We Have Common Planning: Now What?

1. We Have Common Planning: Now What? Y’all wad up and do something! Scott Warren scott.warren@sreb.org @rswgoiu

2. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!

3. Scott Warren • Current • Director of State Initiatives for HSTW/MMGW • Former • Math Teacher/PE Teacher/Coach • Assistant Principal/Principal • Band Booster Club President • What I believe • Purpose • Teachers are often victims of change!

4. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Founded in 1948: ONE GOAL - to improve education in south Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization Linking Policy and Practice Work with district and school leaders in middle grades, high schools and technology centers to improve student achievement and completion rates – High Schools That Work, Making Middle Grades Work, Technology Centers That Work, Advanced Careers, NCRCTE, T2L

5. Work together? • “Collaboration by invitation does not work.”Richard DuFour • Many large American high schools resemble a large hotel united by a common parking lot! • Teaching – The second oldest profession! • What exactly do we mean by a team?

6. TEAM “A group of individuals who depend on each other and interact with each other to reach acommon goal”

7. The ratios of We’s to I’s is the best indicator of the development of a team Lewis B. Ergen

8. Start with Why • Teams are put in place around the country but little is done to make sure their work is effective. • PLCs • Career Academy Teams • 9th grade Teams • Focus Teams • Middle School MESS Teams • Others • They often do not progress because too little time is spent on development

9. Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lenzione • Absence of Trust: The fear of being vulnerable with team members prevents the building of trust within the team • Fear of Conflict: The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence of productive conflict • Lack of Commitment: The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they will stick to. • Avoidance of Accountability: The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding one another accountable for their behaviors and performance • Inattention to Results: The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the focus on collective success.

10. Final Word Protocol • Get in groups of three • Each person reads the article and selects one aspect they want to discuss. • Person with most recent birthday goes first • 1 minute to talk about their aspect of the article • Each person then gets 30 seconds to talk about the SAME aspect of the article. • The original person has up to 30 seconds for FINAL WORD • Next person gets to talk for one minute about their aspect of the article • Process continues

11. Indeed,the reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doingSECOND THINGS FIRST. Robert J. McKain

12. BUILD TRUST FIRST • Two Truths and a Lie • My Story • One Thing • Personality Tests (e.g. Compass Points) • Meeting openers

13. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL WORK STYLE? COMPASS POINTS • To identify individual styles of working within a group • To identify the value of all styles when working toward a common team goal or product

14. NORTH • ACTORS • “Let’s do it” attitude • Like to act, try things, plunge in. • Need to get work done NOW! (Or as quickly as possible) • Product-driven

15. SOUTH • CARING • Like to know that everyone’s feelings have been taken into consideration, that their voices have been heard, before acting • Need to have all members share their thoughts and be sure everyone is supported • Brings snacks

16. WEST • DETAILERS • Pay attention to the little things • Like to know the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE & WHY before acting • Need to get their questions answered before proceeding with the work • Always seeking clarification

17. EAST • SPECULATING • Like to look at the big picture, the possibilities, before acting • Need to express their vision of the project • Always looking for another way • Big Idea People

18. Group Questions • What are the strengths of our style? • What are the limitations of our style? • What style do we find the most difficult with which to work? Why? • What do others need to know about us that will make our work together more successful? North - Actors / Product-driven South - Caring / Brings snacks East - Speculators / Big idea West – Detailers / w,w,w,w,w

19. Meeting Openers • If money was no object, what vehicle would you drive? • If you could spend an evening (dinner/conversation) with anyone, real or fictitious, who would that be and why? • What one word best describes you in a positive manner? • What animal best depicts your personality? • What is the first thing on your bucket list?

20. Group Resume • Have the team compose a group résumé to share with parents and students • The résumé should include any information that promotes the team as a whole. The groups may choose to include: • Educational background • Total years of professional experience • Positions held • Professional skills • Major accomplishments • Publications • Hobbies, talents, travel, family, pets

21. After Trust: Start with Products • Products give a team a clear goal and actually fosters low level conflict • It allows all to work with a common purpose • Begin with non-classroom items • Make it useful

22. School Specific Products • Common Agenda for Meetings • Norms (See Resources) • Contracts with student and parent • Create a set of best instructional (or other) practices from the group • Others?

23. School Specific Products • Policies/Practices/Procedures • Data Room • Grading/Homework Policy • Rubrics • Celebration Protocols Rule #1: Consensus may mean nobody is happy! Rule #2: Loose tight rule for leading teams!

24. Team Evolution - Shifting the Focus Moving from products to focusing on aspects away from themselves • Fosters common commitment • Supporting Struggling Students (9th grade focus, Academies and PLCs) • The concept of redo! (don’t start with this) • Why is it okay for kids to redo entire courses they fail, but not okay to have them redo assignments or assessments they fail?

25. How can cross-discipline teams support struggling students? • HAVE A PROCESS! HAVE DATA! • Role Call • Identify student and situation • Note special circumstances (Guidance) • Potential actions for student • Potential actions for team • Meet with student – Who? • Take actions • Check back • How do we avoid dealing with only the worst case scenarios?

26. If you meet with students: • Do you really want to know why? • Go in with a plan; Who will lead discussion • Start with this is what we will do and this is what we need you to do (critical if parent is involved) – you can add what the parent will do! • Use teachers with relationships • Have clear benchmarks • SHOW YOU CARE! Give them hope!

27. Making the Leap! Focusing on Improving Instruction Adult improvement is key to school improvement!

28. Back to my belief about PD Goal of PD Most PD Today

29. Change PD! • “One such analysis, which examined studies of professional development using the most scientifically rigorous methodologies, found that training programs of a certain duration—30 to 100 hours of time over six months to a year—positively influenced student achievement,while those with fewer than 14 hours had little effect.” (Sawchuck, 2009)

30. Professional Development • Re-delivery of PD • Action Research • Book study • Demonstration Classrooms • Peer Observations – You have heard of Staycations – Stay School Visits • Lead Teacher Model for PD • Other ideas??????

31. Start Focus on Instruction with Data • Do you have achievement data disaggregated by academy? • Do you have achievement data by class section? • If so, how will you use the data? If not, what do you need to get it? • Do you have school and classroom practices data? • If so, how will you use the data? If not, what do you need to get it?

32. Curriculum Alignment Discussions Alignment Four Ways Standards Instruction Assignments Assessments

33. Alignment – Standards – Assessments – Assignments - Instruction Standard = Lift 50 lbs. x 5 reps Instruction = 25 lbs. x 10 reps Assessment 50 lbs. x 5 reps Assignment = Run for 15 minutes

34. Now a Real Team Discussion Standard: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. Instruction: The teacher projects a NY Times editorial on the screen and uses a “think-aloud” strategy to model how she determines the writer’s point of view; pointing out key phrases and how they reveal the writer’s beliefs or opinions. Assignment: Students must select a topic about which they have a strong opinion and write a letter to the editor in which they cite valid and persuasive evidence to support their opinion. Assessment: Students read a short passage and identify the author’s point of view and underline key phrases or literary devices that support their conclusion as to the author’s point of view.

35. Protocols Can Guide Discussions • Using protocols for teachers to look at assignments, assessments and student work. • Tuning Protocol • Five Why • Praise – Question – Polish • Consultancy • Final Word • Standards in Practice • Action Research • The Power of Protocols

36. Protocols Require: • Looking at things differently • Require incredible trust • KEY – Looking at the work, not the teacher or the student

37. ONE MORE KEY POINT: Teams Drive Change • Build a plan and work the plan! • Do not confuse activity with progress! My Key

38. Tips for Success • Make initial meetings about building trust, then product driven • Set clear expectations for participation • Remember the serenity prayer! • Not all meetings have to be alike! • Think about television • Headline News • Sit-com • Mini-series • Movie

39. Dealing with Difficult People • Difficult people want to be left alone to do what they want – hence teams are counter to their way of thinking • Why are they difficult? • Focus on them not recruiting • Create a plan to deal with Negaholics • 2 for 1 rule

40. One more thing! • People forget that CHANGE is like loss! • Teachers will go through five stages of grief • Denial • Anger • Bargaining • Depression • Acceptance

41. Team Resources All created by schools and districts: • Description of Protocols • Team To Do List • Common Planning Rubric • Agenda/Minutes Document • SREB Support to schools, districts and states • Ongoing PD • Coaching • National/State Workshops 41

42. Questions/Concerns

43. Final Thought Everybody wants to improve! Few want to change. The fact remains, that to improve one must change! Scott Warren scott.warren@sreb.org @rswgoiu Thank you