Lead Learners Update 11.28.11

CCSD Lead Learners Update

November 28 - December 9, 2011

"We cannot predict the future, but we can create it."

Jim Collins

Calendar of events

11/28 Elementary Cadre

11/29 Secondary Cadre

11/30 LST visits Point

12/2 AIW site visits for Crest and PHS (PM)

12/5 PL Day

12/6 Mentor Forum (4:00 @ GWAEA)

12/8 GT Academy (GT team)

12/9 Media Council (AM)

Focused Leadership

Dick and I had an opportunity to talk about the issue of “focus” while we were at the IASB convention.  His question was, “What is the definition of focus when so many things are interconnected?”  This triggered additional thoughts in me throughout the day as I went to various workshops (Doug Reeves on Board Leadership; Integrating Technology, Standards-based Grading, etc.)  I am sharing some of my thoughts/learning here:

What is an initiative?

According to Doug Reeves, initiatives are teaching practices you try to improve to help students succeed.  A school should not have more than a half dozen foci.

So, what are our focused initiatives in CCSD?

CCSD has been focusing on the following three initiatives in the past few years:

1. Concept-based Unit Design
2. Assessment For Learning
3. Writing (a maintenance goal)

At the school level, these above foci are translated into a variety of formats.  Some schools added instructional strategies (i.e. Math or reading instructional strategies) in their school goals.

Progress monitoring on school initiatives

Reeves’s message has been extremely consistent on high implementation (80-90%).  He uses two terms: Effect Data and Cause Data to illustrate his point.  Effect Data means “How well did students learn?”  Cause Data means, “What did/will adults do to make learning happen?”  Successful schools monitor both sets of data frequently (suggested 4-5 week cycles).

So what about the elements in one big goal? Are they separate initiatives?

The challenge, as raised by Dick, on how we stay focused when so many things are interconnected still remains.  For example, a school may not be very successful in quality unit design if teachers do not understand the interrelationships among all elements (EU, EQ, conceptual lens, learning targets, aligned assessment, etc.) under the same goal - concept-based unit design.  Once each element is introduced, it will take many cycles of implementation and reflection to help teachers master such complex goal.  Pacing is another interesting issue.   If we aim at one element per year (rather than the whole idea of unit design), it will take the next 7 to 8 years to introduce one goal.  Most teachers will be frustrated with such slow pacing as they will not be able to see the effect on students.  To narrow the “Knowing and Doing Gap”, teachers need to integrate (cluster) those elements in real work - designing a unit, teach the lessons, reflect on student learning while trying to improve the element he/she is still trying to improve.

Many leaders in CCSD have been engaging staff in such "Cycles" of learning. Here are some examples:

Example #1 of a cycle:

Week 1: Each teacher brings a unit to PL and briefly reviews the EQ and EU, conceptual lens and learning targets (maintenance).  Focus learning: Student Self Assessment and Linking to EU.

Week 2: Bring a self assessment experience to peer coach and set personal goals for next week.

Week 3: Peer coaches observe each other and give feedback on “student self assessment” based on TPP.

Week 4: Bring student data back in teams and discuss results of student learning (Allow two PL/collaboration sessions to finish discussion).  Quickly review TPP and set personal focus for the following weeks.

Example #2 of a cycle:

Week 1: Each teacher brings a unit to PL.  Quickly review the EQ and EU, conceptual lens and learning targets (maintenance).  Focus PL: Power standard and assessment alignment.

Week 2: Bring a unit to apply week 1 learning.   Probe: What do we want our students understand, know and be able to do (team brainstorm and discuss, relating to EU, EQ, Lens and Targets); day two: continue to build the assessment (Assuming you have two collaborative periods to use in a week).

Week 3: Continue work time.  Probe: “Is the assessment aligned with EU?  What cognitive level are we assessing?”  Bring student work back next week (or by ___ day).

Week 4 or 5: Bring student work/data back in teams and discuss results of student learning.  Probes: Did students learn what we wanted them to learn?  What do they understand/know/able to do?  What misconceptions/errors/missing skills exist among students?  What instructional adjustments should we make? Are they aligned with EU?

Example # 3 of a Cycle

Establish trimester cycles for all teams with clear expectations of unit design and AFL.  Have teams design their mini cycles but support them with protocols and probing questions similar to the probes listed above.

What about protocols?  Are they initiatives?

Protocols are not initiatives.  They are not “teaching practices” to be improved.  They are structured conversations to help staff learn, process information, reflect, set goals and actions.  They are leadership tools to help build a culture of high level learning among adults. Examples of protocols are:

• Tuning Protocol
• Analyzing Student Work
• Lesson Study (Multiple sets of protocols)
• IPI (data collection, analysis and reflective  protocols)
• AIW (data collection, analysis and reflective protocols)
• Other types of protocols created by researchers such as Bruce Wellman and other practitioners
• PLC (PLC is a complex and sophisticated framework that guide teams toward high performing goals. I listed PLC under this category because it may involve many sets of protocols and activities that engage staff in continuous improvement cycles.)

What about other “other things” we are doing? Are they initiatives?

Many “other things” are important and require attention and time.  Those are not initiatives, but our professional responsibilities.   Mentor/induction, staff evaluation, PLP, discipline, school spirit, parental communication, just to name a few.  In a school with positive culture, these "professional responsibilities" are carried out with high quality because the established norms, structures and distributive leaders will maintain and reinforce best practice. If these professional responsibilities are not carried out well and are confused with school initiatives, it will create fragmentation and frustration among staff. However, by protecting staff learning time on focused initiatives, school leaders can begin to build a positive school culture.

What about digital learning? How can we add one more initiative to our plate?

The Digital Learning Vision team has been “pondering” about this question for the past two years. Dick and I had a brief conversation about this topic and our conclusion: We must embed digital learning in our PL context!  It is easy to say, “Computer is just a tool to enhance teaching and learning.”  The fact is, it will take time to share, explore, apply and reflect. We recognize the daunting challenge, but are excited about the unlimited possibilities.  It is through doing the work that makes us 21st century thinkers!  I am positive that we will thrive from this challenge as we engage in multiple “Cycles” of improvement with talented leaders throughout the world.

Lead Learners Update 11.14.11

CCSD Lead Learners Update

November 14 - 25, 2011

Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.    Peter Drucker


Calendar of events
11.14    Admin Learning canceled
11.15    LST visit Creek
11.21    Admin Learning (12:30 - 2:30); Board Meeting 
11.23    No School (Parent Teacher Conference)
11.28 and 29 Cadre meetings
Happy Thanksgiving!

What is the "Cycle"? by Ying Ying Chen

In the most recent cadre leadership meeting, I witnessed how each school's team pursues their school improvement process. I wish I could capture all the rich conversations.  As I gain more knowledge about using technology, maybe I will be able to do a better job.  For now, here are the insights I gained from the various teams:

1. Begin with the end in mind - many teams used the concept of UBD to help the leadership teams operationalize their school action plans; Some clarify the "look fors", others use the analogy of "road trip" and "checkpoints" to define the next level work.
2. Assess needs and current reality - Some teams had the team members assess their knowledge based on their current practice.  This gives them a base for the next level work.
3. Learning by doing - Some teams had all the teacher leaders try out the focused learning (design units, unpack standards, practice AFL and reflect on student work) and bring their reflections back. They use this experience to design PD for their staff.
4. Reflect on school culture - Some teams reflected on the last collaborative learning session and brainstormed ideas and strategies to promote high level collaboration (ie. Peer observation, analyze student work, etc.)

The work is never easy, but I have certainly witnessed passion and diverse talents among our wonderful leaders!  One of our district improvement SMART goals is about implementing best practice.  Our foci are: 

• Designing quality conceptual based units (Currently, we are using a check sheet as our "success criteria".)
• Implementing AFL strategies aligned with our AFL Teacher Practice Profile

Our new learning from October 3, (how to design standard-based unit, clear learning targets, rigorous assessments and applying AFL to engage students) reinforces the same SMART goal to a deeper level.  It takes great leadership effort at the building level to integrate and deepen learning without losing the overarching focus.  

Student Services by Cheryl Kiburz
December 5-PL Day-All special education teachers will meet in the afternoon on December 5th from 2:30-3:45 PM in the Prairie Point Presentation Room.  The purpose of the meeting will be to prepare for the I-STAR data collection process which will occur on the February 13th PL day from 2:30-3:45 PM.  Please communicate the December 5th date/time/location with your special education staff.  Thanks so much for your cooperation and support in allowing your special education staff to attend these sessions!

Ahlers Law Firm, Des Moines, IA, met with special education directors on Friday, October 28th.  The attorneys reminded district employees to think very very carefully about what is put in an email about a student.  Emails can be part of the request for records as well as text messages, even if a personal phone is used.  Also, a reminder that calendars (web-based) can become part of a public record as well as voicemails.  A review of district policies with teachers regarding social network, etc. was recommended.   

Conversations/Observations-In the next few weeks I will be scheduling conversations/observations with administrators centered around the vision for special education supports/services .  It is a joy to be in the buildings observing teachers, special education and general education, and paraeducators working collaboratively in meeting the needs of our students.

Curriculum Matters by Bill Poock
    This fall season of professional learning has been one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding times of my entire career.  As I grow into my position as curriculum coordinator, I am aware that collectively, we have moved mountains in regards to the shift in the way in which we provide the service of professional learning.  We have shifted teachers’ perceptions about Central Office staff and the role we play in ensuring that teachers have more ownership, responsibility, and accountability in their own learning.
    One of the expressions that I’ve heard tossed around the past few months is “we learn by doing.”  Learning by doing is the simple definition of the word “praxis.”  I’m intrigued by this word and how we encourage our teachers to take a risk and learn by doing.  In the latest issue of JSD, the flagship journal from Learning Forward (formerly known as the National Staff Development Council, or NSDC), the editors offer 12 principles of adult learning.  One of the main principles is that of “praxis.”  They define it as:  “Learners have opportunities to learn through action with reflection as an integral part of each task.”
    For me, this explanation has profound implications for our work as we continue on our journey of developing common formative assessments and “doing the cycle”.  The most important parts of this explanation are 1) there needs to be some action, and 2) reflection is integral.  As you promote more “learning by doing” with your teachers as you ask them to engage in meaningful applications for learning, please think about ways in which you can encourage the art of reflection.  Too often, reflection is the piece of our learning that is sacrificed for good intentions...usually the “time” factor.  It is vital that teachers reflect upon their own practice AFTER learning through action.  This, I believe, will help teachers become the reflective practitioners we want them to be.

Best Practice in Action (From the Teaching Channel)