transforming professional learning to support great teaching · large group, formal, one-size-fits...

Presented at:

2014 Conference on Teaching:

Supporting Great Teaching

Presented by:

Stephanie Hirsh, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Learning Forward

Chicago, IL

November 2014

Transforming Professional Learning to Support Great Teaching

1 www.learningforward.org

Learning Forward

is an international

membership association

of educators focused

on increasing student

achievement through

effective professional

learning.


What did you see that you

appreciated in this video?

What does this video have

to do with this session?

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/12th-grade-text-analysis-lesson

Protocol #1: Great Teaching in Action


What did you see that you

appreciated in this video?

What does this video have

to do with this session?

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/12th-grade-text-analysis-lesson



Transformed

Professional Learning

Transformed

Classroom Instruction

Transformed

Student Learning


Professional learning is essential to improving

performance of educators.

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

Professional learning is the key strategy for closing

achievement gaps among students.


1 2 3 4 5

Effective professional learning fosters collective

responsibility for the success of all students.


1 2 3 4 5


Protocol #2: Examining Assumptions

The most powerful professional learning occurs among

teachers in learning teams committed to continuous

improvement.


1 2 3 4 5

Professional learning is key to ensuring that all – not

just some – students experience great teaching

everyday.


1 2 3 4 5


Protocol #2: Examining Assumptions

• Professional learning is essential to

improving the performance of educators.

• Professional learning is the key strategy for

closing achievement gaps among students.

• Effective professional learning fosters

collective responsibility for the success of all

students.


Professional Learning Matters


• The most powerful professional learning

occurs among teachers in learning teams

committed to continuous improvement.

• Professional learning is key to ensuring that

all – not just some – students experience

great teaching everyday.

Professional Learning Matters

What did you see that

you appreciated in this

video?

How does this

demonstration align to

your vision of effective

professional learning?

Protocol #3: Professional Learning in Action


Ford Middle School

Allen, TX

What did you see that

you appreciated in this

video?

How does this

demonstration align to

your vision of effective

professional learning?



Ford Middle School

Allen, TX

Standards for Professional Learning

Learning Communities

Leadership

Resources

Data

Learning Designs

Implementation

Outcomes

17 17 19 www.learningforward.org

Less More

Individual learning

Driven by educator

preference

Focused on generic

instruction

Large group, formal,

one-size-fits all to build awareness


Protocol #4: Transforming Professional Learning


Less More

Occasional episodic, “adult

pull out” programming

Measuring satisfaction

Counting hours for credit

Low expectations for

application of new learning



Less More

Individual learning Collaborative learning

Driven by educator

preference

Focused on generic

instruction





Less More


Driven by educator

preference

Driven by student, educator,

and system data

Focused on generic

instruction





Less More


Driven by educator

preference


and system data

Focused on generic

instruction

Focused on content depth and

content-specific instruction





Less More


Driven by educator

preference


and system data

Focused on generic

instruction

Focused on content depth and

content-specific instruction



Informal learning to develop,

refine, and expand practice



Less More

Occasional episodic, “adult pull out” programming Measuring satisfaction

Cycle of continuous improvement


Low expectations for application of new learning



Less More


Cycle of continuous improvement Measuring change





Less More



Counting hours for credit Awarding credit for documenting impact




Less More



Counting hours for credit Awarding credit for documenting impact


High expectations for application coupled with coaching and other support


• Support comprehensive systems that are

grounded in Standards and assess for impact.

• Encourage innovative schedules, school

structures, and roles that allow teachers

more time to learn from one another and

collaborate.

• Invite accomplished teachers to share ideas

and perspectives on professional learning.


What can you do?

What the best and

wisest parent wants

for his own child,

that must be what

the community wants

for all its children.

-John Dewey


Commitment

Next actions

Remaining questions


What will you do?

“The quality of our nation’s teacher corps will

largely determine the success or failure of our

public education systems and affect the future of

our democracy for years to come. If we really want

to continue to improve student achievement we

have no choice but to improve teaching.”

Vartan Gregorian

President

Carnegie Corporation of New York

Milgrom-Elcott, Talia. The Elusive Talent Strategy: An Excellent Teacher for Every

Student in Every School, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Winter 2011


“After 30 years of doing such work, I have

concluded that classroom teaching is perhaps the

most complex, most challenging, and most

demanding, subtle, nuanced, and frightening activity

our species has ever invented….the only time a

physician could possibly encounter a situation of

comparable complexity would be in the emergency

room of a hospital during or after a natural disaster.”

Lee S. Shulman, The Wisdom of Practice: Essays on Teaching, Learning,

and Learning to Teach, Jossey-Bass, 2004.


The Complexity of Teaching

Questions


Definition of Professional Development w/video examples

http://www.learningforward.org/standfor/definition.cfm Policy Points http://www.learningforward.org/news/policypoints/policypoints4-09.pdf Professional Learning in the Learning Profession: A Status Report on Teacher Development in the United States and Abroad (Phase 1)

http://www.learningforward.org/news/NSDCstudy2009.pdf Professional Development in the United States: Trends and Challenges (Phase 2)

http://www.learningforward.org/news/NSDCstudy2010.pdf Teacher Professional Learning in the United States: Case Studies of State Policies and Strategies, Summary Report (Phase 3)

http://www.learningforward.org/news/2010Phase3Report.pdf Building Professional Development to Support New Student Assessment Systems

http://www.acarseries.org/papers/Stephanie_Hirsh-Building_Professional_Development.pdf Standards for Staff Development

http://www.learningforward.org/standards/index.cfm


Resources

http://www.learningforward.org/standfor/definition.cfm

http://www.learningforward.org/news/policypoints/policypoints4-09.pdf



http://www.learningforward.org/news/NSDCstudy2009.pdf

http://www.learningforward.org/news/NSDCstudy2010.pdf

http://www.learningforward.org/news/2010Phase3Report.pdf

http://www.acarseries.org/papers/Stephanie_Hirsh-Building_Professional_Development.pdf



http://www.learningforward.org/standards/index.cfm

JSD – Examining Evidence http://www.learningforward.org/news/issueDetails.cfm?issueID=245 JSD – Leadership http://www.learningforward.org/news/issueDetails.cfm?issueID=302 JSD – Working with External Partners http://www.learningforward.org/news/issueDetails.cfm?issueID=319 Becoming a Learning School

https://www.learningforwardstore.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Session _ID=27732f5c7928f0c5a9e00d18d4b420d8&Store_Code=The_Learning_Forward _Store&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=B423

Why Professional Development Matters http://www.learningforward.org/advancing/Why_PD_Matters_Web.pdf Examining the Evidence: A database of research and reports on the links between professional learning and student success http://www.learningforward.org/evidence/search.cfm


Resources (continued)

http://www.learningforward.org/news/issueDetails.cfm?issueID=245



https://www.learningforwardstore.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=27732f5c7928f0c5a9e00d18d4b420d8&Store_Code=The_Learning_Forward_Store&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=B423

http://www.learningforward.org/evidence/search.cfm








http://www.learningforward.org/advancing/Why_PD_Matters_Web.pdf


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