Session C 13
Teachers Teaching Teachers…Professional Development That Makes a Difference!
Location: Rm. 314, Recommended for Teachers Gr. 3-12
Doug Lyons, Jane Costa, Leah Cristi, & Meghan Lockwood; Principal and Gr. 6-8 Teachers: Walter S. Parker MS
We at Parker Middle School are learning how to learn with and from one another to improve instruction and engage students. Comejoin us to hear about how we have developed professional learning structures that have helped us integrate technology into classrooms and have helped students and teachers make their work public. We will also touch on how this process has shaped our culture, responsibility, and shared accountability for student performance.
Standards: Professional Community, School Organization & Culture, Leadership & Educational Vitality
Teachers Teaching Teachers
Getting Started… What are some factors that can increase
student engagement in their learning?
Consider the following statement:When students understand that their work is not just for their teacher to grade, not just for their peers to see, when they understand it is a product that could become public and feedback could come from outside the classroom, they’ll try harder, take more pride in their work and be driven to do their best.
How can we help students effectively give and use feedback to increase their learning and improve the quality of their work?
The Instructional Leadership Team Who is the ILT? What do we do? Examples of ILT-planned PD:
World CaféTechnology“…Students creating work for an audience
greater than one…”Peer Feedback
Learning is on-going Teachers assessed through student work/
student performance
The Work of the ILT Research-based Starting point: text-based discussions Use of protocols, structures and norms Good facilitation Data collection Assess results, determine next steps Varied groupings Recorders: Collect feedback from staff Teachers held to expectations
-Produce real lessons-Real results
Getting Started with the ILT at Parker
Establishing/practicing group norms
Using protocols to:-Resolve dilemmas-Reference best practices -Review text and research
Initial focus: student engagement
World Café forum-9 tables/different themes connected to student engagement
- Games and Gimmicks, Use of Space, Technology
Teachers teaching teachers about technology…A possible starting point for you?
“The Answer is in the Building” Sharing areas of expertise Non-threatening Beginner to advanced levels
Examples of Teacher-Led Technology Workshops at Parker
Smartboard Basics/Varsity SmartboardSenteoGetting Started with BlogsDocument Camera BasicsWhat’s Available for Technology at ParkerWikisMoodle
Open Space and Making the Concept Work for us…What is Open Space Technology? Designed to deal with real “business” issues Adult collaboration, learning and reflection are required.
How does OST work? Simply. Open Space runs on two fundamentals:
passion and responsibility Without passion, nobody is interested. Without responsibility,
nothing will get done. Ground Rules at Parker
Find a place to learn something Be willing to share what you are learning…
Adapted from SRI and Open Space Technology: A User’s Guide, Harrison Owen, Abbott Publishing, Potomac, Maryland, 1992.
Ideas and Rationale behind Adult Learning and our Open Space Model Willingness to learn about and incorporate new
technology
Willingness to share experiences
Willingness to adapt/change practice to best help kids
Ground Rules: Be honest and follow the “Law of Two Feet”. Find a place where you can learn.
This model is consistent with the latest work and research around Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s), Teacher Collaboration as well as School Improvement and Professional Learning Models.
“Creating Work for an Audience Greater Than One…”
Phrase emerged from previous goals Increasing student engagement Integrating technology
Developed a working theory regarding making work public
Adapted already developed assignments to AGTO Periodic check-ins in small groups
“tune” assignments, troubleshoot, support Executed lessons Open House: celebrate student work Surveyed students and teachers
Students enjoyed the activities Felt uncomfortable giving and receiving feedback
Using Feedback to Improve Student Work and further engage students in their learning…
Article/Discussion In departments/mixed groups Used protocols
Student needs: uniform structures, common language, practice
Departments developed prompts/questions Guide created for all teachers/subject areas Teachers chose buddies, created, executed lessons Results discussed and shared Surveyed staff re: PD Next year’s idea: learning cohorts
Higher order thinking skills, student led discussions, project-based learning, portfolios, etc.
A Teacher’s Perspective
ILT-Led Professional Development
Influence on individual practice
Effect on team culture
ILT-led Professional Development Tuning protocol
• http://schoolreforminitiative.org/protocol/doc/tuning.pdf• Teachers present a piece of teacher work, or an assignment with several
student work samples, to be “tuned.” Through a facilitated, structured conversation, the group examines the work and provides warm and cool feedback on the work.
Text-based protocols• Four A’s Protocol: http://schoolreforminitiative.org/protocol/doc/4_a_text.pdf
Allows group members “To explore a text deeply in light of one’s own values and intentions.”
Four A’s: Assumptions, Agree, Argue, Act
Factors that need to be in place: • Clear expectations• Skilled facilitator• Norms
Influence on Individual Practice
Technology integration Collaboration with colleagues Expectation that work be public Expectation that teachers learn Examples of work:
Podcasts: http://meghanlockwood.podbean.com/ Book Review Blog: http://sixthgradeupstairsela.blogspot.com/ CommonCraft style video projects:
http://www.youtube.com/user/meghanglockwood
Effect on Team Culture
Overall: increased efficiency and professionalism in our Common Planning Time.
Examples: Team goal: looking at student work together
Every two weeks, we use the ATLAS protocol to look at a sample of a student’s work in every academic class.
http://schoolreforminitiative.org/protocol/doc/atlas_lfsw.pdf Loop back to discuss each student’s work again to analyze progress.
Increase in coherence across the team: Team Time Literacy and Math across the team Grading policies: discussion of A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken
Grades by Ken O’Connor (2nd Ed., Pearson, 2011)
Teachers Teaching Teachers…
What occurs when teachers collaborate and learn with one another?
Relationships happen…
Common experiences are shared…
Expertise is shared…
Our relationships and our learning directly affect how we collaborate and create learning
opportunities for kids.
Thank You
If you would like to contact us, we can be reached bye-mail at:
Jane Costa - [email protected]
Leah Cristi – [email protected]
Meghan Lockwood – [email protected]
Doug Lyons – [email protected]