1. Promoting Reflective Practice Local District 6 February 18, 2005
Ideas for Today and Tomorrow

2. Sustaining Instructional Improvement Through Nested Learning Communities
Teachers should be working together to design or study research-based curriculum that reflects the best thinking in each subject area
Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker in
Professional Learning Communities at Work

3. The Grade Level, Interdisciplinary Team, or Content Team Meeting is the Context for the work
Linked to specific curriculum
Close to the classroom
May involve model or concept lessons
Focuses on needs of EL students
Data driven with urgency for students below and far below basic
Aligned to MCD outcomes for students with disabilities

4. Homework from last time focused on observations in classrooms
Secondary use of EL scaffolds in classrooms
Elementary observation of a second grade classrooms

5. How Do We Promote Reflective Practice?
Feedback to teachers that includes reflective questioning
Team learning community meetings that engages teachers in reflective dialogue about challenges, assessment data, model lessons, and student work

6. How do we as administrators help with reflective practice?
Every classroom visit is an opportunity
In a 5 minute visit, what do we see that is working and what can we ask that will deepen the teacher’s thinking about how to scaffold all students to the proficiency of standards?

7. Building Learning Communities
Foster collective inquiry by:
Posing questions that focuses attention on students and building skills and knowledge needed to demonstrate proficiency on standards
Training staff in collective inquiry, team building and trying out new practice

8. Practice with Video Clip
What is working in this lesson and classroom?
What can we ask that will cause this teacher to reflect on current practice and consider new ways of engaging students?

9. Stems for the Reflective Question
“I noticed that…..What additional strategies or activities might you consider in order to assure that…..” Please consider and get back to me by…
“Some students…..How might you be able to enhance this activity or lesson so that these students…..” See me in a week with your ideas.

10. Video Clip of a Lesson
Identify features of the lesson that are positive
Formulate one reflective question designed to engage the teacher in thinking more deeply about her practice

11. Balanced Collaborative and Reflective Leaders:
Hold themselves out as learners
Focus on teaching practices in their classroom visits
Debrief in a constructive manner with conversation that established a cycle of continuous learning (reflective questioning)
Opens possibilities for teachers trying out new practices in a safe environment

12. Goals for Today
Model strategies for engaging teachers in reflective practice in order to enhance development of nested learning communities
Provide opportunities for level alike administrators to continue their work as communities of practice in LD 6