For the first time in memory, we already have a professional learning calendar for the upcoming year, with dates, hours, purpose, and areas of focus. Any staff member can view it, and see the plan. Our big, new piece is the implementation of the Art and Science of Teaching instructional framework and iObservation (Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model). We have a three-year plan for the roll-out, and our primary focus for 2013-14 is on Domain 1 - Classroom Strategies and Behaviors.
In addition, we will continue to work on individual school improvement plans. It is hard sometimes to wrap one's head around how seemingly different "messages" all support the same theme. Too often in education, we feel that we are being asked to simultaneously implement policies, programs, or projects that are not coordinated. As we participated in our first two days of Marzano training last week, it was very helpful to think of the tie between our pieces:
- Each building has a School Improvement Plan, with goals, for student growth and achievement
- Each grade level or department should formulate its own goal(s) for student growth and achievement, based on available data and tied to the building goals
- Teachers within grade levels or departments should identify one or more elements in Domain 1 that tie to goals and ask administrators to focus teacher evaluations and professional growth in that area
Taking a methodical, strategic approach to professional learning requires patience, hard work, on-going evaluation, and lots of planning. But the long-term reward is effective and efficient instructional practices, which translate into student growth and achievement.
As we face the same direction this year, focusing on learning, collaborative culture, and results, we will purposefully go slow, so that we can go fast in the years to come.
Submitted by JWalton
