development and evolution of professional learning communities at highland park isd region 16 psla...
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Development and Evolution of Professional Learning
Communities at Highland Park ISD
Region 16 PSLAApril 9, 2014
Resources• “The Fundamental 5” by Sean Cain & Mike Laird
www.leadyourschool.com
• “Becoming a Reflective Teacher” by Robert J. Marzano www.marzanoresearch.com
• “Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites” by Marcia Tate www.developingmindinc.com
• Lead4ward.com , Ervin Knezek
• Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
What is a PLC?
• A professional learning community is a group of educators that meet regularly, share expertise and work collaboratively in order to improve teaching skills and improve student academic performance.
--- From “The Glossary of Education Reform”
PLCs at HPISD
• Leadership Team• Superintendent, Principals, Assistant Principals,
Technology Director, Athletic Director, SPED Director, Curriculum Directors.
• Teacher PLCs• Campus teams of teachers who self-identified similar weaknesses in Reflective Teacher conferences.
What Does a PLC Look Like?
Secondary Collaboration February 6, 2014
Like this?
Like this?
Hopefully, like this!
HPISD Leadership PLC
• Every Tuesday at 9:30 AM with an agenda
• Book study or quote sharing
• Plan collaboration
• “Housekeeping” items
Campus PLCs
• Every Thursday at 7:40 AM
• Discuss teaching topics and strategies of interest
• Share classroom experiences
• Limit or eliminate “housekeeping” items
PLC Communication
• Organize and share useful information– Originally on a Wiki page– Migrated to Google Docs
• Our goal is to create an “electronic library” of best practices and interesting ideas.
“Look” is not important, results are!
• Collegiality• Focused professional development• Improved teaching strategies and
techniques
• Ultimately, the desired results are ever improving student success and ongoing teacher improvement.
Leadership PLC Page
Leadership PLC Individual Page
Angie Baldwin Book Study # 1
“Any plan should be flexible so that it may be
adjusted for changing demands or issues that haven't been considered - after all, no matter how well you do your homework, you won't think of everything!"
--- From “Practical Literacy Coaching” by Jan Miller Burkins
Angie Baldwin Book Study # 2
• A teacher’s job is not to teach kids. A teacher's job is to create meaningful, engaging work, whereby kids learn the things we want them to learn.
• A leader’s job is not to teach teachers. A leader’s job is to create meaningful, engaging work, whereby teachers learn the things we want them to learn.
----From “Leading for Learning” by Phil Schlechty
One Sentence Job Description
One Word Activity
Our Words: Perseverance, Growth, Still, Faith
Moment, Intentional, Christian, ListenCommit, Balance, Reflect
On Facebook: Amarillooneword
Quote Example
• Greg Popovich “I can’t make every decision”.
How does this relate to you as a school leader?
Fundamental 5
Pick me, I know this!
Campus Review of Fundamental 51. Frame the lesson
2. Work in the Power Zone3. Frequent small group
purposeful talk4. Recognize and reinforce
5. Writing critically
Complexity of Questioning
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Fundamental 5 at HPISD
• School Year 2012-13– Sean Cain workshop– District book study with campus discussions– Focus of walk-through visits
• School Year 2013-14– Reviewed with staff, individually or collaboratively– Modeled in administrative presentations– Summative conferences discussions
Why Lecture?
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
We will discuss various Marcia Tate strategies used by Highland Park High
School teachers in their classroom.
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
I will share a Marcia Tate strategy with my peers that I am willing to try and how I will attempt to use it in my
classroom in the next two weeks.
I sit at the back, so I don’t have have to talk to anybody I don’t want to.
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
Marcia Tate Strategies
Brainstorming and Discussion, Writing, Movement
Reciprocal Teaching, Drawing and Artwork, Visualization
Field Trips, Work Study, Graphic Organizers, Storytelling
Project-based and Problem-based Instruction, Music
Visuals, Humor, Games, Manipulatives, Technology
Role play, Metaphor, Analogy and Simile, Mnemonic Devices
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
Within your assigned group, read your partners’ emails. Then, discuss
your shared experiences using Marcia Tate strategies in your
classrooms. Analyze the attempts to implement new techniques to
increase student learning.
Complexity of Questioning
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
I can tie into (the Fine Arts) TEKS by using Broadway music as “filler”
between classes and as prompts for writing assignments.
--- Theater Arts teacher
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
I used reciprocal teaching in my class this week using Garage Band to have
students make an audio recording about themselves.
---- FCS teacher
Campus Review of Fundamental 5
In an email to your principal, describe the implementation of a Marcia Tate strategy that is out of your comfort zone that you will attempt to use in
your classroom in the next two weeks. After using that strategy, send a
follow-up email on the strengths and weaknesses of your implementation.
We can barely print, so we won’t be writing critically.
E-mail Response
• One Marcia Tate strategy that is out of my comfort zone is mnemonic devices. I have a couple of go-to ones, but I am uncomfortable with elementary-ish methods, and those have always seemed to be more of an elementary thing. However, I will try to start incorporating some of those methods into my English classes. I’m thinking maybe vocabulary would be a good way to start working with some of those. We shall see...
Positive Outcomes of Fundamental 5in HPISD
• Common vocabulary made teaching performance easier to discuss in conferences.
• Improved teaching performances from both management and organizational standpoints.
• Encouraged teachers to move toward learner-centered instruction.
Becoming a Reflective Teacher
HPISD Leadership Team Plan
• Summer 2013– Chose Marzano’s “Becoming a Reflective Teacher”
for district-wide book study.– Yearly calendar developed for weekly
collaboration at campus and district levels.• Fall 2013– Introduction of reflective practice to teachers. – Self-reflective conferences with principals and
curriculum directors.
HPISD Leadership Team Plan
• January 2013– PLCs assigned by based on similar “weaknesses”.– Developed Google Sites for organization of shared
materials and model district technology vision. • Spring 2013– Ongoing group meetings with focus on chosen areas.– Active monitoring of sites for new information.– Discussion in PDAS Summative Conferences. – Determination of Professional Development.
Becoming a Reflective Teacher
* Marzano’s Causal Links
From Learning Sciences International.
Marzano Teacher Scales
Marzano Teacher Element # 2
Marzano Teacher Element # 16
Reflective Teacher Conferences
• Teacher, principal, curriculum director
• Teacher controlled agenda
• Discussion of all aspects of teaching
• Lasted from 20 to 45 minutes
• Notes used to talk to teachers about teaching
Lead4ward Essential 8
Lead4ward Essential 8
Data Gathering & PLC Development
• Teachers were grouped by self-identified weaknesses to create PLC groups.
• Administrators proposed initial agendas.• Set expectations to members.• Posting to Google Sites.• Continue to encourage discussion.
HPHS PLC Groups
• Active Learning
• Learning Goals & Engagement
• Structuring Lessons (2)
Teacher PLC Pages
• Personal page• Make comments• Attach pdf files• Direct links to websites• Links to videos (YouTube, etc.)• Include pictures and images
HS Structuring Lessons 2
Identify/Preview/Organize
HPHS Active Learning
Friendly Controversy over Evolution
• Review and self-ranking (5 minutes)• Partner assignment (2 minutes)• Review critical vocabulary (5 minutes)• Framing (2 minutes)• Partner talks (7 minutes) Share, not convert• Explain critical writing assignment (3 minutes)• Writing (20 minutes) Submit via e-mail
Positive Outcomes of Reflective Teaching in HPISD
• Campus team concept developed further.• Easier to discuss teaching in conferences. • Implementation of new teaching strategies.• Teacher self-reflection more introspective
than Teacher Self-Report on PDAS.
HPISD Contacts• Mike Brown, Superintendent
• Vanette Barnett, Elementary Principal• [email protected]
• Stacie Jones, Asst. Elementary Principal• [email protected]
• Angie Baldwin, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator• [email protected]
• Pam Hicks, SPED Director• [email protected]
HPISD Contacts• Susan Looney, Technology Director
• Neila Malcom, Middle School Principal• [email protected]
• Todd Moore, Asst. Secondary Principal• [email protected]
• Jill Swann, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator• [email protected]
• Shawn Read, High School Principal• [email protected]