Leading the Learning and Creating High Expectations for Student Achievement- Make AYP Now! Theresa West NAESP Convention April 11, 2010

Tip #1: Align Your Practices How do I ensure that teachers align their practice with standards, benchmarks, and indicators published by our state department of education? How do I ensure that teachers align their practice with standards, benchmarks, and indicators published by our state department of education? How can I work with teachers to unpack the standards? How can I work with teachers to unpack the standards? Am I highly visible in the classrooms? Am I highly visible in the classrooms? Do I model what I expect to see? Do I model what I expect to see?

Tip #2: Analyze Your Priorities What is getting in the way of learning? What is getting in the way of learning? How do I get teachers to focus on essential- to-know aspects of the curriculum? How do I get teachers to focus on essential- to-know aspects of the curriculum? How do I communicate that teachers are to make learning challenging and engaging while also focusing on the essential-to-know standards? How do I communicate that teachers are to make learning challenging and engaging while also focusing on the essential-to-know standards? Am I open about discussing issues facing our school with faculty, parents, and supervisors? Am I open about discussing issues facing our school with faculty, parents, and supervisors?

Tip #3: Amend Your Planning Have I created a master schedule that allows time for ‘PLC’ teams to meet? Have I created a master schedule that allows time for ‘PLC’ teams to meet? How do I ensure that teams develop and submit agendas and outcomes for all meetings? How do I ensure that teams develop and submit agendas and outcomes for all meetings? How skillful are teachers at using the Standards-Based Education Planning Process? How skillful are teachers at using the Standards-Based Education Planning Process?

Tip #4: Assessing Your Program Based on achievement data, is the current instructional program working? Based on achievement data, is the current instructional program working? Does our program meet the needs of all students? Does our program meet the needs of all students? Are teachers teaching the right curriculum? Are teachers teaching the right curriculum? Are assessments clearly linked to the learning goals in all classrooms? Are assessments clearly linked to the learning goals in all classrooms?

Tip #5: Accommodating Your Pupils How can teachers make purposeful instructional decisions so that each and every one of their students will experience success? How can teachers make purposeful instructional decisions so that each and every one of their students will experience success? Do teachers discuss what students need to know to reach the learning outcomes? Do teachers provide multiple pathways to learning and differentiate for all students? Do teachers discuss what students need to know to reach the learning outcomes? Do teachers provide multiple pathways to learning and differentiate for all students?

Challenges My greatest challenge My greatest challenge My greatest success My greatest success

Tip #6: Adjust Your Pacing Do I make sure we use available pacing guides or create them with the teachers to assure that all standards are being taught? Do I make sure we use available pacing guides or create them with the teachers to assure that all standards are being taught? How do I provide leadership to help teachers adjust instructional planning? How do I provide leadership to help teachers adjust instructional planning? In what ways do I identify and nurture teacher leaders? In what ways do I identify and nurture teacher leaders?

Tip #7: Advance Your Pedagogy How do I create an environment where all educators are expected to be continuous learners? How do I create an environment where all educators are expected to be continuous learners? What does it look like when teams are structured where ideas are shared and honored? What does it look like when teams are structured where ideas are shared and honored? How might Learning Walks help teachers explore a variety of ways to make content accessible and meaningful? How might Learning Walks help teachers explore a variety of ways to make content accessible and meaningful? Are all faculty meetings used as professional development opportunities? Are all faculty meetings used as professional development opportunities?

Tip #8: Approach Your Parents What methods can I use to communicate with parents? What methods can I use to communicate with parents? What are the various ways that parents can be involved and contributing members of our school community? What are the various ways that parents can be involved and contributing members of our school community? What are the possibilities for reducing barriers for involvement of second language parents? How about families of children living in poverty? What are the possibilities for reducing barriers for involvement of second language parents? How about families of children living in poverty?

Tip #9: Assemble Your Peers How have I created and engaged in my own Professional Learning Community? How have I created and engaged in my own Professional Learning Community? How do I build and nurture an administrative and teacher leader team? How do I build and nurture an administrative and teacher leader team? Who is on my personal board of directors? Who is on my personal board of directors?

Tip #10: Acknowledge Your Progress How do I make acknowledging and celebrating accomplishments a priority? How do I make acknowledging and celebrating accomplishments a priority? In what ways can I provide a vehicle for teachers to celebrate each other? In what ways can I provide a vehicle for teachers to celebrate each other?

Additional Resources From Just ASK Publications: Leading the Learning, A Field Guide to Supervision and Evaluation, Paula Rutherford Instruction for All Students, Paula Rutherford Why Didn't I Learn this in College?, Paula Rutherford Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners, Paula Rutherford Just for the ASKing! e-newsletters From NAESP: Leading Learning Communities: Standards for What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do

Theresa West