Staff Development Between the Regular Day & Out-of-School Time

2004 NCEA Annual Conference Creating a Future Without Boundaries Carol A. Achziger Logan City School District

Goals for Today’s Workshop Share the working philosophy of bridging out-of-school time programs and regular day programs through staff development, Demonstrate how the principles of bridging can be applied to different situations, and Have fun through meaningful group discussions and demonstrations.

Instructional Program Alignment “Any innovation you bring into the classroom or school to improve outcomes on student achievement presumes that there is already alignment of the standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The innovation itself will not improve outcomes if alignment does not exist.” - Lisa Carter

Why? Wanted to improve referrals to out-of- school time programs Regular day faculty wanted time to “try out” new methods Youth needed programs that were connected to the regular day – but did not look like the regular day

What made us focus on training? The out-of-school time programs seemed to be the place to connect and meet all these needs We realized that staff from “both sides” of the fence had something to offer each other We knew we needed to bring these two groups together in a unique way Training became the logical place to bring everyone together

Understanding by Design* Stage 1:Identify Desired Results Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences & Instruction *Wiggins & McTighe, ASCD, 1998

Understanding by Design Learner expectations & standards Learning opportunities Assessments skills dispositions knowledge

Identifying Desired Results Our desired results included factors for both staff and youth Based on creating lifelong learners and/or reawakening the lifelong learner Included an “environmental scan” of expectations, desires, and needs Varies from school site to school site and person to person

Examples of Desired Results Improve the instructional strategies teachers have to reach “reluctant learners” Improve students’ reading comprehension Improve the use of technology in the classroom Improve students’ writing skills Improve the “connection” students feel toward school and community Improve the relationship between teachers & students

Establishing Priorities Worth being familiar with Important to know and do "Enduring" understanding

Learning Experiences WHERE W = Help students know where the unit is going. H = Hook the students and hold their interest. E= Equip students, explore the issues, and experience the ideas. R = Provide opportunities to rethink and revise. E = Allow students to exhibit their understanding and evaluate their work

Think-Pair-Share This is a great tool you can use to check understanding and to share learning Today’s use Divide into groups of 2 Divide into groups of 2 Think about how you could use training as the “bridge” between the regular day and out-of- school time programs Think about how you could use training as the “bridge” between the regular day and out-of- school time programs Share your ideas with the other person Share your ideas with the other person Share your ideas with the larger group Share your ideas with the larger group

Results of Think-Pair-Share Below is a list of the different ways participants determined how they could utilize staff training as the bridge between the regular day and after school. Create an exchange between regular day and after school teachers by sharing plans and observations. Have regular day and after school staff serve on committees together. Have regular day and after school staff create materials for students together. Train staff from both programs to use the same vocabulary.

Results II Have staff from both programs attend national training with a follow-up one year later. Have regular day teachers participate/teach some of the after school components. Utilize summer as time to have regular day and after school staff to plan together Develop leadership skills through on-going staff meetings

Results III Use volunteers and/or AmeriCorps members as a bridge between the two programs. Use local expertise (or regular day teachers) to lead after school staff training. Conduct a needs assessment of after school staff. See if regular day staff could help fulfill the needs. Use any grants that support after school programs as basis for communication. Ensure that everyone is clear about specifications to dispel confusion and direct training activities. Establish common goals so there is a “single” school culture.

Determining Acceptable Evidence How will you know you have achieved your desired results? It is no longer sufficient to assume strategies work without evidence of the work (remember the “scared straight” programs…) Different types of data will help you to know your progress toward the results Knowing what evidence you need in context of the desired results helps to keep purpose and intentionality in your programs

Staff as Assessors Not Activity Designers Design assessments before you design lessons and activities Be clear about what evidence of learning or progress toward desired results you seek

Multiple Sources Think “photo album” versus “snapshot” Sound assessment requires multiple sources of evidence, collected over time.

Implementation Training for summer school usually involves 2 – 3 days of work work Introduces the concepts Introduces the concepts Allows time for hands-on practice Allows time for hands-on practice Allows time for planning Allows time for planning Training for school year programs usually involves 2 afternoons of training before school begins and 1 afternoon in the middle of the year Introduces the concepts Introduces the concepts Allows time to discuss concepts in site based groups Allows time to discuss concepts in site based groups Allows time to work with resources Allows time to work with resources Allows time for planning Allows time for planning

Training beyond Training We consider the time spent in the out-of- school time programs part of our training This respects each person as an expert Relies heavily on communication at each site and between sites

What does it look like?

Processing Time This is a great tool you can use to allow time for processing information as well as a transition to the “next step” Today – use the Styrofoam cup to share your thoughts about some of the desired results for learning that you would have in your program Pass the cup to each person in your group. Without talking, alter the cup to represent your thoughts or questions Pass the cup to each person in your group. Without talking, alter the cup to represent your thoughts or questions When everyone has had a turn, then pass the cup again and allow each person to explain their thoughts When everyone has had a turn, then pass the cup again and allow each person to explain their thoughts As a group, select one person to explain the group’s thoughts and/or questions As a group, select one person to explain the group’s thoughts and/or questions

What are some of the “tools” we have created or consistently use to support this process? School year planning sheets School year planning sheets Reports of results Cohort discussion groups Books: Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligences of Reading & Writing: Making the Words Come Alive by Thomas Armstrong Multiple Intelligences of Reading & Writing: Making the Words Come Alive by Thomas Armstrong Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong Classroom Instruction that Works by Robert Marzano and Deb Pickering Classroom Instruction that Works by Robert Marzano and Deb Pickering Teaching and Learning “reminders” Teaching and Learning “reminders”

Wrap UP “Bridging” works in different ways for different groups Based on desired outcomes Activities are designed around outcomes Is on-going – everyone becomes an expert Promotes lifelong learning

People do remarkable things & we find heroes in unexpected places. Heroes in Education do three things: Hold a belief that a person can learn (held by both the learner and the teacher), Hold a belief that a person can learn (held by both the learner and the teacher), Provide time for practice that includes failure so we can overcome obstacles and have success, Provide time for practice that includes failure so we can overcome obstacles and have success, Practice and promote lifelong learning that creates generations of readers. Practice and promote lifelong learning that creates generations of readers. Susan Zimmerman