4/29/15 Classroom Learning Labs Webinar Presentation

Editor's Notes

1. What are some forms of professional development you have found most beneficial?
2. There are many forms of the CLL, PLC, book study groups, lesson study, extension to professional development, experience how the shift in instruction looks and sounds, notice evidence of student learning. Every CLL takes on a different form of learning depending upon the educators bring to each session. The CLL and Instructional Rounds. have a lot of similarities, The goal of instructional rounds isn't to provide feedback to the teacher being observed, although this is an option if the observed teacher so desires. Rather, the primary purpose is for observing teachers to compare their own instructional practices with those of the teachers they observe. The chief benefit for both the CLL and Instructional Rounds resides in the discussion that takes place among observing teachers at the end of the observation as well as in subsequent self-reflection. CLL are organic and allow the educators to have choice and take away goals for themselves as well as the self reflection to their own practices.
3. As part of the systems view and structure, we encourage schools/districts to be focused in their CLL development and implementation. Many districts have identified their instructional model and best practices which have become the focus of their CLL.
4. Collegial relationships exist when teachers discuss problems and difficulties, share ideas and knowledge, exchange techniques and approaches, observe one another's work, and collaborate on instructional projects (Little, 1982; Rosenholtz, 1989; Smylie, 1988)
5. Little (1982) and Rosenholtz (1989) discovered key behaviors in schools with strong collegial orientations. In these schools, teachers value professional relationships, share ideas, and readily exchange new techniques.
6. Schools that foster collegiality often have organizational norms that overcome the uncertainties and isolation of teaching by supporting collegial dialogue, the exchange of ideas, debate over issues and techniques, and experimentation (Johnson, 1990). Teachers in these schools show a tendency to cooperate rather than compete, and they work in a "safe environment . . . free of criticism" (p. 170). Collegiality is nurtured, as honest debate and open disagreement combine with supportive, trusting relationships. Third, collegiality is fostered when reference groups that support dialogue, growth, and experimentation are available to teachers (Johnson, 1990). While the entire staff of a small school could serve as a successful professional unit - supporting, encouraging, and debating - in larger schools reference groups are more likely to be grade-level teams, interdisciplinary units, or departments. When these groups support collaborative practice and professional dialogue, collegiality can grow. Fourth, collegiality seems to wither or die when teachers are given insufficient time to engage in the kinds of joint tasks that build collegial relations and collaborative successes (Johnson, 1990). Teachers need time to meet, talk, think, and interact. While most research points to the ways in which principals have provided leadership and support for improvement efforts (Deal and Peterson, 1990; Fullan, 1991), principals also can get in the way of collegiality and collaboration. Administrators can foster collegiality by promoting teacher leadership and encouraging teachers to exchange ideas and work together.
7. These teachers (1) believe that student learning can be influenced by effective teaching, (2) exhibit greater confidence in their own teaching abilities, (3) tend to persist longer, (4) provide greater academic focus in the classroom, and (5) use different types of feedback than teachers with a low sense of efficacy (Smylie, 1988; Rosenholtz, 1989). Teachers with a high sense of efficacy are more likely to adopt new classroom behaviors (Rosenholtz, 1989; Smylie, 1988); have higher student achievement (Ashton, Burr, and Crocker, 1984); engage in rich and meaningful collaborative activities and collegial interactions; and persist in providing intensive instruction even with students most difficult to reach (Ashton et al, 1982; Gibson and Dembo, 1984). In urban schools, the teachers' sense of efficacy could support continued work to help all students learn. Teachers who believe that they can affect their students' learning are more likely to ask for and receive technical assistance from colleagues (Little, 1982; Rosenholtz, 1989; Smylie, 1988). They seem more comfortable asking for and giving advice and sharing techniques that can be used by others, which increases the degree of collegiality and collaborative norms in the school. In short, the research suggests that these teachers are more likely to work to improve their practice (Guskey, 1988; Rosenholtz, 1989; Smylie, 1988). Collaborative school cultures do not develop overnight, but are shaped by the ways principals, teachers, and key people reinforce and support underlying norms, values, beliefs, and assumptions.
8. Reflective dialogue: Members of the school community talk about their situations and the specific challenges they face. Together, they develop a set of shared norms, beliefs, and values that form a basis for action. Members of the community can use these discussions to critique themselves, as well as the institution within which they work. De-privatization of practice: Teachers share, observe, and discuss each other's teaching methods and philosophies. By sharing practice "in public," teachers learn new ways to talk about what they do, and the discussions kindle new relationships between and among the participants. Collective focus on student learning: Teachers are focused on student learning. They assume that all students can learn at reasonably high levels, and that teachers can help them, despite many obstacles that students may face outside school. This focus is not enforced by rules, but by mutually felt obligation among teachers. Collaboration: A strong professional community encourages teachers to work together to develop shared understandings of students, curriculum, and instructional policy. Collaboration also results in the production of materials and activities that improve instruction, curriculum, and assessment for students, as well as new and different approaches to professional development for the teachers themselves. Shared norms and values: Through their words and actions, teachers joined in a professional community affirm their common values concerning critical educational issues and in support of their collective focus on student learning.
9. Clearly teaching is a skill, and like any skill, it must be practiced. Just as athletes wanting to improve, must identify their personal strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and engaged in focused practice to meet those goals. Teachers must also examine their practices, set goals, engaged in focused practice and feedback to achieve their goals. This feedback must be grounded in an understanding of best instructional practices, how students learn, and in actual events or decisions the teacher has made. The goal is to build habits of reflective practices by each teacher through powerful collaborative conversations. Teacher reflection All educators have a private view of teaching, depending on their own experience as students or parents, professional prepartion, their experience, and interactions with colleagues. The most valuable aspect of the CLL for teaching its not about the acquisition of skills, but what is derived from the professional conversations among educators about their practice. Teachers acquire ideas from one another in a non evaluative, non judgemental environment. Teaching is so complex that is is never done perfectly, we need a professional learning process that allows and provides for continued learning to develop our craft. Teachers need to believe change is needed and have choice to grow.
10. CLL have been developed and continues to evolve to facilitate teacher thinking to impact their own classroom instruction.
11. It is a job embedded for of professional learning. Educators learning along side of one another, where no one is the expert or novice. The set of protocols ensures a safe and collaborative culture.
12. When we start within any system, we introduce staff to a variety of CLL formats and possible protocols. Staff experience a CLL, and all come away stating these protocols are the framework to use to create the safe collaborative culture.
13. The role of the facilitator is a critical element to this structure. The highly skilled facilitator must set aside their experiences and ideas in order to unlock the group potential for self reflection and growth. It is the facilitator who guides the discussion around what instructional decisions impact student learning. Their role is to know when to reveal or prompt thinking forward. To ensure every voice is heard and honored. Teachers are becoming more reflective practitioners- they compare what they experience through the CLL and discussions to their own instruction They look for instructional moves that impact student learning- or look ofr evidence of student learning, then listen to the teacher explain their instructional decisions that may have contributed to the success of the learning.
14. It was and remains a collaborative process of developing a professional learning experience for educators by educators. Grandville-other districts to across the county. We spent a year in Grandville with the support of the Kent ISD staff to develop the CLL process. Every step was a learning experience. Teachers K-12 were getting into each other’s classrooms for the first time to talk about instruction.
15. The CLL develops a culture of Inquiry, teachers notice and wonder together, not offering “fix it” strategies, but rather comparing with they notice and experience through the CLL process to their own instruction-thus more immediate change.
16. We understand and appreciate the need for content specific CLL experiences, we have learned the larger impact of cross district professional learning. Teachers are finding affirmation and new ideas growing from their CLL experiences. Administrators and teachers are reaching across the district and regional lines to work collaboratively to grow the craft of teaching, develop curriculum resources, and to continue dialogue on student achievement.
17. We understand and appreciate the need for content specific CLL experiences, we have learned the larger impact of cross district professional learning. Teachers are finding affirmation and new ideas growing from their CLL experiences. Administrators and teachers are reaching across the district and regional lines to work collaboratively to grow the craft of teaching, develop curriculum resources, and to continue dialogue on student achievement.
18. In what ways have CLL opened doors for admin too. Building curriculum collaborative teams to work together to develop resources needed by students and teachers. Encouraging teachers to visit other districts to develop their own craft around an initiative or best instructional practices.
19. While it is challenging to measure the impact of instructional decisions on student achievement. We have observable and perception data. We have teacher self reflections, and student feedback. Guest teachers collect evidence of student learning while observing through capturing student thinking or work artifacts. This data helps the teacher to make instructional decisions.