Looking at Student work to Improve Learning

Vintage High SchoolStaff Development

Why look collaboratively at student work? To gain greater understanding of what students know and are able to do

To embed meaningful professional development into the school schedule

To foster a sense of community among the staff

To develop across the curriculum a common language of expectations and standards

To continue the metacognitive conversation among colleagues

To build ways to assess student work and improve curriculum

To prepare for our WASC report next year

To engage in reflective practice

Why use a protocol?

Provides a safe context and keeps the conversation focused on student achievement and not on teacher evaluation

Encourages efficient time management (staying on task)

Emphasizes results through focused professional reflection

The goals of this protocol

To develop more effective assignments

To gather ideas to improve classroom practice

To clarify and internalize performance standards and ESLRs

Keep in mind, please…

The focus should be on the work and the learning it reveals Not on the student’s personality, motivation or ability

Not on the teacher We are learning a protocol, one of many possible protocols

Other protocols exist for differing purposes

Groups of teachers may develop different protocols to suit their needs

Protocols should include three partsDescription – what is the work?

Analysis – how does it compare to standards and expectations?

Reflection – what have I/we learned about the work from this collaborative process?

Before the meeting

Cover Sheet and Reflection for Student Work Samples

Description – Page 1

Teacher, Department/Course, date

Content Standards addressed List standards references and statements

ESLR’s addressed Check off See reference list on back of last page

Describe the learning goal…

Where does this lesson fit into the course? Is it part of a thematic unit? Is it an ongoing classroom routine? How does it connect with topics that precede and follow it? What was the sequence of learning activities?

What should students learn and know how to do as a result of this learning opportunity?

What materials were students given to work with? What were students asked to do with these materials?

How were students grouped? What was their task? What did you do?

How would students know the criteria for successful achievement of the lesson’s goals?

What literacy support strategies did you use?

Description – page 2

What criteria would you apply to the student work? Describe the features of this work Below expected proficiency At expected proficiency Above expected proficiency

Analysis – Page 3

In the Analysis section, we determine what qualities are present or missing for each of the 3 samples Below At Above

Focusing question

Based on your description and analysis, what question would you most like the group to consider as they examine this student work? This is the question you want to ask your group to examine with you during the tuning protocol.

Examples of focusing questions How could the activity be changed to increase the achievement of the low and middle students?

Does the assignment provide adequate evidence that the concepts were learned?

Is this part of the assignment really essential?

How could the concluding activity be altered to elicit more engagement by students?

Does the high example truly exceed the standards/expectations? How so?

Reflection

Reflection – the most critical part of this activity! Reflect on the instructional needs for each student and how they might be addressed.

What have I learned as a result of this description and analysis?

You may prefer to do the reflection after meeting with your colleagues.

Tuning Protocol

What to do in your group

1 – Choose a Facilitator

This teacher will move the group through the protocol, watch the time, monitor probing questions, and balance both warm and cool feedback to ensure productivity and objectivity.

2 minutes

2 – Present the student work and focusing question The presenting teacher provides copies of the student work. The teacher explains the context of the work and briefly explains the learning experience to the group (ie, description and analysis). The teacher presents a focusing question to establish a purpose for the meeting.

5 minutes

3 – Ask clarifying questions

The team asks clarifying questions. How long did students work on this assignment? Was a rubric involved? Clarifying questions should be precise and objective.

3 minutes

4 – Examine the work samples The team quietly examines the sample work, making observation notes in silence. Participants should specifically focus upon the evidence of learning in the work.

5 minutes

5 – Make inferences about learning; offer feedback

The team uses evidence in the work to infer the students’ thinking, understanding and interpretation of the assignment. (The presenting teacher is silent throughout this step, but makes notes regarding comments heard). The team shares feedback (warm and cool). The team discusses the implications for teaching and assessment in the classroom in addition to identifying other kinds of assessments that could lead to more desirable qualities in the work.

8 minutes

6 – Reflect on feedback

The presenting teacher reflects upon what he or she has heard. The team is silent.

2 minutes

7 – Debrief/Reflect

The facilitator opens the discussion. Any speaker may contribute ideas, discoveries and “take-aways.” The group reflects orally upon the process of the protocol.

5 minutes

Final Reflection

At this point, the presenting teacher can go back to the work sample cover sheet to fill in the “Reflection” section. Some teachers may prefer to do the Reflection piece after the tuning protocol

Others may want to do some reflection before and after the protocol

Do what is most useful for you as an educator

Homework for March 14th

At the next literacy training, we will meet in departmental groups to implement this protocol.

You need to bring a work sample (the same one is ok), complete the cover sheet, and be prepared to go through the protocol with your department (some departments will subdivide into smaller groups).

We will send out the cover sheet file via e-mail to the whole staff for future use

Thanks for your participation today!