1. PLMLC Leadership Series Thunder Bay Region Day 2
Brian Harrison, YRDSB
Connie Quadrini, YCDSB
Friday February 4th, 2011

2. Interactive Session Activities
Engage in mathematics to experience a ‘learner stance’
Explore learning networks
Make connections between the 5 Core Leadership Capacities and Board Improvement Planning

3. Building Learning Cultures
It is widely accepted that effective instruction in mathematics is more likely when teachers have:
A deep understanding of the mathematics
Strong pedagogy
Solid pedagogical content knowledge (content knowledge for teaching math)
60 min
When we provide time in professional learning communities for teachers to engage in the mathematics that they are teaching to students. We are going to allow you to better understand the potential impact of actually engaging in the mathematics now and then we will dialogue about how this can be included into professional learning on a regular basis.

4. Engaging in Mathematical Reasoning
Kittens have to eat a special kind of cat food. There are two stores that sell this kind of cat food. The cans are the same size and same brand. Which one is the better deal? Show your work.
15 min
Have participants work in pairs or triads. They should work independently first and record a solution and then in their pair share solutions. One strategy per pair/triad will be recorded on chart paper (1/2 piece, oriented landscape) and posted.
Capacity Building Series: LNS; Special Edition #13

5. Building Students’ Mathematical Reasoning
Strategies include
Bansho
Congress
Gallery Walk
We will model a short Bansho today.
Note that in the monograph from LNS, bansho includes a description of the teacher selecting two to four different solutions. This is an Ontario adaptation of the Japanese practice, where they would display most, if not all, of the solutions – organized by a variety of criteria. It may be useful to discuss when a teacher may wish to have all students organize and display their work and when a teacher may decide to select solutions.

6. Further Information
Available through LNS --

7. Detailed Support for Learning Leaders
The monograph includes sample anticipated student responses and a detailed discussion of the mathematics knowledge modeled in each. There are questions for teachers to use to extend student knowledge.

8. Remember Elmore et al We must model what we expect others to do.
In this session, we have tried to model
establishing a safe learning environment
assuming a learner stance
strategies that increase learner achievement
nuancing of strategies and framework to context
building networks for leading and learning
opportunities to personalize the learning
(Sidebar comment) The important piece about these participants engaging in the mathematical learning is that they had an opportunity to confront any preconceived notions they may have about their own mathematical abilities; what it will feel like to engage in mathematics; potential stress of having to share their thinking with others; concept that every answer is only right/wrong; that the only thing important is the answer; what judgements may be passed about them as a learner by the ‘teacher’. These fears are parallel to the fears that our teachers face in shifting their practice – they need support from administrators and peers in these transitions. And this can be extended to administrators trying to make shifts in school cultures as well. All of this information is data which a leader can consider in their needs assessments – what are the predominate practices? Reasons for not changing? Beliefs of administrator? Teacher?....

9. Networked Learning for Mathematics Success
60 min

10. Principles for Leadership & School Improvement
All leaders, regardless of role, should be working at the improvement of instructional practice and performance, rather than working to shield their institutions from outside interference.
All educators should take part in continuous learning, and be open to having their ideas and practices subjected to the scrutiny of their colleagues.
Leaders must be able to model the behaviors, the learning, and the instructional knowledge they seek from their teachers.
The roles and activities of leadership should flow from the differences in expertise among the individuals involved, not from the formal dictates of the institution.
Policymakers should discover and take into account the circumstances that make doing the work possible, and provide the resources necessary for improvement.
Richard Elmore
(3-5 minutes) In table groupings, pause, ponder and talk about the connections you see between each of the principles, the 5 core capacities and and your work as a mathematics leader in your district/network/school

11. (2 minutes) Classrooms, schools, districts and the ministry are working to align resources with priorities, with the focus directed at student learning needs. Each layer of the system, and each element, needs to inform and reflect the core layer of the system, the classroom tasks that students are asked to carry out. “If it is not in the core, it is not there.” (Elmore)

12. The Instructional Core
(NOT SURE YOU WANT THIS VERSION – Just put it in in case – SY)
This version is based on the diagram shared by Student Achievement Division and is adapted from Richard Elmore’s work. It extends the instructional core out to the instructional tasks that students are engaging in. Personnel responsible for leading at each layer are also identified. 12

13. What the Research Says
You improve schools by using information about student learning, from multiple sources, to find the most promising instructional problems to work on, then systematically develop with teachers and administrators the knowledge and skill necessary to solve those problems – focusing on building a coherent approach across the school.
Richard Elmore- Instructional Rounds in Education
(3 minutes) A significant barrier to mathematical success for students is the reality that there is insufficient instructional capacity within any one school to address the mathematical learning needs of students (or teachers). Multiple sources are needed to address this system need. Professional Development that does not impact mathematics instruction in the core, will not produce an impact on student learning in mathematics.

14. From the Ballroom to the Classroom…
1 minute clip from Steven Katz on the opportunities that learning networks, when appropriately focused and lead, provide to overcome this capacity challenge. Set the context for the reading task to come.

15. Learning Network Network Clear purpose and focus Shared Leadership
Trusting Relationships
Collaboration
Inquiry-based
Foster Accountability
Build capacity and support
(3 minutes) (Click for Network and Subway graphic to enter): “ a network is indifferent to its impact, it can conveys information, people, energy, goods, for both positive or negative outcomes without significant alteration to its structure.” (graphic fades on click)
(Click for Learning Network text to enter) Katz and Earl define a learning network as one that has these attributes…

16. Read, Reflect, Retell²
Pair up with a participant who has a similar role
Read one of the articles provided
Reflect upon your insights and questions- note from Brian- any suggested guiding questions would be appreciated
Retell your insights and questions with your partner
Join up with another pair and share your insights.
(20 minutes) Provide one copy of either Networked Learning Communities, Evaluating Networked Learning Communities and Collaborative Teacher Inquiry or Professional Learning Communities to individual participants
Provide time for reading, noting key points and two tiered sharing (first as a pair, then with two pairs forming a group of four)

17. Joint Work Involves…
“…encounters among teachers that rest on shared responsibility for the work of teaching, with their motivation to participate grounded in needing each other’s contributions in order to succeed in their own work and a confidence in the others’ competence and commitment”. Judith Warren Little
A quote to contextualize any whole group conversation on the just completed reading task, or as a transition

18. Triple ‘P’ Core Components
Personalization
Precision
Teacher Beliefs: Instructional Tasks
(3-5 minutes) Current teacher beliefs are evident through the instructional tasks that students are asked to engage with, without a structure, both the tasks and the beliefs are not entirely visible to those outside the core, the structure creates the focus for changing the practice first by making it visible, then by guiding the process through, each component informs and supports the other. The evidence of impact is the tasks. Only networks, or joint work by educators, can make this occur.
Crevola, Hill & Fullan- Breakthrough
Professional Learning

19. Engaging in Joint Work Collaborative Inquiry:
Precision, Personalization and Professional Learning
Personalization; begin with the needs of students to watch
Precision in the planning to ensure that the focus is on the classroom instruction that supports student achievement, linked to the curriculum expectations and the specific needs of students to watch
Professional Learning
Co-plan, co-teach and co-construct understanding of practice
Consolidate what has been learned by students and teachers
Complete the cycle over with a common focus and purpose
(5 minutes) -Consider how the work you are currently engaged in to support mathematics instruction connects with these components
-Connect each of these three components back to the five core capacities.

20. … teaching cannot be about zeroing in on predetermined conclusion
… teaching cannot be about zeroing in on predetermined conclusion. It can’t be about the replication and perpetuation of the existing possible. Rather, teaching seems to be more about expanding the space of the possible and creating conditions of the emergence of the as-yet-unimagined.” B. Davis (2006)
I just, really like this quote. What we want for our students is what we need for our teachers…
This only adds up to 45 min but we have 60 allocated – likely not an issue – may want to allow for increased dialogue - SY

21. Planning Time
Consider the mathematics challenge in your district where you wish to invest some energy and exert some influence.
What do you and your district partner need to know and/or consider in order to initiate the Mathematics Leadership Planning Cycle to address this challenge?
25 minutes

22. Whole Group Dialogue
How has your plan and/or planning process shifted over these two days?
What will you do with respect to this plan?
What do you expect the outcome to be?
20 min
(Just trying to think up some q’s for the discussion…)

23. Between Session Activities

24. Contact Us….
Should you wish to contact us: