1

Our best thinking at this point and time about professional learning models

INTRO

2

The Compelling Why

• Most reforms stop short at the classroom door; all available evidence suggests that classroom practice has changed little in the past 100 years.

Lewis, Perry & Hurd, 2004

A Deeper Look at Lesson Study

Educational Leadership

Five Characteristics of Effective Professional Learning• The following five characteristics should be

considered by anyone charged with, or seeking to provide professional learning experiences for Ontario’s teachersi) Coherent

ii) Attentive to Adult Learning Styles

iii) Goal-oriented

iv) Sustainable

v) Evidence-informed

Recommendations to the Partnership Table on Teacher Professional Learning (2007)

Characteristics of Effective Professional Learning

Across multiple studies, there is clear evidence that sustained, iterative, teacher-

directed and collaborative models of professional learning support significant

gains in teacher efficacy.

Dr. Cathy Bruce, Science & Technology Education Group (2012)

MATH KNOWLEDGE FOR TEACHING

6

Impact of MKT

Developing MKT

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

Current Professional Learning Models

• Workshops• Webinars/on-line

studies• Lesson Study• CIL-M• Inquiry• Transition PLCs

• Demonstration classrooms

• Coaching• Collaborative

Assessment/Resource Development

10

Diagram up Inquiry (and research)

Collaborative Action Research

12

The process of action research allows educators to:•reflect on an issue or a problem relevant to their teaching;•to determine what research question(s) they are trying to answer;•to implement an intervention designed to address the problem;•to collect and analyse data to determine if their intervention is having an effect, and;•to implement changes in their practice based on their findings.

www.tmerc.cawww.tmerc.ca

Models: Looks like / Doesn’t look like

WHAT WE LEARNED

What was the impact for teachers?

15

Avoiding Pitfalls of Professional Learning• Myth: no budget for release time = no pd• Myth: no planning needed just show up (carefully plan

content, strategies, dynamics and trajectories)• Myth: drop in-between meeting/session activity• Myth: PLC is separate from CIL-M “doing CIL-M” from

Inquiry• Myth: Growing too quickly• Who is a knowledgeable other? How do they

facilitate?• A coach is a coach (no special training, and don’t need

support themselves)

INTEGRATING THIS KNOWLEDGE (CONSOLIDATE)

17

What opportunities can you create for…• slowing it down?• sustaining focus on a precise content

piece?• building purposeful professional learning

networks with researchers?• supporting teachers as co-learners?

18

Questions connected to key characteristics

Why Important?

• Agency (empowerment, ownership and constructive urgency)

• Content learning (close attention to student work, listening and noticing)

• Sustainability (will and capacity to continue)

So Let’s Analyse Math CAMPPP

Consider the key characteristics of professional learning:•Where is it stronger?•Where is it weaker?•What could be revised?