Sam Redding Center on Innovation & Improvement DRILLING DOWN ON LEADERSHIP AND INSTRUCTION

This is Alaina

Alaina... Has brown hair and brown eyes A big brother, big sister, and little brother A dog named Junebug And a kitty named Abby Alaina loves her new doll; she named her Alexis Alaina is in first grade

Alaina... Is my granddaughter She calls me Papa Sam

Where is Alaina in the school system?

Looking for Alaina From the Top Down

Finding Alaina

What Matters Most to Alainas Success? Proximal variables matter most – the people closest to Alaina and what they do And the systems (people) who support them

Alainas Family Alainas familys role is to: Love her and talk with her every day Read to her and listen to her read Teach her to be kind and to behave in school Aspire for her to succeed Expect her to do her best Build her habit of studying at home Stay in touch with her teacher Know her friends and their parents

Alainas Teacher Alainas teachers role is to: Know Alaina well and care about her Know the subjects well and how to teach them Meticulously plan every detail of every day Set and reinforce clear expectations for students Know what Alaina already knows and what she needs to learn Adapt instruction for Alaina and for each student Inspire Alaina to love learning and do her best Stay in touch with Alainas parents and support them in their role

Alainas Teachers Team Alainas teachers teams role is to: Add flesh to the bones of the aligned curriculum Develop and share instructional plans, strategies, and activities Monitor the progress of their students Adapt their plans, strategies in response to assessments Mentor new teachers Observe each others teaching and make suggestions Contribute to each others professional growth

Alainas Principal Alainas principals role is to: See that Alaina has the best teachers possible by: Hiring good teachers Clearly communicating and reinforcing expectations for teachers Monitoring teachers performance Evaluating teacher performance, especially through classroom observations and student achievement Providing teachers with opportunities for growth aligned with their evaluated performance Removing inadequate teachers Monitor student and school progress and make adjustments Coordinate the work of teams Manage the business of the schools operation Set the tone of attitude toward students and their families

Alainas Districts Support for Her School The role of Alainas districts support to her school is to: Provide a rich, aligned, articulated curriculum Provide periodic assessment with timely and meaningful reporting to teachers Maintain regular two-way communication with Alainas principal Monitor the schools operations and performance Provide mentoring and professional development for the principal aligned with the principals needs Provide professional development for teachers aligned with their collective and individual needs

Alainas Districts Superintendent Alainas superintendents role is to: See that Alainas school has the best principal possible by: Hiring good principals Clearly communicating and reinforcing expectations for principals Monitoring principals performance Evaluating principals performance, especially through school operations and student achievement Providing principals with opportunities for growth aligned with their evaluated performance Removing inadequate principals Organize and monitor the delivery of district support for Alainas school Serve as channel of informed communication among district constituencies Manage the business of the district

Alainas Districts Board Alainas district boards role is to: Establish policies with Alaina in mind Negotiate contracts with Alaina in mind Provide the resources necessary for Alainas success Provide the best superintendent possible by: Hiring a good superintendent Clearly communicating and reinforcing expectations for the superintendent Monitoring the superintendents performance Evaluating the superintendents performance, especially in district operations and student achievement Providing the superintendent with opportunities for growth aligned with their evaluated performance Removing inadequate superintendents

How Do Schools Get Better?

What Happened About Year 7? 17 Millard Fillmore School Scores on State Assessment Year 1Year 7Year 9Year 4Year 12 What happened about Year 7? List 3 actions that most contributed to Millard Fillmores improvement. Change of principals doesnt count.

Proximal Variables for Student Learning The students – prior learning, which teachers have provided; metacognitive skills, which can be taught; motivation to learn and sense of self-efficacy, which a teacher nurtures; effort and time on task, which a teacher expects; interactionacademic and socialwith teachers and other students; familys engagement and support for learning, which a teacher curries. The teachers - instructional planning and classroom management; instructional delivery through a variety of modes; personalization (individualization) of instruction for each student; taught and aligned curriculum, designed by teacher teams.

Culture of Candor in the School 1. Accountability to students and to each other 2. Willingness to polish the craft together 3. High expectations for adults 4. Focus on the practice and not the person 5. Openness to the data about student outcomes and about the practices that contribute to the outcomes

TEAMING THE PRINCIPALS ROLE INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Indicators of Effective Practice

What is an Indicator? An indicator of effective practice is a concrete, behavioral expression of a professional practice that research demonstrates contributes to student learning. An indicator is expressed in plain language so that a school team can answer with certainty whether or not it is standard practice in the school.

Effective Teams Effective Practice: Establish a team structure with specific duties and time for instructional planning Indicators of Effective Practice (Sample) A team structure is officially incorporated into the school improvement plan and school governance policy. All teams have written statements of purpose and by laws for their operation. All teams operate with work plans for the year and specific work products to produce. All teams prepare agendas for their meetings. All teams maintain official minutes of their meetings. The principal maintains a file of the agendas, work products, and minutes of all teams.

The Principals Role Effective Practice: Focus the principals role on building leadership capacity, achieving learning goals, and improving instruction Indicators of Effective Practice (Sample) The principal makes sure everyone understands the schools mission, clear goals (short term and long term), and their roles in meeting the goals. The principal develops the leadership capacity of others in the school. The principal participates actively with the schools teams. The principal keeps a focus on instructional improvement and student learning outcomes. The principal spends at least 50% of his/her time working directly with teachers to improve instruction, including classroom observations. The principal celebrates individual, team, and school successes, especially related to student learning outcomes. The principal personally engages parents and the community in the improvement process. The principal offers frequent opportunities for staff and parents to voice constructive critique of the schools progress and suggestions for improvement.

Instructional Planning Effective Practice: Engage teachers in aligning instruction with standards and benchmarks Indicators of Effective Practice (Sample) Instructional Teams develop standards aligned units of instruction for each subject and grade level. Units of instruction include standards based objectives and criteria for mastery. Objectives are leveled to target learning to each students demonstrated prior mastery based on multiple points of data (i.e., units tests and student work). Units of instruction include specific learning activities aligned to objectives. Instructional Teams develop materials for their standards aligned learning activities and share the materials among themselves. Materials for standards aligned learning activities are well organized, labeled, and stored for convenient use by teachers.

Instructional Delivery Effective Practice: Expect and monitor sound instruction in a variety of modes Indicators of Effective Practice (Sample) All teachers differentiate assignments (individualize instruction) in response to individual student performance on pre tests and other methods of assessment. Instruction – Teacher-Directed – Introduction All teachers review the previous lesson. All teachers clearly state the lessons topic, theme, and objectives. All teachers stimulate interest in the topics. All teachers use modeling, demonstration, and graphics.

Classroom Management Effective Practice: Expect and monitor sound classroom management Indicators of Effective Practice (Sample) Transitions between instructional modes are brief and orderly. Students maintain eye contact and are attentive. All teachers maintain well organized student learning materials in the classroom. All teachers display classroom rules and procedures in the classroom. All teachers correct students who do not follow classroom rules and procedures. All teachers reinforce classroom rules and procedures by positively teaching them. All teachers engage all students (e.g., encourage silent students to participate).

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