Building a Framework to Support the Culture Required for Student Centered Learning Jeff McCoy, Executive Director of Academic Innovation & Technology Secondary Session, Fall 2015 DeeDee

Student Centered Learning Framework Components: Culture Session 2: Professional Learning Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment Data-Driven Decision making Leadership Session Goals: Work-time with school teams Strategic planning Program planning Protocols

The Student Centered Learning Wiki http://gcsstudentcenteredlearning.wikispaces.com/

Professional Learning that Supports Teachers in a Student Centered Learning Environment What professional learning opportunities do we need in order to create a student centered learning environment?

How does our Professional Learning focus shift in a student-centered culture? From… To… External Training Job-embedded Learning Expectation that learning occurs infrequently (on few days devoted to PD) Expectation that learning is ongoing and occurs as part of routine work practice Presentation to entire faculties Team-based action research Learning by listening Learning by doing Learning individually through courses and workshops Learning collectively by working together Assessing impact on the basis of teacher satisfaction Assessing the impact on the basis of evidence of improved student learning Short-term exposure to multiple concepts and practices Sustained commitment to limited focused initiatives

Planning Guide Work 15 Minutes Complete the Progression Rubric under the Professional Learning Section of your Planning Guide Each team member should individually determine where they believe the school is based on the rubric (Be thinking of evidence or lack of evidence to support your justification). As a team, come to consensus as to where your school is based on the rubric. 5 Minutes 10 Minutes Questions for Thought How do teachers communicate area of needs for professional growth? What data can admin/teacher leaders collect to help inform professional development plans (whole group, small group, etc.) What are our next steps to creating, implementing or sustaining our PLCs? How do we make professional learning meaningful to teachers?  

Common Terminology: What is a Professional Learning Community? Activity: As a group, brainstorm the functions of a PLC as it relates to your experience in your school (if you are implementing) or as it relates to your knowledge of a PLC (if you have not yet implemented). Revisit the “Questions for Thought” from the Planning Guide. Questions for Thought How do teachers communicate area of needs for professional growth? What data can admin/teacher leaders collect to help inform professional development plans (whole group, small group, etc.) What are our next steps to creating, implementing or sustaining our PLCs? How do we make professional learning meaningful to teachers?  

PLCs: Improved Student Achievement Are… Are Not… Focused on student learning Highly collaborative around student learning Intentional when it comes to unit planning as a group Inquiry-based around best practice strategies to support student learning Focused on results Unfocused Operational A book club Time to complain Individual work time Prep time One-shot experiences Only test-driven (SCPASS, ACT, ACT Aspire, EOCs)

Successful PLC Structure Establishing Create a schedule for PLC meetings Create your norms for the meetings Create your structure Operating Focus on student achievement (unit planning, lesson planning, creating common assessments, analyzing student work, brainstorming strategies, etc.) Agenda-driven, guided by clearly established norms Meaningful and focused on student outcomes Supporting Model for emerging PLCs Co-teaching when necessary or allow for the opportunity for co-teaching Planning with teams when implementing/learning new concepts, skills or strategies Observe PLCs and provide feedback Successful PLC Structure

Key Components for Effective PLCs Focus on Learning Collaborative culture, including shared beliefs, values, and vision and an atmosphere of trust and respect Collective inquiry into best practices An action orientation A commitment to continuous improvement A results orientation DuFour (2006)

Building on DuFour… Shared and supportive leadership involving administrators and teachers Supportive conditions, including adequate time, suitable spaces and access to needed resources Shared personal practice in which community members give and receive feedback to improve individually and collectively Hord and Sommers (2008)

And finally… Collective responsibility by all staff members for all children, which nudges teachers to truly collaborate, to stay involved and informed about the children with whom they interact, and to stay actively involved in school functions Appreciate diversity Positive role modeling; encouraging administrators and teachers to model learning for students Stoll and Louis (2007)

Functions of a PLC: Questions to Guide their Work What do we want each student to learn? [Rubicon Atlas, Unit/Lesson Planning] How am I going to know when each student has learned it? [Designing and Analyzing Common Assessments/Ongoing Formative & Summative Assessments] How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? [Strategies that work for struggling students-Intervention] How will we address the needs of students who have already mastered the key concept? [Strategies for enrichment]

The State of Our Learning Team Survey Complete items 1 – 10 (Personal Dynamics) in “The State of Our Learning Team Survey” as individual team members. Discuss and chart the following as a team (items 1 – 10 only): What are we already doing well across the school? What are we not doing, but are ready for this year? What professional learning needs do we have based on this data that will help us get to the next level? Homework: Complete the remainder of “The State of Our Learning Team Survey” as individual team members. As a team, discuss and chart responses to the above questions. Discuss this question: How do we determine our PLC professional learning needs? (See PD needs assessment in Wiki)

Creating a Coaching Culture Does your PLC have the Markers of a Coaching Culture? Open the Markers of a Coaching Culture Survey document under the Establishing a Coaching Culture Section. Individually, assess where your team currently is based on the coaching markers. As a group, discuss your findings and brainstorm some ways your teams could move towards a more coaching culture What could we start doing to help our teachers become more supportive of coaching?

Homework Individually… complete the remainder of “The State of Our Learning Team Survey” As a team… “The State of Our Learning Team Survey:” discuss and chart responses to these questions: What are we already doing well across the school? What are we not doing, but are ready for this year? What professional learning needs do we have based on this data that will help us get to the next level? discuss this question: How do we determine your PLC professional learning needs? (See PD needs assessment in Wiki) Planning Guide: Reach consensus on the “Professional Learning” indicators of your Planning Guide Complete the “Where do we go from here?” section under the Professional Learning Session

Remember: Bring Planning Guide with you to each session! Next Sessions December 8th January 19th February 9th All sessions begin at 3:30 pm! Remember: Bring Planning Guide with you to each session!

Planning Guide Work 20 Minutes Reach consensus on each indicator the Professional Learning Progression Rubric. Use the data from your activities to complete the Next Steps under the Professional Learning Section. Consider what steps you want to take to move your school towards a student centered culture. These steps may by long term (multiple years).