Hi everyone,

Steven sent me this good article recently that we thought would be good to share. See you all this coming Tuesday for our next meeting!

James

Good Talk about Teaching article

Colleagues,

I apologize for this late posting… I’ll aim to have copies of this for us to look at during our afternoon meeting.

I.  Hope/Joy

TEACHER TO TEACHER

A. Teachers will frame and reframe conversations around teaching and learning with colleagues in terms of discovery and cultivating the joy in learning
1. Teachers know that effective teaching is often about creating opportunities for student discovery.
a. Teachers may share with colleagues a lesson or unit that revolves around essential questions.

B.  Teachers will provide support for follow colleagues and reach out to them as members of a nurturing school community:
1. Teachers know that an effective professional culture is one in which school professionals actively care for and address one another’s needs:
a. Teachers may approach and check in with another teacher who is having a particularly challenging day.

TEACHER TO STUDENT

A. Teachers will endeavor to build a spirit of learning and a sense of wonder in their students:
1. Teachers know and act on the principle that all students want to learn
a. Teachers may have a targeted and supportive conversation with students who seem reluctant to participate in classroom activities with the purpose of uncovering any unknown blocks or frustrations.

B. Teachers will provide opportunities for students to explore and build their curiosity of the world around them:
1. Teachers know that students learn best when learning is connected to exploration of their natural interests.
a. Teachers may specifically teach a lesson or a unit with a component that allows opportunity for students to see those principles in action in their homes or neighborhoods.

C.  Teachers will create opportunities for students to have empathy for others and the human condition.
1.  Teachers know that they have a responsibility to have their students understand their own and others’ experiences as individuals.
a. Teachers may engage students in the study of literature or history by developing lessons that compel them to understand the motives of others.

D.  Teachers will give students choices in the classroom, when appropriate, which can lead to increased student ownership of their learning.
1.  Teachers know that creating a variety of assessment options for students related to a given topic can lead to multiple expressions of student learning.
a. Teachers may allow students to create a portfolio that demonstrates their learning of a past unit that directs them to carefully select representative pieces of work.

E.  Teachers build substantive opportunities for students to create during the learning process.
1. Teachers know that deeper learning occurs when students are compelled to synthesize, create and evaluate in the classroom.
a. Teachers may have students complete a summative project that reflects and applies the core ideas taught in a given lesson.

TEACHER TO ADMINISTRATION

A. Teachers will work with administrators to establish a school environment that reflects joy and hope:
1. Teachers know that collegial and respectful work with all staff in a school building is essential to maintaining a positive professional school culture.
a. Teachers may work with school administration to create a monthly celebration activity that highlights the accomplishments and achievements of school staff as a whole.

B. Teachers will actively seek to share stories of student success and learning with administrators to build a sense of community success.
1. Teachers know that oftentimes, everyday examples of student achievement and growth go uncommunicated or unshared with administrators
a. Teachers may check in periodically with school administrators with the simple purpose of sharing a story of student success for the day.

C. Teachers will show and display student work:
1. Teachers know that showing student work in the classroom and around the school communicates pride and joy in student learning.
a. Teachers may create a student work bulletin board that highlights student accomplishment in their classrooms.

D. Teachers will work with administrators to create opportunities for school community members to take breaks from the regular school routine and have fun together:
1. Teachers know the importance of  having opportunity to connect with and build relationships between teachers and administrators outside of the normal frame of the typical school day.
a. Teachers may suggest schoolwide community-building activities for school staff that are well-catered.

TEACHER TO COMMUNITY

A. Teachers will actively seek opportunities to connect the classroom learning and educational mission of the school with the larger community’s hopes and dreams for its youth:
1. Teachers know that the neighborhoods and families from which the students come have a vested interest in their learning and success.
a. Teachers may regularly contact student parents and neighborhood community organizations to invite feedback and involvement in a student project.

B. Teachers will regularly share the often hidden moments of levity, joy and learning with their students’ parents:
1. Teachers know that oftentimes, contact with home equates to assumptions that students have done something wrong; as a result, they also know the value in regularly communicate with parents to communicate successes.
a. Teachers may make it a regular practice during home phone calls to balance out the number of calls that relate to concerns and those that relate to communicating praise.

C.  Teachers will invite community-based organizations that engage in youth development to the school to create a larger visible and nurturing support network:
1. Teachers know about and are able to access local community-based organizations to support the work and development of their students.
a. Teachers may reach out to local youth-development organizations and invite representatives to speak to students about their goals, role in the community and ways they can support their learning.

TEACHER TO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

A. Teachers will engage in regular reflective practice to be mindful of what school could and should be and not just what it isn’t.
1. Teachers know the inherent complexity of the school environment and how it’s often easy to fall into the mindset of focusing on the problems or challenges.  They also understand the importance of reflecting on what is possible and align themselves to work towards those possibilities.
a. Teachers may be diligent to periodically ‘step back’ from their daily school routine and reflect on how well that daily school practice connects with the goal of what a professional learning community should be.

B. Teachers will take the time to remind themselves of personal and schoolwide successes in nurturing and educating their students.
1. Teachers know the importance of focusing on the positive moments that populate the busy school day.
a. Teachers may spend some moments at the end of each school day writing about, having a conversation about or otherwise sharing a moment that ‘made it all worth it’ that day.

Hello There,

I’m posting my draft at this stage because I keep going off track.  I’m trying to make sure my suggestions stick with collaboration.  I am finding a few issues.  Personally I have breadth, not depth.  I also find that collaboration crosses into examples for other drill down areas.  For example, in viewing Ellen’s post, I’m thinking that for Responsibility/Sharing Resources, collaboration could be an extension of this.

In addition I added Teacher to Parent as a heading… It felt like the “missing link” for collaboration since collaborating with families is crucial to student success.

I lost most of the pretty colors when I cut and pasted.  Print out will be in amazing technicolor!

Structure/‘Drill Down’ for Collaboration Principal Area

• COLLABORATION  [principle/area]

Narrative + {Collaboration may be formal or informal, but should take place consistently in a strong school environment} Collaboration leaks into a lot of other areas of professional development… may work as a sub-category elsewhere.

TEACHER TO TEACHER:

A.  Teachers will collaborate regularly with colleagues. [goal]

1.  Teachers know how to share and openly discuss their teaching decisions and teaching practice [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers may use a protocol during a PLC to examine student work and its reflection on teaching practice. 
2. High school teachers may work together to develop lesson plans for a common lesson plan across disciplines.
3. Elementary teachers may work together to develop a common protocol so students moving from one grade level to another will see commonalities in assessments.
4. Teachers are comfortable sharing ideas, successes and failures over lunch or after school informally as a way to share ideas and support one another. (hope and joy?) [informal]

TEACHER TO STUDENT:

A.  Teachers will involve and invite students into classroom decision making (when appropriate) for buy in.  [goal]

1.  Teachers know the importance of student input especially as it pertains to students developing higher order thinking skills such as analysis and evaluation.  [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers may have students create a rubric for grading their own material. 
2. Teachers may have students develop a set of classroom rules for everyone to follow.
3. Teacher has established (or informal but regular) office hours where students can share ideas.

1.  Teachers recognize student needs beyond the classroom.  [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers may create an after school program to help students study for a particular subject area.
2. Teachers may create a social space for students to explore their community and/or play sports informally or formal only to the extent that they obtain proper parental permission.
3. Teachers may support students in a community service project/walk-a-thon/etc.

TEACHER TO ADMINISTRATION:

A.  Teachers understand that the school is a microcosm of society and will incorporate all members as often as possible.

1.  Teachers know how to act as a liaison between all levels of people in the building (AWKWARD—SUGGESTIONS?).  [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers regularly invite administrators into their classrooms, not only for formal (or informal observations.  An invitation may be extended when students are giving presentations.
2. Teachers may invite administrators to participate in a class as a guest lecturer on an area of expertise and/or to share a personal experience such as serving in the military, travels abroad, or living through a particular historical event.
3. Teachers may volunteer to share resources and lead a faculty training to enhance curriculum (TEACHER TO TEACHER?)

TEACHER TO PARENT:

A.  Teachers understand that family support is crucial to student success.

1.  Teachers effectively bridge and create working relationships with parents and families.  [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers create a plan actively involving parents in the success of their students—e.g. weekly progress reports, having parents initial homework assignments.
2. Teachers invite parents to a specialized family night to showcase student talent.

TEACHER TO COMMUNITY:

A.  Teachers understand that family support is crucial to student success.

1.  Teachers know how to access and develop relationships with outside individuals and organizations.  [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers may work with a local organization to supplement a lesson (e.g. a local drama troupe comes to help students rehearse a scene from a play being read in class)  [Specific Example]
2. Teachers may invite local speakers to come into the classroom to lecture or give a demonstration.

TEACHER TO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH:

1.  Teachers know how to share and openly discuss their teaching decisions and teaching practice [knowledge/skills]

1. Teachers may present at a teacher’s meeting, district, regional or professional organization conference.  [Specific Example]
2. Teachers may develop a critical friends group of teachers from other schools in or out of district in order to share ideas.

* Teacher has an open door policy, regularly welcoming colleagues and/or administrators into the classroom…  This might be extended to outside observers.   This is extended to collaboration when the observer is invited to share feedback and or seek an opportunity to participate in the future.

Hi Everyone,

Here is a first try at the drill-down for responsibility. I’m sure there are things that can be combined. I’m also not sure of how specific to get with the examples…Thanks!

Principle/area: Responsibility

TEACHER TO TEACHER
A. Goal: Teachers will engage in professional dialogue with colleagues to ensure best practice.
1. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to openly and honestly communicate while being respectful in conversations.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may provide feedback to colleagues after a peer observation.
2. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to actively listen to colleagues and accept other viewpoints.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may form professional learning communities with their grade level or department, meeting consistently in order to improve teaching and learning.
3. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to accept feedback from colleagues.
a. Specific Example: Teacher may participate in opportunities to look at student work and discuss alternative teaching strategies.

B. Goal: Teachers will share resources and ideas willingly.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to communicate resources and ideas in a non- threatening manner.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may plan, lead, and assess professional development for new colleagues.

C Goal: Assist new members in becoming acclimated to the profession and/or school culture.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to accept different ideas and teaching styles.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may become mentors to new teachers, but allow the new teacher to offer insight and suggestions.
2. K/S: Teachers know how to maintain a positive attitude.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may form professional learning communities for mentors and new teachers.
3. K/S: Teachers know that people learn in different ways.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may plan, lead, and assess professional development for colleagues.

TEACHER TO STUDENT
A. Goal: Teachers will build a positive classroom culture and climate.
1. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to involve all students in building classroom culture.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may create a classroom constitution and/or allow students the opportunity to jointly create classroom rules.

B. Goal: Teachers will plan and prepare for lessons while providing opportunities for “teachable moments”.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to prepare lesson plans.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may provide plans to enable substitute teacher success in the classroom.
2. K/S: Teachers know how to be flexible while keeping the learning goal as the focus.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may provide opportunities for students to share current events and personal experiences that relate to the topic at hand.

C. Goal: Teachers will ensure that all students have access to curriculum while differentiating instruction for all levels while setting high standards.
1. K/S: Teachers know the learning standards and curriculum benchmarks.
a. Specific Example: Teachers keep the current curriculum documents with planning materials.
2. K/S: Teachers know how to differentiate instruction for all levels.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may utilize project-based learning with multiple levels and opportunities to achieve the standard.
3. K/S: Teachers know individual student needs and learning outcomes.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may meet with special education teachers and/or guidance counselors periodically regarding student needs.

D. Goal: Teachers will use data to inform instruction.
1. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to analyze data.
a. Specific example: Teachers may use MCAS trend data to identify standards that need additional reinforcement.
2. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to gauge student need from data results.
a. Specific example: Teachers may use the DESE Growth Model to identify students who aren’t making adequate progress and plan lessons accordingly.
b. Specific example: Teachers may use assessment data to identify students who need additional instruction in a tiered setting.

E. Goal: Teachers will develop a means to consistently assess student learning.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to build multiple assessments, including pre-assessments, formative, and summative assessments.
a. Specific Example: Teachers develop assessments based upon student knowledge and utilize this assessment data to develop future learning activities and assessments.
b. Specific Example: Teachers develop ways for students to self-assess their own learning.
2. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know when to conduct formative and summative assessments consistently to inform instruction.
a. Specific Example: Teachers provide multiple opportunities in which students can demonstrate their learning over time.

F. Goal: Teachers will create and enact short-term and long-term visions for what they want their students to know and do.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to identify curriculum standards, content and skills, and essential questions to teach content.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may develop a curriculum map or scope and sequence for each class.
2. K/S: Teachers know how to set goals for student learning.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may post daily goals and objectives for each class.

G. Goal: Teachers will consistently inform parents of the child’s progress.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to effectively communicate with parents using multiple modes.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may utilize a website or parent portal to communicate with parents.
2. K/S: Teachers communicate both positive and negative issues to parents.
b. Specific Example: Teachers may develop system for contacting each parent at least once per month.

TEACHER TO ADMINISTRATION
A. Goal: Teachers will assist in building a positive school culture and climate.
1. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know how to maintain a positive attitude.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may work on committees to collectively address current issues and problem-solve with peers and administrators.
2. K/S: Teachers know how to work collaboratively with all stakeholders.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may serve on school improvement committees.

B. Goal: Teachers will work cooperatively with administrators to ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of students.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to keep the focus on student learning.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may lead data analysis teams to identify areas of strength and weakness to make educational decisions.

TEACHER TO COMMUNITY
A. Goal: Teachers will assist in building a positive district culture and climate.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to work collaboratively with all stakeholders.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may serve on school improvement committees.
2. K/S: Teachers know how to communicate with the community in a clear yet respectful manner.
b. Specific Example: Teachers may provide opportunities for parents and the media to engage in classroom activities.

B. Goal: Teachers will work cooperatively with administrators and community stakeholders to ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of students.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to keep the focus on student learning.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may lead data analysis teams to identify areas of strength and weakness to make educational decisions.
b. Specific Example: Teachers may attend school committee meetings to inform others and become informed as well.

C. Goal: Teachers will believe and practice shared values.
1. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know the district and school mission statements.
a. Specific Example: Teachers may serve on strategic planning committees to develop a mission statement and district or school goals.

TEACHER TO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
A. Goal: Teachers will keep current on new practices and incorporate them into teaching.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to maintain life-long learning habits, identify effective new practices, and revise and improve upon practice by developing new skills.
a. Specific Example: Teachers complete college coursework in their content area.

B. Goal: Teachers will keep current on emerging technologies and incorporate them into teaching.
1. K/S: Teachers know how to identify new technology for use in and for the classroom and are willing to try new methods.
a. Specific example: Teachers attend workshops and conferences on technology integration.

B. Goal: Teachers will consistently reflect on one’s own practice.
1. Knowledge/Skills: Teachers know when to adjust one’s own thinking and practice.
a. Specific Example: Teachers participate in ongoing study and/or inquiry groups.

Looks like we finally have a good weather weekend on our hands!

Just a reminder, for those of us with assignments from our last meeting, to post your drafts to the website before our meeting this coming April 6th. (I have to get on that myself!) I posted a guide of sorts in an earlier message. If there are any questions or you get stuck, please reach out to the group so we can work it through. It’s always a plus to rely on the wisdom of the collective.

Enjoy the sun, James

EdWeekly published a brief found in Teacher Mag. that outlines a survey done by MET Life on the various responses by principals, teachers, and students regarding school culture discussing teacher collaboration and positive school learning communities.  The article’s complete document is found at the following URL : 

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2010/02/17/metlife.html?tkn=RYTCpFN0hFiRdFFlQZlSJRxR2BVFGEgdORIh&cmp=clp-ascd  

Its basic ideas that relate to our committee work can be broken down to the following:

The 2009 “MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Collaborating for Student Success,” which will be released in three parts over the next two months, examines the views of teachers, principals, and students about their respective roles, responsibilities, and priorities in schools today. The first part of the survey, released today and titled “Effective Teaching and Leadership,” examines teachers’ and principals’ views on what collaboration looks like in schools and what impact it has. (The MetLife Foundation provides funding to Teacher to support interactive professional community among classroom educators.)

Sixty-seven percent of teachers and 78 percent of principals surveyed said more collaboration among teachers and school leaders would have a “major impact” on student achievement.

The potential benefits of greater collaboration among educators, according to some observers, are a better school climate, greater career satisfaction for educators, and higher retention of qualified teachers and administrators.

The article has a link to the survey results which in turn has 2 particular statements of interest:

… for some educators, collaboration may raise concerns about dilution of individual accountability, infringement on independence in the classroom, or a lack of clear management hierarchies or responsibilities, the report said.

The least frequent type of collaborative activity is teachers observing each other

in the classroom and providing feedback. Less than one-third of teachers or

principals report that this frequently occurs at their school.

The article brings to mind the need for teachers observing one another…perhaps that is something we need to incorporate into our document?  It also brings to mind the possibility that some educators see collaborative time as a loss of independence and atomony?

hi everyone,

the meeting notes are now posted on the website. Thanks, Lorne and Judy, for volunteering to take the initial stab at consolidating what we have done into a working document!

James