Professional Learning Communities

Today’s Learning Targets ✓ I can explain common formative assessments. ✓ I can unwrap a standard. ✓ I can identify effective instructional strategies. ✓ I can explain common formative assessments. ✓ I can unwrap a standard. ✓ I can identify effective instructional strategies.

ON TARGET IT’S A WAY OF BEING! It’s not a meeting;

ON TARGET Collaborative teams are the building blocks of each PLC. Your school is the PLC.

ON TARGET Stages of Teams StageCharacteristicsLeaders Can Help By Filling The TimeNot knowing what to do, trying to do too much. Just not jiving. Define specific tasks; create essential outcomes or common assessments, create norms Sharing Professional Practices Helps make instruction “transparent” Asking for team products- what do you agree it should look like? Planning, Planning, Planning More common pacing, instructional strategies, delegate responsibilities Challenge teams to focus on learning rather than teaching. Share data results Developing Common Assessments Analyzing Student Learning Differentiating Follow-Up Reflecting On Instruction From Sharon Kramer, PhD, Solution Tree 10/13

ON TARGET Stage Characteristics Leaders Can Help By Filling The Time Sharing Professional Practices Planning, Planning, Planning Developing Common Assessments Identify what proficiency looks like, what evidence do we need? Provide support with difficult conversations, model strategies for consensus decisions Analyzing Student Learning Relying on the data to determine what comes next? Support with data analysis, creating safe environment Differentiating Follow-Up Responding by providing additional time and support for students, taking collective responsibility Posing provocative questions which encourage team “ownership.” Reflecting on Instruction Teams engaged in reflection, professional learning Help them observe each other, find the time to share and learn together. From Sharon Kramer, PhD, Solution Tree 10/13

ON TARGET Celebrating Our Focus Instead Of Thinking… My job is to teach. These are my students. I have good intentions. We Think… My job is to make sure students learn. These our our students. We need to have good results and respond when our data indicates areas of need.

ON TARGET IT HASN’T BEEN TAUGHT. Until it’s been learned,

Common Formative Assessment How will we know when they have learned it?

ON TARGET WHAT ARE WE EMPHASIZING? Formative Summative

ON TARGET

What is common formative assessment? Created by a team Team uses the same instrument and criteria Used to inform teacher and student of progress Results are used to identify students experiencing difficulty, support students, and give other opportunities for students to learn IT IS: Learning By Doing, pg

ON TARGET What is common formative assessment? IS NOT: Teaching the exact same way at the exact same time using the exact same instructional resources An “always graded” assessment only at the end of a unit Learning By Doing, pg

ON TARGET The Process 1. Select standards 2. Choose the learning targets to be assessed 3. Decide on your format

ON TARGET The Process 1. Select standards But how and which standard?

ON TARGET As a PLC, you need to answer… What is essential for our students to know?

ON TARGET Use these questions as a guideline: 1.Does the standard have endurance? 2.Does the standard have leverage? 3.Does the standard develop readiness for the next level of learning?

ON TARGET UNPACKING THE STANDARD We have the standard, now what?

ON TARGET Common formative assessment is not always just a “test”: Short constructed response (Power Write) Extended constructed response Performance Task Checklist Individual Conferences Multiple Choice The possibilities are endless! 3. Decide on your format Possible Formats:

ON TARGET More Of The Process: 5. Decide what will be proficient (rubric, etc.): 4. Create your assessment 6. Differentiate instruction based on student data and teach for mastery

ON TARGET Some samples: High School After reading the Declaration of Independence, write a break-up letter using RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)… R:The American Colonies A:England F:Break-Up Letter T:Reasons

ON TARGET The Rubric: High School Exemplary: Correctly identifies 3 or more reasons for American independence from England with accurate details and elaboration. Writes in letter format with correct spelling and punctuation. Proficient:. Correctly identifies 2 reasons for American independence from England with accurate details and some elaboration. Writes in letter format with correct spelling and punctuation. Progressing: Correctly identifies 1-2 reasons for American independence with limited details and elaboration. Contains some features of a letter with minimal errors in punctuation and/or spelling. Beginning: Incorrectly identifies 1 or more reasons for American independence from England. Limited or no elaboration. May contain some features of a letter with multiple errors in spelling and/or punctuation.

ON TARGET IT’S USED TO GUIDE NEXT STEPS It’s not formative unless…

ON TARGET Reflection Possibilities: Where do our students struggle the most? What are our most effective instructional strategies? What is our plan to extend/enrich the learning of those who are ready?

ON TARGET LEARNING BY DOING, PG For more information…

Today’s Learning Targets ✓ I can explain common formative assessments. ✓ I can unwrap a standard. ✓ I can identify effective instructional strategies. ✓ I can explain common formative assessments. ✓ I can unwrap a standard. ✓ I can identify effective instructional strategies.

ON TARGET Next Steps Submit PLC Schedule Share Common Formative Assessments Monitor PLC Minutes K-12 Alignment Overview Ongoing Timeline for Growing Students’ in DCS