In TAP schools, Ongoing Applied Professional Growth
means that time is set aside for teacher learning which is always focused
on increasing student learning. This includes: cluster groups and individual
growth plans (IGP). Cluster groups meet for one to two
hours weekly during contract time in grade-alike or subject-alike groups.
Clusters are led by expert instructors in the school—the master
and/or mentor teachers.
Each teacher is also expected to have an IGP that includes identified
goals and activities within clusters and classrooms that support new teacher
learning. This new teacher learning is required to meet an identified
student learning need. Cluster work and IGPs follow the TAP STEPS for
Effective Learning that provides a framework for improving instruction
to meet student-learning needs.
The STEPS guide teachers to:
• Set learning goals based on an analysis of student performance;
• Identify research-based, proven learning strategies to address
goals;
• Work collaboratively to develop new instructional practices;
• Bring the new learning to the classroom; and,
• Measure how well the new strategy helped students meet the learning
goals set by teachers.
