Effective Teaming, and Instructional Planning

1. Effective Teaming, and Instructional Planning Academy of Pacesetting StatesJuly 19-24, 2009 Princeton, New Jersey

2. Day 1 Objectives • Review instructional materials • Survey consistent practices used throughout Instructional Leader sessions • Explore Instructional Specialists’ goals • Examine strategies for successful teamwork • Identify an effective framework for instructional planning

3. Instructional Materials • Indicators • Instructional Leaders’ manual • Mega System Handbook In addition… • Academy Workbook

4. Instructional Leaders’ Trainings:Consistent practices • Working agenda • Next Steps • E-mail sent to each participant preceding sessions: Restating Next Steps prompts; Mega System preparation readings; Other reminders • Gallery of Improving Practices • Mock classroom demonstrations

5. Instructional Specialists of the Pacesetting States What are your expectations? What are your goals?

6. Warm-up We’re going on a… People Hunt!! Get ready to learn about your fellow Instructional Specialists!

7. EFFECTIVE TEAMING Describe the teams that are in your school. How are they organized? How often do they meet? Where do they meet? What is their purpose?

8. Indicators Instructional Team Structure ID11 Teachers are organized into grade-level, grade level cluster, or subject area Instructional Teams ID13 Instructional Teams meet for blocks of time sufficient to develop and refine units of instruction and review student learning data.

9. Frequently Asked Questions • When do Instructional Teams meet? • Where should the Teams meet? • How often should Teams meet? Additional suggestions can be found in the Session manual, pages 21-22. Please share these with your Instructional Teams.

10. Operational Data The Basics • Agenda: Use a standard format for all teams • Minutes: Establish a binder or file that is accessible by the team and school leadership Refer to pages 23-26 in Session manual for agenda/minutes samples.

11. Operational Data Team Effectiveness Survey • Instrument to help Instructional Teams monitor and improve their effectiveness • Completed two times a year • Points to areas of strength, and areas where the team can improve • Results provide a basis for the team to discuss its own effectiveness

12. NEXT STEPS: Instructional Leaders With your team, complete the Effective Teaming “Next Steps” document on page 29 in the Session manual. Thoroughly respond to the questions on the left hand side of the table by answering each prompt at the top of the 3 columns.

13. Gallery of Improving Practices The voice of experience: Describe how you plan to strengthen the effectiveness of the Instructional Teams at your school.

14. NEXT STEPS: Instructional Specialists With your state partner, complete the Next Steps - Effective Teaming document in the Academy workbook. Thoroughly respond to the questions on the left hand side of the table by answering each prompt at the top of the 3 columns.

15. INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING “The business of schools is to invent tasks, activities, and assignments that the students find engaging and that bring them into profound interactions with content and processes they will need to master to be judged well educated.” Schlechty, 2001

16. Indicators Aligned Instruction IIA01-02; IIIA06 Classroom Assessment IIB01-02; 11B04-05 Differentiated Instruction IIC01; IIC03

17. Aligned Instruction National Standards national expectations by subject and grade range; usually developed by subject area associations or institutes State Standards state expectations by subject and grade level range or grade level Benchmarks state and/or district expectations by specific grade level or clusters of grade levels Curriculum scope and sequence of objectives /skills Aligned Unit of Instruction written curriculum aligned to tested curriculum and instruction Provides teachers with organizational framework for planning

18. Time for a little: R and R Read andReact, that is… Read: Page 33, Session 1 manual. React: Describe an alignment process most familiar to you based on your experience at a state, district, or school level.

19. Schooling practices that matter most… Aligning classroom assessments of student performance with the written curriculum and actual instruction. Cotton (2000)

20. The Unit Plan:A framework for aligned instruction Parts… Standard code Objectives aligned to grade level (target) Objective descriptor Criteria for Mastery Pre-test/Post-test Item To whole…see pages 39-40, Session 1 manual

21. NEXT STEPS: Instructional Leaders • Review pages 34-43 in the Session manual • Respond to the first block/row in “Next Steps”, Instructional Planning (pg. 55). • Move forward with the second block/row in “Next Steps”. (Unit Plan Editing Checklist, pg. 41 in Session manual).

22. NEXT STEPS: Instructional Specialists • Review pages 34-43 in the Session 1 manual. • Reflect on the questions that are posed to Instructional Leaders on their Next Steps page (p. 55), first two blocks. • Complete the corresponding prompts (first 3) to your Next Steps- InstructionalPlanning in the academy workbook.

23. Differentiating Instruction One size doesn’t fit all.

24. Leveling objectives • Target - already defined in the Unit Plan. • Prerequisite – approximately one grade level below target • Enhanced – related to the target but of a higher order, possibly a higher grade level.

25. What is an LPG? Learning Plan Grid: a structure for a team of teachers to organize activities that are aligned to curricular objectives… • provides areas to identify differentiated activities… • by levels of objectives.

26. Gallery of Improving Practices The voice of experience: Describe your plan for aligning classroom curriculum, assessments, and differentiated instruction by an Instructional Team. What tools will they use (i.e., Unit Plan and Learning Plan Grid)? How will you ensure consistency by all Instructional Teams?

27. NEXT STEPS: Instructional Specialists • Review pages 45-53 in the session manual. • Reflect on the questions that are posed to Instructional Leaders on their Next Steps page (p.55), last 2 blocks. • Do the LPG exercise…(following slide). • Complete the last corresponding prompt on your Next Steps – InstructionalPlanning.

28. LPG Exercise • Using the Unit Plan sample on pg. 40 in the Session 1 manual, and the LPG form on pg. 51… • Write a prerequisite and enhanced objective that align to the target. • Brainstorm possible activities in the modes of instruction identified at the top of each column.

29. Day 1 Objectives • Review instructional materials • Survey consistent practices used throughout Instructional Leader sessions • Explore Instructional Specialists’ goals • Examine strategies for successful teamwork • Identify an effective framework for instructional planning

30. Day 2 Preparation: Instructional Delivery, and Classroom Culture Mega System readings for Day 1 review: Manual 1, page 5 Mega System readings for Day 2 preview: Manual 2 page, 5; Manual 3, first three entries Be prepared to share your Instructional Specialists’ Next Steps responses.

31. Session Closing • Questions and remarks • Day 2 information Thank you! Have a great evening!