Growing Teacher Practice

1. Growing Teacher Practice The power of reflection and collaboration

2. Quick History 12 years of thinking, talking and working with practice Effective Schools literature Professional Learning Community Constructivist Model Study of collaborative process 3 initiatives - RJ, Coaching, Pairing

3. Where we started:Three Questions What do we want students to know and be able to do? How are we going to know when they have met our objectives? What do we do if they do not learn?

4. Beliefs to begin: When students believe they are learning things of value, the behaviors we associate with “problems in school” will be reduced significantly. Our sought after and foremost outcome is curricular learning in its broadest mandate. Learning is only possible in an environment of relationship rather than power, competition and dominance.

5. Beliefs about our Collaboration Trust – I will try to share“my truth” without self serving motive Understanding – our goal is shared and we are searching for greater understanding of what is happening to us

6. Beliefs about our Collaboration Willingness– I am willing to reflect on my motives and practice Compassion – I am driven to make things better Responsibility – I am the source of a better place – what can I do?

7. Words of concern Chances Responsibility Collaboration Loneliness

8. Other Stuff – Master Teacher The master teacher as a trajectory The teacher is the single biggest school based factor in student success Create cultures of high expectations and life long learning

9. Other Stuff – Master Teacher Master teachers are always learning Any teacher can become a master teacher with the right kind of support

10. 3 Simultaneous Initiatives Robyn Jackson – a cultural language Executive Coaching – guided reflection on practice Teacher Pairing – real collaborative practice

11. Seven Principles Finding a common language for our growth

12. Robyn Jackson • Seven principles • Start where your students are • Know where your students are going • Expect to get your students there • Support your students • Use effective feedback • Focus on Quality not Quantity • Never work harder than your students

13. Why Principles? Principles are timeless: curriculum, policies, and leadership may change but the principles of effective instruction never do. Principles are universally applicable. Principles are customizable to individual teaching style.

14. Principle 1- Currency Four common currencies – autonomy, mastery, purpose and belonging Every time you walk in a classroom, there is a currency exchange happening Rules of engagement – ROI Examine the teacher’s currencies – which ones are valued - intention or unintention Relevancy is acknowledging currency

15. Principle 2 Where are they going What are they expected to know and do Five In – Five Out Match all learning activities to the goal Goal is the floor rather than the ceiling. What does progress look like? Rigor – Acquisition, Application, Assimilation and Adaptation How does the student know mastery?

16. Principle 3 Believe they can! Maintaining unwavering faith We can/will prevail despite the brutal facts of the situation I’m not going to give up on you Keep reviewing values and beliefs This can be our/my defining moment

17. Principle 4 Provide Support Establish Red flags – why are they not learning Set up pro active intervention plan Rescue when it will make a significant difference Is learning it the first time more important than learning it? Useful, actionable feedback is crucial Quality vs quantity

18. Principle 5 Feedback Tells the students what is important Is immediate and actionable – if wrong how do you make it right Good feedback leads to trying again and reinvestment and continuation – video game mentality – I know how to get it right! Fundamental to the teacher about their practice – content of feedback

19. Principle 6 QL vs QT Eliminate overlap and repetition Distinguish between need to know/do and nice to know/do Teach from principles rather than strategies If we add, what do we remove Again, if not to the goal then why do it

20. Principle 7 Don’t Work Harder What is your work and what is your student's work When you control every part of the learning process, I can't take ownership of it Learning is messy If directions aren't clear or kids have to teach themselves, they've been given the teacher's work.

21. Principle 7 “More” The person doing the work is usually the one doing the learning. The purpose is to let kids manage their own learning, make connections Having kids take ownership for their own learning Sometimes easier to do things ourselves rather than empowering others to do it for themselves

22. Executive Coaching A highly structured model of talking about work Based on belief that greatness is possible Change and energy lies with executive/teacher Professional Executive coach spends time Regular sessions examining growth possibilities Oriented to future behavior

23. Teacher Pairing Two equals working together Structured discussions about practice Overwhelming feedback about value Students and teachers reactions

24. And so – to our growth! How best to support your growth as a leader Applying the principles to our growth Currency – what is our coin? Where are we going with practice We can all be masters of the craft What does support look like Feedback vs evaluation Quality moments Leaders cannot make growth happen

25. Important to Consider . . . “Good is sometimes the enemy of great.”