DOUGLAS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM REWIND AND UNWIND August 11, 2008

DOUGLASSCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM

REWIND AND UNWIND

August 11, 2008

Rewind and Unwind

Assessment ToolMarker Board

50’s/60’s Quiz

Review of Topics 2007-08

Outcomes

Continue to develop knowledge of professional learning communities.

Understand how color personalities and circle of concern/influence impact learning communities.

Understand formative and summative assessment similarities and differences.

Accumulate formative assessment tools to inform instruction.

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM PROCESS

Who are we?

Why are we doing this?

Why are we doing this THIS way?

School Improvement Team Process

Who Are We?

Why Are We Doing This Why Are We Doing This This

Way?

Training

I Do ItWe Do ItYou Do It

When Are We Doing This?

FEEDBACKYEAR-END SURVEY

Question: School

Choice Count Percentage of Sample

Answering

Carrousel 11 6.0%

Badger Clark

35 19.0%

Francis Case

35 19.0%

Vandenberg

26 14.1%

Middle School

35 19.0%

High School

42 22.8%

Other 0 0.0%

(184 responses)

Question: Position

Choice Count Percentage of Sample

Answering

School Administrator

4 2.2%

Classroom Teacher

105 57.1%

Special Education Teacher

16 8.7%

Paraprofessional

31 16.8%

Area Teacher 13 7.1%

Other: 15 8.2%

Library aide Speech IA Support staff Counselor Aide Speech therapist School

psychologist Secretary Library(184 responses)

Question: Building Level Goals

Topic Strongly Agree

Agree Disagree

Strongly

Disagree

N/A

Our school has identified goals in reading and math that align with our district goals

112 63 2 1 6

We have identified the specific standards all students must achieve to reach the reading and math goals.

99 71 6 0 8

For each goal, we have identified instructional strategies to achieve the goal.

86 83 6 1 8

(184 responses)

Question: Goal Progress

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Little or noprogress

Some progress Considerableprogress

Percent

Question: PLC

Topic Strongly

Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly

Disagree

N/A

We are organized into collaborative teams in which members work together interdependently to achieve common goals.

84 82 10 3 5

We are provided time during the contractual day and school year to meet as a team.

84 78 10 5 7

We use team time to engage in conversations specifically linked to gains in student achievement.

83 77 9 3 12

We have developed and adhere to team norms.

66 95 9 1 13

We work with colleagues in our team/school to build shared knowledge regarding state standards, district curriculum, trends in student achievement and expectations.

82 84 7 5 6

(184 responses)

Question: PLC Progress

0

10

20

30

40

50

Little or noprogress

Some progress Considerableprogress

Percent

Question: Data-Driven Dialogue

Topic Strongly Agree

Agree Disagree Strongly Disagre

e

N/A

I understand the DakotaSTEP data in regard to adequate yearly progress (AYP) and how it impacts school improvement.

45 109 8 1 21

I understand the DakotaSTEP data in regard to grade-level strong and weak reading/math standards.

48 105 10 1 20

I understand the DakotaSTEP data in regard to individual student achievement.

47 105 10 2 20

(184 responses)

Comments - GeneralN/A, None, or No Comment (60)

This has been time well spent, extremely well-planned and valuable, interesting and useful, informative for everybody – enjoyed the training

I appreciate what the team has done for us this year. They have made us more aware of the needs of the students and how we can better ourselves - Thank you for all of your hard work that you have put in to helping us reach our goals.

Our leadership team was outstanding in providing quality activities to use in our classroom. We were allowed time to collaborate....... Very important to all of us!

I really enjoyed the hands-on activities to get us moving and as a way to "remember" what our meetings were about. I have definitely come away with a range of activities to use and I look at assessment in a new way. Thanks ladies!!!!

The school improvement team has worked hard. The activities that were chosen, were excellent examples of what we need to do in the classroom.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work organizing our district days. I really appreciate everything you do and all little extras to make these days enjoyable.

We rocked this year!

Comments - PLC This last year seemed to be the first steps towards a true professional

learning community in our school. The activities aided our team as a learning community. The activities we engaged in this year to strengthen our professional

learning communities were very beneficial. I would like to see more of this team building next year.

Communication is an area that we need to continue to work on. This year was better than previous years in team building and goal

setting. Our in-services have become more consistent with the goals

and mission of the district and buildings. The strategies presented were great. We need more in-services like

that -- utilizing the techniques teachers use regularly and sharing them with colleagues.

Great job to our SIP team!

Comments - Assessment

I have taken several assessment tools back to my classroom and used them successfully. Thank you for giving us time to meet professionally!

It is important to take things slowly as we move through the assessment process.

Comments – Concerns (Time)

We still need time to work in small collaborative groups that allow for cross team and grade level discussion.

I would like to see more time to collaborate with our teams on grade level curriculum rather than building issues.

I feel that we have had training but have not had sufficient time to meet with our "teams" to develop specific planning. It is always in a large group.

Comments – Concerns (Talkers)

There are some staff here who want to learn new things and improve all of the time. So often it seems that the staff that are fine with being complacent are the ones who dictate how much time is taken up for our meetings. Also, it would be nice if the administrator would step up and make the "talkers" stop as they are extremely disruptive to those who are really trying to learn.

Comments – Concerns (Inclusion)

I would like to be included in collaboration time. I am interested in learning and improving my skills so I can assist students better. It is difficult to feel part of a "team" if you are not included in team meetings. It is disappointing and discouraging to not feel included somewhere.

I would like more opportunities for professional growth in my area. I don't feel there are those opportunities provided that the classroom teacher has.

Some of these questions I don't understand or I'm not involved in specific processes like collaborative team meetings. I feel like some of these questions don't pertain to me or what I know about the students because I am not the teacher.

Comments - Questions

Are our new principal and assistant principal going to be able to "continue to get everyone on the same page?" We made significant progress this year, I hope it can continue in a positive direction.

Is there any opportunity to reinstate our reading and literacy teachers? I really feel they helped our test scores rise and helped many kids to catch up in their reading skills?

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES

NORMSNORMS

During our time together, we need a safe and open learning climate in which we can…

think deeply about important learning and teaching ideas

work and talk together to build shared understandings

Norms

Honor private think time Be mindful of those still working or reading

Own the responsibility of putting ideas on the table Say what you need to here, not in the parking lot

Share air time Come back together as large group quickly Use “round robin” approach to seek all perspectives Listen to understand first, respond second

Norms: Examples

So how will we stay on track and on time in large group?

Norms

Norms 2007-08

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES

DUFOUR ARTICLEDUFOUR ARTICLE““WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

COMMUNITY?”COMMUNITY?”

Professional Learning Communities

“A Professional Learning Community (PLC) is educators committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve.

PLCs operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous, job-embedded learning for educators.”

—adapted from Learning by Doing

Douglas SchoolsInstructional Strategies

What is a PLC?

Skim and scan the highlighted parts of the article“What is a Professional Learning Community” to extend your knowledge of the Millionaire Game PLC research.

3 Big Ideas of a PLC

#1 Focus on Learning

The fundamental purpose of the school is to ensure high levels of learning for all students. This focus on learning translates into four critical questions that drive the daily work of the school. In PLCs, educators demonstrate their commitment to helping all students learn by working collaboratively to address the following critical questions:

1) What do we want students to learn? 2) How will we know if they have learned? 3) What will we do if they don’t learn? 4) What will we do if they already know it?

#2 Build a Collaborative Culture

• No school can help all students achieve at high levels if teachers work in isolation.

• Schools improve when teachers are given the time and support to work together to clarify essential student learning, develop common assessments for learning, analyze evidence of student learning, and use that evidence to learn from one another.

3 Big Ideas of a PLC

#3 Focus on Results

• PLCs measure their effectiveness on the basis of results rather than intentions.

• All programs, policies, and practices are continually assessed on the basis of their impact on student learning.

• All staff members receive relevant and timely information on their effectiveness in achieving intended results.

3 Big Ideas of a PLC

“A group of individuals who have committed to meet regularly for an agreed amount of time guided by a common purpose.”

Goal“. . . to help all members through collaboration, during team meetings and individual study, and through our actions between meetings.”

Professional Learning Communities

Comments – Concerns (Inclusion)

I would like to be included in collaboration time. I am interested in learning and improving my skills so I can assist students better. It is difficult to feel part of a "team" if you are not included in team meetings. It is disappointing and discouraging to not feel included somewhere.

I would like more opportunities for professional growth in my area. I don't feel there are those opportunities provided that the classroom teacher has.

Some of these questions I don't understand or I'm not involved in specific processes like collaborative team meetings. I feel like some of these questions don't pertain to me or what I know about the students because I am not the teacher.

Professional Learning Communities

Brainstorm and Discuss

What are some ways we can get ALL staff to feel that they are part of our school’s PLC?

Coastal Plains RESA

Janie Baxter

PLCs Take Time

Collaborate with one another. Support one another. Care for one another. Encourage one another.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES

CIRCLE OF CIRCLE OF CONCERN/INFLUENCECONCERN/INFLUENCE

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLETHE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

Steven R. Covey

“The problems all of us face fall in one of three areas:

direct control (problems involving our own behavior);

indirect control (problems involving other people’s behavior); or

no control (problems we can do nothing about, such as our past, or situational realities).”

Stephen Covey

Circle of Concern/Circle of Influence

Douglas SchoolsInstructional Strategies

The Way We See the Problem…Is the Problem

If you have a problem, the actual problem is that you are looking at it as a problem.

It could be something else, such as an opportunity. When it rains lemons, make lemonade.

You just need a paradigm shift.

Circle of Concern/Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern/Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern/Circle of InfluenceCircle of Concern/Circle of Influence

Even briefer…

Instead of…“What’s wrong?”

Indulge in… “What can we do

about it?”

Comments – Concerns (Talkers)

There are some staff here who want to learn new things and improve all of the time. So often it seems that the staff that are fine with being complacent are the ones who dictate how much time is taken up for our meetings. Also, it would be nice if the administrator would step up and make the "talkers" stop as they are extremely disruptive to those who are really trying to learn.

1.

3.

4. Side conversations

2.

Circle of Concern/Circle of Influence

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES

COLORSCOLORS

Do you know or remember which personality color is your primary color?

Take the color self-assessment and find out!!!

Remember When???

Douglas SchoolsInstructional Strategies

Green’s make up 6% of the population.They bring innovation to society.

Orange makes up 40% of population.They bring excitement to society.

Gold makes up 44% of population.They bring stability to society.

Interesting Facts

Blue makes up 10% of population.They bring unity to society.

Unique Facts

Blue’s represent 14% of the criminal population.

Orange’s represent 85% of high school dropouts.

Orange’s represent the majority of kids diagnosed with ADHD.

Orange’s represent 72% of the criminal population.

Unique Facts

Gold’sGold’s represent 40% of the educator population (teachers).

Blue’s represent 32% of the educator population.

Orange’s represent 70% of the CEOs, VIPs and high achievers in our society.

Stand if you are a Green. Blue. Gold. Orange.Wave at your “color” friends when you stand.

Look at the colors that comprise your team.

Have a discussion with your team about how all these colors might work together.

Use the handout to help.

Colors of Your Team

ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT

SUMMATIVE/FORMATIVESUMMATIVE/FORMATIVEOF/FOROF/FOR

Intelligence Test

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional.

The questions are NOT that difficult.

Intelligence Test

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door.

This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

Intelligence Test

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator? Wrong!!!

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door.

This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

Intelligence Test

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend...except one. Which animal does not attend?Correct Answer: The Elephant.

The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there.

This tests your memory.

Intelligence Test

4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it? Correct Answer: You jump into the river and

swim across.Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting!!!

This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

Intelligence Test

According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers.

Anderson Consulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a four-year-old.

Source: John McPherson. For Whom the Late Bell Tolls. Available from Kagan Publishing.

Was this a Formative Assessment or a Summative Assessment?

Neither…it was just for fun!

So….

Assessment is part of everything we do as educators.

To make any kind of decision, we collect and analyze evidence and then act on that evidence.

Assessment OF learningAssessment FOR learning

Why Is Assessment Important?

OF and FOR Assessment - Purpose

Assessment OF Learning (Summative Assessment):How much have students learned as of a at a particular point in time?

Assessment FOR Learning (Formative Assessment):How can we use assessments to help us with instruction so students learn more?

OF and FOR Card Sort

You will need these 2 documents for the assessment card sort activity.

OF and FOR Card SortRound Robin: Choose a label and read it to the group.

Explain whether you think the label describes an assessment OF or FOR learning.

Members give a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down” to indicate whether they agree/disagree.

If anyone disagrees, discuss until a determination is made.

Then, and only then, can the label be placed on the chart.

Pass the labels to the next person. Repeat the process until all cards have been placed on the T-Chart or time is called.

Compare your answers:

OF and FOR Card Sort

Which is Which?

It isn’t the method that determines

whether the assessment is summative or formative…

it is how the results

are used.

Standards

Curriculum Mapping

Professional Learning Communities (Focus on Learning)

What do we want students to learn? How will we know if they have learned? What will we do if they don’t learn? What will we do if they already know it?

Assessment OF and FOR Learning

All are integrated and work together.

Standard

Learning Target

Learning Target

Learning Target

Learning Target

Learning Target

Learning Target

StudentsStudents

Move Move

UpUp

The The

LadderLadder

ThroughThrough

AA

SequenceSequence

OfOf

LearningLearning

StepsSteps

Assessment OFOF Learning

Assessments FORFOR Learning

Unpacked Standards

Assessment OF LearningStandard: Use decoding and word recognition skills to

develop vocabulary and increase fluency when reading unfamiliar text.

Assessment FOR LearningUnpacked Standards – Student Speak (learning targets):

I can read unfamiliar text by showing what I know about (use)... Correctly sounding out words (decoding) Correctly reading a word without sounding it out (word

recognition skills) Build a list of words I can read (develop vocabulary) Read quickly and correctly (increase fluency)

We must help kids find the gifts they didn’t know they had.

ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT

SUMMATIVE/FORMATIVESUMMATIVE/FORMATIVE2008 - 20092008 - 2009

Assessment Strategies

Human Histogram

Assessment Activity

“Teachers who truly understand what they want their students to accomplish will almost surely be more instructionally successful than teachers whose understanding of ‘hoped-for’ student accomplishments are murky.”

W. James Popham

The Challenge…

How can we use assessments to help the student believe that

the target is within reach?

Assessment Tools

ABC Chart

Histogram

Jigsaw

Questioning

Marker Boards

Outcomes

Continue building knowledge of professional learning communities.

Understand how color personalities and circle of concern/influence impact learning communities.

Understand formative and summative assessment similarities and differences.

Accumulate formative assessment tools to inform instruction.

ESA 7: escWorks

http://www.sdesa7.org/

On-Line escWorks

Team Planning Time

Resources

Assessment FOR Learning-An Action Guide for School Leaders. Chappuis, Stephen, Richard J. Stiggins, Judith Arter, Jan Chappuis. Assessment Training Institute. Portland, OR. 2003.

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning. Stiggins, Richard J., Judith Arter, Jan Chappuis, Stephen Chappuis. Assessment Training Institute: Portland, OR, 2005.

Eaker, R., DuFour, R., & DuFour, R. (2002). Getting Started. Blooomington, IN: National Education Service.

Resources

Assessment FOR Learning-An Action Guide for School Leaders. Chappuis, Stephen, Richard J. Stiggins, Judith Arter, Jan Chappuis. Assessment Training Institute. Portland, OR. 2003.

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning. Stiggins, Richard J., Judith Arter, Jan Chappuis, Stephen Chappuis. Assessment Training Institute: Portland, OR, 2005.