Workshop Series

Now that administrators have received the training for CITW and the walk through tool, we can begin collecting data on campuses.  Some administrators would like to wait just a bit longer because their teachers have not had training in the nine effective instructional strategies.  As their instructional coach, I will hold workshop series that target CITW.  In small group settings during period by period or during collaboration time, teachers will receive 30 minute overviews of each strategy.  The first will be introduction to all nine followed by 9 sessions looking more deeply into each strategy individually.  As I present these strategies I will post session agendas.  Perhaps they can be of use to someone wanting to implement these in their own classroom, on their campus or in their district.  In addition, as I post agendas, McRel has videos on You Tube with explanation for each strategy and these will be posted, too.

Visit from the Author

Today district administrators from the curriculum team and campus administrators attended Part 1 of the 2 day training with the author, Elizabeth Hubell.  She co-authored the second edition of Classroom Instruction That Works.  Below are my  unedited notes from the day:

Purpose of informal evaluation:
to provide educational leaders data to maximize student achievement through improved instructional practices.

Unlike formal observations, informal observations are quick “snapshots” of the classroom.  An individual observation is not particularly telling of a teacher’s practice, but over time, the data will begin to show trends.

Refer to flow chart of CITW - any initiative or activity they are rolling out in the classroom/campus fits into one of the strategies.

Refer to google site on strategies - https://sites.google.com/site/brazosportisdmcrel/

Walkthrough process:
Best Hopes - begin in groups so that everyone is consistent, seeing similar levels of blooms and practices, gives you data on what staff development is needed in your building, climate of growth for teachers, goal setting from teachers,

Creating the Environment:
Setting obj & providing feedback - specific but not restrictive,  allow for creativity, communicate learning obj to students,  if it is not posted 9 out 10 times the students can’t tell you what the obj is, connect learning obj to previous and future learning, engage student in setting personal learning obj

what will you see/ what will you hear when you walk in - kwl charts, learning obj vs agenda, checking for understanding, stating before and at end, restatin obj, rubrics, goal setting, surveys

providing feedback - simply telling a student an answer is right or wrong has a negative achievement on learning. give them data the same why we like to receive data, addresses what is correct and elaborates on what the students needs to do next, appropriately in time time to meet student needs, check for understanding against criteria such as rubrics or directions, engage students in the feedback process (self, peer, or revision)

what will you see/what will you hear when you walk in - self rubrics, meaningful conferences with teacher, verbal correction, graded work, verbal correction and encouragement, polls, peer feedback, formative assessments (dry erase boards, response cards), receiving feedback from educational games, discussing & commenting on quizzes or assessments,

reinforcing effort & providing recognition recognizing hard work, not so much asocial efforts. enhance students understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing students’ attitudes and beliefs about learning.  some students attribute success in school to luck, ability, or even other people, such as their friends or their teacher. some attribute to natural ability or born with it. students have the most control over their effort.  

teaching students about relationship between effort and achievement, providing students with explicit guidance about what it means to expend effort, asking students to track effort and achievement.

what does it look like/ sound like - exemplary work/non exemplary, student teaching, stamps/stickers, growth mind-set, sincere praise,

Refer to articles - “How not to talk to your kids - new york magazine” and “mind-sets and equitable education (NAASP)”

cooperative learning - (cooperative learning and homework have changed the most) cooperative groups are NOT more important than pairs or small groups, using of a variety of criteria to group students in small groups, including both positive interdependence and individual accountability, applying cooperative learning consistently and systematically.

scaffolding grouping - time control!!, assigned roles, projects, groups working on tasks, accountability
rubrics for cooperative learning - google uw stout cooperative learning rubrics, 1st link that appears
true definition of cooperative learning - including both positive interdependence and individual accountability

Developing Understanding
cues, questions, focusing on what is important, use of explicit cues, asking inferential questions, asking analytic questions, enhancing student ability to retrieve, use, and organzie what they already know about a topic, q/a discussions with and between students are moving up blooms
advance (not advanced) organizers - given prior to learning, anything to engage and introduce new learning, hook/wow factor/engagement, setting the stage for learning by engaging students.  animoto videos, media, demonstrations, experiments,

NLR - creating or using graphic organizers, students creating/using physical or virtual models and manipulatives, students using their imagination or senses to generate mental pictures, drawing pictures, illustrations, or pictographs, engaging in kinesthetic representations.

Summarizing & Note Taking - Enhances students’ ability to synthesize information, teaching students rule- based summarizing strategies, using summary frames, matched to the explicit types (Summary Frames) discussing essentials of specific information, summary frames actively used as an advance organizer, podcasting, book reports, or outlining, cornell notes, multimedia summary.  note taking enhances students’ ability to organize information in a way that captures the main ideas and supporting details.

Providing Practice - designated time to work on skills, practicing in many different ways with rich feedback,

If students are testing, cleaning out lockers, taking attendance, regrouping in room - then we mark “no research based instruction” because no instruction is happening...it’s not a bad thing, unless we begin to see a pattern.

Extending & Applying Knowledge
Identify similarities & differences - sorting or classifying fall under this category, creating metaphors, creating analogies
Generating & testing Hypotheses using a variety of structured task to guide , high level applications of learned concepts, students using knowledge in “real-world” context, student overheard saying “let’s try this”, student brainstorming and/or troubleshooting, systems analysis - look at all parts, what happens if one part is missing or not working, experimental inquiry - run test to check, investigation - historical or current, , problem solving - solving real world issues

“What if...” questions

Bloom’s vs Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

Technology - Teacher directed technology
        Brainstorming/idea mapping software; inspiration

Instructional interactive; virtual manipulative

        Instructional media;  movie/ ppt /song/ podcast
        Interactive whiteboard
        Kinesthetic technology;  cbr
        Multimedia creation; teaching making
        Non-educational use;
        Student response systems
        Word processing
  clickers
science probes
display tool - interactive whiteboard in use w/o software, document camera,
interactive whiteboard
non-educational use (watching movies w/o purpose)
webquests
virtual investigations/manipulatives
Kinesthetic technology (GPS systems, Wii)
calculator
multimedia creation
student response systems
word processing


Federal Programs to order books.  Study guide is on ascd.org for the book
www.ascd.org
click on books and publications
browse books
search under dean
click on Classroom Instruction that Works
At bottom says resources and study guides

It's a Process with PROGRESS!

My Action Research Progress Update:

August 15, 2012 was the kick off date of my action research plan.  The instructional coaches and curriculum coordinators presented the district initiatives at the principal’s meeting.  Included in this presentation were the Effective Instructional Strategies.  Since then the Curriculum and Instruction Team has participated in training from McRel (Marzano’s original company when the first edition of Classroom Instruction That Works was written).  We have been trained on conducting classroom Power Walk-throughs that primarily look for effective instructional strategies.  The instructional coaches have 3 goals this school year that tie to our district strategic plan and one revolves primarily around my action research plan.  The first step we did in preparing teachers and training teachers on effective instructional strategies was to map out in what order we would present the strategies.  We were very excited during our training with McRel to learn that the order we had planned to train teachers was the same order that McRel presents the strategies during their training.  Even though some strategies have a higher yield of improvement than others, you must start with creating the learning environment.  The other progress we have made on the action research plan is setting dates and beginning what we have called “Workshop Series”.  Some campuses have set the workshop series to be twice a month during common time (30 minutes, whole staff).  Other campuses are holding their workshop series during conference times once a month( 45 minutes, just one grade level at a time).  On November 1 we will begin our initial round of Power Walk-throughs to gather our initial data on effective instructional strategies happening in the classrooms.  At this time I am very pleased with the progress and track that I am on with my action research.  I would have liked to have my initial data by November 1 rather than just starting it November 1 but this allows administrators to receive the training as well which I will be able to add their data to mine which in turn will allow me to gather data more quickly than I would alone.  

Progress Hours to Date:

Training that I have attended: 12 hrs
Preparing for trainings and presentations I conducted: 6 hrs
Conducting trainings and presentations: 18 hrs
Practice Walkthroughs: 3 hrs

TOTAL HOURS: 39 hours

Power Walkthroughs (PWT)

I am very excited about the progress I am making on my action research plan.  On September 14, our Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Team participated in the training from McRel on Power Walkthroughs (PWT).  Using their walkthrough tool, we conducted a few practice rounds with videos on checking for effective instructional strategies.  After lunch we headed into the classrooms at the high school and conducted live walkthroughs.  These walkthroughs were very similar to Dana Center walkthroughs the instructional coaches have done the past 3 years but now we can FINALLY look at the effective instructional strategies because the teachers are being told by their administrators to incorporate them in their lesson plans and teaching, it is a district initiative, they are not leaving them to the wayside any longer!  The data will be erased at the end of our training because we have not populated our accounts with teachers but it is coming.  Campuses administrators will have the opportunity to participate in a 2 day training at the end of October.  Day 1 will be Effective Instructional Strategies, Day 2 will be using the PWT tool.  On November 1 our teachers will be uploaded into our accounts and we will begin live walkthroughs.  This will be our initial data. The best feature of the PWT tool is that anytime any administrator walks into the classroom to conduct a walkthrough, the data is collective for our entire team.  This means that I will be able to have initial data more quickly than working alone to gather data as we have in the past.

The two diagrams below are observable evidence of Blooms and CITW (Classroom Instruction That Works).  During PWT, the observer carries these tools with them to ensure they are marking the appropriate evidence.

Web Conference Reflection

This weekend I was up bright and early, determined to find a quiet spot in my houseful of kids and husband so that I could participate in a web conference targeted to helping students through this weeks assignment.  The web conferences are always helpful in answering and clearing up details about weekly assignments.  The main concerns from this weeks conference seemed geared more towards documenting our hours and reflections of our course embedded activities and TK20.  I was surprised at the number of students still struggling with TK20 - I was under the impression that we were a cohort meaning we have entered a few items already into TK20 for other professors and our field supervisors.  I did learn during the time in the web conference that I am behind in my reflections for various activities I have completed as part of my intern plan.  

This week, I went into the web conference with one question for the week.  Do I need to prepare a presentation in addition to my outline for a presentation.  Apparently there were others in the group with the same question.  Dr. Abernathy was not positive at first whether we needed to or not, but felt that it was not required.  Thankfully another student had the assignment in front of her and was able to quote the requirements for us.

Sunday evening's conference was a bit more enlightening.  Even with technical difficulties with my computer speakers and being in a coffee house trying to listen without headphones because that was what caused my speakers to go out, I was able to pick up bits and pieces from various parent/school community projects other students were doing.  I was surprised at the number of other schools that participate in Backpack Buddies or something of the same idea.  I wish I could have heard more of the conversation on the ones sharing about helping students keep clean by providing the gym showers early each morning because they do not have the means to shower at home or wherever they are living.

As helpful as the web conferences are for students, there is a bit of difficulty participating.  Students arrive at different times and will ask the same questions over and over again.  You could hear the frustration level in Dr. Abernathy's tone after awhile.  When I first started the program, I attended the web conferences without fail - even leaving my son's baseball game to ensure I was there for a conference.  In the past few classes, I have slacked on attending because some professors will want each person on mic to speak and the conferences can get lengthy.  The lag in technology causes confusion as well in the discussion.  The web conferences that have worked best for me, since being in the program, are the ones that has a student or 2 typing responses for those who do not have audio.  Students typing in questions in the chat box, the professor responding to questions and being the only person on mic.  They are productive and effective.

With everything there are pros and cons but thank you Lamar Academic Partnership professors for providing a way for students to interact with you!

Mapping Out the Strategies

When the coaches began planning for this upcoming school year, we already knew we wanted to grow and develop reflective teachers.  Our resource for this would be Marzano's Becoming a Reflective Teacher.  We also had the charge to ensure instructional strategies are relevant, engaging, and incorporate 21^st century learning skills based on research based effective instructional strategies.  With both the knowledge of the high yield strategies and the design questions from Becoming a Reflective Teacher we created a timeline for a focus each month.

Did You Know?

Marzano's 9 is not really Marzano's 9.  Interesting little fact we learned recently during professional development.  Our district has an initiative this school year - everyone will instruct with effective instructional strategies.  Part of that process was to seek staff development to help administration and district leadership to fully understand Marzano's 9 so we brought in Elizabeth Hubbell with McRel from Colorado.  Dr. Robert Marzano was initially with this company before he left and started out on his own.  While he was with McRel, he developed the 9 Effective Instructional Strategies; however, when he left the company the Marzano 9 stayed with McRel so instead of Marzano's 9 they are Classroom Instruction that Works - research-based strategies for increasing student achievement.

source

 Recognize this book? It is the first edition of Classroom Instruction that Works.  This is the research based strategies that Marzano was apart of.

source

This book? It is the 2nd edition of Classroom Instruction that Works.  If you look at the authors, Marzano is not part of the 2nd edition.

Why the 2nd edition?  Initially in edition 1, the strategies are the high yielding instructional strategies.  Those that yielded the highest gain were put at the top of the list as important.   However, there is a particular order that the strategies should be implement into your instruction.  Take for example "Setting objectives and Providing Feedback."  This strategy only yields a 23% gain.  "Summarizing and Note Taking" yields a 34% gain.  One would think the higher the gain the quicker I need to use it, but can you summarize and take notes prior to setting your objective?  Makes sense, right?

Our instructional coaching team had already sat down prior to this professional development and mapped out the strategies in the order we wanted to focus on them each month with our teachers.  After a pat on the back, we were pleased to announce that we only needed to move one strategy in our order to match the order that McRel recommends in Classroom Instruction that Works: edition 2.

This is the recommended order of emphasis for this research based instructional strategies:

Step 1 - Create the Environment for Learning

• Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
• Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition
• Cooperative Learning

Step 2 - Helping Students Develop Understanding

• Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers
• Non-linguistic Representation
• Summarizing and Note Taking
• Assigning Homework and Providing Practice

Step 3 - Help Students Extend and Apply Knowledge

• Identifying Similarities and Differences
• Generating and Testing Hypotheses