WHAT IS “THE RIGHT STUFF?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuR1p7UdI2Y Let your graphic organizer guide your thinking as you watch this trailer. We’ve chosen the movie trailer for the academy award winning movie, The Right Stuff, to make emotional and mental connections to the topic. We hope that you will “buy into” the metaphors and find some tools to help you lead courageous conversations with your campus teams.

We’re giving you tools today so that you can replicate any or all We’re giving you tools today so that you can replicate any or all. The ppt goes through professional development steps as you might want/need as you work with your campuses. Certainly, those who are building/enhancing the work of PLCs will immediately see relevance vital to the task. Teachers collaborating about student work analyze REAL data to promote increased student and staff learning.

RESOURCE CD Overview of CD contents and organization.

EXAMINING STUDENT WORK: HIGH-IMPACT RESULTS BEST PRACTICE INCREASED STUDENT LEARNING CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT EXAMINING STUDENT WORK SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL DATA ANALYSIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTION RESEARCH

Best Practice VALUE AND RATIONALE What is “The Right Stuff?” What is “Examining Student Work?” Best Practice RESEARCH/RESULTS Trust in Schools Teachers Learn Impact in High Schools RESOURCES High Impact Results Managing Complex Change National Experts

WHAT IS “THE RIGHT STUFF*”HERE? Student Work – Analyze through Protocols Relevant, timely data Authentic Product Student voice Evidence of learning Response to instruction *LEARNING FROM STUDENT WORK (LFSW) Beyond grades – use student work and the protocols as an inquiry tool.

WHAT IS LFSW? Teachers looking at individual student demonstration of learning – evaluating, determining instructional needs, determining what is interfering with learning, planning for instruction, teaching to the objective, determining sequence and next steps.

WHY TALK TOGETHER ABOUT STUDENT WORK? In schools with low levels of relational trust, there is a 1 in 7 chance of showing gains in student achievement. However…. In schools with high levels of relational trust, there is a 1 in 2 chance of Bryk and Schneider (2002). Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for Improvement Vehicle to build trust.

WHY SHOULD TEACHERS LFSW? Reflect on evidence of student learning. Study curricular rigor and alignment. Analyze intent of task. Collaborate with colleagues. Identify teacher misunderstandings. Reflect on evidence of effective teaching. Each has a big impact on what we do as teachers. “Wow, I didn’t realize that…..Oh, I thought…..”

LFSW IN HIGH SCHOOLS? The Aspen Workshop on High Schools recommended in its summary report for the Transforming High Schools Task Force that the continuous and collaborative examination of student work along with the personalization of schooling are the two critical strategies for transforming high schools at the local level. Always important to show evidence in secondary…..in your references among others.

CURRICULM ALIGNMENT Accurate Assessment of Learning RATIONALE RESULTS Full Alignment RESULTS Meet Higher Standards Rigorous Instruction Agreement on Proficiency CURRICULM ALIGNMENT RESOURCES Protocols Videos “Using a Structured Protocol”

HOW DO WE MEET NEW STANDARDS? Though teachers have always examined student work as part of their grading process, the new focus on accountability and standards has driven a more structured and collaborative examination of student work. We have always examined student work as reference to a grading process. Now, the focus on level on standards.

EXAMINE STUDENT WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO DETERMINE IF…. the assessment instruments are designed to accurately and fairly address what students are expected to learn.

GETTING TO KNOW THE LEARNER Student’s response is the end product of his/her thinking. Analyze to inform instruction. Do students have any skills or knowledge to build on? Do we need a total reteaching of a content? Are students lacking skills and/or content knowledge? Is the design of the assessment itself an issue?

AGREE ON PROFICIENCY Protocols Guide: Conversation about TEKS Analysis of Product Requirements Objective Review of Student Responses Instructional Strengths and Needs Without talking about and agreeing upon actual examples of proficiency, teachers assess learning at different levels. ALL become better at designing student work when agreement is reached. In order to close the gap with making sure the proficiency matches the level of the STATE standards. Grades don’t match the assessments. Bigger than a team leader or department head developing the lesson plans and assessments.

TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL DATA ANALYSIS RATIONALE: WHAT AND WHEN Authentic Work Classroom Observations PLCs, Department, Campus RESULTS Changed Practice Student Voice/Thinking Continuous Improvement TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL DATA ANALYSIS RESOURCES Cycle of Inquiry Formative Assessment Cycle Types of Data

WHAT IS STUDENT WORK? How would teams examine each? Oral responses Writing Test results – answers to questions Performance tasks Integrated Products (PBL, projects, technology) For the most part, we talk about student work as a “product” but we encourage you, particularly through peer observations and videos, to think of “student work” as what also happens within the daily classroom.

WHEN TO EXAMINE WORK PLCs Grade-level/department meetings Ongoing study groups (action research) Vertical and horizontal group meetings Selecting and implementing new curriculum or strategy As part of larger professional development Formally taking student work and examining can take place in many avenues. Use student work as your pivotal piece to truly discuss DATA.

WHAT DO WE LEARN? “Rich, complex work samples show us how students are thinking, the fullness of their factual knowledge, the connections they are making. Talking about them together in an accountable way helps us to learn how to adjust instruction to meet the needs of our students.” Kate Nolan, Director of Re-Thinking Accountability for the Annenberg Institute of School Reform

HOW DOES EXAMINING STUDENT WORK HELP TEACHERS? “The practice of having teachers work together to study student work is one of the most promising professional development strategies in recent years. Examining student work helps teachers intimately understand how state and local standards apply to their teaching practice and to student work.” Joan Richardson, editor of the National Staff Development Council newsletter (Learning Forward) TIMELY DATA

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTION RESERACH Collaborating about “Real Stuff” RATIONALE Build Teams Differentiate PD RESULTS Focus on Data Inquiry Model School Improvement PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTION RESERACH RESOURCES PD Strategies Improve Instruction Cycle of Inquiry TCDSS Action Research Guide

HOW DOES LFSW PROVIDE PD? Teachers examine their own practice through the lens of student needs rather than the lens of good versus mediocre teaching. We have certainly shifted our conversations from teaching to learning - this is a perfect example! LFSW informs our practice of teaching at the very heart of our purpose.

WHY COLLABORATE IN A PLC? The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is developing the ability for school personnel to function as professional learning communities. DuFour and Eaker, 1998

HOW DOES LFSW BUILD TEAMS/PLCS? Focuses on neutral, observable data Challenges assumptions Helps build common understanding of knowledge and skills students need Leads to discussions of work quality Supports a culture of improvement

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY Multiple Viewpoints & Strategies RATIONALE Deeper Understanding Shared Vision & Commitment RESULTS Effective Teams (PLCs) Trusting, Collegial Culture Shared Commitment to High Performance SHARED RESPONSIBILITY RESOURCES Stages of Teams/Trust Success Analysis Protocol Tools for Schools (Learning Forward) Website: nsf.org

PERFORMING = COMMITMENT Team committed to performing well Focus on strategic process Team runs well with little oversight

HOW DO TEAMS DEVELOP TRUST? Using the protocols to look at student work propels teams to develop the necessary trust to be high functioning. They actual “behave themselves into believing” as they talk about the purpose and results of our teaching.

WHAT ELSE CAN TEACHERS EXPECT? Team consensus of what constitutes proficient work Formative assessment data Specific information to inform their instruction Strategies for re-teaching Deeper understanding of the intent of the assessed standard / indicator Probing questions to ask students to better understand where they were School Improvement in Maryland @ mdk12.0rg To further sum up what we are talking about. Becomes a consensus group. See Teacher and Principal quotes.

INCREASED STUDENT LEARNING RATIONALE Effective Teams (PLCs) Raise Expectations Talking about Instruction Helps Teachers to Improve RESULTS Focus on Learning Attainment of Goals Increased Achievement INCREASED STUDENT LEARNING Might not see immediate increases in scores – should begin to see student expectations for learning at higher levels. RESOURCES “PLCs: PD Strategies that Improve Instruction” Formative Assessment Cycle Website: http://www.allthingsplc.info/evidence/evidence.php

GETTING TO KNOW THE LEARNER Student’s response is the end product of his/her thinking. Analyze to inform instruction. Do students have any skills or knowledge to build on? Do we need a total reteaching of a content? Are students lacking skills and/or content knowledge? Is the design of the assessment itself an issue? Not seeing double…..not only is this related to implementation of a clear and viable curriculum but also how teams ensure learning for each student.

HOW DOES LFSW FOCUS ON RESULTS? Determine the nature and extent of student understanding. Clarify learning expectations. Agree on criteria for proficiency. Judge the quality of a task. Determine the implications for instructional practice.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT CYCLE EXAMINE STUDENT WORK FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT CYCLE ADMINISTER TASKS (STUDENT WORK) INFORM TEACHER KNOWLEDGE LFSW can happen throughout the process…..examine the work of students “formatively” to determine next steps. OR can examine student work to improve next performance rubrics. INFORM INSTRUCTION

LET’S PRACTICE At your tables, work in groups of 4. 1 2 3 4 At your tables, work in groups of 4. Each person select one protocol to review. Share purpose and general process. Talk together about how your campus/district teams might use the protocols. Introducing why we picked these 4 protocols. Last one is very difficult. A few share out about each of the protocols.

Closure – challenge. Teachers collaborating about student work analyze REAL data to promote increased student and staff learning.

EXAMINING STUDENT WORK: HIGH-IMPACT RESULTS BEST PRACTICE INCREASED STUDENT LEARNING CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT EXAMINING STUDENT WORK SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL DATA ANALYSIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTION RESEARCH

CELEBRATE COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS! This is what happens when your teams experience the exhilaration of space travel.

Leadership Tools to Guide Data Analysis: Examining Student Work “LEADING LEADERSHIP” Leadership Tools to Guide Data Analysis: Examining Student Work

NECESSARY LEADERSHIP Building the Culture Building Teacher Capacity Building Effective Teams Building Rockets – Overcoming Barriers

BUILDING THE CULTURE What are the systemic pieces needed in a school to measure student progress over time? What needs to occur?

Decisions to Collect Data Building and Administering Assessments Collect Data and Provide to Teachers Analyze Data for Instructional Decisions Data and Student Work Samples Discussed by Teams Student Work Used to Collaboratively Determine Proficiency Without these steps to build the culture of using data, LFSW will likely not become common practice. Administrators need to guide teachers in this process or else looking at data doesn’t do you any good. Student Work Used to Decide Next Learning Steps

PURPOSE: Building Teacher Capacity Enhanced collaboration and trust Increased instructional tools Shared leadership Shared responsibility

MATCHING LEADERSHIP TO TEAM DEVELOPMENT You’ll notice the stages of team development (Tuck’s model) paired with leadership behaviors. You might see a use for this graphic in conversations with your leadership teams. How are they building http://team-activator.com/leadership.html

OVERCOMING BARRIERS “Anyone who goes up in this can will be a “spam in a can!” Time Fear of Failure Dysfunctional Team – Lack of Trust Lack of Structure/Processes Lack of Instructional Resources