Thoughts on the panel by Kate Cunich, Ginger Henry, Ronda Jenson, Carla Williams, and Pam Williams at the International Visible Learning Conference in Carlsbad, CA.
From Erin Johnson, First Grade Teacher, Carlsbad Unified School District
The presenters shared with their audience the model that Missouri has implemented with the intention of improving outcomes of all Missouri students. The model stresses the importance of providing quality professional development to educators. Focus is placed on collaborative teaming, data-driven decision making, common assessments, and effective teaching and learning practices within the classroom.
The system has several components in place to provide maximum support for teachers and the potential for the largest amount of growth among students. Collaborative Data Teams use data to determine: what they want students to learn, how will they know they have learned it, and how can they can improve current student achievement levels.
Effective Teaching/Learning Practices are methods used by teachers to improve students’ overall performances. These practices include: determining where a student is in the learning process, where he is going, and how to get there along with providing reciprocal teaching, feedback, and spaced practices.
Common Formative Assessment occurs when the same test is given in an entire grade level or subject area. The data produced is used to provide data that informs planning and instruction. The data is analytical and not evaluative.
Using this data, small teams meet to make data based decisions. In these sessions, teams disaggregate data, analyze student performance, and create plans to monitor student learning. Teams are able to incorporate data into ongoing instructional improvement, establish school vision, and develop and maintain a school and district wide data system.
The model also places great importance on the coaching of teachers. Coaching is provided to teachers who are learning something for the first time, wanting to learn more, trying to remember and apply strategies or concepts, when things change, or when something goes wrong.
Lastly, Missouri has provided technology based professional development including webinars, thread based discussions, video streaming, podcasts, virtual classrooms, and online mentoring and chat.
