PART OF what makes Granger High such an exceptional place for students is the group of teachers that work endlessly to ensure their pupils are being educated in the best way possible. There is always room for improvement, and because of this, Granger teachers constantly strive to do better and make sure they are teaching in a way that allows their students to learn as much as possible. One opportunity for them to expand on this was to participate in the teacher training that took place in the Alumni Room last month.

Lead by Granger’s three instructional coaches, Ms. Webb, Ms. Watkins, and Ms. Heimuli, these training meetings brought teachers from their respective departments together and allowed them to work on various skills that will help them when it comes to working with students and instructing them throughout lessons being taught.

One of the primary concepts discussed during these meetings was literacy. “Because we’re a Title One school, one of our goals is to work on literacy. So our training is focused on literacy for each class you take and what it means to read, what it means to be literate,” Ms. Webb said.

Each department met with the instructional coaches separately, since the way literacy is taught differs depending on the subject such as math, English, or science. Social studies teachers met on one day, art teachers on another, and so on until every teacher had met with the coaches and participated in the training. Many students may have noticed the large number of substitute teachers working in the school during the week of December 5. They covered classes for teachers who were participating in the half-day meetings.

Lasting for three hours, these meetings are held for each department once a quarter, adding up to four meetings by the end of the school year. “Every teacher will do four three-hour sessions, 12 hours total, with follow-up one-on-one meetings between that to support and help them do the things we’ve talked about,” Ms. Watkins said.

As for the goal of these teacher training seminars, the instructional coaches hope that teachers will be able to mentor their students successfully and help them with whatever skills they are struggling to attain. “Our goal is for teachers to be able to apprentice students in the reading and writing of their different content areas and help students develop those skills themselves,” Ms. Heimuli said.

Many believe these meetings will have a positive effect on both students and teachers alike. “I think it’s a good thing that they’re looking to improve, because improvement is progress and progress will probably give us a better education,” Edwin Disla (11) said. Improvement is something everyone can work on, no matter how accomplished or experienced they are, and Granger’s teachers are certainly willing to prove that.