Harnessing the Power of Teacher Leaders

1. Harnessing the Power of Teacher Leaders Fort Bend ISD Secondary Curriculum Coordinators Susan Voradakis – Social Studies susan.voradakis@fortbendisd.com Perri Segura – Science perri.segura@fortbend.k12.tx.us Trisha Peterson – Math trisha.peterson@fortbend.k12.tx.us Sue Tull – ELA sue.tull@fortbend.k12.tx.us Sharon McGlaun – “Retired” smcglaun@msn.com TSSSA Conference – March 30, 2007

2. Fort Bend ISD • Suburban District – southwest of Houston • Secondary Schools: • 10 High Schools • 12 Middle Schools • 2 Alternative Campuses

3. You might be a coordinator if you… • Write curriculum • Create assessments • Read, research, and attend conferences • Organize district staff development • Train teachers, department chairs, administrators • Read, research, and attend conferences • Attend meetings • Mentor teachers, department chairs, administrators • Read, research, and attend conferences • Lead meetings • Facilitate, lead, and serve on committees • Read, research, and attend conferences….

4. What is the expected outcome? • Understanding of CIA? • Implementation of state/district curriculum? • Data-driven decision making? • Improved test scores? • Teacher success? • Student Success?

5. Reality • Campuses sometimes operate in reactive rather than proactive mode (constant remediation of students rather than instruction). • Busy administrators provide little instructional leadership or expectations. • Teachers are expected to “collaborate” before or after school, or they work in isolation. • Data does not impact instruction. • Students do not reach their potential.

6. …School culture and supervision tend to ignore or divert teachers from implementing and continuously improving their mastery of effective instructional and assessment practices. We don’t commonly see teaching, followed by assessment, then adjustment to practice on the basis of assessment results. Isolation masks the starkly different results achieved by different teachers. - Mike Schmoker, Results Now

7. Think Pair Share • How do you make the TEKS the focus of classroom instruction and assessment? • How do you bring about systemic change within a content area, grade level, and school?

8. The good news is that we know what to do. Education research has equipped us with abundant evidence on instructional and leadership strategies that are likely to result in improved student achievement. – Doug Reeves, “Closing the Implementation Gap”

9. Effective Practice • Marzano – High Yield Strategies • DuFour – PLC • Schmoker – Collaborative Planning • Gardner – Learning Styles • Tomlinson – Differentiated Instruction • McTighe & Wiggins - UBD • And many others …

10. Putting It All Together: One High School’s Results

11. Discuss the slide with your neighbor. • Write down any questions that you have based on the data.

12. The purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate how to make a difference at the campus level by – 1. Impacting teachers directly, through teacher leaders. These leaders, rather than coordinators or other administrators, relay information and implement district expectations. 2. Implementing the TLC model of collaborative planning, deeper understanding of the curriculum, and reflective practices that drive instruction.

13. TLC Teacher Leadership Corps

14. History of the Program • Beginnings • Year 1 – one school • Year 2 – four schools

15. TLC Campus Structure

16. Self Reflection • Do you have a similar structure? • What do team leaders do? • Do teams meet regularly? • What is the focus of the meetings? • Do teachers grow, does instruction improve, are student scores going up as the result of team meetings?

17. How is TLC Different? “I have been a part of small learning communities which addressed cross curricular learning themes to motivate students and staff. This TLC initiative is different as it affects students by affecting teachers’ instruction. That can be a sensitive area for the unwilling. However, it is the most powerful and most necessary. Mediocre instruction produces mediocre students. We owe ourselves and our students more than that.” - TLC Teacher

18. Goals of TLC • Short term - Improve student achievement on TAKS • Long term – Focus on TEKS and enhance classroom instruction • Long term – Develop effective peer coaching networks to support teachers and students.

19. Tools of TLC • Curriculum Calendar with target student expectations • Collaborative Team Planning Form – focus on TEKS • Mini Assessments – collect information on impact of instruction • Data Reporting Forms – collect data to determine next course of action

20. Target SE’s • Develop team curriculum calendar for entire year • Identify areas for improvement –target SE’s • Plot target SE’s for specific instruction and assessment on team calendar • Can’t fix all problems, but have to start somewhere

21. Sample Calendar

22. Collaborative Team Planning Process • Teams meet at least once per week • Not just lesson planning • Collaborating/discussing instruction • Creating time in the schedule does not create buy-in or understanding

23. Focused Collaborative Team Planning Date: Team:

25. Sample Lesson Plan

26. Mini Assessments • TAKS Format • Limited to 1-2 SE’s • 4-5 questions each • Every 3 weeks • Can be integrated into regular test or as a stand alone assessment • Can be formative or summative • Determine “passing” standard (compare to TAKS) • Team decides on rules for administration of tests

27. Data Analysis • Everyone sees everyone’s data • Discuss the results and the reasons for the results • Identify remediation strategies and incorporate into upcoming lesson(s)

28. “This is definitely the most rewarding program I have ever been a part of. In looking at what the team has accomplished so far this year: segmenting and adapting the curriculum to fit the needs of the students; incorporating best practices…, aligning our team goals…, pinpointing problem areas and adapting our teaching to those needs, I can truly say that TLC has brought our department a long way.” - TLC Teacher

29. Lead TLC • Monitor progress of teams through collecting documentation, meeting with teams, conducting walk-throughs, etc. • Provide support for TLC teachers • Liaison between campus and district administrators

30. Role of Administrators • Provides vehicle for legitimate instructional leadership • Attend team meetings • Monitor implementation through focused walk-throughs • Provide accountability for all team members

31. NCREL recommends, based on research on schools that are making the most progress with improving student results, that schools provide teachers with three hours of collaborative time each week. – SMART Goals

32. Other Components & Issues • TAKS Support • Coaching • Scheduling

33. District Support Structure

35. Teachers must be clear about the connection between their own learning and improvements in student learning. – Joan Richardson, “Think Outside the Clock”

36. Growing Our TLC’s • Book Study • Weekly Team Meetings • Share successes • Discuss difficulties • Lessons in Leadership • Effective Classroom Instruction Training • Content Area Trainings

37. Reflections

38. Additional Resources • TLC Program Outline • TLC Glossary • TLC Program – Use of TLC Period • Sample Curriculum Calendar • Collaborative Team Planning Form • Mini Assessment Data Form • Mini Assessment Reflections • Planning Considerations • Tic TAKS Forms – Grades 10 & 11 • Resource List