What really matters in leading educational change Shona Smith, Deputy Principal, Waitakere College.

Are we there yet?What really matters in leading educational

change

Shona Smith, Deputy Principal, Waitakere College

Are we there yet?

Thanks for the NASDAP Scholarship

Harvard Yard Harvard Graduate School of Education

What really matters in school improvement

Making the learning robust

Assessment for learning

Using new technologies to support 21st century learning

Leadership: An Evolving Vision

BES on quality teaching for diverse students

BES on Professional Development

Viviane Robinson on leadership

Jane Gilbert Rosemary Hipkins

Back to New Zealand based research School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and Why

School Leadership and Student Outcomes:

Identifying What Works and Why

Professor Viviane M. J. RobinsonSchool of Teaching, Learning and Development

Faculty of EducationThe University of Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand

Number 41 October 2007

Making Changes Are we there yet?

Effective pedagogy

Teacher actions promoting student learning

NZ Curriculum : how as well as what

It matters 5-6 times more which teacher you get than which school you go to.

Richard Elmore

By class; 60%

By student; 28%

By school; 12%

Student gain scores in reading - proportion of variance

By classBy studentBy school

Declare de-privatisation as the goal

Combine transparency, non-judgementalism and good help

Support teacher leadersClarify and legitimise roles; Build capacity

Hammer home a moral purpose Link better teaching with better achievement

Foster peer interaction without micromanaging it

De-privatising teaching Fullan, 2008, What’s worth fighting for in the Principalship (revised)

Internal accountability requires alignment

Internal alignment of responsibilit

yexpectation

saccountability system

Individual responsibili

ty

Collective expectatio

ns

Richard Elmore

“The attitudes, values and beliefs of individual teachers and administrators

about what students can do, about what they can expect

of each other and about the relative

influence of student, family, community and school on

student learning

are key factors in determining the solutions that schools construct...”

Elmore, 2004

Teacher beliefs and expectations

Teachers need to:

understand the purpose of any new learning

have deep knowledge of how students learn in their curriculum area

be able to interpret assessment information and work out appropriate teaching and learning strategies

BES on Teacher Professional Learning and Development

...engages teachers in debate, challenge and reflection on their own theory of practice in a way that motivates them to be open to professional growth.

BES on Teacher Professional Learning and Development

Effective professional learning

Focus on what is happening in classrooms

Look closely at the academic tasks

Articulate the desired pedagogy

Develop a common language for classroom observations

So if we want to make it happen...

“Modelling instruction means centering the school’s mission around pedagogical improvements that result in student learning.”

Michael Fullan, 2008

“...identifying what works and why.... it is the combination of description, practical examples and theoretical explanation that makes for powerful professional learning.”

Viviane Robinson, 2007

Instructional leadership

Learning the work

Using the work to change the culture

Letting the culture drive the work

Moving from the technical to the cultural

Moving from the technical to the cultural

Technical Cultural

Schedules Structures Roles Types of PD Protocols, rubrics Assessments Accountability

systems

Beliefs about student learning

Pedagogical content Knowledge Norms for group work Discourse about

practice Mutual accountability Distributed leadership

How well aligned are our teachers’ individual beliefs about students and learning with our stated collective goals?

How might we achieve closer alignment?

How do teachers know what we mean by good practice?

How do they respond to being observed and observing others?

Thinking about pedagogy in your own school...

Making Changes at Waitakere CollegeAre we there yet?

Achieving at Waitakere - West Auckland school cluster

Literacy and numeracy focus

Te Kotahitanga

⇛ Collaboration, data sharing and trust between schools

⇛ Setting targets, PD, using achievement data to inform practice

⇛ Focus on teacher positioning, relationships, classroom practice

Waitakere College - Context

Challenging, innovative and future-focused programmes

Raising levels of achievement for a diverse student population.

Our graduates will be recognised as thinkers, contributors and participants in the local, national and global community.

Our teachers will be recognised as highly effective practitioners who have the commitment and skills to make a difference for our students.

The Vision

Aroha•Love for oneself, for others, for the earth•Connected Relating to others•Actively involved Participating and contributing

Manawanui •Perseverance – determination to achieve•Confidence Managing self

Matauranga•Knowledge – including how to think and how to learn•Lifelong learners Thinking• Using language, symbols and texts

The Vision

Raising academic achievement for all students through differentiated learning.

Strategic goal NZ Curriculum link

  Improving literacy and numeracy     Increasing NCEA achievement     Gifted and talented students.     Maori students.     Pasifika students.     Refugee students

High expectations   Using language, symbols and texts High expectations Learning to learn   Excellence High expectations     Thinking High expectations   Treaty of Waitangi High expectations Community engagement     Inclusion High expectations Community engagement

Enhancing teaching

Strategic goal NZ Curriculum link

Building staff capacity to enhance lifelong learning and implement the key competencies.

  Effective teacher profile     Explicit teaching of thinking and

learning skills     Review of all curriculum areas

Looking towards 2010 To build staff capacity to use

emerging technologies to support 21st century learning goals.

Effective pedagogy       Effective pedagogy Teaching as inquiry     Thinking Learning to learn Encouraging reflective thought and action     Coherence Key competencies Effective pedagogy     E-learning and pedagogy

Part of performance review and induction

Used in classroom observations

Used in Principal’s flying visits

Basis for student feedback

WAITAKERE COLLEGE EFFECTIVE TEACHER PROFILE (ETP)

An effective teacher at Waitakere College

 Acknowledges that they are

responsible for what happens within their lessons and allows no perceived external factor to restrict the learning opportunities given to students.

WAITAKERE COLLEGE EFFECTIVE TEACHER PROFILE

Actively works towards the learning and achievement of each student.

Uses evidence to reflect on the needs of their students to establish appropriate learning goals.

Provides learning opportunities for students to use their prior knowledge and experience.

An effective teacher at Waitakere College :

Plans and manages the lesson to ensure appropriate learning outcomes.

Actively promotes explicit learning intentions with differentiated learning opportunities.

Uses explicit achievement criteria so that students know how their work will be assessed.

An effective teacher at Waitakere College :

Actively seeks opportunities to interact with students in a respectful and caring manner.

Creates a secure learning environment with clear expectations, routines, rules and consequences.

Seeks opportunities to engage in written and oral exchanges with students to foster learning.

Uses a range of teaching strategies within a lesson to promote active learning.

An effective teacher at Waitakere College :

Observation criteria (Waitakere College Effective Teacher Profile)

An effective teacher at Waitakere College acknowledges that they are responsible for what happens within their lessons and allows no perceived external factor to restrict the learning opportunities given to students.This classroom observation will gather evidence that this is occurring.

1. Actively works towards the learning and achievement of each student.

2. Uses evidence to reflect on the needs of their students to establish appropriate learning goals.

Learning intentions visible Y/N ( Record details here)

Notes of evidence observed ( Record strategies, detail relevant to ETP )

Waitakere College Classroom observations Reviewer:Teacher Subject Class DateTe Kotahitanga observations taking place this year: Yes/ No

Evidence observed

Not seen

Evidence observed

Not seen

Observation criteria (Waitakere College Effective Teacher Profile)

10. Uses a range of teaching strategies within a lesson to promote active learning.Record which strategies are seen

Waitakere College Classroom observations Reviewer:Teacher Subject Class DateTe Kotahitanga observations taking place this year: Yes/ No

Evidence observed

Not seen

Literacy

Numeracy

Thinking Skills

Differentiation

Strategies used need to be identified

Strategies for:

Literacy

Thinking Skills

Differentiation

Effective Teacher Handbook

Staff Involvement Learning Initiatives

Task Force Thinking Team

Teacher Only Days 2007-9

Staff PD Carousels

Thinking skills: Building Capacity

Initial focus Gifted and Talented

Exploration of authentic tasks

PD re differentiation & explicit teaching of thinking skills

Linked with NZ Curriculum

Thinking skills: Building Capacity

We need new metaphors for intelligence, knowing and feeling

Grasping and feeling with the mind

Actively adapting and structuring experience into understanding

Kurt Fischer, Harvard

cf Jane Gilbert – knowing is a verb!

Insights from cognitive and neuroscience

What good thinkers do ( habits, dispositions)◦ Habits of Mind◦ Bloom’s taxonomy◦ Model showing critical/creative/ caring/analytical thinking

How good thinkers approach a task/issue/question/problem…◦ 6 Hats◦ Different approaches to questioning

Tools for Thinking◦ Graphic organisers◦ Thinkers’ Keys◦ De Bono’s Thinking tools◦ DATT Directing Attention Tools

 Metacognition – thinking about thinking◦ Understanding how to think at a high level – making use of Blooms in students

designing their own questions, choosing higher order tasks. ◦ Encourage all students to reflect on their own thinking and learning processes.

Waitak’s Thinking Curriculum

Yr 9-10 core class lessons (sequence of 4)

Thinking focus for Junior assemblies

Inspirational thinking quotations each day

Thinking Week 2008, 2009

Thinking strategies in all subjects

Wonder windows in Science lab

Quizzles and puzzles in home groups

Thinking Week 2008, 2009

Year 10 Thinking Week Lesson 4

Divergent Thinking

Learning Objectives Success Criteria

Understand what DIVERGENT THINKING is

Learn some tools for divergent thinking

Define divergent thinking

Use compare and contrast map, bubble map, venn diagram and EPR chart.

Activity 1:Compare and Contrast Map

Activity 2: Personal Involvement Questions

What if you had to choose between your family and your sport?

Activity 3:Values Questions

Reasons for:

Reasons for AND against

Reasons against:

Activity 4: ReflectionMetacognition: Thinking about my thinking during Thinking Week

EVALUATIONWhich thinking tools were new to me this week?Which thinking tools challenged me to think at a higher level?

PLAN for my future learningWhat thinking tools and approaches from this week can I use in the future?Which thinking tools would I like more help or practice with?

REFLECTIONWhat have I learned about myself as a thinker?And other thoughts about Thinking Week?

THERE ARE SILLY QUESTIONS…

If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

THERE ARE

CONFUSING

QUESTIONS…

If you try to fail and succeed, what did you just do?

THERE ARE INTERESTING QUESTIONS…

If the speed of light is 299,792,458 metres per second, what is the speed of dark?

HUH?

THEN THEREARE SERIOUS QUESTIONS…

If it’s true that “I think therefore I am”, am I just a thought?

If all the countries in the world are in debt, where did all the money go?

Last but not least.

The most important question of all...

And finally.

Do the different coloured M&Ms taste different?

Mr Bradley

Mr Poland

Mr

Shanahan

Ms Smith

Mr Cotto

n

Ms Passi

Mrs Tausa

Question Everything

Every Day.

What do we want

our students

to become?

Powerful

lifelong learner

s

Characteristics of a powerful learning culture

•LANGUAGE of learningL•ENVIRONMENT for learningE•ACTIVITIES for learning

•RELATIONSHIPS for learningR•NOTICING AND NURTURING learningN

Language of learning

Teachers

Language conveys what is valued – in assemblies, lessons, reports, grounds...

Teachers talk about ‘learning’ not ‘work’.

Teachers & students use language of learning: ‘learnish’e.g. ‘What can you do when you are stuck?’

Teachers use open-ended, higher order questions and encourage students to do the same.

Language is precise, engaging, inspiring.

Students

Students understand and use language of learning.

  Students ask most of

the questions; most are open-ended, higher order questions.

  Students can articulate

what and why and how.

Environment for learning

Teachers

Teacher enables sharing of prior knowledge.

Teachers create environment which encourages students to become resourceful lifelong learners e.g. choices of equipment & processes, adjusting levels of difficulty and challenge.

Displays show learning process, not just final products.

Teacher understands need for dreaming, imagining, experimenting, doodling, moving. Learning can look messy.

Students

Students enabled to share prior knowledge.

 Students gain skills in taking risks and making choices, experimenting and exploring in order to learn.

Students learn how to use time for reflection and wondering.

Activities for learning

Teachers

Teachers make the learning process clear as well as the objectives.

‘Which learning muscle are we stretching today?

Lessons allow for differentiation and personalised learning.

Flexibility in activities allows for appropriate level of challenge.

Students

Students are actively involved in their own learning.

Students encouraged to challenge themselves with increasing level of difficulty.

Students are learning how to learn and using thinking as a way to learn.

Relationships for learning

Teachers

Teachers set the example as lifelong learners, not lifelong knowers!

  Teachers visibly, cheerfully model

not knowing and being a learner.  Teachers empower by allowing

students to develop and explore their own higher order questions.

  Teachers help students to

understand themselves and develop as learners.

  Teachers encourage student

participation and contribution.

Students

Students feel included and valued; are crew not passengers!

Students can see peers and teachers as learners.

  Students are developing

understanding of themselves as capable learners.

Noticing and nurturing learning

Teachers

What is noticed conveys what is valued

Do we explicitly value self management, participation and other key competencies?

Learning is identified, analysed and developed through:◦ Academic feedback and

feedforward◦ Assessment for learning◦ Learning conversations◦ Self and peer assessment◦ Formative and summative

assessment◦ Reporting

Students

Students regularly evaluate and think about themselves as learners.

Students participate and contribute to self and peer assessment with increasing confidence and astuteness.

2009 Interim Reports ( mid Term 1)based on key competencies

Has a can-do attitude to learning Is well organised Attends regularly and on time Works well with peers and teachers Thinks and asks questions

Always/ Often/ Sometimes/ Seldom Level of understanding in this subject

Excellent/Very Good/ At expected level/ Below expected level

What’s noticed= what’s valued

Creating a powerful learning culture!

“The problem is that what kids do outside school often looks much more like 21st century work than what they do inside school.” Chris Dede, Harvard

21st century learning: A long way to go...

Thinking skills in the 21st century

Making effective use of emerging Web 2 technologies as a tool to develop new competencies:

Problem finding before problem solving Comprehension by a team, not an individual Making meaning out of complexity

21st century learning: A long way to go...

Are we there yet?

...engages teachers in debate, challenge and reflection on their own theory of practice in a way that motivates them to be open to professional growth.

BES on Teacher Professional Learning and Development

Effective professional learning

What is the most effective way to engage our teachers in reflection on their theory of practice as we move into implementing the NZ Curriculum?

Thinking about pedagogy in your own school...