WELCOME Teach for America’s Approach to Problem Solving in the Classroom: Teacher Reflection to Increase Effectiveness

2 Objectives & Agenda At the end of this workshop, you will: Have a deeper understanding of how Teach For America approaches problem-solving in the classroom. Leave with strategies you can implement in your own practice.

3 Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Academic Impact Model 3. Outcomes, Causes, Solutions 4. OCS Reflections 5. Closing

4 Where we are going... AIM Co- Inves t Destinatio n: Student Achievemen t OCS

5 Academic Impact Model Student results Student understandings and behaviors Teacher actions Teacher knowledge, skills and mindsets

6 What it Looks Like in Practice The Academic Impact Model ComponentDescription Student Academic Results  This is the ultimate outcomes, and it’s impacted by all the things below. Student Understandings and Behaviors  What students know and understand, as well as their behaviors, will impact their achievement in the classroom. Teacher Actions  What a teacher actually does in the classroom, will impact student understanding or behaviors. Teacher Knowledge, Skills, and Mindsets  What a teacher does or does not know will impact the actions the teacher takes in the classroom.

7 Academic Impact Model at Work We are going to watch a teacher reflect on his students’ misbehavior. While watching, think about the following question: –How does Mr. Melli reflect using the AIM?

8 Academic Impact Model at Work What are your initial thoughts after watching this video? How is Mr. Meli demonstrating the Academic Impact Model? How has reflecting through AIM set him up to make the right change in his classroom?

9 Why the Academic Impact Model? Operating with the AIM in mind is critical in making change in your classroom. Not reflecting in this way could cause you to miss the actual reason students aren’t understanding what you are teaching or why they are misbehaving. Reflecting on teacher actions sets you up to tackle the right obstacle. “Why fix it if it isn't broke?” You want to spend your time focusing on the right areas so that you see big change in your students’ performance. Why Not? Why Operate with AIM?

10 Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Academic Impact Model 3. Outcomes, Causes, Solutions 4. OCS Reflections 5. Tenure Teacher Training

11 Where we are going... AIM Co- Inves t Destinatio n: Student Achievemen t Co- Inves t Destinatio n: Student Achievemen t OCS

12 Coach understands teacher analysis Coach observes to gather additional evidence and identify a cause. Coach and teacher co-investigate Outcomes have been identified Causes are aligned and finalized Solutions are refined and finalized Teacher tracks and analyzes data Teacher problem solves Teacher tries out solution What Happens during Problem Solving? We are here  Accelerate your students’ academic success

13 The aim of a co-investigation is to: Develop classroom leadership through data-based problem solving Problem solve by figuring out what is going on in a classroom, why it is happening, and what the teacher is going to do about it. Helps the teacher prioritize actions and how to spend time Progress the class towards hitting end of year goals Coach Teacher Coach Teacher BEGINNING MIDDLE END Coach Teacher

14 Problem Solving in Your Classroom: The OCS Model CAUSES  WHY IS IT HAPPENING? OUTCOMES  WHERE ARE MY STUDENTS RELATIVE TO THE GOAL? SOLUTIONS  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

15 Three Keys to Effective Problem Solving... #1 Relies on good data Makes logical connections between where your students are, why it’s happening, and what you’re going to do about it. Prioritizes the most important things What is good data? –TCAP practice test data –Discovery (or any other proxy test) data –Progress Monitoring (Dibels, Aimsweb, running records, etc.) –Quizzes or tests (if you don’t have access to the data above)

16 Three Keys to Effective Problem Solving... #2 Relies on good data Makes logical connections between where your students are, why it’s happening, and what you’re going to do about it. Prioritizes the most important things Links in a chain CAUSES  WHY IS IT HAPPENING? OUTCOMES  WHERE ARE MY STUDENTS RELATIVE TO THE BIG GOAL? SOLUTIONS  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

17 Three Keys to Effective Problem Solving... #3 Relies on good data Makes logical connections between where your students are, why it’s happening, and what you’re going to do about it. Prioritizes the most important things

18 Problem Solving in Your Classroom: The OCS Model CAUSES  WHY IS IT HAPPENING? OUTCOMES  WHERE ARE MY STUDENTS RELATIVE TO THE GOAL? SOLUTIONS  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

19 Problem Solve - O CS: Where are my students…? CAUSES OUTCOMES WHERE ARE MY STUDENTS RELATIVE TO THE GOAL?  Identify progress and gaps in student achievement towards your Goal  Identify student actions, understandings/misunderstandings contributing to and ALIGNED to those gaps  Prioritize the most important gap. SOLUTIONS

20 Pitfall #1: Ignoring Progress Progress Gaps

21 Pitfall #2: Skipping Student Actions Students’ Academic Performance: Progress/Gaps Students’ Actions: Habits, Understandings/Misunderstand ings Teacher’s Actions Teacher’s Underlying Knowledge, Skills & mindsets OUTCOMES The Academic Impact Model CAUSES X

22 What does this look like? Outcomes ProgressStandards: (83%mastery) (90% mastery) Student Subgroups: Christiania, Izzie, and Alex averaged 90% on Unit 1 test Aligned Student Actions: On task, participating, completing homework on time Mastery on Exit Tickets Ask & answer questions during class GapsStandards: (70% mastery) (30% mastery) Student Subgroups: Izzie, George, and Derrick averaged 65% on Unit 1 test 3 rd block averaged 45% as a class Aligned Student Actions, or Misunderstandings: Off task behavior, Struggled during practice Not completing homework Talkative, off task, playful after lunch

23 Problem Solve - O C S: Why is it happening? CAUSES WHY IS IT HAPPENING?  Identify teacher actions contributing to progress and gaps in student actions and achievement  Identify contributing underlying factors & root causes (Knowledge, Skill, Mindset) OUTCOMESSOLUTIONS

24 What’s in front of you and what’s underneath? COMPREHENSIO N INVESTMENT EXECUTION PLANNING

25 Causes: Progress example PROGRESSINVESTMENTEXECUTIONPLANNINGCOMPREHENSION TEACHER ACTIONS What are you doing that contributes to the progress you are seeing? I have been giving back grades to these students and having them set weekly goals for themselves based on these grades. In Period 1, I am CFU. I am able to cold call students and give positive praise for correct answers. I always plan for student questions and misunderstanding s. I have created aligned exit tickets for several lessons that accurately measure progress. What knowledge, skills, and mindsets do you have that helped you to do this well? M: This was a tough class at the beginning of the year. I knew I had to invest them quickly. S: I have classified my students into groups and I always make sure to call someone from each group to CFU. S: I use my diagnostic data when unit planning and find areas that students didn’t master that are present in this unit. K: I know that backwards planning leads students to success.

26 Causes: Gaps example GAPSINVESTMENTEXECUTIONPLANNINGCOMPREHENSION What are you doing that contributes to the gaps you are seeing? I am unable to reinforce the goal with my students. I’m not giving all students the opportunity to practice. I’m not planning to communicate my expectations. I’m saying them, but I could be planning for them better. I’m only teaching my SPI and I’m not teaching the remedial skills that some students need. What gaps do you see in your knowledge, skills, and mindsets? (Refer to your TAL rubric) K: I don’t know how to build their belief that Spanish I will be valuable S: I’m not sure how to plan for guided practice where all students can participate. M: I figured since I already taught them, students would follow them, but they aren’t. K: I’m not sure how to keep on pace with my unit plan and still teach these lower level skills.

27 Problem Solve - OC S : What am I going to do about it? CAUSESOUTCOMES SOLUTIONS WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?  Consider the gap, student action, and teacher action you identified as most important.  Consider the knowledge, skill and/or mindset that aligns to the teacher action.  Identify your next steps and try them out

28 What does this look like? Solutions (Spanish 1) Potential Next Steps: By Friday, I’ll have polled the members of my department members to get ideas about building “I want.” By next Monday, I’ll have designed two solid mini-lessons to build students “I want.” I’ll teach the mini-lessons next week. By the beginning of my next unit, I’ll have a long-term plan for building and maintaining students’ “I want” throughout the school year. Two weeks from now, I’ll see qualitative evidence of increased student effort. On my end of unit assessment, which occurs in three weeks, I’ll see a 5% increase in my class averages. Targeted root causes for building skill in investment: Knowledge: You don’t know how to build their belief that Spanish I will be valuable

29 Where we are going... AIM Co- Inves t Destinatio n: Student Achievemen t Co- Inves t Destinatio n: Student Achievemen t OCS

30 Coach understands teacher analysis Coach observes to gather additional evidence and identify a cause. Coach and teacher co-investigate Outcomes have been identified Causes are aligned and finalized Solutions are refined and finalized Teacher tracks and analyzes data Teacher problem solves Teacher tries out solution What Happens during Problem Solving? We are here Accelerate your students’ academic success

31 The coach’s role: “Thought Partner” Coach Teacher Coach Teacher BEGINNING MIDDLE END Coach Teacher

32 Tools for Reflection Pre-Reflection Stage Before engaging in a co-investigation, we expect the teacher to reflect on the front end. Teacher submits data, planning and a “reflective guide” to the coach prior to the observation. Coach prepares for observation, then observes and develops his/her theory. Coach and Teacher Co-Investigate. Teacher tries out solutions and continues process.

33 Reflection Materials Please take a few moments to look at the tools provided. Some teachers do this reflection on their own, never even needing a coach!

34 Coach understands teacher analysis Coach observes to gather additional evidence and identify a cause. Coach and teacher co-investigate Outcomes have been identified Causes are aligned and finalized Solutions are refined and finalized Teacher tracks and analyzes data Teacher problem solves Teacher tries out solution What Happens during Problem Solving? We are here Accelerate your students’ academic success

35 Q & A Any Questions?