Purpose and Uses of the Alabama Quality Teaching Standards and the Continuum for Teacher Development

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Purpose and Uses of the Alabama Quality Teaching
Standards and theContinuum for Teacher
Development
Module 3 The Continuum in Action
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Purpose

• To create a common understanding of the
  structure, content, and intended uses of the
  Alabama Quality Teaching Standards and the
  Alabama Continuum for Teacher Development

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Objectives

• To know the intended uses of the Alabama Quality
  Teaching Standards and the Alabama Continuum for
  Teacher Development and recognize how leaders can
  support effective use of these tools
• To learn about structures and processes that can
  facilitate effective application of the Standards
  and Continuum in school settings
• To understand the purpose and characteristics of
  formative assessmentand how it differs from
  summative assessment

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Activity 1 Encouraging Individual Reflection
and Improvement Planning

• Skim through Standard Two Teaching and
  LearningOrganization and Management of Learning
  Environment Indicators 2.1-2.3, pp. 12-13,
  Alabama Continuum for Teacher Development.
• As you view the video, imagine that you are this
  teacher. After the video you will be asked to
  self-assess your level of performance based upon
  this lesson.

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Activity 1 Encouraging Individual Reflection
and Improvement Planning

• Now, imagining that you are the videotaped
  teacher, self-assess your level of development
  (as exhibited by this videotaped lesson) on
  Indicators 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3. Please complete
  this task individually and silently. As you
  decide upon a level of development, think about
  the evidence that led you to this assessment.
• Given the results of your self-assessment, what
  might you do to build upon your strengths and
  address identified areas for growth?

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Activity 2 Encouraging Team Reflection and
Planning

• First, name a facilitator, recorder, and
  timekeeper for your group.
• Moving through each indicator2.1-2.3
• Share-around where you placed yourself on the
  Continuumand explain why by providing specific
  evidence, e.g. discrete look-for behaviors,
  artifacts, etc.
• Talk about the similarities and differences in
  your assessments and rationales.
• Now, imagine that you are in a team meeting where
  you are considering what you can do to (1) share
  and build upon identified strengths, and (2)
  support one another in planning and implementing
  activities/strategies for learning and growth.

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Debrief

• What insights did you have as you engaged in the
  last two activities?
• What questions do you have?
• What can you and your colleagues do to support
  one another in individual and team
  self-assessment using The Continuum for Teacher
  Development?
• What can administrators in your school and
  district do to support your use of the Continuum
  in this manner?

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Activity 3 The Alabama Quality Teaching
StandardsHow Can These Be Used to Support
Classroom Observations and Formative Feedback

• Skim through p. 3 of the Guiding Questions and
  Evidence matrix (the questions associated with
  Indicators 2.4.-2.7)
• As you view the video, assume your assigned role
  (either the videotaped teacher OR an observer in
  this classroom). After the video, you will be
  given a few minutes to decide the level of
  practice for indicators 2.4-2.7and to develop an
  evidence-based rationale for your assessment

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Activity 3 The Alabama Quality Teaching
StandardsHow Can These Be Used to Support
Classroom Observations and Formative Feedback

• Now, assuming your assigned role (teacher or
  observer) assess the level of development on each
  of the indicators 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7. Please
  complete this task with one other person who
  assumed the same role as you. As you decide upon
  a level of development, think about the
  evidence that led you to this assessment.
• Given the results of your assessment, what might
  you do to build upon strengths and plan for
  growth in identified areas?

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Praise, Question, Polish (PQP)A Process for
Engaging in Conversations Related to Formative
Assessments

• PQP is a tool for the structured conversation
  following the observation. Two essential
  components
• Inclusion of affirmations
• Provision of non-directive feedback through
  questions, which give teachers opportunities to
  reflect on practice

Gloria Neubert, Improving Teaching Through
Coaching, PDK Fastback 277.
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Effective Feedback

• most often asks the observed teacher to reflect
  and identify personal growth objectives

Evaluate performance and tell how to improve
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Praise

• Identify what went well in the observed lesson.
• Remember the focus of the observation and relate
  the positive comments to that focus.
• Ask your colleague, What do you think went well?

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Characteristics of Effective Praise
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Question

• Clarifying Questions are used to
• Gather additional information
• Help understand something you observed
• Express reservations in a non-directive way
• Examples
• What were expected outcomes of the cooperative
  group activity?
• How have you helped your students become more
  active listeners?
• What might have happened if. . . ?

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Question

• Eliciting Questions
• Help teacher hypothesize or speculate.
• Extend teacher thinking.
• Examples
• What do you think contributed to .?
• What assumptions were you making about students
  prior knowledge?

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Polish

• Remember, your main job is to LISTEN.
• Ask questions that will help the observed teacher
  reflect and make decisions that will stretch
  his/her performance.

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Give Polish Feedback in the Form of Questions

• Leading Questions
• Encourage reflection on specific methodology
• Ask, dont tell
• Give teacher final decision about classroom
  strategies
• Examples
• What if you had provided students with primary
  source material for this activity?
• In what ways did this lesson utilize the
  principles of strategic teaching?
• What would it take to actively engage the
  reticent learners?

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Simulated Feedback Conference

• First, jot down a few ideas for each of the three
  categories, Praise, Question, Polish, on the form
  designed for your assigned role (teacher or
  observer).
• When directed, pair with someone who is assuming
  a different role so that an observer and
  teacher are paired together.
• Using the P-Q-P format, engage in a feedback
  conference that incorporates formative
  assessment.

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Debrief

• What insights did you have as you engaged in the
  P-Q-P Conference?
• What questions do you have?
• In what ways might you use the P-Q-P as you seek
  to advance formative assessment?

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Formative Assessment and Communications What
does it sound like?

• Highly interactiveconsider using the 20/80 rule
• The Sound of Silence because it involves a lot
  of active listening and thinking
• Questions that invite reflection
• Feedback that is specific, relevant, and grounded
  in evidence

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The Words We Choose Reflect Our Intent Formative
Language Summative Language

• Reveals, Responds, Advances
• Elevates and Promotes Practice
• Describes, Discusses, and Develops
• Enhances, Enriches, and Expands

• Rates, Ranks, and Assigns
• Evaluates and Pigeonholes Practice
• Tallies, Totals, and Tells
• Complies, Conforms, and Categorizes

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Reflection and Feedback

• Please complete the Feedback Form, which should
  enable you to assess your own learning during the
  first two sessions in this series AND provide
  information to allow us to plan for meaningful
  follow up.

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Our Use of the Alabama Continuumfor Teacher
Development

• A
• Work
• In
• Progress