Guiding More Effective Teaching with Teachscape Tools December 17, 2012

Session Agenda

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•  Setting the Stage o  Welcome and Introductions

o  Session Goals and Outcomes

•  Framing the Work o  Reviewing the Elements of a Teacher Effectiveness System

o  Exploring the Tools that Support the Work

•  Understanding a Problem of Practice o  Identifying a Problem of Practice

o  Developing a Robust Picture of Teaching Practice

•  Launching and Managing the Improvement Efforts o  Focusing on Individual and Collective Development

o  Using Teachscape Tools to Monitor Implementation, Measure Impact, Revise Plans

•  Closing o  Reflecting on the Work

o  Sharing a Three-Word Summary

Session Goals

1. Enhance the comfort and capacity of instructional leaders to use

observational data to inform instructional improvement strategies

2. Integrate Teachscape professional learning resources and tools to guide, support and sustain improved teaching and learning

Session Outcomes

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Improved Teaching and Learning

Progress Monitoring

Tools/Resources

FfT/Walk Data

Participants will demonstrate their ability to: •  Analyze FfT data relative to problems of

practice •  Integrate Walk data with FfT data to

ensure a more robust view of the practice •  Define data-informed approaches to

improvement •  Identify online resources to support the

improvement-focused Action Plans •  Identify effective strategies to use the

tools and resources to monitor implementation, measure impact and revise the Action Plans for instructional improvement

Norms for Our Work

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Norms for the Day�

•  Focus on solutions�•  Value the collective

wisdom in the room�•  Share your perspectives�•  Be conscious of ‘air time’�•  Be here�•  Commit to the work �

A Teacher Effectiveness System

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Key Elements of a Teacher Effectiveness System

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Building a Common Language of

Effective Practice

Observing and Analyzing Practice

Making Observation Data Actionable

Supporting Improved Teaching

Tools to Support the Teacher Effectiveness System

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Teachscape Focus and FFT

Teachscape Reflect

Teachscape Reflect Data

Teachscape Learn and DCT

Focus (FFTPS) and FFT

•  Builds a Common Language

•  Develops Accuracy and Inter-rater Reliability

Reflect

•  Gathers Evidence of Observations and Forms

•  Enables Effective Analysis of the Observation

Data

Reflect Data

•  Supports Performance Feedback

•  Informs Collaborative and Reflective

Discussions

Learn and DCT

•  Provides Professional Learning Resources

•  Supports Progress Monitoring

Using the Teacher Effectiveness Model and Tools to Improve Teaching and Learning

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Types of Observations – Using Teachscape Reflect

Most Generic: All Teachers

Less Generic: Teacher Cohorts

Specific: Problems of Practice

Generic Observations •  Districts tend to require generic

observations (“You will observe XX teachers by YY date”)

•  Generic observations provide a good overview of teaching practice across grades and content areas

Less Generic Observations •  Focuses on specific cohorts – third grade

teachers, Math teachers in HS, etc. •  A specific problem of practice has not

been defined

Specific Observations •  Focus on a defined problem of practice •  May or may not focus on a specific cohort

of teachers

Identifying Areas for Schoolwide Improvement: Reflect and DCT Data

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Analyze FFT Data: Take a Close Look

•  Identify 3-4 overall areas of strength

•  Identify 3-4 overall areas for improvement

•  Lincoln Elementary School’s goal is to improve the overall level of rigor, raising thinking and achievement to

the levels defined in the ELA CCSS.. Based on this, identify 2 areas for schoolwide PD.

•  Why did you select these areas?

Integrate DCT Data: Looking Deeper

•  Review the walkthrough data provided

•  Discuss how this reinforces or challenges your proposed PD focus

•  Will you change your focus? To what?

Addressing the Improvement Needs

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You Have Resources to Support Your Plan

Moving to a Solution: Performance Feedback

Feedback is the critical link between

observations and the deeper, critical

conversations that leverage meaningful

and sustainable changes in practice.

Performance feedback is specific.

Performance feedback is continuous.

Performance feedback is based on first-hand knowledge and trust.

Performance feedback is an ongoing exchange of information

about performance.

Feedback precedes coaching.

What Performance Feedback Is/Is Not

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Feedback Is…. Feedback is not….

•  evidence-based and practice-focused

•  accurate •  linked to a set of standards or rubrics •  criterion-referenced, timely, specific,

actionable •  designed to open thinking to

leverage deep conversations •  proven to be effective in changing

practice •  essential for reaching high

performance levels •  the what not the why

•  evaluative, focusing on either criticism or praise

•  advice •  a report, interaction is expected and

encouraged •  person-focused •  episodic •  threatening •  ‘soft talk’ that fails to recognize

areas for improvement •  opinion, interpretation or

conclusion •  overwhelming

Essential Elements to Improve Teaching and Learning

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Performance Feedback & Discussion

Links to Student Data

Valid Observation

Tool

Additional Observation Measures

Accurate Observation

Evidence

Improvement-Focused Action

Plans

Ongoing Progress

Monitoring

Highly Trained Observers

Improved Teaching and

Learning

Closing

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You Have All You Need to Improve Teaching and Learning

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Performance Feedback & Discussion

Links to Student Data

Valid Observation

Tool

Additional Observation Measures

Accurate Observation

Evidence

Improvement-Focused Action

Plans

Ongoing Progress

Monitoring

Highly Trained Observers

Improved Teaching and

Learning

FFT FFT PS

Walk/DCT Artifacts

Reflect

PLS/Learn DCT/Reflect

Reflect