Back to School PD Ideation

Less than 2 weeks until Back to School PD and Stehler and I are deep into the ideation phase of planning our 4-day Back to School PD sequence.  We are focused on designing a sequence that  meets the needs of our varied staff (from 0 to 9 years experience) and that involves activities and tasks that can effectively launch our student culture and learning at the start of the school year.

 

We have several tools at our disposal:

  1. fresh ideas from attending the NTAC conference – see here
  2. 3 day Think Forward training – proven sequence we’ve both facilitated for training new teachers in PBL
  3. data gathered from our veteran teachers
  4. state standards that describe effective teaching
  5. ideation tools from Think Forward

 

Application of 1, 2, 3:

We brainstormed possible activities based on what we learned at NTAC in Padlet.

Then, I started informally polling veteran teachers who were Think Forward facilitators to find out which activities were high priority (score = 1) or low priority (score = 3).  After polling a handful of veteran teachers, I found out the following:

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I was pleasantly surprised to see grade level meetings and Think Forward near the top of their priorities.  I’m going to continue to poll teachers who are facilitating the Cotulla Think Forward Training.

 

Application of 4, 5:

Texas had objectives that describe effective teaching: Chapter 149 AA.  We used these standards to develop more specific outcomes that align with teacher standards.  We focused on section 4 Learning Environment because strong learning cultures need to be developed at the start of the school year and then maintained year round.

 

Our unfinished ideation form looks like this.  In a couple days, Stehler and I will go into a deep dive and try to hone in on their products and ways to scaffold and assess the product.

 Think Forward Ideation Form

Standards
Grade:Standards:(4) Standard 4–Learning Environment. Teachers interact with students in respectful ways at all times, maintaining a physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment that is characterized by efficient and effective routines, clear expectations for student behavior, and organization that maximizes student learning.(A) Teachers create a mutually respectful, collaborative, and safe community of learners by using knowledge of students’ development and backgrounds.

(i) Teachers embrace students’ backgrounds and experiences as an asset in their learning environment.

(ii) Teachers maintain and facilitate respectful, supportive, positive, and productive interactions with and among students.

(iii) Teachers establish and sustain learning environments that are developmentally appropriate and respond to students’ needs, strengths, and personal experiences.

(B) Teachers organize their classrooms in a safe and accessible manner that maximizes learning.

(i) Teachers arrange the physical environment to maximize student learning and to ensure that all students have access to resources.

(ii) Teachers create a physical classroom set-up that is flexible and accommodates the different learning needs of students.

(C) Teachers establish, implement, and communicate consistent routines for effective classroom management, including clear expectations for student behavior.

(i) Teachers implement behavior management systems to maintain an environment where all students can learn effectively.

(ii) Teachers maintain a strong culture of individual and group accountability for class expectations.

(iii) Teachers cultivate student ownership in developing classroom culture and norms.

(D) Teachers lead and maintain classrooms where students are actively engaged in learning as indicated by their level of motivation and on-task behavior.

(i) Teachers maintain a culture that is based on high expectations for student performance and encourages students to be self-motivated, taking responsibility for their own learning.

(ii) Teachers maximize instructional time, including managing transitions.

(iii) Teachers manage and facilitate groupings in order to maximize student collaboration, participation, and achievement.

(iv) Teachers communicate regularly, clearly, and appropriately with parents and families about student progress, providing detailed and constructive feedback and partnering with families in furthering their students’ achievement goals.

  • What is the most important thing(s) students will learn?
  • How will you know when they have learned it?
1  Student culture can not exceed our teacher professional culture.  High expectations for culture need to be modeled.  Grade level systems and strategies can be used to meet the unique learning and culture challenges of each grade level.  The skills needed to maintain cultures that support deep learning can and should be taught.
2Individually teachers model good culture by striving to maintain a strong professional culture and by taking initiative when it comes to researching, designing and implementing new practices  Teachers work in grade level teams to identify grade level challenges to culture and learning and brainstorm policies and strategies to meet these challenges.  Teachers gather evidence on new strategies to determine what’s working and to design better strategies that improve student culture and student learning.  Teaches share their findings with other teachers so that the staff can learn from other teachers’ successes and missteps.
Look at the Student Expectations in your standards to separate out the VERBS from the NOUNS:
VERBS NOUNS Real World Products
interactmaintainmaximizeuse

create

embrace

facilitate

establish

sustain

respond

implement

communicate

cultivate

develop

lead

encourage

SAFETY, SUPPORT

  • respectful ways
  • physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment
  • mutually respectful, collaborative, and safe community of learners
  • respectful, supportive, positive, and productive interactions with and among students.

LOGISTICS

  • efficient and effective routines, clear expectations for student behavior,
  • organization that maximizes student learning
  • consistent routines for effective classroom management,.
  • behavior management systems

KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS

  • knowledge of students’ development and backgrounds.
  • learning environments that are developmentally appropriate
  • students’ needs, strengths, and personal experiences.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

  • clear expectations for student

LEARNING

  • environment where all students can learn effectively.
  • environment where all students can learn effectively.

ACCOUNTABILITY

  • strong culture of individual and group accountability
  • culture that is based on high expectations for student performance

STUDENT OWNERSHIP  

  • student ownership in classroom culture and norms.
  • students are actively engaged in learning as indicated by their level of motivation and on-task behavior.
  • students to be self-motivated, taking responsibility for their own learning.

 

  • Classroom Norms
  • Staff Norms
  • School wide Norms
  • Action Plan
  • Agency activities
  • An Agency project for advisory
  • Agency campaign
  • Sharing of classroom management strategies
  • Experiments with classroom management strategies
  • Gathering data on student interests, what they expect from classroom management, and on effectiveness of classroom management practices
  • Agency self reflection and improvement plan (student, staff)
  • Communication among grade level teams to develop consistent communication and routines
Collaboration – Learning, sharing knowledge, and working together toward a common goal.Communication – The process of effectively sharing and receiving information to expand understanding.Critical Thinking – Using reason to investigate questions, analyze information, and solve problems.Tech Literacy – The responsible use of technology, including hardware, software, and online resources, to enhance learning, productivity, communication, and performance.

Agency- The practice of taking ownership over one’s learning while developing growth mindset.

Consider possible real world products by matching them with 21st century skills and authentic roles students could take on to practice these skills.   
Product 21st Century Skills Real World Role How will students practicethe 21st Century Skill withinthe project?
Agency Teacher, Coach, Peer, Leader
Driving question based on the standards, product, skills and role students will take on during the project.  ©Buck Institute for Education

How can we, as Educators establish, use and sustain a positive professional culture so that we are providing a mutually respectful, collaborative, and safe community of learners?

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