EDAD 516 is intended for students in the Educational Leadership program who are pursuing a State of Washington Residency Principal or Program Administrator certificate. This course examines the role of the principal as a learning-focused leader who has the knowledge, skills, and cultural competence to ensure the learning, achievement, and success of each student.
Chapter 2 Question #1 - What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
Creating collaborative teams is one way to address the problems of teacher isolation.
It is easy to go without adult conversations/interactions during the school day. You get busy working with students, you eat lunch as you are emailing parents and you know if you enter the data now you won’t have to take it home and complete it there… the list goes on and on. With the demands of the classroom and the limited time afforded to us . . . is there really time for collaboration? YES and there needs to be! By organizing resources and using time efficiently teachers can work together to ensure collaboration focused on student learning and engagement will take place.
To avoid the one-room schoolhouse scenario … administrators need to encourage a collaborative culture in their building. At first this may be uncomfortable for those involved, especially if the culture of the school does not support collaborative teaming. If this is the case…take small/manageable steps and encourage staff to participate. Understanding it will be the leadership of the building to facilitate the establishment of a collaborative culture and ultimately provide ongoing support to maintain it. Below are some things to keep in mind when you are working to create collaborative teams in your building and getting your staff out of their own space.
If you want to see a change… collaboration is essential: Regardless of how innovative, supportive or enthusiastic a leader is, they will not be able to change the ideas of working in isolation without the support of individuals impacted by the change. These individuals must be part of the transition from the very beginning.
Communicate a shared mission and vision and show how collaboration will support what has been agreed upon by staff. Leaders who communicate a vision of the future will inspire others to willfully participate and encourages them to be part of the movement.
Initial collaboration efforts need to be modeled, encouraged and supported by the leadership in the school. Approaching and implementing this instructional support strategy will need to be done with some finesse. The success of any collaboration effort will be supported by the structures/systems the leadership of the building puts in place to sustain a collaborative culture.
Trust and open communication are crucial components if you want to create a collaborative culture in your building.
Relationships are key. Allow time for participants to develop personal relationships. Individuals who are working together need to discover each other’s strengths, weaknesses to build trust and establish a clear understanding of why they are working together.
Diversity is crucial. Groups composed of members having varying levels of skill and knowledge work most effectively in collaborative groups. Diversity causes people to consider perspectives and possibilities that would otherwise be ignored.
When you make the transition from working in isolation to collaborative teaming FUN and those involved have a clear understanding of the importance of collaborative teaming, they will eagerly want to join. Take a look at this clip. Although this has nothing to do with collaborative teaming… it shows the power of having a choice and choosing the fun for the better.
“Fun to Change People’s Behavior for the Better” https://www.facebook.com/illegalmusik/videos/10152189874773924/?pnref=story
Interestingly, our family has a cabin on an island that has a one room school house. In that school there are three to five teachers, it varies from year to year, all who work part time.
The island community is heavily involved in all the decisions which creates it own problems, but are also involved in finding solutions. They use the island and all of its resources available as a part of their curriculum. One of the classes I just saw a picture of was from "afternoon on the waterfront" where the kids were out learning to sail. They use the locals on the island who have various interests to act as experts.
On a small island in a small school the relationships are extremely important. Older students mentor younger ones, and former students often become experts later in life. Though telephone communication isn't as easy due to the remoteness of the island, in person communication is significantly more important. Often times teachers will simply go and do a home visit to communicate, which on a small island with only a few students seems much more doable. But isn't that the point in all school setting? Effectively communicate with parents and build relationships with the intent of helping students succeed? Though in a large school we have more students, we also have easier forms of communication, still with the same goal.
Another way to promote teachers moving outside their classroom walls is to suggest social opportunities. . . Here are a few to consider:
•Eat lunch with other adults in the school. •Create a time once a week where you combine your class with another. •Take a walk with other staff members. •Host a time so staff members can share with their colleagues. They can share a strategy, activity, or project you have used in the classroom. •Have breakfast or coffee before the start of the school day. •Sign up for conference or class with a colleague.
Getting to know a colleague outside of the routine of classroom work, may encourage natural collaboration to begin.
Chapter 2: What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
As future school leaders we have a responsibility to our staff to help reduce and even eliminate teacher isolation in our schools. Making this a priority will immediately change the culture in our building and create positive opportunities. School leaders can foster this mind-shift by focusing on relationships and teamwork to enhance the respect and trust among staff members, listening to learn, implementing clear operating norms, leading by example, modeling expected behavior, and developing a “We, Us, and Our” philosophy. Additionally, it is critical that the school leader publicly shows appreciation for teachers’ efforts or acknowledges milestones and celebrations in an effort to promote discussion. This simple gesture will create talking points for staff members and generate an environment that encourages communication. An easy way to accomplish this method is to post information in the staff portion of the bulletin and/or daily email.
The staff lounge is another area in the school that can be utilized to implement strategies to encourage teacher involvement. In addition to monthly potlucks, the Sunshine Committee can conduct activities that make the staff lounge enjoyable and safe. For instance, they can provide apple cider, organize games such as “Count the M&M’s in the jar,” and recognize birthdays or other reasons to celebrate. PTA can also be involved in these collaborative efforts by providing breakfast, lunch, and occasional snacks.
Influencing teachers to get out of their classrooms and potentially out of their comfort zones can also be accomplished by providing a mentor program for new teachers, encouraging each staff member to participate on at least one building or district committee, implementing common planning into the master schedule, providing a new teacher orientation program with monthly meetings to allow for a smooth transition to our school, Secret Pals, and peer observations. Finally, two additional strategies that administrators may utilize include regular walk-throughs to allow teachers to feel connected to the school and to have all staff members wear name tags during professional development. Numbers and letters may be written on the name tags to assign groups and create opportunities for dialogue across grade levels and subject areas that would otherwise not occur.
Vince you have some very great points here. I agree with you- that as leaders it is our responsibility to reduce/eliminate teacher isolation. I wonder though, if it really can be an immediate shift? What would you do for that staff member, or those staff members who just refuse to change? They like teaching in "their box" and aren't willing to extend? Do you think there is hope for them? :) I like the idea of using the staff lounge. It is such a place of warm conversation that isn't "forced". You mention walk-throughs. Dr. Adrian mentioned this too and how important it is. A great reminder that just "being present" is critical to reducing isolation.
Melissa- The reminder of "being present" is greatly appreciated! It is so important and can easily be overlooked with the day to day responsibilities of classroom teaching or in the role of an administrator. Again... thank you for the reminder and how it can contribute to the reduction of teacher isolation.
As I did walk-throughs this last week, I saw the fear and stress of a brand new teacher as she demonstrated feeling isolated and alone. We spent time with her and encouraged her and popped in throughout the day encouraging what was going well and helping her brainstorm solutions to questions she was struggling through..... being present is so important.
We have a first year teacher in our Functional Transition program. These are our students that are above the life-skills level but not at the resource level. I attempted to visit as often as possible to keep encouraging. I know in the past (this is a new building for me) there were concerns that at times they weren't doing as much academic work as they could be doing. I kept reminding him that every time I came through the students were engaged on the task, most with smiles on their faces! He is in a unique position because he is the only such teacher in our school, talk about isolation. He visited the teacher in our other high school that teaches a similar class previously, and I am going to work on making sure that he can visit again through out the year. In addition, we are working on a plan to get our FT teachers from across the district together so that they can have some collaboration time together.
Additionally, I am working on connecting him with other teachers that his FT students can be included into. This helps both my teacher as well as the students. They both need to feel apart of the larger building.
Being present as Brittane said. We have been meeting daily at the end of the day. I have been letting him talk through things, mostly listening, with some suggestions. He is doing a great job, which I keep point out. Positivity!
Chapter 2, Question 3 What can be done to attract and retain the most qualified teachers to schools serving low-income communities? Creating a culture and climate that embraces growth mindset is key to creating a place where job satisfaction permeates. We all have an intrinsic need to feel competent and valued in our life. It is our responsibility as the lead learner of a school to create a place where learner centered risk-tasking is encouraged, failing forward is celebrated and collective efficacy is believed to have a positive effect on student learning.
I strongly believe this is achieved in setting up strong tights in regards to the implementation of professional learning communities where teachers participate in the teaching and learning cycle of inquiry, collaboration and reflection. As Glickman states in chapter two, teachers spend much of their time in psychological isolation. We need to find ways to make teacher collaboration - not collblaboration- focused on student learning a priority and back up that priority by creating shared collaborative planning time, late starts and/or rotating subs. Whatever it takes to make this priority must be a reality.
In research regarding job satisfaction, one key characteristic is knowing one is contributing to the bigger picture. Having an understood shared vision and a collective responsibility for ALL students gives a strong roadmap for all stakeholders to feel a part of the work. Knowing that we are all in this together and all of our students are indeed...OUR students... the work becomes shared and the group belief of growth mindset becomes the norm.
Risk taking needs to be encouraged and effort needs to be seen as celebratory. To encourage teachers to try a new instructional strategy and then reflect collaboratively with others encourages the idea of growth and learning.
Feeling supported and valued as a member of a learning community builds the capacity of the teachers, students and administration.
As for attracting new staff, we best start thinking of this in a serious way. As we all discussed the other night, we are having a shortage of teachers and administrators. How can we "grow our own", encourage para-educators and current high school students to make education their career choice and recruit educators from colleges with letters of intent in authentic and sustainable ways?
I believe in the phrase, "Build it and they will come". Co-create a place that people want to learn and work and tell the story of the journey. They will come.
“Risk taking needs to be encouraged and effort needs to be seen as celebratory.” As we create a culture that celebrates, encourages and supports teachers making their work more meaningful, efficient, and enjoyable, are ability to retain and attract great teachers will increase. Great post Brittane!
Brittany, I think you hit all of the critical points on the head. As I read Ch. 2, I felt proud of the work that Franklin Pierce has done to make collaboration possible for all teachers. We have common planning, weekly (almost) PLC time, and leadership opportunities throughout the year. Our leadership team has fostered a culture of valuing teacher work and expertise. I agree with your words "build it and they will come" are true. Over the last four years, we have hired many of our UWT interns because we trained them and they are excellent teachers. Building capacity from within is huge!
"Knowing that we are all in this together and all of our students are indeed...OUR students... the work becomes shared and the group belief of growth mindset becomes the norm." - Well said Brittane! It is contagious in nature.
Chapter 3 Q4 If you were to conduct a weeklong visit to a school with which you are unfamiliar, what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment? From the onset, I would look first to the arrival of students. Who is present out front to greet them? Do students make eye-contact with their peers and the adults? Relationships would be easy to spot- do the students just wave hello to admin, or are they high-fiving, hugging, or joking? What is the basis of the relationship? Formal or informal. Students arriving late, and how many. Do students view school as a priority, or a necessary evil? How is this treated? These are all indicators of the culture, the climate of a school. I would watch dismissal times too. Do students rush to leave the building, linger to ask questions, are they respectful of their peers and adults? Is there a sense of community? The authentic curriculum, teachers should be on similar lessons. Maybe not following the scope and sequence exactly, but if they are all teaching the content in an agreed upon fashion they'll be about the same place. I would be looking for teachers who are "making it their own". Are they innovative, supplementing where needed, or extending. Each class should have some autonomy- some teachers may have a more responsive classroom, and others may have rows or pods depending on the needs of those students. When admin walk into a class, what, if any, is the response? An indicator of the frequency of visits as well as the staff culture. In the classrooms, I would expect to see objectives, and students should know them in their own words and understand them. Student response to assessment is the highest indicator, in my opinion, on authenticity of them. Do the students know the WHY they are taking an assessment? Do they see and feel the value of it? DO they feel prepared? Is there data to show that this is a worthy assessment? These would come out in the weekly RtI/data planning meeting I would get to attend during this weeklong visit.
Melissa: You make an interesting point regarding how students begin and end the school day. The authenticity of a school can be expressed simply by the attitudes and energy level of students -- Watching them arrive and leave the school campus is a great indicator. In addition to witnessing students rushing to leave campus or not, the same can be said about teachers. Considering the magnitude of our profession, I would hope that teachers would be willing to stay a little longer to help tutor students or collaborate with their colleagues rather than bailing out early and often.
Chapter 3, Question 4 If you were to conduct a week-long visit to a school with which you were unfamiliar, what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction and assessment? Engaged students! Students would be actively engaged in what they are learning. Students articulating their learning goals and how the work they are working on will help them to accomplish the goals. Students articulating how the project/work/learning they are involved in with impact their life outside of the four walls of the classroom as well as how the learning/project/work related to the community around them. An essential question requiring critical thinking and collaborative reflection frames the work. 21st century competencies are embraced in all the work! Instructional resources complement the study but do not drive the learning. Text books seen as one resource. Interdisciplinary work is visual not separate subjects Students voice and choice can be seen and heard. Higher-ordered thinking skills where kids show what they know throughout the journey of solving real world problems.
Chapter 3 Question #2 Are you familiar with a school in which teachers, school leaders and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself” that underlies the school’s improvement efforts? If so, define the school’s cause beyond oneself.
For the past year I have been a part of a school working to create “a cause beyond oneself”. This is not what it has been called, but the change which has been happening has many qualities of creating a common cause for staff. Opportunities presented this last year has shifted the mindset of some, reaffirmed it of others and is still encouraging a few staff members to look at their responsibilities in a different way. We have the belief that students at our school are “OUR” students. We work collaboratively, as a staff (certificated and classified alike), to ensure curriculum is being taught, common core standards are being used to establish essential skills and candid conversation about data is happening. Our primary focus, through our deliberate and intentional interactions, is to ensure students are receiving the academic and social/emotional support they are needing. We often refer to this practice as “serving by student by need”. The school has a leadership team, consisting of teachers from all grade bands. Collaboratively the teacher leaders in the building help to develop and present professional development which supports student and staff needs. The work done by our teacher leaders is intricately interwoven into the belief that we are here to serve our students with what they need to learn now to support their future endeavors. The leadership team’s work focuses on student achievement and engagement, creating a positive learning environment for students and staff. Opportunities have been given and readily received, by most, to work with an agreed upon mission. The staff believes all students can achieve at high levels and it is our responsibility to ensure students achieve at high levels. The school’s leadership and staff agree upon and support a shared vision that our students will go from GOOD to GREAT! We believe it is our responsibility to provide students with skill sets, to ensure their future successes in post-secondary education/opportunities.
Sounds like your school is on the right track to being a dynamic school! As I read this chapter, I felt like my school had many components of "a cause beyond oneself" as well. An area that we need to work on is connecting with parents/families and being transparent about our mission and goals we have for students and their future. As a staff, we are focused on serving every child..."our students" is common language that we use on a daily basis. As a future building leader, I would like to observe all teachers using growth mindset and encouraging their students to do the same.
Chapter 2 Question 4 When you reach the secondary level schools are almost set up for isolation due to departmentalization of the subjects. One way that we combat this in our building as well as in my last building is to create schedules that allow for common planning within a department. This common planning allows teachers to work together and learn from each other, combating the one room school mentality.
Additionally, as a district all first year teachers have a mentor that meets with them on a regular basis. First year teachers also get together on a regular schedule, more at the beginning of the year, with specific topics of discussion to help them see that they are not in this alone.
Departmentalization while good for the department can create inherent conflict between departments. Does each department get the same funding, planning times(some are better than others), lunch schedule, classroom location, supervisor....the list goes on. I think the best combat of this is regularly scheduled meetings with the entire staff where staff are intentionally sat with others not in their department. This will allow staff, especially larger ones to get to know each other, build relationships, and build understanding of what others are going through outside their department.
At Lakes we created academies based on grade level. These academies have representatives from each department. They have a team leader that is a teacher, a counselor, as well as an administrator to over see and answer questions that need to come from front office. The team leaders meet with administration as a group to facilitate information flow back and forth. Since this group is also not department based it gives the new teachers another group of people to reach out to, connect with, and ask questions.
Combating the different cultures within a school is not an easy task, but the more you get different groups or cultures together and work at combating the us vs. them mentality. A school as much as possible needs to be a we environment where we are working together for all of our students seeking to break down barriers that are impacting the learning of our students.
Vern: I know that at the high schools where I've been common planning has made a big difference -- especially for first year teachers and those new to the school. In one particular school the Math, SPED, and CTE departments all shared the same planning times and lunches, allowing us to meet and talk in the staff lounge everyday during lunch.
Vern, I hope I can come out and see this academy system that you speak of. We are struggling to be able to provide common plan periods and have departments that work well together vs. others that don't.
The traditional school leads to teacher isolation, fatigue, and burn out, as compared to the dynamic environment of a school that has a common purpose of moving learning forward in a coherent manner seeking continuous growth in both students as well as teachers. The shared leadership can lead to shared goals and understandings. It can spread out the instructional leaders beyond just the administrators but down to the teachers themselves.
I say can because we have done something along these lines at Lakes, with teacher leaders of our Academies. The key is the leader of the academy. I can already see that some of the academies leaders function as a go between and true leader, while some function as a stop gap and point out union issues to make sure teachers work to the letter of the contract...Can you tell that this is the last year of our contract? It will be interesting to see how the academy that I am apart of works this year. I have seen times where it worked well together, and times where the leader tried to dictate something. Since he has a strong personality I am not sure how this is going to go this year...
With in our academies this fall we worked on creating and solving some issues that were raised in our safe and civil trainings. We dealt with starting classes on time, norms with in our classrooms, halls, as well as around the school. There were lively discussions that had significantly more input since we were now in a group of 20 teachers instead of an entire staff. This set up teachers to be more likely to want to follow the agreements that were settled upon since they were the ones that came up with them instead of administration.
They Dynamic school sets up work to be done in groups rather than by an individual in isolation. Most people work better when we work with others. Collaborative work also leads to decisions that are "our" decisions rather than "their" decisions.
I am really liking the groundwork that Safe and Civil is laying out...common expectations for students is so important. We are setting students up for failure by not having common expectations and using common language in our buildings. Using make your day in one classroom and think time in another only confuses students and sends unclear messages. As a building, we need to agree on shared expectations.
Chapter 3, Question 4: what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment? The initial indicator and easiest way to identify sum up this idea is, are teachers and departments going above and beyond external mandates. If we work to just meet the ever changing mandates of our time we will ways fall short because the goals is always moving. However, when a culture is created and driven by a common vison for excellence based on higher-order thinking, deep knowledge leaning, and substantive conversations between key stakeholders, the elusive external mandates become just a small piece of the overall puzzle. Student learning is also showcased in problem-based learning, project-based learning, service learning, portfolios, presentations, and performances.
Chapter 2, Question 3 What can be done to attract and retain the most qualified teachers to schools serving low-income communities? This continues to be a question urgently in need of a solution. When we discuss our low-income students we educators often put up barriers to learning. “Well, Johnny isn’t progressing because higher education isn’t valued in his family.” Or, “Johnny stays up late waiting for his mom to get home from work so he is sleepy in class” etc. We can no longer make excuses for not serving our students with the highest quality teachers. Students in these communities are often perceived as lost causes and not individuals with unlimited potential. I strongly believe that an amazing teacher can overcome any circumstantial obstacles and inspire a child to succeed. Additional funding and resources seems to be everyone’s starting point for fixing the inequity of teachers. Some may assume the schools with the highest need receive more funding but this is not the case. Funds are generated and distributed unequally, and the idea of “combat pay” as suggested by some experts perpetuates the negative stereotype of the school. Of course additional funds are helpful they only provide an extrinsic motivator, and do not truly fulfill a teacher’s needs. We all know no one enters the teaching profession for the money. So how do we attract and retain quality teachers in a demanding profession? As Glickman says, the isolation and psychological demand placed on teachers results in frustration and abandonment of the job. A community who works collectively for a “cause beyond oneself” can be established if we reshape the culture. Fostering a supportive and respectful team in which needs are met can alleviate some of the frustration our teachers feel. A systematic focus on community building and positive relationships can make a world of difference. If our teachers are able to play a more active role as leaders, if voices are heard and respected then a sense of ownership and pride can be built. In low-income communities especially teachers also need to feel supported in meeting not only academic needs, but social and emotional needs as well. Although we may not be able to give a higher salary, leaders of these schools need to utilize all the other countless resources available to demonstrate appreciation for the work teachers are doing. There are countless other gifts leaders can use that will not cost tax payers additional money; the gift of team planning time, the gift of words of encouragement, the gift of shared ownership, the gift of rolling your sleeves up in digging into the work as an ally, etc. If our teachers know they are valued and not alone in the difficult work that we do, then I feel they will perpetuate a culture where we can break down barriers for our students and inspire student success. After establishing a culture where teachers want to be, we also need to encourage the Growth Mindset in our staff and students. If we are to improve teaching and instruction professional development that includes various teacher leaders should be very present in the community. This model should also have a mentor program for new teachers as well as teachers who want to improve their craft. In the dynamic world of education, quality teachers must be lifelong learners.
Ch. 2 Q 4- Does conflict and/or isolation between different cultures happen in most schools? As I read this chapter, I felt like at least at my school we’ve done a good job with collaborative expectations and open door policy. We've been able to develop a strong collaborative culture due to District initiatives that promote teamwork, on-going learning, and have been given time. In my own experience as a teacher, I very rarely felt like I was by myself in this profession. I had amazing colleagues that provided support, guidance, and time to make my job easier to learn and develop my skills. Thanks to their dedication to helping a rookie! I am happt to be able to return the favor with our new additions each year.
I can see how easy it would be for a new teacher or specialist to feel isolated though. I was pleasantly surprised, in the first three days of school, to see our new teachers eating lunch in the staff room, smiling and sharing their daily experiences. I think if we don't engage our newbies and/or check on them then we are setting them up for failure. They are like babies...they need TLC, feedback, and encouragement. As a building leader, it is our job to create a culture of trust, collaboration, and risk-taking. The ultimate responsibility of a collaborative culture falls on the leader.
One observation I’ve noticed is that there has been more conflict than isolation at my school. The conflict seems to occur between grade level teams or individuals when there is a disagreement of opinion or belief. I think it’s a natural thing to some degree because individuals are stating their thinking and beliefs about something that they believe or have value in. Sometimes you have to agree to disagree, right? Can’t conflict be healthy for a relationship? The ability to listen, ponder, and reflect are essential elements of learning and/or growing in our profession.
In my experience as a teacher, I have felt much isolation unfortunately. Only in the last few years, after moving to Clover Park have I felt like I am part of a team and it is due to principals who believe and push for data teaming and sharing between grade levels. Until moving to CP, I had no idea teachers didn't teach in isolation :(
I think some conflict is healthy when teachers remember to assume best intent and treat each other with respect during the conflict.
There are numerous examples of indicators that one would look for to determine if a school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment. As a school leader, the following are just a sampling of what I would hope to observe in a successful school:
Classroom setting: Indicators that would catch my eye in the classroom setting would be the use of multiple assessments, active participation, and engaged students and teachers. Collaboration and energy shared between students as well as teachers have the opportunity to extend learning beyond the classroom and create opportunities to impact students throughout the future. Also, utilizing multiple assessments will allow teachers do identify solutions to help students in specific areas and provide immediate intervention strategies. Teachers in this environment will also be found utilizing a variety of instructional methodologies such as small group work, peer tutoring, projects, presentations, and technology.
Leadership: As the school leader, principals in authentically successful schools will implement common planning into the master schedule, take risks and encourage their teachers to take risks in an effort to continually think outside the box, and empower staff to accept leadership roles while serving on at least one committee and/or decision-making team, where the principal serves as facilitator rather than leader. Additionally, the principal will instill a mentorship program for new teachers, provide professional development offerings that scaffold throughout the year, shows genuine appreciation and respect for all staff serving the school, and is visible throughout the day and at extra-curricular events.
School Culture: Walking through the hallways of an authentically engaged school one would notice student work displayed both in and out of each classroom. In addition, multiple opportunities would be available for student involvement, including decision-making processes and student leadership groups. Collaboration would also be evident in this atmosphere, where data inspired meetings routinely take place, teachers utilize assessments as a means to self-evaluate, and progress monitoring is used to help students excel and progress. Finally, community service would be a focal point in an effort to give back to the stakeholders while community involvement is prevalent throughout varying aspects of the school house rather than just at the copy machine.
Chapter 2 Question 4-What are some different cultures within a school you are familiar with that are either isolated from each other or in conflict with each other? What do you believe is responsible for the isolation or conflict?
In my current building, there is conflict. Two schools were basically merged into one...a principal was removed and a new one assigned. She brought 11 teachers from her old building with her to replace teachers who had left..basically there is the staff that stayed and the new staff. Going back to chapter 1, the old principal ran the school in a congenial with everyone doing pretty much there own, very little supervision, and structure. The new principal ran her old building with great success in a collegial way and hopes to create that in this new building. The conflict, I feel, comes from a lack of trust. Many of the original staff is resistant to the changes, is bitter over teaching assignment changes and curriculum changes. The new staff tends to stick together because it is a new situation for them too and are unsure what to except day to day. As and outsider, from neither staff, I watch and listen. I have found that because I am the outsider, people from both staff use me as a sounding board. Assumptions have been made on both side and assuming best intent is falling on deaf ears.
Relationships need to be made and trust established. The original teachers need to embrace the changes and remember that most of them were not happy under the old leadership and the new staff needs to understand that just because we are at the lowest preforming school in the district does not mean that the teachers were not good, they were stuck in a very broken system.
Thank you for sharing Krista. Your building sounds like mom has brought home a new baby and everyone likes the new baby better. So much attention is being focused on the new baby, people are forgetting how cute the older child is and how helpful the older child can be. I believe that at times coming into a new situation with ideas and knowledge from a system that was successful, could cause teachers and leaders to ignore or have blinders on. Therefore, they don't see how they could combine the positives of the old with the positives of the new. I think building relationships and collaboration and remembering to keep old and new staff involved in the process will be the key to great working relationships.
Ch.3 Q4 – If you were to conduct a weeklong visit to school with which you were unfamiliar, what indicators would you look to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment?
School Culture look for’s: - Teachers working collaboratively with one another using data to improve student learning - Student/teacher interactions…Have relationships been developed and nurtured? - Listening for words that suggest team effort-“our”, “we ”, “us” - Teacher commitment to learning- arrival time, departure time, planning, daily work habits-all of these play into a successful, meaningful learning day for students
Curriculum & Instruction look for’s: - Students are actively engaged in the learning process. They have developed ownership and will to apply new learning by seeing the value of content and understanding in real life examples - The depth of content is deeper and wider than surface level instructing and understanding. - The teacher/student or student/student conversation is richer in discussion as shared meaning and understanding is developed. - The teacher is a facilitator of the learning process as he/she guides students to a deeper understanding of content through questioning and higher-order thinking
Assessment look for’s: - Students applying their learning through projects, performance-based learning, presentations, and/or portfolios - Ongoing…formal and informal check ins with students - Informs instruction or next steps in the learning process
Chapter 2: Q1 – What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
The culture in our building this year has shifted considerably with the change in staffing and I've noticed that teacher isolation is less prevalent. Interestingly enough, the hiring of many first year teachers in our building has been a key factor in this cultural shift. Our new teachers want to feel as though they are part of Zeiger as a whole and veteran teachers are stepping in to support them. One way that I believe teacher isolation can be addressed is through the simple act of “opening up classroom space” in whatever way feasible. Zeiger was built with collaboration in mind. Many of our classrooms have walls that open between them to encourage team teaching and professional dialogue. That being said, until this year, many of those walls were never or rarely opened. The placement of bookcases and other furniture against those walls was evidence that staff preferred isolation. As I walk through the halls of Zeiger this year, many of those walls are open periodically throughout the day and conversations are flowing comfortably. I realize that our structural situation here cannot be replicated in all school settings, but I have also noticed that classroom doors are remaining open throughout the school day as well. This simple act significantly reduces feelings of isolation and allows for teachers to randomly hear each other’s instruction in a non-threatening and non-evaluative way. There are now conversations between teachers regarding instructional strategies that they have seen or overheard in nearby classrooms. Instead of increasing disruptions in the educational setting, it has actually led to fewer disruptions because students and staff aren’t looking towards the door whenever it is opened. It has allowed for the easy flow of students and staff in and out of classrooms. Walkthroughs by administration are also more fluid and less disruptive. For safety purposes, doors can still be “locked” while opened and then quickly shut during a lockdown. Our new portables are built much the same, with connecting doors between that are often open for ease of conversation and collaboration.
It needs to be noted, though, that all of this could not have occurred without common expectations of hallway behavior throughout our building. These expectations have been explicitly taught and reinforced by all staff from the first day of school.
Having more open classrooms is awesome, and I love that you mentioned that you can hear other teacher's instruction- I love to hear other teachers teach, not to critique them but to learn from them- and see how they do things! It is truly valuable!
Chapter 3: Q3 Rating a school on the four categories of a positive learning climate… 1. Safe Environment: I would rate my current school as an eight in this category. We have implemented many PBIS strategies throughout our building, including common area expectations. Many of our teachers implement GLAD behavior management strategies which promote positive reinforcement in the classroom. We have an “all hands on deck” approach to behavior management throughout the building from the time the students arrive on campus until they leave. Our facility is immaculate at all times, thanks to our wonderful custodian. Conflict resolution strategies are incorporated in classrooms as well as on the playground and buses. 2. Moral Tone: I would rate my current school as a seven in this area. Positive learning climates exist in all classrooms and it is obvious that adults in our building care for students. Their conversations regarding how best to meet the needs of all and the way in which they share their student stories reflect the love they have for students as individuals. Some are still working on what it means to be culturally competent so we are continually having conversations concerning the idea that a student’s unique personal experiences and family structures influence culture. I feel as though it is becoming more ingrained in our collective thinking. 3. Relationships: I would rate our school as a 9 in this area. Our school community as a whole is rather strong and our PTA does a wonderful job of making sure that families feel as though school is an extension of family. This year, the PTA t is being very intentional about planning events for the sole purpose of bringing the community together. These specific events will be low cost or cost free and simply encourage families to come together. Our school is also located near a walking trail where many of our staff walk or run after work and our families do the same. These small interactions with students and their families on the trail after school hours help to build that bridge between school and home, which increases our sense of community. 4. Sense of Empowerment: I would rate our building as a 6 in this area. My hope is that our continued modeling of effective instructional strategies during professional development time, specifically GLAD strategies, will increase this rating. GLAD emphasizes student involvement in learning through discussions and collective work.
Thanks for sharing Sari---I love to hear what other schools are doing. Why do you think your Sense of Empowerment has been at the level you rated it? Do you think because of your growth and size? Just curious, your thoughts on this.
Chapter 2: Question #1 "What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?"
Teacher isolation occurs for many reasons. Motivation, culture, the ever present “my kids” attitude, physical school structure, grade level and department isolation, etc. I don’t have the answers but here are my thoughts on how that might be addressed…
1) A greater focus on the PLC process 2) Observations in colleagues classrooms with reflective dialogue afterward 3) Strengths finders within teams with purposeful discussion that happens throughout the year 4) Commitment to an RTI process 5) Collaborative research and practice 6) Encourage district involvement 7) Develop school norms 8) Develop conflict resolution and decision making procedures 9) Culturally responsive supervision…know your teachers and build bridges between the professional islands 10) And my favorite…a shared vision.
Chapter 3: Question #4 "If you were to conduct a week-long visit to a school with which you are unfamiliar, what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment?" I will add a bit to this question. As I spend time in other schools during this internship, what wilI look for as indicators of a dynamic school?
1) A system that enforces shared decision making 2) Shared leadership in the form of peer coaching, professional learning communities, action research teams, study groups, etc. 3) Time built in for collaborative work and reflective dialogue 4) Ongoing, job embedded professional development 5) Mentorship programs 6) Authentic instruction and curriculum that reflects what the students in that school need to learn 7) Strong, open relationships between teachers and students and between students 8) Culturally sensitive assessments 9) Multiple opportunities for students to show what they know 10) Authentic parent-school and community-school relationships
Chapter 3, Question 4: What Indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment? I would look for engage and motivated students, inspiring and dedicated teachers, and leadership that serves the needs of students first. In regards to curriculum, an authentic one prepares students to be successful as a global citizen. I would see a responsive flexible curriculum that demands academic rigor and supports student achievement of high standards. Instruction should be dynamic and meet various learning styles and student needs. This is indicated by differentiated instruction and thoughtfully crafted learning experiences. Instruction should be done by highly qualified teachers who truly love what they do and more importantly, serve students. I would see teachers looking deeper into student challenges for answers and direction. Teachers would be happy to dedicate their personal time to go above and beyond for students and the school culture. Collaboration and teaming would also be present in order to deliver the best instruction and build positive relationships. Assessment should be the map that tells us where we are and also where we need to go. Data wise conversations and various reports would be present in the school. Assessment should be continually, systematic, and meaningful.
I agree, engagement along with collaboration and always looking at our assessments and data to give us great information on how we are doing! Good post Kelsey!
Chapter 3 Question 1 A traditional school as described in chapter 1 has systems that aren’t changing, even if they aren’t the most effective. A dynamic school has: • Shared leadership • Teams working together • PLC’s • Informal and formal collaborative work is encouraged • A feeling of being a part of a bigger system (not just your own classroom) I’ve noticed this year that our new principal has changed the CSIP team, which historically has been the only “team” in our building. That team worked in isolation- and was all encompassing. I was a part of that team last year, and we were told we had a part in decisions, however that wasn’t the case, we were just told what was going on, and reporting on our grade levels. Now we have all sorts of opportunities to serve in school leadership, there are teams for RTI, CSIP, Safety, and Diversity. Having already met a few times with our RTI team there is a different feeling this year, that our principal wants and values our input. More people are in positions to have chances to serve and lead and learn. At Fruitland it is easy and natural to have collaboration. Teachers want to share, and help each other be successful.
Chapter 3 Question 2 Yes, I believe Fruitland is a school in which teachers, school leaders and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself”. Parents at Fruitland are very involved in what happens at school. They know each other and the kids well! Parents are always around and will do whatever they can to help students. It is really a great thing to be a part of! It seems to be there is a lot of mutual respect between parents and staff, which really opens up the way to helping students. We have a whole team of parents that come in for three days to do all the DIBELS testing a few times a year. There is a huge amount of parent help, I am not the only classroom to have multiple parent helpers in a day. They come not to help their own children but to help whoever needs it. The staff at Fruitland care about all students a sixth grade teacher is always talking to my kindergartners, giving them high fives, calling them by name, and other teachers do the same, they get to know each other’s students and develop relationships. That helps school to really feel like a great place to be for students, and teachers! I know I am not the only teacher who feels very accountable for the students I send on to the next grade level. I feel like I am part of a great team all doing our best to help our current students learn what they need so they can be the most successful in the coming years.
Glickman Reflective Questions Chapter #2 Question #1: “What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?” I think one of the best ways to avoid the problem of teacher isolation is by providing support for our newest teachers: teacher mentor problems. Developing the local capacity and ownership of a school community, building trust, and allowing flexibility to share ideas, knowledge, and experiences are critical components of disbanding teacher isolation. If our teachers feel supported and a part of a positive community of educators they will not want to be isolated and alone in their classroom communities. Our teachers would see the benefit of being a part of a grade-level or department PLC---to share ideas, curriculum, project based learning ideas, and even share students (based on student needs and teacher strengths). Another way to address the problem of teacher isolation is by providing opportunities for online teacher support. Connecting our teachers with teachers that are enduring the same trials and tribulations would provide authentic conversations and solution seeking behaviors from our educators. This option assists the long standing component of time and financial resources to allow collaboration and PLC work. We as educational leaders can encourage teachers to engage in online PLCs. We can give time (can be minimal: once established this happens naturally) for them to create Twitter accounts, google handouts, Pinterest, CTQ Collaboratory, and blogs. Technology has opened multiple doors for our educators we must nurture this with all teachers. I believe that common curriculum and assessments also help reduce teacher isolation. Fostering conversations about scope/sequence and common assessments within grade level teams allow for deep authentic conversations that foster collaboration over isolation. I believe that the RTI efforts in Puyallup and neighboring districts has aided in the collective responsibility of our students over my students. This chapter in Glickman, has made me stop and think about how I will guide and nurture collaboration in my building. I look forward to continuing to learn and explore ways that I can repair the teacher isolation epidemic in teaching. Below is a book, I have found on Amazon with this topic in mind---I want to continue exploring ways I can move teachers from isolation to collaboration.
“Moving from Teacher Isolation to Collaboration: Enhancing Professionalism and School Quality” By Sharon Conley (Author), Bruce S. Cooper (Author)
Chapter #3 Question #2: “Are you familiar with a school in which teachers, school leaders, and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself” that underlies the school’s improvement efforts? If so, define the school’s cause beyond oneself.” This question made me truly stop and analyze my school and the culture that we have created as a collaborative administrative team and staff. The answer to the question presented above is absolutely, YES---our school the Brouillet Bobcats does share a “cause beyond oneself” with all stakeholders. In the 2 years that I have been a part of this community it has become clear that although there is no “written” school vision, the vision itself is very vivid. We as a collaborative unit: Parents, teachers, school leaders, and the community at large believe in every child and we come together to discuss the needs of our kids. We participate in collective conversations that focus on RTI efforts to ensure that every student and staff member in our school is growing. We have gone from being a more fixed mind set staff to a very growth mindset staff. We celebrate individual student growth, community growth, school culture growth, Bobcat spirit growth, professional growth, and grade level growth. We do not just look at benchmark data and see kids as numbers, we see each and every student as themselves and strive to learn and understand how they best can achieve the goal of: growth. Our cause beyond oneself is centered on individual student growth not standards. We talk about data in a way that focuses on who students are, where students come from, and how we can nurture the growth of ALL kids.
Chapter 2 Question 1 In the age of portables, teacher isolation can happen easily. A leader must take strategic steps to make sure that staff members in the portables are viewed as being as part of the building. One step is taking the time to monitor passing (at the secondary level) time outside even in the bad weather days. Visiting the teacher portables often. Sometimes asking the teacher if you can cover while he or she goes to the restroom (in cases where the restroom is in the building). Creating “opportunities” (food is a great start) to get all staff members to eat together. Pairing a new teacher with a veteran teacher. Rotating the members on the leadership teams every two years and providing other opportunities for teachers to collaborate together with an agenda until they can collaborate comfortably on their own. Teachers need to feel that they are “entitled” to share their opinion and expertise. The entitlement comes from trust and trust comes from strong positive relationships. Another aspect is changing the mindset of an isolated teacher. “Teachers who have experienced long-term psychological isolation tend to view their work environment as limited to their classroom, their students, and their teaching. Although their isolation was initially involuntary, over time they have adapted to and accepted the tradition of isolation (Brooks, Hughes & Brooks 2008)” (Glickman 23). For those teachers that are psychologically trapped, they need to be retaught that there is actually “ours” every moment of the school day.
Chapter 2 Question 3 Preventing teacher isolation may be one strategy to retain high quality teachers. Teachers often feel like/get burned out because they have the perspective that they are doing the work alone. We want all teachers to understand and know that they are not doing the work alone, but instead they have an entire team of educators working together to help students be successful. In addition, we must move away from the idea that the new teacher must “pay dues” in order to prove their worth. We cannot keep high quality new teachers if we give them multiple preps, a cart or closet to teach in and Hodge- podge supplies or make them spend their own money. Small things matter. How supported would a new teacher feel if he or she began working in a building that provided him or her with the opportunity to be successful and the resources to do it. A positive work environment could bring in other high quality teachers. Feeling supported, providing teachers and families with resources to be successful, and mentoring programs is the best way I think to attract and retain high quality teachers.
Chapter 2 Question 4 The culture of old and new (veteran teacher and the new teacher), which happen to be in conflict in the building that I am familiar with. I believe a since of entitlement is to blame for the conflict. The veteran teachers believe that they are the reason why the “good” things happen in the building and that no new ideas are needed because, “we have always done it this way and nothing is wrong with it”. Therefore, the new teacher stays quiet and follows along until another offer comes along and they leave or they wait for someone to retire so they can move into the open leadership role.
Chap. 2 Glickman 1-What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
Teacher isolation happens as a result of poor planning on the administrator's part. We are tasked with foreseeability in all different aspects of a school and staff. It is imperative that administrators know what kinds of impacts of their school systems and how they may contribute to feelings of isolation or detract from it. Administrators must... *design a master schedule that has a regular/consistent common planning times *establish protocols for PLCs to move from productive to substantive *schedule regular but interactive staff meetings where all teachers can contribute *provide job-embedded professional dev *regular, consistent time for planning with grade level teams *create and utilize school-wide RTI systems that support teacher and student need *use of teacher leaders, classroom walk throughs, frequent drop ins
#3 What can be done to attract and retain the most qualified teachers to schools serving low-income communities? -Provide teacher incentives/loan forgiveness programs (more of them) -Collegial staff culture -Strong leadership with clear mission/vision -Focus on student culture
#4 What are some different cultures within a school you are familiar with... -The socioeconomic culture in our building is what comes to my mind first. We have close to 60% free and reduced lunch rates with many coming from The Three Ponds trailer park on Pacific Hwy. The families that reside in this neighborhood are constantly at odds with other other for a variety of reasons-generational grudges to territory or relationship disputes. Rather than banding together for support, many of the issues between families occur over perceived disrespect by one party over another.
Chapter 2 Question 4 What are some different cultures within a school you are familiar with that are either isolated from each other or in conflict with each other? What do you believe is responsible for the isolation or conflict?
The Social Studies department in my school is somewhat in conflict. This is my former department and I have been asked to lead the PLC this year which is presenting its own challenge since I was Curricular Leader in the past. I have heard complaints, through members of the department, that others do not understand why I am attending. Today, I lead our second PLC and the personalities came out. We have five new members to the department which is currently made up of twelve teachers. Two of our five new members share duties with other departments (ELL and ELA). One veteran teacher shares classes with Art and English. The third new member shares between Social Studies and ELA but has only been a substitute and long term substitute at the middle school level. Our returning teachers all have at least seven years at our school, most with ten or more. When this group gets together to talk best practice it becomes a territorial pissing match over who knows what and how well. This generally stems from three people, all veterans. All three are good teachers; all three are passionate about what they teach. One seems to think that collaboration is “here is what I am doing, you can do it if you want, I probably wont be changing or trying anything new.” Another is all about sharing and asking but comes across and dominating the conversation when often times is just trying to get clarification and/or better understand what someone is saying. Other times, this person dominates conversation. The third veteran always gets defensive when asked about practices and does not always come across as working with the team. I think that because these two of these teachers teach classes that are limited to them, that they feel like they are isolated and that because they have no one to truly collaborate with that they must do it themselves and those others who don’t teach the curriculum couldn’t possible have a good way to teach a skill. The other would like to see other people try more things, like they do, to see if they can offer kids more than one way to do things. This is my challenge. Get them to share and try various best practices to benefit kids. Sounds easy but it isn’t.
Chapter 3 Question 2 Are you familiar with a school in which teachers, school leaders, and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself” that underlies the schools improvement efforts? If so, define the school’s cause beyond oneself. I feel like Kentwood HS has a shared vision of students being successful and that teachers understand that students might not always be as successful in all areas. I do feel like our staff does a pretty good job of recognizing student strengths and finding staff that relates to students whether they are currently teaching that student or not. However, I am not sure that this approach is something that is part of the school improvement efforts. I feel like at some point it might have been but at this point it is just a question or step in a series of troubleshooting (or discovery based on connections) that allows students to relate and connect to staff they might not otherwise have access to.
Chapter 2 Question #1 - What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
ReplyDeleteCreating collaborative teams is one way to address the problems of teacher isolation.
It is easy to go without adult conversations/interactions during the school day. You get busy working with students, you eat lunch as you are emailing parents and you know if you enter the data now you won’t have to take it home and complete it there… the list goes on and on. With the demands of the classroom and the limited time afforded to us . . . is there really time for collaboration? YES and there needs to be! By organizing resources and using time efficiently teachers can work together to ensure collaboration focused on student learning and engagement will take place.
To avoid the one-room schoolhouse scenario … administrators need to encourage a collaborative culture in their building. At first this may be uncomfortable for those involved, especially if the culture of the school does not support collaborative teaming. If this is the case…take small/manageable steps and encourage staff to participate. Understanding it will be the leadership of the building to facilitate the establishment of a collaborative culture and ultimately provide ongoing support to maintain it. Below are some things to keep in mind when you are working to create collaborative teams in your building and getting your staff out of their own space.
If you want to see a change… collaboration is essential: Regardless of how innovative, supportive or enthusiastic a leader is, they will not be able to change the ideas of working in isolation without the support of individuals impacted by the change. These individuals must be part of the transition from the very beginning.
Communicate a shared mission and vision and show how collaboration will support what has been agreed upon by staff. Leaders who communicate a vision of the future will inspire others to willfully participate and encourages them to be part of the movement.
Initial collaboration efforts need to be modeled, encouraged and supported by the leadership in the school. Approaching and implementing this instructional support strategy will need to be done with some finesse. The success of any collaboration effort will be supported by the structures/systems the leadership of the building puts in place to sustain a collaborative culture.
Trust and open communication are crucial components if you want to create a collaborative culture in your building.
Relationships are key. Allow time for participants to develop personal relationships. Individuals who are working together need to discover each other’s strengths, weaknesses to build trust and establish a clear understanding of why they are working together.
Diversity is crucial. Groups composed of members having varying levels of skill and knowledge work most effectively in collaborative groups. Diversity causes people to consider perspectives and possibilities that would otherwise be ignored.
When you make the transition from working in isolation to collaborative teaming FUN and those involved have a clear understanding of the importance of collaborative teaming, they will eagerly want to join. Take a look at this clip. Although this has nothing to do with collaborative teaming… it shows the power of having a choice and choosing the fun for the better.
“Fun to Change People’s Behavior for the Better”
https://www.facebook.com/illegalmusik/videos/10152189874773924/?pnref=story
Interestingly, our family has a cabin on an island that has a one room school house. In that school there are three to five teachers, it varies from year to year, all who work part time.
DeleteThe island community is heavily involved in all the decisions which creates it own problems, but are also involved in finding solutions. They use the island and all of its resources available as a part of their curriculum. One of the classes I just saw a picture of was from "afternoon on the waterfront" where the kids were out learning to sail. They use the locals on the island who have various interests to act as experts.
On a small island in a small school the relationships are extremely important. Older students mentor younger ones, and former students often become experts later in life. Though telephone communication isn't as easy due to the remoteness of the island, in person communication is significantly more important. Often times teachers will simply go and do a home visit to communicate, which on a small island with only a few students seems much more doable. But isn't that the point in all school setting? Effectively communicate with parents and build relationships with the intent of helping students succeed? Though in a large school we have more students, we also have easier forms of communication, still with the same goal.
Cottle Part II of Chapter 2 Question #1
ReplyDeleteAnother way to promote teachers moving outside their classroom walls is to suggest social opportunities. . . Here are a few to consider:
•Eat lunch with other adults in the school.
•Create a time once a week where you combine your class with another.
•Take a walk with other staff members.
•Host a time so staff members can share with their colleagues. They can share a strategy, activity, or project you have used in the classroom.
•Have breakfast or coffee before the start of the school day.
•Sign up for conference or class with a colleague.
Getting to know a colleague outside of the routine of classroom work, may encourage natural collaboration to begin.
Chapter 2: What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
ReplyDeleteAs future school leaders we have a responsibility to our staff to help reduce and even eliminate teacher isolation in our schools. Making this a priority will immediately change the culture in our building and create positive opportunities. School leaders can foster this mind-shift by focusing on relationships and teamwork to enhance the respect and trust among staff members, listening to learn, implementing clear operating norms, leading by example, modeling expected behavior, and developing a “We, Us, and Our” philosophy. Additionally, it is critical that the school leader publicly shows appreciation for teachers’ efforts or acknowledges milestones and celebrations in an effort to promote discussion. This simple gesture will create talking points for staff members and generate an environment that encourages communication. An easy way to accomplish this method is to post information in the staff portion of the bulletin and/or daily email.
The staff lounge is another area in the school that can be utilized to implement strategies to encourage teacher involvement. In addition to monthly potlucks, the Sunshine Committee can conduct activities that make the staff lounge enjoyable and safe. For instance, they can provide apple cider, organize games such as “Count the M&M’s in the jar,” and recognize birthdays or other reasons to celebrate. PTA can also be involved in these collaborative efforts by providing breakfast, lunch, and occasional snacks.
Influencing teachers to get out of their classrooms and potentially out of their comfort zones can also be accomplished by providing a mentor program for new teachers, encouraging each staff member to participate on at least one building or district committee, implementing common planning into the master schedule, providing a new teacher orientation program with monthly meetings to allow for a smooth transition to our school, Secret Pals, and peer observations. Finally, two additional strategies that administrators may utilize include regular walk-throughs to allow teachers to feel connected to the school and to have all staff members wear name tags during professional development. Numbers and letters may be written on the name tags to assign groups and create opportunities for dialogue across grade levels and subject areas that would otherwise not occur.
Vince you have some very great points here. I agree with you- that as leaders it is our responsibility to reduce/eliminate teacher isolation. I wonder though, if it really can be an immediate shift? What would you do for that staff member, or those staff members who just refuse to change? They like teaching in "their box" and aren't willing to extend? Do you think there is hope for them? :)
DeleteI like the idea of using the staff lounge. It is such a place of warm conversation that isn't "forced". You mention walk-throughs. Dr. Adrian mentioned this too and how important it is. A great reminder that just "being present" is critical to reducing isolation.
Melissa- The reminder of "being present" is greatly appreciated! It is so important and can easily be overlooked with the day to day responsibilities of classroom teaching or in the role of an administrator. Again... thank you for the reminder and how it can contribute to the reduction of teacher isolation.
DeleteAs I did walk-throughs this last week, I saw the fear and stress of a brand new teacher as she demonstrated feeling isolated and alone. We spent time with her and encouraged her and popped in throughout the day encouraging what was going well and helping her brainstorm solutions to questions she was struggling through..... being present is so important.
DeleteWe have a first year teacher in our Functional Transition program. These are our students that are above the life-skills level but not at the resource level. I attempted to visit as often as possible to keep encouraging. I know in the past (this is a new building for me) there were concerns that at times they weren't doing as much academic work as they could be doing. I kept reminding him that every time I came through the students were engaged on the task, most with smiles on their faces! He is in a unique position because he is the only such teacher in our school, talk about isolation. He visited the teacher in our other high school that teaches a similar class previously, and I am going to work on making sure that he can visit again through out the year. In addition, we are working on a plan to get our FT teachers from across the district together so that they can have some collaboration time together.
DeleteAdditionally, I am working on connecting him with other teachers that his FT students can be included into. This helps both my teacher as well as the students. They both need to feel apart of the larger building.
Being present as Brittane said. We have been meeting daily at the end of the day. I have been letting him talk through things, mostly listening, with some suggestions. He is doing a great job, which I keep point out. Positivity!
What do you do when people don't want to collaborate or are not good at collaborating? This is my current dilemma.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2, Question 3
ReplyDeleteWhat can be done to attract and retain the most qualified teachers to schools serving low-income communities?
Creating a culture and climate that embraces growth mindset is key to creating a place where job satisfaction permeates. We all have an intrinsic need to feel competent and valued in our life. It is our responsibility as the lead learner of a school to create a place where learner centered risk-tasking is encouraged, failing forward is celebrated and collective efficacy is believed to have a positive effect on student learning.
I strongly believe this is achieved in setting up strong tights in regards to the implementation of professional learning communities where teachers participate in the teaching and learning cycle of inquiry, collaboration and reflection. As Glickman states in chapter two, teachers spend much of their time in psychological isolation. We need to find ways to make teacher collaboration - not collblaboration- focused on student learning a priority and back up that priority by creating shared collaborative planning time, late starts and/or rotating subs. Whatever it takes to make this priority must be a reality.
In research regarding job satisfaction, one key characteristic is knowing one is contributing to the bigger picture. Having an understood shared vision and a collective responsibility for ALL students gives a strong roadmap for all stakeholders to feel a part of the work. Knowing that we are all in this together and all of our students are indeed...OUR students... the work becomes shared and the group belief of growth mindset becomes the norm.
Risk taking needs to be encouraged and effort needs to be seen as celebratory. To encourage teachers to try a new instructional strategy and then reflect collaboratively with others encourages the idea of growth and learning.
Feeling supported and valued as a member of a learning community builds the capacity of the teachers, students and administration.
As for attracting new staff, we best start thinking of this in a serious way. As we all discussed the other night, we are having a shortage of teachers and administrators. How can we "grow our own", encourage para-educators and current high school students to make education their career choice and recruit educators from colleges with letters of intent in authentic and sustainable ways?
I believe in the phrase, "Build it and they will come". Co-create a place that people want to learn and work and tell the story of the journey. They will come.
“Risk taking needs to be encouraged and effort needs to be seen as celebratory.” As we create a culture that celebrates, encourages and supports teachers making their work more meaningful, efficient, and enjoyable, are ability to retain and attract great teachers will increase. Great post Brittane!
DeleteBrittany, I think you hit all of the critical points on the head. As I read Ch. 2, I felt proud of the work that Franklin Pierce has done to make collaboration possible for all teachers. We have common planning, weekly (almost) PLC time, and leadership opportunities throughout the year. Our leadership team has fostered a culture of valuing teacher work and expertise. I agree with your words "build it and they will come" are true. Over the last four years, we have hired many of our UWT interns because we trained them and they are excellent teachers. Building capacity from within is huge!
Delete"Knowing that we are all in this together and all of our students are indeed...OUR students... the work becomes shared and the group belief of growth mindset becomes the norm." - Well said Brittane! It is contagious in nature.
DeleteChapter 3 Q4
ReplyDeleteIf you were to conduct a weeklong visit to a school with which you are unfamiliar, what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment? From the onset, I would look first to the arrival of students. Who is present out front to greet them? Do students make eye-contact with their peers and the adults? Relationships would be easy to spot- do the students just wave hello to admin, or are they high-fiving, hugging, or joking? What is the basis of the relationship? Formal or informal. Students arriving late, and how many. Do students view school as a priority, or a necessary evil? How is this treated? These are all indicators of the culture, the climate of a school.
I would watch dismissal times too. Do students rush to leave the building, linger to ask questions, are they respectful of their peers and adults? Is there a sense of community?
The authentic curriculum, teachers should be on similar lessons. Maybe not following the scope and sequence exactly, but if they are all teaching the content in an agreed upon fashion they'll be about the same place. I would be looking for teachers who are "making it their own". Are they innovative, supplementing where needed, or extending. Each class should have some autonomy- some teachers may have a more responsive classroom, and others may have rows or pods depending on the needs of those students. When admin walk into a class, what, if any, is the response? An indicator of the frequency of visits as well as the staff culture. In the classrooms, I would expect to see objectives, and students should know them in their own words and understand them.
Student response to assessment is the highest indicator, in my opinion, on authenticity of them. Do the students know the WHY they are taking an assessment? Do they see and feel the value of it? DO they feel prepared? Is there data to show that this is a worthy assessment? These would come out in the weekly RtI/data planning meeting I would get to attend during this weeklong visit.
Melissa: You make an interesting point regarding how students begin and end the school day. The authenticity of a school can be expressed simply by the attitudes and energy level of students -- Watching them arrive and leave the school campus is a great indicator. In addition to witnessing students rushing to leave campus or not, the same can be said about teachers. Considering the magnitude of our profession, I would hope that teachers would be willing to stay a little longer to help tutor students or collaborate with their colleagues rather than bailing out early and often.
DeleteChapter 3, Question 4
ReplyDeleteIf you were to conduct a week-long visit to a school with which you were unfamiliar, what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction and assessment?
Engaged students! Students would be actively engaged in what they are learning.
Students articulating their learning goals and how the work they are working on will help them to accomplish the goals.
Students articulating how the project/work/learning they are involved in with impact their life outside of the four walls of the classroom as well as how the learning/project/work related to the community around them.
An essential question requiring critical thinking and collaborative reflection frames the work.
21st century competencies are embraced in all the work!
Instructional resources complement the study but do not drive the learning. Text books seen as one resource. Interdisciplinary work is visual not separate subjects
Students voice and choice can be seen and heard.
Higher-ordered thinking skills where kids show what they know throughout the journey of solving real world problems.
Chapter 3 Question #2 Are you familiar with a school in which teachers, school leaders and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself” that underlies the school’s improvement efforts? If so, define the school’s cause beyond oneself.
ReplyDeleteFor the past year I have been a part of a school working to create “a cause beyond oneself”. This is not what it has been called, but the change which has been happening has many qualities of creating a common cause for staff. Opportunities presented this last year has shifted the mindset of some, reaffirmed it of others and is still encouraging a few staff members to look at their responsibilities in a different way.
We have the belief that students at our school are “OUR” students. We work collaboratively, as a staff (certificated and classified alike), to ensure curriculum is being taught, common core standards are being used to establish essential skills and candid conversation about data is happening. Our primary focus, through our deliberate and intentional interactions, is to ensure students are receiving the academic and social/emotional support they are needing. We often refer to this practice as “serving by student by need”.
The school has a leadership team, consisting of teachers from all grade bands. Collaboratively the teacher leaders in the building help to develop and present professional development which supports student and staff needs. The work done by our teacher leaders is intricately interwoven into the belief that we are here to serve our students with what they need to learn now to support their future endeavors. The leadership team’s work focuses on student achievement and engagement, creating a positive learning environment for students and staff.
Opportunities have been given and readily received, by most, to work with an agreed upon mission. The staff believes all students can achieve at high levels and it is our responsibility to ensure students achieve at high levels. The school’s leadership and staff agree upon and support a shared vision that our students will go from GOOD to GREAT! We believe it is our responsibility to provide students with skill sets, to ensure their future successes in post-secondary education/opportunities.
Sounds like your school is on the right track to being a dynamic school! As I read this chapter, I felt like my school had many components of "a cause beyond oneself" as well. An area that we need to work on is connecting with parents/families and being transparent about our mission and goals we have for students and their future. As a staff, we are focused on serving every child..."our students" is common language that we use on a daily basis. As a future building leader, I would like to observe all teachers using growth mindset and encouraging their students to do the same.
DeleteChapter 2 Question 4
ReplyDeleteWhen you reach the secondary level schools are almost set up for isolation due to departmentalization of the subjects. One way that we combat this in our building as well as in my last building is to create schedules that allow for common planning within a department. This common planning allows teachers to work together and learn from each other, combating the one room school mentality.
Additionally, as a district all first year teachers have a mentor that meets with them on a regular basis. First year teachers also get together on a regular schedule, more at the beginning of the year, with specific topics of discussion to help them see that they are not in this alone.
Departmentalization while good for the department can create inherent conflict between departments. Does each department get the same funding, planning times(some are better than others), lunch schedule, classroom location, supervisor....the list goes on. I think the best combat of this is regularly scheduled meetings with the entire staff where staff are intentionally sat with others not in their department. This will allow staff, especially larger ones to get to know each other, build relationships, and build understanding of what others are going through outside their department.
At Lakes we created academies based on grade level. These academies have representatives from each department. They have a team leader that is a teacher, a counselor, as well as an administrator to over see and answer questions that need to come from front office. The team leaders meet with administration as a group to facilitate information flow back and forth. Since this group is also not department based it gives the new teachers another group of people to reach out to, connect with, and ask questions.
Combating the different cultures within a school is not an easy task, but the more you get different groups or cultures together and work at combating the us vs. them mentality. A school as much as possible needs to be a we environment where we are working together for all of our students seeking to break down barriers that are impacting the learning of our students.
Vern: I know that at the high schools where I've been common planning has made a big difference -- especially for first year teachers and those new to the school. In one particular school the Math, SPED, and CTE departments all shared the same planning times and lunches, allowing us to meet and talk in the staff lounge everyday during lunch.
DeleteVern, I hope I can come out and see this academy system that you speak of. We are struggling to be able to provide common plan periods and have departments that work well together vs. others that don't.
DeleteChapter 3 Question #1
ReplyDeleteThe traditional school leads to teacher isolation, fatigue, and burn out, as compared to the dynamic environment of a school that has a common purpose of moving learning forward in a coherent manner seeking continuous growth in both students as well as teachers. The shared leadership can lead to shared goals and understandings. It can spread out the instructional leaders beyond just the administrators but down to the teachers themselves.
I say can because we have done something along these lines at Lakes, with teacher leaders of our Academies. The key is the leader of the academy. I can already see that some of the academies leaders function as a go between and true leader, while some function as a stop gap and point out union issues to make sure teachers work to the letter of the contract...Can you tell that this is the last year of our contract? It will be interesting to see how the academy that I am apart of works this year. I have seen times where it worked well together, and times where the leader tried to dictate something. Since he has a strong personality I am not sure how this is going to go this year...
With in our academies this fall we worked on creating and solving some issues that were raised in our safe and civil trainings. We dealt with starting classes on time, norms with in our classrooms, halls, as well as around the school. There were lively discussions that had significantly more input since we were now in a group of 20 teachers instead of an entire staff. This set up teachers to be more likely to want to follow the agreements that were settled upon since they were the ones that came up with them instead of administration.
They Dynamic school sets up work to be done in groups rather than by an individual in isolation. Most people work better when we work with others. Collaborative work also leads to decisions that are "our" decisions rather than "their" decisions.
I am really liking the groundwork that Safe and Civil is laying out...common expectations for students is so important. We are setting students up for failure by not having common expectations and using common language in our buildings. Using make your day in one classroom and think time in another only confuses students and sends unclear messages. As a building, we need to agree on shared expectations.
DeleteChapter 3, Question 4: what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment?
ReplyDeleteThe initial indicator and easiest way to identify sum up this idea is, are teachers and departments going above and beyond external mandates. If we work to just meet the ever changing mandates of our time we will ways fall short because the goals is always moving. However, when a culture is created and driven by a common vison for excellence based on higher-order thinking, deep knowledge leaning, and substantive conversations between key stakeholders, the elusive external mandates become just a small piece of the overall puzzle. Student learning is also showcased in problem-based learning, project-based learning, service learning, portfolios, presentations, and performances.
Chapter 2, Question 3
ReplyDeleteWhat can be done to attract and retain the most qualified teachers to schools serving low-income communities?
This continues to be a question urgently in need of a solution. When we discuss our low-income students we educators often put up barriers to learning. “Well, Johnny isn’t progressing because higher education isn’t valued in his family.” Or, “Johnny stays up late waiting for his mom to get home from work so he is sleepy in class” etc. We can no longer make excuses for not serving our students with the highest quality teachers. Students in these communities are often perceived as lost causes and not individuals with unlimited potential. I strongly believe that an amazing teacher can overcome any circumstantial obstacles and inspire a child to succeed.
Additional funding and resources seems to be everyone’s starting point for fixing the inequity of teachers. Some may assume the schools with the highest need receive more funding but this is not the case. Funds are generated and distributed unequally, and the idea of “combat pay” as suggested by some experts perpetuates the negative stereotype of the school. Of course additional funds are helpful they only provide an extrinsic motivator, and do not truly fulfill a teacher’s needs. We all know no one enters the teaching profession for the money. So how do we attract and retain quality teachers in a demanding profession? As Glickman says, the isolation and psychological demand placed on teachers results in frustration and abandonment of the job.
A community who works collectively for a “cause beyond oneself” can be established if we reshape the culture. Fostering a supportive and respectful team in which needs are met can alleviate some of the frustration our teachers feel. A systematic focus on community building and positive relationships can make a world of difference. If our teachers are able to play a more active role as leaders, if voices are heard and respected then a sense of ownership and pride can be built. In low-income communities especially teachers also need to feel supported in meeting not only academic needs, but social and emotional needs as well.
Although we may not be able to give a higher salary, leaders of these schools need to utilize all the other countless resources available to demonstrate appreciation for the work teachers are doing. There are countless other gifts leaders can use that will not cost tax payers additional money; the gift of team planning time, the gift of words of encouragement, the gift of shared ownership, the gift of rolling your sleeves up in digging into the work as an ally, etc. If our teachers know they are valued and not alone in the difficult work that we do, then I feel they will perpetuate a culture where we can break down barriers for our students and inspire student success.
After establishing a culture where teachers want to be, we also need to encourage the Growth Mindset in our staff and students. If we are to improve teaching and instruction professional development that includes various teacher leaders should be very present in the community. This model should also have a mentor program for new teachers as well as teachers who want to improve their craft. In the dynamic world of education, quality teachers must be lifelong learners.
Ch. 2 Q 4- Does conflict and/or isolation between different cultures happen in most schools? As I read this chapter, I felt like at least at my school we’ve done a good job with collaborative expectations and open door policy. We've been able to develop a strong collaborative culture due to District initiatives that promote teamwork, on-going learning, and have been given time. In my own experience as a teacher, I very rarely felt like I was by myself in this profession. I had amazing colleagues that provided support, guidance, and time to make my job easier to learn and develop my skills. Thanks to their dedication to helping a rookie! I am happt to be able to return the favor with our new additions each year.
ReplyDeleteI can see how easy it would be for a new teacher or specialist to feel isolated though. I was pleasantly surprised, in the first three days of school, to see our new teachers eating lunch in the staff room, smiling and sharing their daily experiences. I think if we don't engage our newbies and/or check on them then we are setting them up for failure. They are like babies...they need TLC, feedback, and encouragement. As a building leader, it is our job to create a culture of trust, collaboration, and risk-taking. The ultimate responsibility of a collaborative culture falls on the leader.
One observation I’ve noticed is that there has been more conflict than isolation at my school. The conflict seems to occur between grade level teams or individuals when there is a disagreement of opinion or belief. I think it’s a natural thing to some degree because individuals are stating their thinking and beliefs about something that they believe or have value in. Sometimes you have to agree to disagree, right? Can’t conflict be healthy for a relationship? The ability to listen, ponder, and reflect are essential elements of learning and/or growing in our profession.
In my experience as a teacher, I have felt much isolation unfortunately. Only in the last few years, after moving to Clover Park have I felt like I am part of a team and it is due to principals who believe and push for data teaming and sharing between grade levels. Until moving to CP, I had no idea teachers didn't teach in isolation :(
DeleteI think some conflict is healthy when teachers remember to assume best intent and treat each other with respect during the conflict.
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ReplyDeleteThere are numerous examples of indicators that one would look for to determine if a school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment. As a school leader, the following are just a sampling of what I would hope to observe in a successful school:
ReplyDeleteClassroom setting: Indicators that would catch my eye in the classroom setting would be the use of multiple assessments, active participation, and engaged students and teachers. Collaboration and energy shared between students as well as teachers have the opportunity to extend learning beyond the classroom and create opportunities to impact students throughout the future. Also, utilizing multiple assessments will allow teachers do identify solutions to help students in specific areas and provide immediate intervention strategies. Teachers in this environment will also be found utilizing a variety of instructional methodologies such as small group work, peer tutoring, projects, presentations, and technology.
Leadership: As the school leader, principals in authentically successful schools will implement common planning into the master schedule, take risks and encourage their teachers to take risks in an effort to continually think outside the box, and empower staff to accept leadership roles while serving on at least one committee and/or decision-making team, where the principal serves as facilitator rather than leader. Additionally, the principal will instill a mentorship program for new teachers, provide professional development offerings that scaffold throughout the year, shows genuine appreciation and respect for all staff serving the school, and is visible throughout the day and at extra-curricular events.
School Culture: Walking through the hallways of an authentically engaged school one would notice student work displayed both in and out of each classroom. In addition, multiple opportunities would be available for student involvement, including decision-making processes and student leadership groups. Collaboration would also be evident in this atmosphere, where data inspired meetings routinely take place, teachers utilize assessments as a means to self-evaluate, and progress monitoring is used to help students excel and progress. Finally, community service would be a focal point in an effort to give back to the stakeholders while community involvement is prevalent throughout varying aspects of the school house rather than just at the copy machine.
This was Chapter 3, Question 4
DeleteChapter 2 Question 4-What are some different cultures within a school you are familiar with that are either isolated from each other or in conflict with each other? What do you believe is responsible for the isolation or conflict?
ReplyDeleteIn my current building, there is conflict. Two schools were basically merged into one...a principal was removed and a new one assigned. She brought 11 teachers from her old building with her to replace teachers who had left..basically there is the staff that stayed and the new staff. Going back to chapter 1, the old principal ran the school in a congenial with everyone doing pretty much there own, very little supervision, and structure. The new principal ran her old building with great success in a collegial way and hopes to create that in this new building. The conflict, I feel, comes from a lack of trust. Many of the original staff is resistant to the changes, is bitter over teaching assignment changes and curriculum changes. The new staff tends to stick together because it is a new situation for them too and are unsure what to except day to day. As and outsider, from neither staff, I watch and listen. I have found that because I am the outsider, people from both staff use me as a sounding board. Assumptions have been made on both side and assuming best intent is falling on deaf ears.
Relationships need to be made and trust established. The original teachers need to embrace the changes and remember that most of them were not happy under the old leadership and the new staff needs to understand that just because we are at the lowest preforming school in the district does not mean that the teachers were not good, they were stuck in a very broken system.
Thank you for sharing Krista. Your building sounds like mom has brought home a new baby and everyone likes the new baby better. So much attention is being focused on the new baby, people are forgetting how cute the older child is and how helpful the older child can be. I believe that at times coming into a new situation with ideas and knowledge from a system that was successful, could cause teachers and leaders to ignore or have blinders on. Therefore, they don't see how they could combine the positives of the old with the positives of the new. I think building relationships and collaboration and remembering to keep old and new staff involved in the process will be the key to great working relationships.
DeleteCh.3 Q4 – If you were to conduct a weeklong visit to school with which you were unfamiliar, what indicators would you look to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment?
ReplyDeleteSchool Culture look for’s:
- Teachers working collaboratively with one another using data to improve student learning
- Student/teacher interactions…Have relationships been developed and nurtured?
- Listening for words that suggest team effort-“our”, “we ”, “us”
- Teacher commitment to learning- arrival time, departure time, planning, daily work habits-all of these play into a successful, meaningful learning day for students
Curriculum & Instruction look for’s:
- Students are actively engaged in the learning process. They have developed ownership and will to apply new learning by seeing the value of content and understanding in real life examples
- The depth of content is deeper and wider than surface level instructing and understanding.
- The teacher/student or student/student conversation is richer in discussion as shared meaning and understanding is developed.
- The teacher is a facilitator of the learning process as he/she guides students to a deeper understanding of content through questioning and higher-order thinking
Assessment look for’s:
- Students applying their learning through projects, performance-based learning, presentations, and/or portfolios
- Ongoing…formal and informal check ins with students
- Informs instruction or next steps in the learning process
Chapter 2: Q1 – What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
ReplyDeleteThe culture in our building this year has shifted considerably with the change in staffing and I've noticed that teacher isolation is less prevalent. Interestingly enough, the hiring of many first year teachers in our building has been a key factor in this cultural shift. Our new teachers want to feel as though they are part of Zeiger as a whole and veteran teachers are stepping in to support them. One way that I believe teacher isolation can be addressed is through the simple act of “opening up classroom space” in whatever way feasible. Zeiger was built with collaboration in mind. Many of our classrooms have walls that open between them to encourage team teaching and professional dialogue. That being said, until this year, many of those walls were never or rarely opened. The placement of bookcases and other furniture against those walls was evidence that staff preferred isolation. As I walk through the halls of Zeiger this year, many of those walls are open periodically throughout the day and conversations are flowing comfortably. I realize that our structural situation here cannot be replicated in all school settings, but I have also noticed that classroom doors are remaining open throughout the school day as well. This simple act significantly reduces feelings of isolation and allows for teachers to randomly hear each other’s instruction in a non-threatening and non-evaluative way. There are now conversations between teachers regarding instructional strategies that they have seen or overheard in nearby classrooms. Instead of increasing disruptions in the educational setting, it has actually led to fewer disruptions because students and staff aren’t looking towards the door whenever it is opened. It has allowed for the easy flow of students and staff in and out of classrooms. Walkthroughs by administration are also more fluid and less disruptive. For safety purposes, doors can still be “locked” while opened and then quickly shut during a lockdown. Our new portables are built much the same, with connecting doors between that are often open for ease of conversation and collaboration.
It needs to be noted, though, that all of this could not have occurred without common expectations of hallway behavior throughout our building. These expectations have been explicitly taught and reinforced by all staff from the first day of school.
Having more open classrooms is awesome, and I love that you mentioned that you can hear other teacher's instruction- I love to hear other teachers teach, not to critique them but to learn from them- and see how they do things! It is truly valuable!
DeleteChapter 3: Q3 Rating a school on the four categories of a positive learning climate…
ReplyDelete1. Safe Environment: I would rate my current school as an eight in this category. We have implemented many PBIS strategies throughout our building, including common area expectations. Many of our teachers implement GLAD behavior management strategies which promote positive reinforcement in the classroom. We have an “all hands on deck” approach to behavior management throughout the building from the time the students arrive on campus until they leave. Our facility is immaculate at all times, thanks to our wonderful custodian. Conflict resolution strategies are incorporated in classrooms as well as on the playground and buses.
2. Moral Tone: I would rate my current school as a seven in this area. Positive learning climates exist in all classrooms and it is obvious that adults in our building care for students. Their conversations regarding how best to meet the needs of all and the way in which they share their student stories reflect the love they have for students as individuals. Some are still working on what it means to be culturally competent so we are continually having conversations concerning the idea that a student’s unique personal experiences and family structures influence culture. I feel as though it is becoming more ingrained in our collective thinking.
3. Relationships: I would rate our school as a 9 in this area. Our school community as a whole is rather strong and our PTA does a wonderful job of making sure that families feel as though school is an extension of family. This year, the PTA t is being very intentional about planning events for the sole purpose of bringing the community together. These specific events will be low cost or cost free and simply encourage families to come together. Our school is also located near a walking trail where many of our staff walk or run after work and our families do the same. These small interactions with students and their families on the trail after school hours help to build that bridge between school and home, which increases our sense of community.
4. Sense of Empowerment: I would rate our building as a 6 in this area. My hope is that our continued modeling of effective instructional strategies during professional development time, specifically GLAD strategies, will increase this rating. GLAD emphasizes student involvement in learning through discussions and collective work.
Thanks for sharing Sari---I love to hear what other schools are doing. Why do you think your Sense of Empowerment has been at the level you rated it? Do you think because of your growth and size? Just curious, your thoughts on this.
DeleteChapter 2: Question #1
ReplyDelete"What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?"
Teacher isolation occurs for many reasons. Motivation, culture, the ever present “my kids” attitude, physical school structure, grade level and department isolation, etc. I don’t have the answers but here are my thoughts on how that might be addressed…
1) A greater focus on the PLC process
2) Observations in colleagues classrooms with reflective dialogue afterward
3) Strengths finders within teams with purposeful discussion that happens throughout the year
4) Commitment to an RTI process
5) Collaborative research and practice
6) Encourage district involvement
7) Develop school norms
8) Develop conflict resolution and decision making procedures
9) Culturally responsive supervision…know your teachers and build bridges between the professional islands
10) And my favorite…a shared vision.
Chapter 3: Question #4
"If you were to conduct a week-long visit to a school with which you are unfamiliar, what indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment?" I will add a bit to this question. As I spend time in other schools during this internship, what wilI look for as indicators of a dynamic school?
1) A system that enforces shared decision making
2) Shared leadership in the form of peer coaching, professional learning communities, action research teams, study groups, etc.
3) Time built in for collaborative work and reflective dialogue
4) Ongoing, job embedded professional development
5) Mentorship programs
6) Authentic instruction and curriculum that reflects what the students in that school need to learn
7) Strong, open relationships between teachers and students and between students
8) Culturally sensitive assessments
9) Multiple opportunities for students to show what they know
10) Authentic parent-school and community-school relationships
Love how focused and systematic you are! I agree a shared vision is necessary for success!
DeleteChapter 3, Question 4: What Indicators would you look for to determine if the school was implementing authentic curriculum, instruction, and assessment?
ReplyDeleteI would look for engage and motivated students, inspiring and dedicated teachers, and leadership that serves the needs of students first. In regards to curriculum, an authentic one prepares students to be successful as a global citizen. I would see a responsive flexible curriculum that demands academic rigor and supports student achievement of high standards. Instruction should be dynamic and meet various learning styles and student needs. This is indicated by differentiated instruction and thoughtfully crafted learning experiences. Instruction should be done by highly qualified teachers who truly love what they do and more importantly, serve students. I would see teachers looking deeper into student challenges for answers and direction. Teachers would be happy to dedicate their personal time to go above and beyond for students and the school culture. Collaboration and teaming would also be present in order to deliver the best instruction and build positive relationships. Assessment should be the map that tells us where we are and also where we need to go. Data wise conversations and various reports would be present in the school. Assessment should be continually, systematic, and meaningful.
I agree, engagement along with collaboration and always looking at our assessments and data to give us great information on how we are doing! Good post Kelsey!
DeleteThank you Lauralee!!
DeleteChapter 3 Question 1
ReplyDeleteA traditional school as described in chapter 1 has systems that aren’t changing, even if they aren’t the most effective. A dynamic school has:
• Shared leadership
• Teams working together
• PLC’s
• Informal and formal collaborative work is encouraged
• A feeling of being a part of a bigger system (not just your own classroom)
I’ve noticed this year that our new principal has changed the CSIP team, which historically has been the only “team” in our building. That team worked in isolation- and was all encompassing. I was a part of that team last year, and we were told we had a part in decisions, however that wasn’t the case, we were just told what was going on, and reporting on our grade levels. Now we have all sorts of opportunities to serve in school leadership, there are teams for RTI, CSIP, Safety, and Diversity. Having already met a few times with our RTI team there is a different feeling this year, that our principal wants and values our input. More people are in positions to have chances to serve and lead and learn.
At Fruitland it is easy and natural to have collaboration. Teachers want to share, and help each other be successful.
Chapter 3 Question 2
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe Fruitland is a school in which teachers, school leaders and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself”. Parents at Fruitland are very involved in what happens at school. They know each other and the kids well! Parents are always around and will do whatever they can to help students. It is really a great thing to be a part of! It seems to be there is a lot of mutual respect between parents and staff, which really opens up the way to helping students. We have a whole team of parents that come in for three days to do all the DIBELS testing a few times a year. There is a huge amount of parent help, I am not the only classroom to have multiple parent helpers in a day. They come not to help their own children but to help whoever needs it. The staff at Fruitland care about all students a sixth grade teacher is always talking to my kindergartners, giving them high fives, calling them by name, and other teachers do the same, they get to know each other’s students and develop relationships. That helps school to really feel like a great place to be for students, and teachers! I know I am not the only teacher who feels very accountable for the students I send on to the next grade level. I feel like I am part of a great team all doing our best to help our current students learn what they need so they can be the most successful in the coming years.
Love this, Fruitland is definitely known for their PTA support and parent volunteers. What a great community to be a part of Lauralee.
DeleteGlickman Reflective Questions
ReplyDeleteChapter #2
Question #1: “What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?”
I think one of the best ways to avoid the problem of teacher isolation is by providing support for our newest teachers: teacher mentor problems. Developing the local capacity and ownership of a school community, building trust, and allowing flexibility to share ideas, knowledge, and experiences are critical components of disbanding teacher isolation. If our teachers feel supported and a part of a positive community of educators they will not want to be isolated and alone in their classroom communities. Our teachers would see the benefit of being a part of a grade-level or department PLC---to share ideas, curriculum, project based learning ideas, and even share students (based on student needs and teacher strengths).
Another way to address the problem of teacher isolation is by providing opportunities for online teacher support. Connecting our teachers with teachers that are enduring the same trials and tribulations would provide authentic conversations and solution seeking behaviors from our educators. This option assists the long standing component of time and financial resources to allow collaboration and PLC work. We as educational leaders can encourage teachers to engage in online PLCs. We can give time (can be minimal: once established this happens naturally) for them to create Twitter accounts, google handouts, Pinterest, CTQ Collaboratory, and blogs. Technology has opened multiple doors for our educators we must nurture this with all teachers.
I believe that common curriculum and assessments also help reduce teacher isolation. Fostering conversations about scope/sequence and common assessments within grade level teams allow for deep authentic conversations that foster collaboration over isolation. I believe that the RTI efforts in Puyallup and neighboring districts has aided in the collective responsibility of our students over my students.
This chapter in Glickman, has made me stop and think about how I will guide and nurture collaboration in my building. I look forward to continuing to learn and explore ways that I can repair the teacher isolation epidemic in teaching. Below is a book, I have found on Amazon with this topic in mind---I want to continue exploring ways I can move teachers from isolation to collaboration.
“Moving from Teacher Isolation to Collaboration: Enhancing Professionalism and School Quality”
By Sharon Conley (Author), Bruce S. Cooper (Author)
Chapter #3
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2: “Are you familiar with a school in which teachers, school leaders, and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself” that underlies the school’s improvement efforts? If so, define the school’s cause beyond oneself.”
This question made me truly stop and analyze my school and the culture that we have created as a collaborative administrative team and staff. The answer to the question presented above is absolutely, YES---our school the Brouillet Bobcats does share a “cause beyond oneself” with all stakeholders. In the 2 years that I have been a part of this community it has become clear that although there is no “written” school vision, the vision itself is very vivid.
We as a collaborative unit: Parents, teachers, school leaders, and the community at large believe in every child and we come together to discuss the needs of our kids. We participate in collective conversations that focus on RTI efforts to ensure that every student and staff member in our school is growing. We have gone from being a more fixed mind set staff to a very growth mindset staff. We celebrate individual student growth, community growth, school culture growth, Bobcat spirit growth, professional growth, and grade level growth. We do not just look at benchmark data and see kids as numbers, we see each and every student as themselves and strive to learn and understand how they best can achieve the goal of: growth.
Our cause beyond oneself is centered on individual student growth not standards. We talk about data in a way that focuses on who students are, where students come from, and how we can nurture the growth of ALL kids.
Great post! I agree a cause beyond oneself is vital! I am glad to hear your school is already successful! :)
DeleteChapter 2 Question 1
ReplyDeleteIn the age of portables, teacher isolation can happen easily. A leader must take strategic steps to make sure that staff members in the portables are viewed as being as part of the building. One step is taking the time to monitor passing (at the secondary level) time outside even in the bad weather days. Visiting the teacher portables often. Sometimes asking the teacher if you can cover while he or she goes to the restroom (in cases where the restroom is in the building). Creating “opportunities” (food is a great start) to get all staff members to eat together. Pairing a new teacher with a veteran teacher. Rotating the members on the leadership teams every two years and providing other opportunities for teachers to collaborate together with an agenda until they can collaborate comfortably on their own. Teachers need to feel that they are “entitled” to share their opinion and expertise. The entitlement comes from trust and trust comes from strong positive relationships. Another aspect is changing the mindset of an isolated teacher. “Teachers who have experienced long-term psychological isolation tend to view their work environment as limited to their classroom, their students, and their teaching. Although their isolation was initially involuntary, over time they have adapted to and accepted the tradition of isolation (Brooks, Hughes & Brooks 2008)” (Glickman 23). For those teachers that are psychologically trapped, they need to be retaught that there is actually “ours” every moment of the school day.
Chapter 2 Question 3
Preventing teacher isolation may be one strategy to retain high quality teachers. Teachers often feel like/get burned out because they have the perspective that they are doing the work alone. We want all teachers to understand and know that they are not doing the work alone, but instead they have an entire team of educators working together to help students be successful. In addition, we must move away from the idea that the new teacher must “pay dues” in order to prove their worth. We cannot keep high quality new teachers if we give them multiple preps, a cart or closet to teach in and Hodge- podge supplies or make them spend their own money. Small things matter. How supported would a new teacher feel if he or she began working in a building that provided him or her with the opportunity to be successful and the resources to do it. A positive work environment could bring in other high quality teachers. Feeling supported, providing teachers and families with resources to be successful, and mentoring programs is the best way I think to attract and retain high quality teachers.
Chapter 2 Question 4
The culture of old and new (veteran teacher and the new teacher), which happen to be in conflict in the building that I am familiar with. I believe a since of entitlement is to blame for the conflict. The veteran teachers believe that they are the reason why the “good” things happen in the building and that no new ideas are needed because, “we have always done it this way and nothing is wrong with it”. Therefore, the new teacher stays quiet and follows along until another offer comes along and they leave or they wait for someone to retire so they can move into the open leadership role.
Chap. 2 Glickman
ReplyDelete1-What are some ways that the problems of teacher isolation can be addressed?
Teacher isolation happens as a result of poor planning on the administrator's part. We are tasked with foreseeability in all different aspects of a school and staff. It is imperative that administrators know what kinds of impacts of their school systems and how they may contribute to feelings of isolation or detract from it. Administrators must...
*design a master schedule that has a regular/consistent common planning times
*establish protocols for PLCs to move from productive to substantive
*schedule regular but interactive staff meetings where all teachers can contribute
*provide job-embedded professional dev
*regular, consistent time for planning with grade level teams
*create and utilize school-wide RTI systems that support teacher and student need
*use of teacher leaders, classroom walk throughs, frequent drop ins
#3 What can be done to attract and retain the most qualified teachers to schools serving low-income communities?
-Provide teacher incentives/loan forgiveness programs (more of them)
-Collegial staff culture
-Strong leadership with clear mission/vision
-Focus on student culture
#4 What are some different cultures within a school you are familiar with...
-The socioeconomic culture in our building is what comes to my mind first. We have close to 60% free and reduced lunch rates with many coming from The Three Ponds trailer park on Pacific Hwy. The families that reside in this neighborhood are constantly at odds with other other for a variety of reasons-generational grudges to territory or relationship disputes. Rather than banding together for support, many of the issues between families occur over perceived disrespect by one party over another.
Chapter 2 Question 4
ReplyDeleteWhat are some different cultures within a school you are familiar with that are either isolated from each other or in conflict with each other? What do you believe is responsible for the isolation or conflict?
The Social Studies department in my school is somewhat in conflict. This is my former department and I have been asked to lead the PLC this year which is presenting its own challenge since I was Curricular Leader in the past. I have heard complaints, through members of the department, that others do not understand why I am attending. Today, I lead our second PLC and the personalities came out. We have five new members to the department which is currently made up of twelve teachers. Two of our five new members share duties with other departments (ELL and ELA). One veteran teacher shares classes with Art and English. The third new member shares between Social Studies and ELA but has only been a substitute and long term substitute at the middle school level. Our returning teachers all have at least seven years at our school, most with ten or more. When this group gets together to talk best practice it becomes a territorial pissing match over who knows what and how well. This generally stems from three people, all veterans. All three are good teachers; all three are passionate about what they teach. One seems to think that collaboration is “here is what I am doing, you can do it if you want, I probably wont be changing or trying anything new.” Another is all about sharing and asking but comes across and dominating the conversation when often times is just trying to get clarification and/or better understand what someone is saying. Other times, this person dominates conversation. The third veteran always gets defensive when asked about practices and does not always come across as working with the team.
I think that because these two of these teachers teach classes that are limited to them, that they feel like they are isolated and that because they have no one to truly collaborate with that they must do it themselves and those others who don’t teach the curriculum couldn’t possible have a good way to teach a skill. The other would like to see other people try more things, like they do, to see if they can offer kids more than one way to do things.
This is my challenge. Get them to share and try various best practices to benefit kids. Sounds easy but it isn’t.
Chapter 3 Question 2
Are you familiar with a school in which teachers, school leaders, and parents all share a “cause beyond oneself” that underlies the schools improvement efforts? If so, define the school’s cause beyond oneself.
I feel like Kentwood HS has a shared vision of students being successful and that teachers understand that students might not always be as successful in all areas. I do feel like our staff does a pretty good job of recognizing student strengths and finding staff that relates to students whether they are currently teaching that student or not. However, I am not sure that this approach is something that is part of the school improvement efforts. I feel like at some point it might have been but at this point it is just a question or step in a series of troubleshooting (or discovery based on connections) that allows students to relate and connect to staff they might not otherwise have access to.