In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to share a wonderful conversation with Mike Duffy, Senior Supervisor of Professional Development for Erie 1 BOCES and former director of RBERN West. Mike’s passion for connecting, coordinating, and collaborating across professional development teams shines through as he advocates for culturally responsive and sustaining educational best practices.
One key initiative we’ll discuss is the ELL Focus Group, a platform where teachers from eight counties come together to share best practices and celebrate successes in educating English language learners. As part of this initiative this year, I lead discussions on maximizing Stand-Alone ENL time through effective routines. Research—and my own experience—shows that routines reduce stress, boost productivity, enhance mental capacity, and improve time management skills.
In this episode, you’ll hear how common the struggle is to make the most of Stand-Alone ENL time. We invite you to join our monthly meetings, where we foster a professional dialogue, explore flexible solutions, and share what’s working in our own classrooms to improve teacher effectiveness regionally. These meetings aren’t just for those seeking new ideas—they’re also a platform for all practicing educators to share their successes and celebrate what’s going well.
We can’t wait to celebrate the incredible work happening across our region, and we hope you’ll join us on this journey!
4:17: Celebrating the Work of Erie 1 BOCES
7:06: A Shared Understanding of the Needs of ALL Students
11:20: ELL Focus Group and the Discussion on Stand Alone ENL Routines
19:35: Tying Stand Alone ENL in with Integrated Classroom Instruction
MANY THANKS to Mike Duffy, for this wonderful conversation!
Although this PD is organized for teachers in RBERN West's region, we welcome supportive and thoughtful participants from outside that area to contribute also!
February 4th: Review of the Results of 3 Surveys
March 3rd: Increasing Oral Language, Comprehension, and Vocabulary
April 1st: Shared Reading for comprehension, word work and fluency
May 5th: Strategic & Supported Writing for Entering and Emerging Learners
My website--all additional upcoming PD opportunities are linked there!
The Intentional TESOL Facebook Group
YouTube Video of Episode
MY PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED WORK ON STAND ALONE ENL ROUTINES:
NOTE: As I continue to grow and develop as a professional, I'm constantly learning to hone my craft. I invite you to think as I guide, and you decide if the materials here resonate with you and your location's needs. The ELL Focus Group invitation is much more open to thinking about generating ideas for each teacher to adapt a general routine to fit individual and group needs.
Structuring your Stand Alone Time
Structuring your Stand Alone Time
(NYS TESOL's YouTube Channel)
