Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations

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When students use protocols in the classroom, it has a powerful effect on their learning; it promotes engagement and collaboration among all students and increases student ownership in the process of learning. —Melissa Noack, Teacher Protocols provide the scaffolding professionals need to maximize their time together and to become producers of knowledge. —Jane E. Golding, Director of Instructional Support As the person with lead responsibility for the Maine Principals’ Association professional development activities, I have seen the power of protocols in structuring collegial conversations. Protocols are very useful tools for savvy school administrators. —Phyllis A. Deringis, Ph.D., Assistant Executive Director “Cathy Glaude is a wonderful facilitator, and I am thrilled to have a collection of her outstanding protocols available to me to use in workshops and institutes. This book is terrific!” — Anne Davies, Ph.D., Classroom Connections International Catherine A. Glaude, Ph.D., is an experienced educator with a strong background in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. She has taught elementary, middle, and secondary students, as well as university and district classes, and consulted at a state level. Catherine also served as a district-level administrator supporting team, professional, and organization development by offering tools and resources to help educators work toward improving student learning. Currently, she is Principal of Bryantville Elementary School in Pembroke, Massachusetts. solution-tree.com A Joint Publication

Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations

The protocols we have established for team meetings, action research, staff development days, school committee meetings, and administrative team meetings have greatly influenced the collaborative culture of our school system. —Kenneth Murphy, Ph.D., Superintendent

Catherine Glaude

Collegial conversations focused on improving student learning may be the most powerful professional development an educator will experience. Yet how do you foster a culture for these conversations while supporting individuals as they develop their skills in learning from colleagues? This resource book offers a variety of protocols to help teams work together productively.

Protocols for Professional

Learning

Conversations

Cultivating the Art and Discipline

Catherine Glaude, Ph.D.


Copyright Š 2005, 2011 by Catherine Glaude First Canadian edition 2005 First US edition 2011 All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction of this book in whole or in part in any form. Published in the US by Solution Tree Press 555 North Morton Street Bloomington, IN 47404 800.733.6786 (toll free) / 812.336.7700 FAX: 812.336.7790 email: info@solution-tree.com solution-tree.com Printed in the United States of America 15 14 13 12 11

1 2 3 4 5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Glaude, Catherine. Protocols for professional learning conversations : cultivating the art and discipline / Catherine Glaude. -- 1st us ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-935543-82-4 (perfect bound) -- ISBN 978-1-935543-83-1 (library edition) 1. Education. 2. School personnel management--United States. 3. Academic achievement. I. Title. LB1025.3.G55 2011 370--dc22 2011008105

Solution Tree Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO & President

Solution Tree Press President: Douglas M. Rife Publisher: Robert D. Clouse Vice President of Production: Gretchen Knapp Managing Production Editor: Caroline Wise Senior Production Editor: RisĂŤ Koben

Connections Publishing Stewart Duncan, CEO & President Project Manager: Judith Hall-Patch Editor: Annie Jack Design: Anthony Alexander, Beachwalker Studio, Cori Jones


Table of Contents Section 1: What Is a Professional Learning Conversation? �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 Why Use a Protocol?....................................................................................................... 2 Where Do You Start With Protocols?............................................................................. 2 Why Use Ground Rules?................................................................................................. 3 Ground Rules for Offering Feedback............................................................................. 4 Ground Rules for Receiving Feedback........................................................................... 5

Section 2: Learning Conversations Focused on Common Text Readings ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 7 2.1 Surfacing Significant Ideas �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8 2.2 Challenging Assumptions ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 2.3 Supporting Evidence ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 2.4 A Provocative Question ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 2.5 Text Rendering........................................................................................................ 15 2.6 The “Final Say” on Quotes ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16 2.7 Big Ideas Jigsaw....................................................................................................... 17

Section 3: Learning Conversations Focused on Personal Goals or Challenges ���������������������������������������������������������� 19 3.1 Refining a Professional Goal ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 20 3.2 Feedback on Personal Work Toward a Professional Goal..................................... 22 3.3 Storytelling About Personal Teaching Challenges................................................. 24 3.4 Feedback on a Teaching Conundrum.................................................................... 25 3.5 Learning Fom Success Stories �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 3.6 Offering a Best Practice ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 3.7 Refining a Unit Plan ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28

Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations: Cultivating the Art and Discipline

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Table of Contents

Section 4: Learning Conversations Focused on Student Work ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 31 4.1 Do You See What I See? ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 4.2 What Is the Goal? ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34 4.3 Refining the Rubric ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 36 4.4 Focused Feedback �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37 4.5 A Cross Section of Student Work Focused on a Specific Learning Goal.............. 38 4.6 Fishbowl Seminar ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39 4.7 Making a Commitment to Improve the Learning ������������������������������������������������ 41

Section 5: Learning Conversations Focused on Action Research to Improve Student Learning ������������������������ 43 5.1 Narrowing the Inquiry Focus................................................................................. 44 5.2 Refining the Inquiry Question............................................................................... 45 5.3 Feedback on Data Collection Strategies ���������������������������������������������������������������� 47 5.4 Feedback on Data Collection Plan......................................................................... 48 5.5 Feedback on Student Data Collected �������������������������������������������������������������������� 49 5.6 Feedback on What Was Learned From the Study ������������������������������������������������� 50 5.7 Generating Potential Future Research Questions ������������������������������������������������� 51

Section 6: Other Applications for Protocols.................................. 53 Acknowledgments ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 55 References............................................................................................................. 57 Appendix: Reproducibles ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 59

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Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations: Cultivating the Art and Discipline


Foreword

I

n 1996, I was first introduced to a protocol when reading an issue of Horace from the Coalition of Essential Schools. The protocol was a simple one in which a presenting teacher offered student work for feedback from colleagues. I tried this protocol with some courageous presenters and several groups of educators and was intrigued by what I discovered. The protocol promoted calmer, more thoughtful dialogues than ones I had previously experienced. I saw the “structured time to listen” allowing for a safe exchange of ideas and encouraging deep listening. The “warm and cool” feedback, as the protocol named it, helped teachers identify areas of strengths and where questions or challenges were seen. Since 1996, I have continued to collect and use protocols from a variety of sources. I soon discovered that some individuals were more skillful in receiving feedback and learning with others. I began to see some patterns in development. I noticed that learning focused on a common reading from a text was not as threatening as learning focused on student work; that some individuals embraced the use of protocols while others resisted them; that some individuals needed more support when using a protocol than others; that some schools embraced protocols more rapidly than other schools; and that some individuals were more comfortable in modifying protocols. These observations lead me to believe that using protocols is developmental and that the culture of the school plays an important role in this development. As my collection of protocols continued to grow, I found more and more opportunities for using them in my work and began creating or adapting protocols

Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations: Cultivating the Art and Discipline

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Foreword

to fit specific purposes. I found if I started with the end in mind and thought about the time limits and specific behaviors I needed to promote, I could easily create a protocol. Debriefing at the end of the protocol was essential since it often sparked ideas for improvements. I encourage you to start or continue your journey in using protocols. I hope the ones I offer you may be used or adapted to fit your purposes or they may inspire you to create your own.

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Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations: Cultivating the Art and Discipline


When students use protocols in the classroom, it has a powerful effect on their learning; it promotes engagement and collaboration among all students and increases student ownership in the process of learning. —Melissa Noack, Teacher Protocols provide the scaffolding professionals need to maximize their time together and to become producers of knowledge. —Jane E. Golding, Director of Instructional Support As the person with lead responsibility for the Maine Principals’ Association professional development activities, I have seen the power of protocols in structuring collegial conversations. Protocols are very useful tools for savvy school administrators. —Phyllis A. Deringis, Ph.D., Assistant Executive Director “Cathy Glaude is a wonderful facilitator, and I am thrilled to have a collection of her outstanding protocols available to me to use in workshops and institutes. This book is terrific!” — Anne Davies, Ph.D., Classroom Connections International Catherine A. Glaude, Ph.D., is an experienced educator with a strong background in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. She has taught elementary, middle, and secondary students, as well as university and district classes, and consulted at a state level. Catherine also served as a district-level administrator supporting team, professional, and organization development by offering tools and resources to help educators work toward improving student learning. Currently, she is Principal of Bryantville Elementary School in Pembroke, Massachusetts. solution-tree.com A Joint Publication

Protocols for Professional Learning Conversations

The protocols we have established for team meetings, action research, staff development days, school committee meetings, and administrative team meetings have greatly influenced the collaborative culture of our school system. —Kenneth Murphy, Ph.D., Superintendent

Catherine Glaude

Collegial conversations focused on improving student learning may be the most powerful professional development an educator will experience. Yet how do you foster a culture for these conversations while supporting individuals as they develop their skills in learning from colleagues? This resource book offers a variety of protocols to help teams work together productively.

Protocols for Professional

Learning

Conversations

Cultivating the Art and Discipline

Catherine Glaude, Ph.D.


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