Leveling Up: Advent's Commitment to Teacher Growth
The Advent School sets itself apart by fostering a mentorship and leadership culture that ensures every teacher's continued growth, especially those new to the Advent community.
A school's success can hinge on the support and development it provides its educators. Amanda Behen, Dean of Pedagogy & Practice, knows that supported teachers are the foundation for a thriving school culture. Behen is one Department of Teaching & Learning (DTL) member who coaches faculty in building meaningful relationships with their co-teachers and colleagues.
Fifth Grade teacher Teagan X. Williams shares a moment of discovery with a student.
Entering a new teaching environment can be both exciting and challenging. That's why Advent created intentional circles of support—the New to Advent (NTA) Cohort, Teacher Growth Cycle, mentorship program, and coaching cycles—to bolster faculty members at any career stage.
Nurturing Growth in the First Few Years
Advent's mentorship program pairs new teachers with experienced mentors for one to two years. This intentional approach allows newcomers to acclimate to the unique culture of Advent while mentors provide guidance, share insights, and create a supportive environment for professional growth.
PE teacher Alex Smith joined Advent this year and was paired with a veteran teacher as his mentor.
"Participating in Advent’s mentorship program has been very helpful in my first few months at the school," reflects Smith. "Meeting with my mentor helps me grow as a teacher and feel more a part of the Advent community."
Faculty members who are new to Advent join the New to Advent (NTA) cohort, regardless of the length of their teaching career. Before the school year starts, NTA members gather for the first time, building trust before monthly meetings throughout the academic year. These sessions explore different aspects of teaching at Advent, from co-teaching practices to understanding the Reggio approach, ensuring that new teachers feel equipped to navigate the coming year with their students. NTA is for grade-level teachers and Specialists.
At the monthly NTA meetings, members may celebrate a successful math lesson or explore an aspect of teaching and learning, like observing different grade levels or discussing documentation.
The cohort meets before Parent/Caregiver & Teacher Conferences and before progress report writing.
"New to Advent is a place where you can ask all the questions," Behen says. "You have a group of people who are also new, and you all are learning from each other." Behen facilitates the cohort, which has been running for over ten years.
The ABCs of Advent's Teacher Growth Cycle
One distinctive feature of The Advent School's commitment to teacher development is the Teacher Growth Cycle. This comprehensive three-year cycle, managed by Assistant Head of School Dr. Le'Aqua Pruitt, Upper School Division Head Erik Wormwood, and Lower School Division Head Claire Price, encompasses Year A, Year B, and Year C, each with its own unique focus on professional development.
Faculty member Sam Jonas works with a student during a small group lesson.
Year A initiates a comprehensive 360-degree review, inviting colleagues and administrators to provide feedback on a teacher's strengths and growth areas. This collaborative approach sets the stage for a culture of continuous improvement.
"When we sit with faculty to review their 360, they have all this feedback," Price says. "They have their own reflections, too, and everyone remarks on how seen and heard they feel."
Year B emphasizes partnership and goal-setting. Teachers work on specific curriculum goals like enhancing instructional routines or deepening connections between Specialists and classroom curricula.
Year C encourages teachers to put their learning into practice by making tangible connections between their stated goals from Year B and project work. This hands-on approach, documented and shared with the faculty, ensures that professional development is not just theoretical but applied in the actual classroom setting.
Wormwood says, "The [Year C] end product is more than just documentation. You're reflecting and putting things into practice. When you share out at a faculty meeting, it's professional development for the presenter, too."
Support at Any Stage
A new initiative was launched in 2023: coaching cycles. Faculty at any career stage can sign up for a four- to six-week coaching cycle led by a DTL member.
"Coaching cycles are for growing in a particular aspect of teaching," says Behen. "We meet, co-plan, and evaluate, and it's a way for teachers to deepen their practice or get support in a single area." Coaching empowers teachers to make end-game decisions by providing tools, resources, and strategies.
During coaching cycles, Behen focuses on the global classroom picture. Dean of Student Success and Belonging Natacha Shillingford P'28 coaches faculty on social justice and individual student academic success, while School Counselor Nick Packard, LICSW, RPT™, focuses on social-emotional topics.
Spanish teacher Maria Acuña thoughtfully integrates technology into a First Grader’s Spanish class.
Outcomes & Impact
The Advent School's leadership programs have yielded transformative outcomes for its educators. The school has created a teacher community that continually pushes itself by providing ongoing professional development that focuses on growth rather than only evaluation.
The outcomes are that teachers feel seen, heard, and valued in an environment encouraging experimentation and risk-taking. The tangible results are evident in the curriculum improvements, innovative instructional practices, and a community that thrives on the shared commitment to supporting all learners.
"Learning time for teachers is learning time for students. The better equipped our teachers are is a benefit for our students," says Dr. Pruitt.
