Sticky Standards: Professional Learning That Sticks: Recent Episodes
Dayna Richardson
The purpose and focus of this Sticky Standards podcast is PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. These podcasts focus on the Professional Learning standards that have been adopted by Learning Forward. As learners, listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the Professional Learning Standards and make connections with any initiative/upcoming change within their team, building, district, and/or state.
Dayna Richardson can be contacted at: Twitter: @dayrichardson45 Email: daynarichardsaon45@gmail.com Facebook: @dayna.richardson.7
Our guest is Dennis Sparks, who comes to this dialogue as a former high school teacher, director of an alternative high school, director of a teacher center, author, consultant, and the former Executive Director of Learning Forward. Most recently Dennis has been working as a “thinking partner” with districts on leadership development. He also writes a weekly blog.
Without Leadership, it is difficult to establish the other Standards for Professional Learning, Dennis shares the following:
- The difference between “training” and professional Learning
- Teaching is a process. Student learning is the outcome.
- Professional development is a process. Professional learning is the outcome.
- Professional learning is nonnegotiable in our schools. Educators have teams/learning communities where they participate in deep learning.
- Somebody has to say….emperor, you are wearing no clothes. It is HARD WORK!
- DOING is hard. Reach out…..who is a step or two ahead of you. Who can support you? Or…just invent that first step!
- It takes COURAGE to begin the hard work.
- Our morale purpose is that all children thrive.
Learn more by exploring Dennis’s website and reading his blogs or following him on Twitter and Facebook. His leadership is appreciated by many, including me. https://dennissparks.wordpress.com/
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Our guest is Marceta Reilly, who comes to this dialogue as a teacher, superintendent, leadership coach, author … always with a teacher’s heart. Plus, my friend and mentor.
Marceta selected two Standards for Professional Learning, Leadership and Implementation. The many challenges and complex changes in our schools today call for a different kind of leader. Instead of being the expert, it is important for leaders to empower and develop capacity of all educators.
Today’s leaders:
•Listen Deeply, committed listening
•Assume all educators want to do well, recognizing and celebrating their strengths
•Are curious, empowering teachers to engage and develop capacity
•Provide reflective feedback, being inclusive and open to possibilities.
Education Evaluations are a great opportunity to have a meaningful dialogue. It gives educators an opportunity to REFLECT on their practices. Change happens one conversation at a time. It provides a “space to reflect” in a safe place. We all yearn for time for reflection.
By being learning partners, we are all empowered to change and own our own learning.
We must go beyond the data. Make the data (and feedback) meaningful by focusing on the WHY, by touching their heart and what do they care about.
Learn much more by exploring Marceta’s website and her many resources. Her leadership is appreciated by many, including me. http://marcetareilly.com/
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Our guest is Bruce Wellman who comes to this dialogue as a former classroom teacher, a science specialist, and an amazing author, consultant, and friend to many educators….including ME!
Bruce selected the Learning Communities and Leadership standards for our podcast. What are the connections of these two standards? How do we lead the leaders of learning communities? What are the tools that support quality learning communities? GROUP development…what does it mean? Strategic interventions? For Teams? For Leaders?
What are our expectations for teacher/team leaders? How do we coach teacher/team leaders?
- Specific tools/skills for people who supervise groups (central office, principals)
- A robust tool kit for teacher/team leaders.
How do principals address toxic teams? When/what are the connections to teacher evaluations, professional responsibility? There are two levels of tools – personal (self) and mentoring others with skills of collaboration. Strategies AND structures are critical. Principals are hungry for the tools that include strategies, protocols, and the structure of group work.
Structure becomes habit and habit becomes the new norm!
Learn more from Bruce about What, Why, How. (His books, Data Driven Dialogue, Groups at Work, Got Data? Now What?, Adaptive Schools, and more are listed in the resource section.) What makes groups smart? What is social sensitivity? Why is that important in our schools? Working with each other in schools is part of our work, not taking us away from our work!
We must drill down deep to the heart of our persistent problems, being comfortable about being uncomfortable. Safe, but uncomfortable, looking at learning, not teaching.
A well run meeting needs a lesson plan, not a list of topics!
Who needs to “get it” to take it to scale? District-wide? State-wide? Again, drill down to the persistent problems and connect to the context – root cause analysis. It is the culture that counts. It is the structure that counts.
Dialogue, Discussion, and then Decisions
Study Success!
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Our guest is Janice Bradley whocomes to this dialogue as a former classroom teacher, a K-12 mathematics specialist, and an adjunct professor. She has just accepted a position at the University of Utah. Janice is a life-long learner!
HOW do we DESIGN schools for meaningful professional learning and WHY is that important? Educators are busy with many new initiatives; they get swept away on the TRAIN OF DOING and there is little time for professional learning. As Janice has worked with schools, she has found a key is the principal who advocates for professional learning by creating the TIME and the CULTURE for continuous improvement.
Janice shares how educators actually implement structures for professional learning and establish the culture of professional learning and shared ownership. Again, principals are the key as they create a culture that is safe for teachers to try new ideas…and made mistakes. Principals and teachers make the connections between professional learning and productive educator evaluations. Connecting the dots! It’s doable!
The Five Part Plan of Professional Learning
- Staff reaches consensus on a shared vision that includes 5 key elements that must be in every classroom every day to support student learning!
- Teams select one of nine learning designs – VOICE and CHOICE! Each design has a cycle of learning that includes planning, implementation in the classroom, and reflections.
- Dates for implementation are scheduled and conducted. Principals ensure time is provided.
- Buildings host a Knowledge Showcase in late spring. Each team SHARES what they learned during the year!! (10 minutes for each team!) A great celebration of learning.
- Teams create a professional knowledge base – strategies to remember and USE next year!!
Learn more from Janice and the Five Part Plan of Professional Learning, remembering that is it not THE answer, it is ONE answer. Check out her new book, Designing Schools for Meaningful Professional Learning: A Guidebook for Educators, Corwin, 2015.
One size does not fit ALL! Everyone has a voice!
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Our guest is Pat Roy, who comes to this conversation as a former junior high teacher and is presently a Senior Consultant with Learning Forward’s Center for Results, working with state departments of education, districts, and schools across the United States and internationally.
Pat selected the Learning Designs standard for our podcast. The Learning Designs standard includes three components:
- Apply learning theories
- Select learning designs
- Promote active engagement
How do we ensure that what we learn ends up changing classroom practice?
The key to student learning is effective instruction in the classroom. The KEY to adult learning is selecting the appropriate LEARNING DESIGN for our purpose. Is the learning design a good match for where the educators are in the learning process? Does it help bridge the gap from knowing to doing?
We must extend our thinking about professional learning. Professional learning that extends to supporting our educators in their classrooms. Again, support from knowing to doing.
What is our core belief about the role of professional learning in our schools? What is the barrier that is keeping us from providing ongoing support to all of our educators.The big question, “DO YOU BELIEVE ADULTS NEED SUPPORT?”
When was the last time you learned something that actually changed your BEHAVIOR? How long did it take?
Which learning design “fits” where you and your educators are in the journey from knowing to doing? It is complex with many combinations. Pat shares a process of making those decisions that include active engagement. ENJOY this wonderful dialogue with Pat!
One size does not fit ALL!
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Our guest is Nancy Bolz, Director of Kansas and Oklahoma AdvanceEd. She comes to our conversation as a former teacher, assistant principal, school improvement specialist, and principal.
Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school. ~Kenneth Leithwood
Nancy chose the Leadership standard for our podcast. The three components:
- Develop capacity for learning and leading
- Advocate for professional learning
- Create support systems for professional learning
What are traits of leaders who focus on continuous improvement? They create a shared vision through leadership (humility) and that creates energy. Leaders see the best in others, creating a culture of commitment! Leaders are REAL, they embrace change and are open to new ideas. It is not a specific personality, it is being focused on the continuous improvement and learning.
Culture eats strategies for breakfast.
There is no recipe for implementing continuous improvement. It is different for every building and every district. Leaders (building and district) create the conditions for success. What is the “dance” between the central office and building leadership? Shared leadership and much more! It takes courage to look at the data….and do something about it!
If professional learning isn’t the answer, what is?
We know that the teacher/educator is the learner. What is holding us back? Nancy shares!!
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Our guest is Frederick Brown, the Deputy Executive Director with Learning Forward. He comes to this conversation as a former teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Today we are focusing on the role of building principals in our schools.
Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school. ~Kenneth Leithwood
How does a principal bring effective practices to scale in a school, creating the environment ofc ollective responsibility and shared leadership that increases student learning? The principal sets the tone and develops the culture, plus being sure the right people are on the bus!! A principal thinks differently!! Principals find TIME for common planning for educators to think about their practice.
How do SYSTEMS create and support a culture of learning at both the district and each building? It creates a clear vision of effective teaching. Fred shares an example of Fort Wayne, Indiana and how this district has created an environment that focuses on LEARNING, using ALL of the Standards of Professional Learning!
What is the “dance” between the central office and buildings? How does a district create a vision that creates learning environments good for adults? For students? For entire districts? It is informed and supported by the central office folks with ownership by the building leaders. How is learning structured in your building/district? What are your standards and definitions? Within this culture of continuous improvement, principals create their own learning communities. Check out Becoming a Learning System! What a great book. The authors (Stephanie Hirsh, Kay Psencik, and Frederick Brown) LIVE this work!!
Final thought – We know that in any classroom or school across our country there is a child who may change the world for the better. Our work around professional learning and creating effective learning environments allows students to shine!!
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Our guest is Julie Blaine, the Executive Director of the Missouri Central Regional Professional Development Center. She is also the current President of the Board of Trustees of Learning Forward.
How do we address the needs of all of our adult learners? How do we move from KNOWING to DOING? The standard Learning Designs focuses on DOING. Julie shares an example of a powerful learning design that she uses as she works with teams of teachers on writing. Working with collaborative teams that focus on DATA, they use the protocol of looking at student work. What do the team members see in the student work? What has worked? What has not worked? These are ONGOING collaborative team meetings that include the continuous cycle of improvement. This process can include many different designs – book study, lesson study, observations, online learning – depending on the specific needs of each team. The choices are made by the team members after they have looked at the data. The power comes when teachers share!! Another component of Leaning Designs is ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT. Again, what am I going to KNOW and DO? We want our educators to EXPERIENCE the new standards.
The next step is IMPLEMENTATION (Let’s do it!) in our classrooms; then, the evidence. What are we going to show that our work (learning) is making a difference in the classroom? What data can we share with others? Hard core on paper evidence!
Learning Designs support IMPLEMENTATION at the system level. As we know, it takes all of the standards to move from KNOWING to DOING. Many districts are now engaged in long-term, sustained, job-embedded professional learning. Celebration!! Districts are truly walking their talk – seeing the power of Professional Learning across time. Educators also want the WHY of change and that can be a challenge but it is happening in many districts who have embraced professional learning and the Standards of Professional Learning.
Reflection – Keep Moving Forward!!
Our window is WIDE OPEN for professional learning!
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Our guest today is René Islas, the Director of the Center for Results at Learning Forward who has been working with Texas on a state-wide audit of professional learning.
Learning Forward’s Vision
E6 = Every Educator Engages in Effective professional
learning Every day so Every student achieves.
As we look at professional learning, how do we move from KNOWING to DOING? Data is essential. Effective professional learning has an impact on educator effectiveness and student achievement.
Texas is asking two questions.
- What are the requirements for professional learning at the federal, state, and district levels? (Policies- what is on paper?)
- What is the quality of the professional learning that is being provided. (Comprehensive survey of every district in the state of Texas, plus interviews with Texas educators.)
René shares the preliminary findings. How do we support ALL educators getting better?
Look at data as an opportunity!!
As always, Learning Forward provides many resources to support our work. http://learningforward.org/
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Our guest is Toni Prickett. Toni is first and foremost a TEACHER! She has taught middle and high school math, worked at an educational service center, and is presently an independent consultant, primarily working with Cognitive Coaching and Adaptive Schools models across our country.
Today, Toni is making connections between our Educator Evaluation systems (educator growth) and professional learning, including the PL standards. We want to ask, “How does our brain work? How do we learn?” Is there cognitive dissonance? Balanced participation, what does that mean? We want EVERYONE’S thinking in the room. Collaboration means “co-labor.” Within our learning communities, how do we get our best thinking on the table? We all have ideas. Let’s put them ALL together and create a BETTER idea. What does that look like?
There are many Adaptive Schools strategies/protocols that ENGAGE educators in learning. Once these strategies are EXPERIENCED by educators the next step is to use these same strategies of engagement in our classrooms. If what we are learning is not seen in the classrooms………..
Another critical component of engagement is Efficacy. Research says the #1 predictor of student success is that teachers BELIEVE they can make a difference. Do we believe our team members are capable, Positive Intentions!
How do we create environments where we EXPERIENCE LEARNING?
What is the role of Leaders? Leaders help others make connections. They ask the right questions. We have the capacity to solve our challenges by building groups of thinkers! It takes every member contributing to the possibility thinking and solution finders. We want to build groups of thinkers!!
If you want to learn more about Toni’s work check http://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/
Her personal bio can be found at http://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/tc_trainer/toni-prickett/
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Our guest today is Steve Barkley. For the past 30 years Steve has served as a consultant to school districts, teacher organizations, state departments of education, and colleges and universities, facilitating the changes necessary to reach students and successfully prepare them for the 21st century. Recently Steve has been working with Learning Forward, connecting professional learning, professional learning communities, and coaching.
Today, Steve is focusing on learning communities whose goal is increased student learning. The purpose of learning communities is increased student achievement. We must begin with goals for our PLCs, not activities, but GOALS. What is our purpose? What are the members LEARNING that impacts students?
A PLC begins with backwards planning. First, what do you want students to DO? Then, what student behaviors do you want to see? Next, what teacher behaviors will we see? Finally, what is the role of leaders? As we implement, leaders come first! Leaders set clear expectations. Leaders look for changes in teacher conversations, then changes in teacher behaviors, then student behaviors, and finally, student learning.
Steve has created a continuum of the journey to becoming a learning community. Do your educators work as individuals? Or do your educators who work as a FRANCHISE? Or true learning communities that have collective responsibility for ALL student learning? What are the adults going to learn?
What do our students need (want) us to learn?
Again….are our PLCs a franchise or a true professional learning community?
If you want to learn more, check out Steve’s website; http://www.barkleypd.com/
Teaching is too important for it to continue to be an isolated, individual activity…….create a collaborative, continuous improvement approach to teaching and learning. ~ Steve Barkley
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Our guest today is again Steve Preston, an educational leader in Georgia and a Senior Consultant with Learning Forward’s Center for Results. Steve’s passion is professional learning, of course, Steve has been a classroom teacher, a middle school and high school principal, served as a curriculum developer and a Division Director for the Georgia Department of Education (DOE). During his leadership at the Georgia state department. Steve led the state in the early adoption of the LF Standards of Professional Learning. He is an expect on the use of the SAI2 and will share specific uses of it with us today. It is an inventory that asks teachers what they do every day at their school.
We know that Professional Learning is essential for improving the performance of educators and student achievement. Professional learning is standards based, data driven and job embedded. The SAI2 is a powerful tool to collect data around the professional learning at the building level. Are the practices at a school aligned with the PL standards?
Today we “go deeper” as we examine the uses of this research-based tool, knowing multiple data is critical for continuous improvement. We want data that can be used to make improvements immediately and on a regular basis. SAI2 can be used by schools, districts and even states to drive their continuous improvement efforts. Learn how states have USED this data.
Steve shares all of the details of this survey and how it can be used – the specifics!! Again, it is about the practices of a building/district. It is aligned with the PL standards, is diagnostic and used in planning.
Again, the SAI provides a building data from the teachers in their building that helps educators determine if their practices are aligned with the PL standards, their continuous improvement efforts, and their goals. It’s about the conversations about LEARNING!!
Learn more about Steve’s experiences with supporting districts and states using the SAI2.
If you have questions, do contact Steve and/or Learning Forward’s website.
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Our guest today is Steve Preston, an educational leader in Georgia and a Senior Consultant with Learning Forward’s Center for Results. Steve’s passion is professional learning, of course! He has been a teacher, a middle school and high school principal, served as a curriculum developer and a Division Director for the Georgia Department of Education (DOE). During his leadership at the Georgia state department Steve lead the state in the early adoption of the Learning Forward’s Standards of Professional Learning. He is an expect on the use of the SAI2 and will share it with us today.
Professional learning is essential for improving the performance of educators and student achievement. Professional learning is standards based, data driven and job embedded. The SAI2 is a powerful tool to collect data around the professional learning at the building level. Are the practices at a school aligned with the PL standards? SAI2 is an inventory that asks teachers what they do every day at their school. How do you “do school” in your building?
Steve focuses on the PROCESS of professional learning at the building level. The SAI can be the data collection tool for your building that provides feedback in the implementation of any initiative in a district, building and/or team. The SAI provides a building data from the teachers in their building that helps them determine if their practices are aligned with the PL standards.
Learn more about Steve’s thoughts on continuous improvement, professional learning and using the PL standards at the building level!! Again, the SAI2 data is THEIR data! Great conversations are generated from this data and those conversations can improve educator practice. This data can also be used for continuous improvement planning.
In a culture of continuous improvement …. everyone involved is a learner every day.
Last words from Steve….There are many ways to use the SAI2. Listeners can find more information on Learning Forward’s Center for Results site. Check it out.
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Our guest today is Tamara Konrade, a true learner and leader. Tamara is a teacher at heart and LOVES to lead! She has had many leadership roles in Kansas, including instruction coach, principal, curriculum leader and now the Director of Professional Learning at ESSDACK, a Kansas service center.
Today Tamara focuses on the role of leadership during change and implementation of change. She believes that building relationships is at the heart of leadership. Leadership is not a title, it is an action. It is important for leaders to address both the cultural procedures and structural procedures as they go hand-in-hand. Leadership inspires hope and creates trust among buildings, districts – all teams. It is a BOTH/AND!
What do leaders do? Again, leadership is an action. Leaders communicate clarity of purpose and outcomes. In fact, they over communicate the purpose. Building trust is also important. Coaching plays a huge role in leadership. It allows others to bring to light their own assumptions and beliefs on what they are doing and why they are doing it. Coaching allows educators to think differently. The coaching model, IPEC, focuses on engagement. As a coaching leader one advocates for developing capacity for leading and learning. It supports learning communities, provides resources, and creates systems that support learning for ALL. IPEC connects engagement with levels of energy. The coaching leader focuses on the WHY and creates an environment of commitment and not compliance.
Tamara describes a framework for leaders that support change, including CELEBRATION of small successes while continuing to focus on moving forward. Again, leadership is connected to energy and engagement!
Learn more about Tamara’s thoughts on leadership, professional learning, and systems. She sees all of the PL standards connected – like a beautiful quilt!
Last words from Tamara….EVERYONE IS A LEADER!! They will do whatever it takes! They are excited about learning! We “get to” work with our students and with each other. Continuous learning is a way of being!!
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Our guest today is John Heim, a true learner! John has had many leadership roles in Kansas, including superintendent and service center director. Presently John is the Executive Director of Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB).
As a leader, John shares an example of a very successful change and why it was successful. When he was superintendent many of the elementary students in the district were struggling with reading. First, the district looked at the data and asked WHY? Through many conversations with elementary educators, including building principals, they developed a plan for implementation, including the involvement of the board of education. It was a “beautiful thing” and students began reading better!!
John shares the many components of the successful implementation, including board members as LEARNERS!! What is the role of the board of education during systemic change? The role of the board is two-fold: setting a vision and then monitoring it. Most importantly is that board members are LEARNERS. Again, the board sets the vision and monitors implementation. The educators implement the HOW after the board has set the WHY.
A great question, “What do we want for our kids when they graduate?” The answer to that question will drive systemic change and professional learning in our state.
What is John learning this year?
Learn more about John’s thoughts on professional learning…..including his own. Last words from John….Our professional is one of inspiration! Reflection is key to our learning!
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Transforming Professional Learning (TPL): a multidimensional initiative focused on developing a comprehensive system of professional learning that spans the distance from the statehouse to the classroom.
Learning Forward, in partnership with CCSSO ( Council of Chief State School Officers), received funding for this initiative from three foundations: Bill and Melinda Gates, Sandler, and MetLife. The purpose of this initiative is to create a statewide comprehensive professional learning systemby aligning state policies and practices to support standards-based professional learning. Our guests today, Deborah Childs-Bowen, Vicki Duff, and Dale Hair, have been leaders in the initiative from the beginning and are excited to share the history, background, model, design, expansion and accomplishments….so far.
Through collaboration, TPL has the potential to impact our entire nation. The focus in each state is to build comprehensive professional learning systems aligned with college and career ready standards and systems of educator effectiveness. The central (heart) of this work is building capacity within a state around a shared focus that will be sustained over time.
Learn more about TPL from these amazing educational leaders! Listen to our podcast and check out the resources on Learning Forward’s website!! Yes, it takes all of us (partnerships and collaboration) to transform professional learning that increase educator effectiveness and results for all students!
Happy Learning and Leading!
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This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards from a Teacher’s Perspective, looking at IMPLEMENTATION. Our guest today is Karen Godfrey, President of Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) and Chair-elect of Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA).
Implementation: Why is it a challenge to implement a change in our schools? Something has to end before we start something new. The space between the old and the new is hard, the transition is messy. One challenge is keeping everyone on the same page, recognizing that different folks are at different places in the process. Each person wants validation. Give everyone a chance to OWN it. As leaders, we want to be sure everyone has both voice and choice during the process of implementation. We validate our mistakes, maybe even celebrate our mistakes.
“Reading the map is different than walking the territory.” The journey is exciting, but might be messy.
The journey of implementation takes TIME. The resource of TIME is critical and part of the PL standard of Resources. As Kansas districts implement Kansas College and Career Ready Standards (and other initiatives), another critical standard is learning communities. Teachers do not feel isolated when they have time for collaboration.
Key attributes of leaders (teacher leaders, principals, instructional coaches, others) for change include engagement, empowerment, and consensus. It is important to KNOW we can be successful – both short and long-range accomplishments. Yes, another professional learning standard – data. (Cheerleading!) is important! Communicate the WHY and move forward.
Learn more about Karen’s thoughts around professional learning from a state and from a teacher’s perspective.
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This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards from a State Perspective. Our guest today is Dr. Diane DeBacker, Kansas Commissioner of Education. Diane is a learning leader for all Kansas educators.
Leaders in our schools understand that if we want our teachers to be their very best then educators are learning too, just like our students are learning. What has made the biggest impact for Kansas educators for long-term change? Consistency in what districts are providing educators during professional learning time. One-shot workshops might feel good, but they do not improve student achievement. With the adoption of our Kansas College and Career Ready Standards (KCCRS), we’ve seen a narrowing as everyone is focusing their professional learning on these higher academic standards.
The core of MTSS is LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERING CULTURE. These three components align with the PL standards and when all three are in place systemic change happens.
When we give VOICE and CHOICE to educators, it provides flexibility for districts, buildings and teams. It is all about change. BE BETTER. “I’m not as good as I want to be, but I’m better than I was yesterday.” Each day, be better. Recently, the biggest challenge for districts has been professional learning, as we are expecting our educators to have broader and deeper content knowledge. The professional learning around content knowledge is critical for student success.
Many educators in Kansas are supporting each other as we learn the new standards. There are many options, including our wonderful education service centers. Share! Collaborate!
There is a strong connection between the Kansas educator evaluation systems and professional learning. It is about getting better. How are we continuing to learn as an educator?
Learn more about Diane’s thoughts on professional learning…..including her own. Again, she is a learning leader. Last words from Dr. DeBacker – Be a learner, be engaged, and ask questions about being better.
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This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standard Learning Designs. Our guest today is Jill Lachnmeyr, Assistant Superintendent for Academic Affairs for the Andover school district and President of Learning Forward Kansas. Jill is a LEARNER.
The three bigs ideas around the standard Learning Designs are applying learning theories, research, and models, selecting learning design, and promoting active engagement.
“Know your intentions and choose congruent behaviors.” This quote guides Jill’s work in her district. Focusing on their goals, they ask what are the BEST learning designs and strategies. The district has established a long-term comprehensive plan that is focused on continuous improvement. Joellen Killion and Patricia Roy’s book, Becoming a Learning School, has guided their work. They are transforming professional learning and impacting student learning by APPLYING their learning. How do we differentiate professional learning? How do we communicate? We focus on the WHY and understand that change takes time and support.
How might you use the PL standards as a guide? How might you use the cycle of continuous improvement? There is no one way to learn. Many factors influence decisions about learning designs:
- goals of the learning
- characteristics of the learners,
- comfort with the learning process and one another,
- their familiarity with the content,
- the magnitude of the expected change,
- educators’ work environment,
- resources available to support learning.
There are many resources available. Do utilize the free resources available on the Learning Forward website. There are four amazing units…check them out: Managing Change; Facilitating Learning Teams; Learning Designs; and PL standards.
Professional Learning Units: School-based Professional Learning for Implementing the Common Core
The possibilities are endless.
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This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standard LEARNING COMMUNITIES. Our guest today is Cindy Couchman, high school math teacher, Kansas Teacher of the Year in 2009, National Board Certified Teacher, and the recipient of many other honors. Cindy is a constant learner, and my friend!
Cindy and her high school math team began implementing a professional learning community using the Rick DuFour model. (What do you want the students to learn? How are you teaching it? How will you know they learn it? What do you do differently if they didn’t learn it?) From the beginning, they have used DATA. Data has been the foundation of their work. As Cindy shared, “We became a LEARNING community by knowing each other, then trust is built. First the structure then caring about each other – a cheerleader for each other. We push each other and that makes us all better. Success breeds success!”
Data Driven Dialogue. Cindy’s team looks through the lens of a data driven dialogue when analyzing data. They use Bruce Wellman’s book, Data Driven Dialogue. Their first success was using the “learning design” of Lesson Study+Data. It was powerful for the entire team. What happened when they used data to design their professional learning? Improved student learning! Celebration! Trust the process!! Teams evolve over time. The team is now looking at the bigger picture of instruction, grading practices, and technology.
We ALL Teach Seniors – Collective Responsibility. This team truly believes and LIVES that sense of collective responsibility, they are never isolated. They model the 3Rs – relationships, rigor, and relevance.
Recently, Cindy has been exploring non-cognitive skills: time management, resiliency, creativity, flexibility/adaptability, self-concept, and ethics …. check out her thinking!!
Great leaders are lead learners. Professional Learning is critical. Relationships are crucial.
Great leaders are servant leaders. The time is NOW! We all make a difference.
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This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standard LEADERSHIP. Our guest today is Mike Berblinger, high school principal, recent Kansas Secondary Principal of the Year, the new superintendent with Buhler USD 313, and my friend!
How does a leader facilitate change? In Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great, he describes great leaders as those who look out the window, not in the rear view mirror. Get to know people and support their learning…..developing capacity for self and others.
As we look through the lens of Professional Learning, we see that SUPPORTING teacher leadership is key when moving a district forward. Teacher leaders are using DATA as they work in their learning communities. The system/district provides the structure/time for teacher leaders to develop the skills required to move a team forward and have the TIME to go deeper. We listen to our teachers.Collaboration ROCKS!
As a superintendent, the focus must continue to be on learning. The urgent can get in the way of the important. Great leaders focus on what is important. Shifting the Monkey, by Todd Whitaker, states that as leaders we often take on the “monkeys” of other people instead of developing their capacity to solve their own problems. As leaders it is our goal to develop the capacity of others.
Great leaders are lead learners. Professional Learning is critical. Relationships are crucial.
Great leaders are servant leaders.
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This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards by examining the beliefs and principles of educators around TIME. Our guest today is Joellen Killion, author, presenter, and Senior Advisor for Learning Forward.
The standard of Resources includes TIME. Some might say that time is a matter of money. How do we invest our dollars. Joellen states, “This is what I know about time: there is never enough of it, it a non-renewable resource. When it is gone, it is gone. What all of that says to educators, we have to be savy about how we use TIME.” We want to have time for both student and educator learning.
Joellen challenges our thinking regarding our beliefs and guiding principles about time. As we always say, “If we do the same thing we’ve always done, we will get the same result.” A belief has been that time is fixed. In today’s world, time goes beyond the hours of 8:00 and 3:00, for both the students and the educators. Is it fixed?
A quote about TIME…..
The first thing to understand is that schedules are not sacred. Unfortunately, most school administrators believe they are sacred to the point of being married to them. As a former principal, I understand that factors such as our stomachs and yellow school buses sometimes dictate the schedule. All too often, however, schedules are geared to what is best for the bus drivers and cafeteria workers’ schedules – especially if they do both-rather than being geared to what is best for students and teachers…My point is that a schedule is not what enables or disables collaborative professional learning. It is the top down commitment to professional learning, or lack thereof, that promotes or hinders collaborative professional learning. A schedule is a “thing” that can be – and should be-manipulated in ways that are best for student learning. Collaborative professional learning does not begin with plans for a schedule change, but with commitment to a cultural change.
~Jack Linton, Assistant Superintendent Petal School District, Petal, MS
Learning Forward has just published two wonderful documents: Establishing Time for Professional Learning and Meet the Promise of Content Standards at this link:
Implementing the Common Core.
Joellen shares more beliefs and guiding principles around TIME in our schools.
Guiding Questions: What are we trying to achieve? Be crystal clear about our priorities. What are we already doing successfully? What are we proud of? What are the barriers? What is holding us back? Who is responsible for controlling those barriers?
What are your beliefs regarding TIME for professional learning? Is time a resource?
stickystandards.org
This episode explores Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards by examining the beliefs and principles of educators around change. Our guest today is Stephanie Hirsh, author, presenter, and Executive Director of Learning Forward.
People support the principles of professional learning for ALL educators, yet actions are not always aligned with those principles and beliefs. The kinds of changes called for in the PL standards are very challenging. Michael Fullan talks about the power of inertia, even when we make a change we can be drawn back into the day by day work. It is a challenge to make transformational changes. Professional learning is the SOLUTION to long-term improvement and sustainable change.
Even as educators select “learning designs” that are engaging, we may not have established the WHY. The leap is between the data and the specific knowledge and skills required to address that data in the classroom. Driving questions: What do I need to know to teach my students and how will I learn it? Better data systems will HELP us at the building level. The data will help us collaborate and learn from each other. It is about student learning.
Our challenge is to honor adults as individuals while still having alignment across the system. How can we tell our story…from the teacher in the classroom to the central office? And from the central office back to the classroom. What is our story?
Other challenges related to beliefs about schooling and professional learning are the ideas of collective responsibility and collective impact. What does this look like? My door is always open. My work is very public. I share my successes and failures. want everyone to be successful. I’ll share students. This is a change for many educators. Some of our policies do not support this belief of collective responsibility. Learning is an intentional part of the process. It precedes ACTION.
What is the key to success? Effective Leaders create the vision and mission and have the foundational knowledge and skills to transform learning in their schools. We must invest in the leaders of the school, the leadership team.
Possible Resources: Possible Solutions. he standards are the solution. When you have a challenge ask, “What is the PL solution? How do the standards help craft that solutions?”
Check out the AMAZING Learning Forward resources that support the implementation of Common Core.
Learning Forward: Implementing the Common Core
The POWER OF ONE!! You make a difference!
stickystandards.org
Friends, family, and colleagues,
There is nothing more inspiring than a room full of great teachers who KNOW they MAKE A DIFFERENCE, both with their students and their colleagues!! The annual Kansas Teacher of the Year Banquet is such a gathering, as teachers SHINE!!
ENJOY this video of the celebration in Wichita.
http://goo.gl/H7167M
I’m so grateful to have worked with so many GREAT teachers….and continue to do so. I’m blessed!!
‘Tis the Season…..Makes my heart smile!
~Dayna
stickystandards.org
Episode #11 explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards, focusing on the first standard – Learning Communities. Our guest today is Shirley Hord, author, researcher, presenter, Scholar Laureate for Learning Forward, a master educator, and an inspiration for many, including me!
Learning Communities: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to:
•Engaging in Continuous Improvement
•Developing Collective Responsibility
•Creating Alignment and Accountability
The purpose of learning communities is the continuous learning of our educators. There are many definitions but THE definition, that is supported by research, is that the adults in the schools are learning, and what they are learning is related to the NEEDS of the students, using data. Plus, teachers are using best practices in every classroom. The learning community is about the adults/educators so they will be prepared to teach all of our students.
The most appropriate context for change is the learning community. Shirley has been described as the vigilante of plcs. There are six attributes of a plc, from the research. Teams might want to experience a plc before you label. Are we having dialogue or discussion? We want to focus on thecollective responsibility.
What is the biggest misconception of plcs? Many plcs don’t understand their purpose. They have been given time, but don’t understand their work. A plc is a school improvement model. The teacher professionals take a role in improving their own effectiveness, real autonomy.
In learning communities, according to Roland Barth, actions of educators:
•Talking with one another about our practices
•Sharing our craft knowledge
•Observing one another while we are engaged in our practice
•ROOTING for one another’s success
Hord and Sommers share, “As a learning community, ask these questions:
•What are you learning? What is the focus./intent of your group’s learning?
•Why are you learning that?
•How are you learning?
•How are you SHARING with others in your school?
Shirley, thanx for a GREAT dialogue!
People Learn in a Community of Practice!
stickystandards.org
Episode #10 explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards, focusing on Implementation. Our guest today is Shirley Hord, author, researcher, presenter, Scholar Laureate for Learning Forward, a master educator and an inspiration for many, including me!
Three Big Ideas:
•Apply Change Research
•Sustain Implementation
•Provide Constructive Feedback
Implementation = CHANGE OVER TIME! It happens in the classroom/building/district.
Change requires attention, up to 3-4-5 years, for full implementation in classrooms. Is the learning being transferred into the classroom? Monitoring/checking on progress is critical. Everyone (97%) needs support.
A building leader supports change by developing positive, warm, trusting relationships, as the foundation for change. Leaders are available for individual interactions with all members of the staff. They have a deep understanding of the “content/the what” being implemented. Leaders are quite skilled and talented and learners themselves. They have the skills to provide feedback that supports the learner – not for the faint of heart!!
Six strategies for change leaders. Vision, make a plan, engage/invest in professional learning, assess progress, provide support, create an environment conducive to change.
CBAM – Concerns Based Adoption Model
CHANGE is….
•A Process, not an event
•Made by individuals first, then organizations
•A highly personal experience
•Developmental growth in FEELINGS and SKILLS
There are three components: Stages of Concern, Levels of Use, and Innovation Configuration Maps.
Learning Forward has created Innovation Configuration Maps (word pictures) of each of the standards. This provides clear expectations. They can also be used for goal setting.
If we ask one question of a principal/leader that will help a group across the bridge, what might that be, Shirley? “Are you willing to give the time, energy and attention that will be required to put this new practice in place in the classrooms of your building?”
Let’s walk across the bridge together – safely!
stickystandards.org
This episode focuses on Outcomes.
There are many educational standards – leadership standards, teacher standards, teacher leader standards and student standards, to name four.
One of the big ideas around outcomes is coherence, professional learning that builds on what educators have already learned. Making the connections from what we know/do (Prior Knowledge) to what we want to learn is essential. Simply, what do we already know and let’s build on that knowledge/skills!!
What is our purpose? Without clear outcomes there is misalignment. Once we are on the same page, we will more forward – clear expectations, accountability, and communication.
A core belief of Learning Forward is that educators show up ready to learn!! When we walk in the door we have a button that says, “I’m a learner!”
Sticky Standards
This episode explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards, focusing on Implementation.
Implementation = CHANGE OVER TIME! It happens in the classroom/building/district.
Effective Feedback – clear, nonjudgmental communication based on evidence, commitment to continuous improvement and shared goals, and trusting, respectful relationships between those giving and receiving feedback. Feedback accelerates change.
Apply Change Research – What does the research say about CHANGE? Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a research based model that was established in the 80s and is still very helpful as all of us are addressing changes – moving from Current Practice to New Practices. We want to travel across the bridge but all of us do not cross at the same time. CBAM has three components – Stages of Concern (feelings), Levels of Use (behavior/actions) and Innovation Configuration Maps (feedback).
Sustain Implementation – Change over time with ongoing support. Learning is both formal and informal. Formal learning can be a workshop, conference, seminar, or a course. It can be online, blended or f2f. Informal learning is job-embeded (back home) and can happen within learning communities, always focusing on continuous improvement. Through collaboration, educators can analyze student work, observe each other, create powerful lessons/units….whatever their group has decided will make the biggest impact on student results.
Our questions, “Where is your staff? When you’ve been successful before, what made the change successful”?
Let’s walk across the bridge together – safely!
Sticky Standards
This episode explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards, focusing on Learning Designs.
There are many factors as we select a learning design:
- the goals of the learning
- characteristics of the learners
- their comfort with the learning process and one another
- their familiarity with the content
- the magnitude of the expected change
- educators’ work environment
- resources available to support learning
Models have many common components: active engagement, modeling, reflection, metacognition, application, feedback, ongoing support, and formative and summative assessment, that support change in knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practice.
As we choose a learning design, we want to focus on promoting active engagement, deep learning, that inspires action.
Sticky Standards
This episode explores the PL standard DATA! Data driven dialogue results in learner focused conversations. Bruce Wellman’s book, Data Driven Dialogue, shares a structure for this dialogue. The Collaborative Learning Cycle
- Activating and Engaging
- Exploring and Discovering
- Organizing and Integrating.
Several wonderful quotes were shared. ENJOY!! Our question, “What will have the greatest impact on teacher effectiveness and results for all students?”
Sticky Standards
This episode explores the PL standard RESOURCES!
What are resources? Resources include staff, materials, technology, time and money.
Many educators wonder how do we find TIME? It depends on our PURPOSE. What is it we want to learn? Then, plan backward. Finding time requires collaboration and clear expectations. Some folks take more time than others to learn a new skill. Using the idea of the BRIDGE of change…some folks take baby steps while others RUN across the bridge. We want to support all of them. In addition to time, PEOPLE are a huge resource. How can we learn from each other? What does that look like?
What is going to change our practice? What resources do we have? Let’s think outside the box….what about webinars? Blogs? Beyond the four walls!
Quote: You manage things….and lead people, two sides of a coin.
Our question, “How do we maximize, monitor and coordinate our resources?”
Sticky Standards
This episode explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards, focusing on LEADERSHIP.
LEADERSHIP: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and all student results requires skillful leaders who:
- Develop Capacity for Learning and Leading,
- Advocate for Professional Learning, and
- Create Support Systems and Structures
Kenneth Leithwood states,
Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school.
DuFour and Marzano state,
Creating a PLC will always require a collective effort, but the fate of that effort will depend to a large extent on the leadership capabilities of the principal.
Roland Barth states,
The nature of the relationships of the ADULTS in the building has more to do with the success of STUDENTS in that building than any other factor.
Sticky Standards
Learning Communities: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to:
- Engaging in Continuous Improvement,
- Developing Collective Responsibility, and
- Creating Alignment and Accountability
This episode explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards, focusing on the first standard – Learning Communities.
In learning communities, according to Roland Barth, the actions of educators include:
- Talking with one another about our practices
- Sharing our craft knowledge
- Observing one another while we are engaged in our practice
- ROOTING for one another’s success
Hord and Sommers share, “As a learning community, ask these questions:
- What are you learning?
- Why are you learning that?
- How are you learning?
- How are you SHARING with others in your school?”
Sticky Standards
This episode gives an overview of Learning Forward’s PL Standards. It begins by thinking about the word standard. What is a standard? Why do we want standards? What are examples of standards in every day life?
A standard is a “what,” the benchmark. It is what it looks like when it is done well.
There are seven standards. ALL 7 standards must be in place for change to happen. What if any of the standards are missing? Dayna will share what happens in schools when standards are missing.
As Learning Forward shares, in addition to the 7 standards, trust must be part of the culture for change to happen, integrity, honesty, authentic…and a collective commitment to learning. First comes the WHY, then the HOW, and then the WHAT.
Join the conversation as we explore all of these standards. These standards are the FOUNDATION. Change happens the moment we ask the right question. Our question to you, “What is most important to you?”
Sticky Standards
This episode explores Learning Forward’s new Professional Learning Standards: Learning Communities, Leadership, Resources, Data, Learning Designs, Implementation, Outcomes.
Professional Learning is about CHANGE. During the upcoming podcasts we will explore what it might that look like at the individual, team, building, district.level when all of these standards are in place.
Background on the PL Standards: This is the third version of the PL standards created by Learning Forward. here are now only seven. These 7 standards do not stand alone, they are interdependent. If any of the 7 are missing, the intended change will not occur.
Professional Learning that STICKS. These standards are like the foundation of a house. When we build a beautiful home, the foundation comes first. Then we add the walls, windows, roof, etc. When it is built, the foundation is barely visible. BUT, if the foundation is weak, there are cracks and the foundation and the house falls. These PL standards might even be called the invisible standards.
Conversation is Action!During our conversations (podcasts) each of the 7 standards will be explored. Do JOIN us!!
Sticky Standards
In this episode, Dayna Richardson shares some of her beliefs about learning and leadership and provided an introduction of the seven national professional learning standards developed by Learning Forward. In her Sticky Standards podcast she will give educators information, tips, and tools for the new Learning Forward Professional Learning Standards.
Dayna Richardson’s educational career has included elementary teacher, gifted education teacher, coordinator of gifted education, director of the Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas (ESSDACK), assistant superintendent for Buhler USD 313, and an adjunct instructor at five Kansas universities. Recently, she has been a Leadership Coach for Coaching For Results Global, an MTSS Facilitator and an Implementation Coach for Kansas Learning Network. She is also working with individual districts, focusing professional learning communities, teacher leadership, professional learning and creating a collaborative culture that puts students first.
Dayna has supported quality learning through her involvement and leadership in state and national organizations, including serving as president of Kansas Staff Development Council (Learning Forward Kansas) and in various leadership roles within Kansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (KASCD). She has been selected as the KSDC Staff Developer of the Year and as the KASCD Outstanding Curriculum Leader. Currently, Dayna represents Learning Forward Kansas with the Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA) and is chair-elect for KLFA.
Follow her Sticky Standards podcast that focuses on the new professional learning standards. These standards are extremely important to know and understand as educators lead change for a brighter future for our students.