Gifted Academy 5: Professional Learning in Gifted Programs

1. Gifted Academy 5: Professional Learning in Gifted Programs 2014 Mary Schmidt Gifted Education Consultant Heartland AEA mschmidt@aea11.k12.ia.us 800.255.0405 ext. 14375 http://pdingt.pbworks.com

2. Essential Questions • What is Professional Learning? • What Professional Learning do we need? • How do I develop/deliver Professional Learning? • How do I know Professional Learning is making a difference?

3. Learning Targets I can… • Assess staff needs for professional learning that will enhance comprehensive gifted programming • Identify and choose models and types of professional learning most appropriate in a given situation • Identify effective professional learning practices for adult learners • Align professional learning with other components required by Iowa Code (Ch. 12, IAC) and national standards • Evaluate g/t staff development

4. AGENDA • Introductions, review • Teacher attitudes and mindset • Characteristics of adult learners • Professional learning standards • Planning for professional learning • Professional learning as complex change • Evaluating staff development

5. COURSE REQUIREMENTS • 100 % attendance • Active participation in learning • Completion of in-class activities • Completion of self-assessment and action plan • Set a date for on-site instructor visit and goals for that visit • Completion of final project/presentation to be submitted by May 16.

6. NORMS Support each other in the learning process Monitor progress (individual/group) Ask questions Respect others’ viewpoints Take time to reflect

7. Recall and Review

8. TEACHER ATTITUDES

9. What’s Your Mindset?

10. Teacher Growth States • Gourmet Omnivore • Active Consumer • Passive Consumer • Reticent Joyce & Showers

11. JIGSAW Form three groups Group 1: research characteristics of adult learners Group 2: research what motivates adult learners Group 3: research teaching and learning strategies appropriate for adult learners

12. Connections • Debrief your own PD efforts • What worked and what didn’t? • How well did you address issues pertinent to adult learners? • To what extent do you feel this made a difference? • What improvements might you make?

13. How do I know Professional Learning is effective?

14. Link to Program Evaluation • Discuss with a partner how GT program evaluation and professional learning are connected.

15. Talk at your table With regard to GT professional learning… • Who wants/needs to know about the work? • What do they want to know? • Why?

16. Professional development core features: • Content focus • Active learning • Coherence • Duration • Collective participation Increased teacher knowledge and skills; changes in attitude and beliefs Change in instruction Change in student learning Desimone, L. (2009). Core Conceptual Framework for Studying the Effects of Professional Development on Teachers and Students From Assessing Impact webinar. www.learningforward.org

18. Sample KASAB • Sample KASAB • Work in small groups. • Review your team’s KASAB or identify changes you want to see as a result of a professional learning experience. • Add ideas.

19. Constructing the Evaluation Framework • Internal or External Evaluator • Decisions about the evaluation • What types of changes do we expect to see? (KASAB) • What do I want to know? (evaluation questions) • Who or what will tell me (data sources)? • How will we collect evidence (data collection methods)?

20. Evaluation Framework

21. Your Ideas • Discuss ways you could evaluate your PL implementation and outcomes. • How does this information change or guide your thinking about professional learning? • Go back to your debrief of your PL and make application.

22. How do I develop/deliver Professional Learning?

23. Steps to include • Evidence of need • Audience • Learning targets/Outcomes • Format • Presenter/Facilitator • Content • Activities • Materials • Resources • Expectations • Assessment/Evaluation

24. Components of a Professional Learning Plan • Needs assessment • Identify target audience • Knowledge of identification procedures • Understanding of program goals & options • Staff selection • Budgetary concerns • Curriculum development • Accountability and evaluation Dettmer &Landrum, 1998

25. Inservice Design

26. A Creative Process

28. What’s the Format?

29. Starting Your Plan • Choose your PL focus • What’s the rationale for this choice (need)? • Who’s the audience? Why them? • What are the goals? • What assumptions guide you? • What results do you want? • What are your action steps?

30. May you live in a time of change. --ancient Chinese curse

31. Managing Complex Change Action Plan + + + + Vision Skills Incentives Resources Action Plan + + + + Skills Incentives Resources Action Plan + + + + Vision Incentives Resources Action Plan + + + + Vision Skills Resources Action Plan + + + + Vision Skills Incentives + + + + Vision Skills Incentives Resources = Change Confusion = = Anxiety = Resistance = Frustration = False Starts Adapted from Knoster, T., Villa R., & Thousand, J. (2000). A framework for thinking about systems change. In R. villa & J. Thousand (Eds.), Restructuring for caring and effective education: Piecing the puzzle together (pp. 93-128). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

32. Collaborative Teams Promote Individual and Team Growth

33. Ken Blanchard on Change

34. CBAM

35. First or second order? Do stakeholders perceive the change as. . . an extension of the past? a break with the past? consistent with prevailing organizational norms? inconsistent with prevailing organizational norms? congruent with personal values? incongruent with personal values? easily learned using existing knowledge and skills? requiring new knowledge and skills? First-Order Implications Second-Order Implications McREL

36. Reflect upon effective professional development: • How might you differentiate a staff development session on the nature and needs of giftedness? • What type of learning experiences might benefit you most professionally? • What professional learning for teachers or administrators would most benefit gifted students in your school or district? Why? • Establish a system for documenting and reflecting upon your continuing education experiences (e.g., conventions, seminars, courses, staff developments, etc.).

37. Presentation Tips & Tools • Heartland AEA Web tools searchable data base • For an alternative to PowerPoint check out http://www.prezi.com • Presentation Zen • Web site • Prezi overview • Video overview • Facilitation strategies • http://www.nsrfharmony.org/protocols.html • Facilitation Strategies

38. Presentation or Facilitation?

39. PRESENTATION • What is it? • What does it involve?

40. PRESENTATION • What are you comfortable with? • What concerns you? • Is presentation alone enough?

41. Conclusion • Any professional can become an effective presenter. • Knowledge is not enough. • Being able to communicate is equally important. • Investing time and effort in improving presentation and facilitation skills is always rewarded.

42. FACILITATION • What is it? • What does it involve?

43. FACILITATION • What are you comfortable with? • What concerns you?

44. CORE PRACTICES AS A FACILITATOR • Listen actively • Ask questions • Paraphrase to clarify • Synthesize ideas • Stay on track • Label sidetracks • Embed strategies • Test assumptions • Collect ideas • Summarize clearly • Use park it • Give and receive feedback

45. When do I present? • When do I facilitate?

46. Staff Development Outcomes • Greater teacher awareness • Better job of identification • More creative differentiation • Teachers feel trusted • Tighter alignment between gifted & regular education • Increased collegiality • Permission to innovate • Validation

47. MAGNET SUMMARY • Fold a piece of paper into four sections. • Write the words professional learning in the center and add four key words or phrases. • Compose a summary statement.

48. MEMORY MINGLE • How will you engage in the process following this event? • Share in triads • Identify connections and/or conclusions • Share with large group