Collaborating to Provide Feedback for Learning

Lisa Youelland

Michelle Samples

Fundamental Assumption

• To have a mission of learning for every student:– You must believe that all students can

learn at high levels.– You must take responsibility to assure

that all students learn.

The purpose of our school is to see to it that all students learn at high levels, and the future of our students depends upon our success. (Focus on Learning)

We must work collaboratively to achieve that purpose because it is impossible to accomplish if we work in isolation. (Collaborative Culture)

We must continually assess our effectiveness in achieving our purpose on the basis of results—tangible evidence that our students are acquiring the knowledge, skills and dispositions essential to their future success. (Focus on Results)

Focus on Learning

• In a collaborative team, there is a collective commitment to ensure high levels of learning for every student– By name, by need– Not “your student” versus “my

student” but OUR students– Failure is not an option

Focus on Learning

We accept high levels of learning for every student as the fundamental

purpose of our school and therefore are willing to examine all practices in light of their impact on learning.

• What practices are already in place in our school or team that are consistent with a focus on learning?– What cultural evidence demonstrates our

commitment to the learning of all students?

– Are there any practices that are incompatible with a commitment to high levels of learning for every student?

Talk Time

Reflection

Are the collaborative teams in my school

getting by or are they getting better?

Cultural Shifts –A Focus on Learning

• Focus on Learning– For students– For adults

• Shift from isolated “good works” to systems thinking and collaboration

• All of our students (not yours, mine)

Focus on Learning• The engine behind school improvement is the

team—grade level teams, departmental teams, course or content teams. The actions of these teams are guided by the following questions:

1. What is it we expect students to learn?2. How will we know when they have learned

it?3. How will we respond when they don’t?4. How will we respond when students already

know it?

Focus on Learning Questions

Expectation

Every teacher in the school will be called upon to work collaboratively with

colleagues in clarifying the questions “Learn what?” and “How will we

know?” The pursuit of these questions cannot be assigned to

others. The constant collective inquiry into these questions is a professional

responsibility of every faculty member.

Focus on Learning

Find the 4 critical questionsWhat is it we expect students

to learn?

How will we know when they have learned it?

How will we respond when they don’t?

How will we respond when students already know it?

Focus on Learning

What is it we expect students to learn?

How will we know when they have learned it?

How will we respond when they don’t?

How will we respond when students already know it?

1. Distribute the cards (tasks) among the people at your table.

2. Each person takes a turn reading a task aloud. The team discusses and decides which question that particular task would address.

What are the “right things” that a school staff should address if high levels of learning are the focus of their collaborative efforts?

• The purpose of our school is to see to it that all students learn at high levels, and the future of our students depends upon our success.

• We must work collaboratively to achieve that purpose because it is impossible to accomplish if we work in isolation.

• We must continually assess our effectiveness in achieving our purpose on the basis of results—tangible evidence that our students are acquiring the knowledge, skills and dispositions essential to their future success.

Formative Assessment

“Formative assessment is a planned process in which assessment-elicited evidence of students’ status is used by teachers to adjust their ongoing

instructional practices or by students to adjust their current learning

tactics.”Popham (2008) Transformative Assessment

Feedback for Learning