Preparing Teachers to See the World Through “Transitions-colored Glasses” COABE 2014

1. Preparing Teachers to See the World Through “Transitions-colored Glasses”COABE 2014 Lia Conklin Olson, Astrid Liden, & Patsy Vinogradov

2. ACESAcademic, Career, & Employability Skills To ensure that ABE programs are able to provide effective contextualized instruction integrating post-secondary education and training readiness, employability skills, and career readiness at all levels.

3. Agenda & Objectives • Brief History of ACES • TIF = Transitions Integration Framework • ACES Professional Learning Community (PLC) model & planning process • Content of ACES PLCs • Training our PLC Facilitators • Your context

4. Agenda & Objectives The participants will be able to: • Access the ACES TIF and ACES PLC materials. • Articulate the purpose of ACES, the TIF, and the ACES PLCs. • Articulate the primary organization and content of the TIF. • Identify the steps in the ACES process. • Identify the ways the ACES leadership team cultivated new teacher leaders statewide for PLC facilitation around transitions skills at every level of instruction. • Identify the potential strengths and challenges of this PD model. • Consider possible applications of this PD delivery model in their contexts.

5. Brief history of ACES

6. Transitions Integration Framework

7. Development of the TIF • 2011-12: • ACES Advisory Group of MN transitions leaders from ABE, college, and workforce drafts TIF • TIF piloted through PD project focused on transitions integration • 2012-13: • ACES Project Team analyzes PD pilot data and redrafts TIF • Stakeholders & subject matter experts provide feedback • TIF revised & sample activities added • Summer 2013: TIF finalized & shared at statewide ABE conference

8. TIF Categories

9. Exploring the TIF Categories • Look at the cartoons on the handout and match each to the TIF category that it best represents.

18. Transitions Integration Framework TIF: Transitions Integration Framework Outlines the skills needed for successful transitions. Serves as a guide for integrating transition skills into instruction. Complete TIF contains: • Categories & definitions • Skills & sub skills • Sample activities ranging from simple to complex • Sample technology ideas to practice skills • Ideas to contextualize for community, school, or work ACES PLC, ATLAS, March 2014

19. ACES PLC, ATLAS, March 2014

20. TIF organization & content • With a partner, look at the TIF Components handout • Look at the TIF grid on the back side • Each letter corresponds to a different TIF component • On the front side, match the letter of each TIF component to its description

21. ACES Professional Learning Communities

22. Professional Learning Communities • The puzzle – how do we reach everyone in the state in a meaningful way? • PLCs, train-the-trainer model • Supported by regional transitions funding • The right team! (Project lead, 8 Trainers, and executive leadership) • PLC materials developed in fall 2013 • PLCs for future PLC facilitators ran in January-February, with PLC Facilitator Training on March 7, 2014 • PLCs around the state running now

24. Purpose: Zooming out, Zooming in In this professional learning community (PLC), practitioners “zoom out” to view and better understand their roles as adult educators and to more clearly see the trajectory of their learners. We also “zoom in” to individual classrooms and lesson plans to focus on how transitions skills and the ACES process are enacted and might be enhanced in our daily work.

25. Purpose of the PLC • This PLC provides the time and space where this clarifying and shifting of perspectives can take place. Here, we hone the skills and articulate the stance needed to respond to the complex interplay of long-term learner goals, our roles and responsibilities as adult educators, and the instruction that moves students forward effectively.

26. But how do you change a teacher? Learning cannot be designed: it can only be designed for – that is, facilitated or frustrated. (Wenger, 1998)

27. ACES PLCs Contain… • Pre-tasks • Meeting Tasks • Outside Tasks • Designed to… • Shift teacher stance • Increase “transitions” knowledge • Support effective transitions-minded instruction

28. ACES PLC Content

29. The ACES Process • Assess instruction/materials/curriculum to identify where TIF skills are addressed • Complement to intentionally integrate TIF skills • Evaluate outcomes after delivering lesson/using materials/trying the activity • Study and reflect • What else do students need? • What else do I need?

30. ACES Process in Action • Watch the video clip of an ABE numeracy lesson: Link: http://mlots.org/Elana/numbersflash/numbers.html • Together, we will identify the components of the lesson such as introduction, group work, independent work, etc. • Form a working group around one of the TIF categories (EC, CT, or SM). • Assess: Identify which TIF skills from your category were integrated (or not). • Complement: Discuss ways you could enhance the lesson and identify the TIF skills from your category that would be added.

31. TIF Your Classroom! What are some ways that TIF skills can be integrated into an instructional setting regardless of lesson content?

32. Cultivating new teacher leaders • ACES Facilitation Day – March 2014 • 50 Facilitators from 10 regions of Minnesota came together for a full day of training around PLC facilitation.

33. Cultivating new teacher leaders • ACES Facilitation Day Topics included: • ACES background • Elements of effective PD • ACES PLC materials • Discussion: What makes a strong facilitator? • Reflection on strengths, areas of growth, and strategies for success as a facilitator • Strategies for addressing PLC challenges • Differentiating the PLCs • Ongoing support & resources

34. Responses for PLC Facilitation Day • The binder of materials is well organized and will make it easier to deliver content to my PLC. Also the ATLAS/ACES website is a great resource! • It was really well-thought out, organized and helpful and all parts were engaging and effective, but the interactive external mingle and the creative exercise were especially memorable.

35. Responses for PLC Facilitation Day • Having all the documents and notes organized to implement. Sharing the 13 issues/problems and hearing others feedback for answers. • I think the whole training was helpful. My favorite part was the mixer. It gave me some good ideas to think about when giving these PLCs. • Getting time to discuss how the PLCS might work at our various sites.

36. Transitions Resources & Plans

37. www.atlasabe.org : Transitions Resources • Under ‘Professional Development’, ‘ACES’

38. What’s next? • Evaluation of ACES PLCs • 2014-15 ACES plans: -PLC with 3 more categories -Hybrid PLC model -ACES 101 webinar for newcomers -Expanding online resources -Training for volunteers, managers

39. Questions to consider • What has your state/context done to further a “transitions lens” in ABE? • How might the TIF and ACES process be valuable in your context? • How could this PD model be beneficial in your context?

40. Thank you! www.atlasabe.org