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Schools

Riverwood Principal Says New Teacher Training Program Speaks to Changing Times

The new program the Sandy Springs high school focuses on interactive learning.

 

Riverwood International Charter School principal Chris Triolo has announced the launch of new long-term strategic initiative for professional development that is already transforming the learning experience of Riverwood students.

The Teaching for Excellence program trains educators through a comprehensive approach to teaching with proven results. Triolo has set a goal of reaching every student on every learning level through the program which boasts success in engaging and motivating students and producing high performance.

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Founded in 1994, the team at Peak Learning Systems has spent over 40 years researching and developing the PEAK (Performance Excellence for All Kids) Teaching for Excellence Model.

In a nutshell, Teaching for Excellence (TFE) represents a new paradigm that shifts classroom learning from traditional lecture style to a concentration on student mastery of the subject through hands-on, interactive learning. And through new assessment techniques, students are able to identify their gaps in learning and revisit material as they work toward mastery.

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“TFE provides teachers with a set of tools to help transform their practice from being teacher-centered to student-centered,” Triolo says. “Simply put, we are teaching our teachers how to be better coaches.”

This past summer, two RICS teachers and an administrator were sent to a week-long, immersion program in Colorado, and during the fall semester, 23 other faculty members have been trained on site as part of a plan to have all 100 Riverwood educators become master teachers in the method. Several have seen immediate positive results in student performance and attitude toward learning, which has galvanized the environment among the faculty.

“This is a different day and age. It’s not just about acquiring but applying information,”Triolo said. 

The Riverwood Foundation has pledged to fund Triolo’s long-term initiative through a major campaign. For more information about the campaign, visit http://riverwoodfoundation.org/

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