New York State Principal Evaluator Learning System

New York State Principal Evaluator Learning System

Trainers Guidance

Day 2‐ Learning and Teaching Session 4‐ Dynamic Process

February 2012 vF021412

Day 2, Session 4: Dynamic Process

Day 2: Learning and Teaching

Session 4: Dynamic Process

NYSED Principal Evaluation Training Program

Day 2 Session 4: Dynamic Process Pacing Guide

Time Activity slides

3.00 Aims and Dynamic Process 2 -4

3.02 Talking to / with Students 5

Activity 1 Talking to students ( pairs) 6

3.07 Activity 2 What am I asking students ( groups 3-5)Summary of core questions

78

3. 15 Other sources of evidence 9 -10

3. 20 Multiple Observations and Observation Tracker 11 -12

3.25 Activity 3: Case StudyIndividualDebrief in small groups

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4.10 Short Plenary

4.15 END ( Immediate transition to Session 5)

February 9 , 2012Session 4: Dynamic Process

301312 Trainer’s GuidanceVF020212 2



Session 4:Dynamic Process

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4

Aims of The Session

To increase participant's cognition of:

• Talking with students

• Other sources of evidence available during lesson observation

• The principal’s role in establishing effective systems

Use slide 5 to start a discussion on the differences between observing a DVD and observing in an actual classroom.




Dynamic Classroom Observations

• We have observed pre-recorded lessons today, which makes those observations static

• In actual practice observations are more dynamic

• What are the main elements which make it more dynamic, to which the the principal observer might refer?

5


Talking to/with students

6

Activity 1: Arrange participants in pairs and have them discuss talking with students. Hold a brief summary discussion to check for common understandings and to clear up misconceptions.




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Activity 1: Talking with Students

With a partner discuss:

i. Why should the principal ‘talk with students’ and what protocols should be followed?

ii. What should the principal do with the information?

iii. How will the principal encourage students to feel secure so that they can answer honestly?

iv. What are the sensitivities, if any, of which the principal should be mindful when talking with students?

Slide 8: Activity 2: What am I asking students?


Activity 2: What am I asking students?

• In your groups, draw up a list of core questions that a principal might ask/not ask students when observing a lesson.

• Please chart these and display your chart on the wall when finished.

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In groups of 3‐5, participants should compose a list of possible questions to ask and questions not to ask. They might set up their chart paper in two halves to make a clear distinction between the two sections. Each group will post. Have participants circulate and write down “good questions” that they might want to take away from today and begin to use with principals as they conduct classroom observations. You may want to see this evidence when you meet with principals in the future.




A summary of core questions to ask students

• What are you expected to learn and therefore understand by the end of the lesson?

What have you been asked to do?

Why are you learning this?

Please explain what you are learning.

• What have you learned before that helps you with your learning now?

Have you learned anything like this before?

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Use the slide avove to provide a summary to the activity.


Other sources of evidence during lesson observations - looking at students’ work

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Other sources of evidence - look at:

Students’ work:

• journals

• workbooks

• writing samples, labs etc.

• teachers’ written comments

and assess:

• teachers’ knowledge

• content and accuracy

• comprehension

• appropriateness - e.g. match of work to students’ abilities

• rigor, the variety of tasks

• presentation

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Looking at other sources of evidence may be a new concept for some. Have tables discuss how they will approach this task once in the classroom. Have them raise any concerns or questions they might have. You might want to point out trends that you have previously noted, such as neatness of work (which is reflected as lack of pride), low level ‘fill in the blank’ activities, and early finishers who have nothing to do next (reflecting low rigor and lack of planning). Use the next slide (12) to lead a discussion on the key role of the principal in ensuring effective implementation and accountability. Encourage participants to identify the challenges and pitfalls. Cite examples: for instance, schools which produce a detailed schedule for lesson observations at the start of the year, but by mid‐February only a few of the observations have taken place.




Multiple Observations

All teachers need to be observed on multiple occasions throughout the year, by multiple observers, including principals.

A key role of the principal is to ensure effective implementation and accountability. The principal evaluator’s role is to find and record evidence on how well the principal does this.

As Paul Bambrick-Santoyo points out, one of the biggest challenges as a principal is to keep track of the different plans and recommendations that each teacher is trying to implement.

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The next slide is taken from Driven by Data.


Observation Tracker: Global Summary Page“Driven By Data” Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

Teacher Name

Observations Yearly Improvement Goal Latest Core Changes ( form DDI Analysis Meeting, Lesson plan Review or Observation)

Smith 7 Teach to the objective Close the loop on all student misunderstandings. Do not settle for “Do you agree?”Push further by asking “Why?”

Doe 9 Make sure 100% of students are on task.Final check of understanding ( Check back with all students who struggle)

Use “Agree” and “Disagree” questions to poll for understanding, rather than re-explain.

Johnson 10 Think ratio. [ Make sure that students do the heavy lifting]Integrate NJASK skills and algebra skills effectively.Final check for understanding with struggling students [n opt out]

Review Positive Framing to change tone in class.

Call on every student at least twice in the class. Use combination of cold-call and hands to do this.

Brown 7 Stretch it. Students need to be asked to consider each others’ thoughts in the course of each class.Questioning techniques – avoid asking questions that imply that the answer is wrong.Expand key concepts section on the lesson plan.

Put directions for all group activities on a worksheet or on the overhead.Determine what structure for activities is best-partnered, individual or group?Script questions in lesson plans in hierarchy. Too much scaffolding lowers cognitive demand. Probe by asking students to explain why after their big assertions

Total Observations

33

Average perteacher

8.25

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Activity 3: Lesson Observation Case Study

IndividuallyKnowing what you do about effective performance management systems, review the Lesson Observation Case Study and identify the evidence which you could use to evaluate how well the principal is implementing an effective teacher evaluation process in the school.

Small groupsDiscuss common key similarities and any differences.

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Case Study Evaluating Teaching and Learning (Day 2 Session 4) Ensure that there are sufficient copies of the case study and lesson observation form for all participants (full Word version included end of these guidance notes). NB: The timings for this case study are flexible. However, you should ensure that the case study is finished to allow one hour for the final session. If timing is very short, then amend the activity to turn it into a group discussion without the individual review. Case Study Evaluating Teaching and Learning (Day 2 Session 4) (Below) please find a typical elementary lesson plan: pre‐observation conference, post observation conference, and two walk through observations for a second year teacher.



Formal observation #1 (December)

XYZ Elementary School

Grade 2 Reading Lesson

Lesson Plan

Objective The students will use various passages from the book Owl At Home by Arnold Lobel to establish Owl's character traits based on what Owl says and does. The lesson will teach the students to look at what a character says and does in order to establish that character's traits.

Anticipatory Set (Motivation)

I will tell the class that last night I was rereading Owl At Home so I can prepare for today's lesson. My husband walked in and saw what I was reading and asked about the book. So I told him it was about an owl in his house. He then asked about the owl. Was he nice? Funny? Silly? I will tell the class that those questions really made me think. I thought about how it never does tell us exactly in the story if the owl is funny, or silly, or nice. We need to think about what owl said and did it tell about what type of owl he is. I will then tell the class that this is true for all characters. By looking at what a character says and does in a story it will tell you what type of person (or animal etc.) they are.

Input (Direction and Instruction)

We will briefly review and discuss the book Owl At Home by Arnold Lobel. On the easel will be an enlarged page from the story. I will read the passage and discuss what the owl did and said in the passage. I will tell the class what the owl's actions tell me about the owl. I will then chart the answers on a separate enlarged sheet on the easel. The chart will be broken down into three columns: Character, What the character says and does, and What this tells about my character. I will have another brief passage on the easel. I will ask a student to read this passage. We will discuss what the owl says and does in the passage. I will ask the class what we can tell about the owl from the passage. I will chart their answers.

Guided Practice (Student Practice)

The students will be broken into groups and given different passages from Owl At Home. They will also be given a copy of the same chart I had on the easel. The students will have to read their passage and discuss what they can learn about the owl based on what he said and did in their passage. They will then fill out the chart. I will walk around the room offering assistance and looking to make sure everyone is grasping the concept.

Closure (Summary) I will call the class to rug to share their charts. Before I end the lesson I will ask the class to review what we learned today. We will review that you can



learn about a character from looking at what they say and do in the story.

Independent Practice (Homework)

The class will be given the same chart to be filled out on a character from a reading workshop book.

Pre‐Observation Conference

What do you think is the objective of your lesson? The lesson will teach the students to look at what a character says

and does in order to establish that character's traits. What has led up to this lesson? The prior lesson focused on understanding a character has traits that

the reader can observe in the language of the text read. What will follow this lesson? A follow‐up lesson will include looking for internal and external

character traits in another text we read during reading workshop. What teaching strategies will you use? Modeling, questioning, checking for understanding, cooperative

learning, differentiation (by group activities) positive reinforcement. What student behaviors do you hope to see? I'd like to see how students worked together cooperatively and helped

one another completing the chart on character traits. Do you have any concerns regarding the above, or any additional information that you would like to share? I'd like you to focus on the amount and kind of student praise I give

during the lesson. What kind of data would you like me to collect during the observation? I'd like to know the frequency of reinforcement I used during the

lesson and the quality of my checking for understanding.

Post Observation Conference

How did the lesson go? I was pleased with the delivery of the lesson although I felt a bit

rushed to complete everything I planned to accomplish. Do you think you attained the lesson’s objective? Yes, I definitely attained the lesson’s objective, teaching the students

to look at what a character says and does in order to establish that character's traits.

What were the strengths of the lesson? My anticipatory set was a personal story to which the student could

easily relate. It focused the children on the objective of the lesson. During input, I provided direct instruction using real text from the

story and modeled using a variety of graphic organizers, i.e. charts to clarify and make activities easy to understand.

The children worked at their tables in cooperative groups reading passages from the story.

The children were given opportunities to share what they learned in their groups with the rest of the class.

I praised the children. I reviewed directions with the children before guided practice began. I set up groups, differentiated by reading ability.



The areas you need to focus on to improve your instruction are: During guided practice, each child should read their passage

independently. I think this would make reading aloud less confusing because of the background noise of having many groups read aloud at the same time. If a child is unsure of a particular word, he/she should consult another child in the group.

Although I taught the children about inside and outside words, they were not clear about using these terms. Perhaps I should have checked for understanding to make sure that all children were clear about the terminology. Although displaying a large chart of inside and outside words was helpful, I should have focused the children's attention on the importance of using these words to help understanding internal and external character traits.

I should have elicited more responses from a wider group of children to have more frequent checking for understanding. I know there is a direct correlation between frequently checking for understanding and achieving the lesson's objective. At the same time, I should have given the children more frequent praise. I know that regular reinforcement encourages children to be engaged in their learning.

How would you rate yourself in this lesson? (HEDI) I think that because the way I developed the lesson and provided

feedback to the children, that this lesson was “effective.”

Since you have progressed somewhat from the beginning of the school year’s initial observation, I would rate you developing.

Walk through observation #1: Reading (October)

Communicating with students direction and procedures developing explanation of content developing use of oral & written language effective expectations for learning developing

Using questioning and discussion techniques quality of questions developing discussion techniques developing student participation developing

Engaging students in learning activities and assignments effective grouping of students effective using instructional materials, resources and technology effective structure and pacing developing

Using assessment in instruction assessment criteria developing monitoring of student learning developing feedback to students developing



student self‐assessment and monitoring of progress developing

Walk through observation #2: Reading (January)

Communicating with students direction and procedures effective explanation of content effective use of oral & written language effective expectations for learning developing

Using questioning and discussion techniques quality of questions developing discussion techniques effective student participation developing

Engaging students in learning activities and assignments effective grouping of students developing using instructional materials, resources and technology effective structure and pacing developing

Using assessment in instruction assessment criteria effective monitoring of student learning developing feedback to students developing student self‐assessment and monitoring of progress developing

Task Knowing what you do about performance management, review the above

case study and identify the evidence which you could use to evaluate how

well the principal is implementing an effective teacher evaluation process in

the school.

Facilitator Notes Using the evaluation rubrics for supervisors to evaluate the performance of this supervisor, the evaluator should look at the performance indicator for supervision instruction, namely: Multidimensional Principal Performance Rubric – p. 3 A Data‐Driven Focus on Student Achievement – p. 130 – 135 VAL‐ED Framework – p. 7 – 9 (not numbered) Reeves’ Leadership Performance Matrix – p. 18 ‐ 19 Principal Evaluation Rubrics – section D

Some observations about the strengths and weaknesses of the supervisory process as indicated in this case include: The supervisor conducted a pre and post observation conference

with the teacher. The supervisor conducted one formal and two informal observations. The supervisor did not address some of the teacher’s concerns from

the pre‐observation conference during the post‐observation




conference. The supervisor observed a continuum of teaching experiences in

reading looking for improvement in the teaching/learning process. The supervisor did not provide the teacher with a path for

improvement to move his/her teaching from developing to effective. The supervisor did not outline professional development necessary

for the teacher’s delivery of instruction. There was neither an explanation for the developing rating at the end

of the formal observation, (although areas for improvement were indicated during post observation conference) nor next steps that might be accomplished by the next observation.

Read the bullets on Session 4 Summary slide (Slide 15).


Summary of Session 4

• The importance of looking at additional sources of evidence during a lesson observation

• The importance of the principal establishing robust systems for tracking actionable changes and developing a growth plan for teachers

• The importance of building principals’ capacity to observe lessons and provide effective feedback that is supported by evidence and leads to increased teacher effectiveness

• The importance of the district establishing robust systems for tracking actionable changes and developing a growth plan for principals

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NB: There is no planned break between sessions 4 and 5, but trainers can build in a short comfort break.

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New York State Principal Evaluator Learning System