Peer Review Prep Session

2010-11

Academic Quality

Division of Performance & Accountability

Agenda

1:00pm What is the Peer Review?

1:30pm The QR Rubric and Weighted Indicators

2:20pm Peer Review Step 1: Pre-visit Preparation

3:05pm Break

3:15pm Peer Review Step 2: The Site Visits

4:00pm In Closing

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What is a Peer Review?

Refer to Peer Review memo in your folder• Network teams organize the pairing of peer schools• One Peer Review includes 2 day-ling visits to 2 schools: a 1-

day visit to School “A”, and then a 1-day visit to School “B”• Principal of School “B” visits School “A” and vice versa• At the center of the visit is the Quality Review rubric,

particularly 5 indicators (which have been double-weighted this year): 1.1: Rigorous and accessible curriculum 1.2: Pedagogy and differentiated classroom practices 1.3: Leveraging structures, technology, and resources to improve

student outcomes 2.2: Assessment quality and information use 4.1: Data-informed staff support and performance evaluation decisions

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What is a Peer Review? (Continued)

• The Peer Review is not a high-stakes affair – no PPR score, no published report (though kept on file centrally)

• There are 3 steps to the Peer Review process: 1. Pre-visit Preparation 2. The Site Visits3. Post-visit: Writing the report

• Peer reviews should occur in the second semester of the year.o All draft reports will be due to the QR team June 15, 2010o Quality Assurance process will offer comments in a weeko Revised reports will be due June 30, 2011

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Expectations in the Peer Review processWe have not shared these documents with any other cluster/network yet

and would like to get helpful feedback from you all – so there may be some revisions.

Roles:» Cluster liaisons (Anna & Linda) help organize and communicate to central» One network member is the point-person and responsible for the set up,

implementation and completion of the Peer Review process.» The same network person receiving this training should also experience

the writing support training, facilitate the peer review, visits and write the report. (Other network team members can receive training.)

» Host principal: self reflect honestly – no need for a “dog and pony” show – and be willing to take critical feedback.

» Peer Principal: provide honest but respectful feedback and insights – being overly kind will not serve the students and teachers in the host school

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Instructional Rounds: City, Elmore, et al

Go Beyond the Land of Nice (pg 76-77)

“Networks whose members feel safe but are not challenged to look at their practice and learn won’t help scale up systems to support high-quality teaching and learning.”

Strategies:• Use structured protocols that set aside normal defaults of

personalization (e.g. low-inference)• Keep the focus on students and teaching, not teachers:

separate the practice from the person.

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Expectations for Today’s Session

Today’s session is not merely a commitment to turn-keying or compliance – you are committing to digging deeply into understanding the QR rubric and making the Peer Review process a meaningful learning experience for principals and schools.

What we will cover today: • Understanding the QR rubric and 5 weighted indicators• Pre-visit preparation (PRSEF and data trails)• The site visit expectations

What we won’t cover today:• The Peer Review Report (in the folder)• Post-visit writing (will be ½ day support session in next 2 months)

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The QR Rubric and Weighted Indicators

Look & Listen Fors Jigsaw activity (40min)> Each table is assigned one of the 5 weighted indicators (1.1, 1.2,

1.3, 2.2., or 4.1) > In pairs or individually take your assigned weighted indicator and

read the QR rubric for that indicator; jot down notes or highlight phrases you feel are important in understanding this indicator (5min)

> In groups of 3-4, describe “Look Fors and Listen Fors” (evidence you should see and hear in the school visit) for Proficient vs. Developing. (10min) Facilitators have groups share out and chart the table’s

thinking. (10min)> If time, build out descriptions for the lines between the other

categories (Proficient vs Well Developed, Developing vs Underdeveloped). (15min) Again, share out and chart the thinking.

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Assessment of Understanding

Learning Check Assessment (10min)> Facilitators distribute the weighted indicator sample bullets and

participants read the bullets pertaining to their assigned weighted indicator.

> Participants describe where on the rubric it falls (WD, P, D, UD) and why.

> Discuss at the table.> Check the answer sheet.

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Peer Review Step 1: Pre-visit Preparation

Look over the Peer Review Self Evaluation Form (PRSEF)> Clarifying questions?> The choice of additional indicators should be collaborative,

between host principal and network (and peer principal if possible). It is a very important discussion: the review preparation and site

visit schedule need to flow from this collaborative decision> What information should be considered by the host principal in

crafting the PRSEF?

 

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Reviewer Preparation

What information will be provided to reviewers in preparation for the visit?

From DPA: Data profile of test score trends and some demographic info HR 1-pager

From Host Principal PRSEF Bell schedule, student programs, teacher schedules, etc. Strategic plans

Online: ARIS data (network person), Progress Report, LES, previous QR,

CEP summary

  

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Reviewer Preparation (continued)

Creating review trails in the Peer Review Record Book from data sources> Refer to Peer Review Record Book, pg 4> Individually, develop 1 data trail question from the sample data

profile and 1 data trail question from the HR 1-pager – make sure they are linked to one of the weighted indicators

> Facilitators: share examples across the table – chart these if possible

  

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BREAK3:15-3:25pm

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Peer Review Step 2: The Site Visits

Calendar the site visit dates in the second semester, as soon as possible

Planning the schedule/site visits:> Review Record Book (pg 6) for the mandated Peer Review

objectives (and related evidence venues). Clarifying questions?

> Review Peer Review Record Book for resource supports Organizing notes for each indicator of focus: Pg 7 shows QS 1 +

5.1 Reflecting on Teacher work and support: Pg 29 Reflecting on Student work: Pg 30 Reflection time before final feedback protocol: Pg 33-36

Note: the Record Book should be used in writing up the report; handed over to the host principal following the finalization of the report or shredded upon disposal.

Begin the planning discussion

Principals and network team can begin to collaboratively discuss indicators of focus and draft site visit schedule (20min)> Note that the site visit schedules are required to include within

the Peer Review report.> Facilitators can respond to specific questions

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In Closing

Step 3 Post-visit process is writing up the report. This work will be covered in a separate half-day training for those doing the writing during the next 1-2 months.> Reminder: It is very important that network team members conducting

the Peer Review visits experience this training first so that there is clarity of expectations – which have an impact on how the evidence is perceived and communicated in the final feedback session.

> E.g.an indicator, such as 1.1, cannot be seen as a strength and an area for improvement.

Questions? Contact a team member or write to qualityreview@schools.nyc.gov

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