Clarity: a professional learning resource

Learning Intention

We are learning about the skills and attributes of the learning specialist as a 'Knowledgeable Other' and how to become conscious of our personal skills and attributes so that we can build them into our roles.

Success Criteria

I can:

• describe the skills and attributes of a 'Knowledgeable Other'
• know and describe my own skills and attributes as a 'Knowledgeable Other'
• relate my skills as a 'Knowledgeable Other' to my role description / VGSA 2017 responsibilities.
  

Watch

Read

• 'Parameter #2: the embedded knowledgeable other' (pp. 270–275).

Reflect

• Write down your responses to the following reflection prompts:
  
• Why do you do what you do?
  
• What is the difference you make for students and teachers?
  
• What is the evidence of your impact on students' achievement?
  
• What is the evidence of your impact on building teachers' capacity?
  
• How does what you do relate to your role description / VGSA 2017 responsibilities?
  
• Consider the colleagues you are working with and where they are positioned in Figure 8.2, p. 271.
  

Watch

Reflect

In the video above, Sharratt guides you in using the Circle of Practice for self-reflection. She begins by using deconstructed learning intentions as an example of how to use the Circle of Practice. She then guides you through a self-reflection on the attributes of a 'Knowledgeable Other', including Tonya Ward Singer's dispositions that make a difference (pp. 273–274).

• As you watch the video, use the Circle of Practice as a self-reflection tool on your attributes and dispositions as a 'Knowledgeable Other'.
  
• Reflect on how these attributes and dispositions relate to your role description / VGSA 2107 responsibilities.

Act

Either (where there are attributes and dispositions outside your Circle of Practice):

• Choose one or more that are just outside, or at the edge of your Circle of Practice. Create an action plan for how to move this/these inside the circle using the following prompts:
• Write down what success will look like for you with this attribute.
• Write down the difference the development of this trait will make to you, students and colleagues.
• Find two readings or professional learning resources that can help you.
• Find someone you know who does this well. Ask them to mentor you.
• Set a timeline and list of strategies for developing this trait, including a check-in time.
  

Learning Intention:

We are learning how data can be used to evaluate and track the learning of sub-groups of students in order to plan learning supports and teaching strategies for targeted students.

Success Criteria:

I can:

• identify the learning data of student sub-groups
  
• reflect on how my colleagues and I differentiate teaching to meet the learning needs of students
  
• create a plan for scaffolding the learning growth of identified students
  
• create a plan for tracking the learning of all students that provides data on how subgroups are doing.
  

Watch

Read:

• ‘Putting Faces on the Data’ (pp. 53–58).
  

Reflect:

• Can you identify other student sub-groups in addition to those mentioned by Sharratt?
• How do you and your school track student learning data?
• Does this data allow you to track the learning of sub-groups of students?
• Using your student learning data, identify sub-groups and evaluate their learning progress.
• Identify a sub-group that needs a change in the way their learning is supported.

Act:

• Document the interventions (learning supports and teaching strategies) you have used to scaffold learning for your identified sub-groups.
• Consider and research alternative interventions you could use with this sub-group.
• Discuss with a colleague how they scaffold the learning of a similar group of students or student to ensure their success.
• Choose one or two interventions to trial.
• Decide which data you will use to evaluate the effectiveness of your interventions to improve the learning of your identified sub-group.
• Create an action plan and timeline for this intervention, its evaluation and sharing your learning.

Learning Intention

We are learning how to co-construct and evaluate operating norms to enable effective collaborative work.

Success Criteria

I can:

• understand how and why to use operating norms
  
• co-construct operating norms with others
  
• review operating norms and make agreed adjustments as required.

Watch

Read:

• Collaborative Inquiry Operating Norms’ (p. 75).
  
• ‘Operating norms for collaborative assessment of student work’
  (p. 1 of 'Clarity' web resource 5).

Reflect:

• Consider how your classes, meetings and teams currently collaborate. What works well? How can we deepen collaboration with these classes and teams?
• What are the operating norms in your classrooms? Are they clear, are they co-constructed?
• What are the operating norms in your school? Are they clear, are they co-constructed?
• Are operating norms used for: moderating student work, peer observations/learning walks, teams, meetings?
• Do you or your school review your operating norms regularly?
• Think of a team or group that could benefit from clear (or clearer) operating norms. How would it benefit?

Act:

Either (if your collegial team uses clear operating norms):  

• Compare them to those listed on p. 75 and p. 1 of web resource 5. Write your thoughts on improving the operating norms.
• At your next meeting, make time to collaboratively discuss and review the operating norms for your team to engage in their work.
  
  Or (if your collegial team does not use clear operating norms):
  
  
• Rewrite the operating norms on p. 75 and p.1 of web resource 5 in a language that fits your team.
• At an upcoming team meeting, use these norms as a suggestion for co-constructing agreed operating norms for the team's work.

Learning Intention

We are learning how to use assessment for, as, and of learning to choose instructional strategies that meet students' learning needs.

Success Criteria

I can:  

• identify assessment strategies that will identify learners' needs
  
• identify teaching strategies that will fit learners' needs 
  
• implement improved assessment and instruction in my class
  
• work with a colleague to implement improved assessment and instruction in their class.
  

Watch

Read

• 'Formative and summative assessment' and 'Debriefing each component of the assessment waterfall chart - big ideas and essential questions' (pp. 123-125).
• 'Peer and self-assessment' and 'Individual goal setting' (pp. 139-144).
• 'Success criteria' and 'Co-construction' (pp. 128-136).

Reflect

• Do you or colleagues use visible success criteria like 'bump-it up-walls' with classes?
• Do your success criteria have an appropriate entry point, above the lowest piece for all students?
• How can you apply what have you learned about co-constructed success criteria and how they are used in assessment-informed instruction?

Act

• Based on your reflections, write a list of actions you could take that use assessment data to improve teaching practice.
• Choose one of these actions by identifying items on your list that are high impact and low effort (quick wins).
• Plan what you will do and how you will evaluate its impact.
• Plan to share your learning (whether it worked or not) with your colleagues.
• Make a plan to repeat the above working alongside a colleague, guiding their reflections and planning.

Learning Intention

We are learning how to use what students say as an evidence base for monitoring student learning and building the capacity of teachers.  

Success Criteria

 I can:  

• use what students say to understand their learning
• use what students say to provide insights into improved classroom instruction
• use clear rationale and protocols for asking students questions about their learning
• build student voice and agency by asking students about their learning.

Watch

Read:

• 'Powerful questions to get to know learners and learning' (pp. 59-61).

Reflect

• How do you ask students in your class about their learning?
• Do you ask students in your colleagues' classes about their learning?
• How do you decide why, when, how and which students you ask questions of?
• Are the why, when, how and who clear to students/staff?
• Are the questions you ask the same as those on p.59?
• Are there improvements you can make to your process of student to teacher feedback?
• How might you use student questions in working with a colleague?

Act

Either plan to use the five student questions with one of your classes coming up. In this plan include:  

• your purpose for asking students questions
• what questions you will ask, when and how you will ask them
• which students you will ask and why
• how you will let students know about why, when, how and to whom questions will be asked
• how you will recall/record the answers
• how you will use the answers to assess learning
• how you will use the answers to adjust instruction
• how you will assess your own professional growth and share your learning.
  
  Or:
  
  
• Plan to use the five student questions in classes with a colleague.
  
• Arrange a time to plan with a colleague who would like to work with you visiting each other's class and asking questions of students.
• Plan and create protocols, using the dot-points listed above 'Or'
  
• Schedule time to specifically discuss the student responses, asking:
• what do the answers indicate about that individual and class learning?
• what do the answers about learning tell us about instructions?
• what are three possible instruction tools or strategies to address the learning needs?
  

• Decide on one of three strategies to trial:
• Plan when you will trial the strategy.
• What evidence will be gathered to assess impact?
• How and when will this will be shared with other colleagues?

Learning Intention

We are learning the benefits of using demonstration lessons to improve teacher practice, and how clear processes and protocols can maximise the benefits.  

Success Criteria

 I can:  

• explain the benefits of demonstration lessons to my colleagues and leadership team
• prepare myself and observers for demonstration lessons through protocols for:
  • scheduling who will visit, when and for how long
  • agreeing on an instructional focus and questions for professional growth
  • structuring the pre and post demonstration discussions
  • using non-evaluative processes and documentation.

    

Watch

Read:

• 'Demonstration classrooms of exemplary practice' (pp. 285-287).

Reflect

• Does your school provide opportunities for teachers to professionally observe another teacher?
• What are the purposes of your school's current professional observation practices?
• Are demonstration lessons used at your school?
• How do demonstration lessons fit with your role description?
• What protocols and documents do you have / would you co-create for demonstration lessons?
• What protocols and documents are in place / would you co-create for pre and post demonstration professional discussions?
• How might you ensure protocols are non-evaluative and purposeful?

Act

• Access and read through documents used for demonstration lessons and/or professional observations - annotate based on your reflections.
• Draft or revisit protocols and documents for demonstration lessons that address:
• pre-demonstration lesson conversation and agreements for purpose and scheduling
  
• instructional focus of the demonstration lesson and questions for professional growth based on this 
  
• post-demonstration lesson conversation that focuses on actions the observer/demonstrator can take away.
Find a colleague to work alongside you in testing your demonstration lesson protocols.
Set a time to talk with a member of your leadership team about this work.