Lots More: Making PLCs Successful

1. Lots More: Making PLCs Successful The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is building the capacity of school personnel to function as a professional learning community. The path to change in the classroom lies within and through professional learning communities. Milbrey McLaughlin Fall FASD Leadership Conference Florida Staff Development Council September 2009 Ann M. Delehant Delehant and Associates 7 Kimberly Road Pittsford, NY 14534 585 248 2587 585 750 4499 (cell) adelehant@gmail.com www.anndelehant.com

2. Lots More: Making PLCs Successful Tuesday, Sept 22, morning (3 hours), action lab If we want the focus of our PLCs to stay on learning and results, we need tools for successful collaboration. During the action lab we will engage in the study of several processes and protocols, including lesson study, looking at student work, developing common assessments, using data and others. Participants will walk away with clear and simple directions for a variety of tools that you can use with your PLCs.

3. Creating the Culture Necessary Cultural Shifts

4. Working Together • Making Agreements • Opportunities for groups to determine how to use the time, what to address, and how to work together. • Building Consensus • Consensus is a decision making strategy that PLCs might use to ensure that each group member agrees to “actively support the decision that is made by the group.” • Norms • Ground rules that the group agrees to use to guide the behavior of group members. • Clarity of Purpose • Clear statement of what you hope to accomplish during the meeting time. • Some groups use a “non-purpose” to ensure that they don’t get distracted by other issues.

5. Purpose J. Killion and C. Harrison Purpose of the PLC • Describes the content of the “conversation” • States the expected outcome • Identifies quantifiable, measurable outcomes • Clearly identifies the reason for the task Purpose of Each Session • States what the team will do at each session • Is clear and specific • Brings tighter focus to what is expected at the end of a session • Identifies what is “deliverable” at the end of a session Non-Purpose • States what the team will not do, address or talk about

6. Why Protocols? • Clear, agreed-upon guidelines for conversation. • Collaborative in nature. • Focus can be teacher or student work. The structure… • Makes it safe to ask challenging questions and allows for in-depth conversation. • Ensures equity and parity. • Provides opportunity for participants to reflect on and describe an issue or dilemma. • Provides opportunities to have interesting questions posed. • Is time efficient. • Builds spaces for listening.

7. Action Planning

8. Process • Ann will scan the protocols that she brought to share. • We will break into small groups (size to be determined.) • We will set up a Round Robin review of the protocols. • Looking at Student Work (Slides 9-21) • Developing Common Assessments (Slides 22-26) • Facilitating Lesson Study (Slides 27-34 and Tools for Schools) • Writing Rubrics (Slides 35-42) • Facilitating Data Conversation (Slides 42-48 and attachment ) • We will break into small groups (“natural teams” wherever possible) to discuss ways to use these protocols with your PLCs.

9. PROTOCOL #1: Reasons for Looking at Student Work • Identify strengths and shortcomings of the work. • Diagnose, identify or monitor student needs. • Align curriculum, instruction and assessment with student needs. • Ensure that all students have equal access and opportunity to succeed. • Guide curriculum development and refinement. • Improve teaching. • Assess the merits of programs. • Assess the extent to which standards are addressed. • Determine how students compare to outside norms.

10. Two Processes for Looking at Student Work Protocols from the book, Looking Together at Student Work, by Tina Blythe, David Allen and Barbara Schieffelin-Powell

11. Modified Tuning Protocol (45 minutes)Date: Time: Location: Participants:

14. Tuning Protocol for Peer Review

15. Tuning Protocol for Peer Review (Blythe , et. al.)

18. 1. Getting started The group chooses a facilitator who will make sure the group stays focused on the particular issue addressed in each step. Copies of the work are provided for all. Teacher presenter says nothing about the work or the student. Participants read in silence making notes if necessary. 2. Describing student work The facilitator asks the group, "What do you see?“ Group members provide answers without making judgments about the quality of the work or their personal preferences. If judgments emerge, the facilitator asks the individual to describe the evidence on which the judgment is based. 3. Asking questions about the work Facilitator asks the group, "What questions does this work raise for you?“ Group members state any question they have about the work, the child, the assignment, the circumstances under which the work was carried out. Presenting teacher takes notes but does not answer questions. LASW--Collaborative Assessment Conference(Blythe et. al.)

19. Collaborative Assessment Conference 4. Speculating about the work • The facilitator asks the group, “ What do you think the child is working on?” • Participants, based on their reading or observation of the work, make suggestions about the problems or issues that the student focused on carrying out the assignment. 5. Hearing from the presenting teacher • The presenting teacher provides perspective on the student's work, describing what he/she sees in it, responding to questions raised, and adding information that she feels is important to share with the group. • The presenting teacher comments on any thing surprising, or unexpected things that she heard during the describing, questioning, and speculating phases. 6. Discussion of teaching/ learning • All participants share their thoughts about their teaching and children’s learning, and consider possible teaching moves to encourage or challenge the particular child. • The participants react and/or reflect on the conference as a whole or particular parts of it. • The presenting teacher is acknowledged and thanked.

20. Success Analysis Protocol Roles: a timekeeper/a facilitator Preparation: In advance of the success analysis protocol meeting, make a decision as a group about what the focus of your success analysis will be. It might be a meeting, a workshop, an assessment, an assignment, a lesson, a collaborative group process, etc. STEPS FOR SUCCESS ANALYSIS PROTOCOL • Reflect on and write a short description of the "Best Practice" of your _________. Note what it is about the practice that makes it so successful. (5 minutes) • In groups of 4, the first person shares his/her "Best Practice" and why it is so successful. (3‑5 minutes) • The group of 4 discusses how this practice is different than other practices they know about. (3‑5 minutes) • Each of the other three members of the group his/her "Best Practice" and why it is so successful, followed by a group discussion analyzing how this practice differs from other practices. (Each round should take 6‑10 minutes) • The small group discusses what was learned by the analysis and what are the implications for other work. (10 minutes) • Debrief the protocol and write four ''Best Practice" headlines on one piece of chart paper. (5 minutes)

21. Analysis of Teacher Work: Dimensions

22. PROTOCOL #2: Developing Common Assessments “Assessment as Professional Development,” Jay McTighe and Marcella Emberger in Powerful Designs for Professional Learning edited by Lois Easton Strategy 1: Collaborative Design • Step 1: Form the group (e.g., a grade level team or a department) • Step 2: Meet as a team • Step 3: Decide which standard(s) to measure • Step 4: Create a task or a series of tasks that will measure the standard • Step 5: Develop evaluative criteria/rubric Strategy 2: Peer Review Process • Step 1: Assemble a review team • Step 2: Build trust • Step 3: Establish ground rules • Step 4: Review assessment questions/ tasks • Step 5: Offer feedback and suggestions • Step 6: Revise. “…Classroom, school, and district assessments should provide evidence of student understanding.”

23. SAMPLE PROTOCOL For Developing Common Assessments “Assessment as Professional Development,” Jay McTighe and Marcella Emberger in Powerful Designs for Professional Learning edited by Lois Easton Strategy 3:Take Test • Step 1: Have all students complete the assessments Strategy 4: Analyze Student Work Together • Step 1: Reconvene the teams • Step 2: Review the student work; describe the student work on the question/task • Step 3: Score the work • Step 4: Select anchor papers • Step 5: Discuss how to use student work to influence decisions about instruction, curriculum, further assessments, and professional development planning

24. A PROTOCOL: Constructing Shared AssessmentsConstructing Shared Assessments, Presentation by Jody L. Hoch, Director of Mathematics, Rush Henrietta, NY 1. Begin with shared outcomes. The source could be state or national standards, district exit outcomes, or course goals. (This step is critical. It provides time for teachers to agree upon the highest priorities.) 2.  Determine the timeframe/portion of content to be tested - could be at the end of a unit of study  or at a pre-determined end of time such as a quarter or a semester. Many teams begin with a quarter assessment but some find the process easier to do with a unit of study. 3. Determine a map for the assessment that sets out the number and types (MC, OE, essay, etc.) of items. Teams could use a state assessment or a previously used assessment that worked well as a guideline. …. “The format of the assessment should match the goals being assessed and the reason for assessing.”

25. Constructing Shared Assessments 4. Consider the level of difficulty. Once a team understands the standards they can begin to discuss issues of rigor and challenge. Some groups make the assessment for prerequisite courses more challenging while others are satisfied with the “minimum requirements.” 5. Determine items for the assessment. The team may construct/select/adapt items from other sources or create original items. 6. Finalize the items and develop an answer key. Consider where a rubric may be appropriate and provide one. 7. Compare the assessment to the map. The team may need to make adjustments to make sure the test is aligned with the state or national standards, district exit outcomes, the POS, or course goals.

26. Constructing Shared Assessments 8. Have everyone who administers the assessment "take" the final form.   9. Determine who will be responsible for sharing and printing documents and security of the exams. 10. Have students complete the assessment. 11. Score the assessment and select anchor papers. 12. Analyze and use the data from the common assessment to inform instructional decisions, curriculum planning, developing strong assessments and identifying professional development. 13. Debrief and determine any changes to make to the assessment or the process.

27. PROTOCOL #3: 7 Steps of Lesson Study (Tools for Schools, NSDC, 2004) • Form a lesson study team. • Focus the lesson study. • Can be a school wide goal or academic content goal for student • Choose a subject area • Identify a unit or lesson. • Ask “What do we want the students to know and be able to do when this lesson is concluded?” • Plan the study lesson. • Prepare for the observation. • Teach and observe the lesson. • Debrief the lesson. • Reflect and plan the next steps. See attached Tools for Schools.

28. Lesson Study Cycle ( Lesson Study, NSDC Tools for Schools, February/March 2004 )1. Set Goal(s) and Plan Lesson/Unit • Select planning team. • Identify goals for student learning and long term development. • Design a “research” or “study” lesson that will be observed. Collaboratively plan instruction designed to bring the goals to life.

29. 2. Research or Study Lesson • One planning team member teaches the lesson while other team members observe and collect data on student thinking, learning, engagement, behavior, etc.

30. 3. Debrief Lesson • Share and analyze data collected at research or study lesson. • What is the evidence that goals for student learning and development were fostered? • What improvements to the lesson should be considered? • What improvements to instruction, more generally, should be considered?

31. 4. Consolidate Learning • If desired, refine and re-teach the lesson and study it again. • Revise and finalize the lesson/unit plan. Write a brief report that includes student data and reflections about what was learned. • Share the lesson/unit with all members of the team and other interested persons. • Other members of the team will teach the lesson/unit. • Debrief the experience and determine next steps.

32. Observation the Study Lesson Observers should take these actions while observing: • Make notes on individual student comments and conversations, noting the names of students. • Note situations in which students are collaborating or choosing not to collaborate. • Look for examples of how students construct their understanding through their discussion and activities. • Document the variety of methods that individual students use to solve problems, including errors. Guidelines for Lesson Study Observations and Debriefings www.rbs.org/currents/0502/guidelines.shtml

33. Questions for the Observers to Consider…. • Was the goal clear? Did the activities contribute effectively to achieving the goal? • Was the flow of the lesson coherent and did it support students’ learning of the concept? • Were the problems and materials helpful in achieving the goal of the lesson? • Did the classroom discussions help promote student understanding? • Was the content of the lesson appropriate for students’ level of understanding?

34. Questions for the Observers • Did the students apply their prior knowledge to understand the content of the lesson? • Did the teacher’s questions engage and facilitate student thinking? • Were students’ ideas valued and incorporated into the lessons? Did the lesson summary refer to students’ theories or ideas? • Was the lesson summary consistent with the lesson goal? • How could the teacher reinforce what the students learned during the lesson?

35. PROTOCOL #4: Writing Rubrics What is a rubric? • Tool used to evaluate quality • Attributes and descriptions • Gradations of quality

36. What kinds are there? • Analytic • Holistic • Hybrids • Checklists

37. Analytic A holistic rubric: • Assesses object as a whole. • All attributes included in each gradation of quality. An analytic rubric: • Details attributes. • Defines levels of quality on each attribute. • Usually has an even number of gradations. • Forces decisions. • Has even spacing. • Defines in terms of what is present.

38. Sample Analytic Rubric

39. Sample Holistic Rubric

40. Rubric Development Guidelines • Sequence levels in a continuum that supports instruction. • Order the levels of quality from the least developed to the most developed features written in clear terms. • Set the top level above the expected standard. • Include more bottom levels than top levels to assist instruction to the proficiency. Giselle Martin Kniep

41. Rubric Development Guidelines • Include and describe the targeted skills at each level. • Describe what is evident (not what is missing) especially at the lower levels. • Determine the number of levels that are necessary to discriminate performance. Choose between odd and even number of levels. • Avoid value terms or terms that depict “average-ness.” Giselle Martin Kniep

42. Rubric Development Guidelines • Avoid adjectives attached to a trait as the sole means of differentiating performance. • Use wording that reliably separates the performance of students or the level of quality with respect to meeting or not meeting the standard. • Keep the distance between levels of performance or quality equal. Giselle Martin Kniep

43. PROTOCOL #5: Process for Using Data to Drive Decision Making • Create a culture of inquiry • Build learning teams focused on data • Identify school wide leadership and department/ grade level learning teams Ensure learning teams utilize a data analysis process

44. Data analysis is the process of collecting data about a system with the purpose of improving practice. Data is not intended to blame anyone. Instead, it is aimed at understanding a system that avoids using precise information that can guide and inform better practice. Goal-setting that uses data to monitor progress can be a threatening endeavor. Preparation and ongoing training have often failed to provide staff with the ability or confidence to believe they can succeed. This insecurity hampers every staff member. Schmocker, 1996 Schools that operate as professional learning communities use formative assessments on a frequent basis to ask, • “Are students learning?” • “What steps must we take to address the needs of those who have not learned?” • What steps must we take to address the needs of those who exceed expectations?”

45. Logic and DataThe Basics of Effective Teamwork Which instructional strategies lead to the most rapid rate of growth for different student groups? LOGIC DATA LOGIC Where are they weakest? DATA LOGIC Which students are most in need of improvement? DATA LOGIC Which content skill are do our students struggle with the most? DATA The Data-Logic Chain: An Alternative Process for Improvement by Ann Conzemius and Jan O’Neil

46. Guidelines for 1-1 Data Conversations Focus is on the individual classroom. • The first data discussion based upon student achievement should occur within the first weeks of the school year. In this first conversation, individuals and teams set their big goals for the year. • During administrator/teacher conversations, the focus is on accountability and support. • If a teacher leader and teacher are having the conversation, the focus is on support. All conversations are grounded in support for student learning. Adapted, Doug Reeves and Cindy Harrison

47. Guidelines for TEAM Data Conversations(See attached protocol.) FACILITATE … • Conversation about overall student levels of performance. • Conversation on the performance of students as disaggregated by gender, ethnicity, ELL level, disability, poverty, etc. • Conversation about patterns in individual student growth. • Discussion about students or groups of students not making growth, interventions that have been used, and possible next steps. • Discussion about students or groups of students exceeding expectations, support and acceleration activities that have been used, and possible next steps. • Discussion of instructional strategies used that resulted in different outcomes. Adapted, Doug Reeves and Cindy Harrison

48. SEE ATTACHED PROTOCOL FOR DATA CONVERSATION Step 1: Collect and chart data Step 2: Analyze Strengths and Obstacles Step 3: Write your SMART Goal Step 4: Identify Instructional Strategies Step 5: List indicators for the results expected for each strategy Step 6: Discuss Assessment Results by Grade Level/Content Area, Teacher, Classroom and Individual Classes Adapted, Doug Reeves and Cindy Harrison

49. What’s Worth Fighting For Guidelines for Principals • De-privatize practice • provide opportunities for teachers to co-teach, meet in one another’s classroom, peer coach, participate in learning walks, etc. • Model instructional leadership and learning • Build capacity of teacher leaders to facilitate this work • Grow other leaders • Divert the distracters • Be a system leader Adapted from Michael Fullan, 2008

50. What’s Worth Fighting For Guidelines for Systems (the work of the Superintendents and Boards of Education) • Establish a new shared vision for professional development • Work with your teachers’ association to make agreements about the PLC work and how you will schedule time for the work • Invest in the instructional leadership of principals • Combine direction and flexibility • Mobilize the power of data • Use peers to influence/change district and school culture • Address the managerial requirements (Think TIME) • Invest in the capacity of teacher leaders to facilitate the work • Stay the course Adapted from Fullan, 2008