1 Session #1 Superintendent’s Network January 7, & 28, 2009 “I wanted to change the world. But I have found out that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.”--Aldous Huxley

Learning Goals By the end of Day 2, we will:  Understand the elements of the instructional core  Be familiar with the practice of network rounds and its connection to instructional improvement  Develop skills in observing teaching and learning— describing what we see  Build relationships within the group  Be excited to go observe real classrooms together in April/May 2

3 Agenda  Welcome and Introductions  Underlying Beliefs and Concepts of the Work  Creating Group Norms  Network Rounds Overview  The Instructional Core  Reflection and Debrief

4 Introductions: Leaders are Learners Think of three things: Something non-education related that you know lots about Something non-education related that you know little about Something education-related that you would like to learn

Introduce yourself and discuss...  Group of 3: Something non-education related that you know lots about  Group of 4: Something non-education related that you know little about  Group of 2: Something education-related that you would like to learn 5

Creating Norms What do you want to ask of your colleagues to help you have the best experience possible with this work? What do you want to ask of the facilitators to help you have the best experience possible with this work? Read p.5-7 Learning systems article Individually write on a sticky note the ideas you have. One idea per sticky note. Indicate if it is for colleagues or the facilitators. Partner activity Classify on easel paper

Text Rendering Protocol Directions Take a few moments to review the paragraph and mark:  a sentence  a phrase, and  a word that you think is particularly important for our work.

Classroom Would you like your children or grandchildren to attend a school like this?

How Do Rounds Relate to Other Strategies in the District? Read p. 6-7 Learning Systems Article How does the Rounds process relate to your school improvement work? 9

Rounds and Current Improvement work 10 Walkthroughs CSIP Plans Superintendent’s Network

11 The Instructional Core TEACHER STUDENT CONTENT Points of entry for improvement of instruction The culture is present in the academic tasks that students are asked to do If you can’t see it in the core, it’s not there Academic tasks define the real accountability system in your school

MEMORIZE THIS PROPORTION OF VARIANCE IN STUDENT GAIN SCORES-- READING, MATH-- EXPLAINED BY LEVEL--PROSPECTS STUDY CLASS 60% READING 52-72% MATH STUDENTS 28% R 19% M SCHOOLS 12% R M ROWAN, ET AL., “...PROSPECTS...” TEACHERS COLLEGE RECORD ( 2005).

13 Discuss with a partner How would each of the following initiatives affect the instructional core? Which 3 would have the most direct effect? Why? Looking at student work Site-based management Block scheduling Teachers conducting peer observations Content coaching Designing schedules to include “Common Planning Time” for teachers Extending the school day

14 Instructional Core Discuss the following with a partner:  What are the barriers to keeping the focus on the instructional core? i.e. Why is it a challenge to stay focused on the instructional core?  How might a school/district address those barriers?

15 Our Work Together: What it isn’t  A program  Evaluating teachers  Training in supervision skills  Passive What it is  A process  Learning to describe and identify effective teaching and learning  “Collaboration to create coherence”  A community of practice where we expect to learn from each other and to push each other

Homework: Read Building a New Structure for School Leadership By Richard Elmore Be prepared to provide evidence and a page number.  What Assumptions does the author of the text hold?  What do you Agree with in the text?  What do you want to Argue with in the text?  What parts of the text do you want to Aspire to? 4 A’s Protocol:

17 8. Reflection + ?? Д ??