Supporting components address organizational conditions of teaching and schooling. They are prerequisites to change in classroom behaviors. These components include professional development, administrative leadership and development, resources, and governance.

Professional Development

Professional development is an essential, on-going process that creates a collaborative school environment fostering student achievement.

Study Groups

Study groups serve as an infrastructure to spur professional development and enable educators to share and exchange innovative teaching methods and ideas with each other. This forum allows for continuous dialogue and interaction designed to provide support such as mentoring, peer-coaching, professional presentations, and the like.

What are Study Groups

Study Group Agenda

Study Group Logs

Cooperative Learning

Initially, study groups have focused on cooperative learning structures and the 4MAT model of instruction. Once teachers feel proficient in these areas, other instructional strategies will be selected as the study-group focus. Study group kits are available for loan from some local conference Offices of Education and from the Southern Union Media Center. Kits may also be purchased on-line from the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development website.

Additional On-going Systematic Activities

Effective professional development should also include additional activities such as:

· attending seminars, workshops, and professional conventions

· membership and participation in professional organizations

· maintaining appropriate teaching certification

· observing other teachers and other school programs

· professional presentations

· professional reading

· studying for advanced degrees

Administrative Leadership and Development
Administrators at the union and local conference, principals and school boards all play a very important role in implementing the Adventist EDGE. They must collaborate to set a clear vision for realizing Adventist EDGE goals and work with pastors to promote and support Adventist Christian education.

Leaders must:

· communicate the Adventist EDGE vision to teachers,
prospective employees, families, and constituents

· identify curriculum resources that support
Adventist EDGE goals

· provide needed resources to fund school improvement
initiatives

· provide time and resources for effective, on-going
staff development for teachers and administrators

· evaluate the effectiveness of Adventist EDGE initiatives

Resources

Materials
To support the changes in curriculum and instruction called for in the Adventist EDGE, a variety of resources from primary and secondary sources will need to be provided. Textbooks, therefore, will no longer drive the curriculum, but will serve as one of many resources teachers use to develop Southern Union standards-based lesson plans.

The following elements should be considered when selecting material.

1. Materials are aligned with Adventist EDGE standards and Journey to Excellence goals.
2. Instructional goals are stated clearly in terms of what students should know and be able to do.
3. Materials make connections within and across content areas.
4. Formal and informal assessment practices are integrated into instruction.
5. Materials provide opportunities for students to practice using knowledge in different ways.
6. Materials allow for a variety of activities that address different learning styles.
7. Materials are research-based and proven effective.