Professional Learning Teams August 2010

Overview Day 1 Context Professional Learning Teams Handbook Day 2 – ½ day early term 4 Using data to develop student logs (not September 2, 3 as advertised)

Professional Learning Teams Common understanding Looks like, feels like, sounds like Reflection - where is your school located Building awareness Planning Piloting Full implementation Planning Where do you want to be in 2011 What do you need to do What will be your challenges What will you do when you get back to your school What’s your story??

The context Why change will continue ………. External accountability Social/political/economic environment Data rich Know more about How we learn Effective, precise teaching strategies Effective schools Learning spaces Technology Enabler assessment, analysis, learning, teaching, information, monitoring, reflecting, planning, communication, collaboration

Leaders of complex change ….…. Change in the way teachers operate De-privatised practice Collaboration and challenge Joint planning Peer observation Personalisation Evidence based practice /goal setting Strategies for differentiation Pedagogical teaching and content knowledge Teaching frameworks/concepts Literacy and numeracy teaching strategies Standards and continuums of learning Assessment practices Technology Teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about students’ capacity to learn

Challenges & barriers to change Low Expectations! “ The biggest resistance to improving high schools is the deep-seated belief that many of our students cannot learn much for a range of reasons including social class and language background.” Prof Patrick Griffin 2009

Beliefs and attitudes “It’s far easier to build an individual’s skills than to try to change his or her beliefs” Examples of belief that underpin the work of PLTs All students can learn Expertise develops through continuous effort to identify and tackle problems Collective good overrides individual autonomy A strong moral purpose Platt and Tripp et al (The Skilful Leader II: Confronting conditions that Undermine Learning, 2008) Complex problems cannot be solved simply by technical responses – require adaptive change – this is the work of a PLT.

Table discussion What are your beliefs around the work of PLTs in working collectively to improve student learning? How would you respond to a colleague who attributes her/his lack of success with a group of students to the students’ background, ability?

Understanding change 1. Love your employees 2. Connect peers with purpose 3. Capacity building prevails 4. Learning is the work 5. Transparency rules 6. Systems learn Fullan’s Six Secrets of Change   1. Create a sense of urgency 2. Form a powerful coalition 3. Create a vision for the change 4. Communicate the vision 5. Remove obstacles 6. Create short term wins 7. Build on the change 8. Anchor the changes Kotter’s 8 step change model

Lasting school change Personalisation Differentiation Identifying learning needs of every individual Precision Consistent and effective use of assessment for learning Responding accurately with right focused instruction Professional learning Supports the above Building learning into the culture of the organisation Fullan, Hill and Crevola (2006)

NMR School Improvement Model

NMR Powerful Learning Strategy Informed by research, evidence of what works and expert advice Literate, Numerate and Curious Committed to teachers working collaboratively PLTs Triads Model of School Improvement / change Based on theories of action

Theory of action …. Proposes a link between cause and effect A guide for identifying, designing, implementing and evaluating effective responses to the challenges of school improvement. A common reference point for all members of the school community. Emphasises accountability by relying on data that measures the impact of the action taken

Theory of Action for Powerful Learning IF all the distinct but interrelated parts of the NMR School Improvement Model – the rings, and each component of each ring – are aligned and working together, THEN all schools will improve.

AiZ Change Differentiated approach for schools Building school capacity Structures Use of data Teaching strategies – literacy & numeracy Teaching models – next step Leadership Professional learning Focussed on classroom practice Collaborative teacher learning

AiZ …………. ….. Not a ‘project’ but a process that will require continued, sustained effort FOREVER. Aim: Embed strategies that foster continuous and purposeful peer interaction. Fullan, 2008 (The Six Secrets of Change),

AiZ ………….. Expectations Student level improvement in Literacy and Numeracy achievement Teacher level identifying starting points for teacher professional learning provided a focus of inquiry in the school provided opportunities to develop teachers’ knowledge of developmental learning and their understanding of appropriate targeted intervention practices emphasised importance of teachers’ knowledge and experience in identifying appropriate intervention strategies change in teacher discipline discourse: shift from resource and discrete skill focus to developmental focus

AiZ Structure Teams of teachers (PLTs and Triads) Teams of teachers (PLTs and Triads) Team leaders (PLT leaders) Learning leaders School improvement team (SIT) NMR

PLT Triad PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AiZ (Learning Leaders, PLT leaders) Coaches School Improvement Team/Leadership Team

Professional Learning Teams What is it? What does is it look like, feel like, sound like …………..

Table discussion What is a PLT? Identify 4 key features/characteristics What is their core work

Characteristics of a PLT Shared values, goals Collaborative culture Collective inquiry (and challenge) Action orientation (learning by doing) Commitment to continuous improvement Results orientation DuFour and Eaker (1998) Professional Learning Communities at Work

AiZ PLTs a new team work approach Evidence not inference Challenge not share Group responsibility From ‘my class’ to our students Your problem to our solution Developmental not deficit approach Peer accountability rather than system reporting Expectations of ALL students Patrick Griffin

The work of the PLT Ensuring that ALL students learn Collaboration and challenge Systematic processes to analyse and improve classroom practice A focus on student outcomes Judge effectiveness on basis of student outcomes Ongoing process of identifying current level of student achievement, establishing next level of learning

Four critical questions for learning: What is it we expect them to learn? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when they don’t learn? How will we respond when they already know it?

Table discussion Think about 4 key ‘shifts’ that need to happen for these approaches/behaviours to become embedded in your school/teams Share these with the person next to you.

PLTs – look like? Size Ideally no more than 6 Composition Mix of experienced and beginning Mix of expertise (eg numeracy/literacy/disciplines) Primary Usually year level Secondary Year level Discipline Meet regularly

PLT teams – types 1. Grade level All teachers who teach particular grade/s Focus on same standards and curriculum content Address the development needs of students at that level 2. Unit/Program level sub school, eg multi-age group, Senior school, VCE, VCAL address unique needs of students in program supports work of team to plan collaboratively discipline focus on same disciplinary content, standards and pedagogic knowledge addresses the unique 3. Interest or need Instructional approach Topic Special need, eg Literacy, Numeracy

Effective PLTs Reflective dialogue De-privatisation of practice Collective focus on student learning Collaboration Shared norms and values Sharon Kruse (Building Professional Learning Communities) 1995

Effective PLTs A developmental approach to learning Students Their own – PD important Meetings follow set protocols Members are accountable to the group Engage in a process of evidence based inquiry to plan for teaching interventions Prof Patrick Griffin

Ticking the effective team boxes TEAMS

PLT Leader Leading the change …………

Leadership The principal and team leader are key to the redesign process. “A neutral principal or team leader is an undermining force.”

The work of the PLT leader Lead the team Understand change Model behaviours Develop culture of challenge – questioning Develop the capacity of the team Pedagogical knowledge Assessment practices Use of data Goal setting and strategy selection Support collaboration Regular, focused meetings Establish protocols Develop structure and processes

PLT Meetings Develop agreed protocols/norms Regular time Keep to time Have a focus Share facilitation Encourage participation and group

Variation between PLT leaders Ability to pass on/share knowledge Personal knowledge and capacity Agenda modification Ability to go in and bat for teachers, ie rapport with school leadership Patrick Griffin

Establishing PLTs Zone 1 schools Charles Latrobe P – 12 College Leanne Reynolds, Assistant Principal Dallas Primary School & Kindergarten Amanda Henning, Assistant Principal Patricia Quan, BanyuleTeaching & Learning Coach