LS - LST October 8, 2013

Back to School…

Essential Questions What do we want to accomplish this year as a team? How do we collect and use evidence to inform the work we do as an LST team? How do we ensure effective collaboration as an LST team and within our schools?

Agenda “Ted” Talk for new members Collaboration ~Break~ Clarifying Goals & Evidence ~Lunch~ Literacy Steering Committee Session Literacy & Engagement

Lissa’s TED Talk

Doodle Sheet (TED Talk)

Why a Ted Talk? Kurt modeled this at our ADOCS meeting in the summer…and Ted was our only new administrator in CESD! We have many new LST members today. So, our message today is for all the new “Teds”, but we also think it’s a great reminder for all of us to just stop and reflect on where we are going and why we are going there.

Take a moment to get to know our Teds??? Introduce yourself, your school and if this is your first time as an LST member… What is the best thing that has happened to you since school started? What mistake have you made?

About Our Learning Support Teams We believe in them. They are incredibly capable. They are authentic, caring people who always put students first. We encourage them. Learning Service’s and Student Service’s most important work is to stand beside their LSTs and give them the confidence they need to facilitate learning and support their staffs in their schools. We challenge them. We challenge our LSTs by asking thought provoking questions and expecting them to be reflective practitioners who grow in both their skill and knowledge.

Key Words… Last year we worked on ALIGNMENT…are we really clear about how all the pieces fit together?

Key Words ALIGNMENT is still critical As we continue in our growth we will be focusing more and more on EVIDENCE Evidence is sort of like “show me the money”… Let me make my point with a few slides and a story..

Teaching alcoholics to relax They postulated that if alcoholics were taught to relax, they would end up drinking less They were very successful at teaching alcoholics to relax using a form of cognitive therapy So what impact did it have on their drinking? The key result they were interested in… The message here?

When is Canada going to get with the times and join the USA?

What is the connection? If you want to help all students learn at the highest levels possible you just need to create time and the right conditions for teachers to collaborate…. What evidence can we demonstrate?

What are we expecting of TED as an LST member? Authentic commitment to and engagement with supporting your school’s (teacher’s and student’s) continuous learning Alignment with our direction as a division Context Caveat, talk to Lissa, Wanda, LS coordinators or SS coordinators

What are we expecting of TED? Making plans to generate evidence of success

What are we expecting of TED? Work with us as allies who serve & support, engage us when something is not working… Collaborate with those around you (other LST members, your school team, other staffs)

What are we expecting of TED? Be thoughtful about your processes. Covey “the system is perfectly designed…”

What are we expecting of Ted? Supportive in and for classrooms, highly engaged with teachers and their teams, highly aware of teacher and student learning needs, designing opportunities for teacher learning (ie team teaching, video reflection, peer visitations, etc.)

What are we expecting of Ted? Engaged with your LST team members, regular meetings, don’t work in isolation Prepared for our LST meetings, ready to engage Your teachers know what you are up to and why, they see you beside them not above them

We also expect you… To take care of yourself.

We also expect you… To tell us if we are creating the problem. You can do that by speaking directly to any one of us Ask hard questions that make us ALL think If you ever need support don’t hesitate to contact us. Bounce your plan before you act. Avoid surprises.

What stays the same this year? Our QLE drives our work and our goals We will continue to work with you to be responsive to your needs No Major Surprise Bags

What changes a little? A visit to one of your team meetings to make more efficient use of your time and for us to better understand your context More emphasis on evidence of our work

What changes a little? A look into how the work that is happening provincially can support our goals and strategies

Activity Before the activity, make one trade of TWO people that makes both groups better. The traded must self identify. What is one more message for our new TEDs that we may have missed that helps him/her/them to know “how we do things as an LST”? Please begin your one sentence group response with Ted, now that you are part of the LST team, you need to know that _____________ REPORT BACK half

Have a Great Year! We remain incredibly proud of this group and its potential…at the division office level we are here to serve and support you… Enjoy the day…enjoy the year…

Collaborative Inquiry The essence of a working partnership is creating an environment for collaboration.

Our Challenge Teachers are eager to develop quality learning environments To do this, teachers need time to plan, reflect, analyze practice, and collaborate with colleagues. As a member of your Learning Support team you may be assisting in: The creation of teams… The organization of teams… The support of teams… And be a member of a team yourself

Learning Support Teams ~Collaboration~

Collaboration Our belief is that collaboration can have an impact on: growth in teacher professional practice, overall quality of learning environments in schools, and student learning and achievement, when teachers are given the opportunity to meet regularly in a collaborative and reflective manner. But…collaboration isn’t as simple as it looks…

Maximizing the Impact of Teacher Collaboration Highlight words or phrases that: Confirm what you already have in place for your PLC/team Indicate “things to consider” Record your thoughts on the sheet provided!

Collaborative Reading RoomGroup BoardroomA, 2, 3, 4, 5 Caribbean A6,7 Caribbean B8,9 Bermuda10

15 Minute

Creating Collaboration 1. Are the conditions right for us to collaboratesuccessfully? 2. Is the work we are doing aligned with schooland division priorities? 3. Is the work that we are doing focused onimproved teacher instruction and studentlearning? 4. Are we using appropriate data and evidence toinform our work? 5. How are we sharing what we learn? (peerobservation or instructional coaching,consultation, reporting and conversation)

School Teams As you think about the collaborative teams in your building are you prepared for collaboration? Use the placemat handout to discuss how collaboration is progressing within your school towards the accomplishment of your goals.

Initial Thoughts?

Goal Clarification What is your goal this year in relation to teacher practice and student learning? What strategies have you already considered or have in place? What evidence will you collect to demonstrate that what you are doing is making a difference for student learning? Essential Elements to focus on: Team goal(s) – Road Map Strategies Evidence

School Team Goal Work Clarifying Goal Chart

Lunch!

News and Notes

Critical Elements of Reading Instruction LS - LST

Engagement How do I feel? Am I interested? Is this important? Can I do this?

Every Child, Every Day

Aiming at the Ideal

Through the Lens of LST What are the vital behaviours of LS-LST members that promote a high quality literacy environment in their schools? For teachers to be exemplary in every area of the self-assessment tool, what can I do as an LS-LST member to help that happen? Table Discussion - CHART PAPER

LST How can you use the self-assessment tool in your work as LS-LST member? Can you see a use for the self-assessment tools as your teachers create their growth plan goals? What about as a tool for your collaborative teams? School Team Discussion

Resources

Literacy & Engagement Connection Literacy and Engagement are complimentary, they are both essential parts of quality learning Split into level groups Elementary  Boardroom Middle School  Car. A High School  Car. B In level groups, divide up amongst the 6 questions posted around the room

Thank You Context and Collaboration LST Meetings November/December - Evidence and Skill Building Exit Sheet