Statewide Superintendent Network Facilitators Instructional Rounds Indianola Community Schools Oct. 28, 2014

Welcome

Yesterday’s session in a word… Engaging - 2 Reflective - 2 Practical Informative - 2 Collegial Well done Purposeful Clarifying

A few things… Rounds training available on request Network Commitments Local Rounds Schedule Webinars – 9:00 a.m November 12 January 14 February 11 March 11 Statewide Meeting for Superintendents and Facilitators – April 10 – Hilton Garden - Johnston

Our Hosts Indianola Middle School Principal Annette Jauron IMS Associate Principal Michael O’Meara IMS BLT Member Sarah Baker IMS BLT Member Amanda Merema Director of Student and Staff Service Ron Lorenz Superintendent Art Sathoff Meals and snacks from Middle School Food Service

Agenda and vital knowledge 12:30 P.M. Lunch 1:00-3:15 P.M. Network Learning 3:15-3:40 P.M. Break/Raptor 3:40-4:30 P.M. District Overview Schedule review/directions

Indianola MS demographics 845 students, grades dual enrolled stduents 10 ELL students 9.8% IEP students 28% F/R lunch rate 96% Daily Average Attendance

Indianola MS Theory of Action: If we are champions for our students, and if we implement student centered classrooms in which teachers empower students to be in charge of or reflective of their own learning teachers involve students in Productive Group Work teachers anticipate the progression of student learning teachers reinforce efforts and provide recognition students request guidance rather than answers students feel safe enough to take risks and persevere when wrong students interact with peers to achieve the task or objective Then students will be invested in the school, engaged in their learning, and achieve at higher levels.

Indianola MS Problem of Practice: Research indicates that positive student- teacher and student-student relationships improve student engagement, which in turn leads to increased student achievement. Indianola Middle School’s theme, “Be a Champion” for kids and each other, and our district e-walk template both emphasize the importance of student-centered classrooms. Our Instructional Practices Inventory data indicates that we have plateaued with regard to student engagement.

Indianola MS Problem of Practice: Current professional development in AIW and Gradual Release of Responsibility is helping us to focus on creating tasks that empower students to be in charge of or reflective of their own learning and instructional strategies such as meaningful group work. We want to ensure that students are consistently carrying the cognitive load in the classroom. Our problem of practice invites facilitators to look for evidence in these areas.

Guiding Questions GQ1 - What are the students doing and saying? GQ2 - What is the teacher doing and saying? GQ3 -What student-student and teacher- student interactions are observed?

TEACHER STUDENT CONTENT THE INSTRUCTIONAL CORE 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

Review of Language Remember to use descriptive, non- judgmental language and small grain size observations using the visual organizer. (It’s learning a new way to observe, where we focus on the 3 elements of the instructional core in a descriptive, non-evaluative manner).

Review of Norms Thank the teacher when you leave (if appropriate). Stay on schedule. Refrain from debriefing in the halls. Keep from interrupting instruction. Avoid side-bar conversations in the classroom. Interact with students if possible. OK to walk around and observe the work if it’s not disruptive.

Logistics Review of Rounds schedule/times Map of schools

Part I of Debrief Process: Describe Individually (10 minutes) Read through your notes Star observations that are relevant to POP Select 5-10 pieces of data and record on individual sticky-notes Group by Focus Questions

Part I: Small Group (30 minutes) Set up three charts, one for each Focus Question Share observations of each classroom Post evidence for each of the 3 questions Organize sticky notes into categories of similar characteristics and label each category Develop summary statements based upon patterns you see in the data Focus Q 1Focus Q 2Focus Q 3 Categories Summary Statements Categories Summary Statements Categories Summary Statements

Part II of Debrief Process: Analyze Partner Groups (45 minutes ) >Designate a facilitator, recorder, and reporter ( make chart 4 ) Share summary statements from last activity Do you see similar patterns? How are summary statements alike/different? Share patterns (both similarities and differences) with large group Examine the observations about consistencies across the whole group. What themes do you notice? What trends are emerging? Reporter shares with partner group; then large group

Part III of Debrief Process: NLOW/ Creating Tighter Connections between Patterns and Recommendations: Large group reaches consensus on patterns

Indianola MS Team Process Which of these observed patterns have particular high leverage for the hosts? In other words, if we could shift this pattern of practice, we believe it would be consequential for student learning.

Consider Organizational Structures/Capacity to Support Instructional Improvement: Facilitators lead small group discussions What systems and structures are in place? Instructional Leadership Teaming Use of Data Professional Learning Think-Talk: How are these used?

Brainstorm Ideas for NLOW in Whole Group: Suggestions are made as a whole group Participants select a topic group based on their experience and expertise Move into Topic Groups of 4-5

Developmental view of improvement

Try to identify the root explanations for a problem or symptom Identify various perspectives on a problem/symptom Determine how various causes relate to each other Determine which causes are within our locus of control for improvement Root Cause Analysis (5 Whys is one root cause analysis protocol)

5 Why’s Protocol PatternWhy?Why

All students doing same activity Easier way to handle a big group Teachers have more control over student learning Teachers want to make sure they accomplish certain learning goals Teachers believe this is the expectation in school Parents reinforce this belief Not enough time to plan lessons- easier to plan for one group activity There are a lot of other responsibilities- documentation Not sharing the work, every teacher do everything, not work in teams Not used to working in teams Don’t know how to share work across teams - Teachers worry that they might not be able to answer if go too wide Might lack confidence in selves as teachers To stay true to the teams plan Have good results so why change 5 Whys Protocol Example from a school visit at school with a problem of practice related to the challenges of differentiating learning for students.

In Topic Groups: Make a Learning Plan with the goal of shifting this pattern of practice Begin with what is your Hypothesis of why this pattern exists (Five Whys) Therefore, what ADULT learning should you focus on at the school level? System level?

Ask: What do we (teachers) need to know and be able to do for this NLOW? What do we (administrators) need to know and be able to do for this NLOW? How will we support this learning…next week, next month, next year? How will we follow up with this work?

Consider: Leadership Instructional practices Organizational practices

To what degree will our NLOW suggestions be helpful to the host school/system and to the network? Focuses on shifting or building on a pattern of practice Responds to the problem of practice Identifies who the learners are Identifies specifically what learning needs to happen Names an explicit ways to support that learning Builds from the structures and resources that exist

Presentation of NLOW Plans to Host Team: Topic Teams present Learning Plans Q/A Session to clarify understanding Reflections of Host Team

Reflective Response: Indianola Leadership Team: What additional questions did this work generate for you?

Wrap Up Thank you Indianola Leadership Team and staff! Feedback activity for the day

Iowa Superintendent Network Facilitators Thank you Indianola School District!

Developmental View : In what ways are questions promoting higher order thinking? Teachers are asking higher order questions periodically and student responses highly scaffolded Status vs. Developmental View of Improvement Status View: Are there questions that promote higher order thinking? Status View: Are there questions that promote higher order thinking? Teachers primarily ask recall and understanding level questions Teachers are asking higher order questions and students are selecting learning supports as needed to respond Teachers and students are developing and asking higher order questions. Students are independently developing ways to respond

Developmental View: In what ways are students completing their work independently and in what ways are teachers supporting independence during the “you do together” and “you do” phases of the work? A developmental range of practices Developmental View: In what ways are students completing their work independently and in what ways are teachers supporting independence during the “you do together” and “you do” phases of the work? A developmental range of practices Status vs. Developmental View of Improvement Status View: Are students able to complete their work independently and are teachers able to release students for the “you do together” and “you do” part of the work ?