Specialized Training Program

Investing in Teacher Practice to Maximize Student

Learning

Investment Schools Data Inquiry Training Session II

Session: Investment Schools Data Inquiry Training Session II

Level: Secondary

Content: Reflection, Last Word protocol, Affinity Protocol, Data Analysis Protocols

Approximate Time Frame:

3.5 hrs. Copyright: 2015

Summary

Introduction

The “Big Idea”

Module I - Data Inquiry was designed specifically for Investment Schools to provide teachers and other school site staff special training that begins with an analysis of both traditional and non-traditional school data. Investment School staff received access to three articles each focusing on how to look at data through a different lens, (i.e. teacher lens, administrator lens or cultural lens.) Session II of the Module will transition staff from reading about analysis of data to practicing analyzing of school and community data. At the end of Module I, staff would have participated in an in depth analysis of the school data and identified challenges facing the school site as well as establishing goals.

Module I is the foundation for future specialized trainings, Investing in Teacher Practice to Maximize Student Learning. The Modules will focus on creating school and classroom environments; engaging all students in learning; addressing factors contributing to dropouts; developing skills for serving special populations; and increasing teacher knowledge of content and effectiveness of delivery to students. The Modules are designed to provide teachers with special skills to teach a course of study that addresses the low student achievement and dropout rates.

Essential Question: As a school team, what is our interpretation of the context/ picture of the school based on newly analyzed data?

Participants’ Learning/Performance Objectives

By the end of this session, participants should be able to:

Utilize protocol for data analysis utilizing new community and School Experience Survey data

Identify the school team’s data-readiness needs

Draft a summary statement of goals that the team can commit to working towards through the remaining Investment Schools training opportunities.

Presenter’s Activities to Support this Learning

During this training, the presenter will engage participants in:

Individual reflection

Last Word Protocol

Affinity Protocol

Data Analysis Protocol

Tools and Materials Individual data analysis completed by each participant for Session I using Last Word sheet

PowerPoint slides (Generic slides have been provided. Each school will need to customize the slides by inserting the data provided separately into the deck prior to the training.)

Chart Paper Post-its Markers Copies of:

o School- level community and School Experience Survey datao Last Word Protocolo Data Analysis Protocolo Affinity Protocol

Facilitator’s Guide Investment Schools Data Inquiry Training, Session II 2

Summary

TopicPresentation Points

Supporting Materials

Objectives(2 min.

Facilitator Says: Our goal by the end of this session is to utilize protocols

to analyze data to improve teaching and learning.

We will then use this analysis to help us refine the areas of need identified in our individual analyses in Session I into a summary statement of goals that we want to focus upon as a team.

Norms (10 minutes)Know the norms and why we have them.

Norms are on slides & posted and the group can react but this is not a brainstorm activity. The conversation with the group is geared towards what the norms look like in action and why it’s important to have these norms.

Facilitator Says: In order to keep our conversation moving we will observe

the following norms:o Take an inquiry stanceo Ground statements in evidenceo Assume positive intentionso Stay low on the ladder of inference

Take a moment to study the ladder of influence (give a minute for participants to study quietly.)

Ladder of Influence The ladder starts with data, of which there is a tremendous

amount in the world, and we have a limited capacity to absorb it.

We select data and then add meaning in order for it to make some sense to us.

Based on the meaning we add, we form conclusions and then take action based on those conclusions.

The cycle begins again when the results of our actions become data for another trip up the ladder.

Over time, our conclusions form our beliefs, assumptions, and values; these filter the data we select and the meaning we add when we repeat this process. Thus our mental models tend to be part of reinforcing, self-perpetuating structures.

Our goal today is to stay low on the ladder of inference, generating hypotheses about why we’re getting the results we’re getting without jumping to conclusions.

Individual reflection (5 min.)

Facilitator will ask for 5 minutes of silence while each participant review his/her “Last Word Protocol” notes from Session I.

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Summary

Last Word Protocol(40 minutes)

Facilitator says:You will now use the work done in Part I to participate in the Last Word activity.

Grouping: Regroup into groups of 5 –7 count off Each participant will select one quote and let

group members know where in the text this quote can be found. The person does not explain its significance.

The rest of the group discusses each quote. The first person reads the significance or

explains the significance of the quote. In other words, this person gets the last word.

Every person takes a turn until all in the group has had a chance to have the last word.

Affinity Protocol(15 minutes)

Facilitator Guide:You are now to identify perceived issues that you believe are barriers affecting students at your school. You will use post-it notes to write the issues.

Grouping: Regroup into groups of 5 – 7 count off (5) Identify a facilitator and recorder. Each

participant writes 1 idea per post-it note for up to 5 notes. Write the source of each observation.

(15) Group members put notes on chart paper and spend time sorting into categories (Categories should stretch beyond what you see or wonder)

Whole group share out if time permits

Facilitator’s Guide Investment Schools Data Inquiry Training, Session II

 Activity 1: Last Word ProtocolGuiding Question: Based on your reading what insights have

you gained about teaching and learning?

Last Word Protocol Steps: Grouping: Groups of 5-7

1. Count off into groups of 5; each person will select one quote and let members of the group know where in the text this quote can be found. The person does not explain its significance.

2. The rest of the group discusses the quote.3. The first person reads the significance or

explains the significance of the quote. In others words, this person gets the last word.

4. Move on to the next person until everyone I the group has had a chance to have the last word.

5. Share out

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8 minutesFacilitator says:

Our School was selected as an Investment School because we face challenges related to high teacher turnover, leadership turnover, high dropout rates, and/or low student achievement. As a school, we will move through various Modules and trainings that will target one or more of the following:

1. Creating school and classroom environments that have the conditions for student success

2. Engaging all students in learning3. Addressing factors contributing to dropouts4. Developing skills for serving special

populations (e.g. English Learners, special education students)

5. Increasing teacher knowledge of content and effectiveness of delivery to students.

To gain a better understanding of our school, we will be looking at some traditional data, along with non-traditional data to help us better identify the possible underlying issues or contributing factors to our areas of need just identified by the large group.

Now we’re going to examine some additional data to help us better understand the possible underlying issues or contributing factors to our areas of need just identified. We have received data sets that we will examine today:

1. I-Star2. Attendance data3. Relevant census data by zip code4. Enhanced School Experience Survey results

to help us understand our students’ responses better.

Our examination of the data sets will augment your opening of the year analysis of achievement data, including Common Assessments, CASHEE, Graduation Rates, etc.

Data provided and added to slide deck

Topic Presentation Points Supporting Materials

Analysis of Data protocol (60 min.)

Preselect a facilitator and a scribe for each group.

Facilitator says:

Facilitator’s Guide Investment Schools Data Inquiry Training, Session II 5

We will now count off by 5 and move into our 5 break-out rooms to do next step. Have staff move into pre-selected rooms by number. All 1s move to room __. All 2s move to room ___. All 3s move to room ___. All 4s move to room ___. All 5s move to room ___.

Each sub-group will receive a pre-numbered data artifact (Group I, Community Data; Group 2, Culture and Climate; Group 3, I-Star Data; Group 4, Social Emotional Data (SEL); and Group 5, Attendance Data. Participants use Analysis of Data Sheet to document what they see, what they wonder, the implications, and next steps.

Step I Facilitator introduces the assigned data artifact

and gives them 10 minutes to look through the data and write down initial thoughts. Remind them of the ladder of inference.

Facilitator introduces first a data artifact and facilitates step 1 from the front of the room. Elicit “I see” observations from the audience

Facilitators as you get responses, ask the group to react to the level of inference. Is this a low inference observation? Thumbs up if they think it is a low inference statement, thumbs in the middle if they are unsure and thumbs down if they think it is high on the ladder of inference. If the statement is high on the ladder, ask the speaker to rephrase the statement and make it low on the ladder.

Next elicit “I wonder” statements from the group. Pay attention to the language. You are listening for questions. Once you begin to wonder about things you are adding meaning and moving up the ladder of inference.

Next elicit implications. These statements will be the focus of further inquiry versus judgments about the school.

Jigsaw Participants return to original table group.

And each participant takes 2 minutes to report findings.

Community and School Experience Survey Data provided and inserted into slide deck

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Facilitator says:

Now that you have returned to your table group, each of you will have 2 minutes to report out your findings to your group.

Whip Around (20 min.)

Step 2: "Whip Around” Share-outWhole Group Share out. Each group is given a turn to say one thing based on the Analysis of Data Protocol. Rotation Stops when all have taken a turn sharing and/or all information has been said. (10 min).

After the “Whip Around”, participants will refer to the post-it notes from the Affinity Protocol and physically separate the post-it notes to validate their perceptions based on their analysis of the data.

Facilitator says:

Now that we have had a chance to discuss your findings, each group will have an opportunity to share one thing based on the Analysis of Data protocol.

Facilitator says:We will now look at the barriers that you identified on the post- it notes during the Affinity Protocol and determine which are validated by the data. (10 min.)

Putting it all together(25 min.)

Step 3Facilitator says:We completed our individual analyses, used them to identify 1-3 community wide foci, then layered community and student data on top of that, and have now added our data readiness data on top of that. What are the implications for our focus area(s) identified previously? What stays the same? What needs to change?

Now that you have analyzed the data, what does it mean for teaching and learning in your classroom?Staff will use the next five minutes to journal and reflect on the implications the data Module has on their own teaching and learning in their classroom.

Establishing our priorities(20 min.)

Step 4Facilitator says:Let’s sum up and draft the goals that we will work towards achieving. How will the outcomes of

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today’s work connect to our school’s achievement data?

Conclusion(5 min.)

Facilitator says:

We have spent over three hours together looking at data, and creating a living document that will help guide our work together to meet the outcomes of the Agreement. You have had an opportunity analyze data as well as reflect on the implications it has on your classroom. You will be provided (or have been provided with all the data artifacts used today.Your work and our work is to analyze and utilize the data within your own classroom, department and or SLC/PLE as we continue through the specialized training of Investing in Teacher Practice to Maximize Student Learning.

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