Style Guide

## Completing IKnowEF Trainings

While everyone's writing style and self-reflection process will differ, we recommend the below as general guidelines.

### Process

When completing IKnowEF trainings, stick to the following process:

1. Let your team leader know that you are working on a new section of training, then begin reading the provided materials on IKnowEF. While reading, reflect on what changes could be made in your classes based on what you have learned.
2. When planning your classes for the next week make a conscious effort to include changes brought on by what you have learned. Highlight these changes and keep the plans for further reflection and future meetings with your team leader.
3. Reflect upon the differences your new practices made in your lesson. If necessary, teach more classes to further develop these new skills. Then, go to your teacher page on the wiki and write a reflection. How to structure your reflection is detailed below.
4. Bring your reflection and saved lesson plans to your Team Leader and have a discussion of what you have learned. Your team leader may approve of your work, or may set you a few more tasks to ensure mastery. When they are satisfied, they will schedule a formal observation with you. Make sure the observation is scheduled for a class in which you can show of your new skills.
5. The formal observation may be in person or by video, though recording is encouraged either way. During your feedback section your team leader will either give you an action plan for further development of these skills (bouncing back to step 4) or give you a pass, in which case you can move on to practice more skills and continue your development.

Though their may be some exceptions this process should be no shorter than 2 weeks, allowing sufficient time for practice.
*Note: Some schools have expressed interest in running IKnowEF training sessions as a team. This is encouraged! If your school has these trainings they take the place of step one, though the materials are still available for your use.*

### Writing your Self Reflection

While everyone's self reflection will be different, the following should be the general structure:

* The area you are seeking to improve in your class.
* What you learned from the trainings and how it applies to your class.
* How you applied your new skills and the outcome of your attempts. If your first try was unsuccessful, so you changed something and tried again, include that story! It may be helpful to then next person who tries the training.

Self-Reflections should be long enough to give a person who has no knowledge of you or your classes enough context to understand. While length will vary from teacher to teacher, and subject to subject, a good guideline is about 500 words.

### Do's and Dont's

#### Do

* Keep your Lesson Plans
* Highlight changes you made
* Keep Your Team Leader in the Loop
* Take pictures and videos (Extra evidence is always good!)
* Post your pictures and videos in your self-reflection
* Be Specific

#### Don't

* Use real names of Students. Change names to protect anonymity. Their future teachers may read this.
* Sprint through the first 3 steps. Take the time to learn the material so you don't have to be disappointed by your leader sending you back.