August 18, 2015 Rochester, New York

1. August 18, 2015 Rochester, New York Independent and Peer Evaluation: Making the Work Matter

2. Getting Started Conversation with the Commissioner Today’s Plan Inter-rater Reliability Peer Evaluation The NYS Teaching and Leadership Standards

3. Getting Started Yesterday

4. Questions for the Commissioner What questions, related to APPR, would you like to ask the Commissioner later today?

5. It’s all about attitude…

6. Peer Evaluation • Susan Villani, • Senior Program Associate • WestEd • Author, consultant, facilitator • Past Experience • 21 years as a principal • Adjunct faculty at Lesley University • Degrees from Northeastern, Tufts, and SUNY Binghamton

7. Professional Learning Through Peer Observations and Conversations Presented by Susan Villani Peer and Outside Evaluator Training WorkshopAugust 18, 2015Rochester, New York

8. Learning Objective: • Learn about and apply tools and protocols for collaborative conversations that promote teacher learning and intentional classroom practice within a peer evaluation process.

9. AGENDA • “Where do good ideas come from?” • Peer observation vs. Peer assistance and review • Benefits and components of peer observation • Norms of collaboration: An essential skill set for observers and evaluators • Collaborative conversations: The centerpiece of effective peer evaluation

10. Where do good ideas come from? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU

11. Where do good ideas come from? • What are your “take aways” from watching this video? • What are some implications for teacher learning and evaluation?

12. Guiding Principle #1 • Student learning is at the center of everything that we do in schools.

13. Guiding Principle #2 • There is an inextricable link between the learning of adults and children in schools.

14. Guiding Principle #3 • Collaborative conversations between peers that are focused on instruction promote learning, thinking and intentional practice.

15. Important Distinctions • Peer Observers as Part of an Evaluation System • Supports novice and experienced teachers at all levels of expertise • Trained peers observe teacher classroom practice at least one time during the evaluation cycle • Evidence can be used as part of a summative rating but administrators determine final evaluation and rating

16. Important Distinctions • Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) Program • Supports novice and struggling teachers • Trained “consulting teachers” provide coaching and mentoring throughout the school year • Consulting teacher presents mid-year and end-of-year recommendations to PAR panel (comprised of both union and district leadership) who decide whether to retain or dismiss teacher

17. Benefits of Peer Observation • Reduce burden on school administrators • Increase number of teacher observations per year • Increase evaluator credibility • Provide quality feedback

18. Challenges of Peer Observation • Financial cost • Defining and communicating roles • Objectivity and inter-rater reliability

19. Components of Effective Peer Observation • Role clarification and communication with staff • Requirements of peer observation • Selection and training • Assignment of peer observers --grade level and content area matters!!

20. Norms of CollaborationA Modified Jigsaw Process • All read pages 31 through mid 32 • Reading 1: Pausing and paraphrasing • Reading 2: Putting inquiry at the center • Reading 3: Probing for specificity • Reading 4: Placing ideas on the table, paying attention to self and others & presuming positive intentions

21. Promoting a spirit of inquiry Presuming positive intentions Norms of Collaboration Putting ideas on and off table Paying attention to self and others Pausing Probing Paraphrasing Source: Garmston, Robert. and Wellman, Bruce. (2009). The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishing. Source: Center for Adaptive Schools

22. A Window into Teaching Thinking Ability to explain own teaching practice Mysterious Unknown Theoretical Unable to demonstrate Ability to teach Magical Unexplained Intentional Deliberate practice Source: Dunne, Kathy and Villani, Susan. (2007). Mentoring New Teachers Through Collaborative Coaching: Linking Teacher and Student Learning. San Francisco: WestEd.

23. Impact of Professional Learning Components Source: Joyce, Bruce and Showers, Beverly. (2002). Student Achievement Through Staff Development Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development

24. Key elements of coaching • Learner-focused • Adaptive to match the ever-changing needs of the learner • Conversations are grounded in common language around instruction

25. What makes a question agood question? • Open-ended • Agenda free • Promotes reflection • Expands thinking and possibilities

26. Collaborative Conversations “in action” • Overall, what did you notice? • What, specifically, did the peer coach do or say? • What was the impact on the teacher being coached?

27. A Continuum of Coaching Behaviors Source: Dunne, Kathy and Villani, Susan. (2007). Mentoring New Teachers Through Collaborative Coaching: Linking Teacher and Student Learning. San Francisco: WestEd.

28. Resources and References • Peer Observation and Assessment of Teaching • http://www.albany.edu/teachingandlearning/tlr/peer_obs/Peer%20Observation%20Resource%20Book%20for%20UAlbany.pdf • A User’s Guide to Peer Assistance and Review • http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~ngt/par/ "Peer Observation: Supporting Professional Learning in Six Successful, High-Poverty, Urban Schools." by Stefanie K. Reinhorn, Susan Moore Johnson, and Nicole S. Simon. (May 2015). Project on the Next Generation of Teachers Working Paper.

29. Thank you for your participation!

32. New York State Standards • Jigsaw Activity • Groups of 4 • #1 Read Knowledge of Content and Instructional Planning • #2 Read Instructional Practice and Learning Environment • #3 Read Assessment for Student Learning, Professional Responsibilities and Collaboration, and Professional Growth • #4 Read Standards for Building and District Leaders

33. NYS Standards

34. Inter-rater Reliability

35. Inter-rater Reliability

36. Perspective Matters

37. Inter-rater Reliability Requires: • Consistent definition of good teaching • A shared understanding of the definition • Skilled evaluators (Danielson)

38. Inter-rater Reliability Discuss and reach consensus: • What constitutes great student engagement? • What does quality assessment look like in a lesson? • What makes for strong questioning and discussion prompts?

39. Inter-rater Reliability Process: • Work on the consistent definition as a school/district, using the rubric • Observe and rate classroom videos together • Use “instructional rounds”, identifying two or three areas only • Conduct joint observations and compare findings

40. Inter-rater Reliability Practice:

41. A Conversation with the Commissioner • MaryEllen Elia • Commissioner of Education and President of the University of New York • Past Experience • Superintendent, Hillsborough County, FL • General Director of Secondary Education and Chief Facilities Officer • Former social studies and reading teacher