Rehearsals, Reconsidered
TeachingWorks Practice Collaborative: Rehearsals and Other Simulations
Are you planning to implement rehearsals or another form of simulation in your upcoming class and looking for some support? Join the TeachingWorks Practice Collaborative: Rehearsals and Other Simulations, a one-semester-long, virtual community of practice.
Following an asynchronous opening task in which we’ll ask you to share artifacts of your practice (e.g., a lesson plan or instructional activity planned for an upcoming course), we’ll meet three times over the course of the semester using a “video club” format. You’ll have at least one opportunity to share a problem of practice from your own teaching along with video from your course, and to receive feedback and support from the facilitator and other participants. When you aren’t presenting, you will serve as a critical friend for your colleagues.
The specific questions we explore will be driven by participants’ own needs, but examples of the issues that are likely to come up include:
How often should I be pausing to coach during a rehearsal?
What should I do during a rehearsal if I’m actually not sure what the best coaching or advice is to give a teacher candidate?
How do I create a supportive atmosphere for carrying out rehearsals, especially if my teacher candidates are reluctant?
How can I incorporate opportunities for my teacher candidates to develop content knowledge for teaching during rehearsals?
This offering is for teacher educators willing to share video of their own practice and eager to engage in professional conversation about simulations in teacher education. Participants should be able to design and implement rehearsals or similar activities with a clear instructional focus that fuses content and practice (e.g., leading discussions of a mathematical problem) and coaching that is aimed directly at that focus. But perfection is not the point; bring your uncertainties and dilemmas!
Designed For:
- Teacher educators
What to expect in the Practice Collaborative:
- Time to pose and discuss problems of practice that have arisen in your own teaching
- Opportunities to consider other teacher educators’ problems of practice, and to provide feedback
- Opportunities to watch and discuss video of rehearsals in action
Leave the Collaborative with:
- New Strategies for Managing Dilemmas: Learn to manage the dilemmas you are experiencing in your own teaching.
- New Ideas: Gather some new ideas for ways to incorporate rehearsals and other simulations into your own teaching.
- Community: Join a community of like-minded teacher educators.
Connect with us to learn more about attending the TeachingWorks Practice Collaborative: Rehearsals and Other Simulations!
September 25, October 23, and November 20, 2026
Enroll by September 4, 2026
Cost: $200
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Collaborative meets virtually on Friday afternoons. Following an asynchronous opening task, we’ll meet synchronously using Zoom three times. Zoom meetings will use a “video club” format in which at least one participant will present a problem of practice from their own teaching, share a related artifact of their work (preferably video), and receive feedback and new ideas. Each session will be facilitated by a TeachingWorks expert.
A laptop or tablet is required to access digital resources and engage in Zoom meetings. No other supplies are required.
Prior background in practice-based teacher education is required, and participants should understand how to design and implement a coached rehearsal or other simulation. Basic instruction in the design of rehearsals will not be provided. Ideally, participants will have completed an in-person TeachingWorks workshop. If you have questions about your preparation for this event, please contact Francesca Forzani at fforzani@umich.edu.
TeachingWorks reserves the right to cancel in-person, virtual, or hybrid training or workshops before the start. TeachingWorks staff will notify participants of cancellation via email. Participants will be eligible for a full refund of their registration fee. TeachingWorks will not be held responsible for any expenses incurred due to the cancellation of an event, training, or workshop.
For a full refund (100%), participants must submit a written request to cancel or withdraw 30 days prior to the first day of the event (in-person or virtual). Fifty percent (50%) will be refunded for requests received 15 days prior. No refunds will be issued for requests received within seven (7) business days of the first day of the event or failure to submit the required documentation required for participation.