Next Steps...

During our last Professional Development we took a moment to reflect and assess our progress. We determined what we were doing with fidelity, things we were moving toward, and things yet to be done or to re-think. It was through that each team shared what they felt were the next steps to continue our growth and progress toward our problem of practice.

It was interesting to see the feedback. There were two areas that were most commonly addressed... student learning in the way of students taking ownership through challenging themselves and their peers, goal setting and peer to peer feedback. The other are was in collaborative planning... having critical conversation and examination of student work and the teacher model, and use of planning documents to help push forward intentional and purposeful planning of content-rich work.

In the book "Visible Learning for Literacy: Impact" by Fisher, Frey and Hattie it states that of all the instructional strategies that garner more than a year of growth in students was in the area of self-reported grades/student expectation (goal setting, student led discussions, peer to peer feedback) and collective teacher efficacy (highly effective teams that plan for the why, focusing on thoughtful literacy-rich work including questioning, student led discussion and data driven decisions).

I came across a brief article while doing more research on this matter of student self-reported grades/student expectation and collective teacher efficacy. It is a great article that mirrors our conversations about growth mindset and that the teacher matters...

The article entitled: "John Hattie's Eight Mind Frames for Teachers" was a great read. As we continue to fine tune, monitor our progress and grow together, this is an excellent read that aligns with our next steps.

Where do you find yourself as you read these eight mind frames? What in your thinking aligns with Hattie's work? What do you find yourself pondering or being challenged to think differently?

Please post your thoughts and ideas below!

Our Impact...

In everything we do, we know that the teacher matters. It is at the root of student success. Even greater is the impact that we have on kiddos when we have what Hattie calls "Collective Teacher Efficacy." This is the impact that a group of teachers have on student success. In a situation where there is a highly effective team, students can make up to 4 years worth of growth.

With that in mind it brings to the forefront the essential need for Professional Learning Communities. In PLCs where teachers come together it isn't so much that they come together and what they do, but the conversations on "how and why" and shared responsibility for all aspects... student, classroom, curriculum, planning (regardless of particular content/planning expertise), instruction and assessment.

As we think about our Problem of Practice and the area of planning and transparency it is not only logical, but holds us accountable to our own goals for continuous growth and improvement to evaluate how we are performing as grade level teams and as a campus. The following brief article helps define the stages of a team:

Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing

Understanding the Stages of Team Formation (1)

Where is your team as a whole? This graphic supports what was discussed in the above article:

Often teams begin as a working group and then slip into the "playing nice" or psuedo team. While it seems on the surface to be working, there is a lack of transparency and growth is non-existent. It is only with the establishment of norms (that can/should adjust as needed) and some appropriate storming that the team can move toward a potential team and eventually become a real team. When all team members take a role of leadership, owning the "how and why" together, that is when the team moves to a high performing team and we see a truly collaborative culture. It is in this place we have our greatest impact.

Take time over the next few weeks to reflect and determine, where are we as a team, what are your personal goals for your team, what roles can you share or take on to bring everyone to that place of being a high performing team that creates "Collective Teacher Efficacy."

(1) "Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing: Understanding the Stages of Team Formation." Mind Tools. Mind Tools Editorial Team, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2016. <https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_86.htm>.

Moving Forward on a Line of Progression

There has been a lot of discussion and "look fors" that have been shared over the course of the last twelve weeks. At times it seems as though there is only more to do and no progress forward. Unfortunately, that is the myth learners believe if moments are not taken to reflect on the goals set or note the steps made toward progress.

When looking at the campus problem of practice, what gains have we made? Looking at the progress of our campus as a whole we are already making steps forward. We have many things we have put in place and our doing with fidelity (noted by the green arrow). There are things that we are moving towards and are making steps toward doing as part of our common practice (noted by the yellow arrow). Then there are things we have set as goals, plan to achieve, yet have not put into place (noted in red).

Some may look at this and see all the red. That would be an unfair assessment of our growth. What would be a fair assessment is to look at the green AND the yellow. When this Problem of Practice was set in motion, it was done with the knowledge that what we set before us, was a goal that would not be met overnight or even in a year's time. If it was, the expectation was set too low. The teacher leaders that help craft this knew what the teachers and students of our campus could do. Would it be easy? No. Would it take time? Yes. Would it make us uncomfotable? More than likely. Would it be worth it? Most definitely.

This progress has been one step at a time. For some, slower than they would like. For others not slow enough. One would argue, though, that regardless of how one feels about the pace of our progression, upon reflection, progress has been made. 

It is with this idea of reflection and really looking at where one is, that we ask you to evaluate your team and yourself in regards to your lesson planning. What is the progress of your team and yourself in this area? How have you grown? What have you already changed to deepen the process of planning and lesson preparation?

A line of progression helps us determine where we are individually and as a team. It isn't about making it to the finish line, but that you are moving forward... one step at a time. Looking at the "Lesson Plan Look Fors Guide" and reflecting both on your growth and your team's growth... where do you and your team fall on the "Lesson Planning Line of Progression?"

Here is an example of how a teacher might have reflected on where he/she was both individually and as a team in the area of lesson planning with a "Line of Progression" at the beginning of the year:

Here is what a line of progression might look like for this same teacher 12 weeks into the school year:

Using a red pen to determine- not yet doing, a yellow pen- in process or starting to do, and a green pen- doing with fidelity; the teacher was able to assess where he/she was, the progress being made and next steps both individually and for the team.

A line of progression doesn't have to be on a fancy template or for anyone else to see. It is for you to assess where you are and see where you have grown. It is designed to celebrate the progress and determine your next steps. If you are one that would like to use a "Line of Progression" guide as provided in the examples here are a couple of docs you can utilize as resources:

BOY Line of Progression (Where I was when the school year began)

Line of Progression Ongoing (Where I am at any given date)

To help you determine where you fall in the "Lesson Planning Line of Progression" a few questions are provided to guide you.

As a team: 

• Are you unpacking the TEK(s) tied to each lesson and identifying the verb and the mastery that should be demonstrated when this standard is taught? 
• Are you collaborating and aligning the student friendly learning target?
• Are you together generating 2-3 Higher Level Questions and/or determining ways to get students to ask higher level questions?
• Are you determining places throughout the lesson that lend themselves to opportunity for student to student communication?
• Are you discussing where learning misconceptions may occur?
• Are you determining way to create literacy rich opportunities via journals, digital projects, speaking opportunities, etc? (are tasks just part of literacy or are they stretching and growing your students and ARE literacy RICH)
• Are you talking together what the key learning you want students to have at the closing?
• Are you considering where in the lesson are opportunities for "Quad D" moments? 

Individually:

• Before planning with the team have you familiarized yourself with the scope and content that you will be discussing during planning?
• Have you familiarized yourself with the TEK(s) to the point you have a general understanding of how it would be unpacked?
• Do you come to planning with ideas and an open mind to other ideas for how lessons can be delivered?
• After planning and before instruction do you read over the lesson and look for opportunities to craft "moments" of purposeful talk? 
• After planning and before instruction do you read over the lesson and look for opportunities to do in the moment formative assessments throughout the lesson?
• After the lesson, do you reflect on the lesson and what went well, what you would revise? Where did your student's misconceptions occur?

There are so many celebrations for where we are as a campus. Every PLC agenda notes, every individual conversation, every walkthrough shows this. One of the key elements of this growth is the authentic way in which you interact with one another, your students and your instructional leaders. You are transparent in your practice and eager to continually fine tune your instruction. We are as lead learners moving forward on a line of progression.

Please feel free to leave comments and/or share your thoughts on the Campus' line of progression, your teams or your own individual growth.

Creating Space for Making Thinking Visible

Whether your content is ELA or Math. Capturing thinking in student journals is not only effective but provides a way to archive individual student progress. 

Journaling is the space where we can fill in the gaps from a scope and sequence or a scripted lesson plan. It is where the thinking becomes real and personal for each learner. 
In Math we use the tool of journaling through our Problem Solving Block. Vertical conversations have brought consensus that we all want students to be able to show a complete solution and show that they understand the problem. From there we continue to strive for thorough explanations through words and models K-2 and explanations with justifications 3-5. We know that this is where the meat of what students learn is applied with rigor and depth.
Problem Solving Block questions are designed to spiral in previous learning, see where students are with upcoming new concepts, provide emphasis to current content and/or create opportunities to reteach where concepts may need more instruction or clarification with ways it can be presented. With the autonomy of this time and the journals, comes in the importance of planning and collaboration. Planning moves from the what to the why and how. Planning begins to evolve from not just what lesson we are teaching, but drives deeper into what do we want the learner to know (learning target), what questions are we asking and hoping to hear students asking, and what activities/tasks will best elicit the data that tells us that our students KNOW IT!

Another idea to consider is how can we move beyond just the look fors... as teachers model in their Problem Solving Journals, how can we enhance the literacy rich focus of our Problem of Practice. The following article from blog The Cornerstone for Teachers "Everything You Need to Know About Math Journals" by Angela Watson affirms so much of what we are already doing. The portion that talks about 'Why math journaling?' is powerful where it states: 

"-Kids have the opportunity to reflect on their strategies and assess their own learning

-Students practice putting their knowledge into words both verbally and in writing

-Instructional focus is shifted from computation to problem solving and real-life application

-The teacher gains insight into children’s abilities, opinions, understandings, and misconceptions

-It creates a documented portfolio-like record of student growth and progress"

Furthermore, the portion "What do students write about?" suggests a move beyond what are presently being done where the focus is mostly on strategies and processes. How powerful might it be to take a moment every few weeks and address not just the processes, but the attitudes and learning. Reflection, as we know, can be the most powerful of all teachers.

In the coming weeks there is a focus on the following look fors in math problem solving block time: 

¨ Daily Problem Solving in journal with explanations (K-2) and justifications (3-5)

¨ Student discourse and use of talk moves by teachers/students with high level questioning

¨ Alignment of quality instruction from class to class within the same grade level

¨All components of the Stepping Stones Journal complete (Step Up and Step Ahead for deeper thinking)

Beyond this, what can we do with our journals, in ALL content areas to make student journals a piece of the learning that students own and value. A space for making thinking visible? Please share your comments below.

-Kirsten and John

We want to know what you know...

Dr. Thornell recently went to an education symposium in Washington, D.C. There a renowned scientist who was part of a team that recently acquired the most expensive research microscope in the world was asked what was most valuable to him in his research. Without hesitation he replied, "My journals. It has all my thinking, problem solving, my research." Not one mention of the telescope.

In our quest of growing and intentionally utilizing student journals, at the heart of it all, we want our students to value their journals in the same way that the scientist does.

To move to that authentic use of journals as a learning community it is essential to gather data not only on student performance, but also on our own learning and thinking. As we have had conversations about journals, had journal walks, shared resources with each other, and made progress, we also need to know where YOU are in this process. This week's post we want you to take time to fill out a survey on teacher model journals and student journals for all content areas.

This survey is completely anonymous. Please be transparent and honest. Your feedback will help guide our next steps for learning and practice as a campus. Here is the link: https://goo.gl/forms/xmbxxmnh16iykyEY2

Thank you in advance for your transparency and honesty. 

-John and Kirsten

Teacher Model Journals, Feedback and Frequency of Entries...

Teacher Model Journals are a part of our district and campus focus in all areas. The power of models has already proven to be profoundly powerful. One part of the intentional practice of using Teacher Model Journals in our instruction is "think aloud" as we share our "model."
Children mimic,internalize and make their own the learning practiced in front of them. It is the way they learn... in everything they do. Even today, as I walked through Tom Thumb, I saw a mother with a baby in a carrier inside a cart and her young preschooler with her own "just my size" cart. They were standing together at the deli counter waiting on their deli meat to be sliced. The baby was crying with little sign of quieting down. Mom, rolling the grocery cart, with baby inside, back and forth. And the little girl? Doing the same exact thing with her pre-school sized grocery cart. She was following her model with expectancy and precision. The "think aloud" is one way our model becomes powerful.

In the online article "Think Aloud Strategy" from TeacherVision the importance of journaling along with using the "Think Aloud" in all content areas was shared:

"How Can You Stretch Students' Thinking?

Reflective journals and learning logs are a natural extension of thinking out loud. By jotting down what you say, you can model the journaling process as you model thinking out loud. As students start to keep journals or learning logs, review them on an ongoing basis to monitor the students' metacognition and use of essential strategies.

When Can You Use It?

Reading/English

The process of thinking out loud can be used in K-12 classes during all phases of the reading process. Before reading you may think out loud to demonstrate accessing prior knowledge or to make predictions about the text. During reading, model reading comprehension using fix-up strategies or examining text structure to maintain meaning. After reading, model using the text to support an opinion, or analyze the text from the author's point of view.

Writing

Thinking out loud can be used to model all phases of the writing process. In pre-writing, model the strategies writers use to get the process started; during the drafting process, model creating "sloppy copies"; during revision, model how to ask questions and think about readers' needs; and during the editing process, model how to use conventions to help readers understand the message. As students engage in reciprocal think-alouds, they dialogue about their texts. This dialoguing helps students to internalize their sense of audience and fine-tune their craftsmanship as writers.

Math

When teaching a new math process or strategy, think aloud to model its use. Ask students to work with a partner to practice thinking aloud to describe how they use the new process or strategy. Listen to students as they think aloud to assess their understanding.

Social Studies

In classroom discussions of difficult social studies topics, such as capital punishment or affirmative action, ask that students not only give their opinions but explain their reasoning by thinking out loud. Model thinking out loud yourself as you read a difficult text or express your own opinion on a complex issue.

Science

Think-alouds can be used to model the inquiry process in science. During instruction, have students continue the inquiry process using reciprocal think-alouds and then reflect upon the process in their journals or learning logs."

With the power of Teacher Model Journals comes the importance of feedback. Frequent, specific feedback is essential. However, feedback is only as powerful as the opportunity to respond/reflect to the feedback. A second grade team at a campus in NISD has done away with morning work and has purposefully structured the first 20 minutes of every day for students to respond to feedback in any content area. These teachers have constructed feedback so that students reflect, revise and improve their journal works. Again, the teachers review and give more feedback, and the cycle continues. The learning goes deeper. The learning becomes not about the destination of "complete" but continuous improvement and growth.

With modeling and feedback there is power, but how do the students consistently move forward?

That is where the frequency comes into play. An analogy was shared with our Southwest Learning Team that helped us all understand why frequency of entries in journals was an essential look for in our journal walks. The analogy was about training for a marathon. When one trains for a marathon, one doesn't go run a couple of weeks before the marathon a few miles every day. It is a lengthy, purposefully planned training process. Training runs consist of multiple weekly runs with planned longer runs to build stamina and endurance. In much the same way students need to respond frequently in their journals. In readers workshop it is an expectation K-5 that students are responding to their reading every day, having 3-4 completed responses per week to build that stamina and endurance, while maintaining quality in their responses.

As we move forward as a campus in our POP with literacy rich student work, journals are a perfect place to start. How are you and your team utilizing frequent entries, Teacher Model Journal, and the cycle of Feedback to encourage growth and depth of learning with students? Where is time provided for students to self-assess and respond to feedback? Does their work mirror the work of the Teacher Model Journal with expectancy and precision?  How do students know when their entries are showing deeper thinking? How often are they building those muscles of metacognition through responding to their learning through their journals (in any content area)?

Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

In Student-friendly Terms...

Before the kids walked through our doors to begin the 2016-17 school year, we, as a campus, had a vision for what this year would look like for all learners. Our Problem of Practice, while heavy with content and intent, needed to be in kid-friendly language if it would be meaningful for students. As teams we wrote kid-friendly POPs that could become part of the everyday foundational focus for learning.

As we reflect, consider:

• How are we bringing those kid-friendly POPs into our everyday learning focus? 
• Is it read, reviewed and reflected upon with the students? 
• Is the kid-friendly POP accessible for reference by students at any time? 
• Do the students see themselves as part of the vision to move forward as learners?

Here are the student-friendly POPs that were written before the start of the school year:

“Longhorns encourage one another to give our best effort and hold each other accountable by communicating our learning.”

 -created by GLAMP plus Intervention Specialist Team

 As Longhorns, we will be responsible for challenging and helping each other to grow in our learning.

2^nd  and 3^rd grade

  

Mrs. Webster and Mrs. Aslin will work together, and with your classroom teachers, to create lessons and activities that will challenge you and encourage you to grow in your learning.  You will work with your friends and challenge each other to create your own thoughtful work in Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and Science.

Teachers check in with each other to help each other reach goals. Students work together and challenge each other in a positive way.

Teachers will provide opportunities to read, write, and communicate in all classes. Students will actively participate to develop quality work in all classes.

Teachers and students will be partners in learning.

4^th and 5^th grade

Longhorn Learning Goal…Kinder and 1st

We will…

1      Work together as a team

2       Help others

         Work hard to do our best

4.     Make connections and share ideas

   Share in the comments how you and/or your team are being intentional in fostering student ownership of our campus Problem of Practice (kid friendly version)?
 
    Sendera Elementary 2016-17 Problem of Practice

    "Longhorn Master Builder News September 19, 2016"