Case Study: The Power of Reflection

Reflection should always be a part of personal and professional continuous improvement.  Rethinking your actions in terms of “plus/deltas” provide you an opportunity to improve upon them for the next time.  Reflection is time to examine your innermost thoughts, beliefs, and actions and get to the core of the matter.  This is a realization of new quality.  Hopefully, something you have not seen before come out of the reflection process. You want to make deeper personal issues conscious.  Thus, analyzing complex situations is the key to effective action.  Reflection should be used as a proactive not reactive mechanism. Reflective collaboration include analyzing student work, sharing practices that worked and/or did not work with students, participating in a post-observation/follow-up, etc. 

Math leaders can help operationalize reflective practice for teachers by including it on meeting agendas, ask appropriate follow-up observation questions, etc.  Reflection should be embedded within practices and explicitly discussed. For example, Gerald had teachers to work alone, silently and in writing in order to collect and organize their thoughts before group discussion.  He wrote down individual’s exact reflection.  This showed that he valued their suggestion and demonstrated that he was the facilitator with no intentions of imposing his ideas on the group.

In my district, when we implement a new district initiative that directly impact the teaching and learning process, teachers fill out a reflection sheet.  For example, several years ago, our middle schools adopted Connected Mathematics Project (CMP2).  After each lesson, teachers had to complete a reflection survey to provide the district insight on necessary professional development as well as a tool for teachers to improve the implementation of lessons.  Teachers also discussed the survey with colleagues.

My personal practice of reflection is to lay across my bed and replay situations in my mind.  Most of the time, I have a notepad or my Ipad with me so I can ponder over the facts and jot down any new solutions.  No one should make a hasty decision unless it is absolutely necessary because many times you do not have “all” the facts in a situation. You want to provide yourself with the opportunity to connect the information, make sense of it, and possible gather more.  Also, if any personal feelings are involved, this will give you time to make an objective decision.  

Professional Development

There are different types and forms of professional development.  I believe the ultimate goal of any educational professional development is to increase student achievement.   All professional learning impacts student learning.  From the custodian to the superintendent training sessions, all are essential to the school day and student learning.  Think about the role of the custodian.  His/her job is to keep the school clean and be a mentor or friendly adult on campus that make students feel welcome and connect to the school.   Custodians receive training or professional development on how to do their job more efficient and respond to the staff and students’ needs quickly.  Furthermore, I believe being in a clean school has an impact on student learning because it makes the school inviting to all.  The superintendent’s role is to be a visionary for change.

Professional development is about changing practices and mindsets in order to improve student achievement.  We, as educators must be willing to evolve with society and ensure our students are equipped with the necessary 21st century skills (e.g. critical thinking, problem solving, creative, collaboration) in order to have authentic choices after high school (i.e. college or career).
Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman, and Yoon (2001) states that reform efforts mainly fall on the qualifications and effectiveness of teachers.  In order to improve the teaching and learning process, both teachers and students will be impacted in a way that stretches their thinking and changes or refines a practice.   Shifting from memorizing facts to conceptual understanding, mean teachers must know the content they are teaching and how students learn (Garet et al., 2001).

According to Garet et al. (2001), professional development has structural and core features.  Structural features are the form of the activity (e.g. study groups, mentoring, coaching), duration of the activity, and the degree of collective participation.  These features focus on how the professional development will be delivered, follow-up sessions, and collaboration among colleagues.  Core features are content focus, active learning, and coherence with teachers’ goals, standards and assessments.  Steiner (2004) mentions that it is important to have the right kinds of experiences that will motivate and enable teachers to implement the new learning.  Also, a focus on content has a strong effect on teaching practices.  Professional development should be linked to teachers’ professional growth plan, school and/or district needs based on data.  As I review the structural and core features, those are components that should be part of any effective lesson which can move student learning forward as well.

Coaching as a form of professional development has sparked my interest.  Steiner (2004) states that coaching as a collaborative planning and development of curriculum and instruction is a powerful practice.  I never thought about omitting feedback in the coaching process and having the teacher as the coach.  I need to investigate this model and I believe this can have a great impact in my district.

References

Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F. & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional
development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers.  American Educational Research Journal, (38)4 (Winter, 2001), 915-945.

Steiner, L. (2004). Designing effective professional development experiences: what do we know?
Learning Point Associates, John Edward Porter Professional Development Center, Naperville, IL.

Accessibility Strategies Video

In a middle school, I would form a School Accessibility Strategy Team who would consist of a lead teacher in each content area and grade level to include electives.  An Accessibility Strategy consultant would facilitate a one-day training with the team in order to provide those teachers with an overview of how to implement the accessibility strategy change process in the school and lay the groundwork of how they would need to support teachers.   Over the next two-days, the consultant would facilitate a two-day training for my entire faculty in order to ensure all teachers understanding accessibility strategies and how to implement them into their lessons.   The consultant will conduct at least two follow-up visits each semester.   

Same subject area/grade level professional learning communities (PLCs) will be scheduled to meet twice a week.   The expectation would be that once a week, the PLC discuss the school-wide initiative, in this case, accessibility strategies.  The lead teacher for a specific content area and grade level would lead the discussions.  The School Accessibility Strategies Team would create a school-wide PLC accessibility strategies form to include an agenda and/or expectations of weekly PLCs in which all PLCs would use in order to have uniformity in the school.  Minutes would be recorded.   Teachers would use the Tuning Protocol to share.  The Tuning Protocol process involves:

•       A teacher, or team of teachers, presents a lesson or samples of student work and the context for the work (assignment, rubric).   The presenter would pose a focusing question about which he or she would especially welcome discussion. 

•       After carefully reviewing the lesson or student work, participants provide "warm" and "cool" feedback while the presenter listens in silence, who then reflects on what he/she's heard.

In this case, the focusing questions and feedback would be on accessibility strategies for all students in the classroom. 

Below are the Tuning Protocol steps:

·         Step 1:  Presentation of Lesson (5 – 10 minutes)

·         Step 2:  Clarifying Questions (2-3 minutes)  Participants ask questions eliciting more information needed to give feedback. This is not the time to start giving feedback.

·         Step 3: Reflection Time (1 minute)  Participants write down their input.  Everyone is silent.

·         Step 4: Warm Feedback: (5 minutes):  Participants share warm feedback only and the presenter listens while taking notes. 

·         Step 5:  Cool Feedback (5 minutes):  Participants share cool feedback only and presenter listens while taking notes. 

·         Step 6:  Presenter’s Response (3 minutes)  The Presenter responds to feedback.

·         Step 7: Debrief (3 to 5 minutes)  The facilitator leads a critique of the Tuning Protocol experience

Time can be adjusted.  Roles must be assigned such as timekeeper, facilitator, presenter, and recorder.  This protocol would support the accessibility strategies implementation by having teachers discuss and refine lessons BEFORE implementing them.  Each teacher would be observed at least twice a semester by a team of teachers as well as video themselves at least twice a semester.  Videos will be shared and discussed during PLCs.  Teachers will receive immediate feedback AFTER the lesson as well.  

My school district has used Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Strategies which are differentiated strategies designed especially for English Language Learners.  However, all students can benefit from these strategies.  This model includes empirically-validated strategies that increase student achievement, increase student engagement and prepare students to become college and career ready.

Common Core Mathematical Practices Activity

D  - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

C – Reason abstractly and quantitatively

A – Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

E – Model with mathematics

B – Use appropriate tools strategically

F – Attend to precision

H – Look for and make use of structure

G – Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Several of the vignettes could have been placed on several mathematical practices.  When I first started matching them, the task seemed easy.  With the last three or four it became difficult.  I had to really think about the mathematics and strategies involved in the vignettes. 

In D, Anna monitored and evaluated her progress and changes her strategy when it did not work.  I believe she had to make sense of the problem and persevere.

In C, Zoe made sense of quantities and their relationships.  She actually discovered the commutative property.

In A, students justified their conclusions, distinguished reasoning from that which was flawed and communicated their conclusions with others.

In E, I labeled this task with Model with Mathematics because Rachel applied mathematics to solve this everyday life problem.  She was able to identify important quantities and create an equation.

In B, Mindy used the number line as a tool to solve the mathematics problem.  She made a sound decision about what tool to use.

In F, Lin and Ben tried to use precise definitions in their discussion and in their reasoning.

In H, Ricky was able to look discern a structure by using his toy cars as a strategy to organize his thinking.

In G, Kelly found a general method or shortcut when adding integers with opposite signs.

Principles for Successful Math Coach

In my experience, making good relationships with teachers is a priority.  My every move was focused on relationships.  Informal conversations in the hallways, cafeteria, etc. are powerful vehicles for establishing relationships.  Also, discussing the school’s and mathematics department’s positive aspects are important.  Building on the positive, helps teachers become more open to discuss areas of concern.  However, I learned the hard way that everyone does not want to build relationships because they do not want to change.  Thus, I was viewed as a threat.  When people are set in their ways and do not want to change many times they will become resistors.  I learned to work with teachers who are interested, curious, or open to change about different ways to teach math.  Most of the time, lead teachers are open to change and have a positive disposition.  I capitalize on their leadership and build initial relationships with them.  It is important to provide teachers with ongoing chances to meet with other teachers to be learners of mathematics and to reflect on their instruction.  As a math coach, I scheduled monthly professional learning community (PLC) meetings.  During these meetings, teacher share ideas and strategies and even worked out math problems together.  This provides teachers an opportunity to reflect on their instruction, learn through other’s experiences, and open to take risks.  Teachers are able to build mathematical understanding and make connections between concepts.   Through collaboration, teachers realize that there are several approaches to solving problems.

Getting Started in Leadership Scenario

When beginning any new role, there are two visions.  The supervisor has a vision for the role and the person in the role has a vision.  I believe both visions should be discussed.  Through discussion, an understanding and expectations should be established.  In this case, I believe the principal needs to communicate his/her expectation and plan for the new role.  I do not believe that the person in the new role should have to figure out how they fit into the “big picture” or vision of the school.  The MIL’s first steps in getting organized are for her to write down her vision for the new role and develop a plan of action to assist teachers and administration.  It is imperative for to the MIL to meet with the principal to ensure alignment to what the principal envision.   However, if it is impossible to meet with the principal, then the MIL should email her plan to the principal for approval. 

The MIL needs support from the principal and staff.  The principal should lay out the expectations of the new role to the faculty to ensure all stakeholders (i.e. teachers) understand how this new role will assist them with professional development.  Furthermore, the MIL must study the mathematics standards for all grade levels and create a vertical alignment document to identify vertical gaps in concepts and skills.  Also, study assessment data (e.g. end-of-grade test, district benchmarks, common assessment) to identify horizontal gaps students have.  The MIL needs evidence from data to support her conversation with teachers and build a case for change.

I have faced several of the same challenges in the scenario.  My supervisor provided little to no direction in terms of expectations for my role.  Thus, I took the initiative to observe classrooms, review data, have informal conversations with teachers and met with lead teachers.  Gathering quantitative and qualitative data are important to inform next steps and decisions.   Once I reviewed data, I met with teachers during their planning times and discussed the strengths and areas of concerns, gaps, etc.  It was important to paint a picture in which change was necessary and inevitable.  I set up regular focus meetings with teachers, observed classrooms, and modeled lessons.  I believe structured monitoring and feedback are a major part of continuous improvement.  

Challenges Faced as a New Leader

When I secured the position as Curriculum Coordinator for Math and Science (grades 9 – 12), new leadership had just started.  The superintendent, assistant superintendent, myself along with others were perceived as outsiders and did not understand the clientele (i.e. students).  Many times educators get complacent and shift the blame on students, instead of reflecting on self and evaluating his/her impact on students and the organization.  I found this to be true in my new district.  I started out collecting formal and informal data.  I met with principals to discuss their vision and expectations of their respective schools, my role and responsibilities, etc.  I met with teachers during their planning times so I can better understand the culture of the school.  I felt that it was very important to be very visible in the buildings and have a strong presence.   I wanted to informally introduce myself before I had any “group” meetings with teachers or principals.  I wanted them to feel comfortable talking with me in their own space.  After a few weeks of visiting schools, I had an official meeting with the math and science departments.  I shared the strengths and areas of concern along with suggestions and three-year trend End-of-Course test data in a powerpoint presentation.  I discussed my expectations and plans for the school year.  I thought the meeting went great until I got an email from my boss.  She wanted to meet with me to discuss the outcome of the meeting.  During this meeting, my boss mentioned that several teachers left my meeting upset and felt like I was belittling them.  This was not my intentions!  I started wondering, how could they have misunderstood me, what did I say for them to feel that way, and how in the world am I going to fix it.  During the meeting with me and my boss, she explained that since I am an outsider, it is easy for people to misinterpret one’s actions as “the outsider is coming in to save all of us”.   Now, at this point, I had two strikes or challenges against me which were outsider and saver.  I knew I had to stay focus on student learning and not make this situation personal. 

During my first year, many teachers did not like me because I was always observing classrooms, meeting and discussing standards and instruction.  New leadership brings new vision and changes.  One major change was the implementation of quarterly district-wide benchmark assessments in every state tested subject area in which teachers hated.  After each benchmark, I facilitated district data analysis meetings where I shared everyone’s data and we discussed strategies, standards, student misconceptions, etc.  Everything was transparent which was a new concept to teachers.  Many of them were use to being isolated and working solo.  They did not want anyone looking at what they were doing.  At the end of my first year, I realized it was not me teachers disliked.  It was the change process they were experiencing.   

It was important for me to closely collaborate with lead teachers because other teachers respected and listened to them.  Lead teachers are the key to infiltrating the culture and building trust among the department.  I would collaborate and share ideas with the lead teachers and get input before meeting the all teachers.  I wanted buy in from them so it would be a smooth transition with the entire department.   However, I realized that ineffective teachers did not want to change and resisted most if not all suggestions.  In any change process, there will be resistors. 

An issue for a new leader is to figure out which leadership style would be appropriate and necessary for the culture.   All situations call for the leader to respect and value people’s perceptions, however, every situation does not call for a democracy approach to establishing a plan.  There are times when expectations and plans are communicated with little input or collaboration.   .  I believe different situations call for different leadership styles.  As I reflect on my first year, I feel I could have collaborated more with “all” teachers and provided them more opportunities for input, but, I had little trust in them as a whole because evidence showed that many of them were complacent and blamed students for low test scores.  With my direct approach and holding everyone accountable, after my first year, test scores improved in both math and science on the average of 20 percentage points.  Lead teachers and those who wanted to make a difference let me know that they appreciated me and that they needed someone who will hold them accountable.