Yokosuka Middle School Hosts Innovative Teaching and Learning Professional Development Day
YOKOSUKA, JAPAN – Yokosuka Middle School hosted an exciting day of professional development March 7, 2025, for all DoDEA staff from the five CFAY schools: Kinnick High School, Yokosuka Middle, Ikego Elementary, The Sullivans School, and Yokosuka Primary. The event aimed to enhance educator skills and foster collaboration, featuring more than 50 presentations by CFAY educators on a wide range of topics designed to inspire and equip teachers with new strategies and tools.
Highlights of the Day included:
Inquiry-Based Learning: Dr. Kandise Tyes and Dekita Ferguson from Yokosuka Primary School led a hands-on session on incorporating inquiry-based learning across different content areas using STEM resources.
Black Light Glow Math Party: Michelle Morales from Yokosuka Middle School created a multisensory math experience using fluorescent materials that glow under black lights, engaging students with diverse learning styles.
Elevating 21st Century Learning with Vertical Learning & the 4 C’s: Allison Hodges and Teresa Leach from Yokosuka Middle School demonstrated the power of collaborative vertical discussions in various content areas, including science, math, and ELA.
Kinesthetic Learning: Alexandria Pace from Yokosuka Primary highlighted the benefits of kinesthetic learning, which encourages physical activity to improve cognitive, social, and emotional development. It enhances the brain's capacity to retain information and builds self-confidence. Educators participated in a presentation on the importance of kinesthetic learning and practiced it through role-playing activities.
Community Connections with the SLO: Brad Schmid, the CFAY School Liaison Officer, discussed the connection between DoDEA and the Yokosuka Navy base. Schmid explained how his position can help support and partner with educators in various ways, from facility use to base resources to promoting events to the base community.
Visual Clues: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach through Portraiture: Amanda Luttrell and Anna Cadin from Ikego Elementary, Yokosuka Primary and The Sullivans School taught two portrait analysis games using famous portraits from the National Gallery of Art and museum games from the National Portrait Gallery Summer Institute. These activities can help students spot visual clues in artworks, analyze them, and connect them to history, biography, science, and mathematics.
Making Memories: How to move learning from “working” memory to long term memory: Carly Calace from Ikego Elementary conducted a professional development workshop to equip teachers with neuro-considered learning strategies. In this session, they explored the biology of the brain and discovered how these research-based strategies could enhance student learning and overall well-being with the use of LEGO bricks.
The event also featured a communal effort with food contributions from the sunshine committees of The Sullivans School, Yokosuka Primary, and Yokosuka Middle. Clubs and organizations from Kinnick High School raised funds through sales of tamales, baked goods, and a coffee bar, showcasing the collaborative spirit of the CFAY complex.
The professional development day was a resounding success, providing valuable opportunities for educators to learn from their peers, share best practices, and enhance their teaching methodologies.
