Professional Learning in the Learning Profession Effective Practice  Increased Student Learning Frederick Brown Director of Strategy and Development Learning Forward March 21, 2014

First…. Let me offer my apologies!

Who? Why?

Founded in 1969 as the National Staff Development Council 501 (c) 3 international membership association 10,000+ members comprised predominantly of of central office staff, principals, teacher leaders, and TA providers Recognized as a national authority on issues related to professional development and school improvement Singularly focused on the role of professional learning to improve leadership, instruction, and student success Executive office in Dallas, Texas, and business office in Oxford, Ohio Affiliates throughout the United States and Canada. Learning Forward Quick Facts

Belief Statements Effective professional learning is fundamental to student learning. All educators have an obligation to improve their practice. More students achieve when educators assume collective responsibility for student learning. Successful leaders create and sustain a culture of learning. Improving student learning and professional practice requires ongoing systemic and organizational change.

Schools and districts need professional learning systems that result in scaled and sustained effective educator practice and improved results for students. District and building leaders need expertise and resources to create favorable conditions for teaching and learning (for both educators and students). States and provinces need policies and guidelines that support effective professional learning and do not incentivize ineffective practices. The field needs evidence that links effective professional learning to improved educator effectiveness and results for students. Issues that concern us:

Standards- based professional learning 2. Improvements in educator knowledge, skills, and dispositions 4. Improvements in student results 3. Improvements in educator practice Relationship between Professional Learning & Student Results

Getting beyond the surface:

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

Student Success Growth Opportunities & Supports High Quality Instruction & Leadership Educator & System Accountability Core Teaching Standards Professional Development Standards Common Core State Standards for Students Data Standards School Leader Standards

Student Success Growth Opportunities & Supports High Quality Instruction & Leadership Educator & System Accountability Core Teaching Standards Professional Development Standards Common Core State Standards for Students Data Standards School Leader Standards

Student Success Growth Opportunities & Supports High Quality Instruction & Leadership Educator & System Accountability Core Teaching Standards Professional Development Standards Common Core State Standards for Students Data Standards School Leader Standards

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

In my school or district, there is agreement on what students are expected to know and be able to do!

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

In my school or district, there is agreement on what teachers are expected to know and be able to do!

5 th Grade Mathematics Lesson

Analyzing the lesson (considering the Common Core shifts) Rigorous instructional strategies: Challenges and places for improvement:

State Teacher Policy Yearbook (National Council on Teacher Quality)

State Teacher Policy Yearbook (National Council on Teacher Quality)

Thoughts? Reactions?

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

What do we mean when we say effective leadership practice?

The Principal Story Learning Guide Key Features: Informed by Wallace research Integrates “best practices” in professional learning FREE

What do we mean when we say effective leadership practice? depts.washington.edu/ctpmail/

Reflecting on a “learning system” and viewing the FWCS story

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards? 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

How is data defined in your school or district?

CORE ELEMENTS: Analyze student, educator, and system data. Assess progress. Evaluate professional learning. Data

The Cycle of Continuous Improvement

So what are we evaluating?

“When evaluation systems for teachers incorporate performance standards for the instructional practices required to achieve the content standards, and when evaluation systems for leaders are based on leadership performance standards that integrate instructional leadership, shared leadership, and collective responsibility, evaluation systems serve as a lever for advancing implementation of the standards and use assessment data to realize high levels of student learning. Standards-based professional learning is the lynchpin for systems to achieve this goal.” - Professional learning drives Common Core and educator evaluation

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

Thank you! Frederick Brown: We’ll continue this conversation at...

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

Five Key Questions 1.What is it we that want our students to know and be able to do? (College and Career Ready Standards) 2.What do we want our teachers to know and be able to do to develop and sustain effective learning environments for students? (Teacher Standards) 3.What do leaders need to know and be able to do to create optimum conditions for teaching and learning? (Leader Standards) 4.What data is needed to determine if students, teachers, and leaders are meeting expectations? 5.In what ways can we ensure teachers and leaders develop the skills they need to be consistently effective? (Professional Learning Standards)

Professional Learning?

A learning team at Ford Middle School…

Protocol Activity: Professional Learning in Practice View the video segment making note of: – Assumptions – Agreements – Alignments – Aspire to put into practice Discuss conditions necessary to make this form of professional learning the norm

A tapestry of Standards for Professional Learning Leadership Resources Learning Communities Learning Designs Implementation Outcomes Data

Thank you! Frederick Brown: