Post on 26-Dec-2015
transcript
Paradigm Shifts in Professional Development
Can Teachers Direct Their Professional Development to Enhance Student
Learning ?
by
Kathy Hennellynjexcel
The synergy of collaborative educational exploration can
energize a whole school.
Cinnaminson High School
9-12th grades, 730 students, DFG “FG” 74 teachers, 1 principal, 2 asst. principals, a
School Resource Officer, 3 guidance counselors, 2 dept. supervisors, 5 lead teachers, 14 ESPs
Points of pride: Academic achievement Extensive arts programs Contending sports teams
Points of Academic Pride
Philadelphia Magazine: 22 of top 25 HS 96.4% passed HSPA in LAL (highest in
county) First in state in LAL in FG DFG 10th in passing Math HSPA in tri-county 9th in county in overall SAT scores
Past Professional Development
Delivered from top down
No noteworthy effort to relate to student achievement, or collect data to see if student achievement increased
Opportunity to Improve
State requirement to convene BUILDING-LEVEL PD Committees
Chance to empower teachers to determine what they need as adult learners to help their students increase achievement.
First have to educate the staff that student learning should be the focus of professional development.
New focus for staff:
How do I know they learned?
How do my students learn?
How deeply do they understand?
Can they connect to other learning?
Convened building-level PD Committee Educated selves and brainstormed
ideas on how to get teachers focused on student achievement v. teacher pedagogy
Created a survey to solicit input as well as get staff thinking of student learning as a focus of professional development
Truly collaborative action research
Research Questions:
1. What past professional development did the staff consider beneficial?
2. What was the focus of that beneficial PD – staff needs or student learning needs?
3. How do our teachers define student achievement?
4. How do they measure it? 5. How do they think they can improve it? 6. What skills do teachers need to improve
student achievement? 7. What PD do teachers need that will help
attain these skills?
Research tells us:
Teacher quality – most significant influence on student achievement (Hanushek, 2004)
Incorporating PLCs into ongoing PD is best practice for PD (Wylie, Lyon and Goe, 2009)
Important to monitor PD outcomes in terms of student achievement (Richards, 2009)
But the most important research is – that which we do on our own, about our own students
Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards
Articulate a new vision of what PD can be (Standard 1)
Enhance instructional program in ways conducive to student learning and staff professional growth (Standard 2)
Strategically plan for the most efficient use of scarce resources to promote success of every student (Standard 3)
Collaborate with entire community (Standard 4)
ISLLC Standards continued:
Ensure accountability for every student’s academic and social success, modeling reflective practice (Standard 5)
Influence district and county resource allocation and policies (Standard 6)
Infuse technology throughout (NJ additional standard)
Previous PD was intended to address the needs of staff
5.9%5.9%
42.6%45.6%
Agree Strongly
Agree
Somewhat Agree
Disagree
Previous PD was intended to enhance student learning
29.4%
29.4%
35.3%
5.9%
Agree Strongly
Agree
Somewhat Agree
Disagree
How was student learning enhanced?
Only one mention of HOW they knew
Focus was on TEACHING
Differentiated helped student learning, but no evidence
“I tried X, and noticed the visual learners were more engaged”
Your definition of student achievement?
Be well-rounded
Pass classes
Step outside comfort zone
Higher test scores; more participation
Reach full potential
Able to succeed in globalized world
How to measure student success?
Be willing to challenge themselves
At least 85 average
Take joy in learning
Work with teachers to achieve a common goal
What type of STUDENT BEHAVIORS will enhance their learning? Choose several from list.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Applying whatthey have
learned to reallife situations
Takingresponsibilityfor their own
learning
Askingquestions in
class
Participatingin class
Reading subjmaterial
outside of theclassroom
Taking andstudying notes
Doing theirhomework
What is most needed to assist you to meet the learning needs of students?
37.9%
31.8%
10.6% 10.6%
6.1%3.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
In-service timeset aside forcollaboration
withcolleagues
Technology inthe classroom
Planninglessons with a
colleague
Workshopsrelated tocontent
Examine anddiscuss
student worksamples
More computeraccess
What type of PD will best address your answers to above questions? Choose several.
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
Examiningnew
technologicalresources tosupplement
lessons
PlanningLessons with
a teachingcolleague
Receivingstudent
feedback frominterviews
Observingother teachers
teach
Observingmodel lessons
Rank in terms of importance for your PD, from most to least important
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
More time forstds alignment
More content-based PD
More time towork with
colleagues oncommon
assessments
Implementingnew technologyinto the current
curriculum
Instruction fromhired PDproviders
More awarenessabout the PD
opportunities thatexist
Nu
mb
er o
f R
esp
on
ses
I believe PD should have student achievement
as a primary objective
1.5%
38.2%
41.2%
19.1%
Agree Strongly
Agree
Somewhat agree
Disagree
Recommendations:
PD in how to identify relevant student data, measure it, and analyze it.
Expand technology access (already unblocked as a result of the data in this survey). Much more to be done.
PD in how to motivate student to challenge themselves, ask more questions, participate more in class, take responsibility for their own learning.
PD can potentially have a significant effect on student success
38.2%
13.2%
48.5%
Agree Strongly
Agree
Somewhat agree
Disagree
Application to Leadership
A paradigm shift needs to occur, to focus more on measurable student achievement.
As a teacher-leader/chair, I can ensure this conversation continues. Will survey again soon.
Administration needs to take advantage of every venue (staff meetings, observations, curriculum reviews, etc.) to continue to frame the questions in terms of student learning and achievement.
The End …and the
Beginning….
Phase II:
What happened?
What still needs to happen?
Building PD Committee created a second survey: Had PLCs answer, not individuals (to avoid
“death by survey”) Emphasized the tie between PD for teachers
and student achievement. Some significant incremental progress The lexicon is changing! But more data collection and training in
analysis is required.
What challenges does your PLC face in obtaining Professional Development?
20%
13.2%
66.8%
Time
Data Collection
Data Analysis
What has student success looked like?
Motivated by OT grades Interested in content area Accountable for own
success quiz/test scores High pass rates compared to
DFG Get into 4-year college Participate in PE Feedback from current &
college students
Choose this field for career Improved writing Improved thought
organization Increased financial literacy Broader use of Office
software Acceptance into honors
ensembles Increased homework
completion
On what did you focus to help students succeed? #6
Proper course placement Pop quizzes and discussions to increase
content area awareness Diversified instruction; targeted instruction Offer variety of activities Hands-on activities Review test-taking skills Debrief student writing samples with staff Use AP assignments in all classes Assign questions and problems requiring synthesis skills
The PLC has clearly defined student data that can be collected to measure fulfillment of PLC
goals and objectives.
13.3%13.3%
26.7%
46.7%
Agree Strongly
Agree
Somewhat Agree
Disagree
Student data has already been collected related to the PLC goals and objectives.
13.3%20.0%
26.7%
40%
Agree Strongly
Agree
Somewhat Agree
Disagree
What types of student data have been collected? Choose all that apply.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
What analysis of data has your PLC accomplished?
9/15 (60%) answered “not yet”
ASK8 analysis, Midterm and Final raw score analysis, EOC score analysis
Examine unit scores, note trends and student reaction to tests, projects and quizzes.
Has your PLC had some positive accomplishments this year?
33.3%
66.7%
Yes
No
Somewhat
Which would be most beneficial for upcoming in-service day?
26.7
26.7
13.2
6.7
26.7
Clarification on whatis expected of a PLC
Time to refocus andmove forward withPLCInstruction on how tocollect and analyzedataTime to analyze data
PLC established, noadditional inservicetime needed
Implications for leadership:
There are excellent teachers doing inspired work, but they need training. (40% still not comfortable with PLC concept, >50% want training and time to conduct data analysis).
Gradual introduction of data collection, then analysis is needed.
The most meaningful data is that which the teachers and PLCs decide is important to their students.
Next challenge is to use the benchmark process to collect meaningful data to drive decisions that will increase student achievement.
Results:
District PD committee did not address the building committee suggestions in their report to the county, but administration did agree that there could be training in data analysis.
April in-service will be on data analysis.
My district project was introducing data collection and analysis.
Benchmarks are a new requirement, which tie in to data-driven decision-making.
My district-based
project fits right in
with the needed next steps!