Learning Targets for Today Increased understanding of a Professional Learning Community (PLC)

In-demand events innovative publishing inspired professional development www.solution-tree.com

“Until we are fully informed and professional, we will continue to use our new materials with our old

mentality, to be victims of innovation without change.”

Regie Routman (1999)

The Power of Professional

Learning Communities

Geri L. ParscaleDirector of Professional Development and

InstructionUSD 207, Fort Leavenworth Schools

gparscale@ftlvn.com(913) 651-7373

“The most promising strategy for sustained,

substantive school improvement is building the capacity of school personnel to function as a professional

learning community.”

Milbrae McLaughlin

Learning Targets for Today Increased understanding of a

Professional Learning Community (PLC)

Insights into the importance of the “Three Big Ideas”—What they are, How we use them

Increased understanding of the work and products created by PLCs

“Whatever It Takes”

TriadsWhen we work today:

Chocolate

Caramel

Check In

One item you have on your mind right now that has NOTHING to do with professional learning

***NORMS***

“The standards of behaviors by which

we agree to operate while we are in this group”

What do you need from others in the

room to enhance your learning?

Norms for Our Learning:(based on what we know about adult learning)

Listen through the filter of a question

Speak openly and honestly

Pay attention to your “aha” moments

Postpone distractions

“The reason PLC’s increase student learning is that they produce more good teaching

by more teachers more of the time. Put simply, PLC improves

teaching, which improves student results.”

Jonathan Saphier, 2005

What IS a Professional Learning Community??

_________________________Educators are committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes

of collective inquiry and action research in order to achieve better results for the students they serve.

“The very essence of a learning community is a focus on and a commitment to the learning of each student.”

DuFour & Eaker, 2006

“The Way We Were”Take a silent moment and

think of an adjective that best describes you…

Ten Years AgoShare with your triad membersThink of one adjective

describing HOW YOU WANT TO BE—5 years from now.

“The Way We Were”A Design of Public Schools

“Factory Model”, Time was the Constant, Quality was the Variable

Uniformity, Standardization, Bureaucracy Identify the “one best way” of doing

something and train others to do it that way

“Closed Door Mentality”—Leave me Alone and I will teach the way I always have

The “Way We Need to Be”A Design of Public Schools

Development of students as “Thinkers”

Create a culture that is collaborative, not closed

Focus on LEARNING rather than TEACHING

Which Question Do We Answer???

“What do we need to know in order to improve?”

“Will we turn what we already know into action???”

What type of school are you building?

A. Learning is based on the student’s ability

B. Learning takes place only if the student takes advantage of the opportunities to learn within the school

C. All students can learn something, and we will create a warm, pleasant environment for them to learn

D. All students can learn and we will do whatever it takes to help students learn and achieve the agreed upon curriculum/standards.

Questions to Consider:

1. What school did you attend?2. In which school do you currently

work?3. In which school do you want to

work?4. Which school do you want your kids

to attend?

What Is a PLC?

A Professional Learning Community is an ethos that infuses every single aspect of a school’s operation. When a school becomes a professional learning community, everything in the school looks different than it did before.

--Andy Hargreaves (2004)

Don’t tell me you believe “all kids can learn.” Tell me what you’re doing about the kids who aren’t learning.

-- Rick DuFour

Our Message Must Be

Learning is required. You can and will be successful here. You may not choose to fail.

We want to connect with you through people who care about you. We want you to feel connected, get involved, and be successful.

Assumptions Driving the School Culture

The fundamental purpose of the school is to ensure student learning. All of our

practices, policies, and procedures must be assessed on the basis of their impact

on learning.

We can help students be successful. Our collaborative efforts do have an impact on

student learning.

3 “Big Ideas” of Being a PLC

Focus on Learning

Collaborative Culture

Governed by Results

3 “Big Ideas” of a PLC We accept learning as the fundamental

purpose of our school and therefore are willing to examine all practices in light of their impact on learning.

We are committeed to working together to achieve our collective purpose. Culture of Collaboration

We assess our effectiveness on the basis of results rather than intentions.

To truly reform education, we must abandon the long-

standing assumption that the central activity of

education is teaching and reorient all policy making

and activities around a new benchmark: student

learning.--Edward Fiske (1992)

Teaching without learning isn’t teaching at all…

It is simply presenting a lesson.

Triads

Chocolate

Caramel

Focus on Learning

Collaborative Culture

Governed by Results

Turn to your partner (in triad)

When you speak about your element, how does it look in YOUR world?? How would

you LIKE it to look?

Focus on Learning:4 Critical Questions Guide

All PLC’s ““What do we want our students to What do we want our students to

learn?”learn?” “How will we know when each student

has learned it?” “What do we do when a student doesn’t

learn it? “What do we do when a student already

has learned it?”

Determining Essential Outcomes(Critical Question #1)

The essential learning aligned with curriculum guides

Identified essential learning allows students to demonstrate mastery on assessments

Assessments created by the team must provide timely information so that students who are struggling are provided additional time and support.

Collaborative teams of teachers work together to build shared knowledge.Three-part test for teams as they assess

the significance of standards:

1.1. Does it have endurance?Does it have endurance?

2.2. Does it have leverage?Does it have leverage?

3.3. Does it develop student readiness for Does it develop student readiness for the next level of learning?the next level of learning?

What current content can we What current content can we eliminate because it is not eliminate because it is not

essential?essential?Doug Reeves (2002)

Does it have Endurance???

Do we really expect our students to retain the knowledge and skills over time as opposed to merely learning it for a test?

Does it have Leverage?

Will proficiency in this standard help the student in other areas of the curriculum and other academic disciplines?

Does it develop student readiness for the next level

of learning?

Is it essential for success in the next unit, course or grade level?

Keep, Drop, CreateTom Many, Kildeer Schools

Once per Quarter In lesson plans/in curriculum guides

—KEEP In curriculum guide/NOT in plans—

CREATE In lesson plans/NOT in curriculum

guides--DROP

Having a clear curriculum focus means that teachers in a learning community not only decide together what students should be able to do, they also decide what NOT to teach.

---PLC at Work

Big Idea Two:Collaborative Culture and

Collaborative Teams

People, Process, and Tasks

Collaborative Culture“Educators who are building a

professional learning community recognize that they must work together to achieve their collective purpose of learning for all. Therefore, they create structures to promote a collaborative culture.”

--Richard DuFour, On Common Ground

Norms Help Establish TRUST

The standards of behaviors by which we agree to

operate while we are in this group.

Meeting Agenda and Logswww.allthingsplc.info

Collaboration:

“A systematic process in which we work together interdependently to analyze and impact professional practice in order to improve our individual collective results”

DuFour, DuFour, and Eaker

“I lift, you grab . . . . Was that concept just a little too complex, Carl?”

A Team is a group of people working interdependently

toward a common goal.

Are we a Group??

Are we a Team???

CV T O

M I B Z UG D S A E H W

Y F K N X L J Q P

CV T O

M I B Z UG D S A E H W

Y F K N X L J Q P

FJ R N

U L A O SP E V D X C Y

K T G W B I Q M H

Reflection

Am I a member of a group or a team?

What is my evidence?

The Focus of CollaborationCollaborative cultures, which by definition have close relationships, are indeed powerful, but unless they are focusing on the right things they may end up being powerfully wrong.

Michael Fullan

GroupsMembers

think they are grouped together for administrative reasons only.

Teams Members recognize

their interdependence and understand both personal and team goals are best accomplished with mutual support. Time is not wasted struggling over “turf” or seeking personal gain at the expense of others.

Groups Members are told

what to do rather than asked what the best approach would be.

Members are cautious about what they say so real understanding is not possible.

Teams Members contribute

to the organization’s success by applying unique talents and knowledge to team objectives

Members practice open and honest communication. They make an effort to understand each other’s point of view.

Team Growth & Development

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Reforming

Stages of TEAM Development

“Testing”Forming Me

Polite Unfocused

Non-Threatening Non-Productive

Focuses on Procedures

“Infighting”Storming Me vs. You

Confronting Individual agendas

Beginning to trust enough to dissent Excess work Opting out

“Getting Organized”Norming We

Clear Process Clear mission and goals

Establish new patterns of behavior Giving feedback

Cohesiveness

“Mature Closeness”Performing We

Open Effective

Team is more important than individuals Unique identity as a team

Flexible Synergy

“In order for groups to form into high performing

teams, they must pass through these four

recognizable stages.”

--Tuckman

Big Idea Three:

Focus on Results

Assessment:Common???

Summative???Formative???

“One of the most powerful, high-leverage strategies for improving student learning available to schools is the creation of frequent, common, high-quality formative assessments by teachers who are working collaboratively to help a group of students develop agreed-upon knowledge and skills.”

(Fullan, 2005a; Hargreaves & Fink, 2006; Reeves, 2004; Schmoker, 2003; Stiggins,

Common Assessment Defined: any assessment given by 2 or moreinstructors with the intention of collaboratively examining the results for:

• shared learning,• instructional planning for individual students, and/or• curriculum, instruction, and/or assessment modifications.

Why Common Assessments?

Efficiency – by sharing the load teachers save time

Fairness – promotes common goals, similar pacing, and consistent standards for assessing student proficiency

Effective monitoring – provides timely evidence of whether the guaranteed and viable curriculum is being taught and learned.

Common Assessments (con’t.) Informs individual teacher practice –

provides teachers with a basis of comparison regarding the achievement of their students so they can see strengths and weaknesses of their teaching

Team capacity – collaborative teacher teams are able to identify and address problem areas in their program

Collective Response – helps teams and the school create timely, systematic interventions for students

The importance of accurately assessing student learning . . .

Classroom Performance Summary Report

Science 7: Genetics Unit Test B

Classroom Proficiency

Far Below Basic

Below Basic

Basic Proficient Advanced

0.00% 0.00% 6.67% 13.33% 80.00%

Science 7: Genetics Unit Test BStudent Name Number

CorrectPercent Correct

Student 1 30 100%

Student 2 29 96.67%

Student 3 13 43.33%

Student 4 30 100%

Student 5 19 63.33%

Student 6 30 100%

Student 7 27 90%

Student 8 28 93.33%

Student 9 25 83.33%

Student 10 25 83.33%

Student 11 30 100%

Student 12 30 100%

Student 13 25 83.33%

Student 14 30 100%

Student 15 30 100%

Averages 26.2 87.33%

Science 7: Genetics Unit Test BStudent Name Number

CorrectPercentCorrect

Student 1 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 2 29 96.67% 100% 67% 100% 100% 100%

Student 3 13 43.33% 33% 0% 100% 100% 100%

Student 4 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 5 19 63.33% 33% 33% 100% 100% 100%

Student 6 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 7 27 90% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 8 28 93.33% 67% 67% 100% 100% 100%

Student 9 25 83.33% 67% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 10 25 83.33% 100% 33% 100% 100% 100%

Student 11 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 12 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 13 25 83.33% 33% 67% 100% 100% 100%

Student 14 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Student 15 30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Averages 26.2 87.33% 82% 78% 100% 97% 100%

Science 7: Genetics Unit Test BTeacher A Teacher

BTeacher C

Teacher D

Teacher E

LS2.d 82% 89% 90% 90% 79% 86%

LS2.c 100% 75% 80% 82% 71% 82%

LS2.a 100% 100% 100% 100% 73% 95%

LS2.b 97% 93% 96% 100% 82% 94%

LS2.e 100% 83% 86% 91% 80% 88%

ClassAverages

96% 91% 90% 88% 77% 89%

Two types of Assessment

Formative

Summative

Summative Assessments: Used to determine if

students have met intended standards by a specified

deadline. “Assessment OF

Learning”

Uses include:curriculum strengthsprograms in districts

Formative Assessments measures the mastery of

students on skills.“Assessment FOR

Learning”

Uses include:Student’s mastery of a skill

Check status

Others about students

Standards

Improve learning

Students about themselves

Enabling targets

Overview

Assessment OF Learning

Assessment FOR Learning

Reason

To Inform

Year One:seven

scheduled doctor’s

visits

We use BOTH types of assessment!!

There must be a marriage between the two!!!

The Key to all this is: How do we use the assessment

process to help our students want to learn???

SummativeUses include:

Curriculum strengthsPrograms in districts

FormativeUses Include:

Mastery of Skills by Students

Motivation – another chanceStudent involvementRedirect instruction

Teacher’s Role in Assessment FOR Learning

1. Identify the standard2. Deconstruct it to enabling targets3. Transform to student-friendly version4. Create accurate classroom

assessments5. Use WITH students to track growth

Dr. Rick StigginsAssessment Training Institute

Student’s Role inAssessment FOR Learning

To strive to understand what success looks like—THEY NEED YOUR HELP!!!

Understand the assessment so that they can do better next time.

Assessment as Learning

A Key to Formative Assessments• In determining whether or not an assessment is ‘formative’, it is far more important to examine what happens AFTER the assessment is given (that is, how the results are used) rather than the content of the assessment itself.

• If students are not provided additional opportunities to demonstrate learning, an assessment is not formative

The Power of ProtocolsThe Power of Protocolsa different PD pathway to changea different PD pathway to change

Careful Collaboration Looking at Work In Own Classroom

Deeper Understanding Through HearingOthers Perspectives and Questions

Changes in Classroom Practice Based onNew Understandings

Improved Student LearningImproved Student Learning

In Short…

Protocols help facilitate. They give you a structural way to make sure that all voices are

heard because they are followed.

Here’s Whatdoes the data say?

So Whatconclusions might you draw?

Now Whataction steps will you take?

BUT WAIT!!!!!Isn’t communicative precision, replication and scripts almost counterproductive with educators??? Don’t we learn best by just talking???

“Meetings called to address serious problems frequently fail because of underregulated talking. Often those leading the meetings talk too much, others talk too much…real listening and (learning) is choked off…”

Emily White, 2008

Exploring Student Work

Become deliberate students of our students

Reach a different understanding of our students.

Reach an understanding that requires the suspension of the flow of student work, study it calmly and deliberately and explore what it means.

Close and Collective Study of Student Work: Why???

To learn more about student learning (gain clues about strengths/weaknesses, misconceptions, proximity or distance from a conceptual breakthrough, progress with respect to some defined standard).

Close and Collective Study of Student Work: Why???

We read students’ work closely as a text that captures the efficacy of our own work. This text is where our moves as educators and their impact on students is most traceable.

(McDonald, 2001, 2002)

“Our efforts to explore student work together are crucial to our efforts to revise and improve the collective work of our educational institutions. However, looking at student work can be threatening,. Thus, the reason for protocols. They protect us from what we may perceive as social danger…they teach us the habits we wish we already had!”

(The Power of Protocols, 2007)

Ensuring All Students Learn

“What do we want a student to learn?”

“How will we know when a student has learned it?”

“What do we do when a student doesn’t learn it?”

“What do we do when a student already knows it?

Four critical questions guide all PLCs:

How can we effectively and systematically intervene to ensure each student learns?

(Answer for questions 3 and 4)

Pyramid of Interventions

What is SPEED Intervention Criteria? Systematic: Is schoolwide, independent of

individual teachers, and communicated in writing

Practical: Is affordable

Effective: Must be effective, available, and operational early enough to make a difference for the student

Essential: Focuses on agreed upon standards and essential learning outcomes

Directive: Must be mandatory (not invitational) and part of a student’s regular school day

—DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, Learning by Doing (2006)

Interventions

Traditional School

Typically occurs as re-teaching for the whole class

PLC School

Occurs individually or with small groups of students

Interventions

Traditional School

Interventions occur whenever the teacher feels help is needed

PLC School

Intervention occurs in response to student performance on common assessments

Interventions

Traditional School

Failure is an option. (Kids suffer natural consequences.)

PLC School

Failure is not an option. (Extra time and support ensures that all students learn.)

When You Diet

Cut your calorie intake.

Drink water.

Exercise regularly.

Instead you…

Eat too much.

Consume mostly fats and sweets.

Drink soda.

Rarely exercise.

“Don’t tell me you believe ‘all kids can learn.’ Tell me what you’re doing about the kids who aren’t learning.”

—Richard DuFour

Steps to Create a Pyramid of Interventions

Identify interventions already in place.

Sort and classify the interventions from least intensive to most intensive.

Create a system for tracking the success of students and interventions.

Continually gather additional input from staff.

What are your current interventions?

(What are you doing for students who are not learning?)

Creating Commitment to Interventions

Necessary cultural shifts, from:

1. A focus on teaching to a focus on learning

2. Fixed time to flexible time

3. Average learning to individual learning

4. Punitive to positive

5. Recognizing the elite to creating opportunities for many winners

Pyramid of Interventions

Remember

A pyramid of interventions prevents an intervention from

being optional.

1. Do you believe all students can learn at high levels, and do you take responsibility to ensure that all students learn? (Focus on learning)

2. Do you have frequent, collaborative time embedded in your professional day? (Collaborative culture)

3. Have you clearly defined what all students should learn? (Key question 1)

4. Do you have frequent common formative assessments to measure student learning? (Focus on results; key question 2)

Essential Questions

5. How will you identify students who need extra support? How often?

6. How will you re-teach essential standards? (Team)

7. How will you address intentional non-learners? (School)

8. What are your supportive and intensive levels of support?

Essential Questions

9. How will you communicate the program to staff, students, and parents?

10.How will you recognize and encourage student success?

11.Do your grading policies align with program goals?

12.What implementation obstacles will you face?

Essential Questions

We Can Behave Our Way Into New Attitudes

Attitudes in this world are not changed abstractly…attitudes are partly the result of working, attitudes are partly the result of action. You do not fold your hands and wait for attitude to change by itself.

The Importance of “Why”Great teams think they are on mission from God. They always believe that they are doing something vital, even holy … something worthy of their best selves. Their clear, collective purpose makes everything they do seem meaningful and valuable … Their leaders understand the power of rhetoric and recruit people for crusades, not jobs.

They recognize that without meaning, work is time stolen from us.

- Warren Bennis

Passion and Persistence

Learning Targets for Today Increased understanding of a Professional Learning Community (PLC)

Documents

Ohio’s New Learning Standards Clear Learning Targets

Learning Targets V2b

Learning Targets PLC March 14, 2013. What is a Learning Target? Discuss this question with a shoulder partner. Be prepared to share your thoughts!

We want you to be able to…. Identify Learning Targets Classify Learning Targets into Categories Learning Targets

Learning targets 12 17

Learning Targets Edi

Student Learning targets

Ohio’s Learning Standards-Clear Learning Targets...Ohio’s Learning Standards-Clear Learning Targets English Language Arts-Speaking & Listening, Grade 7 ... prepared textual material

Learning Targets “I can…”

How to Write Learning Targets Review of Learning Targets Learning Targets Articulate what is expected of students Define what students will be able to

Learning Targets COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL · Chapter 1 Learning Targets ... Learning targets increase students’ independence by bringing the stan-dards to life, shifting ownership of

PLC Interdisciplinary Learning

Strand Standards Learning Targets

Learning Targets

LEARNING TARGETS - Weebly

Formative Instructional Practices Focus: Clear Learning ... Learning Targets - Effective... · Formative Instructional Practices Focus: Clear Learning Targets October 17, ... Learning

inclusiveed.wikispaces.com · Web viewIntroduction and PLC learning targets Opening Activity 8:45-10:00- Learning Targets Overview Odyssey School video & reflection “Knowing Your

1 Today’s Agenda Consensogram Welcome Norms Learning Targets District PLC Team Plus/Delta The Learning Centered Principal article Break Principals’ PLC

PLC-Learning Walk.pdf

Learning Targets for Intentional, Purposeful, and Focused Learning