LIBERTY, NY — What if professional development didn’t end when the workshop did?
At Liberty Elementary School, teachers are reshaping how they improve their craft through Lesson Structure Study (LSS) — a collaborative process that puts educators in charge of refining their own teaching, with student engagement at the center.
“LSS gives teachers the breathing room to step back, look at what students are doing, and fine-tune their craft,” said Assistant Principal Paul Voigtland.
A Shift from Traditional Professional Development
For years, professional development often meant outside experts delivering strategies and sending teachers back to busy classrooms to figure out implementation on their own. Voigtland, who first encountered Lesson Structure Study 15 to 20 years ago as a classroom teacher, said this model is different.
Instead of being told what to do, teachers:
- Set a goal for improvement
- Plan a lesson collaboratively
- Teach and observe student engagement
- Debrief and revise
- Reteach and refine
The five-step cycle is repeated three times before findings are shared with the entire school.
Focused on Students — Not Teachers
Unlike formal evaluations, LSS observations center on students. Teachers observing the lesson track how students interact with instruction, then gather feedback to guide improvements.
“They’re not there to observe you — they’re observing the lesson and the students,” said third-grade teacher Sara Donovan, a third grade teacher. “That makes it a safe space.”
The result? A culture where teachers feel comfortable experimenting and “failing forward.”
Real Changes in the Classroom
First-grade teachers Christina Burns and Megan Henry say the process led them to implement student-centered math rotations and choice boards.
Students now:
- Choose learning centers
- Take on leadership roles
- Engage in peer-to-peer problem solving
“They’re very excited to do it every day,” Henry said. “It gives them independence and responsibility.”
Burns added that student choice has not only increased engagement but also helped her differentiate instruction more effectively.
Teachers Learning from Teachers
After piloting the program in the math department last year, teachers shared their findings school-wide. The impact spread quickly. Colleagues began implementing LSS-inspired strategies in their own classrooms — even if they weren’t part of the original cohort. Voigtland’s long-term vision is for LSS to become fully teacher-driven.
“When teachers collaborate together and learn from each other, they always come up with the best ways to teach our children,” he said.
Building a Culture of Growth
Liberty Elementary is a Leader in Me school, and administrators say LSS aligns closely with that philosophy — empowering both teachers and students to take ownership. Looking ahead, Voigtland hopes the model expands not just within the elementary school, but eventually to the middle and high school levels. “Our goal,” he said, “is continuous improvement — sharpening teaching so students get the best education possible.”
Image: Meghan Henry, far right, and Taylor Arpino, center, observe a lesson taught by Emily Niemann at Liberty Elementary School. (Liberty Central School District)
Glad to read news about right here in my local community and an article that shines hope in a better world! GOOD MORNING!