1. Leadership Pathway: Focus in Grades 6–8 July 2016
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Leadership Pathway:
Focus in Grades 6–8
113 min before lunch
80 min after lunch and before break
Participants should sit at grade-level tables.
Materials:
Handout packet of Clusters (SAP Math Focus) that include grade level indicators at each table
Video Observation Protocol handout
Content Coaching Unbound handout
1 video in this session – Be sure to have loaded the video prior to participants’ arrival by opening the link and letting it begin to run. This should then have the video ready to view without buffering.
11 min video
July 2016

2. We know from experience the hard work teachers face every day as they strive to help their students meet the challenges set by higher standards.
We are a team of current and former classroom teachers, curriculum writers, school leaders and education experts who have worked in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
We are dedicated to empowering teachers by providing free, high-quality standards-aligned resources for the classroom, the opportunity for immersive training through our Institutes, and the option of support through our website offerings.
Speaker Notes:
We are a team of former classroom teachers, curriculum writers, school leaders, and education experts who have worked in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. We are dedicated to teacher learning and teacher growth. We know that teaching is hard work and requires excellent training, high quality materials, and meaningful support for practitioners who are continuously striving to better serve their students.
We provide educators with high-quality materials and hands-on professional development to help their students achieve the learning goals set by higher standards. We empower educators to make strong instructional decisions through immersive training and access to free standards-aligned resources to adapt for their classrooms, schools, and districts.

3. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Introduction: Who I Am
Name 1
Name 2
*Facilitators edit slide and notes for this slide.
2 min. (1 min. each)
Speaker Notes:
I am ______ from ______.
Include an interesting personal story.
My experience has been…
Before Common Core, I was…
I was skeptical about Common Core until ______ happened.

4. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 We Will…
Go deeper on standards and shifts but see how they play out in school
Examine standards-aligned resources
Do the math! Read the texts! Write the questions!
Practice standards-based observations, including:
How to best prepare before going into classrooms
What to look for when in a classroom
Questions to ask when following up with a teacher or leader
Think about how what we are learning impacts what we will do in school
2 min
Speaker Notes:
Our approach is to blend the conceptual with the practical. We work to understand the big ideas and how they look in practice.
The three strands that run through all of our work are:
Supporting students with gaps in learning
Digging deep into math and ela content by “doing” the math and ela tasks
Knowing what standards-aligned instruction looks like – and what it doesn’t
We will understand the principles that lie beneath curriculum, how to adapt curriculum, and how to interact with curriculum. This happens best when we understand the “load-­bearing walls” of the curriculum – the big ideas that curriculum is based on.
The standards and shifts have been around for a long time, and some of us know them well. That’s awesome! We will go deeper in our study and see how the standards and shifts look instructionally from the eye of a leader.

5. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 The Week at a Glance
Day
Ideas
Monday
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Focus and Coherence
Tuesday
Rigor
Observing the Standards and Shifts
Adaptations for Struggling Learners
Wednesday
The Foundation
Components of a Comprehensive Literacy Program
Thursday
Building Knowledge and Vocabulary
The Juicy Language of Text
Friday
8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Organizational Systems and Structures
1 min
Speaker Notes:
Here is what this week will look like.

6. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Data Collection at Standards Institute
Pre-survey (10-15m)
Knowledge
Daily survey (5-10m)
Feedback
Analysis
Facilitators
Institute team
Immediate adjustment:
Content
Facilitation
Operation
2 min
Speaker Notes:
We take feedback very seriously.
As part of your pre-work, you were asked to complete a pre-survey of quiz-like questions aligned to the learning objectives for this Institute. Of course, we did not expect that you knew all the answers before you came to Institute. But we did use that information to help us prepare for Institute.
Each day, we will reserve the last 10 minutes of the final session for you to complete a Daily Survey, which will include feedback for the day (facilitation, operation, the learning), as well as the same quiz-like questions that are related to what you learned that day.
It’s a way for facilitators and the Institute team to get feedback on what worked and what could be better.
We will address your feedback the next day.
Please take the time to complete the Daily Survey before you leave for the room today so that there is enough time to process and learn from your feedback.

7. Norms that Support Our Learning
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Norms that Support Our Learning
Take responsibility for yourself as a learner
Honor time frames (start, end, activity)
Be an active and hands-on learner
Use technology to enhance learning
Strive for equity of voice
Contribute to a learning environment where it is “safe to not know”
4 min
Speaker Notes:
We have norms for learning together this week. At different points in the week, we may remind you of a norm if we think it has been slipping – or you can remind one another.
You can read these for yourselves, but let me expand on a couple:
Take responsibility of yourself as a learner:
Keep an open mind (esp. about what you don't know or thought you knew);
Stay in learning orientation vs. performance orientation – growth mindset;
Be an active and hands-on learner:
Be active during video observation by capturing evidence in writing
Use technology to enhance learning
Be present (monitor multitasking, technology, honoring time frames)
Equity of voice
Share ideas and ask questions, one person at a time (airtime);
Contribute to a learning environment where it is “safe to not know”
Appreciate everyone's perspective and journey
Be okay with discomfort and focus on growth

8. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Objectives and Agenda
Participants will be able to identify the major work of the grade
Participants will be able to evaluate tasks for alignment to standards
Participants will be able to observe and coach the focus shift in teacher practice
Agenda:
Opening and Community Builder
Framing the Challenge
Task Analysis
Observing for Focus
Afternoon: Observing and Coaching the Focus Shift
1 min
Speaker Notes:
After a community builder, we’ll start by looking carefully at the shift of focus in math, with an emphasis on why it’s important and what it looks like in grades 6-8.

9. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Community Builder
At your tables:
Introduce yourself.
Share your name, role, and where home is.
Raise your hand if…
You are a school leader
You are a district leader
You work for a nonprofit
You support schools
You coach and develop others
You consider yourself a “math person”
You consider yourself a “literacy person”
10 min.
Speaker Notes:
7 min.—Getting to know your table and practicing norms. Give participants a few minutes to talk to their table partners about the questions on the slide, and share one or two responses.
3 min.— Raise your hand if…
Transition: We’ll start in the classroom, with our first observation.
Image Credit: 9

10. Classroom Video Observations
2 min
Speaker Notes:
A note abut the videos we use, their purposes and their limitations.
Throughout the week, we will be using video for virtual classroom observations.
We find them on the internet. Many of them are teacher-submitted videos.
They’re not perfect – no lesson is, no teacher is. Everyone of these teachers is well-intentioned and has taken the risk of sharing their teaching with the world – and we respect them for that.
They’re not necessarily representative of a diverse teacher force, although we have made a serious effort to find videos with more diversity, there just are not too many out there
We have had more success finding videos that show students with similar demographics to the students you teach.
When faced with a choice, we have chosen videos that will support our learning goals for you, even if the people in them are not reflective of your school reality.
We have examples and non-examples. They are not intended to vilify a teacher. Our intent is to give you practice analyzing instruction and to tune your eye to standards-aligned instruction.
Some of the teachers are here at this institute as facilitators! They will all tell you how much they have learned since the videos were made.

11. Time for a Classroom Visit
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Time for a Classroom Visit
Think about how you normally prepare to observe a math lesson.
What do you check in advance? What are the go-to tools you use?
Watch the video.
Treat the video as instruction in one of your classrooms. Capture the evidence that you observe in writing so you can provide low-inference feedback later.
Consider feedback.
What points of feedback would help this teacher grow in terms of instruction of mathematics?
1 min
Speaker notes:
As an introduction for this session on Focus, you will watch a video and pretend the teacher is a teacher in your building.
Write down your evidence for feedback (please do not sit and watch as if it is a TV show!).
“low inference feedback” is feedback that is primarily a sharing of observable evidence, with a minimal sharing of inference, interpretation or judgment
As you think about “feedback for growth,” consider both what you will praise and what you will help the teacher polish.

12. Informal Classroom Observation
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Informal Classroom Observation
Watch 11 min of 14 min video
Stop after student says “Oh, 4 times t plus 2”
Speaker Notes:
Be sure to have loaded the video prior to participants’ arrival by opening the link and letting it begin to run. This should then have the video ready to view without buffering.

13. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Turn & Talk
With a partner, discuss what you observed, the evidence you captured and the questions you have for Ms. Smith.
10 min
Speaker Notes:
NOTE to FACILITATOR: Don't give everything away here; just see what participants come up with; they are meant to arrive to the big take-aways on 2nd viewing.
5 min – Turn & Talk w/ partner
4 min – Whole group share:
1 min - ask for 1 piece of positive feedback with supporting evidence and
1 min - 1 piece of improvement supporting evidence (don’t ask for feedback for improvement since a coach should gather more information about the teacher’s thinking before providing feedback).
1 min - If it doesn’t come up, ask: Did anyone check to see if this standard is part of the major work of 6th grade?
Standard: 6.EE.C.9
1 min - TRANSITION: There is a lot of strong instruction going on in this classroom, and we will come back to this video again to discuss further. First, let’s learn a little about the Focus Shift so we can deepen our understanding before assessing Ms. Smith’s instruction any further.

14. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Framing the Challenge
NAEP Grade 12 – 2013
1 min
Speaker Notes:
Some of us mentioned a passion for student achievement — we want to see our students succeed. However, it’s no secret that U.S. students are struggling.
In grade 12, only 26% of students are proficient in the National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics as of 2013.
This is our call to action.

15. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 National Mathematics Advisory Panel
“A focused, coherent progression of mathematics learning, with an emphasis on proficiency with key topics, should become the norm in elementary and middle school mathematics curricula. Any approach that continually revisits topics year after year without closure is to be avoided. By the term focused, the Panel means that curriculum must include (and engage with adequate depth) the most important topics underlying success in school algebra. … Improvements like those suggested in this report promise immediate positive results with minimal additional cost.”
1 min
Speaker Notes:
Do not read it, but point out the highlighted text.
So how do we get more students ready for college and career?
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel studied all the relevant research and came up with this recommendation: curricula must focus on the key elements of algebra.

16. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Look at the Standards for Your Grade
What do you notice about the major content for your table’s grade level?
How do the standards at your grade level lead to student success in algebra later?
10 min
Speaker Notes:
Hand out the SAP Focus document.
7 min Ask participants to notice how the standards lead to success in algebra.
3 min Then ask participants to share.
Responses should emphasize standards within the NS, RP, and EE domains.
Broad issue of why algebra is… in the first place… success with algebra means students are far more likely to be successful in credit-bearing courses in college

17. Before We Start: Orienting to the Organization of the Math Standards
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Before We Start: Orienting to the Organization of the Math Standards
6.RP.A.1
6: grade level
RP: domain: Domains are larger groups of related standards. Standards from different domains may sometimes be closely related. Domains generally go across multiple grade levels.
A: cluster: Clusters summarize groups of related standards. Note that standards from different clusters may sometimes be closely related because mathematics is a connected subject.
1: standard number: Standards define what students should understand and be able to do.
2 min
Speaker Notes:
Let’s start by talking about the way the math standards are organized.
NOTE to FACILITATOR: Emphasize importance of cluster as a frame to the standard. Point out within grade coherence.

18. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Quick Review
Domain
Grade Level
Cluster
Standard
2 min
Speaker Notes:
Quickly review the structure of the standards.

19. Before We Start… Using the App in Math
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Before We Start… Using the App in Math
3 min (quicker if everyone has it; if not, have them do it as you proceed…)
Speaker Notes:
Confirm everyone has the app on their phone OR is using the CCSS website on their computer
Apple:
Android:
Windows:
Amazon:

20. Before We Start… Using the App in Math
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Before We Start… Using the App in Math
1 min
Speaker Notes:
To find standards:
These screen shots are from 3rd grade, but the process is the same.
Choose “Standards”
Choose “Math-Traditional.” (Traditional refers to the high school course organization of “Algebra 1”, “Geometry”, and Algebra 2”; this is prevalent in the USA)
Choose a grade.

21. Before We Start… Using the App in Math
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Before We Start… Using the App in Math
Swipe back and forth.
By swiping, find standard.
3.NBT.A.2
What does NBT stand for?
What is the cluster title for this standard?
2 min
Speaker Notes:
To find standards – continued:
Scroll to find a standard within a domain & cluster. (Language is included after the code to give some indication of what the standard is about.)
Once a standard is chosen: Swipe left and right to see the standards before and after the one you chose.
NOTE: Call out that standards in curriculum and other resources don't always include cluster letter but they are in this app; Don't forget to show how to use search bar

22. Quick Task: Using the App
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Quick Task: Using the App
You are in a 7th grade classroom, and students are writing an expression for the sequence of operations in each of the following:
Add 3 to x, subtract the result from 1, then double what you have.
b. Add 3 to x, double what you have, then subtract 1 from the result.
Navigate the app to find the standard students are likely addressing.
4 min
Speaker Notes:
possible answers: 7.EE.A.1
Share these ideas for getting to the standard:
Possibility 1:
select grade 7
select domain “Expressions and Equations”
select the first standard in the domain and swipe until you read the standard about applying properties of operations to add, subtract, factor and expand liner expressions…
Possibility 2:
type “expressions” in the search bar
scroll until you see 7th grade standards
If time: Ask participants if they had any other ways of finding the standard.

23. 1 min
Speaker Notes:
The first shift is indeed called focus and requires a deep focus on a smaller number of topics.
IMAGE CREDITS:
Shift #1:
“The Common Core calls for greater focus in mathematics. Rather than racing to cover many topics in a mile-wide, inch-deep curriculum, the standards ask math teachers to significantly narrow and deepen the way time and energy are spent in the classroom.”

24. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Content Emphases
Guidance from SAP organizes content in terms of major, supporting, and additional content:
Major clusters are the highest priority.
Supporting clusters are designed to support and strengthen areas of major emphasis.
Additional clusters may not connect tightly or explicitly to the major work.
4 min – handout: SAP Focus Math
Speaker Notes:
Student Achievement Partners (SAP) is a nonprofit founded by lead writers of the Common Core and works to provide resources for understanding the Common Core.
Major content is the most essential for future work in mathematics.
Major content indicates what the majority of time should be spent teaching this content. The materials should devote at least 65% and up to approximately 85% of the class time to the major work of the grade (with Grades K–2 nearer the upper end of that range, i.e., 85%).
These are guiding principles of the PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments.
Note that CLUSTERS, not individual standards, are organized into categories; Suggest importance of familiarity with the clusters for a grade level and the types of standards that would be in each cluster.
Ask: 1 min– WHOLE GROUP
I know this is a kindergarten example, but it is perfect for us to ensure you understand how to read these documents. What is the emphasis in kindergarten?
Transition: Now you will do it for your grade at your table groups.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FROM PARTICIPANTS:
Are you saying that teachers can cut out the supporting and additional standards? No, we are saying that that work should be done, and it should be done in connection with context/linking to major standards. But this organization can be used to prioritize when making tough curricular decisions.
From the PARCC Model Content Frameworks for Mathematics: “To say that some things have greater emphasis is not to say that anything in the standards can safely be neglected in instruction. Neglecting material will leave gaps in student skill and understanding and may leave students unprepared for the challenges of a later grade. All standards figure in a mathematical education and will therefore be eligible for inclusion on the PARCC Assessment. However, the assessments will strongly focus where the standards strongly focus.”
What if my curriculum tells me to...? Also, I think we need to somehow emphasize the challenge of non-aligned/aligned curriculum and the impact that can have on teacher focus.

25. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Your Turn – 5 minutes
In table groups, look at your assigned grade level.
Identify the major work of the grade.
Be prepared to report out your decisions.
8 min (1 min for directions; 7 min for work time)
Speaker Notes:
Each table will have 7 minutes to look at a grade level in the SAP Focus handout (Assign grades 6, 7 or 8 to each table) and prepare to confirm the major work of the grade. As you do, please also notice what is NOT there.
NOTE: Make sure that session participants can go back and forth between this document and the common core app. Can suggest download full PDF with all grade levels and perhaps use iBook.
7 min – GROUP Work time….
Transition: Let’s confirm what you found
Click through each slide for share of that group/grade level…

26. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Focus in Grade 6
1 min
Speaker’s Notes:
Ask the tables who looked at 6th grade: What is the emphasis in 6th grade?
Operations with fractions, ratios and proportions, and beginning work with expressions and equations

27. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Focus in Grade 7
1 min
Speaker’s Notes:
Ask the tables who looked at 7th grade: What is the emphasis in 7th grade?
Expressions and equations, ratios and proportions, and rational number arithmetic

28. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 Focus in Grade 8
1 min
Speaker’s Notes:
Ask the tables who looked at 8thgrade: What is the emphasis in 8th grade?
Expressions and equations, functions, and congruence/similarity

29. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Summary
What are the common threads in the Major Work content for grades 6–8?
In a middle school, what content topics would you anticipate to observe teachers spending the most time on?
2 min
Speaker Notes:
Whole Group Share
Ratio and proportions, expressions and equations, functions
Transition: To see what the major work looks like (and does not look like) at each grade level, let’s dive in and do some math.
IMAGE CREDITS:

30. Task Analysis (Whole Group)
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Task Analysis (Whole Group)
1 min
Speaker Notes:
To see what the major work looks like (and does not look like) at each grade level, let’s dive in and do some math.
One purpose for this section is to understand what it means for tasks to align to content standards and to understand better what constitutes the major work at each grade level.
A second purpose is to experience a questioning protocol for you to use to develop teachers and/or leaders as they deepen their understanding of the demands of the standards.
Illustrative Mathematics is an important resource we will use.

31. Protocol Do the Math Discussion Questions:
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Protocol
Do the Math
Discussion Questions:
To what grade and standard is the task aligned?
Is this part of the major work of that grade?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this task connect to the major work in the grades above and below?
1 min
Speaker Notes:
Here is the protocol we’ll use. (go through slide). This protocol is an excellent way to drive planning and learning with teachers.
Use these questions in planning sessions to help unpack what is required by the standards, to help ensure Focus, to help understand across grade coherence.
Use these questions to debrief a lesson that you observed.
Remember framing around varying levels of comfort with doing math; Connect to growth mindset, points in Kate’s keynote.
Principals will need to deal w/ math a bit and to supervise it from a content place. This training will require us to do some math, but more importantly, will give you some look-fors and some questions to ask when you’re completing those instructional observations – even if you don’t have a math background.

32. Task #1 Do the Math Pairs Discuss
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Task #1
Do the Math
Molly runs 1/3 of a mile in 4 minutes.
If Molly continues at the same speed, how long will it take her to run one mile?
Draw and label a picture showing why your answer to part (a) makes sense.
Pairs Discuss
To what grade and standard is the task aligned?
Is this part of the major work of that grade?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this task connect to the major work in the grades above and below?
10 min
Speaker Notes:
1 min
Take a look at this example task and do the math individually
7 min Partners discuss
What grade and standard is this aligned to?
Is it part of the major work?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this connect to major work in the grades above and below?
2 min share out
Look for or provide the following responses:
The task requires students to solve a ratio problem.
The task is aligned to 7.RP.1. (It would be a more challenging 6th grade problem because of the work with fractions.)
This is part of the major work and connects to multiplication of fractions in Grade 5, ratio work in Grade 6, and functions in Grade 8.

33. Task #2 Do the Math Pairs Discuss
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Task #2
Do the Math
The number of siblings for a group of 6th grade students is shown below:
1, 0, 2, 1, 6, 0, 2, 0, 1, 10
Make a dot plot of the data.
Find the mean and the median of the data.
What does the mean tell you about the data?
Which measure of average (mean or median) do you think best describes the data? Why?
Pairs Discuss
To what grade and standard is the task aligned?
Is this part of the major work of that grade?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this task connect to the major work in the grades above and below?
10 min
Speaker Notes:
2 min
Take a look at this example task and do the math individually
7 min Partner then quick share out
What grade and standard is this aligned to?
Is it part of the major work?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this connect to major work in the grades above and below?
2 min share out –
Look for or provide the following responses:
The task requires students to make a dot plot and answer questions about the mean and median, including interpreting them
The task signals 6.SP.A.2, 6.SP.B.4, and 6.SP.B.5.c. These are NOT part of the major work in Grade 6.
It is the beginning of statistical work that is continued in Grade 7, where students compare populations using statistics.

34. Lunch 1 min Speaker Notes: Transition –
After lunch, we will apply what we have learned to the classroom setting. We want to be proficient at identifying the grade-level standards, determine whether the standards being taught are the major work of the grade, and know the questions to ask that will deepen teachers’ understanding of the math. Let’s go back and observe Ms. Smith’s lesson again – this time for Focus, the math knowledge and skills required, and the math above and below the grade level.

35. Observing and Coaching for Focus
1 min
Speaker Notes:
Transition - We will now apply what we have learned to the classroom setting. We want to be proficient at identifying the grade-level standards, determine whether the standards being taught are the major work of the grade, and know the questions to ask that will deepen teachers’ understanding of the math. Let’s go back and observe Ms. Smith’s lesson again – this time for Focus, the math knowledge and skills required, and the math above and below the grade level.

36. Observing for Focus Watch the video again. Standard: 6.EE.C.9 Prepare:
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Observing for Focus
Watch the video again.
Standard: 6.EE.C.9
Prepare:
Standards app
Content emphasis
Capture Evidence:
What standards are being taught?
Is the instruction addressing the intended standard?
Is this part of the major work of that grade?
6 min
Speaker Notes:
1 min directions - Let’s go back and watch the 6th grade video with this lens. Let’s start by preparing – get your standards queued up for the standard and pull up the content emphases for 6th grade.
5 min – at tables, discuss the standard being taught
We’ll start at 3:23 and cut some at the end, stopping at the 12:00 mark

37. Observing for Focus FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 9 min video
start at 3:23 and cut some at the end, stopping at the 12:00 mark
Speaker Notes:
Be sure to have loaded the video prior to participants’ arrival by opening the link and letting it begin to run. This should then have the video ready to view without buffering.

38. After the Observation To what grade and standard is the task aligned?
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
After the Observation
To what grade and standard is the task aligned?
Is this part of the major work of that grade?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this task connect to the major work in the grades above and below?
15 min
Speaker Notes:
5 min – First, you will deconstruct what you just saw in terms of Focus. Turn & Talk w/ partner
10 min – Whole group discussion of each question
MAIN POINTS:
QUESTIONS PARTICIPANTS MAY ASK:
But the teacher's (pedagogy) was solid...how can I expect more than this in my building? If what's being taught doesn't align to the depth of the standards and focus where it's supposed to, it doesn't matter how well the lesson is taught. Students won't get where we need them to to be (short term, proficient this year; long term, college and career ready).
But shouldn't we break down the standard and teach and assess its individual parts? Breaking down standards into discrete concepts, skills and vocab is a powerful tool for teachers when planning instruction and anticipating student errors or misconceptions – before instruction and when analyzing student work. But getting students to true mastery of the standards requires they be able to do the entire standard, not just a portion of it, or multiple portions of it in isolation of each other. If students aren't ready, teachers must figure out how to slow down and/or scaffold, but the standard should be taught and assessed as a whole.

39. FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
After the Observation
What questions would you now want to ask Ms. Smith?
2 min
Speaker Notes:
Solicit 1-3 answers (don’t spend much time here). We have a couple to suggest that can help unpack her thinking and provide opportunities for her development.

40. Questions that Develop
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Questions that Develop
Leading the Conversation:
To what grade and standard is the task aligned?
Is this part of the major work of that grade?
What are the knowledge and skills required to be successful on this task?
How does this task connect to the major work in the grades above and below?
If not grade-level standards:
Why was instruction not addressing grade-level standards?
What data or other work supports the decision to teach non-grade- level standards?
If not major work of the grade:
How will this chosen standard authentically lead students back to working with math content that is emphasized in this grade?
4 min
Speaker notes:
We’ve already spent a good deal of time deepening our own learning using the first set of questions (in gray). Use them first to get a strong understanding of the teacher’s understanding of the math and the standards.
This second set of questions will provide a window into the planning and decision-making that drove the teacher’s lesson. It also leads the discussion into the “what’s next” for these students.
Handout Content Coaching Unbound and introduce it as a resource that we will use in multiple coaching practices this week.
Ask: How are these questions the same or different than the way you usually debrief classroom observations? How would these questions help develop your teachers?
Let’s practice coaching Ms. Smith on the Focus shift.

41. Coaching Role Play: Purpose and Process
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Coaching Role Play: Purpose and Process
The objective of this activity is to give leaders practice coaching a teacher on the Focus shift in the context of an authentic classroom situation.
Get Ready (4 min)
Pair Up (2 min)
Role Play & Feedback #1 (11 min)
Role Play & Feedback #2 (11 min)
2 min
Speaker Notes:
State the purpose of this role play: leaders have to practice talking about the changes they want to see. Leaders have to practice talking about content as well – especially if you don’t consider yourself a “math person”
Provide an overview of the process:
You will have 4 minutes to prepare to coach Ms. Smith. If it would be a better fit for your role, you may prepare to coach a principal with whom you have just observed this teacher. This will be quiet, preparation time.
You will pair up, choose who goes first.
First role play, coach shares goals for the coaching sessions and sets the “heat” level.
5 min role play
1 min to gather your reflections and evidence for feedback
5 min reflection and feedback
This will be intentionally quick – most leaders do not have a ton of time to debrief a quick observation, so we are practicing doing this quickly and efficiently.
I will manage time and signal when you move to a different part of the protocol.

42. Coaching Role Play 4 minutes – Everybody Gets Ready
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Coaching Role Play
The objective of this activity is to give leaders a chance to practice coaching a teacher
about the Focus shift in the context of an authentic classroom situation.
4 minutes – Everybody Gets Ready
Identify your goals for this coaching session.
What do you want the teacher to know and be able to try as a result of this interaction?
Draft entry question(s), clarifying questions and probing questions.
Draft key learning and next steps you want the teacher to walk away ready to try.
2 minutes – Pair Up
Choose a partner.
Identify who will go first.
Role Play #1 shares goals and the level of “heat” you’d like to practice coaching.
11 min
Speaker Notes:
Click through each part as the time stated
<Click> and give them 4 minutes to Get Ready
Remind them to use the Content Coaching Unbound as a resource
<Click> and give them 2 minutes to partner, choose who goes first,
Next slide <Click> and give them 5 minutes for the role play

43. Role Play #1 – 5 Minutes FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 5 min.
IMAGE CREDITS:

44. Role Play #1 – Reflect and Feedback
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Role Play #1 – Reflect and Feedback
1 minute – Each role writes reflections of effectiveness of coaching conversation from their point of view
2 minutes – identify what worked
Coach first
Start with stating your goal(s) for the discussion and 1-2 moves you made that supported that goal
Share 1-2 other pluses that you can identify
Teacher
1-2 moves that the coach made that deepened your understanding of Focus
2 minutes – identify suggestions for improvement
1-2 things you’d like to do differently or improve
1-2 things the coach should consider to strengthen practice
5 min.

45. Transition to Role Play #2
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Transition to Role Play #2
Review preparation notes.
Share coaching goals and the level of “heat” you’d like to practice coaching.
1 min.
Speaker Notes:
Time to switch roles.
#2, share your goals and level of heat
Be ready on my signal.
IMAGE CREDITS:

46. Role Play #2 – 5 Minutes FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8 5 min. IMAGE CREDITS:

47. Role Play #2 – Reflect and Feedback
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Role Play #2 – Reflect and Feedback
1 minute – Each role writes reflections of effectiveness of coaching conversation from their point of view
2 minutes – identify what worked
Coach first
Start with stating your goal(s) for the discussion and 1-2 moves you made that supported that goal
Share 1-2 other pluses that you can identify
Teacher
1-2 moves that the coach made that deepened your understanding of Focus
2 minutes – identify suggestions for improvement
1-2 things you’d like to do differently or improve
1-2 things the coach should consider to strengthen practice
5 min.

48. Reflection: Focus Think about Common Core implementation.
FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Reflection: Focus
Think about Common Core implementation.
Based on your learning in this session and on your role, what systems can you access, adjust or initiate? For example:
Professional development
Planning
Observation and supervision
8 min
Speaker Notes:
4 min
In whatever format you are using to track your reflections and action steps, take a few minutes to individually, or in district/school teams, reflect on how focus is currently going in your context and what next steps for improvement you could take.
4 min – ask for a couple of reflections from the group.
Sum up: This is really about having standards front and center for teachers, observation and planning supports around lesson planning and delivery. And a culture of intentionality around the selection of or implementation of curriculum.
Transition: We’ll take a break now. When we return, we’ll dig into our next shift, Coherence.

49. Take a break… IMAGE CREDITS:

50. FOCUS IN GRADES 6-8 Reference List
Slide
Source
12-13; 36-39 14
14;
19-21
Apple:
Android:
Windows:
Amazon:
32-33
36-39

51. Image Credits FOCUS IN GRADES 6–8
Slide 9:
Slides 23, 29:
Slides 43, 45, 46:
Slide 49: