Visible Learning: A System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry GECDSB May 11th, 2012 System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Visible Learning:A System-Wide Approach to
Collaborative InquiryGECDSB
May 11th, 2012
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
This too shall pass?
But before I join the chorus of “this too shall pass”, I must turn the lens inward and ask the question every true professional must ask: “Is my present practice as effective as I think it is?” As teachers, we must be willing to confront this question every day of our professional lives if teacher leadership is to become a reality rather than a slogan”
~ Reeves, 2008.
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
History• Year 1: “Schools in the Middle”
16 of 60 Elementary Schools
Grade 3 and 6 Teachers, plus Principal and coach
Three Full Day Sessions
Content Focus – Components of Balanced Literacy
Led by Student Achievement Officers
ReflectionsSessions had positive impact on instruction
Correlation with participation and EQAO increases
Model should be expanded beyond Grade 3 and 6
Ownership needed to be with board to allow flexibility and responsiveness to current needs
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
History• Year 2: “Visible Learning”
All 60 Elementary Schools included
Three Full Day Sessions
Principal selects team from each school
Family of School Organization with S.O. participation
Content-based using LNS Resources and Assessment Framework)
ReflectionsSessions had positive impact on instruction
Work in session starting to link to SIPSA and work of coaches
How do we give schools ownership of their own learning to met individual needs?
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Systemic Response – System Learning
External InternalPrescribed AutonomousMandated ChoiceIndependent Collaborative
System Supports:
OFIP 1, ‘Canned PD Days’, SIM, Visible Learning, Collaborative Inquiry
‘Some have to’, ‘all have to’, ‘some can choose’, ‘all can choose’
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
The Importance of a Learning Stance
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
How the World’s Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better
McKinsey and Company, 2010
“ …when teachers achieve a higher level of skill, as is the case in ‘good to great’ and ‘great to excellent’ improvement journey stages, such tight central control becomes counterproductive to system improvement. Rather, school-level flexibility and teacher collaboration become the drivers of improvement because they lead to innovations in teaching and learning.”
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
SIPSA
Empowering Schools
- McKinsey
Growing Success
Learning For All
SEF
BIPSA
K to 12
Instruction
Special Education
Plan
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Our “Sandbox”
SIPSA
Empowering Schools
- McKinsey
Growing Success
Learning For All
SEF
BIPSA
K to 12
Instruction
Special Education Plan
Collaborative Inquiry
K to 12
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Our “Sandbox”
Visible Learning 2011-2012• Year 3 – “Collaborative Inquiry”
60 elementary and 15 secondary schools
Principal selected school teams
“Family of Schools” organization with the S.O. involved in every session
Four full-day sessions
Process-based sessions, guiding schools through model of Collaborative Inquiry
Focus on schools owning learning based on current student learning needs
Intentional alignment of SIPSA to Collaborative Inquiry Focus
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Big Picture of Collaborative Inquiry
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Consider common student learning needs and classroom practice.
Develop an inquiry question.
VL Session One
Determine sources of evidence related to
your question.
Collect evidence.
VL Session Two
Examine your evidence to determine trends.
Reflect on possible next steps.
VL Session Three
Consider the impact of your inquiry on student learning.
Report your findings.
VL Learning Fair (Early May)
Professional
Learning
SyIT Collaborative Inquiry
• Engage school teams in collaborative inquiry linked to student needs identified in School Improvement Plans
• Implement selected improvement strategies with greater depth and precision
• Build a culture of collaborative inquiry• Improve student learning
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Our Evidence Collection
• Exit tickets after each session• Anecdotal feedback throughout sessions
from multiple sources• Principals surveyed on implementation• School team reflections
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Emerging Themes
1. The process resulted in an alignment between the work/learning that is happening in the schools and the system improvement efforts
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Emerging Themes“we are starting to hear that senior administration honours our professionalism and trusts our knowledge and that they let us make decisions that suit our own needs and our students needs”
– Elementary School Principal
91% of the teacher actions articulated in the inquiry questions reflect a strategy in the BIPSA.
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Emerging Themes
2. De-privatization of practice is occurring and teams are collaborating with colleagues within and across content-areas, grades, and divisions.
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Emerging Themes“there have been more teacher-to-teacher conversations. We are trying to focus on cross-division. This is new collaboration – something we haven’t done before”
-Elementary School Teacher
“I am beginning the open-door policy – posting an email to invite teachers to come to my class…to get feedback”
-Elementary School Teacher
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Emerging Themes
3. Teams valued the process of collaborative inquiry, focused on student learning needs, the curriculum, engaged in the use of data, and reflected upon their practice as a result.
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Emerging Themes“This has been the most inspiring, valuable workshops – before it was “here, try something new – do it” and now we are owning it! It is what we are saying with kids – give them ownership and they will soar”
-Elementary School Teacher
“I can’t believe how my teaching has changed. I used to just go through the curriculum but now I seem to be really looking at whether the kids actually got it before I move on…I’m really thinking about the kids’ learning”
-Elementary School Teacher
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Supporting our Learning
• Please complete a feedback card including any thoughts, insights or reflections you have on our work to continue our learning.
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Principal Reflections
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Jan Fairall – Hetherington Public School
Dustin O’Neil – Prince Andrew Public School
Reflections and Plans for Next Year• All elementary and secondary included• Four full-day sessions• Principal selected school teams• Schools organized by identified student need with continued
S.O. involvement• Sessions support collaborative inquiry process and content
based on specific student learning need and the related professional learning need
• Continue to use model to inform SIPSA and system supports eg. coaches, PD sessions, PLC’s, hubs and networks
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry
Question and Answer
System-Wide Approach to Collaborative Inquiry