Read through the slides presented by Dr. Harvey Silver of Silver Strong & Associates during a webinar on January 23, 2012, hosted by School Improvement Network. Dr. Silver talked about the Thoughtful Classroom Teacher Effectiveness Framework, a tool used for effective classroom teacher observations and walkthroughs.
5. How much do teachers matter?
Cumulative Effect on Student Achievement
Highly Effective vs. Ineffective Teachers
Effective Teachers
100
90
80
Highly Effective Teachers
Percentile Points
70
60
Effective Teachers
50 1
Average Teachers
40
Highly
Ineffective
30 Teachers
Ineffective
20 Teachers
10
0
6. How effective is your present
teacher evaluation process?
How effective is your present teacher evaluation
process in developing effective and highly effective
teachers?
1—Ineffective
2—Minimally Effective
3—Effective
4—Highly Effective
6
7. Our Essential Questions
• What are some of the challenges schools and
districts face in choosing and implementing a
teacher effectiveness framework?
• How does The Thoughtful Classroom Teacher
Effectiveness Framework address these
challenges?
• How does Observation 360 help schools
address these challenges?
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8. What are some of the challenges
schools and districts face
in choosing and implementing
a teacher effectiveness framework?
8
9. The First Challenge
• How do you look closely at teacher behavior
without getting overwhelmed by “rubricitis”?
9
10. The First Challenge
“When there are many competencies, feedback can be very
fine-grained, and improvement efforts could be tuned to
match a teacher’s specific strengths and weaknesses. “
BUT….
“When observers are overtaxed by the cognitive load of
tracking many different competencies at once, their powers
of discernment could decline.”
Gathering Feedback for Teaching (2012)
MET Project Research Paper
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
10
11. The First Challenge
Evaluating teacher effectiveness is a balancing act between…
Reducing Fine-grained
complexity analysis
11
12. The First Challenge
The Thoughtful Classroom Teacher Effectiveness Framework is...
Simple Deep
12
13. What makes The Thoughtful Classroom
Teacher Effectiveness Framework simple?
13
14. Thoughtful Classroom Teacher Effectiveness Framework
3 Components
The Five Episodes of
10 Dimensions Effective Instruction
Organization, Rul Positive
Preparing
es, and Relationships
Students
Procedures for New Learning
The Four Cornerstones of Deepening and Reflecting on and
Presenting New
Effective Teaching Reinforcing
Learning
Celebrating
Learning Learning
A Culture of Engagement and
Applying
Thinking Enjoyment
Learning
and Learning
Effective Professional Practice
14
15. Component One: The Four Cornerstones of
Effective Teaching (Dimensions 1, 2, 3, & 4)
• Universal elements of
Organization,
Rules, and
Positive
Relationships
quality instruction
• Always relevant in any
Procedures
classroom
• Without the
cornerstones in place
Engagement and
A Culture of
Thinking
Enjoyment in the classroom,
and Learning
student learning will
be compromised
15
16. Component Two: Five Episodes of Effective
Instruction (Dimensions 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9)
• Good instruction
Preparing unfolds in a series of
Students for New
Learning learning episodes
• Teachers use these
Deepening and Reflecting on and
Reinforcing
Presenting New
Learning
Celebrating New
Learning
episodes to design
Learning
high-quality lessons
and units
Applying Learning
• Ensures observer and
teacher are on the
“same page”
16
17. Component Three: Professional Practice
(Dimension 10)
• Looking beyond the
classroom
• Commitment to:
– Ongoing learning
– The school
community
– Professionalism
Professional Practice
17
18. A Simple Framework
Organization, Positive
Preparing
Rules, and Relationships
Students for New
Procedures Learning
Deepening and Reflecting on and
Presenting New
Reinforcing Celebrating New
Learning
Learning Learning
A Culture of Engagement and
Thinking Applying Learning Enjoyment
and Learning
Professional Practice
18
19. What makes The
Thoughtful Classroom Teacher
Effectiveness Framework deep?
19
20. The Value of Essential Questions
• Each of the ten dimensions is driven by an
essential question.
• These essential questions
– Keep schools focused on what’s important.
– Promote school-wide inquiry.
– Foster a common language for instruction and
how to improve it.
20
21. Organization, Rules, and Preparing Students Positive Relationships
Procedures for New Learning
How do you organize your How do you build meaningful
How do you establish your
classroom to enhance learning relationships with your students
purpose, activate students’ prior
and establish rules and and among students to promote
knowledge, and prepare
procedures that clarify learning?
students for learning?
expectations?
Deepening and Reinforcing
PreparingNew Learning
Presenting
Students Reflecting on and Celebrating
Learning for New Learning
How do you present new Learning
How do you help students How do you establish your How do you help students look
information and provide
solidify their understanding opportunities for students to back on their learning and refine
and practice new skills?purpose, activate students’ prior their learning process?
actively engage with content?
knowledge, and prepare
A Culture of Thinking students for Learning
Applying
learning? Engagement and Enjoyment
and Learning
How do students demonstrate
How do you develop a classroom their learning and what kinds of How do you motivate students
culture that promotes serious evidence do you collect to assess to do their best work and inspire
learning and sophisticated their progress? the love of learning?
forms of thinking?
Professional Practice
How committed are you to professional learning and contributing to the school community?
22. • Selecting relevant standards that are appropriate to your content and
grade level [CC]
• “Unpacking” standards and turning them into clear, measurable Planning
learning goals and targets [CC]
DIMENSION FIVE: PREPARING STUDENTS FOR and promote deep
• Using essential questions to guide learning NEW LEARNING
thinking
• Beginning lessons and units with engaging “hooks”—thought-
provoking activities or questions that capture student interest and Instruction
activate their prior knowledge [CC]
• Introducing students to the key vocabulary terms they will need to
know and understand to successfully learn the content [CC]
• Assessing students’ background knowledge, skill levels, and interests
relative to learning goals and targets
• Helping students develop insights into the products they’ll be
creating, performances they’ll be delivering, and/or tasks they’ll be
completing to demonstrate what they’ve learned (e.g., providing Assessment
models of high-quality work, rubrics, checklists, etc.) [CC]
• Encouraging students to establish personal learning goals and plans
for achieving them
22
23. Impact on Student Achievement
Dimension 5: Preparing Students for New Learning
Students…
• Understand/restate learning goals in their own words.
• Ask questions about learning goals.
• Know what they have to produce and what’s expected
of them.
• Assess own knowledge of vocabulary.
• Call up their prior knowledge.
• Generate questions about content or personal goals.
• Understand the plan for learning.
23
24. A “Simple and Deep” Framework
Dimensions of Indicators of Impact on Student
Teacher Effectiveness Quality Teacher Achievement
(Essential Questions) Behavior
24
25. The Second Challenge
• How do you look closely at teacher behavior
without getting overwhelmed by “rubricitis”?
• What’s the relationship between teacher
effectiveness and the Common Core State
Standards?
25
26. The Second Challenge
“As the new Common Core State Standards and
assessments are introduced, we will need a new
set of instruments more closely aligned with
those standards.”
Gathering Feedback for Teaching (2012)
MET Project Research Paper
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
26
27. The Second Challenge
“The Standards define what all students are
expected to know and be able to do, not how
teachers should teach.”
Common Core State Standards For English
Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects
27
28. The Second Challenge
Evaluating teacher effectiveness is a balancing act between…
Common Classroom
Core State practice
Standards
28
30. The Second Challenge
The Thoughtful Classroom Nine Critical Themes in the
Common Core State Standards
Teacher Effectiveness • Higher-order thinking
Framework was created with • Use of evidence to support positions
the Common Core in mind. and justify conclusions
• Integrating rigorous texts and helping
students process them
• Collaboration, dialogue, and student
A significant number of the presentations
instructional indicators within • Regular writing in all content areas as a
tool for learning, demonstrating
the Framework have been understanding, and formal
designed to address key communication
themes and Anchor Standards • Research and media skills
• Technology and digital media
found in the Common Core. • Mastery and use of academic vocabulary
• Content has structure
30
31. The Second Challenge
Common Core Theme:
Use of evidence to support positions and justify conclusions
How do we know it’s a theme?
• Part of the description of College and Career Readiness
• Found in multiple standards, including Anchor Standards
• Reading Anchor 1 (R.CCR.1)
• Writing Anchor 1 (W.CCR.1)
• Writing Anchor 9 (W.CCR.9)
• Mathematical Practice 3 (MP 3)
32. The Second Challenge
Common Core Theme:
Use of evidence to support positions and justify conclusions
Dimension 4: Dimension 8:
A Culture of Thinking and Learning Applying Learning
4.3 Encouraging and challenging 8.3 Designing tasks around the kind of
students to support their written writing required for college and
and spoken ideas with evidence career readiness (argument,
4.4 Probing, extending, and clarifying informative/explanatory,
student responses using effective narrative)
questioning techniques 8.5 Challenging students to present
their findings and defend their
ideas
33. The Second Challenge
The full description of the Common Core themes and their
connections to The Thoughtful Classroom Teacher
Effectiveness Framework is available through
www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/pdfs/commoncore
Thoughtful Classroom PD 360 group
33
34. The Third Challenge
• How do observers look closely at teacher behavior
without getting overwhelmed by “rubricitis”?
• What’s the relationship between teacher
effectiveness and the Common Core State
Standards?
• How do administrators play the dual role of
instructional leader and teacher evaluator?
34
35. The Third Challenge
Evaluating teacher effectiveness is a balancing act between…
Making high-
Serving as an stakes judgments
instructional about teachers
leader/coach
35
36. The Third Challenge
Evaluating teacher effectiveness is a balancing act between…
Formative Summative
observation evaluation
36
37. The Third Challenge
“The true promise of classroom observations is
the potential to identify strengths and address
specific weaknesses in teacher’s practice.”
Gathering Feedback for Teaching (2012)
MET Project Research Paper
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
37
38. The Third Challenge
A window into a teacher’s practice A ladder to determine a teacher’s
level of effectiveness
Formative Observation Summative Evaluation
Teacher Self-Assessment Rubrics for Assessing All Dimensions
Professional Growth Plans Professional Practice Indicators/Rubrics
Classroom Observation Templates Advanced Reporting
Feedback Protocol Multiple Measures
Pre- and Post-Observation Protocols Final Evaluation Rubrics
Targeted Professional Development Videos
38
39. Let’s take a closer look
at the formative observation tools…
39
40. Formative Observation Tools
Teacher Self-Assessment Guide
The Teacher Self-Assessment
Guide allows teachers to reflect on
and assess their classroom practice
according to the same dimensions
and indicators that administrators
use to guide observations.
This guide is available through
The Thoughtful Classroom PD 360
group.
40
42. Formative Observation Tools
Pre-Observation Protocol
• Where are you in your lesson sequence?
• What are the learning goals for the observation?
• How will student learning be assessed?
• What learning opportunities will you provide to
achieve your goals?
• What questions do you have about the lesson?
42
44. Formative Observation Tools
Classroom Observation Templates
Observers use the
customizable
Observation 360
templates to collect
formative data about
the teacher’s practice
in the classroom.
44
45. Formative Observation Tools
Classroom Observation Templates
Here is the standard
observation template for
Dimension 5:
Preparing Students for
New Learning
45
49. Formative Observation Tools
Post-Observation Protocol
Post-observation questions are guided by 5 Rs:
Review: What happened?
React: What were your reactions?
Reasons: What caused you to think/feel this way?
Rethink: What have you learned?
Reflect: What are your thoughts and feelings
about the observation process?
49
51. Formative Observation Tools
Targeted Professional Development Videos
The Framework is integrated with PD 360, the
most extensive professional development video
library in the country.
• Online
• On-demand 24/7
• Research based
• Ultimate flexibility
51
52. Formative Observation Tools
Targeted Professional Development Videos
For observers…
• Based on observation data, observers select
relevant PD 360 videos that correspond to
identified needs.
52
53. Formative Observation Tools
Targeted Professional Development Videos
For teachers…
• Teachers build a customized professional
growth plan using the Teacher Self-
Assessment Guide and the PD 360 video
library.
53
55. Let’s take a closer look
at the summative evaluation tools…
55
56. Summative Evaluation Tools
Rubrics
• After multiple formative observations,
observers use a set of four-point rubrics to
develop a summative evaluation of the
teacher’s effectiveness in each dimension.
56
58. Summative Evaluation Tools
Rubrics
(4) Expert
– Strong commitment to this dimension that shows
advanced expertise.
– The teacher applies relevant instructional practices
and is able to adapt them to learning situations.
– These practices have a consistently positive
impact on student learning.
58
59. Summative Evaluation Tools
Professional Practice
Organization,
Preparing Positive
A comprehensive
Rules, and
Procedures
Students for New
Learning
Relationships
evaluation includes
looking beyond the
Deepening and Reflecting on and
classroom.
Presenting New
Reinforcing Celebrating New
Learning
Learning Learning
Commitment to:
A Culture of Engagement and Ongoing learning
Thinking Applying Learning Enjoyment
and Learning The school
Professional Practice
community
Professionalism
59
62. Summative Evaluation Tools
Advanced Reporting
Observation 360 includes
advanced reporting features
that allow administrators to
store, manage, and use
observation data in multiple
ways.
62
63. Summative Evaluation Tools
Advanced Reporting
Observation 360 includes
advanced reporting features
that allow administrators to
store, manage, and use
observation data in multiple
ways.
63
64. Summative Evaluation Tools
Advanced Reporting
Observation 360 includes
advanced reporting features
that allow administrators to
store, manage, and use
observation data in multiple
ways.
64
65. Summative Evaluation Tools
Multiple Measures
“Evaluation systems should include multiple
measures, not just observations.”
Gathering Feedback for Teaching (2012)
MET Project Research Paper
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
65
66. Summative Evaluation Tools
Multiple Measures
Instructional Practice
(Dimensions 1-9) ________ ________% = ________
Professional Practice
(Dimension 10) ________ ________% = ________
Student Performance Data
Standardized Test Data ________ ________% = ________
Local Assessments ________ ________% = ________
Other ________ ________% = ________
Student Feedback/Surveys ________ ________% = ________
Other Measure ________ ________% = ________
Other Measure ________ ________% = ________
66
67. Summative Evaluation Tools
Final Evaluation Rubric
A teacher’s final evaluation is based on the
summation from the multiple sources of data
and converted into a rubric that meets your
district’s guidelines and state requirements.
67
68. How do schools and districts use
The Thoughtful Classroom Teacher
Effectiveness Framework?
68
69. How do schools and districts use The Thoughtful
Classroom Teacher Effectiveness Framework?
• As a formal observation tool.
• To conduct Learning Walks (Walkthroughs).
• As a peer observation tool.
• To target specific dimensions or indicators.
• To develop professional growth plans.
• To anchor collaboration within a professional
learning community.
• To improve mentoring.
69
70. For a free copy of
The Thoughtful Classroom
Framework “Quick Guide”
please email
questions@thoughtfulclassroom.com
70
71. Please visit us at the
ASCD Annual Conference,
March 24th-26th in Philadelphia, PA.
www.thoughtfulclassroom.com www.schoolimprovement.com
71
72. Thank you for attending the webinar!
www.thoughtfulclassroom.com www.schoolimprovement.com
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Welcome Jane Pollock: “third rail of education….. No one wants to touch it.” The world haschangedFIRST POLL -
Joint Partnership between SSA and SINETSSA- 35+ years in schools SINET – creator of:Observation 360Common Core 360 PD 360 - the world’s largest online professional development video library. TRANSITION NOTE: SET UP MOST IMPORTANTLY
100s of educatorsReviewed and refined our indicators practical. speaks to the day to day realities of the classroom Keeps us focused on the critical questions: Is classroom instruction improving? Are those improvements helping students achieve?
Numbers that represent PEOPLE How many people remember their first year of teaching? Where would you have been on the chart?All teachers – commitment to growing to get better Provide feedback for teachers to grow.
(SARA TO BRING UP 2ND POLL)Effective and Highly effective teachers – The kind of teachers that we know are positively affecting student learning.
Lay out Challenges – choosing and implementing Address these challengesWork together
Many challenges Like to present three challenges Most criticalHear again and again in schools
That’s right RUBRIC—I —TIS. The panic that comes with being overwhelmed by the number of rubrics one has to use to evaluate a teacher.
MET Project – MEASURES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING – Largest ongoing study of teacher effectiveness in the world. Sponsored by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Recent brief – Gathering Feedback for Teaching – highlights RUBRIC—I—TIS
How do we - Reduce complexity Maintain fine-grained analysisNot overwhelm the observer
In response – our framework designed to be SIMPLE and DEEP
3 components 10 dimensionsShow to educators response we get is “WOW!” visually organized fits on one page lays out comprehensive picture of good instruction Lets take a closer look at these components
Foundations of a thoughtful classroom UniversalRelevant in any classroomCompromised TRANSITION – THESE ARE UNIVERSAL BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE TEACHING IS EPISODIC….
Why 5 episodes? Natural way teachers plan Consistent with research – Hunter, Wiggins, McTighe, Marzanoteachers plan and behave differently in each episode Many observation frameworks don’t take this into accountTeachers and admins not on same pageObservation unlikely to help teacher
Looking beyond the classroom. Evaluating professional practice not as “us” and “them”, but “we”
Easy to look ateasy to understandeasy to use
elaborate on cornerstones – tell storiesDO NOT READ OTHER 6 QUESTIONS. JUST INTRODUCE THEM.
TRANSITION – WHAT DO ALL THESE TEACHER BEHAVIORS LEAD TO…..
Teacher behaviors lead to student behaviors which lead to learning Cause Effect Relationship
REVIEW SIMPLE AND DEEP
Great majority of states adopted Common Core-POLL – Common COREPaying attention to two big mandates: CC and Teacher Evaluation Make sure that paying attention doesn’t mean SPLITTING ATTENTION
More closely aligned not perfectly aligned Can’t be perfectly aligned because the Common Core cautions against thisTRANSITION – WHAT DIDN’T THEY SAY IN THIS QUOTE
TRANSITION – SUGGESTS ANOTHER BALANCING ACT.
Balancing Act
Lets look at one of our themes. How did we go about identifying these themes?
Its in the introduction – College and Career Readiness Its found in multiple standards – Anchor Standards
Let’s look at one themeHere are some indicators from Dimensions 4 and 8 that support the theme
AVAILABLE THROUGH THOUGHTFUL CLASSROOM PD 360 GROUP
POLL – DUAL ROLE
Not just about evaluatingAbout growth and improvement
TRANSITION --- Let’s imagine the process. You’re a teacher You’re an administrator….
PROTOCOLS ARE CRITICAL
NOTE – THOUGHTFUL CLASSROOM PD 360 GROUP
Here is Dimension 5 – Preparing Students for New Learning Lets look at what’s in the template
Come back to rubricitis theme. Numerous frameworks immediately force a 1-4 judgment for each and every indicator.Gets in the way of the formative process. All we’re asking the observer to do is collect data. Gera Summerford, president of the Tennessee Education Association, compared the new evaluations to taking your car to the mechanic and making him use all of his tools to fix it, regardless of the problem, and expecting him to do it in an hour.
Notice the student behaviors.Student behaviors are a result of the teacher behaviors.The question you’re asking yourself is …. What impact did teaching have on student learning behaviors?
Quick FeedbackTRANSITION – OFTEN ANOTHER TOOL WE NEED IS HOW TO CONDUCT A POST CONFERENCE
THROUGH THE THOUGHTFUL CLASSROOM PD 360 GROUP.
America’s top educational researchers, consultants, and practioners at your fingertips – Online, on demand 24/7, Research based, ultimate flexibility
Here is Dimension 5 from our framework. This is a result of a conversation between administrator and teacher who have selected the following videos to work on to enhance his/her practice related to preparing students for new learning.
Now that we have seen the formative observation tools lets take a look at the summative evaluation tools.
Depending on state or district, rubrics can be customizedSummative evaluation is informed by observations,walkthroughs, and teacher self-assessment
You’ll notice four levels in this rubric: Expert, Proficient, Developing, Novice.research shows it takes 10,000 hours + feedback + practice Small changes proven to have dramatic impact on student learning. Lets take a closer look at the rubric.
Rubrics for classroom practice highlight Three areasCommitment - how committed is this teacher to the overall dimension and enhancing their expertise?Use of relevant practices impact on student learning.
TRANSITION - Let’s take a look at some of the indicators in Commitment to Professional Growth
Here are some of the indicators in Commitment to Professional Growth.
Here is a sample rubric for making a summative evaluation of this Teacher’s commitment to professional growth.
.
Identify the measures Weight each measure based on importance to your school or district
TRANSITION – SO HOW ARE SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS USING THE FRAMEWORK