2014-15 Effectively Implementing SLOs as a Collaborative Team Professional Development Unit

1. 2014-15Effectively Implementing SLOs as a Collaborative TeamProfessional Development Unit By: Juli Lenzotti TEC, Barrett Elementary

2. What new instructional strategies did I implement in my classroom/practice during the course of the PDU? • Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. • Barrett Elementary: • Student interviews related to Interims and SCAN assessments • Protocols that supported the SLO process • Denver Teacher Residency (DTR) Elementary Mathematics Methods class: • Student interviews

3. How did I apply the PDU strategies in my classroom? (examples) How did I collaborate with my team about implementing the PDU strategies? Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. Data conversations focused on the SLO process were more indepth and used a variety of resources including Math Scope and Sequence, Standards for Mathematical Practice, Principles to Standards, Math Progressions to better understand the standards and plan standard-specific instruction. Collaboration for the SLO Process was ongoing throughout the year, beginning with teacher teams participating in the initial SLO summer training. As the school year began, teacher teams, grade-level and vertical teams, worked to complete Phases 1 and 2 of the SLO process. Teachers worked both independently and collaboratively to identify baseline preparedness levels, track students’ progress related to identified performance criteria, and determine end-of-year growth.

4. What three strategies did I implement from the study section of the PDU? What strategy worked best? Why? • Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. • SLO Implementation PD will be provided on August 19, 2014 and August 26, 2014. • Year-long Data Team/Professional Development targeting SLO-related components occurs on Tuesdays (see Summary of Meetings for dates). • Year-long Collaborative Planning to identify grade-specific Common Core Standards, Colorado Academic Standards and DPS ELGs and use them to backwards plan units/lessons with SLO connections occurs on Wednesdays. • SLO Connections PD Sessions (Essential Question: How Do We Plan for Student Learning? Using student work to plan; using Interim/SCAN assessment data; engaging in short term/long term (SLO) learning cycles) will be provided on January 5, 2015, February 17, 2015, and April 13, 2015. • Artifacts • Sample of reflections from PD and assigned reading • SLO Planning Pages, Complete • Focus of Study description and plan of action for 3-5 identified instructional practices to implement

5. What did I learn to do differently as a result of the PDU and strategy implementation in my classroom? • Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. • Understand the expectations of the standards: By continually using resources such as Principles to Actions and the math progressions, we had a better understanding of the expectations of the standard, using that information to identify the best tasks to support students in learning the standard. • Facilitate rigorous math tasks: By knowing the standards more deeply, it was clear that students needed more opportunities to engage in rigorous math tasks such as those called out in the DPS Scope and Sequence. • Use Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP): Use the questioning prompts from the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) providing opportunities for students to engage in mathematical conversations about their learning.

6. Why is this PDU action research process important to my students learning and to my growth as a professional? • Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. • The PDU action research process for Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) provided: • Opportunities to implement the DPS Inquiry Cycle (Analyze, Plan, Implement, Evaluate, Adjust) with a focus of increasing student achievement for two specific standards (sets of standards) • Opportunities to incorporate new protocols and strategies from the Teacher Leadership Cohort • Weekly Agendas for Collaborative Planning Time • Looking at Student Work Protocol • Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in a Professional Learning Community focused on raising student achievement for all students

7. PDU Data AnalysisReflecting on the data you have collected, how did this experience impact instruction, progress monitoring, student performance, and your own practice? • Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. • Collaborating with colleagues about student progress on the SLOs was important when making instructional decisions and next steps based on the data we collected. It helped us be intentional with identifying next steps of instruction and the data we chose to gather next. • Using the data to progress monitor gave us a clearer picture of students’ progress throughout the year when we could make instructional changes along the way—not just progress monitoring at the end of the year when it was too late to change the instructional path.

8. How will I apply my new learning in the future to further my practice? What are my next steps? • Focus of Study: Instructional adjustments based on the ongoing collection and analysis of student performance data. • Begin with the end in mind—know the standards and plan for opportunities to build to success with mastering the standards • Example: Fluency progressions • All means all—continue to identify supports to differentiate and help all students access grade-level standards

9. PDU Artifact #1:SLO Planning Pages Step 1: Create an Objective Statement

10. PDU Artifact #2:Baseline Groups Tracker

11. PDU Artifact #3:Performance Criteria Tracker

12. Exit Ticket • How can we support your professional growth in future PDUs? • Offer SLO PDUs each year—I see this as an ongoing opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to raise student achievement • 2 things that you took away from the PDU this year • The importance of collaboration when working on SLOs • Identify resources that can support in knowing the standards well • 1 piece of constructive criticism • Don’t change the SLO process mid-year! [I realize this decision was beyond our control.]