Agenda December 11, 2008 Learning by Doing Break Chapters 1-3 activities Break What does the data tell us? ITBS/ITED results SIP Goals Data Questions & Planning Next steps Closing & Evaluation

PLC Crucial Questions What do we want each student to learn, know, or be able to do? What evidence do we have of the learning? How will we respond when some students don’t learn? How will we respond to those who have already learned?

Student Crucial Questions What do I need to know? Where am I now? How do I get there? What happens if I fail?

PLC Critical Questions What do we want students to know and be able to do? Standards/Benchmarks (Learning Outcomes) Classroom SMART goals How will we know if they can do it? Formative assessments Multiple data sets How will we respond when they can’t? Differentiated Instruction Systems of intervention (supplemental to intensive)

Where are we now? Assess the current status of your SIP goal (Action Research team)

Record your discussion points: Key Strengths, Opportunities & Actions/Ideas

Where are we now? Where do we want to be?

Contact the help desk to install CD Learning By Doing Book Format CD Study Guide Contact the help desk to install CD

Learning by Doing Format of the Book for each chapter: Part One: The Case Study Part Two: Here’s How Part Three: Here’s Why Part Four: Assessing Your Place on the PLC Journey Part Five: Tips for Moving Forward Part Six: Questions to Guide Your Work of Professional Learning Community

Professional Learning Communities Essential Elements Focus on Learning Collaborative Culture Collective Inquiry Action Oriented Commitment to Continuous Improvement Results Oriented Handout

Schools that take the plunge and actually begin doing the work of a PLC develop their capacity to help all students learn at high levels far more effectively than schools that spend years preparing to become PLCs through reading or even training.

Learning by Doing – Chapter One Chapter One activity guide. Questions 1-6. Activity – (pg 4 of activity guide) 6 essential elements – one per sheet of paper Discuss & record the ways in which the element is evident in your school in small groups. (2 minutes) Rotate papers until each element is discussed Select one person to report out for each element Discuss next steps

Learning by Doing – Chapter Two “Clear & Compelling Purpose” Chapter Two activity guide. Discussion Questions 1-11. Each team member is assigned a question. Prepare to share the Q. In what ways would you use this question? For what purpose? How would it increase staff understanding of PLC concepts? Activity 1 – count off by 3’s Follow directions on page 10 of activity guide Share with team and select one to share with large group.

Learning by Doing – Chapter Two “Clear & Compelling Purpose” Resources from the book - pages 17-18 Data Picture 34-35 Continuum 36 Where do we Go From Here? 37-38 Moving Forward 40-42 Questions to Guide

Learning by Doing – Chapter Three “Creating a Focus on Learning” Case Study - Reflection: Consider Principal Matthews’ efforts & efforts of the task force to engage teachers in clarifying the essential outcomes of their courses and developing common assessments. If you were called upon to consult with the school, what advice would you offer? Page 44 of the text

Learning by Doing – Chapter Three “Creating a Focus on Learning” Part Two: Here’s How Loose & Tight Identify some ‘loose’ principles and practices Identify some “tight” principles and practices -page 45 of the text Part Three: Here’s why What about the concept of intended curriculum vs implemented curriculum? Do you see this as an issue? -page 51 of the text

Learning by Doing – Chapter Three “Creating a Focus on Learning” Activity- (Adapted from activity guide – pg 3) What is your PLC vision for this school year? Using silent brainstorming and the affinity process: Identify 2 or 3 things you would like to have in place in your school by the end of the year. Choose one person to report aloud to the whole group.

Learning by Doing – Chapter Three “Creating a Focus on Learning” Resources from the book - pages 60-61 Continuum 62-64 Where do we Go From Here? 65-67 Tips for moving forward 68-69 Questions to Guide

Final Thoughts The consideration of these questions can help staff lay the foundation for a professional learning community, but important work remains to be done. A staff that embraces the premise that the very purpose of the school is to help all students learn will face very challenging question of, “Learn what?” and “How will we know if each student has learned?” Pg 42 in the text

Break

Agenda December 11, 2008 Learning by Doing Break Chapters 1-3 activities Break What does the data tell us? ITBS/ITED results SIP Goals Data Questions & Planning Next steps Closing & Evaluation

SIP Data Review 1. Did you achieve your 07-08 improvement goals based on the fall ’08 ITBS/ITED ? What will you do if you didn’t ? Who are the low performing students? Have the strategies implemented worked? If not, what will you do next/

What do we want students to know? Pre Planning: Identification of Need 1. Develop/Review Student Learning Expectations 2. Examine alignment of learning expectations with assessments 3. Review assessment data 4. Identify areas of need based on assessment Identify areas of strength and weakness? What do we want students to know? Plan: 1. Describe the current process for addressing the identified area of need (flow chart) 2. Review data to determine baseline performance in the specific area identified (Run Chart/Pareto Diagram) 3. Identify potential root causes contributing to the identified area of need (Cause & Effect Diagram, 5 Why’s, Relations Diagram) 4. Study research-based best practice/improvement theory addressing areas of need HOW do we know if they have learned it? What do they know? What have they learned? Action Research Overview for Professional Learning Communities DO 1. Plan for implementation of improvement theory (Force Field Analysis, Action Plan) 2. Implement research-based best practices improvement theory based on root causes according to the Action Plan 3. Monitor the implementation of research-based best practice/improvement theory to insure integrity and fidelity 4. Assess student learning Act: 1. Standardize the implementation of research-based best practice (improvement theory) that improved student learning (revise the flow chart to reflect changes made to the system) 2. If improvement theory was unsuccessful continue the PDSA cycle (try another improvement theory based on the next identified root causes) What evidence do we have of the learning? Most effective/best practice teaching and learning strategies? The questions are essentially the same as PDSA is applied to answer the key questions at the classroom level. The emphasis is on student learning expectations, evidence of learning and responses to struggling learners. Study: 1. Examine student assessment results (compare to baseline) 2. Assess the impact of research-based best practice/improvement theory on student achievement Have they learned it? What do we do if they don’t? How do we respond if they don’t?

If not, what needs to be done? Are the strategies identified in the SIP Action Plan improving student achievement? How Do You Know? Increase in percentage of students proficient Across all grade levels All students Sub-groups Within cohort groups Subgroups Resources: SIP 07-08 GWAEA longitudinal data & School Summaries Question 1 If not, what needs to be done?

If not, what needs to be done? Are the strategies identified in the SIP Action Plan improving student achievement? How Do You Know? Do the strategies specifically address the skills assessed? Across all grade levels All students Sub-groups Within cohort groups Subgroups Resources: SIP 07-08 Item Analysis – School & Individual student Question 2 If not, what needs to be done?

Are the strategies identified in the SIP Action Plan improving student achievement? How Do You Know? Are some strategies more effective than others for: All students Specific sub-groups If so, which strategies should be implemented: More broadly Replaced/dropped Question 3

Are the strategies identified in the SIP Action Plan improving student achievement? What will you do? Who are the students who need additional support, alternative strategies to be proficient? What are the specific skill needs of each student? What needs to be done?

Are the strategies identified in the SIP Action Plan improving student achievement? What will you do? What is the role of the teachers in all curricular areas in improving reading and mathematics? What needs to be done?

Next Steps Learning by Doing What does the data tell us? Build shared knowledge Share information & activities with staff What does the data tell us? Share information & Data Questions with staff Submit an action plan accomplish these next steps Be prepared to share at our next meeting the outcomes of the process Next Meetings February 26 April 27