1 1 Session #3 Superintendent’s Network “Getting results through people is a skill that cannot be learned in the classroom” Jean Paul Getty quotes (American Industrialist and Founder of the Getty Oil Company, )

2 Reality Check… “Each of us has in our minds a map of reality. The problem is that the map is not always indicative of the territory.”

3 True or False?  Cleveland, Ohio is northeast of Tallahassee, Florida.  Toronto, Canada is southeast of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Los Angeles, California is southeast of Reno, Nevada. All True

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5 Learning Goals By the end of today, we will:  Revisit Problem of Practice  Introduction to the Theory of Action  Continue to refine skills in observing instruction  Continue to build relationships within the group  Be excited to go observe real classrooms together in April/May 5

6 Group Norms Covenant

7 7 Homework review: Visits In groups discuss from the text & be prepared to share with the group:  What went well with descriptive writing  What was difficult  Lessons Learned

8 Developing the Discipline of Seeing  Seeing is a discipline  It’s like a muscle—it gets stronger with repetition  Foundation of our practice: 1.Specific description 2.non-evaluative, non-judgmental description 8

9 POP Are the students able to rationalize and justify their opinions? Video Clip: Looking for an argument: Students Discuss

10 More Practice Video clip: Teaching for Deep Understanding: The Honeysuckle House

11 What is a good Problem of Practice?  Connects to an improvement strategy  Directly observable in class  Actionable-within the districts control and can be improved in real time  High leverage-if addressed will improve student learning  Addresses the What not the How

12 POP’s  Implementation question: What evidence do you see of Six Traits Writing strategies? How Question  What evidence do you see that students are producing high level writing? What Question

13 Insights Number off by 4’s and change seats Discuss with new elbow partner:  What difference does sticking to evidence make in your conversations?  What is challenging for you?  Insights?

14 POP Discuss at your table: Review at your table each other’s POP keeping in mind the elements of a good POP.

15 Theory of Action VisionStrategy Theory of Action Problem of PracticeTheory of Action If………..Then Statements Connects to the Instructional Core

16 THEORY OF ACTION  A way of making practice transparent and accessible to yourself and others.  A way of tracking learning over time.  A way of focusing energy and attention on essential dimensions of the work.

17 THEORY OF ACTION  A set of If-Then propositions that capture the essential connections between your practices and what happens in classrooms.  Falsifiable – possible to know when you are wrong.  An accurate representation of our practice at this moment.  Distinguishes the essential elements from the less important ones.

18 AEA 267 Theory of Action If AEA staff have high levels of service delivery/content competences, then AEA 267 will be more effective.

19 Theory in more detail:  IF high levels of service delivery/content competence, THEN they will be experts in their field and highly qualified to teach adults.  IF experts in their field and highly qualified to teach adults, THEN they will have more creditability and be better accepted by LEA partners.  IF they are highly creditable and well accepted, THEN they will be more effective in their work.

20 Practice Writing a Theory of Action  Question: How will common planning time improve student achievement? If “a” Then “b” If “b” Then “c” If “c”, Then “d”

21 Theory of Action Don’t need a Theory of Action now. We will move forward without one. It is Elmore’s experience that the further we move into this work, the more a Theory of Action for your district’s work will just evolve.

22 Theory of Action  Vision: Every child will read and write at the highest level.  Strategy: Curriculum & Professional Development in Literacy (Reading First, Peer Coaching, Leadership Development, Common Planning & Accountability).  Theory of Action: If we provide teachers with curriculum support and professional development, if teachers engage in common planning of literacy lessons, and if we provide principals & teachers with data on instructional practice and student learning, then students will engage in higher level reading and writing tasks and their learning will be evident in measured performance.

23 Moving Again! Partner up as follows: Line up quickly in the back of room in the order from most veteran superintendent to the newest.

24 Task: Theory of Action  Using the problem of practice you have defined, develop a theory of action that will address it.

25 Theory of Action However, after a Rounds visit, we will make recommendations for the next level of work in the district. How does that next level lead to improved teaching and learning? In other words, what is our Theory of Action.

26 Getting Started!  How to Schedule a Rounds Visit: Notes for the Host School  Debriefing Classroom Observations  Next Level of work  Who is first?  Date for visit, date for May

27 Reflection: 3-Track Processing  What was your experience like as a learner today? Content: Insights into teaching and learning? Questions? Process: When were you most alert? What kind of learning worked best for you? Challenges?  What did the facilitators do that contributed to that experience? What could they do to help your learning in the future?  What are the implications for your own work? What is one protocol, question, idea, or practice you might bring to your own work?

28 Reminder  April 28 - Facilitator meeting with Harvard team at SAI.  April 29 - Special opportunity for your Network superintendents to meet with Dr. Elmore and the Harvard team at Des Moines location TBD. Facilitators should attend with their superintendents. Chief Administrators who are not facilitators are invited.