Teacher Based Teams Facilitating School Improvement in Instructional Practice and Student Performance Using Teacher-Based Teams Midview High School Building Leadership Team January 10, 2011 Larry Bowersox, Region 2 Facilitator

Research to Support Teacher-Based Teams Teachers working together rather than in isolation improves classroom instruction. Using data across the system results in improved student learning. Doing a few things well and deeply (focused) across the system results in sustainable improvement.

Teachers working together rather than in isolation improves classroom instruction. In schools where teachers examined the evidence of the impact of teaching effectiveness on student achievement and regarded their professional practices as the primary cause of achievement, the gains in student achievement were three times higher than in schools where the faculty and leaders attributed the causes to factors beyond their control. (Reeves, 2007) Students make larger academic gains in math, science, history and reading than their peers in traditional schools without collaboration. Students in schools with collaborative teams have lower dropout, truancy and absence rates. (Hord, 1997)

Using data across the system results in improved student learning. In an in-depth study of 15 high poverty successful schools Karin Chenoweth (2007) notes several monitoring characteristics that the schools share: the schools use “all data they can get their hands on”; all the educators in the school “constantly re-examine what they do” . Fullan (2008) states that principals working directly with teachers in the use of data are more than twice as powerful as any other leadership dimension.

Doing a few things well and deeply (focused) across the system results in sustainable improvement. The “flavor of the month” was one of the prevalent factors preventing schools and districts from turning knowledge into action. (Knowing-Doing Gap, Pfeffer and Sutton, 2000) The results of student achievement of faculties that implemented similar initiatives but at different levels of implementation are striking when 90% or more of faculty was actively engaged in an initiative versus only 10% of the facility were engaged. (Reeves, 2009) A few behaviors can drive a lot of change; enormous influence comes from focusing on just a few vital behaviors. (Patterson, 2008)

Research to Support Teacher-Based Teams Teachers working together rather than in isolation improves classroom instruction. Using data across the system results in improved student learning. Doing a few things well and deeply (focused) across the system results in sustainable improvement.

HANDOUTS Teacher-Based Team Effectiveness Checklist How does your school do? Traditional Data Teams And Ohio Teacher-Based Teams How does your school compare?

Relationship of DLT-BLT-TBT Information that occurs from the DLT to the BLT to the TBTs and the flow from the TBTs to the BLTs to the DLT. TBTs serve as the base or foundation of the process, as the entire focus of buildings and the district should be on student learning and the support of teachers in the teaching and learning process.

CONDITIONS FOR Getting Started with Teacher-Based Teams PREPARING TEACHERS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY BY DEEPENING THE CULTURE OF INQUIRY INTO THE CLASSROOM FORMING OR REPURPOSING BUILDING TEAMS TO IMPLEMENT THE 5-STEP PROCESS CREATING SCHEDULES AND ROUTINES THAT SUPPORT COLLABORATIVE TEAMS MAKING TEACHER-BASED TEAM MEETINGS PURPOSEFUL DEFINING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES COMMUNICATING PLAN INDICATORS AND PROVIDING AVAILABLE DATA TO ALL TEACHERS

A - Preparing teachers to work collaboratively by deepening the culture of inquiry into the classroom Stages of Team Development Stage One: Forming - Testing, polite, impersonal watchful, guarded Stage Two: Storming - Conflicts, confronting people, opting out, difficulties, stuck Stage Three: Norming - Getting organized, developing skills, procedures, giving feedback, confronting issues Stage Four: Performing - Mature, close, resourceful, flexible, open, effective, supportive

B - Forming or repurposing building teams to implement the 5-Step Process Collect and chart data Analyze student work specific to the data Establish expectations for implementing specific changes in the classroom including job-embedded professional development Implement changes consistently across all classrooms Collect, chart and analyze post- data, discuss successes, challenges and make decisions based on the results

C - Creating schedules and routines that support collaborative teams Late starts/ early releases Modified student or teacher days Support resources to generate teacher time Block schedules

D - Making teacher-based team meetings purposeful Plan effective and efficient agendas Keep time limits Bring discussions to a conclusion Stay focused Meet frequently

E - Defining Roles and responsibilities Chair, Co-Chairs, Team Leader/s Recorder Organizer Time Keeper Facilitator or Process Manager

F - Communicating plan indicators and providing available data to all teachers Assessment Data Other Data Including Adult Action Data State Assessments Leadership Practices Formative Assessments Levels 2, 3, 4 of the Decision Framework Commonly Developed Formative Assessments Observations of instructional strategies Value Added Growth PD Implementation

the 5-Step Process Collect and chart data Analyze student work specific to the data Establish expectations for implementing specific changes in the classroom including job-embedded professional development Implement changes consistently across all classrooms Collect, chart and analyze post- data, discuss successes, challenges and make decisions based on the results

Tips for Creating Effective Data Displays Step 1 - Collect and chart data Tips for Creating Effective Data Displays Provide Complete Information Assessment/Observation name and subject Grade/Class tested Date of assessment/observation Number of those tested Make Chart Simple and Easy to Read Appropriate choice of chart/graph style Good use of space and color Fonts large enough to read easily Clearly labeled legend and axes Appropriate y-axis scale Data-point values

Step 2 - Analyze student work specific to the data Assignment and Expectations Assessment of Selected Student Work Samples From Each Category Pattern Analysis Strengths and Obstacles

classroom including job-embedded professional development Step 3 - Establish expectations for implementing specific changes in the classroom including job-embedded professional development - What do we want each student to learn, or how do we want them to behave? - How will we know when each student has learned or acquired it (post-assessment)? - How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning or behaving?

Step 4 - Implement changes consistently across all classrooms

Step 5 - Collect, chart and analyze post- data, discuss successes, challenges and make decisions based on the results Are results being compared with expectations? Are results being compared to previous data? (e.g. last year, prior quarters) Are results being compared among subgroups? (e.g. ethnic groups, disabilities or gender)

the 5-Step Process Collect and chart data Analyze student work specific to the data Establish expectations for implementing specific changes in the classroom including job-embedded professional development Implement changes consistently across all classrooms Collect, chart and analyze post- data, discuss successes, challenges and make decisions based on the results

What does a TBT look like at Midview High School?

Questions and Comments? Where do we go from here?

Teacher Based Teams Facilitating School Improvement in Instructional Practice and Student Performance Using Teacher-Based Teams Midview High School Building Leadership Team January 10, 2011 Larry Bowersox, Region 2 Facilitator

Teacher Based Teams Facilitating School Improvement in Instructional Practice and Student Performance Using Teacher-Based Teams Midview High School Building Leadership Team January 10, 2011 Larry Bowersox, Region 2 Facilitator