COURSE LEARNING TEAM FACILITATOR TRAINING Becoming a Team Leader

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COURSE LEARNING TEAMFACILITATOR TRAINING
Becoming a Team Leader

• Community High School District 155

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Training Outcomes

• As a result of todays training, participants
  will
  
• Review purpose and outcomes of District and
  School Learning Teams.
  
• Strengthen understanding of Course Learning
  Teams
  
• outcomes, purpose, and characteristics
• Learn ways to effectively
• facilitate, schedule and structure initial Course
  Learning Team meetings
  
• communicate updates and progress effectively with
  team members and Department Chairs.
  
• Gain initial insight into the role SMART goals
  play in improving student learning.

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Overview of District and School Learning Teams
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District Learning Teams(formerly known as
Mapping Teams)

• Purpose
• To improve the quality of curriculum by revising
  Master Maps and ensuring quality Common
  Assessments at the district level.
  
• Outcomes
• To develop quality maps aligned with the
  Curriculum Map Continuum
  
• To revise the curriculum maps so they answer
  What do we want out students to know?
  
• To develop common assessments which address the
  Key Outcomes in a meaningful and authentic manner
  so they answer How will we know when students
  have learned it?
• To revise the curriculum maps so they address
  trends in the common assessment data.

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District Learning Teams(formerly known as
Mapping Teams)

• Data
• Diary Maps and data from Common Assessments
• Team Members
• Similar to current mapping teams.
• Guiding Questions
• Does this map reflect what we believe is most
  important for students to learn from this
  course?
  
• What areas of the map would benefit from
  revisions or enhancement based upon common
  assessment results or other forms of authentic
  data, such as diary maps?

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District Learning Teams(formerly known as
Mapping Teams)

• Calendar
• Early Release Curriculum Days
• September 11, 2007
• April 10, 2008
• Some additional time outside of this schedule
  will be necessary to improve curriculum maps and
  common assessments. The Department Chairs are
  working together to determine which courses are
  in need of this type of additional time and
  support.

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School Learning Teams(formerly known as School
Improvement Teams)

• Purpose
• To develop, implement, and improve interventions
  and programs designed to increase student
  achievement at the school level.
  
• Outcomes
• To develop a School Improvement Plan that
  reflects the mission and core values of the
  district.
  
• To develop a School Improvement Plan that follows
  the framework established at boot camp.
  
• To establish and evaluate school-wide programs
  and interventions that positively impact student
  achievement.
  
• To answer
• How will we know when students have learned
  it?
  
• How will we respond when students experience
• difficulty in learning?

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School Learning Teams(formerly known as School
Improvement Teams)

• Data
• A variety of sources (EXPLORE, PLAN, PSAE, ACT,
  AP, Attendance, Behavior, Student Surveys, etc.)
  
• Team Members
• Principals, Department Chairs, and other staff
  members.
  
• Guiding Questions
• What can be done to positively impact and support
  students learning?
  
• Where are the achievement gaps?
• Which students are struggling and what can we do
  to help them?
  
• What are out goals for improved student
  achievement?

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School Learning Teams(formerly known as School
Improvement Teams)

• Calendar
• Effective School Days
• September 27, 2007
• December 13, 2007
• March 6, 2008
• Tuesday Meetings
• Additional Meetings (as necessary)

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Overview of Course Learning Teams
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Course Learning Teams

• Team Members
• Teachers of the same course within a particular
  school.
  
• There may be instances when teachers from other
  schools will continue to meet with each other due
  to the limited number of teachers in certain
  courses.
• Team Leaders will consist of department chairs
  and teachers selected by them.
  
• Data
• Formative assessments, common assessments (to
  identify trends), chapter/unit tests, diary maps,
  teacher observations, etc

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Course Learning Teams

• Purpose
• To improve student achievement by focusing on
  effective instructional strategies, assessments,
  and resources at the course level.
  

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Course Learning Teams

• Outcomes
• To increase student achievement.
• To collaborate with colleagues on immediate and
  student-specific related achievement matters that
  are goal-driven.
  
• To establish relationships built on trust and the
  sharing of effective best practices.
  
• To collaborate on gathering data that will more
  immediately address areas of student
  achievement.
  
• To answer How will we respond when students
  experience difficulty in learning?
  

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Characteristics of Course Learning Teams
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Course Learning Teams

• SIMULTANEOUS LOOSE AND TIGHT LEADERSHIP
• Effective leaders dont simply encourage schools
  to go off and do whatever they want, but rather
  establish clear parameters and priorities that
  enable schools to work within established
  boundaries in a creative and autonomous way.
• DuFour, DuFour, and Eaker - 2006

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Course Learning Teams emphasize

• Student Learning
• Teachers ask each other, In what ways can
  students demonstrate an increased understanding
  of a concept or greater proficiency with a set of
  skills?
• Collaboration with Colleagues
• Teachers ask each other, What are effective
  instructional strategies to help all of my
  students learn what is intended?
  
• Goal Setting
• SMART goals help CLTs feel a sense of ownership
  and also a sense of achievement.

To gain a more complex understanding of effective
Course Learning Teams click here.
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• There are always several variables that
  contribute towards the effectiveness of a good
  meeting.
  
• The success of a Course Learning Team meeting is
  contingent upon the team leader establishing
  
• A clear purpose
• Clear outcomes
• Design and mood to produce outcomes
• Protocols for working together
• Commitments and conditions of satisfaction

Effective Meeting Information courtesy of
Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision
Making by Kaner, Lind, Toldi, Fisk, and Berger.
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Purpose
• Why are we here?
• Provide the BIG picture
• Example Course Learning Teams
• Purpose To improve student achievement by
  focusing on effective instructional strategies,
  assessments, and resources at the course level.
  

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Outcomes
• What are we doing?
• Intended effects of the meeting
• Example Course Learning Teams
• Purpose To increase student achievement.

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Purpose and Outcomes

describe the end
.
,
not the means!
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Establishing an Agenda
• Focus on outcomes and purpose
• Use time well
• Use what you know about your team to anticipate
  roadblocks and be responsive
  
• Give structure to the process

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Meeting Design and Logistics
• Mood
• Be sensitive to colleagues vulnerabilities.
• Location
• Seating/setup
• Grouping
• Equipment
• Supplies
• Food

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Consensus
• It contains the possibility of generating
  significant commitment and ownership from those
  participating
  
• Requires the most time and skill from
  participants
  
• Trust in and within the group
• Reserved for issues with long-term, large scale
  impacts
  

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• Consensus Sequence
• Purpose of this decision time limits
• Brainstorm possible options
• Combine/Eliminate duplicates
• Advocacy
• Individuals rate various options
• Tally ratings and rank order
• Consensus discussion

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• When we disagree
• We disclose the reasons why
• We work to find an alternative consensus
• We do not hold the meeting hostage to our
  personal interests
  
• If we cant make our personal interests a common
  interest, we dismiss the personal interests

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Designing Effective Meetings -

• We have reached consensus when
• we understand each others points of views.
• we all give our consent.
• we consent to what is developed in our absence.
• we can live with the decision.
• we will support the decision in public and
  private.

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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Effective Meetings -

• Establish protocols
• Create structure to the meeting that defines the
  expected behaviors and responsibilities of the
  group members.

For examples of protocols click here.
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Effective Meetings -

• Remember that the role of team leader is to
  support the best thinking of the members of the
  group through design, facilitation, and follow up.

For more information on team leader strategies
click here.
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Scheduling -

• Early Release Days
• October 18, 2007
• November 28, 2007
• January 30, 2008
• February 12, 2008
• March 14, 2008
• May 2, 2008

FLEXIBILITY Course Learning Teams can meet 3, 4,
5, or 6 times this year!
CLT Leaders should remember to communicate
progress to all team members with a brief summary
shortly after each meeting.
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Course Learning Teams Meeting Structure -
Overview of CLT Sequence -

• Step 1 Establish protocols, review consensus
  guidelines, and explain the purpose and outcomes
  of the CLT.
  
• Step 2 As your team begins to discuss students
  needs, make certain that relevant student
  achievement data is there to support claims and
  that the team has an opportunity to analyze it.
  Click here for more information on sources of
  data.
• Then the group should prioritize the students
  needs and reach consensus on the top priority.
  Remember that the CLT should focus on one area of
  concern at a time. It is critical to consider
  BIG concepts/skills that are fast approaching on
  the horizon instead of minor or isolated ones.
  So, keep the sequencing of the Master Map in
  mind.
• Step 3 Establish a SMART goal.
• Step 4 Brainstorm, collaborate and collectively
  commit to a strategy, resource, best practice,
  etc
  
• Step 5 Agree to a unified measurement tool to
  gauge improvements.
  
• Step 6 Analyze results and refocus efforts which
  means one of the following
  
• It worked! Lets incorporate this more next time
  around!
  
• The intervention was so remarkable that it should
  be shared with the District Learning Team (for
  possible inclusion on the Master M8ap).
  
• It didnt produce the desired results. Lets try
  something else.
  
• Click here for additional help with analyzing
  Assessment Data from Mastery Manager

Similar to the progress of District Learning
Teams and their development of quality master
maps, CLTs will also progress at different rates.
The important thing is to stay focused on the
sequence and keep moving forward at your teams
pace!
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An Invitation to Your 1st Meeting - Sample
E-Mail -
Attention Team Leader There are additional e-mai
l examples available. Please contact your
principal if you would like them.

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The Structure of Your 1st Meeting
Team Leader Strategy Collectively these question
s represent a comprehensive and highly
functioning course learning team. We suggest, in
anticipation of your first meeting, that you
request your team members to reflect upon these
three

• Purpose, Outcomes, and Protocols
• Explain the purpose, outcomes, and protocols
  associated with CLTs
  
• Provide a copy of the Learning Teams chart to all
  participants.
  
• Collective Inquiry (Guiding Questions) What are
  we collaborating about?
  
• What skills or concepts do students need to know
  to be successful during the course?
  
• What data exists to represent the students
  current level of understanding?
  
• What areas of weakness should be addressed?
• What specific instructional strategies will we
  employ to increase student achievement?
  

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Information to Consider for Future Meetings
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Goal Setting

• We must believe that if we are going to improve
  student performance in CHSD 155, we need to
  strengthen the process by establishing goals.

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Goal Setting

• Fundamentally
• Our goals should address a student need that we
  believe will improve achievement.
  
• Goal adoption must be supported by data.

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A Consistent Goal Format

• We are going to use the SMART Goal System.
• SMART Goals encourage teachers to work
  interdependently to achieve a common goal for
  which they are held mutually accountable.

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S.M.A.R.T. Goals Expanded

• Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,
  Timely
  
• The SMART acronym helps teams in CLTs establish
  goals linked to gains in student achievement.
  
• S (Strategic and Specific)
• Focus our attention on the vital few areas of
  need where the largest achievement gap exists
  
• Goal specificity increases focus
• M (Measurable)
• Both summative and formative measures will be
  taken to access student performance
  
• Adjustments will be made based off of these
  measures
  

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S.M.A.R.T. Goals Expanded

• A (Attainable)
• Through data analysis, departments will choose
  reasonable goals that seek to stretch boundaries
  and narrow achievement gaps
  
• R (Results Based)
• Has the goal met the established benchmarks?
• Focuses attention on results, and not just the
  process
  
• T (Time-Bound)
• Establishing a timeline builds internal
  accountability and commitment

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SMART Goals

• The Foundation Questions of SMART Goal
  Development
  
• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How will we get to where we want to be?
• How will we know when we get there?

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SMART Goals

• SMART Goal Statement
• The of student group scoring proficient and
  higher in content area will increase from
  current reality to goal by the end of
  month or quarter as measured by assessment
  tool administered on specific date.

Data Teams by the Center For Performance
Assessment
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SMART Goal Example
The percentage of Chemistry students scoring
proficient and higher in Understanding Concepts
associated with a Mole (Local Standard 311.05)
will increase from 43 to 70 by Thursday,
January 17th as measured by the 1st Semester
Common Assessment administered during Final Exams
Week.
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SMART Goal Example (continued)

• The percentage of Chemistry students scoring
  proficient and higher in Understanding Concepts
  associated with a Mole (Local Standard 311.05)
  will increase from 43 to 70 by Thursday,
  January 17th as measured by the 1st Semester
  Common Assessment administered during Final Exams
  Week.
• This sample SMART Goal is based on last years
• Common Assessment data from Mastery Manager.

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Mastery Manager

• Things to consider
• Issue Teachers will not have access to district
  level reports!
  
• If CLT Leader plans to share common assessment
  data, then he/she needs to contact their
  Department Chair for this information.
  
• REMEMBER that all achievement data should exclude
  individual teacher and student names it is not
  a competition!

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SMART Goals

• Additional Example
• Setup Junior English CLT
• No Common Assessment Data available
• Teachers determined punctuation as an area of
  concern
  
• CLT created administered a simple and user
  friendly local assessment to verify the need
  truly exists amongst the students
  
• When their intuition was confirmed with
  assessment data, the following SMART Goal was
  created
  
• The percentage of Junior English students scoring
  proficient and higher in the use of proper
  punctuation will meet or exceed 75 by November
  28th as measured by the CLT created Punctuation
  Assessment administered during the week prior to
  our next meeting (No later than Friday November
  23rd).
• The CLT implemented their interventions to
  address punctuation, and later administered
  another Punctuation Assessment to assess
  students gains and determine if the
  interventions were successful.

At this stage of development, some courses will
not have Common Assessment Data available. Here
are some examples of SMART goals established by
teacher observations and student performance on
classroom assignments, quizzes, and other
pre-existing materials to represent this
situation.
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SMART Goals
This example shows CLT members that assessments
need not be large and complex take a look at
the source the Algebra CLT used to determine if
the interventions were successful.

• Additional Examples
• The percentage of Algebra students scoring
  proficient and higher in identifying and solving
  systems of equations and inequalities will meet
  or exceed 80 by Friday, December 21st as
  measured by textbook page 179 administered during
  the week of December 17-21.

textbook page
179
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SMART Goals Template
Click here to open file.
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Dont Worry!

• Establishing SMART goals is an important
  component, but the reality is
  
• Additional training will be provided on the
  October 26th Institute Day.
  
• And, CLTs wont be far enough in the process to
  establish SMART goals at their 1st meeting on
  October 18th.

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- Remember - Course Learning Teams emphasize

• Student Learning
• Teachers ask, In what ways can students
  demonstrate an increased understanding of a
  concept or greater proficiency with a set of
  skills?
• Collaboration with colleagues
• Teachers ask, What are effective instructional
  strategies to help all of my students learn what
  is intended?
  
• Goal Setting
• SMART goals help CLTs feel a sense of ownership
  and also a sense of achievement.
  
• You know youre finished, and you realize,
  yes, we accomplished what we set out to do rather
  than just having a good feeling about it. I
  think that these measurable goals make it very
  clear to us not only what weve accomplished, but
  what we still need to do. Linda Jamison,
  Retired Teacher (PLC at Work by DuFour, DuFour,
  and Eaker)

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References

• The Power of SMART Goals Using Goals to Improve
  Student Learning by Jan ONeill and Anne
  Conzemius (with Carol Commodore and Carol
  Pulsfus). Published by Solution Tree.
• Professional Learning Communities at Work by
  Rebecca DuFour, Richard DuFour, and Robert Eaker.
  Published by Solution Tree.
  
• Data Teams by the Center for Performance
  Assessment
  
• Data-Driven Decision Making by the Center for
  Performance Assessment.
  
• How to Develop a Professional Learning Community
  Passion and Persistence (DVD) by Richard
  DuFour.
  
• Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision
  Making by Kaner, Lind, Toldi, Fisk, and Berger.
  

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Sources of Data- Step 2 -

• Where can we find relevant data to support our
  suspicions and concerns if Common Assessment data
  is unavailable?
  
• Standardized Tests (EXPLORE, PLAN, ACT, etc)
• Local Assessments (Chapter Tests, Quizzes,
  worksheets, assignments, etc)
  
• As a team, if all members do not have access to
  the same source of data, then it will be
  necessary for the group to develop a formative
  assessment to
• Confirm the suspicion and concern
• Establish a baseline for student achievement

Back
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Formative Assessment

• If your team finds themselves in a situation
  where it is necessary to create a formative
  assessment in order to determine the validity of
  their concern, then
• Keep it simple (this doesnt have to be a complex
  100 question assessment, in fact, there might be
  sample questions from a textbook or a resource
  already available to serve this purpose)
• Stay consistent (each teacher should be
  administering the same assessment)
  
• Think of it as a diagnostic tool (youre trying
  to identify and define the student achievement
  problem, if a problem even exists)
  

Back
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Vulnerabilities

• Jan ONeill Anne Conzemius

When we develop goals as a team and agree to use
common assessments, we are exposing ourselves to
not only our students and our supervisors, but to
our colleagues as well, which is perhaps even
more challenging for many teachers. Teachers may
feel a variation of test anxiety When we are
unsure of our skills, we worry about having
others see what we do not know. - page 8
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