Every. Single. Student.

This morning at Orchard View I participated in two different grade-level data meetings. The meetings are conducted quarterly, and teacher teams bring three or more sources of recent, common data on each individual student’s reading and writing proficiency. The data discussion is facilitated by the school principal, and the counselor and an interventionist are also present to provide additional information as needed.

Wow! Let me say that again – wow! Each individual student’s name was mentioned at least once, and our students were carefully placed into specific groups to improve and enrich their reading and writing power. After the groups are formed, each teacher takes one group, and others, depending on need, are placed into an interventionist-led or specialized educator group for which the teacher provides guided instruction. Beginning next week, each of the groups meets Monday through Thursday for 30 minutes each day during “Target Team Time.” Every single student in each grade will be receiving targeted instruction during this time, in addition to all of the other intentional instruction they receive throughout the course of a school day. That is powerful!

The care with which students were discussed and placed into need-based groups was inspirational (but not surprising). The way in which teachers discussed data, and more importantly, their observations about our students, so that each student was a person rather than a score, was impressive. Each meeting lasted 90 minutes, and through deft facilitation by the principal, the planning was completed. In twelve years of education, I have never been a part of something quite like this, and I am glad I had the chance to see it in action.

For our students needing the most help, we use the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention System (LLI). It is specifically targeted at small group instruction and helps teachers provide those impactful, daily learning pieces to bring students to grade level in reading. Students who are currently at grade level or higher are also in smaller groups with intentionally planned instruction to enhance their capacity as well.

Like any implemented strategy, two vital pieces are monitoring of adult implementation of the plan, and monitoring of student growth through the plan. In fact, the LLI program, as part of OV’s School Improvement Plan, is the chosen program for evaluation through the Michigan Department of Education’s newly-required Program Evaluation Tool. As we move through the second half of the school year, it will be important and interesting to continually evaluate our efforts to live out our district vision of “all learners achieving individual potential.”

-          J. Walton

P.S. Check out the Principal Intern Video Blog: http://pointofviewsquared.blogspot.com/

The Assessments are Coming, the Assessments are Coming!

Yes, they are. But contrary to popular belief, the sky is not falling.

For the first time, our schools will all be administering state assessments in the spring. While this has been true in high school for many years, our K-8 schools are experiencing a shift from fall to spring testing. Even though this has been the norm in high school, change is occurring there as well -- the number of spring assessments at the high school level has been increased. Additionally, for the first time in our district, we will be administering the bulk of our assessments online. All of this has caused some to question instructional practices and what teachers need to do "to get kids ready."

In the words of Aaron Rodgers, R-E-L-A-X. First, there is absolutely no legitimate research that says the more we cover, the more kids learn. That bears repeating -- nothing supports the idea that the more we cover, the more kids learn. So, the idea that somehow we need to take a year's worth of content, and ignore what research does show -- that going slower, with more depth actually does enhance learning -- and get through it by the middle of April.

Second, I recently had the privilege of attending a meeting with approximately fifty local business leaders, as part of the resurrected Business Advisory Council. As this group of movers and shakers developed a list of traits and skills they wanted to see in the people they hire, not one said that being a good test-taker was important. When presented with a problem or issue, one is not given a finite set of four choices to choose a solution from; in fact, the problems and issues tend to be muddy and amorphous. What do business leaders look for? Things like this: 1) a problem-solver who will look for ways to make it happen and not wait to be told what to do; 2) someone who is comfortable with ambiguity in all phases of their work, because change is constant; 3) basic literacy skills such as spelling and grammar; 4) sophisticated skills in writing and verbal communication; 5) someone who is adaptable in unfamiliar circumstances; 6) a collaborative person, especially in face-to-face meetings; 7) a risk-taker who is willing to fail; 8) a self-starter; 9) someone who is punctual; 10) someone who understands the importance and structure of process and methodology, as opposed to someone who just seeks an answer; 11) an understanding of work/life harmony, as opposed to balance; and 12) someone who understands and respects generational differences in colleagues, customers, and clients. Racing through content is not only unsupported by research, but it flies in the face of those 21st century traits and skills our kids need.

Third, take a look at this image from Education Week:

What can we control?

• because the assessments (excluding the Classroom Activity, ACT, and Work Skills) will be administered online, each school can control dates and times to schedule testing sessions anywhere within the testing window; in other words, not all students need to be administered the same assessment at the same time, nor on the same day
• excluding the College Entrance and Work Skills Tests administered only to 11th graders, none of the test sessions are timed, and we have the ability to allow our students extra time beyond the recommended times if they need it
• our own attitude toward the assessments
• what we do every single day in our classrooms, not to "teach to a test" or race to finish early, but to build knowledge and skills that have wide application in the 21st century
• work our plan -- each individual school's improvement plan -- to achieve our stated school goals and our district vision of all learners achieving individual potential

What can we influence?

• because of a conflict between state law and federal accountability requirements at the high school level, as of today the state has only recommended that the Classroom Activity and Performance Task in both ELA and Math be administered; if we can influence a decision to forgo those this year, we can cut the testing time (and missed instruction time) for our high schoolers from 16 hours to 11 hours
• our students' attitudes toward the assessments
• our parents' attitudes toward the assessments
• our colleagues' attitudes toward the assessments

Everything else outside of our control and influence:

• the testing window
• the content of the assessments
• the format of the assessments
• the scoring of the assessments
• et cetera, et cetera, et cetera

So, if it is not something we can control or possibly influence, in the words of Disney, LET IT GO. This is a transitional year. We are transitioning to online assessments that will change again. The MDE is transitioning to a revised accountability system that will change again. Times of transition can be challenging, but they can also be opportunities to learn and to let go. Keep doing what you know is best for kids -- using research-based best practices with the Instructional Framework as your guide -- and the kids will not only survive but thrive.

-- J. Walton

If you want additional information on the new Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress ("M-Step"), go to www.michigan.gov/baa

What A Difference A Delay Makes

Today marks the first district-wide delayed start of the school year. It is part of eighteen hours of professional learning for teachers built into the instructional schedule, and complements twelve hours that were conducted the week before students returned. When I was a classroom teacher, many of my students would ask what we did during the delayed start times. Many of our other stakeholders (parents, community members, board members, etc.) may wonder the same. We owe it to everyone to be as transparent as possible.

All of our professional learning time this year is guided by our district professional learning goal: To increase our instructional expertise through collaborative, intentional planning to enhance student learning. Similar to other professions that demand continued professional education, we recognize that teachers are learners too, and that ongoing professional learning for teachers must be collaborative, intentional, and focused on the ultimate objective of high levels of learning for all students.

Here are just two examples of how the two-hour delay this morning was utilized:

School A focused on two topics – the building blocks of a “guaranteed and viable curriculum,” and SMART goals. In our district, when we use the phrase “guaranteed and viable curriculum” we mean that students have access to the same essential learning no matter who the teacher may be and that it can be taught in the allotted time, as well as that a collaborative team of teachers works to ensure that every student acquires the knowledge and skills the team has agreed are most essential (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2010). Within that context, collaborative teams looked at content standards to be taught, the “big” curricular ideas, essential questions, assessments, resources, and time frame. In conjunction with that comes the concept of SMART goals – strategic, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and time-bound. Both topics relate back to the overarching school improvement goals the school has set forth in its school improvement plan.

School B also focused its efforts on school improvement. Specifically, each department in the school contributed goals and objectives to the school improvement plan in June, and this morning was a time to examine how to continue to move forward to meet them. Each department has a proficiency measure and teachers are learning new, collaborative methods in which to use available data to analyze proficiency levels. The action plan for each department is similar: 1) identify the bottom 30% of students in each grade level with specific assessment and data; 2) develop strategies to increase proficiency levels for all students with a focus on those students identified in the bottom 30%; 3) regularly use formative assessments to measure ongoing progress; and 4) use summative assessments to determine whether the measurable objective was met.

The professional learning in both of these schools this morning was tied directly to our district professional learning goal in order to enhance student learning. And these two schools are not exceptions, but rather, the “rule” for the use of this precious collaborative time. Two of our high schools are also experimenting with multiple delayed starts throughout the year in addition to those that are district-wide. With this repurposing of time, instructional staff are gaining approximately sixteen hours of additional collaborative time to intentionally focus on the quality of teaching and learning so that all students achieve at high levels.

Similar to the idea that we would not want to be treated by a doctor or advised by a lawyer who was not immersed in current best practices, we do not want our students in classrooms that are staffed by teachers who are not lifelong learners. By intentionally supporting teachers in collaborative, professional learning such as this morning’s two hour block, we are enhancing student learning for all of our kids and fully living our vision of "all learners achieving individual potential."

“Clarity precedes competence.”

The title quote is from DuFour, DuFour, Eaker (Solution Tree 2014, p. 90), and nowhere may it ring more true than the school improvement process.

Each school in our district has a School Success Team (SST). It is a formal group of teachers that meet regularly with the principal to help lead the school improvement process. In turn, those SST members meet regularly with smaller teacher teams. Throughout the process, the School Improvement Plan is drafted, implemented, evaluated, and amended, if need be. As we enter our fourth week of school, SSTs are working to bring their respective school improvement goals "to life." But what does all of that really mean, especially for the teacher who is not at that meeting? We need “clarity” before we can be “competent.”

In Michigan, every public school must draft and submit an SIP to the Michigan Department of Education. It encompasses requirements for both state and federal mandates. In addition, each district also submits a District Improvement Plan. The SIP is intended to be an ongoing, continuous cycle:

Michigan Department of Education (http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753_38959---,00.html)

The SIP is done in a three-year cycle, but an updated version is submitted to the state each June, for the following school year. The SIP is typically drafted by the SST and principal, but some schools also bring other teachers into the drafting process.  Goals for improvement are articulated (e.g., all students will be proficient in writing), and a measurable objective is stated (e.g., 70% of the bottom 30% will demonstrate proficiency in writing in ELA by June 2015, as measured by pre-assessment and post-assessment). The measurable objective is formulated by past performance on state benchmark assessments and the bar all schools must meet by 2022. Then, one or more strategies are chosen to achieve the goal (e.g., use of clear learning goals and monitoring progress), as well as activities within each strategy (e.g., teachers will learn how to draft clear learning goals and how to effectively monitor them). Each strategy is research-based.

The number of goals per school varies, but is generally determined by the SST, principal, and other teachers brought into the process. However, all Title I schools must have a goal in each of the four core content areas. In addition, some schools have chosen to have a goal in each grade level or department. Every school must post a copy of its SIP on either its own website or the district website.

Regardless of the number of goals, the structure is based on the premise of collective responsibility: “A shared belief that the primary responsibility of each member of the organization is to ensure high levels of learning for every child” (Buffum, Mattos, & Weber, 2012, p.15).  Within the smaller teacher teams, usually based on grade level or content area, the teachers work collaboratively and assume collective responsibility to ensure that every student learns the essential knowledge and skills for that grade or course. The Instructional Framework, now in its second year of implementation, is the vehicle through which so much of this work is done. Domains 2 and 4 (intentional planning and collaboration) help bring Domain 1 to life. That type of work can only be done by those smaller teacher teams (often formed as professional learning communities), for some very good reasons:

·         The teachers are highly trained and credentialed in their subject.

·         The teachers know the content best.

·         The teachers, through creation, administration, and scoring of common formative assessments, have the freshest assessment data.

·         The teachers know their students best.

(Buffum, Mattos, & Weber, 2012, p.33)

In other words, even if there is not a goal explicitly written for every content area or grade level, there are strategies and activities within each goal that pertain to all teachers, and every teacher is implementing the Instructional Framework.

As the school year progresses, collaborative teacher teams and the SST will review data to monitor progress toward the school improvement goals. The data is best gathered through the use of common formative assessments (also part of the Instructional Framework), so that there can be a change in strategy is needed, and thus, a chance to improve, for both students and teachers. In addition, a school may decide to amend its SIP within the school year, to clarify goals, strategies, and/or activities to better serve students.

So, to hopefully bring some clarity to the process, school improvement is not a one-time event, or even a weekly meeting. It is an ongoing process that lives every day, in every classroom. It is also our commitment to measure success by results, not intentions. Go back and look at the center of the cycle graphic: student achievement. School improvement is about every student, and making decisions that are best for them, to help each one of them learn at high levels.

What Do You Do?

Whenever I meet someone new and they ask what I do for a living, I typically respond, "I'm a high school teacher currently working as an instructional coach." Even for people in education, this doesn't really answer their question. The position of instructional coach is relatively new in the field, and differs greatly depending on the district. So, in addition to a weird look, the next question is usually, "okay, but what do you do?" And, the emphasis is often on a different word, depending on the person. Actually, many in our own district are often fuzzy on "what we do."

What Do You Do?
The "what" usually depends on the day, for me and my fellow six coaches. In addition to the more traditional one-on-one, confidential coaching with teachers, we also group coach professional learning communities (PLCs) and other teacher teams. Alongside teachers, we develop curriculum for Spanish Immersion, Chinese Immersion, our Gifted & Talented program, and K-12 Common Core alignment. We work with principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals on initiatives such as Strategic Teaching to Accelerate Reading Success (STARS), Response to Instruction (RtI), and the FHPS Literacy Framework. We work directly with students on literacy and environmental programs. We engage in professional learning with teachers in areas such as the Instructional Framework, consensus mapping, and collaborative learning labs (CLLs). We also provide ongoing support to our principals and Schools Success Teams (SSTs) in the critical work of school improvement.

What Do You Do?
The emphasis on the first "do" always reminds me of the 1982 Adam Ant "Goody Two Shoes" song: "Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?" Any time a teacher is not actively engaged with kids on a daily basis, some people are suspect of them. As coaches, we certainly work differently than we did as classroom teachers. Some of our colleagues even refer to us now as "them," since we are housed at the Administration Building. This saddens me. First, because we are all on the same team - the team that is working hard every single day to do what is best for kids.  Second, because we still think of ourselves as teachers. Personally, if I ever stop thinking of myself as a teacher, it is time to quit.

What Do You Do?
For me, the best day is one that I am in one our high schools, interacting with kids and teachers. Any time I am blessed with an invitation to co-teach or otherwise engage with kids, I leap at the opportunity. That is the one downside to being a teacher who is an instructional coach - no regular classes of kids to teach and learn with. Generally speaking, my job is to support our high school teachers and administrators in any way that I can. When I was hired, the primary focus was on school improvement, but it has grown over the last 17 months. I continue to work with SSTs, but I now also coordinate our Advanced Placement (AP) program. We have an extraordinary cadre of teachers who offer courses in 24 different AP subjects, providing our kids with an opportunity to earn college credits.  I've also become involved with our ELA and math teachers as we engage in the important work of redesigning our curriculum in light of Michigan's adoption of the Common Core State Standards. I hope to continue facilitating CLLs and gaining new insights alongside our teachers. Finally, I am also shepherding long-term projects for both testing-out exams and backward design/common assessments.

What Do You Do?
I love what I "do." Since switching professions 12 years ago, I have never once dreaded going to school or the Instruction Office. How lucky I am that I get to live out my passion every single day. There are plenty of times I feel frustrated or even angry, but it does not diminish the love I have for teaching and learning. What do I do? I try to make a positive difference in the lives of kids, and I go to bed every night hoping I did so.