Beyond the Classroom: Learning Goes Home for All Amanda Porter and Brett Zabel Instructional Coaches Wasatch County School District, Utah

Change Initiatives “Change is difficult because change requires us to change our habits and create new routines. If teachers are emotionally fatigued by the pressing immediacy of the professional life, overwhelmed by innovation overload, is it any surprise if they are not quick to pick up a practice and make it a routine in the classroom. Yet teachers need to keep trying to learn and implement better instructional practices if school are going to get better at reaching all students.” Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching a partnership approach to improving instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: NSDC

Turn and Share How are change initiatives taken to the teachers in your district? How are they trained? How successful have change initiatives been in your district?

Digital Conversion “Pillars” Digital devices Digital friendly classrooms Digital curriculum Instructional Coaches Job embedded professional dev.

The Union of Curriculum and IT What is the relationship between IT and Curriculum in your district? What would it take to get these two department working together? Our Story?

Digital Friendly Classrooms Interactive White-boards Classroom audio enhancement systems for voice and media Digital projectors

Device and Network Infrastructure Maintenance Device life-span = 4 years Purchased with limited warranty Distributed and collected back for maintenance and clean up. Parents are billed for missing or broken parts Network infrastructure is also updated on a maintenance schedule Wireless was updated over Winter Break in 2 schools

Curriculum: Adding Tools to the Tool Belt Curriculum Math, Language Arts, Writing, Social Science, Science, Spanish No Fidelity LMS: Canvas Digital 2.0 Tools Popular: Padlet, Nearpod, Class Dojo, It is about the “Art and Science of Teaching”

Digital Conversion Meeting Occurs weekly! Attendees: District Technology Director District Curriculum Directors Building Administrators Digital (Instructional) Coaches Technology Trainers

Purpose of the Weekly Meeting Why? Two meetings: Digital Curriculum Partner – District Meeting Second Meeting: Curriculum, IT, Administration, Coaches, all gathered around the same table to discuss issues and resolution to those issues to improve student achievement. “We must fundamentally change our practice” Results A clear agenda that tracks week to week to monitor progress An extremely powerful meeting that happens every week. “One of the most productive PLC’s of which we have ever been a part” ~ Paul Sweat

Instructional Coaches “Our experience has show that when teachers receive an appropriate amount of support for professional learning, more than 90% of them embrace and implement programs that improve student’s experiences in the classroom. The challenge for educational leaders, then, is to create and deploy professional development that makes it easier for teachers to implement change initiatives” (Knight, Jim. Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction. 2007). How do you provide professional learning support?

Instructional Coaches “The primary goal of instructional coaching is to enable teachers to implement scientifically proven instructional practices that respond directly to a teacher’s burning issues” (Knight, 2007). Technology is one of the tools used to help meet teacher’s instructional goals.

The Coaching Process Jim Knight’s Big 4 Behavior Content Knowledge Instructional Practice Assessment Each teacher’s chosen instructional goal is turned in to the administration for approval. I am a peer and build a relationship of trust, and am not in an evaluative role in any way.

Instructional Coaching “Most initiatives use a techno centric approach (use of technology for technology-related activities) rather than an innovative, technology-rich learning environment conceptually designed and practically implemented as a method for paradigmatic change of teaching and learning” (Rosen, 2012). Without the job embedded professional development that an instructional coach provides often a digital conversion becomes just a one to one program.

Take Away What is your one take away from today’s session? Turn and Share

Lets Play Kahoot Top three win prizes!

Contact Information Amanda Porter Brett Zabel