workshop ii vl teachers(presentation deck)

Developing Teacher and Administrative Leadership through

the VL Mind frames

Michael McDowell, Ed.D.

#vlconf2014

#vlconf2014

Dialogue: https://todaysmeet.com/VLMindframe

Twitter: @mmcdowell13 ; #VLConf2014

Email: michaelmcdowell@icloud.com

Pre-Assessment

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=khan+academy+and+the+effectiveness+of+science&sm=1

Theory of action– If all students have clarity regarding

outcomes, success criteria, knowledge of current performance, and voice and choice in the learning process, then students will substantially improve in their learning and take greater responsibility over their learning.

How do we develop and enhance teacher and administrative leadership so that we may actualize a “theory of action” that substantially enhances student learning?

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OUTCOMES

• Model- Understand how the VL mind frames and VL research were utilized as the foundational elements of a system-wide distributed leadership model

• Approach- Understand the implementation pathway for the relational and tactical aspects of leadership development.

• Lessons Learned- Review implementation milestones and challenges associated with leadership work

• Next Steps- Relate current system-wide efforts in embedding the VL Mindframes and VL research with the work of the Tamalpais Union High School District.

#vlconf2014

Our Story

Our Story

Learning System Infrastructure

Daily operation

Why?

How?

What?

Expectations

• Model Understand how the VL mind frames and VL research were utilized as the foundational elements of a system-wide distributed leadership model

• “Its unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing all your life”

- Mantle

• Teachers are among the most powerful influences on learning

Teachers need to be directive, influential, caring, and actively engaged in the passion of teaching and learning

• Teachers need to be aware of what each and every student is thinking and knowing, to construct meaning and meaningful experiences in light of this knowledge, and have proficient knowledge and understanding of their content to provide meaningful and appropriate feedback such that each student moves progressively through the curriculum levels

#vlconf2014

- Where is the learner going? - Where is the learner now? - What are the learner’s next steps?- In light of the evidence, what approaches

appear to efficiently and effectively enhance the learning process?

• Teachers need to move from the single idea to multiple ideas, and to relate and then extend these ideas such that learners construct and reconstruct knowledge and ideas. It is not the knowledge or ideas, but the learner’s construction of this knowledge and these ideas that is critical.

School leaders and teachers need to create school, staffroom, and classroom environments where error is welcomed as a learning opportunity, where discarding incorrect knowledge and understandings is welcomed, and where participants can feel safe to learn, re-learn, and explore knowledge and understanding.

Research Guidance

Strategy EffectTeachers working together to evaluate their impact and

responding to that impact 0.93Teachers conduct pre-assessments, utilizing data to inform

instruction, and providing students with a clear understanding of expectations for meeting learning outcomes (Where are we

going?, where are we now?, and what’s next?

0.77

Teachers using practices in the classroom that values errors and trust 0.72

Teachers receive feedback on their impact on student learning 0.72

Teachers are providing an appropriate proportion of surface and deep level knowledge 0.71

Providing students with challenge and practice at the right level 0.60

Research Guidance

Strategy EffectTeachers working together to evaluate their impact and

responding to that impact 0.93Teachers conduct pre-assessments, utilizing data to inform

instruction, and providing students with a clear understanding of expectations for meeting learning outcomes (Where are we

going?, where are we now?, and what’s next?

0.77

Teachers using practices in the classroom that values errors and trust 0.72

Teachers receive feedback on their impact on student learning 0.72

Teachers are providing an appropriate proportion of surface and deep level knowledge 0.71

Providing students with challenge and practice at the right level 0.60

Know thy Impact

Know thy Impact

Progress

Proficiency

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

How do we know when students are learning?

What do we do based on such results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

What do we do based on these results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

Common Outcomes

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

How do we know when students are learning?

A culture & climate conducive to improving teaching and learning

Common OutcomesCustomized Instruction

Customized Assessment

Customized Collaborative Structures

Customized Intervention

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

Common OutcomesCustomized Instruction

Customized Assessment

Customized Collaborative Structures

Customized Intervention

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

What do we do based on these results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

Common Outcomes

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

How do we know when students are learning?

Relational

Tactical

Project

Relational

• “We are change agents”• Talk more about learning

than teaching• Engage in dialogue not

monologue• Enjoying the challenge• Positive relationships

Tactical

• Evaluate the effects of their teaching

• Assessment as feedback regarding their impact

• Inform all about the language of learning

#vlconf2014

• “We are change agents”

• Talk more about learning than teaching

• Engage in dialogue not monologue

• Enjoying the challenge

• Positive relationships

#vlconf2014

• “We are change agents”

• Talk more about learning than teaching

• Engage in dialogue not monologue

• Enjoying the challenge

• Positive relationships

• Hiring Practices• Creating a CIA defined

autonomy Infrastructure• Meeting Structure and

Function• Codifying Capacity

Building• Developing a

Distributed Leadership Team

Model, Model, Model

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Mental Models

Ready, Fire, Aim

Ideal

Professional culture

Existing

• Create an agreed upon decision-making process• Use that process to check for disagreements and to discuss

“undiscussables”• Use questions to address potential conflicts and to explore ideas• Always check in on each member of the group to make sure they

understand group process• Each group member will explain their actions or beliefs to the group• Each group member is responsible for all other group members in

understanding the task and coaching each other to perform at a high level

• Each group member will explain important words and provide specific examples when needed

• All group members will question other members when they encounter “jump to conclusion” comments

• When sharing ideas all members will advocate their ideas and ask questions about other ideas.

Seven guideposts:

• Be behaviorally specific (e.g. look fors) , e.g. each group member will explain their actions or beliefs to the group.

• Stay small, stay focused: test drive a few agreements, 2-3

Seven guideposts:

• Focus on conversational agreements- no need for “be on time”, everyone knows that

• Create roles- create a viewpoint coach (summarizes what folks are saying) and a process observer (reviews agreements and monitors process)

.

Seven guideposts:

• Use agreements to intervene: The strategy I’ve seen work the best is the following: state facts, test assumption, ask if assumption is correct, discuss infraction OR move on.

• Call out “critical moments”- think of those moments where the use of agreements are critical, did you or your teammates take action? Process these critical moments, they are usually in the undiscussable range.

• Arrange meetings for tough conversations, nuts and bolts go into memos or in short 5-10 minute sequences.

Seven guideposts:• Be behaviorally specific (e.g. look fors) , e.g. each group member will explain

their actions or beliefs to the group. • Stay small, stay focused: test drive a few agreements, 2-3• Focus on conversational agreements- no need for “be on time”, everyone

knows that• Create roles- create a viewpoint coach (summarizes what folks are saying) and

a process observer (reviews agreements and monitors process)• Use agreements to intervene: The strategy I’ve seen work the best is the

following: state facts, test assumption, ask if assumption is correct, discuss infraction OR move on.

• Call out “critical moments”- think of those moments where the use of agreements are critical, did you or your teammates take action? Process these critical moments, they are usually in the undiscussable range.

• Arrange meetings for tough conversations, nuts and bolts go into memos or in short 5-10 minute sequences.

Unhealthy Motives Motives of Dialogue

Be rightLook good/safe face

WinPunish, blameAvoid conflict

LearnFind the truth

Produce resultsStrengthen

relationships

#vlconf2014

• “We are change agents”

• Talk more about learning than teaching

• Engage in dialogue not monologue

• Enjoying the challenge

• Positive relationships

Ready, Fire, Aim

#vlconf2014

• Evaluate the effects

of their teaching• Assessment as

feedback regarding their impact

• Inform all about the language of learning

Teaching [and learning] in the dark is a questionable practice” (Taba, 1966)

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- Where is the learner now?

Score Description

4 ExtensionApplying Understanding

3 RelationalMaking Meaning

2 Single/MultipleBuilding Knowledge

1 Direct Support

Proficiency

Not Yet Proficiency

Score Description

4 ExtensionApplying Understanding

3 RelationalMaking Meaning

2 Single/MultipleBuilding Knowledge

1 Direct Support

DEEP

SURFACE

Connections

Limited Growth (0.0-0.39) Expected Growth (.40 +)

Not Yet Proficient (0.0-2.25)

Proficient (2.5-4.0)

Limited Growth (0.0-0.39) Expected Growth (.40 +)

Not Yet Proficient (0.0-2.25)

Make A Change!

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Keep it up!

• More Time • Same Instructional

Program• Celebrate Success

Proficient (2.5-4.0) Cruising

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Success

• Capture Instructional Strategies

• Celebrate Success• Continue Practices

Limited Growth (0.0-0.39) Expected Growth (.40 +)

Not Yet Proficient (0.0-2.5)

Make A Change!

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Keep it up!

• More Time • Same Instructional

Program• Celebrate Success

Proficient (2.5-4.0) Cruising

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Success

• Capture Instructional Strategies

• Celebrate Success• Continue Practices

Capture Success/Replicate

Change

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?

How are we ensuring voice and choice?

What’s working? What needs improvement?

Single/Multiple Ideas- What instructional approaches will support students in understanding foundational knowledge (e.g. facts, vocabulary terms) related to learning outcomes? Relating ideas- What instructional approaches support students in connecting and contrasting ideas? What are generalizations and principles that can be made about these ideas? Extending ideas- What instructional approaches support students in applying the learning outcomes to project expectations?

Next Steps

Aligning “High Probability Strategies” from the Art and Science of Teaching to Progression Levels.

Outcome Questions Activities

Applying understanding What do I typically do to engage students in cognitively complex tasks involving hypothesis generation and testing?

Experimental-inquiry tasksProblem-solving tasks

Making meaning What do I typically do to organize students and deepen knowledge?

Venn diagramsComparison matrix

Building knowledge What do I typically do to identify critical information?

Identifying critical input experiences

Relational

Tactical

Progress

Proficiency

What? So What? Now What?

Moving from Data Analysis to Response

Be honest with where I am at on learning progressions. I definitely am honest with where I am in this class. This way of assessment has completely made me feel alright with being in the pit because I know that I am not stuck there and that I can get myself out of it. I really appreciate all that you have done to make us feel comfortable with progress. 

 Be open to struggling…Before this class I was not open to struggling at all, so this took me a while to get used to. Now I know that I can get myself out of the pit, so I feel comfortable being in it! I just wish it was this way in the rest of my classes. ):

My annotations and thoughts on written pieces were at about a 1 level at the beginning of the semester, but with guidance in class and a lot of practice I have grown to getting a four on the last annotation. Next semester I hope to grow further.

#vlconf2014

Lessons Learned

A story of infusion

Why meaningful change is hard

It makes no sense, unless you think back to Lawrence’s long march across the desert to Aqaba. It is easier to dress soldiers in bright uniforms and have them march to the sound of a fife-and-drum corps than it is to have them ride six hundred miles through snake-infested desert on the back of camels. It is easier and far more satisfying to retreat and compose yourself after every score— and execute perfectly choreographed plays— than to swarm about, arms flailing, and contest every inch of the basketball court. Underdog strategies are hard.

What?

What?

What?

Behavioral Change

Customization

Common Features

ProfessionalSupport

Stories of Change

• What are the key stories that emerge when facing second order changes?

Stories of Change

I. Look like an extension from the past (We have done this before).

II. Things become worse, people are uncomfortable (e.g. communication has broken down)

III. Ready, fire, aim (what’s needed in process is opposite to the perception of buy in)

IV. Assumptions, mental models, are challenged (sacred cows)

Underlying Assumptions

• The ability to learn at high levels• The actual causal and correlational variables

that influence high levels of learning• The burden of responsibility for learning• The aspects to be learned; the culminating

deliverables of an education• The structure and function of delivery and

inspection

Our perception of material advantage

Reality

How does the conversation shift?

1.We have material advantage (we can reduce class size)

2.We have maximized such an advantage yet perpetuate the same story (we don’t see the U shape curve)

3.We have political, social, and personal investment to reinforce past practice (we were successful in this game)

4. Focusing on finance and class size moves us away from difficult conversations (we can’t say “we can’t”. We have to say “we won’t” and then provide a rationale)

5.The much more difficult change efforts required (Lawrence of Arabia) is taxing and difficult to execute over time

6. Facts are funny things. Paradoxes (both/ands) exist in student achievement, leadership, and change. These complexities are hard to understand and challenge current many times “collective” thinking.

Stay small

Stay

focused

Professional Development Perspective

Impact

Customized P.D.

Teacher Leader

Teacher Induction

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Governance/District Leadership

Distributed Leadership

Site/Department/Classroom

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Governance/District Leadership

Distributed Leadership

Site/Department/Classroom

WHY? HOW?

WHAT?

Defining Features

Systemic Professional Learning Community Framework

Curriculum Design

Assessment for Learning

Differentiation

Learning Centered Culture and Climate

#vlconf2014

Next Steps

What do you need to know?

#vlconf2014

Dialogue: https://todaysmeet.com/VLMindframe

Twitter: @mmcdowell13 ; #VLConf2014

Email: michaelmcdowell@icloud.com

"Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”- Dylan Wiliam

Eugene o Neil

The people who succeed and do not push on for a greater failure are the spiritual middle classers

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