A Work in Progress February 13, 2007 Whole Faculty Study Groups:

A Work in ProgressFebruary 13, 2007

Whole Faculty Study Groups:

FCS Vision

Franklin County Schools’ faculty, staff, and parents are responsible for teaching

all children knowledge, skills, and values necessary to be productive citizens.

FCS Beliefs Effort is as important as intellectual

ability. (Schlechty)

Every student will learn more than they learn now if they are provided engaging schoolwork. (Schlechty)

If you believe you can and if you work hard enough, you get smart. (Howard)

FCS Framework for Learning

Phil Schlechty’s book: Working on the Work challenges school leaders to examine student work rather than teachers and students themselves. (What?)

Carlene Murphy’s research and implementation of Whole Faculty Study Groups serves as the platform to examine student work. (How?)

Working on Work (WOW)

The teacher’s primary task is to provide engaging work for students that students choose to engage in.

- Phil Schlechty

WFSGs“The goal of WFSGs is to focus the entire school faculty on creating, implementing, and integrating effective teaching and learning practices into school programs that will result in an increase in student learning and a decrease in negative student behavior.”

--Carlene Murphy

Change is Hard!

Michael Fullan reports that “change consists of great rapidity and nonlinearity on the one hand and equally great potential for creative breakthroughs on the other. The paradox is that transformation would not be possible without accompanying messiness”

What We Experienced At First

Resistance (Passive and Active) Resentment Sabotage Chaos Lack of understanding (focus on

things other than student work)

What’s Gotten Better More focus Several schools/groups have experienced

the “Eureka” phenomenon. There have been examples of documented

improvement in student achievement. Leadership is taking an active role in

WFSGs and there are plans to expand. Schools report significant learning in IC

meetings.

Elementary Initiatives

Guided Reading

Math Investigations

Empowering Writers Writing Conventions and Word Study

Reading First (Three Schools)

Middle School Initiatives

Reading Apprenticeship

Compacting Math Curriculum

Algebra Project

Empowering Writers

High School Initiatives

Freshman Academy

Every Freshman takes a locally developed seminar course

Emphasis on: Vocabulary, Summarizing and Cornell Note taking

Distance Learning Bell-to-Bell Instruction Course Recovery (NovaNet©)

College Board Project

EVAAS Provide projection reports to assist high

school course registration

Provide projection reports to identify middle school Algebra 1 students

Provide projection reports for elementary schools to help teachers plan instructional differentiation

FCS Utilizes Technology to:

Increase Student Achievement Increase Course Offerings Increase Relevance and Rigor Improve Communication Between

Parents and Teachers Provide Teachers with Engaging

Teaching Tools

Technology (Hardware/Software)

Video Conferencing Rooms and Carts Archiving Gateway

3 Laptop Carts with 16 Computers PhoneMaster© for the Web Blackboard © QTL©Training Interactive Classrooms

Communication

PhoneMaster for Web Provides quick, efficient contact by phone and e-mail to

parents about attendance, academics, athletics and other upcoming events

Blackboard

Establishes a powerful e-learning community for FCS Informs parents, posts assignments, and course materials

through online presence of high school classrooms Enables collaboration among schools, teachers and

community Integrates ExamView and Blackboard with Turning Point

Response Cards

Components installed by are:

Mounted LCD ProjectorMicrophone for the teacherLightSpeed Sound system InterWrite SchoolPadTurningPoint response cardsLumen Document Camera

Interactive Classrooms

Integration of QTL™ Training and Whole-Faculty Study Groups®.

QTL™ training guides small, collaborative teams of educators through five days of staff development in a classroom environment.

QTL™ staff facilitates the acquisition of research driven pedagogical skills.

QTL™ staff support teachers during the implementation of their newly acquired skills.

These skills address student needs as identified by their Whole Faculty Study Groups®

The study groups then continue a “plan-act-reflect cycle” throughout the school year

The process creates a culture of continuous improvement

We might not be where we want to be but----