Welcome to the Critical Friends Groups November 1, 2013

1. Welcome to the Critical Friends Groups November 1, 2013

2. Welcome, Introductions

3. Outcomes: • Develop an understanding of Critical Friends Groups • Examine research and evidence to support Critical Friends Groups • Identify the main components of Critical Friends Groups that improve teacher practice and student achievement

4. What are Critical Friends Groups? • Why are they critical (essential) to improving student achievement? • How are they developed & sustained?

5. “In order to be a high performing school, regular and frequent opportunities for peer collaboration must be formally provided as part of the school structure.”

6. Turn to someone next to you and share with them what peer collaboration looks like in a high performing school

7. “Research indicates that high performing schools have an effective Professional Learning Community that regularly practices the Cycle of Continuous Improvement”

8. Critical Friends Groups • Collaborate as Professional Learning Communities in a variety of small groups • Provide ongoing job-embedded professional development • Train teacher leaders as facilitators

9. Engage in authentic conversations and work examining data and using the Cycle of Continuous Improvement • Follow specific protocols to support these conversations and include examining student work as an important source of data

10. “Using Critical Friends’ groups and protocols, we were able to focus our attention on student work in a guided, systematic way. This had a profound effect on our PLC work as well as instructional planning and preparation.” Brenda Cook, Teacher, Grand Rapids Public Schools

11. Why Critical Friends Groups • CFG’s explicitly and intentionally change instructional practice & impact student learning. • CFG’s use procedures and protocols that align with the Statewide System of Support for Priority & Focus Schools • Teacher Teams engage in the phases of Data Dialogue using CFG protocols and the Instructional Learning Cycle

12. CFG’s align w/ SPR 40 Key Characteristics • Teaching for Learning-Processes used to plan, monitor, reflect, and refine curriculum, instruction, and assessment • Leadership-Staff engages in collaborative inquiry focused on continuous improvement to increase student learning • Personnel & Professional Learning-Staff participates in learning teams and collaborates to analyze student work

13. III. (cont’d) CFG’s provide professional learning that is needs-based, aligned, job-embedded, and results-driven. IV. School & Community Relations-Staff collaborates to strengthen family & community relations V. Data & Information Management-Staff collaborates to derive information from data and make decisions to increase student achievement.

14. How are CFG’s developed & sustained? Trained teacher-leaders and facilitators • Train the Trainer Model builds capacity of teacher-leaders to facilitate • Networking and collaboration with other schools and districts has added benefits

15. Aligned with MDE Professional Development Standards and endorse Learning Forward (NSDC) standards • Needs-based, aligned, job-embedded, and results-driven professional development • Relevant to the day to day work • Data Driven

16. Authentic dialogue and work • Data analysis/data dialogue • Focus on teaching practice and student learning • Building capacity provides sustainability • Day to day challenges/successes

17. Small groups – varied types • Grade level • Content teams • Interdisciplinary • Teachers choose the group that will give them quality feedback on their instructional practice

18. Builds the capacity of teacher leaders and distributes leadership • Improves Teacher Practice and alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment • Requires Collaboration • Uses Cycle of Continuous Improvement • Drives decisions through Data Dialogues/Digs - LASW

19. “The collective efficacy of the teachers in a school is a better predictor of student success than is the socioeconomic status of the students”.

20. “Ultimately, these trainings were most efficacious in developing teachers' capacities to work together; learning that took root through Critical Friends Groups often spread broadly across the faculty and the processes began to show up in faculty meetings unrelated to SLC and in teachers‘ classrooms as they worked with students. CFGs gave teachers in many schools a voice among diverse colleagues and were instrumental in developing shared understandings, purpose, and mission about the grant.” Michigan State University Independent Evaluator

21. Q & A • Debrief • Next Steps

22. MCES Contact Information Jim Bodrie: 231-730-7007, Bodrie@MichiganCES.org Karen Miller: 269-967-2086, Miller@MichiganCES.org