LDC Lessons Learned

1. LDC Lessons Learned The Coaching Perspective

2. Lessons Learned • Teachers need to know what supports are available and R-group space is a great place to begin the search • Collaboration is necessary and helps build teacher/student/parent community • Module Creator is a good tool – but a good tool is only as good as the user. • Modules provide vetted artifacts for substantiating teacher effectiveness and thus, can be used in observations and evaluation tools • Remember: the intent of CCSS is rigor and relevance!

3. Teaching Task • Teaching tasks set the stage for alignment of all module sections • Choosing the correct teaching task template is essential. Using exact words is a must! • By using the exact wording provided by the template you are aligning your work with CCSS as the standards are hard-wired in the template

4. Reviewing Standards • When reviewing the standards in your module: • Look at your standards closely • Which ones do you actually expect students to know & be able to do? • Which ones (once taught) do you not need to include in your module? • Standards & GLE’s should be discussed across grade levels • Limit the number of standards to align with the time you have allotted to teach your module

5. Mini-Tasks - What Instruction? • Customizing mini-tasks (your lesson plan) targets your students’ needs. This is one of many entry points towards differentiation within your module. • Additionally: • Mini-tasks – Are where grade level skills are taught & where they can be scored. Scoring guides are included in Module Creator. Mini-tasks are where instructional strategies are included. • Mini-tasks can be used as formative assessments.

6. Rubrics and Scoring - What Results? • The LDC is aligned with national assessment rubrics • While you cannot revise the rubric – you can choose a part(s) of it to focus on (content teachers please take note). The rubric is designed to reflect rigor. • The LDC rubric design concept involves improvement rather than failure(i.e. the lowest score is framed as “not yet”) • You can score either holistically or analytically

7. Rubrics and Scoring • The LDC rubric has implications for instruction – check the descriptors in the rubric to define the focal points of the writing piece • Rubrics exist for argumentative and informational/explanatory writings– (narrative rubric on the way) • Working with your team on group scoring of writing products will help you increase your scoring fidelity • Anchor Assessments will pave the way towards defining writing exemplars. Collect and save papers!

8. Best Practices - What Skills? • Grade Level Expectations and Ladders of instruction must be addressed. Module Creator does not provide for this. • All selected skills must be taught • Completed modules that have been vetted provide a step-by-step guide for grade appropriate instruction. • Skills are clustered – this helps order your instructional flow.

9. Best Practices • Always go back to GLE’s when developing a module • Teach your first module even if it’s not perfect • Keep in contact with your teachers by answering questions and probing. This helps the cohort continue to succeed. • When building P/D, ground every session with a text in which to engage • Introduce a new instructional strategy at each P/D session • For each session, build on the last sessions’ instructional strategy

10. Best Practices • The LDC crosswalk with Colorado Academic Standards is really a valuable tool to show teachers how this will help with teacher effectiveness • Being quick with feedback helps keep teachers moving • Deconstruct the LDC rubrics for teachers and students • Hold firm on keeping the rigor of the rubrics and not diluting them into kid friendly versions • Text selection is critical to LDC success. Know the elements of TS and spend time on reading & selecting. Read all text selected.

11. Best Practices • Disengaged leaders do exist. To help them move forward, introduce PARCC/Smarter Balance. Also, providing them with LDC crosswalks with their Educator Effectiveness Evaluation tools will help them make the important connections LDC provides. • Followed by deconstructing an exemplary module • Followed by direct, explicit, instruction of ADMIN “look for’s” for evidence from the exemplar module that can be used to guide the observations of teachers and guide the use of the Ed Effectiveness Rubric/Evaluation tool

12. Best Practices • Work with administrators - whole group - AND individually • Connect district and building activities with LDC/data collection • Work at the building level as much as possible. Even drop-ins are good. • While change is occurring, working 1-1 with building leadership is a must. Working through TOT's, not to meet-but to exceed expectations around implementation of LDC, is crucial. • Develop, develop, develop relationships at all levels