Coaches Professional Learning Program March 2009

Supporting teachers to reflect on their practice: the PoLT way

Aims of PoLT

• Describe effective learning and teaching• Provide processes for schools to assess effectiveness of their

existing programs• Provide support for teachers to actively improve current

practice• Respect and value teacher knowledge and commitment as keys

to improvement• Respect local conditions in which schools operate

How will PoLT support teachers?

• Tools to facilitate reflection on teacher practice • Tools to map student perceptions and learning preferences• Advice on data collection and analysis to assist in planning• Access to professional learning resources

Q. Which of these do you use currently?

PoLT Program

THE PRINCIPLES

Students learn best when:1. The learning environment is supportive and productive

2. The learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self-motivation

3. Their needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program

4. They are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application

5. Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning

6. Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom

Components of Principle 4

4 Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application

In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:• 4.1 plans sequences to promote sustained learning that builds

over time and emphasizes connections between ideas• 4.2 promotes substantive discussion of ideas• 4.3 emphasises the quality of learning with high expectations of

achievement• 4.4 uses strategies that challenge and support students to

question and reflect• 4.5 uses strategies to develop investigating and problem-solving

skills• 4.6 uses strategies to foster imagination and creativity

The Principles Unpacked4.4 The teacher uses strategies that challenge and support

students to question and reflectThis component is demonstrated by teachers:• introducing ideas by using interesting and challenging activities• using short, group-based challenging activities to raise questions• challenging students to reflect on their responses to tasks• asking students to represent their understandings in a variety of ways

encouraging students to see knowledge as a construction and to examine critically and even challenge information provided by the teacher, a textbook, a newspaper, etc.

Component Mapping

5: I consistently design tasks that are structured to challenge and support students to engage with deeper levels of understanding and practice through questioning, interpreting, and reflecting.

4: Between these

3: I tend to use tasks involving standard procedures and interpretations, but occasionally use challenging tasks that engage students with deeper levels of questioning and interpretation.

2: Between these

1: I almost always use tasks involving standard procedures with fixed response formats. I rarely use tasks that require deeper level questioning and interpretation.

Comment

Principle 4 Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application 4.4 The teacher uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflectIn my practice:

ause

araphrase

robe

Adapted from Art Costa, “Habits of the Mind”

The 3Ps

ause

Pause time . . .

Allows for Think Time

araphrasing

When you paraphrase, you are checking that you have understood the intended message given. It can be reaffirming for the coachee.

araphraseYou can get more clarity about what a person means or intends by confirming any of four things:

An attitude

A feeling

A fact

An implied or expressed interest

Adapted from Coaching skills for Successful Teaching, Performance Learning Systems Inc. 1996

Confirmatory Paraphrasing

BEGINNINGS • The problem is . . . • You feel . . . • You are finding . . . • You believe that . . .• You plan to . . . • I can expect . . . • You are (emotion) . . . • We need . . .

From Coaching Skills for Successful Teaching, Performance Learning Systems Inc. 1996

robe Questions that probe . . .

Examples of QUESTIONS to promote CLARITY and PRECISION, uncovering generalisations, deletions and distortions:

•Who specifically?

•How specifically?

•For what purpose?

•In comparison to what?

•What will happen if you don’t do that?

Partner activity using the 3PS and Component mapping

PERSON ONE:

Discuss responses to mapping of

selected principle (from earlier

exercise)

PERSON TWO:

Pause, paraphrase, then probe

The Action Research Model outlines the process which individuals or groups can use to further develop skills and strategies related to their field of inquiry.

Each section, or stage, of the PoLT Online Resource is linked to the process.

PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION MEETING /

PRE-OBSERVATION CONFERENCE

4. DEBRIEFING / POST-OBSERVATION CONFERENCE 2. OBSERVATION

3. ANALYSIS BY COACH/COACHEE

leads to

provides “data” forprovides “topics” for

provides agenda for

Adapted from The Teaching and Educational Development Institute, University of Queensland.

Classroom observations

ReadingsWatching videos

Other Professional

Learning

1.

2.

3.

4.

H.O. 3a

Discussion . . .

Reflect on how you conduct a coaching cycle with a coachee.– What are the steps you use?– What record keeping is kept by . . .

• You?• Coachee?

– How regularly do you meet for pre and post observation discussions?

– What observations do you make in classrooms? – Do you use proformas, checklists etc? If so, describe.– How long do your coaching conversations usually take?

H.O. 2

• Familiarisation with the 6 principles and their components

• Teacher reflection and self-assessment (Component mapping)

• Student surveys (perceptions and learning preferences)

• Planning & trialing changes to pedagogy

What will PoLT involve?

PoLT support materials

Web-based resources for all schools:• Background Paper• Components of the Principles• Principles Unpacked• Online Professional Learning Resource

Online Professional Learning Resource

• Flexible resource – may be used individually, in small groups or by teams

• May be used by schools who have already done PoLT training for further exploration, or by schools who wish to familiarise themselves with the Principles

• Includes theory, practical suggestions, vignettes, opportunities for reflection, access to further information and glossaries

Continuous improvement

• Each school and each individual teacher uses their local PoLT data to improve particular aspects of practice over time…

Our own reflection….What do I want to focus on as a result of my learning today?

What will I do tomorrow; next week; next month?

Who do I need to talk to?

What resources/support do I need?

What questions do I still have?

Anything else?