Professional Dialogue Training

Derry Township School District

Differentiated Supervision

A. Mackley – revised January 2012

Welcome to Professional Dialogue Training

mark lines that are significant. meaningful confusing controversial relevant to life disturbing useless

Please be sure to…

sign in on the attendance sheet.

begin reading your copy of “Batter Up.”

Agenda Opening Activity: “Batter Up” Develop Group Norms Purpose Setting

Goals Requirements

Finding the Forms Record Keeping

Action Plan Identifying a Challenge Statement in your Practice Developing an Instructional Goal Secondary Goal and Culture of Collaboration

Book Choice Suggested Book List Additional Option

Agenda continued

Record Keeping continued

Developing an Implementation Plan

Using Assessment Results Reflective Journal Absence Report

Conducting a Professional Dialogue Group

Discussion Style Overview Facilitator Role Possible Roadblocks and

Discussion Etiquette Meet with Administrator: Mid-

and End-of-Year Reports

Action Plan Work Session or Homework

Evaluation

Excerpt Selection: “Batter Up” – Bill Cosby

Share one significant line and explain why it was significant to you—personally or professionally (excerpt selection)

Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching is the driving force behind our planning, instruction and professional practice.

By using an agreed-upon framework for excellence in professional practice, educators have a way to structure conversations about exemplary practice. A uniform framework allows those conversations to guide novices as well as to enhance the performance of veterans.

If you were developing a statement of challenge for Bill Cosby, which Danielson domain might you use as a foundation for developing a goal? Why? (Think-Pair-Share)

Danielson Domains - Off Stage“Components of Professional Practice”

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation

Knowing content, students, resources Selecting goals Designing instruction Assessing student learning

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

Reflecting on teaching Communicating with families Attending to your own professional

growth Contributing to the school and district

Danielson Domains - On Stage“Components of Professional Practice”

Domain 2: Classroom Environment Interpersonal relationships Classroom routines and procedures Management of student behavior Use of physical space

Domain 3: Instruction Communicating clearly Using questioning and discussion

skills Engaging students in learning Providing feedback to students Responding to classroom events

Professional Dialogue Training Forming Ground Rules

Ground rules, or norms, are important for a group that intends to work together over time. They may be added to or condensed as the group evolves. Starting with basic Ground Rules, builds trust, clarifies group expectations of one another, and establishes points of “reflection” to see how the group is doing regarding process.

Marylyn Wentworth, National School Reform Faculty

Needs—Each person lists his/her needs in order to work productively within the group.

Share—Each person shares one item from that list. Others ask for clarifications if necessary.

Revise—Group combines rules that seem similar or eliminates rules that are redundant.

Check-In—Facilitator asks if everyone can abide by the listed Ground Rules. If not, the group discusses the validity and necessity of rule and revise until consensus is reached.

Use—Group members refer to Ground Rules whenever the rules would help group process.

Check in—Group members use Ground Rules during group reflection.

“Forming Ground Rules” was adapted from Harmony Education Center’s National School Reform Faculty found at www.nsrfharomony.org.

Goals of Professional Dialogue

To update professional staff members on relevant educational issues

To enhance instructional planning and practices

To provide opportunities for extended educational learning through collegial interaction

Requirements

An educational challenge or learning issue. A consideration of the four domains of Professional Practice

with an emphasis on Domain 3: Instruction. Current educational topics and/or district initiatives.

Complete an Action Plan (deadline: first student day)

Read text and actively participate in group discussions

Attend Professional Dialogue Training

Choose text that addresses one or more of the following (as agreed upon by the group members and the building principal):

Requirements continued

Document growth: Reflective Journal (not submitted or shared) Implementation Plan (not submitted or shared) Using Assessment Results (not submitted or shared) Mid-Year (January/February) and End-of-Year (April/May)

reports are submitted to building principals during mid- and end-of-year meetings.

Meet for one-hour (before or after school) for five (5) sessions during the school year (i.e. October, November, February, March, April).

Submit a list of meeting dates to building administrator (August or September).

Where do I find the forms?

Choose “District Forms & Resources”

Choose “Differentiated Supervision”

Professional Dialogue Absentee Report Action Plan Approved Reading List Reflective Journal Implementation Plan Using Assessment Results Mid-Year Report End-of-Year Report

o Open the DTSD website

o Sign in (username and password)

Completing the Action Plan: Statement of Challenge

Respond to each item on the Action Plan form, and submit it to your building administrator by the first student day of the school year.

Identify the educational challenge or problem that you wish to address through your professional dialogue reading and discussion. (Problem Statement)

Image Credit: Washington State Leadership Academy

What is a Useful Challenge Statement? Identifies a learning or achievement gap problem for students Frames the problem as a question to be answered Avoids embedding blame in stating the problem to be solved Avoids embedding pre-conceived solutions in stating the

problem.

A problem well-put is

half-solved.- John Dewey

o Considers “root causes” that led to the problem, such as personal beliefs, professional learning needs, and system learning/alignment needs.

o Considers the professional learning needed to help solve the student learning problem

o Considers the system learning that is needed to help solve the student and the professional learning issue.

Identifying a Learning Problem or ChallengeA few questions to ask - What information do you have that sheds light on the challenge? What data are you looking at, and what do those data tell you?

What information (data) do you still need to acquire that might help you to clarify the challenge?

o Is there a professional learning challenge associated with the student learning problem that you have identified? What is it, and how do you know? If not, reconsider the student learning problem.

o Is the problem a classroom, course, grade or system-wide issue? What is the scope of the problem?

o Is the challenge solvable by you or your professional dialogue group, or will there have to be system- or school-wide change? What are the systemic implications?

Sample Problem Statements

Problem Statement: Students come to school with widely different levels of reading readiness.

Challenge Statement: How can I ensure that all of my students will be reading at or above grade level before the end of my course?

Problem Statement: The instructional strategies that I use in my classroom work for some students, but they do not work for other students who seem to struggle finding success.

Challenge Statement: How will I learn and use instructional practices that support the academic achievement of all students who enter my classroom?

What Teachers MakeConsider the

Domain of Instruction

If you were another teacher sitting at the dinner gathering in the video, what do you think this teacher needs to work on in the classroom and in his beliefs as a teacher?

(mark words/phrases on your written copy)

What Teachers Make – List/Sort Problem Statements

List and sort the problems in the video based on the four Danielson domains. In which domain do most of the problems fall? How do you think the arrangement of problems might affect student learning?

Develop Your Challenge StatementUsing the Challenge Framing Template, brainstorm responses to the following questions:

Frame the Problem: Develop an initial understanding of the problem of practice

In your work at your district right now, what is the pressing learning problem you will work on this year? How do you know it is a problem? What data are you relying on?

What are you doing about it now? What would be different, and for which

students, if the problem were solved?

Determining the Root Cause

Reframe the Problem to find the Root Cause: Raise; check; and clarify values, assumptions, beliefs embedded in the problem; connect to core values.

What are the root causes of this learning problem? Instructional Practices Assessments Curriculum Policy/Procedures Culture/Structure

What more do you need to know to understand the problem as fully as possible?

Developing Your Challenge Statement

Take a Break

Please return in 15 minutes.

Check-In – One Word

Share a “one word” response about where you are right now.

No cross-talk, please.

Evaluate the Challenge Statement

Evaluate Your Challenge Statement: (Write-Around)

Identifies a learning issue or achievement gap issue for students

Frames the challenge as a question to be answered Avoids embedding blame in stating the problem to be solved Avoids embedding pre-conceived solutions in stating the

problem. Considers “root causes” that led to the problem, such as

personal beliefs/cultural structures, professional learning needs, and system learning/alignment needs. Instructional Practices

Action Plan: Develop an Instructional Goal Danielson’s Framework for Teaching defines four Domains of Professional

Practice. The Domain of Instruction is the single most important determinant of student learning.

Considering the Domain of Instruction and the text you have chosen, please list and rationalize the specific instructional goal(s) you have developed to enhance your professional practice. This goal should be stated in terms of one or more of the indicators for the Domain of Instruction. Some revision or refinement may occur based on the content of the text or your group’s dialogue.

How do you believe the successful completion of your goal(s) will facilitate growth in student learning?

How will I use instructional practices that support the academic achievement of all students who enter my classroom?

In my classroom, students will be highly engaged throughout the lesson and make material contributions to the representation of content, the activities, and the materials. The structure and pacing of the lesson will allow for student reflection and closure. I will seek out resources for teaching and build knowledge of Best Practices.This will facilitate growth in student learning…

Action Plan: Develop an Instructional Goal

With a partner, use one of the Challenge Statements below…

Considering the Domain of Instruction and the text you have chosen, please list and rationalize the specific instructional goal(s) you have developed to enhance your professional practice. This goal should be stated in terms of one or more of the indicators for the Domain of Instruction. Some revision or refinement may occur based on the content of the text or your group’s dialogue.

How do you believe the successful completion of your goal(s) will facilitate growth in student learning?

How can I ensure that all of my students will be reading at or above grade level before the end of my course?

How can I provide feedback to my students, so it is useful in helping them develop their own new goals for learning? In addition, how can I use these assessments to inform my instruction?

How can I encourage students to formulate high-level questions and assume responsibility for the participation in learning.

If you want to improve learning, you have to improve teaching. (Richard Elmore, Harvard Graduate School of Education)

Developing Your Instructional Goal

Action Plan: Evaluating Your Instructional Goal

In partners, evaluate each person’s instructional goal for the following traits:

Under the control of the classroom teacher

Collective responsibility for learning (teacher and student)

Makes use of instructional data to solve problem

Provides a contrast or enhancement to current practice and understanding of effective instruction for the identified learning problem.

Action Plan: Secondary Goal and Culture of Collaboration

Teaching is a complex task that involves the interplay among all four Domains of Professional Practice.

How will this text promote professional growth and quality teaching in the Domains of Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment and/or Professional Responsibilities?

The Professional Dialogue track provides a vital forum for teachers to engage in professional conversation and reflection on practice.

What strengths will you bring to help enhance the culture of collaboration within your group?

The secret is to gang up on the problem, rather than each other.

- Thomas Stallkamp

Book ChoiceRemember, your book choice will guide the development of your Action Plan; however, you may want to identify your problem of practice and instructional goals before choosing your text. The content of the book along with your professional dialogue will help you to solve a problem of practice and to meet your individual instructional goals.

Is this text on the Recommended Bibliography? If not, please justify why this text will promote your professional growth and reflective practice in relation to current research or understanding of how students learn. In addition, please attach a short review, which can be quoted from any resource.

Option 1 Choose a book from the Approved Reading List

Option 2Choose a book that addresses a current District initiative and provides best practices in solving your problem of practice. On the Professional Dialogue Action Plan, attach a short review of the text. The review can be from any resource. You may also want to include a copy of the table of contents.

Implementation PlanElements of a Successful Implementation Plan

Goal(s) are based on problem of practice Addresses the actionable content of the problem of practice and consists of

specific steps Designates persons responsible and resources needed Has realistic short- and long-term steps in a realistic timeline Identifies and responds to the potential barriers Identifies a communication plan

Purpose: To create a “script” to help you meet your Professional Dialogue goal(s) and to support implementation. An implementation plan is a systematic way to solve classroom problems.

Develop an implementation plan for each goal identified on your Professional Dialogue Action Plan. Modify the form as needed to fit your unique context. Keep a copy handy to review and update regularly. You may decide to develop a new implementation plan for new phases of your professional development effort.

Goal: What goal are your attempting to achieve? (Use the goal(s) that you created for your Action Plan)

Implementation Plan Action Steps Responsibilities Timeline

Resources Potential barriers Communication plan

Implementation Plan

Evidence of Success (formative)

How will you know that you are making progress? These may be direct or indirect methods.

Evaluation of Progress (formative) How will you determine that your goal has been reached? What are your direct or indirect measures?

Implementation Plan: What Do You Know About Learning?

Documenting Student Learning: Knowledge, skills and attitudes that students take with them from a learning experience.

Direct Methods provide evidence of whether or not a student has command of a specific subject, can perform a certain task, exhibits a particular skill, demonstrates a particular quality in his/her work or holds a particular value.

Direct questioning, writing samples, performances, presentations, exhibits, research, field work, portfolios, etc.

Indirect Methods provides signs that students are probably learning, but the evidence of exactly what they are learning is less clear and less convincing.

Course grades, self report format survey, questionnaires, interviews

Implementation Plan

Results/Accomplishments

Indicate changes made to teaching and the impact on student learning

Provide evidence to show how your changes made a difference in student learning

Using Assessment Results

Document what has been learned from assessments.

Define what actions are being taken to improve student learning.

Plan for assessing the effectiveness of the change.

Reflective JournalAll participants are expected to maintain a personal reflective journal.

Reflective JournalThe personal journal might include the following:•brief summaries of the literature selection•responses to reading•outcomes of discussion•personal reflections•related articles•plans for implementation of ideas in the classroom•connections to Danielson’s “Components of Professional Practice”•questions•conclusions

Absence from Dialogue Group Meeting

Participants are expected to attend all dialogue group meetings. Should an extenuating circumstance occur, one

absence report may be utilized with prior approval of the building administrator

If extenuating circumstances make it necessary to miss more than one dialogue group meeting, the participant must, in consultation with the building administrator, choose a different track.

Absence Report

Conducting a Professional Dialogue Group

Maintain reflective journal.

Develop and maintain an Implementation Plan.

Rotate the facilitator role.

Be sure to have completed the reading and any tasks before arriving to the meeting.

Bring text, reflective journal, and implementation plan.

Suggested Discussion Styles

Excerpt Selection

Identify and discuss significant excerpts

Meaningful Confusing Disturbing Controversial Relevant Useless

Guiding QuestionsCreate text-based questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, Marzano’s Dimensions of Thinking, Web’s Depth of Knowledge or Reader Response

Suggested Discussion Styles

Suggested Discussion Styles: Guiding Questions continued

Suggested Discussion Styles

Current Issue Search Complement or contradict what was

read with current events drawn from periodicals, on-line sources, other texts, news programs, etc.

Task-Directed Organize/create an oral, visual or

written product based on the reading.

Facilitator Role Ask participants to sign in.

Submit attendance form to your administrator.

Facilitate the Professional Dialogue meeting following the agreed upon format.

Encourage equal participation of all members.

Be sure to adequately and meaningfully fill the allotted time.

Encourage all participants to follow discussion etiquette.

Discussion Etiquette and Possible Roadblocks

You have a team member who rarely contributes to the discussion.

You have a team member who has come poorly prepared for two meetings.

A team member has come late to two meetings.

A very heated debate ensues at the meeting that makes you feel uncomfortable.

You have a team member who always dominates the discussion.

What can you do?

Meet with the Principal: Mid-Year and End-of-Year Reports

Use these reports to document your mid-year and end-of-year growth. Please provide a copy to your administrator at the mid- and end-of-year meetings.

Discussion Topics:

1.Problem of Practice

2.Goal/Action Steps/Evidence

• Instruction• Planning and Preparation• Classroom Environment• Professional

Responsibilities

3.Professional Learning Community

Mid-Year Report

End-of-Year Report

Workshop Evaluation

You will receive a workshop evaluation by email. Please take the time to fill it out.

You may choose to receive pay or three (3) trade hours for attending this workshop.

Have a great day!