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Introduction to theProfessional Teaching and Learning Cycle (PTLC)

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• What is an example of a research-based practice that can be used in the Planning Action phase of Working Systematically?

• How is PTLC related to the alignment of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and standards (CIAS)?

• What are the steps of PTLC?

Session Questions:

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Working Systemically

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The Phases of the WS Approach

You Are Here:

The PTLC is a research-based practice that canbe used in the

Planning Actionphase of Working

Systemically.

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•Guaranteed and viable curriculum

School Level Factors Affecting Student Achievement

•Challenging goals and effective feedback

•Parent and community involvement

•Safe and orderly environment

•Collegiality and professionalism

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Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Alignment of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment to Standards

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About the Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, Standards (CIAS) CirclesEach group of three participants gets two sets of the CIAS circles.

The circle labeled “Curriculum” represents the district curriculum.

The circle labeled “Instruction” represents all the instruction done in classrooms in a district during one school year.

The other circles represent the standards (TEKS) and the assessment (TAKS).

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Table Task 1

Consider the size of each circle and discuss the following:

Why the sizes are different?

(3 minutes)

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Table Task 2a. Arrange one set of the circles to represent how your

group perceives teachers actually align CIAS in planning for their lessons.

b. Arrange the second set of the circles to show how your group perceives CIAS should be aligned to ensure student learning.

Be ready to share your discussion and your CIAS representations in four minutes.

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Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Misalignment of CIAS

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Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Alignment of CIAS

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SEDL Findings from Work with Low-Performing Schools

• Professional development fragmented and not connected to real needs

• Limited content and pedagogical knowledge

• Culture of isolation

• Little use of data to drive decisions

• Attribution to external factors

• Little attention to systemic alignment of CIAS 12

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What is the PTLC?

The Professional Teaching and Learning Cycle is a six-step process that teachers use for collaboratively planning and implementing lessons that are aligned to their state standards.

PTLC was developed by SEDL and the Charles A. Dana Center.

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Professional Teaching and Learning Cycle: A Research-Based Strategy for Alignment

Data Analysis

Standard Identified

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Step 1: Study the Standards: Developing a common understanding

• the concepts and skills students need to know and be able to do to meet the expectations in the standards,

• how the standards for a grade or course are assessed on state and local tests, and

• how the standards fit within the scope and sequence of the district curriculum.

Collaborative groups study

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• effective research-based instructional strategies and appropriate resources that will be used to support learning in the selected state standards and

• appropriate assessment techniques that will be used to provide evidence of student learning.

Step 2: Select Strategies and Resources: Enhancing learning expectations

Collaborative groups select

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• plan a common, formal lesson outlining the objectives (relevant to the standards), the procedures and materials to be used, the time frame for the lesson, and the activities in which students will be engaged and

• decide what evidence of student learning will be collected during the implementation.

Collaborative groups

Step 3: Plan for Learning: Incorporating selected strategies

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• deliver the planned lesson within the specified time period;

• record results, especially noting where students struggled and/or where instruction did not achieve expected outcomes; and

• collect the agreed-upon evidence of student learning to take back to the collaborative planning team.

Collaborative groups

Step 4: Implement Plan for Learning: Gathering agreed-upon evidence

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• standards, once again, before looking at student work;

• a sampling of student work for evidence of student learning and/or meeting the expectations of the standards; and

• what knowledge and skills students have gained to identify what must be addressed in future lessons.

Collaborative groups analyze

Step 5: Analyze Student Work: Discussing student understanding

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• reflect on their common or disparate teaching experiences;

• consider and identify alternative instructional strategies for future instruction; and

• determine when the instructional modifications will take place, what can be built into subsequent lessons, and what needs an additional targeted lesson.

Collaborative groups

Step 6: Adjust Plan for Learning: Exploring alternatives

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Instructions for Carousel Task

There are 6 charts, one for each of the six PTLC steps.

• Each group will be assigned to a chart; that is the home chart for the group.

• Groups will perform a task at each chart, using the handout (six steps of PTLC) for reference. (3–5 minutes at each chart)

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Instructions for Carousel Task (continued)

• Each group will write something on each chart, so be sure you leave room for the other groups.

• Each group will use the same color marker for their tasks on all charts—take your markers with you.

• There will be a signal before groups may move to the next chart. At the signal, groups will move to the next chart to their right.

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Home Chart

At this chart —

The group will paraphrase this step of PTLC, writing a description in their own words.

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(3 minutes)

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will read what has been recorded and refine the description if needed.

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(3 minutes)

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart — The group will read what has been recorded and write a specific example of an activity that could happen in this step of PTLC in practice.

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(4 minutes)

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will read what has been recorded and write a specific example of a challenge that may surface during this step of PTLC.

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(4 minutes)

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will read what has been recorded and write a specific example of an activity that should not occur during this step of PTLC.

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(3 minutes)

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will read what has been recorded and design a bumper sticker or illustration to represent this step of PTLC.

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(4 minutes)

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Return to Home Chart

At home chart —

The group will read their chart and identify one interesting thing that has been recorded about the step.

Be ready to share in 3 minutes.

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Table Reflection

Return to table groups, reflect and discuss —

What do we currently have in place in our district or on our campuses that would help us implement PTLC?

You have 7 minutes. Be ready to share salient points of the reflection and discussion with the whole group.

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Key Ideas• The Professional Teaching and Learning Cycle

(PTLC) is a research-based practice that moves the improvement work to the classroom level.

• The PTLC is an ongoing, job-embedded process for alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, to standards (CIAS).

• The PTLC consists of six steps: Study, Select, Plan, Implement, Analyze, Adjust.

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