4/29/15 classroom learning labs webinar presentation
TRANSCRIPT
Building a Collaborative
Community through Classroom
Learning LabsTeresa McDougall and Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt
Changing the Culture of
Classrooms, Buildings, and
Districts Through Classroom
Learning Labs
The Ripple Effect…………………..Teresa McDougall and Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt
@tmcdicoach
@dvanderj
What are some elements of collaboration
you believe are needed for students to
achieve and thrive?
What are some elements of collaboration
you believe are needed for educators to
achieve and thrive?
What are elements of professional
development you value?
Traditional form of Professional Development
Compared to Classroom Learning Labs
Classroom Learning Labs:● Relationship is peer-peer
● Teacher reflects, chooses area for
professional growth,
● Focuses on student learning and
evidence of the learning
● Facilitator and colleagues follow up
with host and guest educators to coach
and collaborate
● CHOICE
Traditional Form: ● Relationship is expert-novice
● Expert/supervisor evaluates,
areas for discussion
● Focuses on teacher actions
● Generally one time session
The outcome of powerful conversations
regarding instructional practice results in
change and adjustment in teacher practice
resulting in increased student
achievement.
Schools with professional collaboration exhibit
relationships and behaviors that support quality work
and effective instruction, including the following:
● More complex problem-solving and extensive sharing of craft knowledge
● Stronger professional networks to share information
● Greater risk-taking and experimentation (because colleagues offer support
and feedback)
● A richer technical language shared by educators in the school that can
transmit professional knowledge quickly
● Increased job satisfaction and identification with the school
● More continuous and comprehensive attempts to improve the school,
when combined with school-level improvement efforts
(see Fullan and Hargreaves, 1991, for an excellent review)
Teachers and administrators spend time observing
each other, and they instruct each other in the craft
of teaching through formal and informal
demonstrations.
Collegial environments favor in-depth problem solving
and planning. Interactions among staff and
administrators foster more successful staff
development, ongoing refinement of instruction, and
improved teaching.
Schools with Strong Collegial Orientations
As Susan Johnson (1990) found in her
study of teachers and their work:
The teachers made it clear that continuing collegial
interaction benefits both them and their students. It
sustains them through difficult times. It deepens their
understanding of subject matter and pedagogy, supplies
them with novel approaches, and allows them to test
and compare practices. It encourages cooperative
approaches to school change. It promotes high
professional standards and a more coherent
instructional experience for children. (p. 178)
Key aspect of collaborative cultures
is the teachers' sense of efficacy
- "the extent to which a teacher believes that he or she
has the capacity to affect student learning"
(Ashton, Burr and Crocker, 1984, p. 29).
-Teachers with a high sense of efficacy believe that their
efforts and expertise will have more impact on student
learning than such external variables as parental
support, class size, student motivation, and student
socioeconomic background (Smylie, 1988; Rosenholtz, 1989).
In what ways do you have or support
collaboration in your classroom, building,
or district?
Structures and Activities That Support
CollaborationWhen staff have more opportunities to
collaborate in activities that are
positive, self- directed, and important
to them, a culture of collaboration is
more likely to develop (see Little, 1982; Fullan and Hargreaves, 1989).
Building Collaboration Across the
Building, District, and County
1. Reflective dialogue.
2. De-privatization of practice
3. Collective focus on student learning
4. Collaboration
5. Shared norms and values
Social and human resources to
enhance professional community● Openness to improvement -- support for risk taking
● Trust and respect -- teachers honored for their expertise
● Cognitive skill base -- effective teaching based on expertise in the knowledge and skills of teaching
● Supportive leadership -- focused on shared purpose, continuous improvement, and collaboration
● Socialization -- The school culture must encourage positive behaviors and discourage negative ones, in a daily process aimed at working toward the school vision and mission.
The Goal of the CLL is to Develop More
Reflective Practitioners
“It is a well-accepted fact among educators that what a teacher
does in the classroom has a direct effect on student
achievement.”(Nye, Konstantopoulos, & Hedges, 2004)
A number of researchers have reported results that support
professional development that “is situated in practice, is ongoing,
promotes collaborative inquiry and critical discourse, and is
focused on improving student learning.” (Mast & Ginsberg, 2010, p. 257)
(Ball & Cohen, 1999; Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999; Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1999; Lyons &
LaBoskey, 2002)
“Effective professional development for teachers should help them
“explore the upsides and downsides of experience, making their
practice transparent and their knowledge public in the presence of
others.”(Cheryl Craig and Margaret Olson 2002 p. 117)
What are some ways the professional
development you provide or have experienced,
encourages teachers to develop a habit of
thinking to be more reflective in their own
practices?
What is the Classroom Learning
Lab?Professional Learning
created and provided
for Educators by
Educators that has a
ripple effect on
teaching and learning
What are the Adopted Protocols?1. Pre-Lesson Coaching Conversation
2. CLL:
Pre Brief
Classroom Observation
DeBrief-Collaborative Conversations
3. Follow Up:
Coach or Facilitator follows up on the goals stated
by participants.
Instructional Dialogue
The more we have collaborative
conversation, we realize they are like
layers of an onion.
Developing the CLL
A teacher must have a general idea
of what constitutes
effective teaching.
Growing a teacher’s domain
knowledge so they know what strategies and
behaviors are generally effective in their areas of
expertise, while developing the practice to grow more
effective strategies to meet the needs of their
students.
Impact on the Classroom Culture
Abby’s Reflection on her own instruction and student learning.
“Increased Classroom or Student Dialogue”
“Questioning to get to students thinking”
“Use of Formative Assessments to make instructional
decisions”
“Beginning to become aware of some of the subtleties
going on the classroom”
“Use of multiple cooperative and collaborative strategies
and groupings.
The CLL has impacted my teaching and student
learning by helping me find the areas that I am
doing well in and those areas that I need to
improve.
Collaborating with other teachers has also given
me a wealth of ideas and knowledge. It also
fosters teachers to want to collaborate more,
which is an ideal way to grow in our profession.
Students are engaged and eager to learn. (Michele Stutzky, Teacher, Grandville Public Schools)
Impact on the Classroom Culture
Impact on the Building Culture
● Increased interest in participation in learning from colleagues
● Meaningful conversation around instructional thinking that
probably wouldn't have happened
● Growing in our ability to provide high quality insight
● Building leadership capacity in the teaching ranks
● Helped our district align in a common area
● Brings value to the craft of teaching-seems we honor the
decisions/moves a teacher makes because there is a pre-brief and
debrief platform where they defend/justify their thinking(Michelle Krynicki, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Godwin Heights 2015)
Theresa’s thoughts on the impact CLL has had on her building.
Impact on the Building Culture
We are seeing the CLL evolve. Unique collaborative learning models
reflecting the desires of our teachers are starting to develop. We have
noticed more teacher teams collaborating within schools (even some
outside of their own school in cross-grade teams) to improve instruction
in a variety of content areas. The collaborative spirit is growing. (Michelle Becker, Instructional Coach, Forest Hills Public Schools 2015)
Impact on the County Culture● Teachers focus on teaching and learning
○ Implementation of the standards
○ Innovative ideas
○ Inquiry
○ Implementation of new curriculum
○ Seeking feedback
○ Student evidence of learning
● Developing curriculum and resources○ Cross collaboration
● Administrators share strengths and weaknesses○ Their curriculum, student data, or needs of teachers-areas they
would like to develop
Impact on the County Culture
Cross districts and county Lines CLL
Cross district sharing of ideas and
resources
Collaboration on curriculum,
resources, instructional practices,
innovative ideas.
Teacher Reflections on the CLL Professional
Learning Experience
● “Being a member of the group has pushed me to grow as a
teacher. Also, it has pushed me to look more closely at the
Instructional Model. I have thought much more about why I do
what I do in the classroom. Getting ideas from other teachers
and being able to talk together is incredibly valuable.”
● “It pushes me to the next level of instruction. It encourages me
to take risks and be reflective on my teaching. I have taken a
piece of every members lesson and used it in my own
classroom.”
● “Thank you so much for this opportunity! I’m so
happy that I took a chance and said yes. :)”
Impact on Student Achievement
One Middle School teacher shared after participating in a
CLL where the host teacher modeled scaffolded questioning
in her class dialogue to get to student deeper thinking.
After a month of implementing more questioning and
providing students more opportunities to share thinking, he
noticed an increase in student test scores by 15%-20%.
In what ways do the CLL compare to
what you envision for your
colleagues?
What are you wondering about?
What questions might you have?
Resources for you to access
http://cllicoach.weebly.com/
@tmcdicoach
@dvanderj
The Literature
Reflecting on Teaching and Learning● Peer mediation:
● Communities of practice (Wenger, 2014)
● Reflection-in-action (Schon, 1983)
● Progressive discourse (Wells, 2000)
● Peer coaching (Joyce & Showers, 2002)
● Expert mediation
● Responsive and directive coaching (Ippolito 2009)
● Student-centered coaching (Sweeney, 2011)
● Cognitive Coaching (Costa & Garmston, 2002)
● Video mediation
● Video clubs in Mathematics teacher noticings (Sherrin, 2011)
Research to Support Our Work
Cambourne, B. (1995). Toward an educationally relevant theory of literacy learning: Twenty years of
inquiry. The Reading Teacher, 49(3), 182-190.
DuFour, R. & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional learning communities at work: Best practices for
enhancing student achievement. Bllomington, IN: National Education Service.
Houk, L, (2010). Demonstrating teaching in a lab classroom. Educational Leadership, 67.
International Reading Association (2010). Standards for Reading Professionals. Retrieved March 26,
2013 from:
http://www.reading.org/General/CurrentResearch/Standards/ProfessionalStandards2010.aspx
Lacina, J. & Block, C.C. (2011). What matters most in distinguished literacy teacher education
programs? Journal of Literacy Research. 43(4), 319-351.
Marker, E. & D’Onfrio, A. (2010). A different kind of coaching: The professional preparation of
graduate level reading specialists combining video coaching with concurrent feedback. College
Reading Association Yearbook, 31, 95-112.
Sweeney, D. (2010). Student-centered coaching: A guide for K-8 principals and coaches.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Tomlinson, C.A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by
design: Connecting content and kids. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development:
Alexandria, VA.
Wenger, E. (c2007). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Communities of practice.
[http://www.ewenger.com/theory/. Accessed May 9, 2014.
Zhang & Miller in R. Goldman, R. Pea, B. Barron & S. Derry (Eds.) (2007). Video research in the
learning sciences. New York, NY: Routledge.
Building a Collaborative
Community through Classroom
Learning LabsTeresa McDougall and Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt
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