Teacher professional development
Practice the work.
Prepare to teach it.
Prepare to teach the entire core unit, Days 1–20. Solve, operate, assess, and rehearse. Build confidence through practice, feedback, and support.
- BeforeComplete Rise Lessons 1–7Submit your paper work before arrival.
- Day 1Do the math and run the arm9:00 am–2:00 pm
- Day 2Teach, get feedback, retry9:00 am–2:00 pm
- AfterTeach with supportUse your resources and agreed follow-up.
Recruitment target: at least 6 schools, with 1–2 teachers per school. For the first 6 schools, plan for 6–12 teachers, 7–13 arms including the spare, and one facilitator. Recalculate equipment and support time if more schools join.
What schools need to know
Two seven-hour days for one or two teachers per school. Teachers practice with their own arms, rehearse together, and complete one readiness checklist. No filming or video submission is required.
Teachers leave with feedback, resources, and a plan for any further practice. The facilitator coordinates classroom dates, equipment, and implementation support with the school.
Readiness is a confidence-building check for teachers. Individual scores and feedback stay between the teacher and facilitator. Any support needing school involvement is discussed with the teacher first.
Plan PD about 10 school days before the intended unit start to allow time for preparation and further practice. Agree dates, equipment, support appointments, and any support costs before booking.
Before you arrive
Complete the seven content lessons and their checks before in-person Day 1. Bring the work you already produced so we can review it, apply it to new tasks, and target your next practice.
Confident Facilitation: Running the RoboTrig Pilot in Algebra 2
Rise takes you through orientation, the daily routine and portal, FK, IK, facilitation and tagging, recovery moves, and readiness. It includes paper math, Preview tasks, arm practice, 15 lesson knowledge checks, and an embedded scenario check in Lesson 7.
Plan 3.5 hours. About 2 hours of reading and knowledge checks across the seven lessons, plus about 1.5 hours for the paper solves, Preview tasks, and arm practice they assign. Lessons 2 and 7 are the longest. Most teachers split the course across two or three sittings in the 3–4 weeks before PD.
Open the Rise course (new tab)The hours above are a planning estimate measured from the course, not a figure the course states. Course time is separate from the fourteen in-person hours. This page does not track completion. Your facilitator records preparation from the submitted work and checks your independent performance during PD.Use Rise's 80% preparation target and the PD's 9/10 scenario goal to identify useful practice. They are not pass/fail requirements or permission to teach. If Lesson 7 still describes a readiness gate, follow this guide's confidence and support approach. The separate final section titled “Quiz” has no questions in the supplied export.
Your arrival checklist
A personal check for this visit. Print your checks and launch plan to keep them. They reset when you reload and are not sent to your facilitator.
Open the IK walkthrough or use the interview sheet.
How your Rise work feeds the two days
- 1. Orientation
Bring forward: The four gates and your equipment/access checklist.
In-person practice: Turn your interview into an individual Brief and connect each artifact to its gate.
- 2. Daily rhythm and portal
Bring forward: Your Day 9 Preview attempt, including a deliberate wrong answer and the Math Move support.
In-person practice: Explain the difference between Daily Driver and Warm Recall, then find the support a learner needs on a different day.
- 3. Forward kinematics
Bring forward: Your written FK prediction and any measured result, with units and both link contributions.
In-person practice: Predict a different angle pair independently, run it on your own arm, and diagnose the gap using your own measurement.
- 4. Inverse kinematics
Bring forward: Your two-endpoint IK Solve Card and calibration record. Mark physical work still pending if you have no arm access.
In-person practice: Complete the full in-person IK instruction, solve two new endpoints independently, verify with FK, and measure your own endpoints.
- 5. Cards, crews, and tagging
Bring forward: Your decisions from both Tag One Brief examples and a line of actionable feedback.
In-person practice: Assess a fresh participant Brief against the rubric and rehearse Day 5 facilitation.
- 6. Recovery moves
Bring forward: One recovery decision you corrected and the Daily Card or weekly protocol that settled it.
In-person practice: Find a protocol within one minute and teach through a new disruption.
- 7. Readiness and launch
Bring forward: Your scenario-check result, checklist with gaps marked, IK evidence, and draft launch dates.
In-person practice: Rehearse twice, use the scenario check to find useful practice, and reflect on your progress across the five areas of the unit.
Three checks to carry into arm practice
Use these checks during instruction and independent practice.
- For elbow-up, make the calculated bend negative, then add 90°. Set the controls to degrees. For a 144.4° bend, −144.4° + 90° = −54.4°. If you enter a target and press GO, the app handles this for you.
- An arc can exceed the link length. With an 18 cm radius and a 60° sweep, s = 18 × π/3 ≈ 18.8 cm. Check the angle's units and the calculation. Exceeding the link length alone is not an error.
- Check your hand solve with FK. Entering coordinates and pressing GO lets the automatic IK solver choose angles. A successful GO run checks the target and setup, but does not establish that your independently calculated angles were correct. Verify those angles with FK before operating.
IK reference and BC4 and BC7 in the Boost Card set support these checks.
If you do not have an arm before PD
Complete the seven lessons, paper solves, Preview tasks, and knowledge checks. Without arm practice the course runs nearer 2 hours than 3.5. Tell the facilitator which physical tasks you could not do. Mark arm-operation and calibration evidence as pending on your readiness checklist. Day 1's individual lab is where you complete and demonstrate those tasks with the provided equipment. Keep any simulator practice labeled as simulated.
If you cannot finish the prerequisite
Contact the facilitator before arrival. Identify the unfinished lessons and arrange course access or a support appointment. You can join guided practice, but the opening retrieval check does not replace the course. Complete the missing preparation before PD, or arrange a later cohort if the support cannot fit. Agree a practical preparation plan with the facilitator.
Facilitator preparation and booking
- Send Rise and this guide 3–4 weeks ahead. Collect paper preparation two school days before PD and identify who needs help. Check the live course corrections before sending the link.
- Prepare 7–13 arms for 6–12 teachers, including the spare. Check each arm, its control device, workspace, ruler, and network. Use printed references while the control device is on the arm’s wi-fi.
- Bring Daily Cards, worked keys, short assessment samples, peer sheets, and one personal readiness sheet per teacher. Test individual sandbox accounts. Give specific feedback while teachers practice.
- At the close, help each teacher name a success and a useful next step. Offer a support appointment of up to 30 minutes when needed. Agree its focus and date with the teacher.
- Keep individual feedback private. Coordinate classroom dates, equipment, and implementation support with the school. Discuss any school involvement with the teacher first.
For booking, reserve 5.5–11 hours of follow-up capacity for 6–12 teachers. This includes 15 minutes per teacher for written feedback, up to 30 minutes for a support appointment, and 30 minutes for 2–4 additional appointments. The extra allowance is a planning assumption for one teacher in three, not a forecast of need. Adjust it after the first cohort.
At 3 reserved hours per working day, that is 2–4 working days of capacity. Protect agreed appointments when booking another cohort. Arrange additional time if needed. There is no readiness decision deadline or required assessment appointment for every teacher.
This plan covers the core Days 1–20 with one facilitator. Virtual delivery and the optional supplement require separate planning.
Lead the math and arm session
Booked for seven hours and planned for 360 minutes, so an hour of buffer sits behind it. The Leader Guide spends that hour on the two arm blocks, which are the ones that run long.
Keep your solved math, your measured coordinates and error, and a written list of anything you still need help with.
9:00–9:15Open the session, check materials and access15 min
Use the story on slides 2–4 and the opening script. Check materials, access, and installed procedures.
- 15 min: Use the story on slides 2–4 and the opening script. Check materials, access, and installed procedures.
W00 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 0–15. Slides 1–8 · W00.
9:15–10:00Forward kinematics by hand45 min
Let teachers try before revealing answers. Check link direction, sine/cosine, and radians.
- 45 min: Let teachers try before revealing answers. Check link direction, sine/cosine, and radians.
W01 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 15–60. Slides 9–16 · W01.
10:00–10:30Build a practice Brief30 min
Use the Sam model if a teacher has no interview. Require a labeled practice Brief with all five checks.
- 30 min: Use the Sam model if a teacher has no interview. Require a labeled practice Brief with all five checks.
W02 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 60–90. Slides 17–20 · W02.
Keep the next slide number visible.
10:40–11:05Predict on paper, then set the fields25 min
Check the paper FK prediction and manual fields before the run.
- 25 min: Check the paper FK prediction and manual fields before the run.
W03 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 100–125. Slides 21–25 · W03.
11:05–11:45Run the arm and measure the error40 min
Use tested stations. Require actual coordinates, error, and a check of the gap.
- 40 min: Use tested stations. Require actual coordinates, error, and a check of the gap.
W03 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 125–165. Slides 26–29 · W03.
Use the installed rest procedure for equipment.
12:15–1:10Inverse kinematics, model then guided target55 min
Follow the IK model, then the guided target. Compare the first differing calculation.
- 55 min: Follow the IK model, then the guided target. Compare the first differing calculation.
W04 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 195–250. Slides 30–37 · W04.
Resume at slide 38 .
1:20–2:10Independent solves, then the joint sweep plan50 min
Require full independent solves for A and B, then a joint sweep plan.
- 50 min: Require full independent solves for A and B, then a joint sweep plan.
W04 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 260–310. Slides 38–41 · W04.
2:10–2:45Operate, repeat, and justify a change35 min
Rotate operators. Record both endpoints, an unchanged repeat, and any justified change. Extend if needed.
- 35 min: Rotate operators. Record both endpoints, an unchanged repeat, and any justified change. Extend if needed.
W05 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 310–345. Slides 42–45 · W05.
2:45–3:00Close down and name the next start point15 min
Close down: unplug the arm. Retain work, mark pending actions, and name the next start point.
- 15 min: Close down: unplug the arm. Retain work, mark pending actions, and name the next start point.
W11 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 1, minutes 345–360. Slides 46–47 · W11.
Lead app, teaching, and assessment practice
Booked for seven hours and planned for 395 minutes, leaving twenty-five minutes of buffer. The Leader Guide spends it on Case E, which is new and has not been timed with a live group.
Leave with all eight practice bands saved, both rehearsals done, and your own class planned down to the access plan.
9:00–9:15Refresh FK, IK, the invalid cosine, and field conversion15 min
Refresh FK, IK, invalid cosine, and field conversion. Let teachers use Part 1 .
- 15 min: Refresh FK, IK, invalid cosine, and field conversion. Let teachers use Part 1 .
Worked in the Teacher Workbook alongside the slides.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 0–15. Slides 1–3.
9:15–10:30Run the teacher portal75 min
Use prepared practice accounts. Check the actual student day and save. Every teacher sets all 21 levels across the four gates before returning feedback.
- 75 min: Use prepared practice accounts. Check the actual student day and save. Every teacher sets all 21 levels across the four gates before returning feedback.
W06 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 15–90. Slides 4–15 · W06.
10:30–11:35Assessment decisions across the gates65 min
Teachers decide before opening each key. Ask for the missing evidence and named rating. Case E is the independent one: nothing is preassigned, so do not advance past it until every teacher has eight bands written in W07. Expect 4/5 from anyone who stopped at the four-Mastery half of rule 2.
- 65 min: Teachers decide before opening each key. Ask for the missing evidence and named rating. Case E is the independent one: nothing is preassigned, so do not advance past it until every teacher has eight bands written in W07. Expect 4/5 from anyone who stopped at the four-Mastery half of rule 2.
W07 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 90–155. Slides 16–35 · W07.
11:35–11:55Enter and verify a final grade20 min
Use the prepared evidence demo. Save all eight practice bands and reopen the record, then locate the Daily Cards and print sets for the rehearsals.
- 20 min: Use the prepared evidence demo. Save all eight practice bands and reopen the record, then locate the Daily Cards and print sets for the rehearsals.
W06 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 155–175. Slides 36–37 · W06.
Set slide 38 as the restart point.
12:05–12:45Rehearse Day 540 min
Rehearse Day 5. Ask for the first prompt, learner response, revised prompt, and retry.
- 40 min: Rehearse Day 5. Ask for the first prompt, learner response, revised prompt, and retry.
W08 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 185–225. Slides 38–40 · W08.
Resume at slide 41 .
1:10–1:50Rehearse Day 1540 min
Rehearse Day 15. Correct the first wrong calculation, then try a different error.
- 40 min: Rehearse Day 15. Correct the first wrong calculation, then try a different error.
W08 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 250–290. Slides 41–42 · W08.
1:50–2:10Classroom scenarios20 min
Use the workbook scenarios and key. Require one corrected decision and fresh retry.
- 20 min: Use the workbook scenarios and key. Require one corrected decision and fresh retry.
W09 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 290–310. Slides 43–45 · W09.
Resume at slide 46 .
2:20–3:10Plan your actual class50 min
Plan the actual class, interview, accounts, equipment turns, daily routine, and final observation time. Reserve the last 10 minutes for the access plan: every teacher names who holds the IEP and 504 plans at their school and when they will meet before Day 1.
- 50 min: Plan the actual class, interview, accounts, equipment turns, daily routine, and final observation time. Reserve the last 10 minutes for the access plan: every teacher names who holds the IEP and 504 plans at their school and when they will meet before Day 1.
W10 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 320–370. Slides 46–54 · W10.
3:10–3:35Closing check and remaining actions25 min
Complete a fresh independent check and record remaining actions. Use this guide ’s closing script.
- 25 min: Complete a fresh independent check and record remaining actions. Use this guide ’s closing script.
W11 completed in the Teacher Workbook.
Leader Guide, Part 2, minutes 370–395. Slides 55–57 · W11.
Build confidence and choose your next step
Use your work and feedback to see how you have progressed across the entire core unit, Days 1–20. Readiness helps you recognize what you can do, find the resources you need, and ask for further practice.
This is a personal reflection, not a certification or permission to teach. Check an area when you feel confident doing it with the available resources. An unchecked area is a topic for practice or a conversation with the facilitator.
Your confidence and practice record
Open the printable reflection sheet, or use the same five areas below.
Keep this record for yourself and discuss it with your facilitator. Print or save before closing the page. Entries reset on reload and are not submitted automatically.
Aim for 9/10 as a practice goal. Use feedback on missed decisions to choose what to revisit. Your score does not determine a readiness status.
Practice prompts
- Correct FK prediction with both link contributions and units.
- Two new IK endpoint solves show reach, aim angle and quadrant, elbow magnitude, shoulder angle, consistent elbow-up choice, and joint/path checks.
- Correct signed elbow conversion and FK verification of both targets. Round angles to 0.1° and check positions within 0.1 cm using unrounded intermediate values.
- Correct degree-to-radian conversion and arc calculation, with an explanation of units.
Practice prompts
- Connect to the assigned arm, use the verified setup sheet, clear the workspace, and check degrees, cm, and link lengths.
- Enter committed FK angles correctly and operate both IK targets on your own arm.
- Measure both endpoints in cm, distinguish predictions from measurements, and explain a repeated or changed run and one limitation.
- Given a miss, demonstrate the appropriate setup or measurement check. Simulation does not count as a physical demonstration.
Practice prompts
- Complete both segments using the Daily Cards and planned supports.
- Elicit learner thinking and check an individual response accurately in each segment.
- Choose an appropriate support from the response and retry the move after feedback in each segment.
- Maintain correct mathematics and preserve the required individual student evidence.
Practice prompts
- Make correct completion decisions for the Brief, FK Card, and IK Card.
- Justify competency ratings with evidence matching the current descriptors and distinguish those ratings from completion.
- Score a Day 20 sample against the current presentation rubric and justify each rating.
- Give an actionable next step. Any prompted correction is followed by a correct independent decision on a different sample.
Practice prompts
- Find the matching recovery protocol within one minute and give a response that protects the assessed evidence.
- Complete the assigned portal task in a sandbox and locate the paper fallback.
- Confirm classroom equipment, accounts, accessible materials, Day 0 interviews, launch date, and named support contacts.
- Schedule the first-week check-in and later student-work review. Use these follow-ups to bring questions from your classroom.
The facilitator might say: “You corrected the elbow offset and verified your first target. Let's work through the second target together, then give you another one to try.”
Your classroom launch plan
Write here, then print or save as PDF before closing the page. Your entries stay in this page until you reload. Discuss the plan with your facilitator. Share classroom arrangements with your school, keeping your personal reflection private.
Day 0 interview, proposed classroom Day 1, and first arm lesson. Agree these dates with your school.
Accounts, individual materials, accessible formats, classroom arms, and paper fallback.
What to practice or demonstrate, who will help, and the appointment date. Bring the same checklist.
Named contact and first-week check-in date.
If you want more practice
Agree a focused support appointment of up to 30 minutes with the facilitator. Bring your question and the work you want to revisit. Arrange access to an arm if the practice involves operation or measurement. Meet in person, or live online with a separate device for the call.
Choose the next step together and arrange more time if needed. Keep individual feedback private. Discuss any equipment, time, or other support requiring school involvement with the teacher first.
Rise names NYC FIRST as the support contact: lizabeth@nycfirst.org. Confirm your contact and agree the classroom support appointments below.
- Before classroom Day 1
Confirm accounts, materials, equipment, and the Day 0 interview assignment. Review your preparation plan and arrange help with any remaining questions.
- During the first teaching week: 20-minute check-in
Bring one student artifact and one facilitation problem. Rehearse the next teaching move and decide what evidence to look for.
- After the FK gate, before the IK sequence: 30-minute review
Compare two anonymized student artifacts with a colleague, calibrate feedback, and confirm the individual arm protocol for Day 16.
- After classroom Day 20: 20-minute reflection
Compare your initial practice goal with student work and your teaching observations. Keep one useful move and revise one support for the next class.
Materials at the point of use
The agenda links each tool where you need it. Use this list to prepare your print set or revisit a skill.
Design rationale and sources
Two seven-hour days are a launch sequence. They make room for content practice, model teaching, collaboration, specific feedback, and immediate retries. Classroom follow-up extends the work into implementation. These design choices draw on the Learning Policy Institute review of effective teacher PD and EEF professional development guidance. Those sources do not establish fourteen hours as a universal readiness threshold.
RoboTrig sources: the Teacher Guide, Delivery & Facilitation Guide, Facilitator Script, Daily Cards, IK walkthrough, competency framework, and the linked recovery and assessment resources. The current daily materials remain the source for classroom gate requirements.
Rise alignment uses the supplied course export, reviewed on September 8, 2026: the revised OeBvM777 export, all seven content lessons, 15 inline knowledge-check blocks, and the references to the app's tagging, recovery, and scenario-check activities. The final standalone Quiz section is empty. The agenda reuses the course artifacts, checks fresh applications, and adds observed teaching practice.