learning, and engagement. In other words, these workshops are real co-learning labs that allow us to know what our students need and how they learn so we can meet them where they are.
September 2024 Workshops
Drawing Inspiration from a True Story
Drawing Inspiration from a True Story
(Sharing Practice) In this brief overview of Ethan Winglass’s Fresh Ink grade short story unit, you’ll hear how the partnership between one teacher, in his first year teaching at Beaver, and Chief Engagement and Inclusion Officer Delonte Egwuatu explored issues of identity and social justice with 7th graders.Ungrading: Students Input on When, Why, and How they Learn
Ungrading: Students Input on When, Why, and How they Learn
(Assessment and Feedback Practices) Let’s talk about how to involve students in the grading process. Spoiler alert: it is called ungrading, but there can be a grade at the end of the term!Beyond the Grade: Effective Feedback Strategies in Canvas
Beyond the Grade: Effective Feedback Strategies in Canvas
(Assessment and Feedback Practices) Let’s dive into the exciting world of providing impactful feedback to students using Canvas. We’ll unpack a recent R+D edtech collaboration with Russell Bollag-Miller, exploring how to create quick personalized video screencast recordings in Canvas SpeedGrader.Listening to Understand
Listening to Understand
(Skills for Social impact & Civic Engagement) Learning about issues of social justice, leading for social impact, and healthy civic engagement go hand-in-hand with the teaching and practice of skills that help students responsibly engage with others. First stop, Listening for Connection and Understanding. Join us to take part in a fun, yet challenging activity students in one of our MS Hiatt Institute workshops participated in last year. The exercise is practical and easy to integrate with students in all disciplines.October 2024 Workshops
Making Learning Accessible to All
Making Learning Accessible to All
(Universal Design for Learning): Do you ever wonder if and how students are learning in your class? Come and discuss practical strategies rooted in and backed by neuroscience and the learning brain.Repair, Resolve, Restore: Conflict Resolution
Repair, Resolve, Restore: Conflict Resolution
(Social Emotional Learning and Teaching) Participants will develop an understanding of the “Repair, Resolve, Restore” conflict resolution approach. This restorative step-by-step approach can help guide individuals when a particular conflict or harm occurs.Designing with a purpose: Effective homework assignments
Designing with a purpose: Effective homework assignments
(Differentiation and equitable practices) In this workshop, we will learn about what Beaver students share regarding homework, wellbeing, stress, and sleep; we will also look at the purpose of homework and the elements to keep in mind when designing effective assignments.Navigating Difficult Conversations
Navigating Difficult Conversations
Workshop a scenario in which students are at odds over how to address the candidates’ policies. Continue to practice strategies to create an inclusive classroom environment where students are to engage in meaningful civil discourse, no matter what their views are.December 2024 Workshops
Adaptability
Adaptability
(Hiatt Skills) Join us to explore the eight key behaviors that define adaptability and experience a hands-on activity designed to help your students develop self-awareness about their strengths and growth areas, both individually and collectively, on their journey to becoming more adaptable.Making the curriculum relevant and meaningful to kids
Making the curriculum relevant and meaningful to kids
(Curriculum Design and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy) As teachers, we have the privilege and the charge to create experiences that inspire students to come to understand something that is personally meaningful to them. In this workshop, we’ll consider why facilitating engaging experiences is so important and brainstorm ways to make it happen in our classes.AI & Us: Navigating the Future of Human-AI Collaboration
AI & Us: Navigating the Future of Human-AI Collaboration
(AI) Join us for an engaging panel discussion exploring the evolving landscape of human-AI collaboration in education. This session will feature perspectives from middle/high school students and educators.What is AI?
What is AI?
(AI) Learn the fundamentals of AI, how it actually works, and a bit about the history of AI, to better be able to navigate using AI and understand its inherent capabilities and limitations.Another part of the Institute is our BVR Professional Learning Days, which occur after winter and spring breaks. These days are an opportunity for faculty and staff to hear from experts, share practices, and collaborate on next practices.
Faculty and staff meet across grades and disciplines to share and discuss current teaching and learning practices. Working as an idea incubator, our PD days allow for deeper, more meaningful conversations on what and how we teach and what and how students learn at Beaver. Our PD Days, alongside our RT4L Workshop Series, foster a culture of continuous improvement where we can imagine and innovate on what’s next for teaching and learning at Beaver.
As part of our PD Days, we also hosted our Future FocusED conference on expanding the nature of the school.
In January 2025—after winter break— the theme of our PD day was Belonging and featured hands-on workshops as well as instructional strategies from experts in the field.
Beyond the Institute, to help put our learning theories into practice every day, we have teams—including our Instructional Design Coaches, the Research + Design Center team, and the Hiatt Center team— dedicated to collaborating with and supporting our faculty and where innovation in teaching and learning takes shape. This collaborative culture ensures our teachers have access to the ever-evolving tools and techniques critical to being an extraordinary educator. By being in tune with new advancements in teaching, our faculty is empowered to try new things to help students push themselves in a well-supported environment.
Our students are being led by best-in-class faculty. We consistently hear feedback from our partners and colleges who are increasingly impressed with Beaver students’ creative mindset and determination.
Beaver Faculty Feedback