2009 Arizona Charter Schools Conference2009 Arizona Charter Schools Conference

Presented byMelissa Holdaway and Heather Henderson,

Arizona Charter Academy, and Susan Cameron,

Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Schools

Teacher observation nurtures a culture in which we can work in partnership and learn from one another. By working together, we have a greater knowledge base and this fact strengthens our pedagogical beliefs. Teacher observation builds community and a sense of caring in our school. Teacher observation increases common shared beliefs and gives teachers an understanding of what effective instructional practice looks like. from Reflective Essay on Classroom Observations by Terri S. Dudley, M.S. Ed.

Classroom Observations: The Basics

ResourcesCollaborative Peer Coaching That Improves Instruction: The 2+2 Perfor-mance Appraisal Model by Dwight Allen and Alyce LeBlanc

Look2Learning: A New Focus for Classroom Walkthrough by John Antonetti, Jim Garver, and Lorie Garver, training sponosred by Solution Tree

Cognitive Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools by Art Costa and Robert Garmston

Looking in Classrooms by Tom Good and Jere Brophy.

Supervision in Practice: 3 Steps to Improving Teaching and Learning by Glanz and Sullivan

Learning Walk, The Insitute for Learning, Learning Research and Develop-ment Center - University of Pittsburgh http://ifl.lrdc.pitt.edu/ifl/src/html/resnick.html

Mastery Teaching by Madeline Hunter

Marzano Observation and Feedback Protocol by Robert Marzano

The New Teacher Center www.newteachercenter.org

Teacher4Success Protocol, training sponsored by Northwest RegionalProfessional Development Program and WestEd

Approaches to Clinical Supervision: Alternatives for Improving Instruction by Edward Pajak

Ruby Payne’s Classroom Walk-Throughs adapted from A Framework for Un-derstanding Poverty, http://www.ahaprocess.com/store/Materials.html

Handbook on Teacher Evaluation: Assessing and Improving Performance by James H. Stronge and Pamela D. Tucker

Supervision That Improves Teaching: Strategies and Techniques by Susan Sul-livan and Jeffrey Glanz

Instructional Supervision: Applying Tools and Concepts, Second EditionBy Sally J. Zepeda

The Instructional Leader’s Guide to Informal Classroom Observations, 2nd edition by Sally J. Zepeda

“Classroom Observations of Effective Teaching” by Hersh Waxman in Teaching: Theory into Practice

Meet Your Presenters

Heather Henderson is a charter holder with over 12 years of educa-tional experience in a teaching, administrative and special education capacity, and is also the Principal and Special Education Director of Arizona Charter Academy. Mrs. Henderson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Special Education K-12 and Master’s Degree in School Leadership and is a certified principal. Heather’s focus on data-driven decision making has significantly increased student achievement in her school.

Melissa Holdaway holds an Executive MBA and has successfully built two charter schools. Currently she serves as charter holder/Chief Operating Officer for Arizona Charter Academy and Superior School in Surprise, AZ. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Arizona Charter Association and the College of Educa-tion at Grand Canyon University. E-mail Address: mholdaway@azcharteracademy.com

Susan Cameron spent 30 years in the 6th through High School classroom as a language arts/English teacher, Mentor teacher, and curriculum and instruction specialist in Mesa Public Schools. Currently she is in her 12th year as the Dis-trict Curriculum Administrator for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Schools. Additionally, she is a coach for the Professional Development Leadership Academy (PDLA), an external reviewer for the AdvancEd/NCA accreditation of schools, a facilitator for Critical Friends Groups and lesson studies. E-mail Address: susan.cameron@srpmic-ed.org

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Session Agenda

116

Clinical Supervision

Kinds of Things to be Observed

Common Elements of Systematic Observation Systems

Classroom Observations - The Basics

Classroom Observations - The BasicsThis session will present the basics of classroom observation techniques and

strategies, and provide an introduction to several qualitative and quantitative models, such as Teach4Success and Teacher Expectations for Student Achievement (TESA). Brief infor-

mation about Clinical Supervision and Cognitive Coaching will be discussed.

Sample Tools and Protocols

Resources

Page 2That Was Then; This is More Recent (a little background information)

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OBSERVATIONS

Page 3

Page 3

Page 4

Reasons for Observing Classrooms

Cognitive Coaching

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Page 6

Page 9

Page 16

THE CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

OUR FOCUS: The Walk Through

KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL OBSERVATIONS

Keys to Successful Observations

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Perspectives: Not Only Your Eyes Page 15

Page 16

Page 7

Page 5

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Perspectives: Not Only Your Eyes

Classroom Observations - The Basics Classroom Observations - The Basics

That Was Then (a little background information)

This is More Recent

Prior to the 60’s: Classroom observation was sporadic, used inconsistent measures, subjective, and no training was available for the evaluator or the evaluated; Pre observation - Observation - Post Observation was in use.

60’s - 80’s: Clinical Supervision; Madeline Hunter’s Essentials Elements of Instruction

90’s: Cognitive Coaching

In this Write Around Activity, you are asked to respond to the following prompts on the Perspective Posters.

Classroom observation: the Teacher’s Perspective

Classroom observation: the Students’ Perspective

Classroom observation: the Observer’s Perspective

2000’s: Walk Throughs gaining popularity; administrators not the only ones doing the observing.

314 Classroom Observations - The BasicsClassroom Observations - The Basics

Reasons For Observing Classrooms

1) Teacher Evaluation

2) Program Evaluation

3) Teacher Growth and Professional Development

4) Data Collection

5) Analysis of Teacher Effectiveness

classroom management

application of curriculum

cognitive level of instruction/learning

student/teacher engagement

use of learning time

differentiated instruction

Kinds of Things to Observe

instructional skills

content knowledge

student equity

monitoring of student progress/feedback

cooperative learning

Other Classroom ResourcesThe LearningWalk (from the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburg) is an organized visit through a school’s halls and classrooms using Laura Resnick’s Principles of Learning to focus on the instructional core.

During LearningWalks, participants spend five to ten minutes in each of several classrooms looking at student work and classroom artifacts, and talking with students and teachers. One of the hallmarks of the LearningWalk is that observation of the in-structional core is filtered through the eyes and voices of students. By means of these observations, walkers collect evidence about learning as well as teaching, about how the teacher’s work impacts student learning.

Between classroom visits, participants gather in the hall to discuss what they learned in the last room by making factual statements and generating questions they may have about what they observed which, if asked of teachers, might stimulate them to think more deeply about practice. At the end of the LearningWalk, participants work with the leader of the walk to refine observations and questions, to look for patterns within the school, and to think about next steps for the school, particularly next steps for pro-fessional development.

The Three-Minute Classroom Walk Through, first developed and introduced by Carolyn Downey, promotes the development of reflective, self-directed, self-analytical, interdependent teachers who examine their own practices (even those who initially are at the dependent level). In addition, the training shows teachers how to improve their teaching, work successfully with the district curriculum and for ever-higher student achievement.

The training for this particular protocol is site-specific, provided by qualified staff at Curriculum Management Systems, Inc. Arrangements for the training are made through Phi Delta Kappa, and the trainers come to your school.

The learned skills and information include: 1. How the walk through observation structure is implemented 2. How the walk through and its accompanying reflective conversations work with the appraisal process 3. How the underlying premises of the approach, which is informal and non- judgmental in nature, focus on the development of staff through reflective choice 4. How the reflective conversation and questions complement the classroom walk throughs 5. How reflective questions are phrased 6. How dynamic, new “reflective conversation dialogues” are conducted 7. How frequent classroom visitations and the walk through process are sup- ported by a strong research base

4 13Classroom Observations - The Basics Classroom Observations - The Basics

Common Elements of ObservationsClassroom observation is a quantitative method of measuring classroom behaviors of both teachers and students.

Most classroom observations include the following:

• a purpose for the observation

• operational definitions of all the observed behaviors

• training procedures for observers

• a specific observational focus

• a unit of time

• an observation schedule

• a method to record the data

• a method to process and analyze data (Stallings and Mohlman)

Los Angeles County Office of EducationDivision of Parent and Community ServicesPhone (800) 566-6651 • Fax (562) 401- 5659

Teacher Expectations & Student Achievement

OVERVIEWTESA is a dynamic, research-based program designed to promote teacher behaviors that cre-ate equity in the classroom, decrease student discipline problems, improve student academic performance, attendance, and classroom climate. Educators learn 15 interactions to improve three main areas of teaching behaviors: questioning, feedback, and student self-esteem.

TESA Program Results • Improves interactions between educators and students by raising awareness of how teacher’s expectations affect students’ performance. • Builds collegial team partnerships by providing peer support for participants. • Provides the structure for educators to shape their own staff development. • Fulfills requirements for certification renewal, peer review, quality review, and professional development for teachers and school administrators. (Title I of the Improving America’s Schools Act, Part A, Section 1119: Professional Development.)

Response Opportunities

Feedback PersonalRegard

Equitable Distribution ofResponse Opportunity Affirming or Correcting Proximity

Individual HelpLatencyDelvingHigher Level Questioning

PraiseReasons for Praise

ListeningAccepting Feelings

Courtesy

Personal Interest/ComplimentsTouching

Desist

TESA Interactions:

The Los Angeles County Office of Education is presenting TESA Coordinator Trainings. March 18-19, 2010Scottsdale, AZRegistration fee is $350 per person. Fee includes the two-day training, a TESA Coordinator Manual, an instructional video, an awareness packet, and an interaction wall chart. Attendees should include kindergarten through college teachers, counselors, school and district administrators, and superintendents.For additional information, please call the TESA Program office at (800) 566-6651 or visit the website at http://streamer.lacoe.edu/TESA.

As professionals and individuals who want to make a difference, reach our goals, achieve more, to in fact, unleash our potential, we need to be continuous learners. And to be the most effective continuous learners, we must learn to realize the importance of reflection. Kevin Eikenberry

Importance of Reflective PracticeN

512 Classroom Observations - The Basics Classroom Observations - The Basics

Sample Tool: Marzano’s Observation & Feedback

Building on the Art and Science of Teaching framework, the Marzano Observation and Feedback Protocol Incorporates his most currrent research around the use of research-based strategies within the context of appropriate lesson segments to produce the greatest gains in student learning.

The Classroom ObservationClassroom observation models emphasize a three-step consultation process which includes a pre-observation conference, classroom observation, and a post-obser-vation conference.

Pre-Observation Conference

In the pre-observation session, the observer obtains information from the instruc-tor concerning his or her class goals, students, and particular teaching style. An interview schedule provides a brief, structured way of obtaining such information and includes the following questions:

The Observation Using information from the teacher, the observer focuses the observation on spe-cific elements of instruction while “scripting” or note taking that which is said by both students and the teacher.

Post-Observation Conference

The post-observation conference is most useful if it occurs within a few days of the classroom observation, while the activities are still fresh in the minds of the teacher and observer. The observer should then discuss the focus of the observa-tion while it is still fresh in the teacher’s mind.

A series of questions with which to initiate a follow-up discussion might include:

1. What did you do that increased student learning (student success, etc) during the class session? What did you do that did not increase student learning during the class session? or2. How did your “closure” support the students’ comprehension of the lesson?What alternate ways might you have opened or closed the lesson?

SOMETHING to THINK ABOUT: How well do the above questions ac-curately reflect post observation conferences you have experienced?

Marzano’s Design Questions for the three types of Lesson Segments

Lesson Segments Enacted on

the Spot

Design Question: What will I do to establish learning goals, track student progress, and celebrate success?

Lesson Segments Involving Routine

Events

Design Question: What will I do to establish and maintain classroom rules and procedures?

Lesson Segments Addressing

Content

Design Question: What will I do to help students actively interact with the new knowledge?

Design Question: What will I do to help students practice and deepen theirunderstanding of new knowledge?

Design Question: What will I do to help students practice and deepen theirunderstanding of new knowledge?

Design Question: What will I do to engage students?

Design Question: What will I do to recognizeand acknowledge adher-ence or lack of adherence to rules and procedures?

Design Question: What will I do to establish and maintain effective relationships with students?

Design Question: What will I do to communicate high expectations for allstudents?

Following the Marzano Protocol, observers must first look at what is happeningin the classroom to select the type of lesson segment from the list of three categories. After selecting the lesson segment, observers select the design question,revealing the appropriate instructional strategies on which to focus.

His protocol provides guidance to observers by starting broad with lesson segments, then drilling down to design questions, and finally to the appropri-ate strategies for that segment. This promotes effective teaching by classify-ing the use of strategies under the appropriate lesson segments rather than simply a checklist of present/nonpresent behaviors.

6 Classroom Observations - The Basics 11Classroom Observations - The Basics

Sample Tool: Ruby PayneClinical supervision is a deliberate, goal oriented, and unprejudiced intervention into the instructional process. It assumes there is a professional working relationship between teacher(s) and supervisor(s), and it requires a high degree of mutual trust. It is viewed as a vehicle for developing professional responsible teachers who are capable of analyzing their own performance, who are open to change and assistance from others, and who are above all, self-directing. Additionally, clinical supervision assumes the supervisor knows about the analysis of instruction and learning and also about productive human interaction.

ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING THE PROCESS OF CLINICAL SUPERVISION1. Teaching is a complex set of activities that requires careful analysis.2. Teachers are responsible and competent professionals who desire help if it is of-fered in a collegial way.3. The purpose of clinical supervision is to assist teachers to modify existing patterns of teaching.

A CLINICAL SUPERVISION MODEL1. Pre-conference with teacher2. Observation of the classroom3. Analyzing and interpreting observation and determining conference approach 4. Post-conference with teacher.

Ruby Payne has created walk-through rubrics for a fast and simple way to quantify progress in the classroom. Just check off the behaviors on the list, include the name and date of the teacher, and one has a running record.

Clinical Supervision

Cognitive coaching is based on the idea that metacognition–or being aware of one’s own thinking processes–fosters independence in learning. By providing personal insights into the learner’s own thinking processes, cognitive coaching builds flexible, confident problem-solving skills. Plus, it encourages self-efficacy and pride.

Basic Elements

Coaching involves the modeling of self-appraisal and the self-management of cogni-tion by an expert. It also involves learner performance and reflection, internalizing, and generalizing.

Dialogue, both on the part of the coach and the coached, is another prominent aspect of coaching.

Adult learning principles greatly support cognitive coaching and predict its success. For example, adult coaching is often used as an alternative to clinical supervision in developing the teaching and management skills of school administrators. How-ever, cognitive coaching is also being developed in K-12 instructional programs for special needs and whole language students. Apparently, the same principles apply for both adults and children…imagine that!

Cognitive Coaching

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OUR FOCUS: The WalkthroughSample Tool: Teach4SuccessWestEd has created a research-based framework for observing and analyzing the quality of classroom practices and instruction called The Teach for Success Class-room Observation Protocol (T4S).

Classroom:T4S Classroom Observation Form

Content: School: District:

Start Time: Date: Observer:End Time:(O. = Observed/Present N.O. = Not Observed)

O. N.O. Instructional Practices to Engage and Support All Students in Learning Faciliation of student conversationTeacher-led instruction Student seatwork and/or centers with teacher engaged Student seatwork and/or centers with teacher disengagedTotal disengagement

O. N.O. Student Engagement Throughout the Learning 85 percent of the students are engaged at the same time throughout academic learning _____ Teacher elicits students to be engaged in academic learning _____ 85 percent of the students are engaged throughout the learning _____ 85 percent of the students are engaged at the same time _____ Student engagement is made mandatory for 85 percent of the students Instructional Strategies (Marzano, et al., 2001)_____ Identify similarities and/or differences_____ Note taking _____ Generating and/or testing hypotheses_____ Cooperative learning

_____ Summarizing _____ Nonlinguistic representations _____ Questions, cues and/or advanced organizers_____ Homework and/or practice

Level of Cognition Remember Understand Apply Analyze-Evaluate-Create

O. N.O. Instructional Practices Related to Standards, Curriculum, and StudentsInstruction appropriate to grade level standard(s) Learning objective(s) communicated to all students Learning is made relevant for learners Key vocabulary emphasized (DL) Use of scaffolding techniques to assist/support student understanding (DL)Opportunities for interaction and discussion to elaborate between teacher/student and among students (DL)Regularly provides specific feedback to students on their output (DL) All teachers input, activities, questions, and responses are related to objective(s) (DL)

O. N.O. Assessing Student Learning Summative assessment to determine mastery of learning Formative assessment to determine instructional needs of all students Monitors and/or adjusts individually or collectively

O. N.O. Creating and Maintaining Effective Learning Environments for Student LearningClimate of fairness, caring, and respect is maintained by teacher Standards for behavior, routines, and transitions are maintained by teacher Reinforces effort and/or provides recognition Literacy rich environment establishedInstructional time maximized

O. N.O. Schoolwide Instructional Strategies Not Included in the Protocol

T4S Classroom Observation Protocol

©

WHAT:

WHEN:

HOW:

WHY:

Frequent feedback is beneficial to teachers. Robert Marzano

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Sample Tool: Look 2 Learning Solution Tree: The non-evaluative design of L2L can be a useful tool for peer coaches and team leaders, as well as school administrators. The most unique feature of L2L is the focus on student learning rather than teaching. Using a simple recording format, observers make frequent classroom visits to collect information about student learn-ing, student engagement and student work. Collected data includes the high-impact, leading indicators of learning, providing more powerful and more focused informa-tion about learning.

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NOTES