Gallagher Acsa leadership summit

Supporting Effective Teachers for Students of

High Poverty Schools

Michael GallagherAssistant Superintendent, Sunnyvale School District

ACSA Leadership Summit – November 9, 2012Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina

As you enter, read the teacher bio on your chair to familiarize yourself with one of the four subject teachers of this presentation.

My perspective

23 years in Santa Clara County public schools Teacher, counselor, dean, associate principal, principal,

assistant superintendent of human resources

Three different districts East Side High School District Cupertino Elementary District Sunnyvale School District

Personal From a family of teachers Concern for social justice Grew up in Santa Clara County

Purpose and Research Questions

Purpose: To narrow the achievement gap by improving the effectiveness

of teachers in high poverty school environments.

Research Questions:

What are the outcomes that teachers in high poverty schools seek for their students?

What are the characteristics that are especially important for teachers to be effective in high poverty schools?

What conditions support effectiveness in high poverty schools?

The Two Schools: Demographics

Amber School Ryan School San Vicente County

Enrollment 429 394 261,945

English Language

Learners

66.0% 51.8% 25.9%

Free and Reduced Lunch 78.1% 76.0% 36.2%

Percent of Parents Who Did Not Graduate from

High School

52% 15% N/A

Hispanic or Latino 69.9% 51.0% 36.8%

White, not Hispanic 7.9% 9.1% 24.2%

Multiple or no Response 8.4% 5.6% 4.1%

African American 5.6% 6.3% 3.0%

Asian 5.1% 13.2% 25.9%

Filipino 1.2% 11.2% 4.9%

The Two Schools: API Success

Amber School Ryan School

GrowthAPI

Median API for Similar Schools

Similar Schools Ranking

GrowthAPI

Median API for Similar Schools

Similar Schools Ranking

2010 810 744 10 894 774 10

2009 810 741 10 861 774 10

2008 674 730 2 842 761 10

2007 642 728 1 767 751 9

2006 602 701 1 784 753 9

Meet the Teachers

Susan 59 years old, twelfth year teaching Second Grade teacher, Amber School

Melissa 28 years old, fourth year teaching First Grade Teacher, Amber School

Gloria 40 years old, fifteenth year teaching Fifth Grade Teacher, Ryan School

Teresa 40 years old, sixteenth year teaching Second Grade Teacher, Ryan School

Conceptual Framework

Outcomes: Social Emotional (Chenoweth, 2009; Goe et al., 2008; Nagy, 2006; Wechsler & Shields, 2008)

Academic Achievement (Chenoweth, 2009; Marzano, 2006; Reeves 2003, 2004; Williams et al., 2010)

Compassion: Authentic Caring (Valenzuela 1999)

Social Capital (Stanton-Salazar & Dornbusch, 1995)

Critical Pedagogy (Cammarota & Romero, 2006; Duncan-Andrade & Morrell, 2008; Padrón et al., 2003)

Note: High expectations run through each of the elements of compassion

Support: Collaboration (Goe et al., 2008; Marzano, 2006; Marzano & Waters, 2009; Reeves, 2003, 2004; Williams et al.,

2010)

Data/Accountability (Goe, et al.)

From: Approaches to Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness: A Research Synthesis

“Clarifying the way teacher effectiveness is

defined is important for two reasons. First, what

is measured is a reflection of what is valued,

and as a corollary, what is measured is valued.”

(Goe, et al., National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2008)

Staff Survey

This survey reveals teacher perceptions of effectiveness

It can be used as a first step in planning for professional development for a school

Teachers benefit by reflecting on their own effectiveness, how it is supported, and the goals they have for their students

Scale: Teacher Description of Effectiveness

Each teacher’s survey was “scored”

“Three” represents balance Social emotional and academic achievement Focus on learning as a goal (not teaching) Use of formative and summative assessments

Effect of a “laser-like focus” on results under-emphasis on social-emotional outcomes ultimately negatively affects academic achievement


Scale to Measure Teacher Description of Effectiveness

1 The teacher does not mention assessment of academic achievement outcomes (standardized assessments or informal assessments) as a measure of effectiveness. Effectiveness is indicated by proficient application of identified teaching strategies and/or by student social-emotional outcomes.

2 Social-emotional outcomes are mentioned as indicators of effectiveness. Summative, standardized academic test data is not mentioned as an indicator of effectiveness. The teacher may mention a focus on teaching to standards, his/her own perception of student learning, some formative assessment data, and/or may refer to student attitude about learning as an indicator of effectiveness.

3 The teacher’s responses indicated that he/she seeks a balance of social-emotional outcomes and academic achievement as indicated on standardized tests. There may be recognition that one set of outcomes leads to the other. Formative and summative as well as informal assessments may be cited. Proficient application of teaching strategies is not mentioned as an indicator of effectiveness.

4 Academic assessment data, both formative and summative, is used to indicate effectiveness. Neither social-emotional outcomes nor proficient application of teaching strategies are mentioned as indicators of effectiveness.

5 Teaching effectiveness is measured exclusively by end of the year, summative assessments. Formative assessments, social-emotional outcomes, and proficient application of teaching strategies are not mentioned as indicators of effectiveness.

Mental Development

Emotional Development

AcademicDevelopment

Self-reflectionCritical thinking skillsThoughtful decision making

EmpathyRespectResponsibilityConfidence

First grade standardsGrade level reading and writing abilities in all subject areasGood communication skills

Both Schools’ Teachers Scored an average of “3” on the Scale

The teacher’s responses indicated that he/she seeks a balance of social-emotional outcomes and academic achievement as indicated on standardized tests.

There may be recognition that one set of outcomes leads to the other.

Formative and summative as well as informal assessments may be cited.

Proficient application of teaching strategies is not mentioned as an indicator of effectiveness.


Consider your school or a school you are working with (or perhaps Amber or Ryan School)

What would be the composite score for that school?

How might that impact how your would begin to work with teachers?

From: Teaching Quality in California: A New Perspective to Guide Policy

“Mirroring assumptions that all students can learn if

provided the right conditions, including teacher

quality, policy makers need to create programs built

on the assumption that all teachers can provide

quality teaching if provided the appropriate supports

and differentiated opportunities.”

(Wechsler and Shields, Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning, 2008)

Columbia Middle School Professional Development Plan

Teacher Interviews

Subject teachers benefited from these reflective conversations

They reported that listening to them made them feel valued

They reported that the interviews contributed to “refocusing” on their effectiveness on their sense of purpose on the challenges of working in their schools

Demonstrating Authentic Caring

“When we strip away a focus on developing the humanity of our children, we are left with programmed, mechanistic

strategies designed to achieve the programmed, mechanistic goal of raising test scores.” (Delpit, 2006)

Authentic caring (Valenzuela, 1999)

Embrace the role of the teacher: Accept responsibility to expand hope for students

See students as “complete people with real life problems” (Cammarota and Romero, 2006)

Caring is characterized by high expectations for all students

Caring, social capital, and critical pedagogy intersect.


“I feel that students learn best when we can make connections to them personally, and so if I don’t take the time to learn about them, to let them share about themselves, I’m not building my credibility. I’m sitting there telling you I’m caring, but I am not taking any time to learn anything about you. You are just Joe Schmoe sitting in a seat, but I don’t know anything about your family or anything about you.”

-- Teresa, teacher, Ryan School


To be an effective teacher at Amber School:

“I think they have to love children -- really like children, make them accountable, make them feel like they can do it. So I think they have to be aware these kids come with not only with baggage but less positive experiences in their own personal lives. So I think you just have to know that and be willing to give a little more financially, emotionally, and teaching wise.”

-- Susan, teacher, Amber School


“I think that personally caring for each child makes a difference. Showing them that I care about what they are learning. They know that I care about what they do and how they perform, and I know that they can do better. So if I take the time to encourage each student, to know each student personally, they are more likely to work for me.”

-- Gloria, teacher, Ryan School

Building Social Capital

“Teachers cannot become authentic caregivers to students of color unless they merge their caring with counter-hegemonic content that

dispels notions of racial inferiority and recognizes the wealth of knowledge, culture, and understanding of every student who walks in

the classroom.” (Cammarota and Romero, 2006)

Improve the trajectories of their students’ lives and to provide access to the dominant culture.

Academic achievement is the main tool

“Building on Strength” vs. “Shielding”

Seeing similarities, drawing from life experiences, recognizing privilege

Reciprocity


Building on Strength:

“The first question I always ask is, and I always want the kid present when I ask it, ‘You know you’ve had this child now for nine years. What makes them wonderful?’ It’s important for me to know that they are fantastic and incredible because first of all, a lot of times the kids don’t even know how appreciative their parents are, how much their parents love them or how great their parents think that they are.”



Shielding:

“You know one little girl told me today, ‘You know my uncle is in jail. He had to go to jail yesterday.’ And I said, ‘I am sorry.’ Yeah and then it’s happened too – you ask any teacher here – and share time is kind of rough because – ‘Oh we went to Hometown Buffet. Oh we saw my mommy’s boyfriend got out of jail.’ I mean stuff like that. So I don’t do a lot of it.”

-- Susan, teacher, Amber School


It’s hard:

“I grew up and I went to private schools, so it was completely different. I mean even through my credential program, I was really kind of nervous about teaching. I was really overwhelmed, and in my first student teaching I was at a Title One school, and I was learning new things. I was completely overwhelmed. I was there only three days a week till noon, and I just thought, ‘How do you possibly teach all this stuff to these kids?’”

-- Melissa, teacher, Amber School

Critical Pedagogy

Few are committed to preparing students to be “critical agents of social and structural transformation.” (Cammarota and Romero, 2006)

Teachers are unfamiliar with critical pedagogy.

The four teachers are deeply committed to employing effective pedagogy based in high expectations.

Community building is a focus.

Cooperative learning could be employed as a tool of critical pedagogy.

Critical Pedagogy vs. Effective Pedagogy

Effective Pedagogy Leads to higher test scores Focused on achievement of academic

standards

Critical Pedagogy Changes the life trajectories of students Builds community Investigates and combats hegemony Empowers

Critical Pedagogy

A lens of “empowerment” not deficiency

“It comes from class meetings. It comes from how the other students treat them, and what my expectations are for them treating each other, and how they perceive themselves. I think that they just have power, and they need to see that it comes from within themselves.”


Critical Pedagogy

Empowering, building confidence

“If I am feeling confident in myself, when I am asked to do something that’s maybe out of my comfort zone, or something that I am not feeling like, ‘Gosh, never done that before, but if I feel confident in what I am and who I am as a person,’ I am going to be much more able to tackle that problem without falling apart, without, ‘Oh my gosh I can’t do it.’”

-- Teresa, teacher, Ryan School

Critical Pedagogy

Cooperative Learning: Purposes

“It is better if they learn from each other after I have taught the concept. It is better if they learn from each other, and they are teaching each other. It really ingrains it in them. They like being helpers, and they like acting like a teacher. When they are working together, they all have a job, and no one is just sitting out. It just really makes learning a lot of fun and also they enjoy it.”

-- Melissa, teacher, Amber School

Compassion and Effectiveness

Review the teacher biography from the beginning of the session

Does this description remind you of any teachers you know?

What elements of the framework are most pronounced in this profile?

What elements of the framework likely would benefit from support?

How could this teacher be supported?

Tools to Support Effectiveness

Staff Survey

Teacher Interview Protocol

Project Cornerstone: Developmental Assets

Coaching for Social Emotional Well-Being Meta-coaching for struggling teachers Support group for mid- and late- career teachers Whole School Approach at Columbia Middle School

Collaboration

“It's not a personal relationship. It's professional, results-based, and kids-based.” -- Gloria, teacher, Ryan School

Value of Collaboration Emotional Support Efficiency Accomplishing Tasks Data

Contributes to Retention

The ability to collaborate is an element of effectiveness.“I’ve got a team concept. She’s not only got to be good in the classroom. She has to be good in the staff room. She has to be good with me.” -- Jack, former principal, Ryan School

Accountability/Data

Academic (not social emotional) outcomes focused

Data systems are comprehensive, time-intensive, and valued.

Teachers evaluate their own performance based on student achievement on standardized tests.

Teachers earn notoriety for the academic achievement results of their students.

Achievement data provides an unbiased gauge for teachers who care deeply about their students.

Social emotional outcomes are supported by measured academic achievement.

Sound professional judgment is crucial. (Achinstein, et al., 2004)

Implications

Increase emphasis on gaining insight into the cultures and communities schools serve.

Increase emphasis on pedagogies aligned with students’ experiences, cultures, and backgrounds including critical pedagogy and culturally relevant pedagogy

Encourage teacher reflection on their own lives and experiences to draw connections to the lives and experiences of their students.

Schools: Accountability and data systems designed to support outcomes identified by the community

Implications (continued)

Teacher training should focus on the elements of compassion

Teacher training should also focus on skillful use of student achievement data collaboration

Differentiated training and professional development should respect the different backgrounds of teachers.

Train teachers to prepare students to be “critical agents of social and structural transformation.”

Concluding Thoughts

Effectiveness is far more than moving test scores, though that’s important.

When you’re new, full of optimism, well-trained, and . . . impressionable . . . How does the school culture reproduce itself even when diverse thought is introduced?

Focus on teachers understanding the structures that reproduce poverty in the communities they serve

Focus on seeing parents as supportive and recognizing the strengths of students and their communities.

Teachers must reflect on their own backgrounds to draw connections to their lives of their students and families.

Resources to Support Social Emotional Wellness in Students

Project Cornerstone http://www.projectcornerstone.org/ “41 Developmental Assets” Research from The Search Institute: http://www.search-institute.org/ “Project Cornerstone is committed to helping all children and teens in Silicon Valley

feel valued, respected and known. Our programs and services help individuals and communities build a web of support around young people so that they grow into healthy, caring and responsible adults.”

Cleo Eulau Center http://cleoeulaucenter.org/ “The Cleo Eulau Center is dedicated to promoting lifelong resilience in youth by

strengthening the caring capacity of the adults who influence their lives.”

Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child http://reachandteachthechild.org/ “Our mission is to promote the essential role of the social-emotional dimension of

learning in raising healthy and happy children and closing the achievement gap in preK-12 schools in the Bay area.”

http://www.projectcornerstone.org/

http://www.search-institute.org/

http://cleoeulaucenter.org/

http://reachandteachthechild.org/

Education

Gallagher Acsa leadership summit