Instructional Leadership and You

Instructional Leadership Team Class

August 6, 2010

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Today’s Outline

8:00–8:30 IntroductionsLogistics of August

8:30–11:30 Instructional Leaders – Characteristics,

Roles, and Resources

11:30-12:15 Catered lunch!!

12:15- 3:30 Teachers’ stages, models of professional development, getting started

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Welcome . . . introductions

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Welcome . . . logistics of August

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Why have teacher leaders?

The most important school-relatedfactor in improving student learning is . . .

Home and family 49

Teacher quality 43

Class size 8

Source: Ferguson

Why focus on teacher quality?

Operating Context

Teacher Professional Learning and

Support

Teacher

Student

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Impact of Professional Learning

Teacher Support

Teacher Professional

Learning

Teacher

Student

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Implementation of a Model Focusing on Teacher Quality and Performance Compensation

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2010 - 2011

Seventh year of district-wide implementation

9 years: AES, RHES, GES, MMS, RCHS

8 years: EES, MMES, RSES, EVMS, GCMS

7 years: EVES, BCES, BCMS, EVHS, BMHS

JCES – New 08-09

NAS – welcome this year!

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Four Key Elements

Multiple Career Paths

Ongoing, Applied Professional Growth (imbedded)

Instructionally-Focused Accountability (PPR)

Performance-Based Compensation

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Multiple Career Paths -Career Teachers Classroom responsibilities 100% of the day

Traditional contract calendar -183 days

Member of a cluster group

75% of our teaching staff100%

Teaching

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Multiple Career Paths -Mentor Teachers

Classroom responsibilities 70% of the day

Traditional calendar contract plus a maximum of 10 additional days

Provides cluster group leadership Coaching 4-6 teachers Stipend for extra days and

responsibilities.70%

Teaching

30% Mentor Release

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Multiple Career Paths – Master Teachers Classroom responsibilities 30% of the

day Traditional calendar contract plus a

maximum of 20 additional days

Oversees all cluster groups Coaching and evaluation of 14-16

teachers Stipend for extra days and

responsibilities

30% Teaching

70% Master

Release

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Cluster Groups Ongoing, Applied Professional GrowthCluster Groups Ongoing, Applied Professional Growth

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InstructionalLeadership Team

First gradecluster

Second grade cluster

Third gradecluster

Fourth grade clusterFifth grade

cluster

Sixth grade cluster

Kindergartencluster

Specialscluster

School-Wide Cluster Configuration, K-6School-Wide Cluster Configuration, K-6

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7-8 LanguageArts cluster

7-8 Mathcluster

7-8Social Studies

cluster

7-8Science cluster

7-8Specialscluster

LeadershipTeam

School-Wide Cluster Configuration, 7-8School-Wide Cluster Configuration, 7-8

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Research-based Professional Practices

Designing and Planning Instruction Planning Instruction Planning Assessment

Instruction Standards and Objectives Presenting Instructional Content Learning Activities and Materials Learning Groups Questioning Academic Feedback Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Differentiated Instruction Lesson Structure

Learning Environment Academic Expectations Managing Student Behavior Physical Environment Respectful Culture Classroom Procedures

Responsibilities

Purposes of the Workshop

To empower instructional leadership team members to engage in their practices with:

The belief that they can make a difference in teacher practice and student learning.

A clear focus on student learning in the classroom.

A deeper understanding of the various roles and responsibilities of school-based coaches, the knowledge and skills associated with each role and the challenges each role presents

Purposes, cont.

An ever-expanding repertoire of skills for coaching staff in ways that promote professional growth and student learning

A commitment to engage in, model and promote collegial relationships

Essential Questions

What are the characteristics of effective teacher leaders?

How do your beliefs, knowledge, and skills align to the characteristics?

What are possible roles and responsibilities of teacher leaders?

What opportunities and challenges do teacher leaders face, and what resources are available?

Essential Questions, cont. What are the characteristics of adult

learners? What are the characteristics of teachers at

various stages of their careers? What are the models of professional

development that I could use to facilitate learning?

How can I measure the impact of my work?

How do I begin?

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Norms

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Most Effective

Least Effective

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Characteristics of Effective Coaches

– page 9 from the Becoming an Effective Coach

notebook

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Roles, Knowledge and Skills, Challenges

Coaches act as Data coaches Instructional specialists Curriculum specialists Mentors Learning facilitators School leaders Classroom supporters Resource providers Catalysts for change Learner

Data Coach

Purpose:

Ensure that student achievement data is used to drive decisions at the classroom and school level

Responsibilities: Identify school-wide and

grade level, department trends

Facilitate data dialogues Supports teachers in

using data to improve instruction

Use data to analyze classroom learning for students and identify next steps

Data Coach Knowledge and Skills

Ability to establish a “blame free environment”

Thorough understanding of data and what it says about student learning

Strong facilitation and questioning skills Ability to assist teachers in the appropriate

next steps for instruction based on data

Challenges

Creating data displays Understanding of the data Planning for facilitation of effective data

dialogues with the appropriate questions Creating a non threatening environment

for open conversation during the actual discussion

Classroom Supporter

Purpose: To increase the quality and effectiveness of classroom instruction

Responsibilities: Modeling/

Demonstration Lesson

Co-Teaching Observe and Offer

Feedback

Challenges

Getting stuck on the demonstration end of the continuum

When co-teaching overstepping the agreed-upon boundaries to take over for the teacher if the lesson is not going well

Being clear on the feedback Not overwhelming the teacher with

feedback Knowing when and how to move along the

continuum

Resource Provider

Purpose: To expand teachers’ use of a variety of resources to improve instruction.

Responsibilities: Help teachers locate information, resources, materials, equipment and examples of best practice, delivery of instruction, assessment of student learning, organization or creating a positive learning environment in the classroom

Challenges

Being seen as a gofer and teachers becoming dependent on you to provide resources.

Keeping abreast of numerous changes and resources in education

Implementing the principle of gradual release.

Mentors

Purpose: To increase instructional skill of the novice teacher and support school wide induction activities.

Responsibilities: provide ongoing

support build a trusting

relationship understanding of

district and school expectations

serve as a critical friend

Mentor Resources

Stages of Development – pages 68-85 Mentoring Calendar Pages 89-119 Positive Learning Environment – pages

160-169 and 256-259 Active Learning Strategies – Pages 365-

368

Learning Facilitator

Purpose: To design

collaborative job embedded standards based professional development

Responsibilities: Design and deliver

learning opportunities with the adults in the building that align with the school improvement plan

Study groups, Training, Lesson study, Case study, Examining student work, Classroom Visitation

School Leader

Purpose: To work collaboratively with

the school’s formal leadership to design, implement, and assess school change initiatives to ensure alignment and focus on intended results.

Responsibilities: Serving on school

improvement teams Meeting with other coaches

or resource personnel to align services to teachers

Leading a variety of school committees

Serving as liaisons or key communicators to central office

Serving on district committees

Knowledge and Skills for School Leaders

Understand the change process Be aware of national, state and local

trends and research Use creative and critical problem solving

skills Use high level communication and

relationship skills Willingness to challenge the status quo

Challenges

Providing differentiated services or resources to accommodate staff members at various stages on concern

Walking the fine line between being an administrator who supports the change and being a member of the teaching ranks

Go slow to go fast Protect teachers from unnecessary work

or distractions Integrating and aligning innovations

Instructional Specialist

Purpose: To align instruction

with curriculum to meet the needs of ALL students

Responsibilities: Help teachers select

and implement the most appropriate strategies

Assist teachers in differentiating instruction and selecting the best strategies for the learning.

Knowledge and Skills Deep understanding of the research on effective

instructional techniques Can model effective instruction Understand standards-based planning Assisting teachers to look at the big picture first

and then planning instructional and assessment strategies

How to integrate a variety of content areas Facilitations skills, Must demonstrate that they believe all students

can learn – no excuses Articulate their own thinking

Challenges Need a large amount of knowledge about a

variety of strategies Gathering enough information about individual

students in a classroom to assist a teacher in designing appropriate instruction is time consuming

Sometimes coaches may be learning instructional strategies along with teachers

Have to be risk-takers Reading research, practicing new strategies and

introducing new strategies to teachers Willing to step back and critique own practices as

a model for all

Partner TaskWhat are some challenges you

face in this role?How is this the same and/or

different from the professional learning happening at your site?

Self-Assess

As you look at the roles of an instructional leader:

which 2 are you most comfortable with and which 2 are you least comfortable with?

(put post-its in appropriate places on chart)

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Resources

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The continuum

Between new and experienced teachers

Between novices and experts

Stages of Teacher Development:New Teachers

New teachers quickly, but with no small amount of surprise, come to recognize that teaching is psychologically, intellectually, and physically arduous.

New teachers also believe that they already ought to know how to do things which they have never done before.

Another characteristic of new teachers is the sense that there are easily developed, immediately available strategies that can be used to transform their classes into some ideal condition.

These beliefs and perceptions reflect an underdeveloped conceptualization of the inherent complexities of teaching.

Murphy, Covin, & Morey, 1990

What are the most common challenges

reported by new teachers?

Beginning Teachers Most Often Report These Challenges:

9. Relations with colleagues8. Students’ personal problems7. Insufficient materials and supplies6. Evaluating student work5. Planning class work4. Parent relations3. Dealing with individual differences2. Motivating students1. Classroom discipline

First Year of Teaching (p. 3)

Anticipation Survival Disillusionment Rejuvenation Reflection Anticipation

Cycle of Teaching – Year 1

A

ug

S

ep

O

ct

N

ov

D

ec

Ja

n

Feb

M

ar

A

pr

M

ay

Ju

n

Ju

l

Survival

Anticipation

Disillusionment

Rejuvenation

Reflection

Anticipation

Developmental career stages in teaching (p. 4)

First Year Anticipation Survival Disillusionment Rejuvenation Reflection Anticipation

Over a career

Survival Consolidation

Renewal

Professional maturity

Experts vs. Novices (p. 5)

Experts vs. Novices

1. Experts’ abilities to reason and solve problems depend on a well-organized body of knowledge.

2. Experts see more relevant patterns in a situation or problem than do novices.

3. Experts are “case sensitive” – they analyze problems and apply information relevant to the task or situation.

4. Experts start their problem-solving at a “higher place” than do novices.

What’s the point?

Talk with someone near you about what this information about developmental stages of teachers and experts versus novices might mean to your work.

Resource

How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition, 2001

John D. Bransford, Ann L. Brown, and Rodney R. Cocking, editors

published by the United States National Academy of Sciences' National Academies Press.

Characteristics of Adult Learners

See Adult Learning Theory or p. 4-5

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Characteristics of Effective PDWhat are learning opportunities you can organize for teachers (action research, etc.)

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How can I measure the impact of my work? Innovation Configuration Map for coaches,

p, 161-210, Taking the Lead Evaluation chapter, Taking the Lead Innovation Configuration Map for school,

p. 148, Becoming A Learning School Personal record-keeping: calendar, logs,

reflective journal Goals with indicators

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Get in the door strategies for beginning of school year

How do I begin? “Whatever it takes,” baby steps Article from Teachers Teaching Teachers Be transparent with calendar Establish procedures for yourself Walk around with notepad

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“ . . . the support that I received was amazing. I don't know that I would have been as successful without the support and encouragement … I really felt appreciated, which was incredible.

Katie Lenihan Rookie of the Year nominee