http://edge.ascd.org/service/getFeed.kickAction?quantity=25 New blogs from Glenda_Horner on ASCD EDge Tue, 25 Sep 2012 05:28:11 GMT Tue, 25 Sep 2012 05:28:11 GMT website@ascd.org (ascdAdmin) website@ascd.org (ascdAdmin) KickApps Feed Builder 2012-09-25T05:28:11Z 24 http://edge.ascd.org/service/searchEverything.kickAction?as=127586&sortType=recent&tags=null 0 http://edge.ascd.org/_3-Essential-PD-Lessons-to-Remember/blog/6363165/127586.html   “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.” ~ John Wayne   In a year-long exploration of professional development, I’ve enjoyed sharing with you practical tools and tips for fine-tuning your PD efforts as you work to impact and change teacher classroom practice as a means for improving student performance. Although this blog series comes to a close this month, my hope is that you take with you three essential PD lessons we’ve learned along the way.   Lesson 1: PD is only as good as its implementation   The unwavering truth is that we are often rich in professional learning opportunities, yet poor in implementation.  The extent to which teachers are actually using a newly gained practice in their classrooms is a great frustration for many school leaders and classroom educators. Quite simply, it is the difference between what we know in theory and what we do in practice. Therefore, as leaders, it is essential that we fully realize that PD is only as good as its implementation. Rather than investing scare resources in the next “PD thing,” we must commit to investing in the implementation of effective PD. Our students will reap the benefits of our implementation efforts.   Lesson 2: PD should be on-going and embedded within a teacher’s day   Because PD ultimately seeks to bring about change in teacher practice, as school leaders, we need to consider job-embedded PD as a way to better ensure deepened levels of implementation. The thinking behind job-embedded PD is that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the setting in which the teacher learning will unfold. Joyce & Showers (1980) use the term transfer. Their notable procedural PD model suggests the use of coaching (one form of job-embedded PD) to follow-up and support teachers’ efforts to transfer their learning into the classroom. Coaching deals with the how: how you can move on from where you are to where you desire (or need) to move; it is action-oriented, and concerned with the present and future. After all, Schön (1983) tells us that people cannot be taught; they can only be coached to learn.   Lesson 3: Capacity building is essential to sustaining PD efforts   Some of you might recall the vintage Faberge Organics commercial “I told two friends and they told two friends and they told two friends.” As leaders and professional developers, we can learn a lesson or two from this effective marketing campaign because the same holds true in building PD capacity. Although a myriad of persons are responsible for the success of a PD effort, no one is as vital as the teacher.  And, building expertise in effective instructional practices is essential to sustaining PD efforts. In particular, schools that succeed best in implementing PD often employ a group of strong teacher leaders who model strategies for other teachers in a non-threatening way. With relative frequency, these individuals are able to informally influence the overt behavior or attitudes of others. These informal leaders are able to earn their leadership through practical competency and approachability. In time, through the actions of this carefully selected cadre of teachers, the initiative spreads and spills out down hallways and into the classrooms of other teachers.  For this reason, teachers should have some ownership of the direction of PD and the institution’s shared vision for the future.   The prevalent theme of these essential lessons is that we must abandon a scattershot approach to professional learning and support ongoing, purposeful learning until there is evidence that the learning is having the desired impact upon our schools. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed or destination to be reached. In the arena of professional learning, we must make and reaffirm a fierce commitment to continuously improve as we look towards tomorrow and the lessons gained from yesterday. I wish you well as you continue your journey. To borrow the words of Gloria Gaither, “We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey.”   Resource: Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books, Inc.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s Capacity Building Professional Development services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.” ~ John Wayne   In a year-long exploration of professional development, I’ve enjoyed sharing with you practical tools and tips for fine-tuning your PD efforts as you work to impact and change teacher classroom practice as a means for improving student performance. Although this blog series comes to a close this month, my hope is that you take with you three essential PD lessons we’ve learned along the way.   Lesson 1: PD is only as good as its implementation   The unwavering truth is that we are often rich in professional learning opportunities, yet poor in implementation.  The extent to which teachers are actually using a newly gained practice in their classrooms is a great frustration for many school leaders and classroom educators. Quite simply, it is the difference between what we know in theory and what we do in practice. Therefore, as leaders, it is essential that we fully realize that PD is only as good as its implementation. Rather than investing scare resources in the next “PD thing,” we must commit to investing in the implementation of effective PD. Our students will reap the benefits of our implementation efforts.   Lesson 2: PD should be on-going and embedded within a teacher’s day   Because PD ultimately seeks to bring about change in teacher practice, as school leaders, we need to consider job-embedded PD as a way to better ensure deepened levels of implementation. The thinking behind job-embedded PD is that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the setting in which the teacher learning will unfold. Joyce & Showers (1980) use the term transfer. Their notable procedural PD model suggests the use of coaching (one form of job-embedded PD) to follow-up and support teachers’ efforts to transfer their learning into the classroom. Coaching deals with the how: how you can move on from where you are to where you desire (or need) to move; it is action-oriented, and concerned with the present and future. After all, Schön (1983) tells us that people cannot be taught; they can only be coached to learn.   Lesson 3: Capacity building is essential to sustaining PD efforts   Some of you might recall the vintage Faberge Organics commercial “I told two friends and they told two friends and they told two friends.” As leaders and professional developers, we can learn a lesson or two from this effective marketing campaign because the same holds true in building PD capacity. Although a myriad of persons are responsible for the success of a PD effort, no one is as vital as the teacher.  And, building expertise in effective instructional practices is essential to sustaining PD efforts. In particular, schools that succeed best in implementing PD often employ a group of strong teacher leaders who model strategies for other teachers in a non-threatening way. With relative frequency, these individuals are able to informally influence the overt behavior or attitudes of others. These informal leaders are able to earn their leadership through practical competency and approachability. In time, through the actions of this carefully selected cadre of teachers, the initiative spreads and spills out down hallways and into the classrooms of other teachers.  For this reason, teachers should have some ownership of the direction of PD and the institution’s shared vision for the future.   The prevalent theme of these essential lessons is that we must abandon a scattershot approach to professional learning and support ongoing, purposeful learning until there is evidence that the learning is having the desired impact upon our schools. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed or destination to be reached. In the arena of professional learning, we must make and reaffirm a fierce commitment to continuously improve as we look towards tomorrow and the lessons gained from yesterday. I wish you well as you continue your journey. To borrow the words of Gloria Gaither, “We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey.”   Resource: Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books, Inc.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s Capacity Building Professional Development services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:00:50 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_3-Essential-PD-Lessons-to-Remember/blog/6363165/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-09-25T05:28:11Z ASCD EDge   “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.” ~ John Wayne   In a year-long exploration of professional development, I’ve enjoyed sharing with you practical tools and tips for fine-tuning your PD efforts as you work to impact and change teacher classroom practice as a means for improving student performance. Although this blog series comes to a close this month, my hope is that you take with you three essential PD lessons we’ve learned along the way.   Lesson 1: PD is only as good as its implementation   The unwavering truth is that we are often rich in professional learning opportunities, yet poor in implementation.  The extent to which teachers are actually using a newly gained practice in their classrooms is a great frustration for many school leaders and classroom educators. Quite simply, it is the difference between what we know in theory and what we do in practice. Therefore, as leaders, it is essential that we fully realize that PD is only as good as its implementation. Rather than investing scare resources in the next “PD thing,” we must commit to investing in the implementation of effective PD. Our students will reap the benefits of our implementation efforts.   Lesson 2: PD should be on-going and embedded within a teacher’s day   Because PD ultimately seeks to bring about change in teacher practice, as school leaders, we need to consider job-embedded PD as a way to better ensure deepened levels of implementation. The thinking behind job-embedded PD is that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the setting in which the teacher learning will unfold. Joyce & Showers (1980) use the term transfer. Their notable procedural PD model suggests the use of coaching (one form of job-embedded PD) to follow-up and support teachers’ efforts to transfer their learning into the classroom. Coaching deals with the how: how you can move on from where you are to where you desire (or need) to move; it is action-oriented, and concerned with the present and future. After all, Schön (1983) tells us that people cannot be taught; they can only be coached to learn.   Lesson 3: Capacity building is essential to sustaining PD efforts   Some of you might recall the vintage Faberge Organics commercial “I told two friends and they told two friends and they told two friends.” As leaders and professional developers, we can learn a lesson or two from this effective marketing campaign because the same holds true in building PD capacity. Although a myriad of persons are responsible for the success of a PD effort, no one is as vital as the teacher.  And, building expertise in effective instructional practices is essential to sustaining PD efforts. In particular, schools that succeed best in implementing PD often employ a group of strong teacher leaders who model strategies for other teachers in a non-threatening way. With relative frequency, these individuals are able to informally influence the overt behavior or attitudes of others. These informal leaders are able to earn their leadership through practical competency and approachability. In time, through the actions of this carefully selected cadre of teachers, the initiative spreads and spills out down hallways and into the classrooms of other teachers.  For this reason, teachers should have some ownership of the direction of PD and the institution’s shared vision for the future.   The prevalent theme of these essential lessons is that we must abandon a scattershot approach to professional learning and support ongoing, purposeful learning until there is evidence that the learning is having the desired impact upon our schools. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed or destination to be reached. In the arena of professional learning, we must make and reaffirm a fierce commitment to continuously improve as we look towards tomorrow and the lessons gained from yesterday. I wish you well as you continue your journey. To borrow the words of Gloria Gaither, “We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey.”   Resource: Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books, Inc.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s Capacity Building Professional Development services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. capacity building, essential pd lessons, glenda horner, oscb, pd nonadult false 3 Essential PD Lessons to Remember video blog capacity building,essential pd lessons,glenda horner,oscb,pd 853 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 6363165 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Three-Big-Ideas-about-PD-Initiatives-that-Work/blog/6303975/127586.html   What are the key ingredients in assuring student success? A strong curriculum? A great teacher? A supportive parent? A progressive leader? While many of these ingredients can aid in the process of student achievement, the one that is most critical is a great teacher. So, then what makes a great teacher?   Although, we’ve all probably been graced with at least a few naturally gifted teachers who appear as if they were just born this way, we quickly come to realize that all effective teaching is the result of learning, reflection, practice, and roll-up-your-sleeves hard work. In the absence of professional learning, a teacher can never fully understand or even grasp how students learn, what potentially hinders or blocks their understanding, or how instruction can improve the learning processes. Professional development is the primary means for teachers to gain such awareness and deeper understanding.   Regardless of a student’s achievement level, he will learn exponentially more if his teachers regularly engage in high-quality PD. Simply put, for students to learn more, educators must learn more. In fact, this is the let’s-not-keep-it-a-secret ingredient for student success. It’s bigger and runs deeper than the individual teacher by aiding in student success, not to mention in attracting and retaining great teachers. However, PD is ineffective unless it causes teachers to improve their instruction.   Here is where the instructional leader is carefully added to the mix. The effectiveness of PD depends on how we envision, propose, design, facilitate, and implement it. There is no substitute for a thoughtfully and thoroughly planned and executed PD initiative. Thomas Guskey (2002) provides a sobering truth because we all know that “a lot of good things are done in the name of professional development. But so are a lot of rotten things.”   Evident in theory and discovered through practical application, three big ideas continue to emerge in PD programs that have produced positive effects in student achievement:   Big idea #1: In the absence of a magic bullet, data drove the decision.   In the absence of a magic bullet, those who have seen a marked improvement in student achievement pinned virtually every aspect of their PD initiative to data and research. Collecting varied data is vital to fueling continuous improvement. By gathering and analyzing, both quantitative data (i.e. local and standardized test scores, student demographics, teacher turnover rates) and qualitative data (i.e. student work samples, classroom visits, parent feedback), we are better equipped to set goals; make plans; and effectively execute a PD initiative.   Big idea #2: They built it together.   Some administrators seem to adopt a PD approach of “if you build it, they will come.” While that might apply to a cornfield-turned-baseball-diamond in a Hollywood movie, it does not settle well with teachers. Getting a PD initiative off the ground is quite labor intensive. Involve teachers and other members of your team in the work. Great relationships are formed as teams work together for a common good. We should always be reminded of the old adage that people are less likely to destroy what they have helped to create.   Big idea #3: They made a pledge to follow through and follow-up.   So, you’ve got a great idea grounded in research. You may have even gathered an ad-hoc team to get the initiative ball rolling. Now, how can you make it happen and how can you make it last? At one of our campuses, I have observed that even in the midst of a shift in leadership and staff, a deeply rooted PD initiative has continued to not only survive, but thrive. From the campus’ infancy and now some seven years later, they continue to follow an established trail of traditions including allowing time for teachers to prepare and create inviting classrooms based on the research provided in their training, as well as follow up PD sessions sprinkled throughout the school year. Not only do I continue to see evidence of PD sprouting feet and walking into the classrooms, I also continue to see a concerted effort to not leave this learning passively sitting by the wayside. Now, that is a pledge taken and not forgotten!   Like all good recipes, the ingredients for assuring student success are basic; however, each must be carefully considered before adding it to the mix. The bottom line for me is that as educators, we must continue to embrace the concept of learning, reflection, practice, and roll-up-your-sleeves hard work, as well as the idea that we should continue to experiment with the very mix of ingredients that lead to student success. In the words of Dennis Waitley, may we “never become so much of an expert that [we] stop gaining expertise. [May we] view life as a continuous learning experience.”   Resources: Guskey, T. (March, 2002). Does it make a difference? Evaluating professional development. Education Leadership, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), p. 46-51.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   What are the key ingredients in assuring student success? A strong curriculum? A great teacher? A supportive parent? A progressive leader? While many of these ingredients can aid in the process of student achievement, the one that is most critical is a great teacher. So, then what makes a great teacher?   Although, we’ve all probably been graced with at least a few naturally gifted teachers who appear as if they were just born this way, we quickly come to realize that all effective teaching is the result of learning, reflection, practice, and roll-up-your-sleeves hard work. In the absence of professional learning, a teacher can never fully understand or even grasp how students learn, what potentially hinders or blocks their understanding, or how instruction can improve the learning processes. Professional development is the primary means for teachers to gain such awareness and deeper understanding.   Regardless of a student’s achievement level, he will learn exponentially more if his teachers regularly engage in high-quality PD. Simply put, for students to learn more, educators must learn more. In fact, this is the let’s-not-keep-it-a-secret ingredient for student success. It’s bigger and runs deeper than the individual teacher by aiding in student success, not to mention in attracting and retaining great teachers. However, PD is ineffective unless it causes teachers to improve their instruction.   Here is where the instructional leader is carefully added to the mix. The effectiveness of PD depends on how we envision, propose, design, facilitate, and implement it. There is no substitute for a thoughtfully and thoroughly planned and executed PD initiative. Thomas Guskey (2002) provides a sobering truth because we all know that “a lot of good things are done in the name of professional development. But so are a lot of rotten things.”   Evident in theory and discovered through practical application, three big ideas continue to emerge in PD programs that have produced positive effects in student achievement:   Big idea #1: In the absence of a magic bullet, data drove the decision.   In the absence of a magic bullet, those who have seen a marked improvement in student achievement pinned virtually every aspect of their PD initiative to data and research. Collecting varied data is vital to fueling continuous improvement. By gathering and analyzing, both quantitative data (i.e. local and standardized test scores, student demographics, teacher turnover rates) and qualitative data (i.e. student work samples, classroom visits, parent feedback), we are better equipped to set goals; make plans; and effectively execute a PD initiative.   Big idea #2: They built it together.   Some administrators seem to adopt a PD approach of “if you build it, they will come.” While that might apply to a cornfield-turned-baseball-diamond in a Hollywood movie, it does not settle well with teachers. Getting a PD initiative off the ground is quite labor intensive. Involve teachers and other members of your team in the work. Great relationships are formed as teams work together for a common good. We should always be reminded of the old adage that people are less likely to destroy what they have helped to create.   Big idea #3: They made a pledge to follow through and follow-up.   So, you’ve got a great idea grounded in research. You may have even gathered an ad-hoc team to get the initiative ball rolling. Now, how can you make it happen and how can you make it last? At one of our campuses, I have observed that even in the midst of a shift in leadership and staff, a deeply rooted PD initiative has continued to not only survive, but thrive. From the campus’ infancy and now some seven years later, they continue to follow an established trail of traditions including allowing time for teachers to prepare and create inviting classrooms based on the research provided in their training, as well as follow up PD sessions sprinkled throughout the school year. Not only do I continue to see evidence of PD sprouting feet and walking into the classrooms, I also continue to see a concerted effort to not leave this learning passively sitting by the wayside. Now, that is a pledge taken and not forgotten!   Like all good recipes, the ingredients for assuring student success are basic; however, each must be carefully considered before adding it to the mix. The bottom line for me is that as educators, we must continue to embrace the concept of learning, reflection, practice, and roll-up-your-sleeves hard work, as well as the idea that we should continue to experiment with the very mix of ingredients that lead to student success. In the words of Dennis Waitley, may we “never become so much of an expert that [we] stop gaining expertise. [May we] view life as a continuous learning experience.”   Resources: Guskey, T. (March, 2002). Does it make a difference? Evaluating professional development. Education Leadership, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), p. 46-51.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:55:40 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Three-Big-Ideas-about-PD-Initiatives-that-Work/blog/6303975/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-08-28T01:55:40Z ASCD EDge   What are the key ingredients in assuring student success? A strong curriculum? A great teacher? A supportive parent? A progressive leader? While many of these ingredients can aid in the process of student achievement, the one that is most critical is a great teacher. So, then what makes a great teacher?   Although, we’ve all probably been graced with at least a few naturally gifted teachers who appear as if they were just born this way, we quickly come to realize that all effective teaching is the result of learning, reflection, practice, and roll-up-your-sleeves hard work. In the absence of professional learning, a teacher can never fully understand or even grasp how students learn, what potentially hinders or blocks their understanding, or how instruction can improve the learning processes. Professional development is the primary means for teachers to gain such awareness and deeper understanding.   Regardless of a student’s achievement level, he will learn exponentially more if his teachers regularly engage in high-quality PD. Simply put, for students to learn more, educators must learn more. In fact, this is the let’s-not-keep-it-a-secret ingredient for student success. It’s bigger and runs deeper than the individual teacher by aiding in student success, not to mention in attracting and retaining great teachers. However, PD is ineffective unless it causes teachers to improve their instruction.   Here is where the instructional leader is carefully added to the mix. The effectiveness of PD depends on how we envision, propose, design, facilitate, and implement it. There is no substitute for a thoughtfully and thoroughly planned and executed PD initiative. Thomas Guskey (2002) provides a sobering truth because we all know that “a lot of good things are done in the name of professional development. But so are a lot of rotten things.”   Evident in theory and discovered through practical application, three big ideas continue to emerge in PD programs that have produced positive effects in student achievement:   Big idea #1: In the absence of a magic bullet, data drove the decision.   In the absence of a magic bullet, those who have seen a marked improvement in student achievement pinned virtually every aspect of their PD initiative to data and research. Collecting varied data is vital to fueling continuous improvement. By gathering and analyzing, both quantitative data (i.e. local and standardized test scores, student demographics, teacher turnover rates) and qualitative data (i.e. student work samples, classroom visits, parent feedback), we are better equipped to set goals; make plans; and effectively execute a PD initiative.   Big idea #2: They built it together.   Some administrators seem to adopt a PD approach of “if you build it, they will come.” While that might apply to a cornfield-turned-baseball-diamond in a Hollywood movie, it does not settle well with teachers. Getting a PD initiative off the ground is quite labor intensive. Involve teachers and other members of your team in the work. Great relationships are formed as teams work together for a common good. We should always be reminded of the old adage that people are less likely to destroy what they have helped to create.   Big idea #3: They made a pledge to follow through and follow-up.   So, you’ve got a great idea grounded in research. You may have even gathered an ad-hoc team to get the initiative ball rolling. Now, how can you make it happen and how can you make it last? At one of our campuses, I have observed that even in the midst of a shift in leadership and staff, a deeply rooted PD initiative has continued to not only survive, but thrive. From the campus’ infancy and now some seven years later, they continue to follow an established trail of traditions including allowing time for teachers to prepare and create inviting classrooms based on the research provided in their training, as well as follow up PD sessions sprinkled throughout the school year. Not only do I continue to see evidence of PD sprouting feet and walking into the classrooms, I also continue to see a concerted effort to not leave this learning passively sitting by the wayside. Now, that is a pledge taken and not forgotten!   Like all good recipes, the ingredients for assuring student success are basic; however, each must be carefully considered before adding it to the mix. The bottom line for me is that as educators, we must continue to embrace the concept of learning, reflection, practice, and roll-up-your-sleeves hard work, as well as the idea that we should continue to experiment with the very mix of ingredients that lead to student success. In the words of Dennis Waitley, may we “never become so much of an expert that [we] stop gaining expertise. [May we] view life as a continuous learning experience.”   Resources: Guskey, T. (March, 2002). Does it make a difference? Evaluating professional development. Education Leadership, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), p. 46-51.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. glenda horner, oscb, pd initiative, professional development, secret ingredient, three big ideas nonadult false Three Big Ideas about PD Initiatives that Work text blog glenda horner,oscb,pd initiative,professional development,secret ingredient,three big ideas 1286 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 1 0 6303975 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Seven-Tips-for-Maximizing-the-Impact-of-PD/blog/6249927/127586.html As summer winds down, many educators eagerly anticipate the opportunity to begin again; to establish a new routine or practice; to take what they learned during summer PD sessions and conferences for a spin around the classroom. As instructional leaders, our role in this process is to maximize the impact of PD by providing teachers with “opportunities for application, practice, reflection, and reinforcement” (Reeves, 2010). We must assure deepened levels of implementation. This is critical because as educators we do not engage in professional development for its own sake. We engage in PD because we believe that increasing our knowledge and skills will lead to quality student performance. Current research indicates that teacher expertise is the most significant school-based influence on student learning. Therefore, would you agree that investments in enhancing teacher expertise should be coupled with steps for implementing the learning? It is all too easy to miss the implementation step. In doing so, we stymied efforts to positively impact student performance.   However, professional development and implementation should not be viewed as separate steps in the process; rather they are conjoined. In order to effectually support implementation, administrators need to construct mechanisms that guide and support teachers in their day-to-day teaching improvement efforts. So, where do we begin? How do we show teachers through our actions (not just our words) that we support their efforts to hone their craft and impact student learning?   Provide focus. Begin by working with teachers to set PD goals for the year. Utilize the goal-setting process to clearly communicate your expectations regarding the implementation of PD on your campus. Within these goals, help teachers identify short-term wins. After all, success breeds success.   Keep it simple. Focus on only one or two things at a time. We have all walked away from a PD session completely overwhelmed by the experience. Remind teachers that “each journey begins with a single step.” Encourage them to take it one step at a time. Chances are that if they try (or even dream of) doing everything at once that their efforts will be short-lived and ineffectual.   Facilitate learning by doing. Allow teachers to learn from what works and what does not; time to think about what was learned; and most importantly encouragement to try again. Without taking action, learning is less efficient because it is not grounded in practice and real experience. Teachers need time to examine and practice their new learning, as well as opportunities to engage in thoughtful discourse with one another, so they can provide similar opportunities for their students.   Anticipate that mistakes will happen. In building a culture that expects, encourages, and supports implementation, one of the most critical elements is what happens when things go wrong. Even well-planned lessons can go wrong. All learning involves some failure from which one can continue to learn. Let others see you keeping the torch of deepened levels of implementation burning even in the face of frustrations and failure.   Model what you expect teachers to do. Look for opportunities to model what you expect teachers to do. At the next staff meeting or campus PD session, fold within your presentation the strategies and techniques that your teachers are learning. You also might consider attending PD sessions with your teachers or sharing with them an article about pedagogy. After all, actions speak louder than words. Your actions will speak of the value of life-long learning on your campus.   Visit classrooms and monitor progress. The only way to assure deepened levels of implementation is by stepping in to and observing classrooms in action. Take time to provide teachers with regular feedback and reinforcement. Additionally, allow teachers to observe each other engaged in the practice of teaching and implementation. Peer-to-peer learning can enhance efforts.   Remove obstacles. There are sure to be bumps in the road. What is getting in the way of implementation efforts? What is within your control? Establish conditions within your school to support continuous improvement, including attention to such matters as schedules, teacher assignments, use of meetings, resource development, cultivation of shared leadership, and formation of teams. Success in the implementation process usually hinges on the supports and available resources for teachers to build upon existing knowledge or to absorb new practices. It may be that your teachers have the expertise needed to implement the strategies that have been selected or decided upon; however, this is typically not the case. Almost always, taking on new learning means that teachers and leaders will need to cultivate new proficiencies or shape existing ones.   Continuing professional development is essential to continuous improvement. In the continuous improvement process, PD is motivated by the examination of student needs, is focused on explicit skills needed by teachers, and is on-going and fundamental to the implementation process. Let’s pledge to honor the PD experiences that our teachers participated in during the summer months by creating and fostering a culture that allows them opportunity to implement what they have learned as a means for enhancing student performance.   Resource:Reeves, D. (2010). Transforming professional development into student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. As summer winds down, many educators eagerly anticipate the opportunity to begin again; to establish a new routine or practice; to take what they learned during summer PD sessions and conferences for a spin around the classroom. As instructional leaders, our role in this process is to maximize the impact of PD by providing teachers with “opportunities for application, practice, reflection, and reinforcement” (Reeves, 2010). We must assure deepened levels of implementation. This is critical because as educators we do not engage in professional development for its own sake. We engage in PD because we believe that increasing our knowledge and skills will lead to quality student performance. Current research indicates that teacher expertise is the most significant school-based influence on student learning. Therefore, would you agree that investments in enhancing teacher expertise should be coupled with steps for implementing the learning? It is all too easy to miss the implementation step. In doing so, we stymied efforts to positively impact student performance.   However, professional development and implementation should not be viewed as separate steps in the process; rather they are conjoined. In order to effectually support implementation, administrators need to construct mechanisms that guide and support teachers in their day-to-day teaching improvement efforts. So, where do we begin? How do we show teachers through our actions (not just our words) that we support their efforts to hone their craft and impact student learning?   Provide focus. Begin by working with teachers to set PD goals for the year. Utilize the goal-setting process to clearly communicate your expectations regarding the implementation of PD on your campus. Within these goals, help teachers identify short-term wins. After all, success breeds success.   Keep it simple. Focus on only one or two things at a time. We have all walked away from a PD session completely overwhelmed by the experience. Remind teachers that “each journey begins with a single step.” Encourage them to take it one step at a time. Chances are that if they try (or even dream of) doing everything at once that their efforts will be short-lived and ineffectual.   Facilitate learning by doing. Allow teachers to learn from what works and what does not; time to think about what was learned; and most importantly encouragement to try again. Without taking action, learning is less efficient because it is not grounded in practice and real experience. Teachers need time to examine and practice their new learning, as well as opportunities to engage in thoughtful discourse with one another, so they can provide similar opportunities for their students.   Anticipate that mistakes will happen. In building a culture that expects, encourages, and supports implementation, one of the most critical elements is what happens when things go wrong. Even well-planned lessons can go wrong. All learning involves some failure from which one can continue to learn. Let others see you keeping the torch of deepened levels of implementation burning even in the face of frustrations and failure.   Model what you expect teachers to do. Look for opportunities to model what you expect teachers to do. At the next staff meeting or campus PD session, fold within your presentation the strategies and techniques that your teachers are learning. You also might consider attending PD sessions with your teachers or sharing with them an article about pedagogy. After all, actions speak louder than words. Your actions will speak of the value of life-long learning on your campus.   Visit classrooms and monitor progress. The only way to assure deepened levels of implementation is by stepping in to and observing classrooms in action. Take time to provide teachers with regular feedback and reinforcement. Additionally, allow teachers to observe each other engaged in the practice of teaching and implementation. Peer-to-peer learning can enhance efforts.   Remove obstacles. There are sure to be bumps in the road. What is getting in the way of implementation efforts? What is within your control? Establish conditions within your school to support continuous improvement, including attention to such matters as schedules, teacher assignments, use of meetings, resource development, cultivation of shared leadership, and formation of teams. Success in the implementation process usually hinges on the supports and available resources for teachers to build upon existing knowledge or to absorb new practices. It may be that your teachers have the expertise needed to implement the strategies that have been selected or decided upon; however, this is typically not the case. Almost always, taking on new learning means that teachers and leaders will need to cultivate new proficiencies or shape existing ones.   Continuing professional development is essential to continuous improvement. In the continuous improvement process, PD is motivated by the examination of student needs, is focused on explicit skills needed by teachers, and is on-going and fundamental to the implementation process. Let’s pledge to honor the PD experiences that our teachers participated in during the summer months by creating and fostering a culture that allows them opportunity to implement what they have learned as a means for enhancing student performance.   Resource:Reeves, D. (2010). Transforming professional development into student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:31:39 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Seven-Tips-for-Maximizing-the-Impact-of-PD/blog/6249927/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-07-30T17:49:08Z ASCD EDge As summer winds down, many educators eagerly anticipate the opportunity to begin again; to establish a new routine or practice; to take what they learned during summer PD sessions and conferences for a spin around the classroom. As instructional leaders, our role in this process is to maximize the impact of PD by providing teachers with “opportunities for application, practice, reflection, and reinforcement” (Reeves, 2010). We must assure deepened levels of implementation. This is critical because as educators we do not engage in professional development for its own sake. We engage in PD because we believe that increasing our knowledge and skills will lead to quality student performance. Current research indicates that teacher expertise is the most significant school-based influence on student learning. Therefore, would you agree that investments in enhancing teacher expertise should be coupled with steps for implementing the learning? It is all too easy to miss the implementation step. In doing so, we stymied efforts to positively impact student performance.   However, professional development and implementation should not be viewed as separate steps in the process; rather they are conjoined. In order to effectually support implementation, administrators need to construct mechanisms that guide and support teachers in their day-to-day teaching improvement efforts. So, where do we begin? How do we show teachers through our actions (not just our words) that we support their efforts to hone their craft and impact student learning?   Provide focus. Begin by working with teachers to set PD goals for the year. Utilize the goal-setting process to clearly communicate your expectations regarding the implementation of PD on your campus. Within these goals, help teachers identify short-term wins. After all, success breeds success.   Keep it simple. Focus on only one or two things at a time. We have all walked away from a PD session completely overwhelmed by the experience. Remind teachers that “each journey begins with a single step.” Encourage them to take it one step at a time. Chances are that if they try (or even dream of) doing everything at once that their efforts will be short-lived and ineffectual.   Facilitate learning by doing. Allow teachers to learn from what works and what does not; time to think about what was learned; and most importantly encouragement to try again. Without taking action, learning is less efficient because it is not grounded in practice and real experience. Teachers need time to examine and practice their new learning, as well as opportunities to engage in thoughtful discourse with one another, so they can provide similar opportunities for their students.   Anticipate that mistakes will happen. In building a culture that expects, encourages, and supports implementation, one of the most critical elements is what happens when things go wrong. Even well-planned lessons can go wrong. All learning involves some failure from which one can continue to learn. Let others see you keeping the torch of deepened levels of implementation burning even in the face of frustrations and failure.   Model what you expect teachers to do. Look for opportunities to model what you expect teachers to do. At the next staff meeting or campus PD session, fold within your presentation the strategies and techniques that your teachers are learning. You also might consider attending PD sessions with your teachers or sharing with them an article about pedagogy. After all, actions speak louder than words. Your actions will speak of the value of life-long learning on your campus.   Visit classrooms and monitor progress. The only way to assure deepened levels of implementation is by stepping in to and observing classrooms in action. Take time to provide teachers with regular feedback and reinforcement. Additionally, allow teachers to observe each other engaged in the practice of teaching and implementation. Peer-to-peer learning can enhance efforts.   Remove obstacles. There are sure to be bumps in the road. What is getting in the way of implementation efforts? What is within your control? Establish conditions within your school to support continuous improvement, including attention to such matters as schedules, teacher assignments, use of meetings, resource development, cultivation of shared leadership, and formation of teams. Success in the implementation process usually hinges on the supports and available resources for teachers to build upon existing knowledge or to absorb new practices. It may be that your teachers have the expertise needed to implement the strategies that have been selected or decided upon; however, this is typically not the case. Almost always, taking on new learning means that teachers and leaders will need to cultivate new proficiencies or shape existing ones.   Continuing professional development is essential to continuous improvement. In the continuous improvement process, PD is motivated by the examination of student needs, is focused on explicit skills needed by teachers, and is on-going and fundamental to the implementation process. Let’s pledge to honor the PD experiences that our teachers participated in during the summer months by creating and fostering a culture that allows them opportunity to implement what they have learned as a means for enhancing student performance.   Resource:Reeves, D. (2010). Transforming professional development into student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. capacity building, glenda horner, implementation, oscb, pd nonadult false Seven Tips for Maximizing the Impact of PD text blog capacity building,glenda horner,implementation,oscb,pd 4048 11 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 2 0 6249927 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Summer-PD-as-a-Jumping-off-Point/blog/6190253/127586.html   The smell of sunscreen. The taste of cool watermelon. The sound of laughter and splashing at the neighborhood pool. These are the signs; school’s out and kiddos are home. The hectic pace of campus life has paused long enough to greet summer. For many, this is the ideal time for participating in professional development. Students are not a consideration and teachers do not have as many demands on their time. There is an old school of thought that reasons a teacher is only working when she is with her students. As educators, we fully realize that this is absolute nonsense! We know that this narrow view of a teacher’s work is ruled by the notion that time with students is of singular importance; that teachers are mainly deliverers of content; that curriculum planning and decision-making rest at higher levels of authority; and that PD is unrelated to refining and improving instruction.   The summer months provide teachers with an opportunity to participate in the development of curriculum; for studying and sharing effective approaches for reaching an increasingly diverse population of students; for discussing effective ways to implement standards; and for continuing their own learning. However, all of this time invested in summer PD is for naught if, as instructional leaders, we do not consider that teachers are more likely to apply their new learning if they receive feedback and support while testing out and fine-tuning these newly acquired ideas and strategies. This statement suggests that teachers need, and even desire, regular opportunities for gauging and reflecting upon the effects of the new strategies and approaches while students are in school.   One of the ASCD consultants that works with our district shared that following a recent two-day PD session she facilitated, a small group of excited teachers approached her. They shared with her that they had already texted and arranged a time they could meet with their principal to discuss how they might use what they learned. They desired to take their new learning for a spin around the campus and sought the support of their principal.   The question we face as leaders is how to find time for teachers to practice and reflect upon what they learn. In many ways, learning for teachers is similar to that of kids. Howard Gardner (1993) suggests that kids need time, experience, and multiple opportunities to learn important concepts. Research in professional development tells us that teachers need the same. They need time and multiple opportunities to wrestle with and experience their new learning. It comes as no surprise that finding time is easier said than done.   Leaders throughout our district continually seek ways to carve out teacher time. A long-standing expectation in our district is that teachers plan together as teams. Common planning time allows teachers opportunity to plan lessons and find ways to fold new curriculum strategies into their lessons. A few campuses have found success in carving out extended planning time for teachers. These common or extend planning times are further supported through the use of instructional coaches. At the middle school level, our district utilizes content area specialists (instructional coaches) who are able to provide expert support for teachers as they implement new practices in their classrooms. Another district-wide practice involves teacher data teams meeting regularly to analyze results from various assessments. The teams work together as they consider what the data is telling them about student learning; discuss ways to improve student achievement; and work on refining future assessments to gather more useful student data.   Each of these strategies for folding in time within the school day comes with a word of caution. Setting high expectations for how teachers utilize the PD time is critical. After all, assuming that our goal is always improved student performance, we need to assure that we clearly communicate how this time is to be used, while demonstrating the value and purpose of the PD time.     The point is, summer PD is a great jumping off point, but it’s only the beginning. On-going PD is vitally important and must be woven into the fiber of a teacher’s day in order to continually fuel new ideas and refine teaching practices. We must provide teachers with opportunities to develop, master, and reflect on new approaches to working with students.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     The smell of sunscreen. The taste of cool watermelon. The sound of laughter and splashing at the neighborhood pool. These are the signs; school’s out and kiddos are home. The hectic pace of campus life has paused long enough to greet summer. For many, this is the ideal time for participating in professional development. Students are not a consideration and teachers do not have as many demands on their time. There is an old school of thought that reasons a teacher is only working when she is with her students. As educators, we fully realize that this is absolute nonsense! We know that this narrow view of a teacher’s work is ruled by the notion that time with students is of singular importance; that teachers are mainly deliverers of content; that curriculum planning and decision-making rest at higher levels of authority; and that PD is unrelated to refining and improving instruction.   The summer months provide teachers with an opportunity to participate in the development of curriculum; for studying and sharing effective approaches for reaching an increasingly diverse population of students; for discussing effective ways to implement standards; and for continuing their own learning. However, all of this time invested in summer PD is for naught if, as instructional leaders, we do not consider that teachers are more likely to apply their new learning if they receive feedback and support while testing out and fine-tuning these newly acquired ideas and strategies. This statement suggests that teachers need, and even desire, regular opportunities for gauging and reflecting upon the effects of the new strategies and approaches while students are in school.   One of the ASCD consultants that works with our district shared that following a recent two-day PD session she facilitated, a small group of excited teachers approached her. They shared with her that they had already texted and arranged a time they could meet with their principal to discuss how they might use what they learned. They desired to take their new learning for a spin around the campus and sought the support of their principal.   The question we face as leaders is how to find time for teachers to practice and reflect upon what they learn. In many ways, learning for teachers is similar to that of kids. Howard Gardner (1993) suggests that kids need time, experience, and multiple opportunities to learn important concepts. Research in professional development tells us that teachers need the same. They need time and multiple opportunities to wrestle with and experience their new learning. It comes as no surprise that finding time is easier said than done.   Leaders throughout our district continually seek ways to carve out teacher time. A long-standing expectation in our district is that teachers plan together as teams. Common planning time allows teachers opportunity to plan lessons and find ways to fold new curriculum strategies into their lessons. A few campuses have found success in carving out extended planning time for teachers. These common or extend planning times are further supported through the use of instructional coaches. At the middle school level, our district utilizes content area specialists (instructional coaches) who are able to provide expert support for teachers as they implement new practices in their classrooms. Another district-wide practice involves teacher data teams meeting regularly to analyze results from various assessments. The teams work together as they consider what the data is telling them about student learning; discuss ways to improve student achievement; and work on refining future assessments to gather more useful student data.   Each of these strategies for folding in time within the school day comes with a word of caution. Setting high expectations for how teachers utilize the PD time is critical. After all, assuming that our goal is always improved student performance, we need to assure that we clearly communicate how this time is to be used, while demonstrating the value and purpose of the PD time.     The point is, summer PD is a great jumping off point, but it’s only the beginning. On-going PD is vitally important and must be woven into the fiber of a teacher’s day in order to continually fuel new ideas and refine teaching practices. We must provide teachers with opportunities to develop, master, and reflect on new approaches to working with students.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   Mon, 25 Jun 2012 06:44:54 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Summer-PD-as-a-Jumping-off-Point/blog/6190253/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-06-25T06:44:54Z ASCD EDge   The smell of sunscreen. The taste of cool watermelon. The sound of laughter and splashing at the neighborhood pool. These are the signs; school’s out and kiddos are home. The hectic pace of campus life has paused long enough to greet summer. For many, this is the ideal time for participating in professional development. Students are not a consideration and teachers do not have as many demands on their time. There is an old school of thought that reasons a teacher is only working when she is with her students. As educators, we fully realize that this is absolute nonsense! We know that this narrow view of a teacher’s work is ruled by the notion that time with students is of singular importance; that teachers are mainly deliverers of content; that curriculum planning and decision-making rest at higher levels of authority; and that PD is unrelated to refining and improving instruction.   The summer months provide teachers with an opportunity to participate in the development of curriculum; for studying and sharing effective approaches for reaching an increasingly diverse population of students; for discussing effective ways to implement standards; and for continuing their own learning. However, all of this time invested in summer PD is for naught if, as instructional leaders, we do not consider that teachers are more likely to apply their new learning if they receive feedback and support while testing out and fine-tuning these newly acquired ideas and strategies. This statement suggests that teachers need, and even desire, regular opportunities for gauging and reflecting upon the effects of the new strategies and approaches while students are in school.   One of the ASCD consultants that works with our district shared that following a recent two-day PD session she facilitated, a small group of excited teachers approached her. They shared with her that they had already texted and arranged a time they could meet with their principal to discuss how they might use what they learned. They desired to take their new learning for a spin around the campus and sought the support of their principal.   The question we face as leaders is how to find time for teachers to practice and reflect upon what they learn. In many ways, learning for teachers is similar to that of kids. Howard Gardner (1993) suggests that kids need time, experience, and multiple opportunities to learn important concepts. Research in professional development tells us that teachers need the same. They need time and multiple opportunities to wrestle with and experience their new learning. It comes as no surprise that finding time is easier said than done.   Leaders throughout our district continually seek ways to carve out teacher time. A long-standing expectation in our district is that teachers plan together as teams. Common planning time allows teachers opportunity to plan lessons and find ways to fold new curriculum strategies into their lessons. A few campuses have found success in carving out extended planning time for teachers. These common or extend planning times are further supported through the use of instructional coaches. At the middle school level, our district utilizes content area specialists (instructional coaches) who are able to provide expert support for teachers as they implement new practices in their classrooms. Another district-wide practice involves teacher data teams meeting regularly to analyze results from various assessments. The teams work together as they consider what the data is telling them about student learning; discuss ways to improve student achievement; and work on refining future assessments to gather more useful student data.   Each of these strategies for folding in time within the school day comes with a word of caution. Setting high expectations for how teachers utilize the PD time is critical. After all, assuming that our goal is always improved student performance, we need to assure that we clearly communicate how this time is to be used, while demonstrating the value and purpose of the PD time.     The point is, summer PD is a great jumping off point, but it’s only the beginning. On-going PD is vitally important and must be woven into the fiber of a teacher’s day in order to continually fuel new ideas and refine teaching practices. We must provide teachers with opportunities to develop, master, and reflect on new approaches to working with students.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   glenda horner, job-embedded pd, on-going pd, oscb, professional development, summer pd nonadult false Summer PD as a Jumping off Point text blog glenda horner,job-embedded pd,on-going pd,oscb,professional development,summer pd 983 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 6190253 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Standing-Against-Sit-38-Get-PD/blog/6126897/127586.html Let’s face it – we’ve got a dirty little secret in professional development. The expert that comes in; gives a great talk to the district staff; and poof, in an instant, we find ourselves hoping and believing that what he or she says will magically transform itself into improved teaching and learning.   The truth, we all realize on a gut level, is that this is the easy, and even lazy, way to do PD, and we are all guilty.   Not long ago, while visiting a university with my soon-to-be-college-age daughter, I overheard a conversation that stunned me. As we sat in the waiting room of the admissions office, I heard an individual say: “I need to set up for our professional development session. I don’t want round tables because then they will talk too much.” I found myself becoming uncomfortable, even enraged by this nonchalant statement. Seriously? She didn’t want to set up a room where participants had the opportunity to move and network with one another? She did not want to create an environment that encouraged collegial interaction? Instead, she was consciously choosing to set up a room that forced attendees to sit passively as she, the resident expert, poured out her wisdom. She perpetuated the dirty little secret in PD. Why as a profession do we continue to preserve an old school mentality about professional development? Don’t we know better? Doesn’t the research indicate otherwise?   We’ve all endured our fair share of sit and get or spray and pray PD. Probably hundreds of hours. As passive recipients of this type of PD, the result is all too often little lasting change. Like water skiers, we have all found ourselves merely skimming the surface rather than diving deeply into the topic at hand. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m certain that you have heard from dynamic presenters who were passionate about their message. However, the challenge arises from following what is considered a short-term transmission model.  Little, if any, follow up occurs after a PD experience like this; it might not even be mentioned again. Once in a while, we might get really jazzed by one of these experts and purchase his or her latest book! Then, we might actually sprint back to our campuses and try with great futility to translate what we experienced to those we lead.   The glaring verity is that high-quality PD is essential. The days of teacher professional development sessions consisting of expert-delivered awareness campaigns must become a thing of the past. It is high time that as educators and professional developers that we rise up and stand against sit and get PD! You know better. I know better. Our teachers deserve better. Our kids deserve better! We must stop wasting money and time! There is another way – an alternative.   We should all move forward toward more effective and more engaging PD models. Research and personal experience help us realize that high-quality, ongoing PD that deepens each teacher’s content knowledge and pedagogic skills; provides opportunities for practice, research, and reflection; and includes efforts that are job-embedded, sustained, and collaborative will assist in the goal to remain conversant (Sparks, 2002). Seminal research by Joyce and Showers (2002) reminds us that levels of teacher learning and strategy use are greatly increased when coaching, study teams, and peer support are provided. The bottom line is that intensive follow up and support are necessary elements of high-quality PD.   In examining the alternative, it is important to note that, yes; it requires greater resources -- more time, more money, and more energy. And, yet, we all know that anything good always takes time and effort. However, this is the right way, and it’s time for us to start investing in and doing PD justice.   As leaders, we recognize that continuous growth through professional development is the hallmark of individuals who continually contribute to the success of their own organization. The truth is that it is a lot easier to commission experts to come and share their theories and ideas. However, thoughtfully invested resources are sure to reap undeniable benefits for teachers, and in turn, for students.   Essentially, there is still room for occasional sit and get. We don’t have to completely rule out one-day events as they can definitely inspire and spark interest. However, we can offer this nostalgic form of PD a welcome and novel twist by following up on what the expert shares. And, we must stop utilizing this spray and pray approach as our primary form of PD.   Resources: Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (2002). Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Sparks, D. (2002). Designing powerful professional development for teachers and principals. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. Let’s face it – we’ve got a dirty little secret in professional development. The expert that comes in; gives a great talk to the district staff; and poof, in an instant, we find ourselves hoping and believing that what he or she says will magically transform itself into improved teaching and learning.   The truth, we all realize on a gut level, is that this is the easy, and even lazy, way to do PD, and we are all guilty.   Not long ago, while visiting a university with my soon-to-be-college-age daughter, I overheard a conversation that stunned me. As we sat in the waiting room of the admissions office, I heard an individual say: “I need to set up for our professional development session. I don’t want round tables because then they will talk too much.” I found myself becoming uncomfortable, even enraged by this nonchalant statement. Seriously? She didn’t want to set up a room where participants had the opportunity to move and network with one another? She did not want to create an environment that encouraged collegial interaction? Instead, she was consciously choosing to set up a room that forced attendees to sit passively as she, the resident expert, poured out her wisdom. She perpetuated the dirty little secret in PD. Why as a profession do we continue to preserve an old school mentality about professional development? Don’t we know better? Doesn’t the research indicate otherwise?   We’ve all endured our fair share of sit and get or spray and pray PD. Probably hundreds of hours. As passive recipients of this type of PD, the result is all too often little lasting change. Like water skiers, we have all found ourselves merely skimming the surface rather than diving deeply into the topic at hand. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m certain that you have heard from dynamic presenters who were passionate about their message. However, the challenge arises from following what is considered a short-term transmission model.  Little, if any, follow up occurs after a PD experience like this; it might not even be mentioned again. Once in a while, we might get really jazzed by one of these experts and purchase his or her latest book! Then, we might actually sprint back to our campuses and try with great futility to translate what we experienced to those we lead.   The glaring verity is that high-quality PD is essential. The days of teacher professional development sessions consisting of expert-delivered awareness campaigns must become a thing of the past. It is high time that as educators and professional developers that we rise up and stand against sit and get PD! You know better. I know better. Our teachers deserve better. Our kids deserve better! We must stop wasting money and time! There is another way – an alternative.   We should all move forward toward more effective and more engaging PD models. Research and personal experience help us realize that high-quality, ongoing PD that deepens each teacher’s content knowledge and pedagogic skills; provides opportunities for practice, research, and reflection; and includes efforts that are job-embedded, sustained, and collaborative will assist in the goal to remain conversant (Sparks, 2002). Seminal research by Joyce and Showers (2002) reminds us that levels of teacher learning and strategy use are greatly increased when coaching, study teams, and peer support are provided. The bottom line is that intensive follow up and support are necessary elements of high-quality PD.   In examining the alternative, it is important to note that, yes; it requires greater resources -- more time, more money, and more energy. And, yet, we all know that anything good always takes time and effort. However, this is the right way, and it’s time for us to start investing in and doing PD justice.   As leaders, we recognize that continuous growth through professional development is the hallmark of individuals who continually contribute to the success of their own organization. The truth is that it is a lot easier to commission experts to come and share their theories and ideas. However, thoughtfully invested resources are sure to reap undeniable benefits for teachers, and in turn, for students.   Essentially, there is still room for occasional sit and get. We don’t have to completely rule out one-day events as they can definitely inspire and spark interest. However, we can offer this nostalgic form of PD a welcome and novel twist by following up on what the expert shares. And, we must stop utilizing this spray and pray approach as our primary form of PD.   Resources: Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (2002). Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Sparks, D. (2002). Designing powerful professional development for teachers and principals. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. Tue, 29 May 2012 18:36:38 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Standing-Against-Sit-38-Get-PD/blog/6126897/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-05-29T18:13:42Z ASCD EDge Let’s face it – we’ve got a dirty little secret in professional development. The expert that comes in; gives a great talk to the district staff; and poof, in an instant, we find ourselves hoping and believing that what he or she says will magically transform itself into improved teaching and learning.   The truth, we all realize on a gut level, is that this is the easy, and even lazy, way to do PD, and we are all guilty.   Not long ago, while visiting a university with my soon-to-be-college-age daughter, I overheard a conversation that stunned me. As we sat in the waiting room of the admissions office, I heard an individual say: “I need to set up for our professional development session. I don’t want round tables because then they will talk too much.” I found myself becoming uncomfortable, even enraged by this nonchalant statement. Seriously? She didn’t want to set up a room where participants had the opportunity to move and network with one another? She did not want to create an environment that encouraged collegial interaction? Instead, she was consciously choosing to set up a room that forced attendees to sit passively as she, the resident expert, poured out her wisdom. She perpetuated the dirty little secret in PD. Why as a profession do we continue to preserve an old school mentality about professional development? Don’t we know better? Doesn’t the research indicate otherwise?   We’ve all endured our fair share of sit and get or spray and pray PD. Probably hundreds of hours. As passive recipients of this type of PD, the result is all too often little lasting change. Like water skiers, we have all found ourselves merely skimming the surface rather than diving deeply into the topic at hand. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m certain that you have heard from dynamic presenters who were passionate about their message. However, the challenge arises from following what is considered a short-term transmission model.  Little, if any, follow up occurs after a PD experience like this; it might not even be mentioned again. Once in a while, we might get really jazzed by one of these experts and purchase his or her latest book! Then, we might actually sprint back to our campuses and try with great futility to translate what we experienced to those we lead.   The glaring verity is that high-quality PD is essential. The days of teacher professional development sessions consisting of expert-delivered awareness campaigns must become a thing of the past. It is high time that as educators and professional developers that we rise up and stand against sit and get PD! You know better. I know better. Our teachers deserve better. Our kids deserve better! We must stop wasting money and time! There is another way – an alternative.   We should all move forward toward more effective and more engaging PD models. Research and personal experience help us realize that high-quality, ongoing PD that deepens each teacher’s content knowledge and pedagogic skills; provides opportunities for practice, research, and reflection; and includes efforts that are job-embedded, sustained, and collaborative will assist in the goal to remain conversant (Sparks, 2002). Seminal research by Joyce and Showers (2002) reminds us that levels of teacher learning and strategy use are greatly increased when coaching, study teams, and peer support are provided. The bottom line is that intensive follow up and support are necessary elements of high-quality PD.   In examining the alternative, it is important to note that, yes; it requires greater resources -- more time, more money, and more energy. And, yet, we all know that anything good always takes time and effort. However, this is the right way, and it’s time for us to start investing in and doing PD justice.   As leaders, we recognize that continuous growth through professional development is the hallmark of individuals who continually contribute to the success of their own organization. The truth is that it is a lot easier to commission experts to come and share their theories and ideas. However, thoughtfully invested resources are sure to reap undeniable benefits for teachers, and in turn, for students.   Essentially, there is still room for occasional sit and get. We don’t have to completely rule out one-day events as they can definitely inspire and spark interest. However, we can offer this nostalgic form of PD a welcome and novel twist by following up on what the expert shares. And, we must stop utilizing this spray and pray approach as our primary form of PD.   Resources: Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (2002). Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Sparks, D. (2002). Designing powerful professional development for teachers and principals. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. glenda horner, high-quality pd, professional development, sit and get pd, spray and pray pd nonadult false Standing Against Sit & Get PD text blog glenda horner,high-quality pd,professional development,sit and get pd,spray and pray pd 882 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 6126897 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Learning-from-PD-mistakes/blog/6003383/127586.html   I’ve made mistakes in my life. Plenty.  In my professional life. In my personal life.  And, yet, from each apparent mistake or failure, I learned exponentially more than I did from any success. Paradoxically, I have learned to embrace failure with the realization that learning from failure markedly increases my probable odds of success in the future.   The world of professional development is much the same. We have certainly made our fair share of mistakes. These mistakes provide wonderful jumping off points for future successes.  Henry Ford once offered: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” So, the questions that arise from this realization are: What mistakes do we continue to make in PD? What lessons have we learned by making these mistakes? And, how can we begin again, this time more intelligently?   Lesson #1: Pull the weeds in your PD garden, cross-pollinate what remains   Research and horse sense tell us that our PD gardens are over-grown. We are all too eager to plant new PD initiatives without considering what we already have growing in our garden. From time to time, we all suffer from initiative fatigue. Reeves (2006) offers that: “Fortunately, there is an answer to initiative fatigue, and that is the common sense of the gardener. The strategic leader must have a garden party to pull the weeds before planting the flowers,” and I offer that we need to cross-pollinate what remains. Too often, as a profession, we are guilty of splintering initiatives rather than overtly connecting them. As leaders, we have our work cut out for us! The key, I think, is in pulling the weeds, while cross-pollinating what remains.   Lesson #2: Survey your landscape   All too often we trudge forward with our PD plans without considering our landscape. Essentially important to the success of any PD plan is taking time to find out what kind of professional development teachers really need to improve their practice to better support their students. Additionally, we should also consider that deeper success is experienced when teachers are also provided guidance in what nurtures students’ intellectual development and affects the learning process. Equipped with this understanding, teachers are more communicative about the sort of PD that could address the learning essentials of students.   Lesson #3: One-size-does not-fit-all   A one-size-fits-all approach to professional development presumes that all teachers are inherently the same. However, the truth is that the PD needs of a staff of teachers are vastly differing. And, yet, we are all guilty of turning a blind eye to the experience a teacher brings with her or what she actually needs in the way of professional development. In the world of PD, one-size, quite honestly, does not fit all. If our goal as professional developers is to promote growth, improvement, and continuous development, then we would be remiss to continue with this charade approach to PD.   Not long ago, our school district purchased a curriculum management system that provides powerful tools to align curriculum, instruction, and data to enhance instructional practice. In doing so, countless hours have been spent in planning the most effective way to provide teachers with the training necessary for utilizing this system. At a recent district leadership meeting, several campus administrators shared their PD plans, and I am happy to share, all of them mentioned the need for differentiating their training. Their plans involve teachers self-assessing were they are with learning new technologies and, in turn, dividing them into one of four learning paths based upon a continuum of learner needs. They realize that (insert sigh of relief here) one-size-does not-fit-all.   Lesson #4: Provide a menu of choices   At various points in my career, I remember attending conference-style PD sessions where I was allowed to choose from several PD offerings.  I found these opportunities rather gratifying as I was allowed to design my own professional growth; after all, I knew what areas I needed to improve. By providing a menu of choices, we are better able to address the differing needs of staff.   One campus administrator shared recently that this past Fall, she greeted staff with a non-traditional “check-in” sheet. Each year, district-wide, teachers are engaged in week-long PD with an aim to prepare for the return of students. As you can imagine, there is much business to attend to – from setting up your classroom, to reviewing discipline procedures, to gaining insight into a new (or returning) PD initiative. At this particular campus, staff members were able to glance at their “check-in” sheet in order to determine what their week would look like. There were certain PD pieces that were non-negotiable, yet each was offered at multiple times. The outcome was a more relaxed school opening because teachers were allowed the privilege of determining when they would complete each request.   It is inevitable, in the world of PD, we will continue to slip-up and commit blunders. But, quite humbly, my preference is to learn from the PD mistakes rather than repeat them. And, yet, it is only in being wrong that we can learn to be right.   Resource:   Reeves, D. (2006). Pull the weeds before you plant the flowers. Educational Leadership, September, 89-90.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   I’ve made mistakes in my life. Plenty.  In my professional life. In my personal life.  And, yet, from each apparent mistake or failure, I learned exponentially more than I did from any success. Paradoxically, I have learned to embrace failure with the realization that learning from failure markedly increases my probable odds of success in the future.   The world of professional development is much the same. We have certainly made our fair share of mistakes. These mistakes provide wonderful jumping off points for future successes.  Henry Ford once offered: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” So, the questions that arise from this realization are: What mistakes do we continue to make in PD? What lessons have we learned by making these mistakes? And, how can we begin again, this time more intelligently?   Lesson #1: Pull the weeds in your PD garden, cross-pollinate what remains   Research and horse sense tell us that our PD gardens are over-grown. We are all too eager to plant new PD initiatives without considering what we already have growing in our garden. From time to time, we all suffer from initiative fatigue. Reeves (2006) offers that: “Fortunately, there is an answer to initiative fatigue, and that is the common sense of the gardener. The strategic leader must have a garden party to pull the weeds before planting the flowers,” and I offer that we need to cross-pollinate what remains. Too often, as a profession, we are guilty of splintering initiatives rather than overtly connecting them. As leaders, we have our work cut out for us! The key, I think, is in pulling the weeds, while cross-pollinating what remains.   Lesson #2: Survey your landscape   All too often we trudge forward with our PD plans without considering our landscape. Essentially important to the success of any PD plan is taking time to find out what kind of professional development teachers really need to improve their practice to better support their students. Additionally, we should also consider that deeper success is experienced when teachers are also provided guidance in what nurtures students’ intellectual development and affects the learning process. Equipped with this understanding, teachers are more communicative about the sort of PD that could address the learning essentials of students.   Lesson #3: One-size-does not-fit-all   A one-size-fits-all approach to professional development presumes that all teachers are inherently the same. However, the truth is that the PD needs of a staff of teachers are vastly differing. And, yet, we are all guilty of turning a blind eye to the experience a teacher brings with her or what she actually needs in the way of professional development. In the world of PD, one-size, quite honestly, does not fit all. If our goal as professional developers is to promote growth, improvement, and continuous development, then we would be remiss to continue with this charade approach to PD.   Not long ago, our school district purchased a curriculum management system that provides powerful tools to align curriculum, instruction, and data to enhance instructional practice. In doing so, countless hours have been spent in planning the most effective way to provide teachers with the training necessary for utilizing this system. At a recent district leadership meeting, several campus administrators shared their PD plans, and I am happy to share, all of them mentioned the need for differentiating their training. Their plans involve teachers self-assessing were they are with learning new technologies and, in turn, dividing them into one of four learning paths based upon a continuum of learner needs. They realize that (insert sigh of relief here) one-size-does not-fit-all.   Lesson #4: Provide a menu of choices   At various points in my career, I remember attending conference-style PD sessions where I was allowed to choose from several PD offerings.  I found these opportunities rather gratifying as I was allowed to design my own professional growth; after all, I knew what areas I needed to improve. By providing a menu of choices, we are better able to address the differing needs of staff.   One campus administrator shared recently that this past Fall, she greeted staff with a non-traditional “check-in” sheet. Each year, district-wide, teachers are engaged in week-long PD with an aim to prepare for the return of students. As you can imagine, there is much business to attend to – from setting up your classroom, to reviewing discipline procedures, to gaining insight into a new (or returning) PD initiative. At this particular campus, staff members were able to glance at their “check-in” sheet in order to determine what their week would look like. There were certain PD pieces that were non-negotiable, yet each was offered at multiple times. The outcome was a more relaxed school opening because teachers were allowed the privilege of determining when they would complete each request.   It is inevitable, in the world of PD, we will continue to slip-up and commit blunders. But, quite humbly, my preference is to learn from the PD mistakes rather than repeat them. And, yet, it is only in being wrong that we can learn to be right.   Resource:   Reeves, D. (2006). Pull the weeds before you plant the flowers. Educational Leadership, September, 89-90.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:07:08 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Learning-from-PD-mistakes/blog/6003383/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-04-23T02:07:08Z ASCD EDge   I’ve made mistakes in my life. Plenty.  In my professional life. In my personal life.  And, yet, from each apparent mistake or failure, I learned exponentially more than I did from any success. Paradoxically, I have learned to embrace failure with the realization that learning from failure markedly increases my probable odds of success in the future.   The world of professional development is much the same. We have certainly made our fair share of mistakes. These mistakes provide wonderful jumping off points for future successes.  Henry Ford once offered: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” So, the questions that arise from this realization are: What mistakes do we continue to make in PD? What lessons have we learned by making these mistakes? And, how can we begin again, this time more intelligently?   Lesson #1: Pull the weeds in your PD garden, cross-pollinate what remains   Research and horse sense tell us that our PD gardens are over-grown. We are all too eager to plant new PD initiatives without considering what we already have growing in our garden. From time to time, we all suffer from initiative fatigue. Reeves (2006) offers that: “Fortunately, there is an answer to initiative fatigue, and that is the common sense of the gardener. The strategic leader must have a garden party to pull the weeds before planting the flowers,” and I offer that we need to cross-pollinate what remains. Too often, as a profession, we are guilty of splintering initiatives rather than overtly connecting them. As leaders, we have our work cut out for us! The key, I think, is in pulling the weeds, while cross-pollinating what remains.   Lesson #2: Survey your landscape   All too often we trudge forward with our PD plans without considering our landscape. Essentially important to the success of any PD plan is taking time to find out what kind of professional development teachers really need to improve their practice to better support their students. Additionally, we should also consider that deeper success is experienced when teachers are also provided guidance in what nurtures students’ intellectual development and affects the learning process. Equipped with this understanding, teachers are more communicative about the sort of PD that could address the learning essentials of students.   Lesson #3: One-size-does not-fit-all   A one-size-fits-all approach to professional development presumes that all teachers are inherently the same. However, the truth is that the PD needs of a staff of teachers are vastly differing. And, yet, we are all guilty of turning a blind eye to the experience a teacher brings with her or what she actually needs in the way of professional development. In the world of PD, one-size, quite honestly, does not fit all. If our goal as professional developers is to promote growth, improvement, and continuous development, then we would be remiss to continue with this charade approach to PD.   Not long ago, our school district purchased a curriculum management system that provides powerful tools to align curriculum, instruction, and data to enhance instructional practice. In doing so, countless hours have been spent in planning the most effective way to provide teachers with the training necessary for utilizing this system. At a recent district leadership meeting, several campus administrators shared their PD plans, and I am happy to share, all of them mentioned the need for differentiating their training. Their plans involve teachers self-assessing were they are with learning new technologies and, in turn, dividing them into one of four learning paths based upon a continuum of learner needs. They realize that (insert sigh of relief here) one-size-does not-fit-all.   Lesson #4: Provide a menu of choices   At various points in my career, I remember attending conference-style PD sessions where I was allowed to choose from several PD offerings.  I found these opportunities rather gratifying as I was allowed to design my own professional growth; after all, I knew what areas I needed to improve. By providing a menu of choices, we are better able to address the differing needs of staff.   One campus administrator shared recently that this past Fall, she greeted staff with a non-traditional “check-in” sheet. Each year, district-wide, teachers are engaged in week-long PD with an aim to prepare for the return of students. As you can imagine, there is much business to attend to – from setting up your classroom, to reviewing discipline procedures, to gaining insight into a new (or returning) PD initiative. At this particular campus, staff members were able to glance at their “check-in” sheet in order to determine what their week would look like. There were certain PD pieces that were non-negotiable, yet each was offered at multiple times. The outcome was a more relaxed school opening because teachers were allowed the privilege of determining when they would complete each request.   It is inevitable, in the world of PD, we will continue to slip-up and commit blunders. But, quite humbly, my preference is to learn from the PD mistakes rather than repeat them. And, yet, it is only in being wrong that we can learn to be right.   Resource:   Reeves, D. (2006). Pull the weeds before you plant the flowers. Educational Leadership, September, 89-90.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more. ascd, glenda horner, oscb, pd lessons, pd mistakes, professional development nonadult false Learning from PD mistakes text blog ascd,glenda horner,oscb,pd lessons,pd mistakes,professional development 4170 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 6003383 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Adjusting-Your-Default-Settings-through-Coaching/blog/5906471/127586.html   Even while we’re creating new neural pathways, the old ones are still there in our brains. Until the new ones become completely second nature, then stress or fear can make us fall back on the old ones. ~Alan Deutschman   Perhaps like me, you have discovered two fundamental truths about professional development. First, follow-up is critical to effective PD.  And, second, without continuing encouragement, support, and follow-up, the average teacher has a remarkable capacity for returning to his/her “default settings” or age-old practices. With that in mind, let me propose another truth -- we already know a great deal about how to provide PD that supports teachers' implementation of research-based best practices. After all, we know that when long-term support is provided for teachers, deepened levels of implementation are more likely to occur. However, the process of implementing PD is complex and difficult. We face several factors that either augment or thwart teachers' continued use of the practices. We potentially strike at the inner core of deeply embedded and learned skills, beliefs and ideas about education even creating doubts about purpose, competency, and self-identity. It inevitably involves unease, ambiguity and struggle as people grapple with the new concept.   Because PD ultimately seeks to bring about change in teacher practice, as school leaders, we need to consider job-embedded PD as a way to better ensure deepened levels of implementation. The thinking behind job-embedded PD is that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the setting in which the teacher learning will unfold. Joyce & Showers (1980) use the term transfer. Their notable procedural PD model suggests the use of coaching (one form of job-embedded PD) to follow-up and support teachers’ efforts to transfer their learning into the classroom. Coaching “provides ongoing consistent follow-up by way of demonstrations, observations, and conversations with teachers as they implement new strategies and knowledge” (Croft, etal, 2010). The coach in this model of job-embedded PD can come in the form of a teacher-leader, a veteran teacher, or an outside consultant.   As a district, several years ago, we embarked upon a PD journey that brought onboard a handful of professional consultants working in tandem with classroom teachers across the district. Carefully matched, these dynamic duos (teacher and coach) work alongside one another in the classroom setting. Two teachers on one campus I recently visited shared their stories of how their coach helped them in the implementation process. One shared that her journey began when she observed a group of students who were consistently engaged in other off-task activities as she guided a lesson, yet they performed well academically in her class. Her coach guided her towards pre-assessment as a means for discovering up-front where students were in their learning so that she could better tailor her lessons to meet each learner where he was at, and in turn, increase student engagement. She noted that overall the group excelled. Another teacher shared that her shift to “tiered quizzes” began when her coach helped her understand the importance of assessing students at all levels of learning. Her “straight ahead,” “uphill,” and “mountainous” quizzes allow students to determine the level at which they are prepared to be assessed. Surprisingly, she discovered that the majority of students selected the most appropriate quiz. For those who needed to consider a more difficult quiz, she found that a simple, yet direct, conversation helped students more appropriately select the level of quiz.   The glaring reality is that many PD experiences continue to be short-term and disconnected from the reality of teachers' work. Skillfully implemented job-embedded PD can serve as a powerful catalyst for affecting student learning. Most studies show that coaching leads to improvements in instructional capacity. In contrast to his counterparts working in isolation, the teacher who is coached is allowed greater opportunity to more deeply apply his learning. And, yet, it is important to point out that coaching is not a panacea – a magic cure-all. (Wouldn’t that be nice if it was!) However, it can act as a bridge between learning and application, in turn lessening the gap between the two. These newly developed neural pathways lead the teacher learner to make adjustments in her default settings, thus lessening the chance that she will slip back into ineffective, age-old practices, and in turn, helping her better meet the needs of students.   Resources: Croft, A., etal. (2010). Job-embedded professional development: What it is, who is responsible, and how to get it done well. Issue brief. Retrieved March 25, 2012 from http://www.tqsource.org/publications/JEPD%20Issue%20Brief.pdf   Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1980). Improving inservice training: The messages of research. Educational Leadership, 37(5).   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     Even while we’re creating new neural pathways, the old ones are still there in our brains. Until the new ones become completely second nature, then stress or fear can make us fall back on the old ones. ~Alan Deutschman   Perhaps like me, you have discovered two fundamental truths about professional development. First, follow-up is critical to effective PD.  And, second, without continuing encouragement, support, and follow-up, the average teacher has a remarkable capacity for returning to his/her “default settings” or age-old practices. With that in mind, let me propose another truth -- we already know a great deal about how to provide PD that supports teachers' implementation of research-based best practices. After all, we know that when long-term support is provided for teachers, deepened levels of implementation are more likely to occur. However, the process of implementing PD is complex and difficult. We face several factors that either augment or thwart teachers' continued use of the practices. We potentially strike at the inner core of deeply embedded and learned skills, beliefs and ideas about education even creating doubts about purpose, competency, and self-identity. It inevitably involves unease, ambiguity and struggle as people grapple with the new concept.   Because PD ultimately seeks to bring about change in teacher practice, as school leaders, we need to consider job-embedded PD as a way to better ensure deepened levels of implementation. The thinking behind job-embedded PD is that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the setting in which the teacher learning will unfold. Joyce & Showers (1980) use the term transfer. Their notable procedural PD model suggests the use of coaching (one form of job-embedded PD) to follow-up and support teachers’ efforts to transfer their learning into the classroom. Coaching “provides ongoing consistent follow-up by way of demonstrations, observations, and conversations with teachers as they implement new strategies and knowledge” (Croft, etal, 2010). The coach in this model of job-embedded PD can come in the form of a teacher-leader, a veteran teacher, or an outside consultant.   As a district, several years ago, we embarked upon a PD journey that brought onboard a handful of professional consultants working in tandem with classroom teachers across the district. Carefully matched, these dynamic duos (teacher and coach) work alongside one another in the classroom setting. Two teachers on one campus I recently visited shared their stories of how their coach helped them in the implementation process. One shared that her journey began when she observed a group of students who were consistently engaged in other off-task activities as she guided a lesson, yet they performed well academically in her class. Her coach guided her towards pre-assessment as a means for discovering up-front where students were in their learning so that she could better tailor her lessons to meet each learner where he was at, and in turn, increase student engagement. She noted that overall the group excelled. Another teacher shared that her shift to “tiered quizzes” began when her coach helped her understand the importance of assessing students at all levels of learning. Her “straight ahead,” “uphill,” and “mountainous” quizzes allow students to determine the level at which they are prepared to be assessed. Surprisingly, she discovered that the majority of students selected the most appropriate quiz. For those who needed to consider a more difficult quiz, she found that a simple, yet direct, conversation helped students more appropriately select the level of quiz.   The glaring reality is that many PD experiences continue to be short-term and disconnected from the reality of teachers' work. Skillfully implemented job-embedded PD can serve as a powerful catalyst for affecting student learning. Most studies show that coaching leads to improvements in instructional capacity. In contrast to his counterparts working in isolation, the teacher who is coached is allowed greater opportunity to more deeply apply his learning. And, yet, it is important to point out that coaching is not a panacea – a magic cure-all. (Wouldn’t that be nice if it was!) However, it can act as a bridge between learning and application, in turn lessening the gap between the two. These newly developed neural pathways lead the teacher learner to make adjustments in her default settings, thus lessening the chance that she will slip back into ineffective, age-old practices, and in turn, helping her better meet the needs of students.   Resources: Croft, A., etal. (2010). Job-embedded professional development: What it is, who is responsible, and how to get it done well. Issue brief. Retrieved March 25, 2012 from http://www.tqsource.org/publications/JEPD%20Issue%20Brief.pdf   Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1980). Improving inservice training: The messages of research. Educational Leadership, 37(5).   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:42:36 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Adjusting-Your-Default-Settings-through-Coaching/blog/5906471/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-03-27T22:42:36Z ASCD EDge   Even while we’re creating new neural pathways, the old ones are still there in our brains. Until the new ones become completely second nature, then stress or fear can make us fall back on the old ones. ~Alan Deutschman   Perhaps like me, you have discovered two fundamental truths about professional development. First, follow-up is critical to effective PD.  And, second, without continuing encouragement, support, and follow-up, the average teacher has a remarkable capacity for returning to his/her “default settings” or age-old practices. With that in mind, let me propose another truth -- we already know a great deal about how to provide PD that supports teachers' implementation of research-based best practices. After all, we know that when long-term support is provided for teachers, deepened levels of implementation are more likely to occur. However, the process of implementing PD is complex and difficult. We face several factors that either augment or thwart teachers' continued use of the practices. We potentially strike at the inner core of deeply embedded and learned skills, beliefs and ideas about education even creating doubts about purpose, competency, and self-identity. It inevitably involves unease, ambiguity and struggle as people grapple with the new concept.   Because PD ultimately seeks to bring about change in teacher practice, as school leaders, we need to consider job-embedded PD as a way to better ensure deepened levels of implementation. The thinking behind job-embedded PD is that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the setting in which the teacher learning will unfold. Joyce & Showers (1980) use the term transfer. Their notable procedural PD model suggests the use of coaching (one form of job-embedded PD) to follow-up and support teachers’ efforts to transfer their learning into the classroom. Coaching “provides ongoing consistent follow-up by way of demonstrations, observations, and conversations with teachers as they implement new strategies and knowledge” (Croft, etal, 2010). The coach in this model of job-embedded PD can come in the form of a teacher-leader, a veteran teacher, or an outside consultant.   As a district, several years ago, we embarked upon a PD journey that brought onboard a handful of professional consultants working in tandem with classroom teachers across the district. Carefully matched, these dynamic duos (teacher and coach) work alongside one another in the classroom setting. Two teachers on one campus I recently visited shared their stories of how their coach helped them in the implementation process. One shared that her journey began when she observed a group of students who were consistently engaged in other off-task activities as she guided a lesson, yet they performed well academically in her class. Her coach guided her towards pre-assessment as a means for discovering up-front where students were in their learning so that she could better tailor her lessons to meet each learner where he was at, and in turn, increase student engagement. She noted that overall the group excelled. Another teacher shared that her shift to “tiered quizzes” began when her coach helped her understand the importance of assessing students at all levels of learning. Her “straight ahead,” “uphill,” and “mountainous” quizzes allow students to determine the level at which they are prepared to be assessed. Surprisingly, she discovered that the majority of students selected the most appropriate quiz. For those who needed to consider a more difficult quiz, she found that a simple, yet direct, conversation helped students more appropriately select the level of quiz.   The glaring reality is that many PD experiences continue to be short-term and disconnected from the reality of teachers' work. Skillfully implemented job-embedded PD can serve as a powerful catalyst for affecting student learning. Most studies show that coaching leads to improvements in instructional capacity. In contrast to his counterparts working in isolation, the teacher who is coached is allowed greater opportunity to more deeply apply his learning. And, yet, it is important to point out that coaching is not a panacea – a magic cure-all. (Wouldn’t that be nice if it was!) However, it can act as a bridge between learning and application, in turn lessening the gap between the two. These newly developed neural pathways lead the teacher learner to make adjustments in her default settings, thus lessening the chance that she will slip back into ineffective, age-old practices, and in turn, helping her better meet the needs of students.   Resources: Croft, A., etal. (2010). Job-embedded professional development: What it is, who is responsible, and how to get it done well. Issue brief. Retrieved March 25, 2012 from http://www.tqsource.org/publications/JEPD%20Issue%20Brief.pdf   Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1980). Improving inservice training: The messages of research. Educational Leadership, 37(5).   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   coaching, default settings, glenda horner, job-embedded pd, oscb, professional development nonadult false Adjusting Your Default Settings through Coaching text blog coaching,default settings,glenda horner,job-embedded pd,oscb,professional development 2189 11 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 1 0 5906471 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Keeping-a-PD-Initiative-In-Flight/blog/5793471/127586.html   As a seventh grader, I stepped aboard my first aircraft. I remember sitting quietly while tightly clutching a small suitcase packed with hand-made gifts for the extended family members I was going to visit. Both fear and excitement bubbled inside of me. My heart skipped a beat or two, and I closed my eyes in a silent prayer, as the plane lifted off the ground. I remember thinking: How is it possible that this monstrous creature remains in-flight?  What I learned later in life is that four main forces work together while a plane is flying – lift, gravity, thrust, and drag. Lift is the force that keeps the airplane off the ground and in the air.  Without lift the plane would not fly. In contrast, gravity works against lift by pulling the airplane back toward the ground.  Thrust serves as the force that keeps it moving forward, while drag tries to slow down the airplane. And, yet, it is all too easy to board an airplane forgetting or even not knowing much less understanding the physics behind flight. How easy is it then to not fully comprehend the physics behind keeping a PD initiative in-flight?   Along my journey, I have discovered that a good instructional leader is able to communicate his vision and lift a PD initiative off the ground, but a great instructional leader is able to keep it off the ground and in-flight. You see, just having the vision and starting the PD engine is a step in the right direction, but to continue to fuel it and keep it off the ground is what counts.   As I visited campuses during the last few months, I have consciously searched for examples of how instructional leaders sustain their PD efforts. My desire is to dig deep below the surface and uncover what others are doing to not only get “it” off the ground but also keep “it” off the ground. The “it” of course is the PD initiative. And as many of you have discovered, it’s not what the “it” is; it’s how the “it” is implemented, fueled, and maintained. During my visits, I discovered several ideas for keeping PD initiatives in-flight.   Provide opportunities for revisiting ideas On one campus I visited, the principal has provided each classroom with a “tool kit” – a small basket that is continuously filled with “tools” – quick strategies and tips for implementing their campus’ PD initiative. Several times a semester, the teachers receive a new set of “tools” to utilize in the classroom.   Provide opportunities for rewarding risk-taking At one high school campus, teachers are allowed to earn continuing education hours for completing a BINGO. Each square on the BINGO card is a different self-directed activity in which the teacher can choose to engage. For example, one square might be: “Give students a choice of activities or products that are differentiated for learning profile.” Another square might be: “Differentiate a homework assignment for interest, learning profile, or readiness.” Upon attaining a BINGO, teachers are asked to provide evidence of their work to an administrator who will then award continuing education credit.   Provide time On another campus, I was privileged to sit with a dynamic team of teachers as they engaged in an extended planning session. Every six weeks or so, content teams are gifted with a full day of planning, while the principal brings in substitute teachers for the team that day. One teacher shared: “Our team benefits from these extended planning sessions because we are able to lay out our roadmap for the six weeks and most effectively fold in what we are learning as teachers. This is more difficult to accomplish in brief trickles of planning time.”   Provide opportunities for sharing ideas During faculty meetings, teachers from one of the campuses I visited share with the group what they are doing in their classroom to keep the PD initiative moving forward. The campus has discovered that the sharing of ideas from teacher-to-teachers is a powerful tool for moving their staff along the continuum of implementation.   Provide opportunities for self-reflection One of the ASCD coaches who work in our district encourages the teachers she coaches to videotape themselves teaching a lesson. She asks the teachers to spend time reflecting on three key questions:   What did you want your students to understand at the end of your lesson? What do you believe were your instructional strengths and areas for growth? Did you have any realizations as you were watching yourself? (Any “aha” moments?)   Leaders see through what they've started. Once a plane is in-flight, it will continue to move forward as long as it is fueled and maintained.  Wilbur Wright (1901) once proclaimed: “When gliding operators have attained greater skill, they can maintain themselves in the air for hours at a time.” Or as poet Maya Angelou so eloquently points out: “When we know better, we do better.” The complexity of teaching and learning spreads out into a model of professional development that allows teachers time to learn, to take risks, to experiment with new concepts in the classroom, and to reflect upon what worked and what did not work. In doing so, we are better equipped for maintaining momentum and remaining in-flight.   “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”                                     ~ Winston Churchill     Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     As a seventh grader, I stepped aboard my first aircraft. I remember sitting quietly while tightly clutching a small suitcase packed with hand-made gifts for the extended family members I was going to visit. Both fear and excitement bubbled inside of me. My heart skipped a beat or two, and I closed my eyes in a silent prayer, as the plane lifted off the ground. I remember thinking: How is it possible that this monstrous creature remains in-flight?  What I learned later in life is that four main forces work together while a plane is flying – lift, gravity, thrust, and drag. Lift is the force that keeps the airplane off the ground and in the air.  Without lift the plane would not fly. In contrast, gravity works against lift by pulling the airplane back toward the ground.  Thrust serves as the force that keeps it moving forward, while drag tries to slow down the airplane. And, yet, it is all too easy to board an airplane forgetting or even not knowing much less understanding the physics behind flight. How easy is it then to not fully comprehend the physics behind keeping a PD initiative in-flight?   Along my journey, I have discovered that a good instructional leader is able to communicate his vision and lift a PD initiative off the ground, but a great instructional leader is able to keep it off the ground and in-flight. You see, just having the vision and starting the PD engine is a step in the right direction, but to continue to fuel it and keep it off the ground is what counts.   As I visited campuses during the last few months, I have consciously searched for examples of how instructional leaders sustain their PD efforts. My desire is to dig deep below the surface and uncover what others are doing to not only get “it” off the ground but also keep “it” off the ground. The “it” of course is the PD initiative. And as many of you have discovered, it’s not what the “it” is; it’s how the “it” is implemented, fueled, and maintained. During my visits, I discovered several ideas for keeping PD initiatives in-flight.   Provide opportunities for revisiting ideas On one campus I visited, the principal has provided each classroom with a “tool kit” – a small basket that is continuously filled with “tools” – quick strategies and tips for implementing their campus’ PD initiative. Several times a semester, the teachers receive a new set of “tools” to utilize in the classroom.   Provide opportunities for rewarding risk-taking At one high school campus, teachers are allowed to earn continuing education hours for completing a BINGO. Each square on the BINGO card is a different self-directed activity in which the teacher can choose to engage. For example, one square might be: “Give students a choice of activities or products that are differentiated for learning profile.” Another square might be: “Differentiate a homework assignment for interest, learning profile, or readiness.” Upon attaining a BINGO, teachers are asked to provide evidence of their work to an administrator who will then award continuing education credit.   Provide time On another campus, I was privileged to sit with a dynamic team of teachers as they engaged in an extended planning session. Every six weeks or so, content teams are gifted with a full day of planning, while the principal brings in substitute teachers for the team that day. One teacher shared: “Our team benefits from these extended planning sessions because we are able to lay out our roadmap for the six weeks and most effectively fold in what we are learning as teachers. This is more difficult to accomplish in brief trickles of planning time.”   Provide opportunities for sharing ideas During faculty meetings, teachers from one of the campuses I visited share with the group what they are doing in their classroom to keep the PD initiative moving forward. The campus has discovered that the sharing of ideas from teacher-to-teachers is a powerful tool for moving their staff along the continuum of implementation.   Provide opportunities for self-reflection One of the ASCD coaches who work in our district encourages the teachers she coaches to videotape themselves teaching a lesson. She asks the teachers to spend time reflecting on three key questions:   What did you want your students to understand at the end of your lesson? What do you believe were your instructional strengths and areas for growth? Did you have any realizations as you were watching yourself? (Any “aha” moments?)   Leaders see through what they've started. Once a plane is in-flight, it will continue to move forward as long as it is fueled and maintained.  Wilbur Wright (1901) once proclaimed: “When gliding operators have attained greater skill, they can maintain themselves in the air for hours at a time.” Or as poet Maya Angelou so eloquently points out: “When we know better, we do better.” The complexity of teaching and learning spreads out into a model of professional development that allows teachers time to learn, to take risks, to experiment with new concepts in the classroom, and to reflect upon what worked and what did not work. In doing so, we are better equipped for maintaining momentum and remaining in-flight.   “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”                                     ~ Winston Churchill     Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:22:58 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Keeping-a-PD-Initiative-In-Flight/blog/5793471/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-02-20T17:22:58Z ASCD EDge   As a seventh grader, I stepped aboard my first aircraft. I remember sitting quietly while tightly clutching a small suitcase packed with hand-made gifts for the extended family members I was going to visit. Both fear and excitement bubbled inside of me. My heart skipped a beat or two, and I closed my eyes in a silent prayer, as the plane lifted off the ground. I remember thinking: How is it possible that this monstrous creature remains in-flight?  What I learned later in life is that four main forces work together while a plane is flying – lift, gravity, thrust, and drag. Lift is the force that keeps the airplane off the ground and in the air.  Without lift the plane would not fly. In contrast, gravity works against lift by pulling the airplane back toward the ground.  Thrust serves as the force that keeps it moving forward, while drag tries to slow down the airplane. And, yet, it is all too easy to board an airplane forgetting or even not knowing much less understanding the physics behind flight. How easy is it then to not fully comprehend the physics behind keeping a PD initiative in-flight?   Along my journey, I have discovered that a good instructional leader is able to communicate his vision and lift a PD initiative off the ground, but a great instructional leader is able to keep it off the ground and in-flight. You see, just having the vision and starting the PD engine is a step in the right direction, but to continue to fuel it and keep it off the ground is what counts.   As I visited campuses during the last few months, I have consciously searched for examples of how instructional leaders sustain their PD efforts. My desire is to dig deep below the surface and uncover what others are doing to not only get “it” off the ground but also keep “it” off the ground. The “it” of course is the PD initiative. And as many of you have discovered, it’s not what the “it” is; it’s how the “it” is implemented, fueled, and maintained. During my visits, I discovered several ideas for keeping PD initiatives in-flight.   Provide opportunities for revisiting ideas On one campus I visited, the principal has provided each classroom with a “tool kit” – a small basket that is continuously filled with “tools” – quick strategies and tips for implementing their campus’ PD initiative. Several times a semester, the teachers receive a new set of “tools” to utilize in the classroom.   Provide opportunities for rewarding risk-taking At one high school campus, teachers are allowed to earn continuing education hours for completing a BINGO. Each square on the BINGO card is a different self-directed activity in which the teacher can choose to engage. For example, one square might be: “Give students a choice of activities or products that are differentiated for learning profile.” Another square might be: “Differentiate a homework assignment for interest, learning profile, or readiness.” Upon attaining a BINGO, teachers are asked to provide evidence of their work to an administrator who will then award continuing education credit.   Provide time On another campus, I was privileged to sit with a dynamic team of teachers as they engaged in an extended planning session. Every six weeks or so, content teams are gifted with a full day of planning, while the principal brings in substitute teachers for the team that day. One teacher shared: “Our team benefits from these extended planning sessions because we are able to lay out our roadmap for the six weeks and most effectively fold in what we are learning as teachers. This is more difficult to accomplish in brief trickles of planning time.”   Provide opportunities for sharing ideas During faculty meetings, teachers from one of the campuses I visited share with the group what they are doing in their classroom to keep the PD initiative moving forward. The campus has discovered that the sharing of ideas from teacher-to-teachers is a powerful tool for moving their staff along the continuum of implementation.   Provide opportunities for self-reflection One of the ASCD coaches who work in our district encourages the teachers she coaches to videotape themselves teaching a lesson. She asks the teachers to spend time reflecting on three key questions:   What did you want your students to understand at the end of your lesson? What do you believe were your instructional strengths and areas for growth? Did you have any realizations as you were watching yourself? (Any “aha” moments?)   Leaders see through what they've started. Once a plane is in-flight, it will continue to move forward as long as it is fueled and maintained.  Wilbur Wright (1901) once proclaimed: “When gliding operators have attained greater skill, they can maintain themselves in the air for hours at a time.” Or as poet Maya Angelou so eloquently points out: “When we know better, we do better.” The complexity of teaching and learning spreads out into a model of professional development that allows teachers time to learn, to take risks, to experiment with new concepts in the classroom, and to reflect upon what worked and what did not work. In doing so, we are better equipped for maintaining momentum and remaining in-flight.   “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”                                     ~ Winston Churchill     Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   capacity building, glenda horner, in-flight, oscb, pd initiative nonadult false Keeping a PD Initiative In-Flight text blog capacity building,glenda horner,in-flight,oscb,pd initiative 2215 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 5793471 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Inside-the-Black-Box-of-Implementation/blog/5718964/127586.html Like me, have you found yourself mystified by the black box of implementation?  We know that the black box on an air plane is comprised of two recorders: a flight data recorder that records flight parameters and the cockpit voice recorder that records all communication in a plane’s cockpit during a flight. By opening the black box, one can piece together what occurred while in flight. Author Michael Fullan in his book The Six Secrets of Change (2008) probes the reader by asking: What is inside the black box of implementation? How can we help others learn about and understand the inner workings of implementation? What is most effective? And, I might add, where do you begin?   In examining the implementation of a complex PD initiative like differentiated instruction one can be totally overwhelmed with information. We know that DI is a journey that begins with a single step – and that the first step is crucial and foundational to effective implementation.  In a DI classroom, pre-assessment is essential to knowing where to embark upon learning with each individual student.  The same principle rings true in determining where to begin with the implementation of any multifaceted PD initiative: You have to pre-assess where your campus is and where your teachers are in order to demystify and open up the black box of implementation.   Recently, I found myself seated with two campus principals as they discussed the very questions I noted above. One of the principals shared that in pre-assessing where her campus was, she and her team considered what Tomlinson describes as the non-negotiables of a DI classroom. These non-negotiables include a supportive learning environment, continuous assessment, high-quality curriculum, respectful tasks, and flexible groups. In doing so, they determined that they would begin their journey by focusing on creating conditions that nurture a positive, supportive learning environment. By doing such things as developing and communicating clear classroom routines and procedures, arranging classroom furniture to promote and foster collaboration, and working diligently to build a classroom culture, as well as a school-wide culture that welcomes learners and learning, the teacher learners on this campus are discovering together that the operation and tone of each classroom is reflective of their beliefs in the possibilities of each student. The campus has discovered that this particular non-negotiable provides the necessary foundation for building their implementation framework.   Once we have opened up the black box of implementation and leaped forward into implementation, naturally more questions begin to bubble to the surface. What’s next? How do we maintain momentum? How do we move teachers along the continuum of implementation? How do we sustain our efforts? Leaders can make good headway by jumping in and getting the PD initiative off the ground; however, we all know that we soon face the perennial challenge of keeping it off the ground. Next month, I will take the opportunity to share with you examples and practical ways of keeping the PD initiative in flight and moving forward.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     Like me, have you found yourself mystified by the black box of implementation?  We know that the black box on an air plane is comprised of two recorders: a flight data recorder that records flight parameters and the cockpit voice recorder that records all communication in a plane’s cockpit during a flight. By opening the black box, one can piece together what occurred while in flight. Author Michael Fullan in his book The Six Secrets of Change (2008) probes the reader by asking: What is inside the black box of implementation? How can we help others learn about and understand the inner workings of implementation? What is most effective? And, I might add, where do you begin?   In examining the implementation of a complex PD initiative like differentiated instruction one can be totally overwhelmed with information. We know that DI is a journey that begins with a single step – and that the first step is crucial and foundational to effective implementation.  In a DI classroom, pre-assessment is essential to knowing where to embark upon learning with each individual student.  The same principle rings true in determining where to begin with the implementation of any multifaceted PD initiative: You have to pre-assess where your campus is and where your teachers are in order to demystify and open up the black box of implementation.   Recently, I found myself seated with two campus principals as they discussed the very questions I noted above. One of the principals shared that in pre-assessing where her campus was, she and her team considered what Tomlinson describes as the non-negotiables of a DI classroom. These non-negotiables include a supportive learning environment, continuous assessment, high-quality curriculum, respectful tasks, and flexible groups. In doing so, they determined that they would begin their journey by focusing on creating conditions that nurture a positive, supportive learning environment. By doing such things as developing and communicating clear classroom routines and procedures, arranging classroom furniture to promote and foster collaboration, and working diligently to build a classroom culture, as well as a school-wide culture that welcomes learners and learning, the teacher learners on this campus are discovering together that the operation and tone of each classroom is reflective of their beliefs in the possibilities of each student. The campus has discovered that this particular non-negotiable provides the necessary foundation for building their implementation framework.   Once we have opened up the black box of implementation and leaped forward into implementation, naturally more questions begin to bubble to the surface. What’s next? How do we maintain momentum? How do we move teachers along the continuum of implementation? How do we sustain our efforts? Leaders can make good headway by jumping in and getting the PD initiative off the ground; however, we all know that we soon face the perennial challenge of keeping it off the ground. Next month, I will take the opportunity to share with you examples and practical ways of keeping the PD initiative in flight and moving forward.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:37:28 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Inside-the-Black-Box-of-Implementation/blog/5718964/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2012-01-18T17:23:44Z ASCD EDge Like me, have you found yourself mystified by the black box of implementation?  We know that the black box on an air plane is comprised of two recorders: a flight data recorder that records flight parameters and the cockpit voice recorder that records all communication in a plane’s cockpit during a flight. By opening the black box, one can piece together what occurred while in flight. Author Michael Fullan in his book The Six Secrets of Change (2008) probes the reader by asking: What is inside the black box of implementation? How can we help others learn about and understand the inner workings of implementation? What is most effective? And, I might add, where do you begin?   In examining the implementation of a complex PD initiative like differentiated instruction one can be totally overwhelmed with information. We know that DI is a journey that begins with a single step – and that the first step is crucial and foundational to effective implementation.  In a DI classroom, pre-assessment is essential to knowing where to embark upon learning with each individual student.  The same principle rings true in determining where to begin with the implementation of any multifaceted PD initiative: You have to pre-assess where your campus is and where your teachers are in order to demystify and open up the black box of implementation.   Recently, I found myself seated with two campus principals as they discussed the very questions I noted above. One of the principals shared that in pre-assessing where her campus was, she and her team considered what Tomlinson describes as the non-negotiables of a DI classroom. These non-negotiables include a supportive learning environment, continuous assessment, high-quality curriculum, respectful tasks, and flexible groups. In doing so, they determined that they would begin their journey by focusing on creating conditions that nurture a positive, supportive learning environment. By doing such things as developing and communicating clear classroom routines and procedures, arranging classroom furniture to promote and foster collaboration, and working diligently to build a classroom culture, as well as a school-wide culture that welcomes learners and learning, the teacher learners on this campus are discovering together that the operation and tone of each classroom is reflective of their beliefs in the possibilities of each student. The campus has discovered that this particular non-negotiable provides the necessary foundation for building their implementation framework.   Once we have opened up the black box of implementation and leaped forward into implementation, naturally more questions begin to bubble to the surface. What’s next? How do we maintain momentum? How do we move teachers along the continuum of implementation? How do we sustain our efforts? Leaders can make good headway by jumping in and getting the PD initiative off the ground; however, we all know that we soon face the perennial challenge of keeping it off the ground. Next month, I will take the opportunity to share with you examples and practical ways of keeping the PD initiative in flight and moving forward.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     capacity building, di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, implementation, oscb, pd initiative nonadult false Inside the Black Box of Implementation text blog capacity building,di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,implementation,oscb,pd initiative 924 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 5718964 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Classroom-Teachers-as-Catalysts-for-PD/blog/5650113/127586.html   A softly lit room welcomed me inside. My eyes caught the words: dare, create, live, fabulous, indulge lining one of the classroom walls.  I quietly found my way to a seat near the back of the room just behind a student. In a soft, yet audible voice, the teacher guided the day’s instruction leading up to an opportunity for students to practice their newly acquired mathematics skill cast against a backdrop of tunes by Adele. Every student remained still, quiet, and engaged. I whispered to the young lady in front of me: “So, what do you like best about this class?” Her face literally lit up as she said: “Honestly, this is my favorite class, and I haven’t always liked math.” I asked: “So, what’s different?” Softly, she said without hesitation: “The teacher; what you see today is what we get every day.”   In an atmosphere of high-stakes accountability, schools strive to improve teaching and learning for all students. They make every effort to create classrooms like the one I was privileged to visit.  As a result, effective professional development approaches for teachers are a high priority. However, the glaring verity is that attendance at a quality professional development does not make for improvement in the classroom. So, what (or who) makes the difference? Who is responsible for assuring that change toward student-focused instruction happens in the classroom?   Although a myriad of persons are responsible, no one is as vital as the teacher.  In particular, schools that succeed best in implementing professional development often employ a group of strong teacher leaders who model strategies for ther teachers in a non-threatening way. With relative frequency, these individuals are able to informally influence the overt behavior or attitudes of others. These informal leaders are able to earn their leadership through practical competency and approachability. So, how do you build a successful cadre of teacher leaders?   Consider starting with your plums. The campus I mentioned earlier is in its third year of implementing a PD initiative. They began their journey with ten open and optimistic teachers and have now expanded their cadre to twenty teacher leaders.   Allow the cadre of teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom. A job-embedded approach to professional development weaves teacher learning into day-to-day teaching practices. By affording the time, space, structures, and supports to engage in job-embedded PD, we build capacity across our campuses.   Realize that learning trajectories differ. Doing so has an element of generativity to it, does not result in alienation, and in fact may build stronger learning relationships and lead to better results. This is how we would want teachers to work with students, as well; the same principles apply.   Foster collaboration. Someone once said: “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision; the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Social interaction often deepens learning and the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for sustaining a PD initiative.   In time, through the actions of this carefully selected cadre of teachers, the initiative spreads and spills out down hallways and into the classrooms of other teachers.  For this reason, teachers should have some ownership of the direction of professional development and the institution’s shared vision for the future. Teachers must be at the center of the change.   As Tomlinson and Imbeau say in their most recent book: “The job of creating classrooms where learning thrives is “vastly easier when everyone works as a team toward a shared goal, and it is unacceptable for anyone in the chain to abdicate his or her responsibility to make school work for each student who enters the door…If every other educator fails to assume the responsibility of leadership for student-focused change, the classroom teacher still has the power to reenvision and reinvent teaching and learning,” (2010, p. 9).   We know it in our hearts that teachers, not programs make a difference – it feels so good to see this put into practice!   “What lies behind and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”      ~Ralph Waldo Emerson   Resource:   Tomlinson, C. and Imbeau, M. (2010). Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.     A softly lit room welcomed me inside. My eyes caught the words: dare, create, live, fabulous, indulge lining one of the classroom walls.  I quietly found my way to a seat near the back of the room just behind a student. In a soft, yet audible voice, the teacher guided the day’s instruction leading up to an opportunity for students to practice their newly acquired mathematics skill cast against a backdrop of tunes by Adele. Every student remained still, quiet, and engaged. I whispered to the young lady in front of me: “So, what do you like best about this class?” Her face literally lit up as she said: “Honestly, this is my favorite class, and I haven’t always liked math.” I asked: “So, what’s different?” Softly, she said without hesitation: “The teacher; what you see today is what we get every day.”   In an atmosphere of high-stakes accountability, schools strive to improve teaching and learning for all students. They make every effort to create classrooms like the one I was privileged to visit.  As a result, effective professional development approaches for teachers are a high priority. However, the glaring verity is that attendance at a quality professional development does not make for improvement in the classroom. So, what (or who) makes the difference? Who is responsible for assuring that change toward student-focused instruction happens in the classroom?   Although a myriad of persons are responsible, no one is as vital as the teacher.  In particular, schools that succeed best in implementing professional development often employ a group of strong teacher leaders who model strategies for ther teachers in a non-threatening way. With relative frequency, these individuals are able to informally influence the overt behavior or attitudes of others. These informal leaders are able to earn their leadership through practical competency and approachability. So, how do you build a successful cadre of teacher leaders?   Consider starting with your plums. The campus I mentioned earlier is in its third year of implementing a PD initiative. They began their journey with ten open and optimistic teachers and have now expanded their cadre to twenty teacher leaders.   Allow the cadre of teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom. A job-embedded approach to professional development weaves teacher learning into day-to-day teaching practices. By affording the time, space, structures, and supports to engage in job-embedded PD, we build capacity across our campuses.   Realize that learning trajectories differ. Doing so has an element of generativity to it, does not result in alienation, and in fact may build stronger learning relationships and lead to better results. This is how we would want teachers to work with students, as well; the same principles apply.   Foster collaboration. Someone once said: “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision; the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Social interaction often deepens learning and the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for sustaining a PD initiative.   In time, through the actions of this carefully selected cadre of teachers, the initiative spreads and spills out down hallways and into the classrooms of other teachers.  For this reason, teachers should have some ownership of the direction of professional development and the institution’s shared vision for the future. Teachers must be at the center of the change.   As Tomlinson and Imbeau say in their most recent book: “The job of creating classrooms where learning thrives is “vastly easier when everyone works as a team toward a shared goal, and it is unacceptable for anyone in the chain to abdicate his or her responsibility to make school work for each student who enters the door…If every other educator fails to assume the responsibility of leadership for student-focused change, the classroom teacher still has the power to reenvision and reinvent teaching and learning,” (2010, p. 9).   We know it in our hearts that teachers, not programs make a difference – it feels so good to see this put into practice!   “What lies behind and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”      ~Ralph Waldo Emerson   Resource:   Tomlinson, C. and Imbeau, M. (2010). Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:01:41 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Classroom-Teachers-as-Catalysts-for-PD/blog/5650113/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-12-16T21:38:42Z ASCD EDge   A softly lit room welcomed me inside. My eyes caught the words: dare, create, live, fabulous, indulge lining one of the classroom walls.  I quietly found my way to a seat near the back of the room just behind a student. In a soft, yet audible voice, the teacher guided the day’s instruction leading up to an opportunity for students to practice their newly acquired mathematics skill cast against a backdrop of tunes by Adele. Every student remained still, quiet, and engaged. I whispered to the young lady in front of me: “So, what do you like best about this class?” Her face literally lit up as she said: “Honestly, this is my favorite class, and I haven’t always liked math.” I asked: “So, what’s different?” Softly, she said without hesitation: “The teacher; what you see today is what we get every day.”   In an atmosphere of high-stakes accountability, schools strive to improve teaching and learning for all students. They make every effort to create classrooms like the one I was privileged to visit.  As a result, effective professional development approaches for teachers are a high priority. However, the glaring verity is that attendance at a quality professional development does not make for improvement in the classroom. So, what (or who) makes the difference? Who is responsible for assuring that change toward student-focused instruction happens in the classroom?   Although a myriad of persons are responsible, no one is as vital as the teacher.  In particular, schools that succeed best in implementing professional development often employ a group of strong teacher leaders who model strategies for ther teachers in a non-threatening way. With relative frequency, these individuals are able to informally influence the overt behavior or attitudes of others. These informal leaders are able to earn their leadership through practical competency and approachability. So, how do you build a successful cadre of teacher leaders?   Consider starting with your plums. The campus I mentioned earlier is in its third year of implementing a PD initiative. They began their journey with ten open and optimistic teachers and have now expanded their cadre to twenty teacher leaders.   Allow the cadre of teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom. A job-embedded approach to professional development weaves teacher learning into day-to-day teaching practices. By affording the time, space, structures, and supports to engage in job-embedded PD, we build capacity across our campuses.   Realize that learning trajectories differ. Doing so has an element of generativity to it, does not result in alienation, and in fact may build stronger learning relationships and lead to better results. This is how we would want teachers to work with students, as well; the same principles apply.   Foster collaboration. Someone once said: “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision; the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Social interaction often deepens learning and the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for sustaining a PD initiative.   In time, through the actions of this carefully selected cadre of teachers, the initiative spreads and spills out down hallways and into the classrooms of other teachers.  For this reason, teachers should have some ownership of the direction of professional development and the institution’s shared vision for the future. Teachers must be at the center of the change.   As Tomlinson and Imbeau say in their most recent book: “The job of creating classrooms where learning thrives is “vastly easier when everyone works as a team toward a shared goal, and it is unacceptable for anyone in the chain to abdicate his or her responsibility to make school work for each student who enters the door…If every other educator fails to assume the responsibility of leadership for student-focused change, the classroom teacher still has the power to reenvision and reinvent teaching and learning,” (2010, p. 9).   We know it in our hearts that teachers, not programs make a difference – it feels so good to see this put into practice!   “What lies behind and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”      ~Ralph Waldo Emerson   Resource:   Tomlinson, C. and Imbeau, M. (2010). Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  She has participated in ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building services. Go to www.ascd.org/oscb to learn more.   ascd, capacity building, glenda horner, oscb, pd inititiative, professional development, teacher cadre, teacher leaders nonadult false Classroom Teachers as Catalysts for PD text blog ascd,capacity building,glenda horner,oscb,pd inititiative,professional development,teacher cadre,teacher leaders 1249 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 5650113 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_The-role-of-the-principal-Leading-the-way-and-staying-the-course-in-PD/blog/5506710/127586.html   Each year, I facilitate a two-day professional development session for campus and district instructional leaders. The core of our training revolves around an iterative process for instructional improvement that involves collecting and analyzing data gathered during a series of brief classroom visits. The process I share with leaders promotes focused dialogue about teaching and learning, while providing a springboard for informing action steps aimed at increasing the effectiveness of first-time instruction. During the 30-day interval between sessions, participants are asked to implement their new learning by practicing the process of data collection utilizing a hand-held device.   This year, as I began our second session, I asked participants to share their challenges and successes they experienced as they gathered data during their brief classroom visits. Additionally, I encouraged the instructional leaders to share with us ways in which they were able to overcome any of their challenges. Not surprisingly, the consistent challenge faced by most in the room was carving out the time to implement their new learning. Although participants recognized that their efforts to gather data during these visits could potentially strengthen first-time instruction, the demands of an already full plate loomed heavily. However, as several shared ways in which they were able to conquer various obstacles, I found myself jotting down the names of their campuses. During the discussion, what became evident was the critical role that the principal plays in leading the process of implementation by nurturing the development of the professional learning, as well as by providing conditions and resources to support and sustain deepened levels of implementation. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with three of the principals who exemplify this ideal of leading the way and staying the course.   As I visited with each principal, several ideas emerged. First, what became evident is that they were able to achieve deepened levels of implementation over the long haul because they made it a part of their culture. Quite simply, it became a way in which the campus does business. The common threads that connected each principal’s experience revolved around a simplex (simple yet complex) process that became evident as each shared how the learning became infused in how they do business.  These guiding principles, cast against a backdrop of high expectations, included providing regular opportunities for feedback, as well as time for reflection and discussion, while offering continuing support throughout the process. Each principal seemed to be able to create conditions that provided just the right balance of both pressure and support.   One principal removed the obstacle of time by “shutting down” the office one full day and re-routing those who might frequent the area. She allowed her team of “walkers” to wear tennis shoes and gave them “permission” to conduct as many classroom visits as possible. Another spoke of setting goals for the number of classroom visits by each team member but being flexible when members were pulled away from the campus for various meetings.   With regard to high expectations, each principal spoke of holding himself/herself to an even higher standard. They frequently visited classrooms and played a vital role in the collection of classroom data. Each principal recognized and reinforced the efforts of those instructional leaders capturing classroom data alongside them. They were able to create a synergistic atmosphere with a bit of a friendly competitive spirit by prominently displaying data for all to see. At one campus, just outside the door of each team member conducting the frequent classroom visits is a large graphic of a thermometer where each instructional leader proudly marks the number of classroom visits he has completed. At another campus, paper doll-like cutouts represent each of the team members who chart their number of walks along a race track. Someone has come along and embellished each cutout with additional adornments including a boa for one, a pair of high heels for another and a plate of cookies for yet another. One of the “runners” shared that her principal appeared to be behind in the race earlier that week but that she quickly passed all the others after having completed a number of classroom visits one afternoon.   Each principal meets weekly with their team of data collectors and together they determine the week’s focus for the short classroom visits. Additionally, each principal noted ways in which he/she transparently communicated with teachers what the team would focus on during classroom visits via faculty meetings, team leader meetings, weekly newsletters, and postings on bulletin boards. The staff at each of the campuses I visited appeared to be well informed through various communication structures aimed at fostering coordination of effort and unity of purpose.   The bottom line is that each of the school communities I visited approached learning together. These principals were able to create cultures in which people are challenged to improve instruction, while at the same time providing the support necessary for sustaining the improvement. And rather than bringing in "this year's new thing," these school communities exemplify the power of a clear, compelling vision. One of the most common mistakes made in attempting to implement an innovation in any organization is the failure to support it and sustain the effort until it is entrenched. What became evident to me is that if professional growth initiatives are to be effective, principals must abandon the miscellany approach to professional learning and support ongoing, purposeful learning until there is evidence that the learning is having the desired impact upon the school. It is also important that principals be committed to continuous improvement. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   Each year, I facilitate a two-day professional development session for campus and district instructional leaders. The core of our training revolves around an iterative process for instructional improvement that involves collecting and analyzing data gathered during a series of brief classroom visits. The process I share with leaders promotes focused dialogue about teaching and learning, while providing a springboard for informing action steps aimed at increasing the effectiveness of first-time instruction. During the 30-day interval between sessions, participants are asked to implement their new learning by practicing the process of data collection utilizing a hand-held device.   This year, as I began our second session, I asked participants to share their challenges and successes they experienced as they gathered data during their brief classroom visits. Additionally, I encouraged the instructional leaders to share with us ways in which they were able to overcome any of their challenges. Not surprisingly, the consistent challenge faced by most in the room was carving out the time to implement their new learning. Although participants recognized that their efforts to gather data during these visits could potentially strengthen first-time instruction, the demands of an already full plate loomed heavily. However, as several shared ways in which they were able to conquer various obstacles, I found myself jotting down the names of their campuses. During the discussion, what became evident was the critical role that the principal plays in leading the process of implementation by nurturing the development of the professional learning, as well as by providing conditions and resources to support and sustain deepened levels of implementation. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with three of the principals who exemplify this ideal of leading the way and staying the course.   As I visited with each principal, several ideas emerged. First, what became evident is that they were able to achieve deepened levels of implementation over the long haul because they made it a part of their culture. Quite simply, it became a way in which the campus does business. The common threads that connected each principal’s experience revolved around a simplex (simple yet complex) process that became evident as each shared how the learning became infused in how they do business.  These guiding principles, cast against a backdrop of high expectations, included providing regular opportunities for feedback, as well as time for reflection and discussion, while offering continuing support throughout the process. Each principal seemed to be able to create conditions that provided just the right balance of both pressure and support.   One principal removed the obstacle of time by “shutting down” the office one full day and re-routing those who might frequent the area. She allowed her team of “walkers” to wear tennis shoes and gave them “permission” to conduct as many classroom visits as possible. Another spoke of setting goals for the number of classroom visits by each team member but being flexible when members were pulled away from the campus for various meetings.   With regard to high expectations, each principal spoke of holding himself/herself to an even higher standard. They frequently visited classrooms and played a vital role in the collection of classroom data. Each principal recognized and reinforced the efforts of those instructional leaders capturing classroom data alongside them. They were able to create a synergistic atmosphere with a bit of a friendly competitive spirit by prominently displaying data for all to see. At one campus, just outside the door of each team member conducting the frequent classroom visits is a large graphic of a thermometer where each instructional leader proudly marks the number of classroom visits he has completed. At another campus, paper doll-like cutouts represent each of the team members who chart their number of walks along a race track. Someone has come along and embellished each cutout with additional adornments including a boa for one, a pair of high heels for another and a plate of cookies for yet another. One of the “runners” shared that her principal appeared to be behind in the race earlier that week but that she quickly passed all the others after having completed a number of classroom visits one afternoon.   Each principal meets weekly with their team of data collectors and together they determine the week’s focus for the short classroom visits. Additionally, each principal noted ways in which he/she transparently communicated with teachers what the team would focus on during classroom visits via faculty meetings, team leader meetings, weekly newsletters, and postings on bulletin boards. The staff at each of the campuses I visited appeared to be well informed through various communication structures aimed at fostering coordination of effort and unity of purpose.   The bottom line is that each of the school communities I visited approached learning together. These principals were able to create cultures in which people are challenged to improve instruction, while at the same time providing the support necessary for sustaining the improvement. And rather than bringing in "this year's new thing," these school communities exemplify the power of a clear, compelling vision. One of the most common mistakes made in attempting to implement an innovation in any organization is the failure to support it and sustain the effort until it is entrenched. What became evident to me is that if professional growth initiatives are to be effective, principals must abandon the miscellany approach to professional learning and support ongoing, purposeful learning until there is evidence that the learning is having the desired impact upon the school. It is also important that principals be committed to continuous improvement. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:02:53 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_The-role-of-the-principal-Leading-the-way-and-staying-the-course-in-PD/blog/5506710/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-11-23T20:02:53Z ASCD EDge   Each year, I facilitate a two-day professional development session for campus and district instructional leaders. The core of our training revolves around an iterative process for instructional improvement that involves collecting and analyzing data gathered during a series of brief classroom visits. The process I share with leaders promotes focused dialogue about teaching and learning, while providing a springboard for informing action steps aimed at increasing the effectiveness of first-time instruction. During the 30-day interval between sessions, participants are asked to implement their new learning by practicing the process of data collection utilizing a hand-held device.   This year, as I began our second session, I asked participants to share their challenges and successes they experienced as they gathered data during their brief classroom visits. Additionally, I encouraged the instructional leaders to share with us ways in which they were able to overcome any of their challenges. Not surprisingly, the consistent challenge faced by most in the room was carving out the time to implement their new learning. Although participants recognized that their efforts to gather data during these visits could potentially strengthen first-time instruction, the demands of an already full plate loomed heavily. However, as several shared ways in which they were able to conquer various obstacles, I found myself jotting down the names of their campuses. During the discussion, what became evident was the critical role that the principal plays in leading the process of implementation by nurturing the development of the professional learning, as well as by providing conditions and resources to support and sustain deepened levels of implementation. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with three of the principals who exemplify this ideal of leading the way and staying the course.   As I visited with each principal, several ideas emerged. First, what became evident is that they were able to achieve deepened levels of implementation over the long haul because they made it a part of their culture. Quite simply, it became a way in which the campus does business. The common threads that connected each principal’s experience revolved around a simplex (simple yet complex) process that became evident as each shared how the learning became infused in how they do business.  These guiding principles, cast against a backdrop of high expectations, included providing regular opportunities for feedback, as well as time for reflection and discussion, while offering continuing support throughout the process. Each principal seemed to be able to create conditions that provided just the right balance of both pressure and support.   One principal removed the obstacle of time by “shutting down” the office one full day and re-routing those who might frequent the area. She allowed her team of “walkers” to wear tennis shoes and gave them “permission” to conduct as many classroom visits as possible. Another spoke of setting goals for the number of classroom visits by each team member but being flexible when members were pulled away from the campus for various meetings.   With regard to high expectations, each principal spoke of holding himself/herself to an even higher standard. They frequently visited classrooms and played a vital role in the collection of classroom data. Each principal recognized and reinforced the efforts of those instructional leaders capturing classroom data alongside them. They were able to create a synergistic atmosphere with a bit of a friendly competitive spirit by prominently displaying data for all to see. At one campus, just outside the door of each team member conducting the frequent classroom visits is a large graphic of a thermometer where each instructional leader proudly marks the number of classroom visits he has completed. At another campus, paper doll-like cutouts represent each of the team members who chart their number of walks along a race track. Someone has come along and embellished each cutout with additional adornments including a boa for one, a pair of high heels for another and a plate of cookies for yet another. One of the “runners” shared that her principal appeared to be behind in the race earlier that week but that she quickly passed all the others after having completed a number of classroom visits one afternoon.   Each principal meets weekly with their team of data collectors and together they determine the week’s focus for the short classroom visits. Additionally, each principal noted ways in which he/she transparently communicated with teachers what the team would focus on during classroom visits via faculty meetings, team leader meetings, weekly newsletters, and postings on bulletin boards. The staff at each of the campuses I visited appeared to be well informed through various communication structures aimed at fostering coordination of effort and unity of purpose.   The bottom line is that each of the school communities I visited approached learning together. These principals were able to create cultures in which people are challenged to improve instruction, while at the same time providing the support necessary for sustaining the improvement. And rather than bringing in "this year's new thing," these school communities exemplify the power of a clear, compelling vision. One of the most common mistakes made in attempting to implement an innovation in any organization is the failure to support it and sustain the effort until it is entrenched. What became evident to me is that if professional growth initiatives are to be effective, principals must abandon the miscellany approach to professional learning and support ongoing, purposeful learning until there is evidence that the learning is having the desired impact upon the school. It is also important that principals be committed to continuous improvement. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . ascd, capacity building, glenda horner, leading the way, oscb, professional development, staying the course nonadult false The role of the principal: Leading the way and staying the course in PD text blog ascd,capacity building,glenda horner,leading the way,oscb,professional development,staying the course 1414 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 1 0 5506710 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Closing-the-Knowing-Doing-Gap-in-PD/blog/5375689/127586.html   Several years ago, I participated in a small segment of a synergistic and comprehensive approach to learning based on brain research. By using visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning strategies, the program incorporated music, color and movement to aid in retention. We were reminded that students are able to connect to their learning when it is fun, interactive, and engaging. That day, as a student, I too, connected with my learning.   I soon discovered that several teachers from my campus had participated in up to 30 hours of the snippet I participated in earlier that week. Yet, as I visited their classrooms, I saw only a few that chose to influence and enhance the mood of the classroom with the use of lighting or soothing, yet, energizing music. Sprinkled across the walls of only a few of those same classrooms, I saw visual displays including anchor charts and word walls aimed at reaching visual learners. Only occasionally did I hear key learning phrases used to capture auditory learners. I was stunned. How could such a powerful professional learning experience fail to translate on a larger scale into action for teachers on my campus?   As a campus-level administrator, I expected to see evidence of professional learning. I yearned to see classrooms where professional learning sprouted feet and walked back into the classroom with the teacher in tow. However, I seldom saw full implementation that extended over a significant period of time. Don’t get me wrong. I saw glimpses of fabulous, full-fledge implementation. I saw teachers passionate about providing dynamic research-based instruction to their students. Yet, I became keenly aware that the “knowing-doing gap” is alive and well in today’s classrooms.   The unwavering truth is that we are often rich in professional learning opportunities, yet poor in implementation.  The extent to which teachers are actually using these practices in their classrooms is a great frustration for many school leaders and classroom educators. Quite simply, it is the difference between what we know in theory and what we do in practice. Reeves points out that effective PD “is intensive and sustained, it is directly relevant to the needs of teachers and students, and it provides opportunities for application, practice, reflection, and reinforcement” (2010). Knowing that to be true, then what can we learn from those who are able to progressively narrow the “knowing-doing gap?”   Recently, I visited one campus where the level of implementation was noticeably deeper than most. I saw signs that they were steadily narrowing the “knowing-doing gap.”  Over the seven year history of the campus, most of the staff has participated in 30 hours of the synergistic and comprehensive PD I mentioned earlier. According to the campus principal, out of those trained, nearly 85% actively implement the strategies and techniques they learned along the way. As I moved from classroom to classroom, I began to see glimpses of how this was possible.   For the past couple of years, just prior to teachers returning from summer vacation, the principal invites staff members to join in on an “implementation day.” Teachers are able to earn PD hours as they “work on the work” of creating an inviting, synergistic classroom environment. On the day of my visit, the group was hosting an “open house” that occurred following the “implementation day.” Small groups of teachers buzzed briskly from classroom to classroom observing what each teacher was able to accomplish during their “implementation day.” Group members left a trail of post-it notes noting what each appreciated about the classroom environment their fellow cohort members had worked to create. I found myself wanting to linger inside of each classroom anticipating the learning that would soon unfold.   Much like what Reeves stated teachers were able to apply, practice, reflect upon, and reinforce their own professional learning. The group, although guided by the principal’s vision, clearly led and reinforced their learning. The tradition of an “implementation day” on this campus stood as a reminder that all were a part of a community of educators with a common, sustained focus on creating classroom environments that invited learners and learning. And, as I soon discovered, that was only the beginning of a trail of established traditions including infusing each faculty meeting with strategies from the training, as well as follow up PD sessions sprinkled throughout the school year. Not only did I see evidence of PD sprouting feet and walking into the classroom, I also saw a concerted effort to not leave this learning passively sitting by the wayside. Now, that is powerful PD in practice!                 If the purpose of professional learning is for educators to develop the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions they need to help students perform at higher levels, then how can we as instructional leaders assure deepened levels of implementation? What works? What doesn’t work? Why do some succeed in effectively implementing what is learned in a professional learning setting? Why do the efforts of others fail? Who are the difference makers and what are their first steps in implementation? What are their next steps?   Over the course of this school year, by focusing on people and practices rather than programs, I will share with the reader practical mechanisms for turning professional learning into increased educator effectiveness, as well as enhanced student learning results – an aim I am certain many of you have set.   Resource:Reeves, D. (2010). Transforming professional development into student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   Several years ago, I participated in a small segment of a synergistic and comprehensive approach to learning based on brain research. By using visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning strategies, the program incorporated music, color and movement to aid in retention. We were reminded that students are able to connect to their learning when it is fun, interactive, and engaging. That day, as a student, I too, connected with my learning.   I soon discovered that several teachers from my campus had participated in up to 30 hours of the snippet I participated in earlier that week. Yet, as I visited their classrooms, I saw only a few that chose to influence and enhance the mood of the classroom with the use of lighting or soothing, yet, energizing music. Sprinkled across the walls of only a few of those same classrooms, I saw visual displays including anchor charts and word walls aimed at reaching visual learners. Only occasionally did I hear key learning phrases used to capture auditory learners. I was stunned. How could such a powerful professional learning experience fail to translate on a larger scale into action for teachers on my campus?   As a campus-level administrator, I expected to see evidence of professional learning. I yearned to see classrooms where professional learning sprouted feet and walked back into the classroom with the teacher in tow. However, I seldom saw full implementation that extended over a significant period of time. Don’t get me wrong. I saw glimpses of fabulous, full-fledge implementation. I saw teachers passionate about providing dynamic research-based instruction to their students. Yet, I became keenly aware that the “knowing-doing gap” is alive and well in today’s classrooms.   The unwavering truth is that we are often rich in professional learning opportunities, yet poor in implementation.  The extent to which teachers are actually using these practices in their classrooms is a great frustration for many school leaders and classroom educators. Quite simply, it is the difference between what we know in theory and what we do in practice. Reeves points out that effective PD “is intensive and sustained, it is directly relevant to the needs of teachers and students, and it provides opportunities for application, practice, reflection, and reinforcement” (2010). Knowing that to be true, then what can we learn from those who are able to progressively narrow the “knowing-doing gap?”   Recently, I visited one campus where the level of implementation was noticeably deeper than most. I saw signs that they were steadily narrowing the “knowing-doing gap.”  Over the seven year history of the campus, most of the staff has participated in 30 hours of the synergistic and comprehensive PD I mentioned earlier. According to the campus principal, out of those trained, nearly 85% actively implement the strategies and techniques they learned along the way. As I moved from classroom to classroom, I began to see glimpses of how this was possible.   For the past couple of years, just prior to teachers returning from summer vacation, the principal invites staff members to join in on an “implementation day.” Teachers are able to earn PD hours as they “work on the work” of creating an inviting, synergistic classroom environment. On the day of my visit, the group was hosting an “open house” that occurred following the “implementation day.” Small groups of teachers buzzed briskly from classroom to classroom observing what each teacher was able to accomplish during their “implementation day.” Group members left a trail of post-it notes noting what each appreciated about the classroom environment their fellow cohort members had worked to create. I found myself wanting to linger inside of each classroom anticipating the learning that would soon unfold.   Much like what Reeves stated teachers were able to apply, practice, reflect upon, and reinforce their own professional learning. The group, although guided by the principal’s vision, clearly led and reinforced their learning. The tradition of an “implementation day” on this campus stood as a reminder that all were a part of a community of educators with a common, sustained focus on creating classroom environments that invited learners and learning. And, as I soon discovered, that was only the beginning of a trail of established traditions including infusing each faculty meeting with strategies from the training, as well as follow up PD sessions sprinkled throughout the school year. Not only did I see evidence of PD sprouting feet and walking into the classroom, I also saw a concerted effort to not leave this learning passively sitting by the wayside. Now, that is powerful PD in practice!                 If the purpose of professional learning is for educators to develop the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions they need to help students perform at higher levels, then how can we as instructional leaders assure deepened levels of implementation? What works? What doesn’t work? Why do some succeed in effectively implementing what is learned in a professional learning setting? Why do the efforts of others fail? Who are the difference makers and what are their first steps in implementation? What are their next steps?   Over the course of this school year, by focusing on people and practices rather than programs, I will share with the reader practical mechanisms for turning professional learning into increased educator effectiveness, as well as enhanced student learning results – an aim I am certain many of you have set.   Resource:Reeves, D. (2010). Transforming professional development into student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:44:21 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Closing-the-Knowing-Doing-Gap-in-PD/blog/5375689/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-10-23T16:44:21Z ASCD EDge   Several years ago, I participated in a small segment of a synergistic and comprehensive approach to learning based on brain research. By using visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning strategies, the program incorporated music, color and movement to aid in retention. We were reminded that students are able to connect to their learning when it is fun, interactive, and engaging. That day, as a student, I too, connected with my learning.   I soon discovered that several teachers from my campus had participated in up to 30 hours of the snippet I participated in earlier that week. Yet, as I visited their classrooms, I saw only a few that chose to influence and enhance the mood of the classroom with the use of lighting or soothing, yet, energizing music. Sprinkled across the walls of only a few of those same classrooms, I saw visual displays including anchor charts and word walls aimed at reaching visual learners. Only occasionally did I hear key learning phrases used to capture auditory learners. I was stunned. How could such a powerful professional learning experience fail to translate on a larger scale into action for teachers on my campus?   As a campus-level administrator, I expected to see evidence of professional learning. I yearned to see classrooms where professional learning sprouted feet and walked back into the classroom with the teacher in tow. However, I seldom saw full implementation that extended over a significant period of time. Don’t get me wrong. I saw glimpses of fabulous, full-fledge implementation. I saw teachers passionate about providing dynamic research-based instruction to their students. Yet, I became keenly aware that the “knowing-doing gap” is alive and well in today’s classrooms.   The unwavering truth is that we are often rich in professional learning opportunities, yet poor in implementation.  The extent to which teachers are actually using these practices in their classrooms is a great frustration for many school leaders and classroom educators. Quite simply, it is the difference between what we know in theory and what we do in practice. Reeves points out that effective PD “is intensive and sustained, it is directly relevant to the needs of teachers and students, and it provides opportunities for application, practice, reflection, and reinforcement” (2010). Knowing that to be true, then what can we learn from those who are able to progressively narrow the “knowing-doing gap?”   Recently, I visited one campus where the level of implementation was noticeably deeper than most. I saw signs that they were steadily narrowing the “knowing-doing gap.”  Over the seven year history of the campus, most of the staff has participated in 30 hours of the synergistic and comprehensive PD I mentioned earlier. According to the campus principal, out of those trained, nearly 85% actively implement the strategies and techniques they learned along the way. As I moved from classroom to classroom, I began to see glimpses of how this was possible.   For the past couple of years, just prior to teachers returning from summer vacation, the principal invites staff members to join in on an “implementation day.” Teachers are able to earn PD hours as they “work on the work” of creating an inviting, synergistic classroom environment. On the day of my visit, the group was hosting an “open house” that occurred following the “implementation day.” Small groups of teachers buzzed briskly from classroom to classroom observing what each teacher was able to accomplish during their “implementation day.” Group members left a trail of post-it notes noting what each appreciated about the classroom environment their fellow cohort members had worked to create. I found myself wanting to linger inside of each classroom anticipating the learning that would soon unfold.   Much like what Reeves stated teachers were able to apply, practice, reflect upon, and reinforce their own professional learning. The group, although guided by the principal’s vision, clearly led and reinforced their learning. The tradition of an “implementation day” on this campus stood as a reminder that all were a part of a community of educators with a common, sustained focus on creating classroom environments that invited learners and learning. And, as I soon discovered, that was only the beginning of a trail of established traditions including infusing each faculty meeting with strategies from the training, as well as follow up PD sessions sprinkled throughout the school year. Not only did I see evidence of PD sprouting feet and walking into the classroom, I also saw a concerted effort to not leave this learning passively sitting by the wayside. Now, that is powerful PD in practice!                 If the purpose of professional learning is for educators to develop the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions they need to help students perform at higher levels, then how can we as instructional leaders assure deepened levels of implementation? What works? What doesn’t work? Why do some succeed in effectively implementing what is learned in a professional learning setting? Why do the efforts of others fail? Who are the difference makers and what are their first steps in implementation? What are their next steps?   Over the course of this school year, by focusing on people and practices rather than programs, I will share with the reader practical mechanisms for turning professional learning into increased educator effectiveness, as well as enhanced student learning results – an aim I am certain many of you have set.   Resource:Reeves, D. (2010). Transforming professional development into student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . glenda horner, implementation, knowing-doing gap, oscb, professional development, professional learning nonadult false Closing the Knowing-Doing Gap in PD text blog glenda horner,implementation,knowing-doing gap,oscb,professional development,professional learning 2458 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 2 0 5375689 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_A-DI-Blogsploration/blog/5055012/127586.html   This month marks the beginning of our district’s third year in its journey through differentiated instruction (DI), but it marks the end of a year-long “blogsploration” with readers. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to share with you some of the successes and challenges we continuously face as we implement DI. Professionally and personally, I feel as though I have gone through an alteration as I have become keenly aware of the complexities of teacher professional development, and why, as educators, our efforts to achieve sustainable improvements all too often fall short.   We could all probably recall stories of the efforts of revolutionary classroom teachers who single-handedly turned around low-performing groups of students.  Of course, we applaud these teachers, but the startling truth is that their efforts merely produce pockets of excellence. In contrast, systemic effort can produce large-scale improvement results that pulsate throughout the entire organization. I have witnessed the phenomenon unfolding in our district.   Along the way, I have discovered that a district display of steadiness during an implementation effort such as DI encourages schools to stay the course and provides a prototype for persevering throughout the change process. The likelihood of sustaining improvement is often viewed in terms of the stability of leadership. While consistency in high-level district leadership positions might help with continued improvement efforts, it is not essential. We had barely tiptoed into the first year of our journey when we were startled to hear of the retirement of one of the key leaders in the DI initiative.  What we discovered along the way is that when a commitment to the implementation effort is built on all levels and attention has been paid to the development of district, school, and classroom teacher leaders, the initiative can advance and cultivate notwithstanding leadership changes.   Equally important is the role of PD and school administrative supports needed in order to support the implementation process. Our DI teacher leaders benefited from support provided by their fellow DI cadre members, administrators, as well as the ASCD faculty member assigned to their campus.  At the core, I believe that schools and districts that change to improve have an obligation to provide staff with PD that is concentrated, targeted, ongoing, and embedded in day-to-day work. The reason is straightforward: The wheels of progress turn at a rate that is often painstakingly slow; we often give up before we witness the fruits of our labor. In this sense, we recognize that we must consider the complexities of an initiative like DI as each teacher develops over an extended period.   In my experience as a participant in and facilitator of professional development, I have discovered that the design of high-quality PD for teachers involves a model that is embedded in teachers’ day-to-day work. It meets the teacher learner where she is; acknowledges what she brings to the learning table; and is supported and sustained over time. In order for teachers to have the opportunity to plan, enact, and assess differentiated instruction in their classrooms, a PD model that mirrors what works for students must be utilized. Teachers need time to examine and practice their new learning, as well as opportunities to engage in thoughtful discourse with one another, so they can provide similar opportunities for their students. Additionally, we must acknowledge the startling truth: No method works every time with every teacher. This concept is false advertising and goes against the grain of how humans think and act in their worlds.   Through the vehicle of this blog, it has become clear to me that regardless of where and how I place myself in the educational landscape, as teacher, administrator, or blogger, I must continue to look internally to gain new perspectives from the learning that unfolds before me. At times, the stories I shared with you flowed effortlessly from my notes and transcriptions to my fingertips to the page. Yet, at other times, the words were halted and hard to express because I desired to do justice to what I saw unfurl before me. As difficult as it may be to tell a story, the more difficult but important task is the retelling of the stories that allow for growth and change. I hope that by retelling these stories, like me, you have been able to experience growth and change.   “Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."  ~ Winston Churchill     Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   This month marks the beginning of our district’s third year in its journey through differentiated instruction (DI), but it marks the end of a year-long “blogsploration” with readers. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to share with you some of the successes and challenges we continuously face as we implement DI. Professionally and personally, I feel as though I have gone through an alteration as I have become keenly aware of the complexities of teacher professional development, and why, as educators, our efforts to achieve sustainable improvements all too often fall short.   We could all probably recall stories of the efforts of revolutionary classroom teachers who single-handedly turned around low-performing groups of students.  Of course, we applaud these teachers, but the startling truth is that their efforts merely produce pockets of excellence. In contrast, systemic effort can produce large-scale improvement results that pulsate throughout the entire organization. I have witnessed the phenomenon unfolding in our district.   Along the way, I have discovered that a district display of steadiness during an implementation effort such as DI encourages schools to stay the course and provides a prototype for persevering throughout the change process. The likelihood of sustaining improvement is often viewed in terms of the stability of leadership. While consistency in high-level district leadership positions might help with continued improvement efforts, it is not essential. We had barely tiptoed into the first year of our journey when we were startled to hear of the retirement of one of the key leaders in the DI initiative.  What we discovered along the way is that when a commitment to the implementation effort is built on all levels and attention has been paid to the development of district, school, and classroom teacher leaders, the initiative can advance and cultivate notwithstanding leadership changes.   Equally important is the role of PD and school administrative supports needed in order to support the implementation process. Our DI teacher leaders benefited from support provided by their fellow DI cadre members, administrators, as well as the ASCD faculty member assigned to their campus.  At the core, I believe that schools and districts that change to improve have an obligation to provide staff with PD that is concentrated, targeted, ongoing, and embedded in day-to-day work. The reason is straightforward: The wheels of progress turn at a rate that is often painstakingly slow; we often give up before we witness the fruits of our labor. In this sense, we recognize that we must consider the complexities of an initiative like DI as each teacher develops over an extended period.   In my experience as a participant in and facilitator of professional development, I have discovered that the design of high-quality PD for teachers involves a model that is embedded in teachers’ day-to-day work. It meets the teacher learner where she is; acknowledges what she brings to the learning table; and is supported and sustained over time. In order for teachers to have the opportunity to plan, enact, and assess differentiated instruction in their classrooms, a PD model that mirrors what works for students must be utilized. Teachers need time to examine and practice their new learning, as well as opportunities to engage in thoughtful discourse with one another, so they can provide similar opportunities for their students. Additionally, we must acknowledge the startling truth: No method works every time with every teacher. This concept is false advertising and goes against the grain of how humans think and act in their worlds.   Through the vehicle of this blog, it has become clear to me that regardless of where and how I place myself in the educational landscape, as teacher, administrator, or blogger, I must continue to look internally to gain new perspectives from the learning that unfolds before me. At times, the stories I shared with you flowed effortlessly from my notes and transcriptions to my fingertips to the page. Yet, at other times, the words were halted and hard to express because I desired to do justice to what I saw unfurl before me. As difficult as it may be to tell a story, the more difficult but important task is the retelling of the stories that allow for growth and change. I hope that by retelling these stories, like me, you have been able to experience growth and change.   “Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."  ~ Winston Churchill     Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:36:59 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_A-DI-Blogsploration/blog/5055012/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-08-22T15:36:59Z ASCD EDge   This month marks the beginning of our district’s third year in its journey through differentiated instruction (DI), but it marks the end of a year-long “blogsploration” with readers. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to share with you some of the successes and challenges we continuously face as we implement DI. Professionally and personally, I feel as though I have gone through an alteration as I have become keenly aware of the complexities of teacher professional development, and why, as educators, our efforts to achieve sustainable improvements all too often fall short.   We could all probably recall stories of the efforts of revolutionary classroom teachers who single-handedly turned around low-performing groups of students.  Of course, we applaud these teachers, but the startling truth is that their efforts merely produce pockets of excellence. In contrast, systemic effort can produce large-scale improvement results that pulsate throughout the entire organization. I have witnessed the phenomenon unfolding in our district.   Along the way, I have discovered that a district display of steadiness during an implementation effort such as DI encourages schools to stay the course and provides a prototype for persevering throughout the change process. The likelihood of sustaining improvement is often viewed in terms of the stability of leadership. While consistency in high-level district leadership positions might help with continued improvement efforts, it is not essential. We had barely tiptoed into the first year of our journey when we were startled to hear of the retirement of one of the key leaders in the DI initiative.  What we discovered along the way is that when a commitment to the implementation effort is built on all levels and attention has been paid to the development of district, school, and classroom teacher leaders, the initiative can advance and cultivate notwithstanding leadership changes.   Equally important is the role of PD and school administrative supports needed in order to support the implementation process. Our DI teacher leaders benefited from support provided by their fellow DI cadre members, administrators, as well as the ASCD faculty member assigned to their campus.  At the core, I believe that schools and districts that change to improve have an obligation to provide staff with PD that is concentrated, targeted, ongoing, and embedded in day-to-day work. The reason is straightforward: The wheels of progress turn at a rate that is often painstakingly slow; we often give up before we witness the fruits of our labor. In this sense, we recognize that we must consider the complexities of an initiative like DI as each teacher develops over an extended period.   In my experience as a participant in and facilitator of professional development, I have discovered that the design of high-quality PD for teachers involves a model that is embedded in teachers’ day-to-day work. It meets the teacher learner where she is; acknowledges what she brings to the learning table; and is supported and sustained over time. In order for teachers to have the opportunity to plan, enact, and assess differentiated instruction in their classrooms, a PD model that mirrors what works for students must be utilized. Teachers need time to examine and practice their new learning, as well as opportunities to engage in thoughtful discourse with one another, so they can provide similar opportunities for their students. Additionally, we must acknowledge the startling truth: No method works every time with every teacher. This concept is false advertising and goes against the grain of how humans think and act in their worlds.   Through the vehicle of this blog, it has become clear to me that regardless of where and how I place myself in the educational landscape, as teacher, administrator, or blogger, I must continue to look internally to gain new perspectives from the learning that unfolds before me. At times, the stories I shared with you flowed effortlessly from my notes and transcriptions to my fingertips to the page. Yet, at other times, the words were halted and hard to express because I desired to do justice to what I saw unfurl before me. As difficult as it may be to tell a story, the more difficult but important task is the retelling of the stories that allow for growth and change. I hope that by retelling these stories, like me, you have been able to experience growth and change.   “Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."  ~ Winston Churchill     Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . ascd faculty member, blogsploration, di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, job-embedded pd, oscb nonadult false A DI Blogsploration text blog ascd faculty member,blogsploration,di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,job-embedded pd,oscb 643 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 5055012 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_DI-and-RtI-Making-Connections/blog/4970440/127586.html   During the past 11 months, I’ve written a lot about how our district has applied differentiated instruction in the classroom. Many of our teachers are now using, and even perfecting their use of DI, and we are thrilled with the progress many have made so far.  Yet now, as we embark upon the third year of this initiative, a large portion of the conversation we encounter is centered not only on DI but also on Response to Intervention (RtI). As we rollout the initial phases of our district’s RtI implementation plan, we realize that we face a potential dilemma -- what Allan and Goddard (2010) refer to as “initiative fatigue.” Too often, as a profession, we are guilty of splintering initiatives rather than overtly connecting them, and I’m sure some staff will be looking at our efforts in this area as one more separate thing “to do” rather than seeing it as part of an overall cohesive plan.   But having worked on our district’s secondary RtI committee for the last three years, I know that RtI is a natural fit with DI, if effectively implemented.  After all, RtI is a strategy for moving all students from one step in learning the standards to the next. Sounds a lot like DI, doesn’t it? The core principles of each are supported by research and common sense. Both concepts, DI and RtI, essentially ask us to consider what intervention efforts we are making in our classrooms and in our schools to ensure all students are successful. A growing body of research shows us that there is an undeniable connection between DI and RtI, so we have pledged that DI must become an expectation before we look for other interventions for students. We are working to expand our view of DI and RtI to encompass a proactive vision of preventing student failure. We realize that we cannot control what has happened before the student got to us; however, we can and should control what happens to the student while he or she is in our charge.   DI is the foundation of classroom interventions at Tier I of the RtI pyramid.  Teachers provide access to a high-quality curriculum for all students by implementing strategies that support the philosophy of DI, while continuously monitoring each student’s level of success. Through on-going assessment (both formative and summative), the teacher is able “to keep a continuous finger on the pulse of students' progress and thus design differentiated lessons more accurately” (Allan and Goddard, 2010). Students who do not responded to Tier I efforts may be placed in Tier II. Interventions at Tier II may include programs, strategies, and procedures designed and employed to supplement, enhance, and support Tier I. Our Tier II interventions will typically utilize a differentiated instruction model as well but in a smaller group setting.   The art of packaging the two initiatives and helping teachers see the connection is essential to the implementation process. The key is in discovering how to get teachers to see the connection. We know that professional development will play a vital role in the implementation of RtI. We also realize that we must overtly communicate the symbiotic connection between DI and RtI. Allan and Goddard (2010) express this belief as well:   Much of the frustration that educators experience as they attempt to implement multiple instructional approaches could be avoided with improved professional development, in which teachers are introduced to the concepts and research and then supported as they implement these initiatives over time.   As two prevailing methods for addressing the needs of all learners, RtI and DI, RtI can potentially strengthen and deepen the DI practices that continue to unfold on our campuses. Indeed, that would be powerful!  I am curious about your experiences with implementing RtI on your campus. Were you able to combat “initiative fatigue” by helping your teachers see the link between DI and RtiI?  If so, share with us how you were able to do so. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn from you.   Reference: Allan, S. and Goddard, Y. (2010). Differentiated Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit. Educational Leadership, 68 (2).   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.    To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   During the past 11 months, I’ve written a lot about how our district has applied differentiated instruction in the classroom. Many of our teachers are now using, and even perfecting their use of DI, and we are thrilled with the progress many have made so far.  Yet now, as we embark upon the third year of this initiative, a large portion of the conversation we encounter is centered not only on DI but also on Response to Intervention (RtI). As we rollout the initial phases of our district’s RtI implementation plan, we realize that we face a potential dilemma -- what Allan and Goddard (2010) refer to as “initiative fatigue.” Too often, as a profession, we are guilty of splintering initiatives rather than overtly connecting them, and I’m sure some staff will be looking at our efforts in this area as one more separate thing “to do” rather than seeing it as part of an overall cohesive plan.   But having worked on our district’s secondary RtI committee for the last three years, I know that RtI is a natural fit with DI, if effectively implemented.  After all, RtI is a strategy for moving all students from one step in learning the standards to the next. Sounds a lot like DI, doesn’t it? The core principles of each are supported by research and common sense. Both concepts, DI and RtI, essentially ask us to consider what intervention efforts we are making in our classrooms and in our schools to ensure all students are successful. A growing body of research shows us that there is an undeniable connection between DI and RtI, so we have pledged that DI must become an expectation before we look for other interventions for students. We are working to expand our view of DI and RtI to encompass a proactive vision of preventing student failure. We realize that we cannot control what has happened before the student got to us; however, we can and should control what happens to the student while he or she is in our charge.   DI is the foundation of classroom interventions at Tier I of the RtI pyramid.  Teachers provide access to a high-quality curriculum for all students by implementing strategies that support the philosophy of DI, while continuously monitoring each student’s level of success. Through on-going assessment (both formative and summative), the teacher is able “to keep a continuous finger on the pulse of students' progress and thus design differentiated lessons more accurately” (Allan and Goddard, 2010). Students who do not responded to Tier I efforts may be placed in Tier II. Interventions at Tier II may include programs, strategies, and procedures designed and employed to supplement, enhance, and support Tier I. Our Tier II interventions will typically utilize a differentiated instruction model as well but in a smaller group setting.   The art of packaging the two initiatives and helping teachers see the connection is essential to the implementation process. The key is in discovering how to get teachers to see the connection. We know that professional development will play a vital role in the implementation of RtI. We also realize that we must overtly communicate the symbiotic connection between DI and RtI. Allan and Goddard (2010) express this belief as well:   Much of the frustration that educators experience as they attempt to implement multiple instructional approaches could be avoided with improved professional development, in which teachers are introduced to the concepts and research and then supported as they implement these initiatives over time.   As two prevailing methods for addressing the needs of all learners, RtI and DI, RtI can potentially strengthen and deepen the DI practices that continue to unfold on our campuses. Indeed, that would be powerful!  I am curious about your experiences with implementing RtI on your campus. Were you able to combat “initiative fatigue” by helping your teachers see the link between DI and RtiI?  If so, share with us how you were able to do so. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn from you.   Reference: Allan, S. and Goddard, Y. (2010). Differentiated Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit. Educational Leadership, 68 (2).   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.    To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:38:33 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_DI-and-RtI-Making-Connections/blog/4970440/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-07-28T17:35:01Z ASCD EDge   During the past 11 months, I’ve written a lot about how our district has applied differentiated instruction in the classroom. Many of our teachers are now using, and even perfecting their use of DI, and we are thrilled with the progress many have made so far.  Yet now, as we embark upon the third year of this initiative, a large portion of the conversation we encounter is centered not only on DI but also on Response to Intervention (RtI). As we rollout the initial phases of our district’s RtI implementation plan, we realize that we face a potential dilemma -- what Allan and Goddard (2010) refer to as “initiative fatigue.” Too often, as a profession, we are guilty of splintering initiatives rather than overtly connecting them, and I’m sure some staff will be looking at our efforts in this area as one more separate thing “to do” rather than seeing it as part of an overall cohesive plan.   But having worked on our district’s secondary RtI committee for the last three years, I know that RtI is a natural fit with DI, if effectively implemented.  After all, RtI is a strategy for moving all students from one step in learning the standards to the next. Sounds a lot like DI, doesn’t it? The core principles of each are supported by research and common sense. Both concepts, DI and RtI, essentially ask us to consider what intervention efforts we are making in our classrooms and in our schools to ensure all students are successful. A growing body of research shows us that there is an undeniable connection between DI and RtI, so we have pledged that DI must become an expectation before we look for other interventions for students. We are working to expand our view of DI and RtI to encompass a proactive vision of preventing student failure. We realize that we cannot control what has happened before the student got to us; however, we can and should control what happens to the student while he or she is in our charge.   DI is the foundation of classroom interventions at Tier I of the RtI pyramid.  Teachers provide access to a high-quality curriculum for all students by implementing strategies that support the philosophy of DI, while continuously monitoring each student’s level of success. Through on-going assessment (both formative and summative), the teacher is able “to keep a continuous finger on the pulse of students' progress and thus design differentiated lessons more accurately” (Allan and Goddard, 2010). Students who do not responded to Tier I efforts may be placed in Tier II. Interventions at Tier II may include programs, strategies, and procedures designed and employed to supplement, enhance, and support Tier I. Our Tier II interventions will typically utilize a differentiated instruction model as well but in a smaller group setting.   The art of packaging the two initiatives and helping teachers see the connection is essential to the implementation process. The key is in discovering how to get teachers to see the connection. We know that professional development will play a vital role in the implementation of RtI. We also realize that we must overtly communicate the symbiotic connection between DI and RtI. Allan and Goddard (2010) express this belief as well:   Much of the frustration that educators experience as they attempt to implement multiple instructional approaches could be avoided with improved professional development, in which teachers are introduced to the concepts and research and then supported as they implement these initiatives over time.   As two prevailing methods for addressing the needs of all learners, RtI and DI, RtI can potentially strengthen and deepen the DI practices that continue to unfold on our campuses. Indeed, that would be powerful!  I am curious about your experiences with implementing RtI on your campus. Were you able to combat “initiative fatigue” by helping your teachers see the link between DI and RtiI?  If so, share with us how you were able to do so. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn from you.   Reference: Allan, S. and Goddard, Y. (2010). Differentiated Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit. Educational Leadership, 68 (2).   Dr. Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.    To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, initiative fatigue, oscb, response to intervention, rti nonadult false DI and RtI: Making Connections text blog di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,initiative fatigue,oscb,response to intervention,rti 1367 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 2 2 4970440 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Building-Capacity-to-Finish-Strong/blog/4344393/127586.html Recently, at a district leadership meeting, our superintendent of schools shared a remarkable video with us. The vignette showcased one team’s victory. Earlier this school year, Holland Reynolds and the San Francisco University High School cross country team rallied together to honor coach Jim Tracy, who had been recently diagnosed with ALS, with his eighth state championship.   Each runner knew that a cross country meet is decided by the combined finishes of the school’s top five runners. Unusually cold, adverse weather caught the runners by surprise, yet each prevailed. When one runner on the team fell at the 100 yard mark, she consequently fell into last place. She did not let this stop her. She got up, passed more than 150 other runners, and finished 16th. Another runner on the team, who had never led a race before, led the pack for more than half the race. She finished 3rd. Holland, a seasoned runner, was in 2nd place until about the two and a half mile mark. Given her record for running, the coach anticipated that she would finish strong. Then, three yards from the finish line, she collapsed. Dehydrated and exhausted, Holland began to painstakingly crawl her way to the finish line. One way or another, she would cross that finish line. Later, she and her teammates discovered that they would have narrowly won the state championship even if she had not finished. And, still, it never occurred to Holland that she wouldn’t finish. She did indeed finish strong.   The story is certainly an amazing one. We could all learn a lesson or two from these young runners. What is evident to me is that the coach invested wisely in his team. He must have continuously worked to build the team’s capacity so that they could successfully run the course, while instilling in each a commitment to the larger goal. Obviously each runner trained hard; however, it was their commitment to the larger goal, to the team, that brought about the successful outcome.   During our district’s DI journey, I have discovered that capacity building focuses on developing the competencies and skills of the group. It’s about what happens between professional development sessions, between visits from our ASCD coaches. A strong model strives to understand the hurdles that inhibit people in the organization, while enhancing the abilities of each so as to allow them to achieve measurable and sustainable results as a group. The implementation of DI involves building the capacity of teachers and leaders alike, while helping forge a larger commitment to the overall goal of improving student achievement. It is a complex process.   Recently, I heard Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, during a keynote address at our district’s annual Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships conference. I sat amongst hundreds of administrators from around our greater metropolitan area as Fullan shared his six “secrets” of successful change efforts. Among his “secrets,” two stood out for me – capacity building prevails and learning is the work.   In illustrating his “secret” that capacity building prevails, he shared that individuals and groups are high in capacity if they:   possess and continue to develop knowledge and skills attract and use resources (time, ideas, expertise, money) wisely are committed to putting in the energy to get important things done collectively and continuously So the question is: How do we work on capacity building? Fullan offers that we start by attracting talented people and then helping them develop, individually and collectively. In other words, leaders seek people who are not only individually talented but also system talented—that is, they can work within and keep developing cultures of purposeful collaboration. To put it bluntly, it is no longer acceptable for a teacher (or a leader) to say, “Leave me alone. I’m working.” Building capacity involves peer-to-peer interaction. As a district, we want our most talented teachers to “spill out” from beneath their classroom doors into the hallways and into the culture of our schools.   As Fullan shared his “secret” that learning is the work, he pointed out that organizations must consistently address their core tasks, while at the same time learning to improve what they do. Learning on the job, day after day, is the work. He said, “The one factor that stands out as twice as powerful as any other is the degree to which the principal participates as a learner in helping figure things out.”   I walked away feeling both validated and challenged. The validation comes from believing that as a district we are on the right path. DI is about providing quality first-time instruction; it is about closing the achievement gap by meeting learners where they are at and taking them to the next level. It just makes sense.  In describing the challenge we face, I borrow Fullan’s words: “The student achievement gap can be solved only when the adult gap between what we know and what we do is reduced to zero.” As a district we are not at zero – that is our challenge.   As we close out another school year, our journey through DI sprints forward into its third year of implementation. I wonder what’s up a head. I am reminded of one principal’s words: “There is no finish line” in the DI journey. And, yet, our goal is always to finish strong. Recently, at a district leadership meeting, our superintendent of schools shared a remarkable video with us. The vignette showcased one team’s victory. Earlier this school year, Holland Reynolds and the San Francisco University High School cross country team rallied together to honor coach Jim Tracy, who had been recently diagnosed with ALS, with his eighth state championship.   Each runner knew that a cross country meet is decided by the combined finishes of the school’s top five runners. Unusually cold, adverse weather caught the runners by surprise, yet each prevailed. When one runner on the team fell at the 100 yard mark, she consequently fell into last place. She did not let this stop her. She got up, passed more than 150 other runners, and finished 16th. Another runner on the team, who had never led a race before, led the pack for more than half the race. She finished 3rd. Holland, a seasoned runner, was in 2nd place until about the two and a half mile mark. Given her record for running, the coach anticipated that she would finish strong. Then, three yards from the finish line, she collapsed. Dehydrated and exhausted, Holland began to painstakingly crawl her way to the finish line. One way or another, she would cross that finish line. Later, she and her teammates discovered that they would have narrowly won the state championship even if she had not finished. And, still, it never occurred to Holland that she wouldn’t finish. She did indeed finish strong.   The story is certainly an amazing one. We could all learn a lesson or two from these young runners. What is evident to me is that the coach invested wisely in his team. He must have continuously worked to build the team’s capacity so that they could successfully run the course, while instilling in each a commitment to the larger goal. Obviously each runner trained hard; however, it was their commitment to the larger goal, to the team, that brought about the successful outcome.   During our district’s DI journey, I have discovered that capacity building focuses on developing the competencies and skills of the group. It’s about what happens between professional development sessions, between visits from our ASCD coaches. A strong model strives to understand the hurdles that inhibit people in the organization, while enhancing the abilities of each so as to allow them to achieve measurable and sustainable results as a group. The implementation of DI involves building the capacity of teachers and leaders alike, while helping forge a larger commitment to the overall goal of improving student achievement. It is a complex process.   Recently, I heard Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, during a keynote address at our district’s annual Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships conference. I sat amongst hundreds of administrators from around our greater metropolitan area as Fullan shared his six “secrets” of successful change efforts. Among his “secrets,” two stood out for me – capacity building prevails and learning is the work.   In illustrating his “secret” that capacity building prevails, he shared that individuals and groups are high in capacity if they:   possess and continue to develop knowledge and skills attract and use resources (time, ideas, expertise, money) wisely are committed to putting in the energy to get important things done collectively and continuously So the question is: How do we work on capacity building? Fullan offers that we start by attracting talented people and then helping them develop, individually and collectively. In other words, leaders seek people who are not only individually talented but also system talented—that is, they can work within and keep developing cultures of purposeful collaboration. To put it bluntly, it is no longer acceptable for a teacher (or a leader) to say, “Leave me alone. I’m working.” Building capacity involves peer-to-peer interaction. As a district, we want our most talented teachers to “spill out” from beneath their classroom doors into the hallways and into the culture of our schools.   As Fullan shared his “secret” that learning is the work, he pointed out that organizations must consistently address their core tasks, while at the same time learning to improve what they do. Learning on the job, day after day, is the work. He said, “The one factor that stands out as twice as powerful as any other is the degree to which the principal participates as a learner in helping figure things out.”   I walked away feeling both validated and challenged. The validation comes from believing that as a district we are on the right path. DI is about providing quality first-time instruction; it is about closing the achievement gap by meeting learners where they are at and taking them to the next level. It just makes sense.  In describing the challenge we face, I borrow Fullan’s words: “The student achievement gap can be solved only when the adult gap between what we know and what we do is reduced to zero.” As a district we are not at zero – that is our challenge.   As we close out another school year, our journey through DI sprints forward into its third year of implementation. I wonder what’s up a head. I am reminded of one principal’s words: “There is no finish line” in the DI journey. And, yet, our goal is always to finish strong. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:31:20 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Building-Capacity-to-Finish-Strong/blog/4344393/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-06-22T19:31:20Z ASCD EDge Recently, at a district leadership meeting, our superintendent of schools shared a remarkable video with us. The vignette showcased one team’s victory. Earlier this school year, Holland Reynolds and the San Francisco University High School cross country team rallied together to honor coach Jim Tracy, who had been recently diagnosed with ALS, with his eighth state championship.   Each runner knew that a cross country meet is decided by the combined finishes of the school’s top five runners. Unusually cold, adverse weather caught the runners by surprise, yet each prevailed. When one runner on the team fell at the 100 yard mark, she consequently fell into last place. She did not let this stop her. She got up, passed more than 150 other runners, and finished 16th. Another runner on the team, who had never led a race before, led the pack for more than half the race. She finished 3rd. Holland, a seasoned runner, was in 2nd place until about the two and a half mile mark. Given her record for running, the coach anticipated that she would finish strong. Then, three yards from the finish line, she collapsed. Dehydrated and exhausted, Holland began to painstakingly crawl her way to the finish line. One way or another, she would cross that finish line. Later, she and her teammates discovered that they would have narrowly won the state championship even if she had not finished. And, still, it never occurred to Holland that she wouldn’t finish. She did indeed finish strong.   The story is certainly an amazing one. We could all learn a lesson or two from these young runners. What is evident to me is that the coach invested wisely in his team. He must have continuously worked to build the team’s capacity so that they could successfully run the course, while instilling in each a commitment to the larger goal. Obviously each runner trained hard; however, it was their commitment to the larger goal, to the team, that brought about the successful outcome.   During our district’s DI journey, I have discovered that capacity building focuses on developing the competencies and skills of the group. It’s about what happens between professional development sessions, between visits from our ASCD coaches. A strong model strives to understand the hurdles that inhibit people in the organization, while enhancing the abilities of each so as to allow them to achieve measurable and sustainable results as a group. The implementation of DI involves building the capacity of teachers and leaders alike, while helping forge a larger commitment to the overall goal of improving student achievement. It is a complex process.   Recently, I heard Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, during a keynote address at our district’s annual Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships conference. I sat amongst hundreds of administrators from around our greater metropolitan area as Fullan shared his six “secrets” of successful change efforts. Among his “secrets,” two stood out for me – capacity building prevails and learning is the work.   In illustrating his “secret” that capacity building prevails, he shared that individuals and groups are high in capacity if they:   possess and continue to develop knowledge and skills attract and use resources (time, ideas, expertise, money) wisely are committed to putting in the energy to get important things done collectively and continuously So the question is: How do we work on capacity building? Fullan offers that we start by attracting talented people and then helping them develop, individually and collectively. In other words, leaders seek people who are not only individually talented but also system talented—that is, they can work within and keep developing cultures of purposeful collaboration. To put it bluntly, it is no longer acceptable for a teacher (or a leader) to say, “Leave me alone. I’m working.” Building capacity involves peer-to-peer interaction. As a district, we want our most talented teachers to “spill out” from beneath their classroom doors into the hallways and into the culture of our schools.   As Fullan shared his “secret” that learning is the work, he pointed out that organizations must consistently address their core tasks, while at the same time learning to improve what they do. Learning on the job, day after day, is the work. He said, “The one factor that stands out as twice as powerful as any other is the degree to which the principal participates as a learner in helping figure things out.”   I walked away feeling both validated and challenged. The validation comes from believing that as a district we are on the right path. DI is about providing quality first-time instruction; it is about closing the achievement gap by meeting learners where they are at and taking them to the next level. It just makes sense.  In describing the challenge we face, I borrow Fullan’s words: “The student achievement gap can be solved only when the adult gap between what we know and what we do is reduced to zero.” As a district we are not at zero – that is our challenge.   As we close out another school year, our journey through DI sprints forward into its third year of implementation. I wonder what’s up a head. I am reminded of one principal’s words: “There is no finish line” in the DI journey. And, yet, our goal is always to finish strong. building capacity, di, differentiated instruction, finish strong, glenda horner, journey, michael fullen nonadult false Building Capacity to Finish Strong text blog building capacity,di,differentiated instruction,finish strong,glenda horner,journey,michael fullen 1543 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 1 0 4344393 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Discovering-Hope-Grading-and-Mindset-in-a-Differentiated-Classroom/blog/3670534/127586.html   My freshman year of high school, I found myself struggling in Algebra. In fact, I earned a devastating “D” at the end of the first grading period. Throughout the next three grading cycles, I continued to muddle my way through the course, earning nothing greater than a “C.” During my bumpy ride through Algebra, I discovered that there was hope. Mrs. Wilson, my teacher, offered to tutor me. At first, I hesitantly obliged, but I soon discovered that the extra time on task, along with the opportunity to redo several assignments, began to have a positive impact on my grades. In fact, I maintained a strong “B” average in the final grading quarter!   More than a dozen years later, I found myself tutoring a third grader in math of all things! I actually laughed out loud when a mother asked me to tutor her young daughter. After all, I had never been good at math. We began with multiplication facts and traveled together through her remaining years in elementary school not stopping until she was a sophomore in high school. From this young lady, I discovered that I actually knew a thing or two about math, and in turn, she did, as well. We both grew more confident in our abilities. I didn’t realize it then, but during this time in my life, I began to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.   Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford, proposes that there are two mindsets that shape how people view learning, risk, challenges, intelligence, ability and self.Those with a fixed mindset view their talents and abilities as fixed – unalterable. They avoid failure at all costs because they are often paralyzed by fear.   People with a growth mindset, however, see themselves as a work-in-progress. They believe that they can continually enhance their intelligence, abilities and proficiency through effort and practice. They view challenges as learning opportunities. Failure is purely an opportunity to learn and grow.   I have always been captivated by the process of learning. Teaching is about watching something unfolding before your eyes. As a facilitator of learning, the challenge is in discovering ways to make learning happen. It is about moving students from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. After all, isn’t that what DI is all about?   Last week, our district’s 83 campus principals, along with other campus and district administrators, viewed Rick Wormeli’s Assessment and Grading in a Differentiated Classroom:  Redos, Retakes, and Do-overs. What he has to say in this video to educators regarding redos, retakes, and do-overs really makes you think twice about your teaching, and in turn, grading practice.  Wormeli’s words are strong:   Exposure to consistent success doesn’t teach as much as exposure to failure. Recovery from a blind alley, a stumble, actually teaches more than just walking normally through it and never falling. We want to make it okay to fail and recover from it.   Rather than “document deficiencies,” Wormeli proposes that we “jump in and get face-to-face with the learner,” while helping students realize that although they may not know something today, they will come to know it.   Following the video, leaders were asked to examine their own views on redos, retakes, and do-overs, while considering the values, beliefs, and assumptions that helped shape their views. Then, they were invited to “stand in the shoes” of various school and community stakeholders – the parent of a bilingual/ESL student, a future professor or employer, a struggling student, a teacher – among others. Finally, table groups were asked to provide input for developing guiding principles of practice for our district.   During our time together, several common themes bubbled to the surface. In addition to agreeing on the importance of a growth mindset and establishing parameters for redos, retakes and do-overs, the leaders all agreed that the process needed to be flexible, yet consistent across the district. At that point, one of our leaders commented that: “It’s more than just changing a grading scale; it’s much deeper than superficial change.” Yes, indeed, that is true. Establishing a process and parameters for redos, retakes, and do-overs would involve a paradigm shift – a dramatic change in methodology and practice. After all, in an atmosphere of high-stakes testing, rigid accountability standards, and entrenched grading practices, we find ourselves embroiled in tension.  And, then there is the issue of how teachers deal with failure. Some maintain a “gotcha” mindset, while others continuously look for ways to get students to the content. Wormeli reminds us that: “There must be hope. We can’t teach if our whole mindset is gotcha.”   How do you make such a dramatic shift? I am curious about your experiences with the concept of redos, retakes, and do-overs. I’ve read several articles about trailblazing districts that have already forged ahead.  Are you among the trailblazers? If so, please share your insights, ideas, successes, and challenges with me. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn from your experiences.   References: Dweck, C. Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books, 2006.   Wormelli, R. Assessment and Grading in a Differentiated Classroom:Redos, Retakes, and Do-overs.Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI on May 15, 2011.   Dr. Glenda Horneris the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.     To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   My freshman year of high school, I found myself struggling in Algebra. In fact, I earned a devastating “D” at the end of the first grading period. Throughout the next three grading cycles, I continued to muddle my way through the course, earning nothing greater than a “C.” During my bumpy ride through Algebra, I discovered that there was hope. Mrs. Wilson, my teacher, offered to tutor me. At first, I hesitantly obliged, but I soon discovered that the extra time on task, along with the opportunity to redo several assignments, began to have a positive impact on my grades. In fact, I maintained a strong “B” average in the final grading quarter!   More than a dozen years later, I found myself tutoring a third grader in math of all things! I actually laughed out loud when a mother asked me to tutor her young daughter. After all, I had never been good at math. We began with multiplication facts and traveled together through her remaining years in elementary school not stopping until she was a sophomore in high school. From this young lady, I discovered that I actually knew a thing or two about math, and in turn, she did, as well. We both grew more confident in our abilities. I didn’t realize it then, but during this time in my life, I began to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.   Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford, proposes that there are two mindsets that shape how people view learning, risk, challenges, intelligence, ability and self.Those with a fixed mindset view their talents and abilities as fixed – unalterable. They avoid failure at all costs because they are often paralyzed by fear.   People with a growth mindset, however, see themselves as a work-in-progress. They believe that they can continually enhance their intelligence, abilities and proficiency through effort and practice. They view challenges as learning opportunities. Failure is purely an opportunity to learn and grow.   I have always been captivated by the process of learning. Teaching is about watching something unfolding before your eyes. As a facilitator of learning, the challenge is in discovering ways to make learning happen. It is about moving students from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. After all, isn’t that what DI is all about?   Last week, our district’s 83 campus principals, along with other campus and district administrators, viewed Rick Wormeli’s Assessment and Grading in a Differentiated Classroom:  Redos, Retakes, and Do-overs. What he has to say in this video to educators regarding redos, retakes, and do-overs really makes you think twice about your teaching, and in turn, grading practice.  Wormeli’s words are strong:   Exposure to consistent success doesn’t teach as much as exposure to failure. Recovery from a blind alley, a stumble, actually teaches more than just walking normally through it and never falling. We want to make it okay to fail and recover from it.   Rather than “document deficiencies,” Wormeli proposes that we “jump in and get face-to-face with the learner,” while helping students realize that although they may not know something today, they will come to know it.   Following the video, leaders were asked to examine their own views on redos, retakes, and do-overs, while considering the values, beliefs, and assumptions that helped shape their views. Then, they were invited to “stand in the shoes” of various school and community stakeholders – the parent of a bilingual/ESL student, a future professor or employer, a struggling student, a teacher – among others. Finally, table groups were asked to provide input for developing guiding principles of practice for our district.   During our time together, several common themes bubbled to the surface. In addition to agreeing on the importance of a growth mindset and establishing parameters for redos, retakes and do-overs, the leaders all agreed that the process needed to be flexible, yet consistent across the district. At that point, one of our leaders commented that: “It’s more than just changing a grading scale; it’s much deeper than superficial change.” Yes, indeed, that is true. Establishing a process and parameters for redos, retakes, and do-overs would involve a paradigm shift – a dramatic change in methodology and practice. After all, in an atmosphere of high-stakes testing, rigid accountability standards, and entrenched grading practices, we find ourselves embroiled in tension.  And, then there is the issue of how teachers deal with failure. Some maintain a “gotcha” mindset, while others continuously look for ways to get students to the content. Wormeli reminds us that: “There must be hope. We can’t teach if our whole mindset is gotcha.”   How do you make such a dramatic shift? I am curious about your experiences with the concept of redos, retakes, and do-overs. I’ve read several articles about trailblazing districts that have already forged ahead.  Are you among the trailblazers? If so, please share your insights, ideas, successes, and challenges with me. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn from your experiences.   References: Dweck, C. Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books, 2006.   Wormelli, R. Assessment and Grading in a Differentiated Classroom:Redos, Retakes, and Do-overs.Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI on May 15, 2011.   Dr. Glenda Horneris the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.     To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Tue, 24 May 2011 19:08:34 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Discovering-Hope-Grading-and-Mindset-in-a-Differentiated-Classroom/blog/3670534/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-05-24T19:08:34Z ASCD EDge   My freshman year of high school, I found myself struggling in Algebra. In fact, I earned a devastating “D” at the end of the first grading period. Throughout the next three grading cycles, I continued to muddle my way through the course, earning nothing greater than a “C.” During my bumpy ride through Algebra, I discovered that there was hope. Mrs. Wilson, my teacher, offered to tutor me. At first, I hesitantly obliged, but I soon discovered that the extra time on task, along with the opportunity to redo several assignments, began to have a positive impact on my grades. In fact, I maintained a strong “B” average in the final grading quarter!   More than a dozen years later, I found myself tutoring a third grader in math of all things! I actually laughed out loud when a mother asked me to tutor her young daughter. After all, I had never been good at math. We began with multiplication facts and traveled together through her remaining years in elementary school not stopping until she was a sophomore in high school. From this young lady, I discovered that I actually knew a thing or two about math, and in turn, she did, as well. We both grew more confident in our abilities. I didn’t realize it then, but during this time in my life, I began to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.   Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford, proposes that there are two mindsets that shape how people view learning, risk, challenges, intelligence, ability and self.Those with a fixed mindset view their talents and abilities as fixed – unalterable. They avoid failure at all costs because they are often paralyzed by fear.   People with a growth mindset, however, see themselves as a work-in-progress. They believe that they can continually enhance their intelligence, abilities and proficiency through effort and practice. They view challenges as learning opportunities. Failure is purely an opportunity to learn and grow.   I have always been captivated by the process of learning. Teaching is about watching something unfolding before your eyes. As a facilitator of learning, the challenge is in discovering ways to make learning happen. It is about moving students from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. After all, isn’t that what DI is all about?   Last week, our district’s 83 campus principals, along with other campus and district administrators, viewed Rick Wormeli’s Assessment and Grading in a Differentiated Classroom:  Redos, Retakes, and Do-overs. What he has to say in this video to educators regarding redos, retakes, and do-overs really makes you think twice about your teaching, and in turn, grading practice.  Wormeli’s words are strong:   Exposure to consistent success doesn’t teach as much as exposure to failure. Recovery from a blind alley, a stumble, actually teaches more than just walking normally through it and never falling. We want to make it okay to fail and recover from it.   Rather than “document deficiencies,” Wormeli proposes that we “jump in and get face-to-face with the learner,” while helping students realize that although they may not know something today, they will come to know it.   Following the video, leaders were asked to examine their own views on redos, retakes, and do-overs, while considering the values, beliefs, and assumptions that helped shape their views. Then, they were invited to “stand in the shoes” of various school and community stakeholders – the parent of a bilingual/ESL student, a future professor or employer, a struggling student, a teacher – among others. Finally, table groups were asked to provide input for developing guiding principles of practice for our district.   During our time together, several common themes bubbled to the surface. In addition to agreeing on the importance of a growth mindset and establishing parameters for redos, retakes and do-overs, the leaders all agreed that the process needed to be flexible, yet consistent across the district. At that point, one of our leaders commented that: “It’s more than just changing a grading scale; it’s much deeper than superficial change.” Yes, indeed, that is true. Establishing a process and parameters for redos, retakes, and do-overs would involve a paradigm shift – a dramatic change in methodology and practice. After all, in an atmosphere of high-stakes testing, rigid accountability standards, and entrenched grading practices, we find ourselves embroiled in tension.  And, then there is the issue of how teachers deal with failure. Some maintain a “gotcha” mindset, while others continuously look for ways to get students to the content. Wormeli reminds us that: “There must be hope. We can’t teach if our whole mindset is gotcha.”   How do you make such a dramatic shift? I am curious about your experiences with the concept of redos, retakes, and do-overs. I’ve read several articles about trailblazing districts that have already forged ahead.  Are you among the trailblazers? If so, please share your insights, ideas, successes, and challenges with me. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn from your experiences.   References: Dweck, C. Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books, 2006.   Wormelli, R. Assessment and Grading in a Differentiated Classroom:Redos, Retakes, and Do-overs.Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI on May 15, 2011.   Dr. Glenda Horneris the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.     To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . assessment, carol dweck, di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, grading, hope, journey, mindset, rick wormeli nonadult false Discovering Hope: Grading and Mindset in a Differentiated Classroom text blog assessment,carol dweck,di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,grading,hope,journey,mindset,rick wormeli 4119 20 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 4 1 3670534 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Pathways-to-Learning-on-the-DI-Journey/blog/3496241/127586.html   In Democracy and education, Dewey (1916) declares that “only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem at first hand,” does the learner “seek” and “find” his own way (p. 188). The process of shaping and molding meaning is indeed complex; the learner is the only one who can accomplish this task. Learning evolves over time through a personalized process unique to each learner – something that applies to both student-learners and teacher-learners.    Over the past several months, while visiting classrooms, I’ve discovered that learning trajectories of the teacher-learners differ. For example, some teachers are consistently able to facilitate lessons guided by the principles of DI, while others are able to apply only some of the learnings successfully – and often not consistently with the multiple layers of DI. And, yet, a common theme I see time and time again is a commitment to teacher self-improvement as a means to student success. Many of the teachers whose classrooms I’ve visited speak of a willingness to participate in their own learning and experiment with the complexities of DI. One teacher shared, “I feel like it is okay if I mess it up because I am learning.”   As I move from classroom to classroom, I've also observed that DI is not a “kit” or a “grab bag” of strategies. One teacher admitted that during here early visits with the ASCD coach, she kept asking for help in developing activities for her students. She recalled, “I was constantly searching for the perfect activity. As I discovered along the way, it is not about that at all.  I was focusing on the wrong thing.” The teacher’s words reminded me that DI is about creating pathways to learning; it is a philosophy, not a set of strategies.   In turn, I have become keenly aware of the complexities of teacher-learning. As I continue to examine job-embedded PD, I see that the involvedness of teaching and learning opens up a model of PD that allows teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom, just as their students do. In visiting with various teachers involved in our district’s DI initiative, several attest to the development of a strong sense of individual autonomy, as they feel empowered to make deliberate and thoughtful changes in their classrooms. In this sense, we recognize that teachers are knowledgeable in their own right and that we must equip and empower them by realizing that each brings different experiences into the classroom. Recently, one teacher shared with me that:   With job-embedded PD, I can go right back into the classroom and immediately apply what I just learned. I also get to talk to other teachers about what we are learning. And, I truly feel like I’m not just someone in an audience. Whether it’s one-on-one or a group of us, it’s still very personalized.    More than anything, teachers involved in the initiative seem to value time and freedom to experiment with the new learning. Learning on one’s own is paramount. They don’t desire someone else’s prescription; they want to make it their own.  To me, the failure of most professional development is that we enter hoping to discover a panacea – a magic pill that will serve as a quick fix. But the fact is there are no shortcuts that teachers can just “copy and paste” in the classroom. Good PD and good DI involve a slow process of implementation meant to facilitate and promote teacher thinking and reflective practice, while providing new pathways and frameworks for developing and nurturing unique teaching styles, knowledge, and approaches to student learning. If we can consistently design that kind of PD – the kind that gets teachers to reflect and apply rather than just attempt to “copy and paste,” then I think you’d find that classroom instruction would improve significantly and all students would achieve a level of success.    As I’m sure many of you are implementing DI in your own schools, I would love to hear any thoughts you have about how well your PD is proceeding.  Is it meeting your expectations? Could it be improved?       References: Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. New York: The MacMillan Co.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .     In Democracy and education, Dewey (1916) declares that “only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem at first hand,” does the learner “seek” and “find” his own way (p. 188). The process of shaping and molding meaning is indeed complex; the learner is the only one who can accomplish this task. Learning evolves over time through a personalized process unique to each learner – something that applies to both student-learners and teacher-learners.    Over the past several months, while visiting classrooms, I’ve discovered that learning trajectories of the teacher-learners differ. For example, some teachers are consistently able to facilitate lessons guided by the principles of DI, while others are able to apply only some of the learnings successfully – and often not consistently with the multiple layers of DI. And, yet, a common theme I see time and time again is a commitment to teacher self-improvement as a means to student success. Many of the teachers whose classrooms I’ve visited speak of a willingness to participate in their own learning and experiment with the complexities of DI. One teacher shared, “I feel like it is okay if I mess it up because I am learning.”   As I move from classroom to classroom, I've also observed that DI is not a “kit” or a “grab bag” of strategies. One teacher admitted that during here early visits with the ASCD coach, she kept asking for help in developing activities for her students. She recalled, “I was constantly searching for the perfect activity. As I discovered along the way, it is not about that at all.  I was focusing on the wrong thing.” The teacher’s words reminded me that DI is about creating pathways to learning; it is a philosophy, not a set of strategies.   In turn, I have become keenly aware of the complexities of teacher-learning. As I continue to examine job-embedded PD, I see that the involvedness of teaching and learning opens up a model of PD that allows teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom, just as their students do. In visiting with various teachers involved in our district’s DI initiative, several attest to the development of a strong sense of individual autonomy, as they feel empowered to make deliberate and thoughtful changes in their classrooms. In this sense, we recognize that teachers are knowledgeable in their own right and that we must equip and empower them by realizing that each brings different experiences into the classroom. Recently, one teacher shared with me that:   With job-embedded PD, I can go right back into the classroom and immediately apply what I just learned. I also get to talk to other teachers about what we are learning. And, I truly feel like I’m not just someone in an audience. Whether it’s one-on-one or a group of us, it’s still very personalized.    More than anything, teachers involved in the initiative seem to value time and freedom to experiment with the new learning. Learning on one’s own is paramount. They don’t desire someone else’s prescription; they want to make it their own.  To me, the failure of most professional development is that we enter hoping to discover a panacea – a magic pill that will serve as a quick fix. But the fact is there are no shortcuts that teachers can just “copy and paste” in the classroom. Good PD and good DI involve a slow process of implementation meant to facilitate and promote teacher thinking and reflective practice, while providing new pathways and frameworks for developing and nurturing unique teaching styles, knowledge, and approaches to student learning. If we can consistently design that kind of PD – the kind that gets teachers to reflect and apply rather than just attempt to “copy and paste,” then I think you’d find that classroom instruction would improve significantly and all students would achieve a level of success.    As I’m sure many of you are implementing DI in your own schools, I would love to hear any thoughts you have about how well your PD is proceeding.  Is it meeting your expectations? Could it be improved?       References: Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. New York: The MacMillan Co.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   Sat, 23 Apr 2011 16:20:20 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Pathways-to-Learning-on-the-DI-Journey/blog/3496241/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-04-23T16:20:20Z ASCD EDge   In Democracy and education, Dewey (1916) declares that “only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem at first hand,” does the learner “seek” and “find” his own way (p. 188). The process of shaping and molding meaning is indeed complex; the learner is the only one who can accomplish this task. Learning evolves over time through a personalized process unique to each learner – something that applies to both student-learners and teacher-learners.    Over the past several months, while visiting classrooms, I’ve discovered that learning trajectories of the teacher-learners differ. For example, some teachers are consistently able to facilitate lessons guided by the principles of DI, while others are able to apply only some of the learnings successfully – and often not consistently with the multiple layers of DI. And, yet, a common theme I see time and time again is a commitment to teacher self-improvement as a means to student success. Many of the teachers whose classrooms I’ve visited speak of a willingness to participate in their own learning and experiment with the complexities of DI. One teacher shared, “I feel like it is okay if I mess it up because I am learning.”   As I move from classroom to classroom, I've also observed that DI is not a “kit” or a “grab bag” of strategies. One teacher admitted that during here early visits with the ASCD coach, she kept asking for help in developing activities for her students. She recalled, “I was constantly searching for the perfect activity. As I discovered along the way, it is not about that at all.  I was focusing on the wrong thing.” The teacher’s words reminded me that DI is about creating pathways to learning; it is a philosophy, not a set of strategies.   In turn, I have become keenly aware of the complexities of teacher-learning. As I continue to examine job-embedded PD, I see that the involvedness of teaching and learning opens up a model of PD that allows teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom, just as their students do. In visiting with various teachers involved in our district’s DI initiative, several attest to the development of a strong sense of individual autonomy, as they feel empowered to make deliberate and thoughtful changes in their classrooms. In this sense, we recognize that teachers are knowledgeable in their own right and that we must equip and empower them by realizing that each brings different experiences into the classroom. Recently, one teacher shared with me that:   With job-embedded PD, I can go right back into the classroom and immediately apply what I just learned. I also get to talk to other teachers about what we are learning. And, I truly feel like I’m not just someone in an audience. Whether it’s one-on-one or a group of us, it’s still very personalized.    More than anything, teachers involved in the initiative seem to value time and freedom to experiment with the new learning. Learning on one’s own is paramount. They don’t desire someone else’s prescription; they want to make it their own.  To me, the failure of most professional development is that we enter hoping to discover a panacea – a magic pill that will serve as a quick fix. But the fact is there are no shortcuts that teachers can just “copy and paste” in the classroom. Good PD and good DI involve a slow process of implementation meant to facilitate and promote teacher thinking and reflective practice, while providing new pathways and frameworks for developing and nurturing unique teaching styles, knowledge, and approaches to student learning. If we can consistently design that kind of PD – the kind that gets teachers to reflect and apply rather than just attempt to “copy and paste,” then I think you’d find that classroom instruction would improve significantly and all students would achieve a level of success.    As I’m sure many of you are implementing DI in your own schools, I would love to hear any thoughts you have about how well your PD is proceeding.  Is it meeting your expectations? Could it be improved?       References: Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. New York: The MacMillan Co.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, jepd, job-embedded pd, on-site capacity building, oscb, pathways nonadult false Pathways to Learning on the DI Journey text blog di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,jepd,job-embedded pd,on-site capacity building,oscb,pathways 856 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 3496241 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Time-Lapse-DI-Stories-Unfolding/blog/3396647/127586.html   Progressions that ordinarily appear faint or unnoticeable to us, perhaps even undetectable, become very obvious through time-lapse photography. The technique, the art, of capturing images, then creating from those images, a smooth impression of motion is likened to a virtual symphony. In a matter of moments, something spectacular unfolds before us -- a budding flower, the motion of traffic, the construction of a high rise building. The process of photographing a subject that changes indiscernibly creates a mosaic of seamless images appearing before our eyes. Each film frame is captured at a much slower rate than it will be played back. At normal speed, time appears to speed up, thus lapsing.  Each series of photographs tells a fascinating story.   Equally fascinating is watching learning unfold in a classroom whether it is student learning or teacher learning. The frustrating part is our inability to sometimes see the subtle, yet integral changes that are occurring right before our eyes. I think that is why some begin the journey through differentiated instruction (DI) but fail to continue it. Quite simply, they quit because they find it difficult to see the fruits of their labor.   Education is about learning and learning is a function of reflection. “Adults do not learn from experience, they learn from processing experience” (York-Barr, etal, 2006, p. 27). I believe wholeheartedly that we must allow ourselves opportunity to hit the pause button, as reflection fosters learning. Through reflection, we recognize the refined changes occurring in a differentiated classroom.   During the past few weeks, I seized the opportunity to visit one particular classroom numerous times. In doing so, I’ve seen something remarkable stretch out before me. Not unlike time-lapse photography, dancing in my mind’s eye is a set of mental snapshots taken in this one classroom over a period of time. Here are a few of the images I captured:   Students seated at individual computers perusing available novel trailers in order to determine the novel to which they want to devote the next few weeks.   A student unobtrusively moving towards a “sign out” sheet posted on the inside of the classroom door. She promptly signs out, notes her time of departure, grabs the “bathroom pass” -- a vest hanging nearby, and proceeds to the bathroom without disrupting the flow of the class.   A set of response cards nestled in a caddy at each table.  During a game, when a player chooses to “ask the audience,” the students pick up the cards and display their selected answer choices -- A, B, C, or D.   One hundred percent of the students, along with the teacher, involved in a silent, sustained period of reading. All reading novels of their choosing.   The teacher reminding students, “I want you to do what we always do when we finish working at the computer station. I want you to tap someone new when you have finished at the computer.”   With little direction from the teacher, students transitioning to their next task.   I’ve been talking to the teacher of that classroom, engaging her in reflective conversations, and it’s been fascinating to watch her progression. About a year and a half ago, she began participating in a program working with an ASCD faculty member. She said, “After my first year working with the ASCD coach, to be honest, I felt like I did not have a good grasp on it all. That has changed during this year. I feel like DI is what works, and I’m willing to do it because of that.” In describing what changed, she shared that her team has begun to use the DI concept of Know-Understand-Do (KUD) in the process of designing lessons. She recalls:   I felt like before we were always concentrating on what cool activity we could do to get the students’ attention. Now, our first step is to make a list of all the things we want them to know about the concepts we are teaching. For example, they need to know the six traits of writing. Then, we focus on the understandings, which are the big ideas we want them to walk away with. Like, writer’s voice can improve my writing by helping me connect with the reader. Lastly, we figure out activities we can do in class that can help us get to the big ideas.   However, she admits to being a bit of a perfectionist. She shared:   I want DI to be in every facet of everything in the room, and I just do not feel like it is there. I think we still focus a little too much on activities or strategies versus the whole, but I think that has changed my philosophy in that I see my role in the classroom as more of a facilitator than I do as a teacher.   In retrospect, she has come to realize that the workload has shifted. Although she is working harder behind-the-scenes to create promising learning experiences, her students are working harder in the classroom. I have seen daily evidence of the payoff for her and her students. She proclaims, “I hardly use the projector, and I do not stand in front of them as much anymore.” Then, she offers, “Along the way, I have enjoyed reflecting on what we did in the past as we plan for what we are going to do differently in future lessons.” In the second year of her DI journey, she has recognized that she has become much more reflective about her role in the classroom.   As we work our way into a differentiated classroom, we must be certain that we think our way into it as well. When we try something new, we need to take time to reflect before we take the next step (Tomlinson, 1999). We need to remember to capture a few mental snapshots along the way. And, we need to hit the pause button so that we can see the story unfolding before us.   References:   York-Barr, etal. (2006). Reflective practice to improve schools: An action guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.   Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   Progressions that ordinarily appear faint or unnoticeable to us, perhaps even undetectable, become very obvious through time-lapse photography. The technique, the art, of capturing images, then creating from those images, a smooth impression of motion is likened to a virtual symphony. In a matter of moments, something spectacular unfolds before us -- a budding flower, the motion of traffic, the construction of a high rise building. The process of photographing a subject that changes indiscernibly creates a mosaic of seamless images appearing before our eyes. Each film frame is captured at a much slower rate than it will be played back. At normal speed, time appears to speed up, thus lapsing.  Each series of photographs tells a fascinating story.   Equally fascinating is watching learning unfold in a classroom whether it is student learning or teacher learning. The frustrating part is our inability to sometimes see the subtle, yet integral changes that are occurring right before our eyes. I think that is why some begin the journey through differentiated instruction (DI) but fail to continue it. Quite simply, they quit because they find it difficult to see the fruits of their labor.   Education is about learning and learning is a function of reflection. “Adults do not learn from experience, they learn from processing experience” (York-Barr, etal, 2006, p. 27). I believe wholeheartedly that we must allow ourselves opportunity to hit the pause button, as reflection fosters learning. Through reflection, we recognize the refined changes occurring in a differentiated classroom.   During the past few weeks, I seized the opportunity to visit one particular classroom numerous times. In doing so, I’ve seen something remarkable stretch out before me. Not unlike time-lapse photography, dancing in my mind’s eye is a set of mental snapshots taken in this one classroom over a period of time. Here are a few of the images I captured:   Students seated at individual computers perusing available novel trailers in order to determine the novel to which they want to devote the next few weeks.   A student unobtrusively moving towards a “sign out” sheet posted on the inside of the classroom door. She promptly signs out, notes her time of departure, grabs the “bathroom pass” -- a vest hanging nearby, and proceeds to the bathroom without disrupting the flow of the class.   A set of response cards nestled in a caddy at each table.  During a game, when a player chooses to “ask the audience,” the students pick up the cards and display their selected answer choices -- A, B, C, or D.   One hundred percent of the students, along with the teacher, involved in a silent, sustained period of reading. All reading novels of their choosing.   The teacher reminding students, “I want you to do what we always do when we finish working at the computer station. I want you to tap someone new when you have finished at the computer.”   With little direction from the teacher, students transitioning to their next task.   I’ve been talking to the teacher of that classroom, engaging her in reflective conversations, and it’s been fascinating to watch her progression. About a year and a half ago, she began participating in a program working with an ASCD faculty member. She said, “After my first year working with the ASCD coach, to be honest, I felt like I did not have a good grasp on it all. That has changed during this year. I feel like DI is what works, and I’m willing to do it because of that.” In describing what changed, she shared that her team has begun to use the DI concept of Know-Understand-Do (KUD) in the process of designing lessons. She recalls:   I felt like before we were always concentrating on what cool activity we could do to get the students’ attention. Now, our first step is to make a list of all the things we want them to know about the concepts we are teaching. For example, they need to know the six traits of writing. Then, we focus on the understandings, which are the big ideas we want them to walk away with. Like, writer’s voice can improve my writing by helping me connect with the reader. Lastly, we figure out activities we can do in class that can help us get to the big ideas.   However, she admits to being a bit of a perfectionist. She shared:   I want DI to be in every facet of everything in the room, and I just do not feel like it is there. I think we still focus a little too much on activities or strategies versus the whole, but I think that has changed my philosophy in that I see my role in the classroom as more of a facilitator than I do as a teacher.   In retrospect, she has come to realize that the workload has shifted. Although she is working harder behind-the-scenes to create promising learning experiences, her students are working harder in the classroom. I have seen daily evidence of the payoff for her and her students. She proclaims, “I hardly use the projector, and I do not stand in front of them as much anymore.” Then, she offers, “Along the way, I have enjoyed reflecting on what we did in the past as we plan for what we are going to do differently in future lessons.” In the second year of her DI journey, she has recognized that she has become much more reflective about her role in the classroom.   As we work our way into a differentiated classroom, we must be certain that we think our way into it as well. When we try something new, we need to take time to reflect before we take the next step (Tomlinson, 1999). We need to remember to capture a few mental snapshots along the way. And, we need to hit the pause button so that we can see the story unfolding before us.   References:   York-Barr, etal. (2006). Reflective practice to improve schools: An action guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.   Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:15:29 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Time-Lapse-DI-Stories-Unfolding/blog/3396647/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-03-18T18:15:29Z ASCD EDge   Progressions that ordinarily appear faint or unnoticeable to us, perhaps even undetectable, become very obvious through time-lapse photography. The technique, the art, of capturing images, then creating from those images, a smooth impression of motion is likened to a virtual symphony. In a matter of moments, something spectacular unfolds before us -- a budding flower, the motion of traffic, the construction of a high rise building. The process of photographing a subject that changes indiscernibly creates a mosaic of seamless images appearing before our eyes. Each film frame is captured at a much slower rate than it will be played back. At normal speed, time appears to speed up, thus lapsing.  Each series of photographs tells a fascinating story.   Equally fascinating is watching learning unfold in a classroom whether it is student learning or teacher learning. The frustrating part is our inability to sometimes see the subtle, yet integral changes that are occurring right before our eyes. I think that is why some begin the journey through differentiated instruction (DI) but fail to continue it. Quite simply, they quit because they find it difficult to see the fruits of their labor.   Education is about learning and learning is a function of reflection. “Adults do not learn from experience, they learn from processing experience” (York-Barr, etal, 2006, p. 27). I believe wholeheartedly that we must allow ourselves opportunity to hit the pause button, as reflection fosters learning. Through reflection, we recognize the refined changes occurring in a differentiated classroom.   During the past few weeks, I seized the opportunity to visit one particular classroom numerous times. In doing so, I’ve seen something remarkable stretch out before me. Not unlike time-lapse photography, dancing in my mind’s eye is a set of mental snapshots taken in this one classroom over a period of time. Here are a few of the images I captured:   Students seated at individual computers perusing available novel trailers in order to determine the novel to which they want to devote the next few weeks.   A student unobtrusively moving towards a “sign out” sheet posted on the inside of the classroom door. She promptly signs out, notes her time of departure, grabs the “bathroom pass” -- a vest hanging nearby, and proceeds to the bathroom without disrupting the flow of the class.   A set of response cards nestled in a caddy at each table.  During a game, when a player chooses to “ask the audience,” the students pick up the cards and display their selected answer choices -- A, B, C, or D.   One hundred percent of the students, along with the teacher, involved in a silent, sustained period of reading. All reading novels of their choosing.   The teacher reminding students, “I want you to do what we always do when we finish working at the computer station. I want you to tap someone new when you have finished at the computer.”   With little direction from the teacher, students transitioning to their next task.   I’ve been talking to the teacher of that classroom, engaging her in reflective conversations, and it’s been fascinating to watch her progression. About a year and a half ago, she began participating in a program working with an ASCD faculty member. She said, “After my first year working with the ASCD coach, to be honest, I felt like I did not have a good grasp on it all. That has changed during this year. I feel like DI is what works, and I’m willing to do it because of that.” In describing what changed, she shared that her team has begun to use the DI concept of Know-Understand-Do (KUD) in the process of designing lessons. She recalls:   I felt like before we were always concentrating on what cool activity we could do to get the students’ attention. Now, our first step is to make a list of all the things we want them to know about the concepts we are teaching. For example, they need to know the six traits of writing. Then, we focus on the understandings, which are the big ideas we want them to walk away with. Like, writer’s voice can improve my writing by helping me connect with the reader. Lastly, we figure out activities we can do in class that can help us get to the big ideas.   However, she admits to being a bit of a perfectionist. She shared:   I want DI to be in every facet of everything in the room, and I just do not feel like it is there. I think we still focus a little too much on activities or strategies versus the whole, but I think that has changed my philosophy in that I see my role in the classroom as more of a facilitator than I do as a teacher.   In retrospect, she has come to realize that the workload has shifted. Although she is working harder behind-the-scenes to create promising learning experiences, her students are working harder in the classroom. I have seen daily evidence of the payoff for her and her students. She proclaims, “I hardly use the projector, and I do not stand in front of them as much anymore.” Then, she offers, “Along the way, I have enjoyed reflecting on what we did in the past as we plan for what we are going to do differently in future lessons.” In the second year of her DI journey, she has recognized that she has become much more reflective about her role in the classroom.   As we work our way into a differentiated classroom, we must be certain that we think our way into it as well. When we try something new, we need to take time to reflect before we take the next step (Tomlinson, 1999). We need to remember to capture a few mental snapshots along the way. And, we need to hit the pause button so that we can see the story unfolding before us.   References:   York-Barr, etal. (2006). Reflective practice to improve schools: An action guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.   Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . carol ann tomlinson, di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, journey, on-site capacity building, oscb, reflection, stories unfolding, time-lapse di nonadult false Time-Lapse DI: Stories Unfolding text blog carol ann tomlinson,di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,journey,on-site capacity building,oscb,reflection,stories unfolding,time-lapse di 600 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 3396647 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Every-Path-has-its-Puddles/blog/3320761/127586.html     As a district, we are reminded daily that differentiated instruction (DI) is indeed a journey, and as one principal added: “There is no finish line.” Yet, we continue down the path with intentionality and fervor. An absorbing (pun intended) English proverb reminds us that: “Every path has its puddles.” Sidestepping puddles is the goal of many. However, I believe that our aim should not be to avoid the puddles; instead we should seize the opportunity to soak up the teachable moments these puddles provide. One of the relatively large puddles we continuously cross is the change process itself.   Tomlinson points out that:   Despite compelling new educational knowledge, classrooms have changed little over the last 100 years. We still assume that a child of a given age is enough like all other children of the same age that he or she should traverse the same curriculum in the same fashion with all other students of that age” (p. 22).   In examining the change process, several questions bubble to the surface. How do school leaders bring about change in a manner that considers the context of the teacher as learner? How does productive change successfully happen in school contexts? In short, what works to bring about change?   Well, we know that change-friendly organizations approach learning together; they form networks to exchange ideas. Leaders create cultures in which people are challenged to take risks, while at the same time providing the support necessary to taking those risks. This orientation toward change suggests that constant reflection, evaluation, and experimentation are integral elements of the teaching role. This takes time.   The principal at one of the campuses I frequent continues to guide the journey. He meets regularly with the ASCD coach that is assigned to the campus, and together, they plan each visit. He made it a practice early on to seek input from the cadre of teachers being coached. Prior to each visit, he asks them what they need during the next coaching visit. As a result, the teachers speak of the shared ownership they feel.The teacher learners are encouraged to weave the new learning into their existing tapestry. And, still, they stumble across puddles along the way.   The teachers on this campus, like most, face the daily push to meet deadlines, manage student learning and accomplish the myriad of duties required of teachers. Time is an often-fought nemesis. Rather than allow teachers to drown in inertia, the principal carves out extended time for teachers to plan. Every six weeks or so, content teams are encouraged to request a full day of planning. The principal brings in substitute teachers for the team that day. One teacher shared: “This gift of time allows us the opportunity to plan DI lessons that are likened to a gourmet meal involving high-quality ingredients that are skillfully tailored and prepared to meet the needs of our students. The kids love and benefit from the lessons we are able to generate during these extended planning sessions.” By removing the pressure of creating lessons in brief trickles of time spread across a normal week, time becomes an ally for teachers as they prepare gourmet lessons. In turn, the principal is able to facilitate and nurture productive change.   The complexity of teaching and learning spreads out into a model of professional development that allows teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom, just as their students do. “Professional development should no longer be an event that takes place on one particular day of the school year. Teachers must view professional development as a part of their daily work” (Lancaster, 2006, p. 47).   No one ever said that the journey would be easy. At times, the terrain is bumpy. Sometimes we lose sight of our intended outcome. Yet, we continue to step forward; we continue to learn from our puddles. And, so, I ask, what have you learned through the change processes you’ve championed? Do you carefully step around the puddles or do you jump in feet first?   References:   Lancaster, S.A. (2006). Time, support and follow-up: The keys to successful professional development. International journal of instructional technology and distance learning, 3(9), 43-55. Retrieved from http://itdl.org/Journal/Sep_06/index.html.     Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all  learners.Alexandiria, VA: ASCD.     Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.     To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .     As a district, we are reminded daily that differentiated instruction (DI) is indeed a journey, and as one principal added: “There is no finish line.” Yet, we continue down the path with intentionality and fervor. An absorbing (pun intended) English proverb reminds us that: “Every path has its puddles.” Sidestepping puddles is the goal of many. However, I believe that our aim should not be to avoid the puddles; instead we should seize the opportunity to soak up the teachable moments these puddles provide. One of the relatively large puddles we continuously cross is the change process itself.   Tomlinson points out that:   Despite compelling new educational knowledge, classrooms have changed little over the last 100 years. We still assume that a child of a given age is enough like all other children of the same age that he or she should traverse the same curriculum in the same fashion with all other students of that age” (p. 22).   In examining the change process, several questions bubble to the surface. How do school leaders bring about change in a manner that considers the context of the teacher as learner? How does productive change successfully happen in school contexts? In short, what works to bring about change?   Well, we know that change-friendly organizations approach learning together; they form networks to exchange ideas. Leaders create cultures in which people are challenged to take risks, while at the same time providing the support necessary to taking those risks. This orientation toward change suggests that constant reflection, evaluation, and experimentation are integral elements of the teaching role. This takes time.   The principal at one of the campuses I frequent continues to guide the journey. He meets regularly with the ASCD coach that is assigned to the campus, and together, they plan each visit. He made it a practice early on to seek input from the cadre of teachers being coached. Prior to each visit, he asks them what they need during the next coaching visit. As a result, the teachers speak of the shared ownership they feel.The teacher learners are encouraged to weave the new learning into their existing tapestry. And, still, they stumble across puddles along the way.   The teachers on this campus, like most, face the daily push to meet deadlines, manage student learning and accomplish the myriad of duties required of teachers. Time is an often-fought nemesis. Rather than allow teachers to drown in inertia, the principal carves out extended time for teachers to plan. Every six weeks or so, content teams are encouraged to request a full day of planning. The principal brings in substitute teachers for the team that day. One teacher shared: “This gift of time allows us the opportunity to plan DI lessons that are likened to a gourmet meal involving high-quality ingredients that are skillfully tailored and prepared to meet the needs of our students. The kids love and benefit from the lessons we are able to generate during these extended planning sessions.” By removing the pressure of creating lessons in brief trickles of time spread across a normal week, time becomes an ally for teachers as they prepare gourmet lessons. In turn, the principal is able to facilitate and nurture productive change.   The complexity of teaching and learning spreads out into a model of professional development that allows teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom, just as their students do. “Professional development should no longer be an event that takes place on one particular day of the school year. Teachers must view professional development as a part of their daily work” (Lancaster, 2006, p. 47).   No one ever said that the journey would be easy. At times, the terrain is bumpy. Sometimes we lose sight of our intended outcome. Yet, we continue to step forward; we continue to learn from our puddles. And, so, I ask, what have you learned through the change processes you’ve championed? Do you carefully step around the puddles or do you jump in feet first?   References:   Lancaster, S.A. (2006). Time, support and follow-up: The keys to successful professional development. International journal of instructional technology and distance learning, 3(9), 43-55. Retrieved from http://itdl.org/Journal/Sep_06/index.html.     Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all  learners.Alexandiria, VA: ASCD.     Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.     To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Fri, 18 Feb 2011 03:50:42 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Every-Path-has-its-Puddles/blog/3320761/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-02-18T03:50:42Z ASCD EDge     As a district, we are reminded daily that differentiated instruction (DI) is indeed a journey, and as one principal added: “There is no finish line.” Yet, we continue down the path with intentionality and fervor. An absorbing (pun intended) English proverb reminds us that: “Every path has its puddles.” Sidestepping puddles is the goal of many. However, I believe that our aim should not be to avoid the puddles; instead we should seize the opportunity to soak up the teachable moments these puddles provide. One of the relatively large puddles we continuously cross is the change process itself.   Tomlinson points out that:   Despite compelling new educational knowledge, classrooms have changed little over the last 100 years. We still assume that a child of a given age is enough like all other children of the same age that he or she should traverse the same curriculum in the same fashion with all other students of that age” (p. 22).   In examining the change process, several questions bubble to the surface. How do school leaders bring about change in a manner that considers the context of the teacher as learner? How does productive change successfully happen in school contexts? In short, what works to bring about change?   Well, we know that change-friendly organizations approach learning together; they form networks to exchange ideas. Leaders create cultures in which people are challenged to take risks, while at the same time providing the support necessary to taking those risks. This orientation toward change suggests that constant reflection, evaluation, and experimentation are integral elements of the teaching role. This takes time.   The principal at one of the campuses I frequent continues to guide the journey. He meets regularly with the ASCD coach that is assigned to the campus, and together, they plan each visit. He made it a practice early on to seek input from the cadre of teachers being coached. Prior to each visit, he asks them what they need during the next coaching visit. As a result, the teachers speak of the shared ownership they feel.The teacher learners are encouraged to weave the new learning into their existing tapestry. And, still, they stumble across puddles along the way.   The teachers on this campus, like most, face the daily push to meet deadlines, manage student learning and accomplish the myriad of duties required of teachers. Time is an often-fought nemesis. Rather than allow teachers to drown in inertia, the principal carves out extended time for teachers to plan. Every six weeks or so, content teams are encouraged to request a full day of planning. The principal brings in substitute teachers for the team that day. One teacher shared: “This gift of time allows us the opportunity to plan DI lessons that are likened to a gourmet meal involving high-quality ingredients that are skillfully tailored and prepared to meet the needs of our students. The kids love and benefit from the lessons we are able to generate during these extended planning sessions.” By removing the pressure of creating lessons in brief trickles of time spread across a normal week, time becomes an ally for teachers as they prepare gourmet lessons. In turn, the principal is able to facilitate and nurture productive change.   The complexity of teaching and learning spreads out into a model of professional development that allows teachers time to learn and experiment with new concepts in the classroom, just as their students do. “Professional development should no longer be an event that takes place on one particular day of the school year. Teachers must view professional development as a part of their daily work” (Lancaster, 2006, p. 47).   No one ever said that the journey would be easy. At times, the terrain is bumpy. Sometimes we lose sight of our intended outcome. Yet, we continue to step forward; we continue to learn from our puddles. And, so, I ask, what have you learned through the change processes you’ve championed? Do you carefully step around the puddles or do you jump in feet first?   References:   Lancaster, S.A. (2006). Time, support and follow-up: The keys to successful professional development. International journal of instructional technology and distance learning, 3(9), 43-55. Retrieved from http://itdl.org/Journal/Sep_06/index.html.     Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all  learners.Alexandiria, VA: ASCD.     Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction during the 2010-2011 school year.     To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . ascd, capacity building, carol ann tomlinson, change, di, differentited instruction, glenda horner, oscd, path, puddles nonadult false Every Path has its Puddles text blog ascd,capacity building,carol ann tomlinson,change,di,differentited instruction,glenda horner,oscd,path,puddles 956 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 0 0 3320761 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_What-do-DI-and-the-Bloody-Mary-have-in-Common/blog/3240200/127586.html In 1912, charged with supplying a Latin quotation suitable for inscription on a new building at Newark State College (now Kean College of New Jersey), John Cotton Dana, a Newark, New Jersey, librarian, composed what became the college motto: “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn” (The New York Times Book Review, March 5, 1967, p. 55). You could probably take that one step further and add that who dares to lead must never cease to learn.   In the process of learning, we thread together events and experiences from the past to the present; in doing so, we shape the future. Dewey (1938) believed that we do not come to things as an empty slate; instead we bring the knowledge from the experience we previously lived to each new experience. Dewey perceived education as life and life as shaped by experiences. In Education and experience, he proposed: “Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself” (Dewey, 1938).   I was privileged this past week to serve the role of learner. More than 125 district leaders came together with ASCD faculty member, Dr. Carol O’Connor, to lean once again on her expertise as we step further along on our differentiated instruction (DI) journey. One thing she shared with us that stuck with me:  DI, she said, is like a thoughtful mix of various ingredients. Like a Bloody Mary, she said. A Bloody Mary, I thought?  But the more she explained, the more it made sense. Independently, the simple ingredients of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, vodka, horseradish and pepper all have their intrinsic worth.  Still, it’s the mix of those ingredients that’s the key. There’s no single way to do it, in fact, with a Bloody Mary there are endless ways, as every serious Bloody devotee knows.   Similarly, DI is all about the thoughtful combination of ingredients, as well. Take the area of technology in the classroom. In the past few weeks, as I visited campuses, I primarily focused on purposefully designed lessons that included varying uses of technology. It was not just technology in the hands and under the control of the teacher; it was in the hands of kids! It wasn’t the use of technology for technology’s sake; it was the use of technology to differentiate instruction. Like the Bloody Mary, the combination of key ingredients utilizing technology resulted in lessons that engaged every student.   I knelt down next to several students, and we dialogued about the tools they were utilizing. I saw classrooms full of digital natives creating, collaborating, and solving problems. These digital natives taught this digital immigrant a thing or two! Fear did not exist for these students as they navigated through the lessons utilizing technology. Yet, I saw evidence of teachers at varying levels of comfort as it relates to utilizing technology to differentiate instruction. Some more fearful, some less. Dr. Robert Schuller once asked, “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” I would add: Would you have the same fear trying something new that you had heard worked in, say, a Bloody Mary recipe? The stark truth is that when we have no fear of failure, we can excel in all walks of life. We must ask teachers directly: What are your fears in differentiating instruction? What is holding you back from learning new things?   The bottom line for me is that I hope our educators will truly embrace this concept of lifelong learning, and this idea that they should continue to experiment with that very mix of ingredients that they are often afraid to touch initially, but  can often combine to create classrooms that are truly responsive to the needs of learners.  That, to me, would be worth raising a glass to.   Reference: Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier Books.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year. To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . In 1912, charged with supplying a Latin quotation suitable for inscription on a new building at Newark State College (now Kean College of New Jersey), John Cotton Dana, a Newark, New Jersey, librarian, composed what became the college motto: “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn” (The New York Times Book Review, March 5, 1967, p. 55). You could probably take that one step further and add that who dares to lead must never cease to learn.   In the process of learning, we thread together events and experiences from the past to the present; in doing so, we shape the future. Dewey (1938) believed that we do not come to things as an empty slate; instead we bring the knowledge from the experience we previously lived to each new experience. Dewey perceived education as life and life as shaped by experiences. In Education and experience, he proposed: “Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself” (Dewey, 1938).   I was privileged this past week to serve the role of learner. More than 125 district leaders came together with ASCD faculty member, Dr. Carol O’Connor, to lean once again on her expertise as we step further along on our differentiated instruction (DI) journey. One thing she shared with us that stuck with me:  DI, she said, is like a thoughtful mix of various ingredients. Like a Bloody Mary, she said. A Bloody Mary, I thought?  But the more she explained, the more it made sense. Independently, the simple ingredients of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, vodka, horseradish and pepper all have their intrinsic worth.  Still, it’s the mix of those ingredients that’s the key. There’s no single way to do it, in fact, with a Bloody Mary there are endless ways, as every serious Bloody devotee knows.   Similarly, DI is all about the thoughtful combination of ingredients, as well. Take the area of technology in the classroom. In the past few weeks, as I visited campuses, I primarily focused on purposefully designed lessons that included varying uses of technology. It was not just technology in the hands and under the control of the teacher; it was in the hands of kids! It wasn’t the use of technology for technology’s sake; it was the use of technology to differentiate instruction. Like the Bloody Mary, the combination of key ingredients utilizing technology resulted in lessons that engaged every student.   I knelt down next to several students, and we dialogued about the tools they were utilizing. I saw classrooms full of digital natives creating, collaborating, and solving problems. These digital natives taught this digital immigrant a thing or two! Fear did not exist for these students as they navigated through the lessons utilizing technology. Yet, I saw evidence of teachers at varying levels of comfort as it relates to utilizing technology to differentiate instruction. Some more fearful, some less. Dr. Robert Schuller once asked, “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” I would add: Would you have the same fear trying something new that you had heard worked in, say, a Bloody Mary recipe? The stark truth is that when we have no fear of failure, we can excel in all walks of life. We must ask teachers directly: What are your fears in differentiating instruction? What is holding you back from learning new things?   The bottom line for me is that I hope our educators will truly embrace this concept of lifelong learning, and this idea that they should continue to experiment with that very mix of ingredients that they are often afraid to touch initially, but  can often combine to create classrooms that are truly responsive to the needs of learners.  That, to me, would be worth raising a glass to.   Reference: Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier Books.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year. To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Sat, 15 Jan 2011 01:29:26 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_What-do-DI-and-the-Bloody-Mary-have-in-Common/blog/3240200/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2011-01-15T01:29:26Z ASCD EDge In 1912, charged with supplying a Latin quotation suitable for inscription on a new building at Newark State College (now Kean College of New Jersey), John Cotton Dana, a Newark, New Jersey, librarian, composed what became the college motto: “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn” (The New York Times Book Review, March 5, 1967, p. 55). You could probably take that one step further and add that who dares to lead must never cease to learn.   In the process of learning, we thread together events and experiences from the past to the present; in doing so, we shape the future. Dewey (1938) believed that we do not come to things as an empty slate; instead we bring the knowledge from the experience we previously lived to each new experience. Dewey perceived education as life and life as shaped by experiences. In Education and experience, he proposed: “Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself” (Dewey, 1938).   I was privileged this past week to serve the role of learner. More than 125 district leaders came together with ASCD faculty member, Dr. Carol O’Connor, to lean once again on her expertise as we step further along on our differentiated instruction (DI) journey. One thing she shared with us that stuck with me:  DI, she said, is like a thoughtful mix of various ingredients. Like a Bloody Mary, she said. A Bloody Mary, I thought?  But the more she explained, the more it made sense. Independently, the simple ingredients of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, vodka, horseradish and pepper all have their intrinsic worth.  Still, it’s the mix of those ingredients that’s the key. There’s no single way to do it, in fact, with a Bloody Mary there are endless ways, as every serious Bloody devotee knows.   Similarly, DI is all about the thoughtful combination of ingredients, as well. Take the area of technology in the classroom. In the past few weeks, as I visited campuses, I primarily focused on purposefully designed lessons that included varying uses of technology. It was not just technology in the hands and under the control of the teacher; it was in the hands of kids! It wasn’t the use of technology for technology’s sake; it was the use of technology to differentiate instruction. Like the Bloody Mary, the combination of key ingredients utilizing technology resulted in lessons that engaged every student.   I knelt down next to several students, and we dialogued about the tools they were utilizing. I saw classrooms full of digital natives creating, collaborating, and solving problems. These digital natives taught this digital immigrant a thing or two! Fear did not exist for these students as they navigated through the lessons utilizing technology. Yet, I saw evidence of teachers at varying levels of comfort as it relates to utilizing technology to differentiate instruction. Some more fearful, some less. Dr. Robert Schuller once asked, “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” I would add: Would you have the same fear trying something new that you had heard worked in, say, a Bloody Mary recipe? The stark truth is that when we have no fear of failure, we can excel in all walks of life. We must ask teachers directly: What are your fears in differentiating instruction? What is holding you back from learning new things?   The bottom line for me is that I hope our educators will truly embrace this concept of lifelong learning, and this idea that they should continue to experiment with that very mix of ingredients that they are often afraid to touch initially, but  can often combine to create classrooms that are truly responsive to the needs of learners.  That, to me, would be worth raising a glass to.   Reference: Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier Books.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year. To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . ascd, bloody mary, capacity building, carol o'connor, di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, oscb nonadult false What do DI and the Bloody Mary have in Common? text blog ascd,bloody mary,capacity building,carol o'connor,di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,oscb 1030 13 4.84615 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false Cypress 77429 6 1 3240200 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Coaching-in-the-field-of-DI/blog/3100127/127586.html  The philosophy of job-embedded professional development postulates that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the milieu in which the practices will transpire. My exploration of job-embedded approaches led me to a more careful examination of coaching. Coaching “provides ongoing consistent follow-up by way of demonstrations, observations, and conversations with teachers as they implement new strategies and knowledge” (Croft, etal, 2010). The coach coaches in the “field” of the classroom, not from the sidelines. However, as one principal recently pointed out: “The coach does not play the game; he coaches the game. Both do the work, but only the players play the game.”  Schön (1983) tells us that people cannot be taught; they can only be coached to learn. The “coach” in this model of job-embedded professional development can come in the form of a teacher-leader, a veteran teacher, or an outside consultant.   The stark truth is that many professional development experiences continue to be short-term and disconnected from the reality of teachers' work. Skillfully implemented job-embedded professional development can serve as a powerful catalyst for affecting student learning. The evolution of professional development towards job-embedded models both fascinates and puzzles me.   My story, my truth, speaks to various aspects of my narrative dilemma involving a battle between my “teacher heart” and my “administrator head.” My “teacher heart” desires to create classrooms where children can thrive, while my “administrator head” knows that our schools are cast against the shadow of state-mandated accountability testing. Both worlds coexist, and I am left wondering how to support classrooms that meet the needs of diverse learners. I am left speculating where and how teacher professional development fits into the schema of today’s classroom.   During the last few weeks, I’ve visited dozens of classrooms in the throes of implementing differentiated instruction (DI). I have observed dynamic lessons facilitated by dynamic teachers. Choice menus, RAFTs, stations, flexible grouping, tiered assignments, and formative assessments abound. Yet, in the midst of teachers who’ve “got it going on,” I cross the path of those who have merely perfected the craft of “doing” differentiation. I am most perplexed by this teacher, this classroom. They, too, are being coached by an outside consultant; yet, the learning doesn’t seem to stick. Somewhere along the way, they missed the reality…”Differentiation is a philosophy – a way of thinking about teaching and learning” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 13).   In the concluding chapter of Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (2010), Tomlinson and Imbeau share several common “sticking points” about differentiation: Human beings seldom cozy up to the need to make big changes in their lives – and teachers are human beings. In the face of evidence that we would fare better if we exercised more, we often assert that we simply don’t have the time. Faced with the need to save for a rainy day, many of us declare that there simply is no margin in our budgets. Presented with evidence that student-focused teaching has multiple benefits for students and teachers, many teachers have a ready and substantial list of “yes, but…” statements (p. 136-7).   During one of my campus visits, the principal spoke of the ongoing challenges his campus faces and how he addresses each concern with teachers. As a principal leading the implementation of differentiated instruction, the “sticking points” he continuously addresses include:  Time and effort to plan for differentiation  Control of the learning environment  Teachers who think they are already “doing” differentiation In addressing concerns about the time and effort required for planning a differentiated lesson, he often responds with a question for teachers: “How much time do you spend re-teaching?” The point he is able to make with this simple, yet complex question, is that when we plan, we have two choices. We either choose to plan proactively, or we are forced to plan reactively. He shares with his teachers that planning with differentiation in mind is proactive by nature; however, when we neglect to take time to plan with differentiation in mind, we often find ourselves planning reactively when students don’t get it the first time. He points out that it actually takes more time and effort to plan reactively than it does to plan proactively with the student in mind.   Additionally, he addresses the issue of “control of the learning environment” by stressing that the teacher in a differentiated classroom gains and maintains control by engaging students in learning, while utilizing ongoing formative assessment. He has found that the misperception of some teachers is that the “stand and deliver method” is best. In other words: “If I’m not telling them what they need to know, then how can I assure that they are getting it?” Meanwhile, the formative assessment piece allows the teacher to take a snapshot of learning along the journey to “follow a student’s progress as he or she attains essential outcomes as a unit of study progresses” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 21). This “gauge” in the learning process increases teacher control of the learning because the teacher is then better equipped to address learner needs, and in turn, honor the learner’s learning.   The third “sticking point” he addresses on occasion is the teacher who thinks he or she is already “doing” differentiation. What he has discovered along the way is that these teachers may incorporate several strategies you might observe in a DI classroom; however, they only display a surface understanding of DI. He has found that they do not understand that DI involves responding to the needs of learners and that it is a philosophy, not a set of strategies. He utilizes these teachable moments to guide teachers towards an understanding that DI is about meeting learners where they are and taking them where you need them to go.   I wholeheartedly believe that this principal will be able to bring his teachers steadily along on this DI journey. But, I wonder about some teachers, the more reluctant ones, who may not come along as quickly as others might. Although they may perhaps make progress, it is slow. What is the tipping point for a teacher like this? How do you impact teacher mindset? I’d love to hear strategies that you have used to get your more obstinate, disinclined teachers on board for an initiative like DI. What helped them finally ‘get it’? Isn’t that the answer we want, after all?    Resources:   Croft, A., etal. (2010). Job-embedded professional development: What it is, who is responsible, and how to get it done well. Issue brief. Retrieved December 13, 2010, 2010 from htttp://www.tqsource.org/publications/JEPD%20Issue%20Brief.pdf.   Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books, Inc.   Tomlinson, C. & Imbeau, M., (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom.  Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .  The philosophy of job-embedded professional development postulates that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the milieu in which the practices will transpire. My exploration of job-embedded approaches led me to a more careful examination of coaching. Coaching “provides ongoing consistent follow-up by way of demonstrations, observations, and conversations with teachers as they implement new strategies and knowledge” (Croft, etal, 2010). The coach coaches in the “field” of the classroom, not from the sidelines. However, as one principal recently pointed out: “The coach does not play the game; he coaches the game. Both do the work, but only the players play the game.”  Schön (1983) tells us that people cannot be taught; they can only be coached to learn. The “coach” in this model of job-embedded professional development can come in the form of a teacher-leader, a veteran teacher, or an outside consultant.   The stark truth is that many professional development experiences continue to be short-term and disconnected from the reality of teachers' work. Skillfully implemented job-embedded professional development can serve as a powerful catalyst for affecting student learning. The evolution of professional development towards job-embedded models both fascinates and puzzles me.   My story, my truth, speaks to various aspects of my narrative dilemma involving a battle between my “teacher heart” and my “administrator head.” My “teacher heart” desires to create classrooms where children can thrive, while my “administrator head” knows that our schools are cast against the shadow of state-mandated accountability testing. Both worlds coexist, and I am left wondering how to support classrooms that meet the needs of diverse learners. I am left speculating where and how teacher professional development fits into the schema of today’s classroom.   During the last few weeks, I’ve visited dozens of classrooms in the throes of implementing differentiated instruction (DI). I have observed dynamic lessons facilitated by dynamic teachers. Choice menus, RAFTs, stations, flexible grouping, tiered assignments, and formative assessments abound. Yet, in the midst of teachers who’ve “got it going on,” I cross the path of those who have merely perfected the craft of “doing” differentiation. I am most perplexed by this teacher, this classroom. They, too, are being coached by an outside consultant; yet, the learning doesn’t seem to stick. Somewhere along the way, they missed the reality…”Differentiation is a philosophy – a way of thinking about teaching and learning” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 13).   In the concluding chapter of Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (2010), Tomlinson and Imbeau share several common “sticking points” about differentiation: Human beings seldom cozy up to the need to make big changes in their lives – and teachers are human beings. In the face of evidence that we would fare better if we exercised more, we often assert that we simply don’t have the time. Faced with the need to save for a rainy day, many of us declare that there simply is no margin in our budgets. Presented with evidence that student-focused teaching has multiple benefits for students and teachers, many teachers have a ready and substantial list of “yes, but…” statements (p. 136-7).   During one of my campus visits, the principal spoke of the ongoing challenges his campus faces and how he addresses each concern with teachers. As a principal leading the implementation of differentiated instruction, the “sticking points” he continuously addresses include:  Time and effort to plan for differentiation  Control of the learning environment  Teachers who think they are already “doing” differentiation In addressing concerns about the time and effort required for planning a differentiated lesson, he often responds with a question for teachers: “How much time do you spend re-teaching?” The point he is able to make with this simple, yet complex question, is that when we plan, we have two choices. We either choose to plan proactively, or we are forced to plan reactively. He shares with his teachers that planning with differentiation in mind is proactive by nature; however, when we neglect to take time to plan with differentiation in mind, we often find ourselves planning reactively when students don’t get it the first time. He points out that it actually takes more time and effort to plan reactively than it does to plan proactively with the student in mind.   Additionally, he addresses the issue of “control of the learning environment” by stressing that the teacher in a differentiated classroom gains and maintains control by engaging students in learning, while utilizing ongoing formative assessment. He has found that the misperception of some teachers is that the “stand and deliver method” is best. In other words: “If I’m not telling them what they need to know, then how can I assure that they are getting it?” Meanwhile, the formative assessment piece allows the teacher to take a snapshot of learning along the journey to “follow a student’s progress as he or she attains essential outcomes as a unit of study progresses” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 21). This “gauge” in the learning process increases teacher control of the learning because the teacher is then better equipped to address learner needs, and in turn, honor the learner’s learning.   The third “sticking point” he addresses on occasion is the teacher who thinks he or she is already “doing” differentiation. What he has discovered along the way is that these teachers may incorporate several strategies you might observe in a DI classroom; however, they only display a surface understanding of DI. He has found that they do not understand that DI involves responding to the needs of learners and that it is a philosophy, not a set of strategies. He utilizes these teachable moments to guide teachers towards an understanding that DI is about meeting learners where they are and taking them where you need them to go.   I wholeheartedly believe that this principal will be able to bring his teachers steadily along on this DI journey. But, I wonder about some teachers, the more reluctant ones, who may not come along as quickly as others might. Although they may perhaps make progress, it is slow. What is the tipping point for a teacher like this? How do you impact teacher mindset? I’d love to hear strategies that you have used to get your more obstinate, disinclined teachers on board for an initiative like DI. What helped them finally ‘get it’? Isn’t that the answer we want, after all?    Resources:   Croft, A., etal. (2010). Job-embedded professional development: What it is, who is responsible, and how to get it done well. Issue brief. Retrieved December 13, 2010, 2010 from htttp://www.tqsource.org/publications/JEPD%20Issue%20Brief.pdf.   Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books, Inc.   Tomlinson, C. & Imbeau, M., (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom.  Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:10:23 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Coaching-in-the-field-of-DI/blog/3100127/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2010-12-15T11:10:23Z ASCD EDge  The philosophy of job-embedded professional development postulates that a focus on teacher learning that is removed from the classroom is destined to miss the mark because it does not take into account the milieu in which the practices will transpire. My exploration of job-embedded approaches led me to a more careful examination of coaching. Coaching “provides ongoing consistent follow-up by way of demonstrations, observations, and conversations with teachers as they implement new strategies and knowledge” (Croft, etal, 2010). The coach coaches in the “field” of the classroom, not from the sidelines. However, as one principal recently pointed out: “The coach does not play the game; he coaches the game. Both do the work, but only the players play the game.”  Schön (1983) tells us that people cannot be taught; they can only be coached to learn. The “coach” in this model of job-embedded professional development can come in the form of a teacher-leader, a veteran teacher, or an outside consultant.   The stark truth is that many professional development experiences continue to be short-term and disconnected from the reality of teachers' work. Skillfully implemented job-embedded professional development can serve as a powerful catalyst for affecting student learning. The evolution of professional development towards job-embedded models both fascinates and puzzles me.   My story, my truth, speaks to various aspects of my narrative dilemma involving a battle between my “teacher heart” and my “administrator head.” My “teacher heart” desires to create classrooms where children can thrive, while my “administrator head” knows that our schools are cast against the shadow of state-mandated accountability testing. Both worlds coexist, and I am left wondering how to support classrooms that meet the needs of diverse learners. I am left speculating where and how teacher professional development fits into the schema of today’s classroom.   During the last few weeks, I’ve visited dozens of classrooms in the throes of implementing differentiated instruction (DI). I have observed dynamic lessons facilitated by dynamic teachers. Choice menus, RAFTs, stations, flexible grouping, tiered assignments, and formative assessments abound. Yet, in the midst of teachers who’ve “got it going on,” I cross the path of those who have merely perfected the craft of “doing” differentiation. I am most perplexed by this teacher, this classroom. They, too, are being coached by an outside consultant; yet, the learning doesn’t seem to stick. Somewhere along the way, they missed the reality…”Differentiation is a philosophy – a way of thinking about teaching and learning” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 13).   In the concluding chapter of Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (2010), Tomlinson and Imbeau share several common “sticking points” about differentiation: Human beings seldom cozy up to the need to make big changes in their lives – and teachers are human beings. In the face of evidence that we would fare better if we exercised more, we often assert that we simply don’t have the time. Faced with the need to save for a rainy day, many of us declare that there simply is no margin in our budgets. Presented with evidence that student-focused teaching has multiple benefits for students and teachers, many teachers have a ready and substantial list of “yes, but…” statements (p. 136-7).   During one of my campus visits, the principal spoke of the ongoing challenges his campus faces and how he addresses each concern with teachers. As a principal leading the implementation of differentiated instruction, the “sticking points” he continuously addresses include:  Time and effort to plan for differentiation  Control of the learning environment  Teachers who think they are already “doing” differentiation In addressing concerns about the time and effort required for planning a differentiated lesson, he often responds with a question for teachers: “How much time do you spend re-teaching?” The point he is able to make with this simple, yet complex question, is that when we plan, we have two choices. We either choose to plan proactively, or we are forced to plan reactively. He shares with his teachers that planning with differentiation in mind is proactive by nature; however, when we neglect to take time to plan with differentiation in mind, we often find ourselves planning reactively when students don’t get it the first time. He points out that it actually takes more time and effort to plan reactively than it does to plan proactively with the student in mind.   Additionally, he addresses the issue of “control of the learning environment” by stressing that the teacher in a differentiated classroom gains and maintains control by engaging students in learning, while utilizing ongoing formative assessment. He has found that the misperception of some teachers is that the “stand and deliver method” is best. In other words: “If I’m not telling them what they need to know, then how can I assure that they are getting it?” Meanwhile, the formative assessment piece allows the teacher to take a snapshot of learning along the journey to “follow a student’s progress as he or she attains essential outcomes as a unit of study progresses” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 21). This “gauge” in the learning process increases teacher control of the learning because the teacher is then better equipped to address learner needs, and in turn, honor the learner’s learning.   The third “sticking point” he addresses on occasion is the teacher who thinks he or she is already “doing” differentiation. What he has discovered along the way is that these teachers may incorporate several strategies you might observe in a DI classroom; however, they only display a surface understanding of DI. He has found that they do not understand that DI involves responding to the needs of learners and that it is a philosophy, not a set of strategies. He utilizes these teachable moments to guide teachers towards an understanding that DI is about meeting learners where they are and taking them where you need them to go.   I wholeheartedly believe that this principal will be able to bring his teachers steadily along on this DI journey. But, I wonder about some teachers, the more reluctant ones, who may not come along as quickly as others might. Although they may perhaps make progress, it is slow. What is the tipping point for a teacher like this? How do you impact teacher mindset? I’d love to hear strategies that you have used to get your more obstinate, disinclined teachers on board for an initiative like DI. What helped them finally ‘get it’? Isn’t that the answer we want, after all?    Resources:   Croft, A., etal. (2010). Job-embedded professional development: What it is, who is responsible, and how to get it done well. Issue brief. Retrieved December 13, 2010, 2010 from htttp://www.tqsource.org/publications/JEPD%20Issue%20Brief.pdf.   Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books, Inc.   Tomlinson, C. & Imbeau, M., (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom.  Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . ascd, carol ann tomlinson, coaching, di, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, job-embedded, journey, on-site capacity building, oscb, professional development nonadult false Coaching in the field of DI text blog ascd,carol ann tomlinson,coaching,di,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,job-embedded,journey,on-site capacity building,oscb,professional development 1416 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 1 1 3100127 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_DI-and-the-Butterfly/blog/2967324/127586.html   “I felt better with the understanding that differentiated instruction is a journey that will take time and to take small steps toward a permanent change in thinking.”   “I am excited to get to work on this all year – to see other schools – make a plan and have time to try things!”   “So often I have gone to training and learned great tools and information but didn't have the time to reflect on how to bring it back to my campus for our students and teachers.”   These are reflections from a few of the more than 130 district and campus leaders who began a new phase of our journey through differentiated instruction (DI) this past month.   Our district’s path of transformation can be likened to that of the butterfly. Fighting our way out of the old form, through a tough silk shell, we emerge from our cocoon. Patterns of behavior and professional practices that served us when we were caterpillars are no longer useful or helpful. We're transcending the old patterns. As Marshall wrote: “Adding wings to caterpillars does not create butterflies; it creates awkward and dysfunctional caterpillars." Similarly, we are looking at a transformative model in which our leaders and many of our secondary campuses are working with ASCD coaches on a monthly basis to implement DI.  Our desire as a district is to provide this kind of DI training and support for all of our campuses. As the third largest and fastest growing district in Texas with 83 large campuses this is indeed a Herculean task!   It wasn’t always this way. In the past, we came together in a large group setting every other month or so to listen to “experts.” As passive recipients of the bi-monthly General Leadership Training sessions, all too often, the result was little lasting change. But beginning in the Spring of 2009, campus and district leaders engaged in conversations about how to improve the professional development provided to instructional leaders through GLT. As a result of these conversations, as well as additional feedback, a transformed model for GLT was introduced this school year. This new model is grounded in two bodies of research knowledge. The first is what we know about the principles of adult learning, which includes the need for professional development to be experiential, self-directed, life applicable, and performance-based (Barker, 1992; Bridges, 1991; Brookfield, 1988; Dalellew & Martinez, 1998; & Knowles, 1980). The second body of research that was used to guide the transformation is the Joyce and Showers research which demonstrates the connection between components of training and the transference and application of learning.  Our model is a multi-stepped process that allows time to build a common knowledge base and understanding of DI, as well as an opportunity to visit campuses already involved in the implementation of DI.   In October, we began by building a common awareness and a common understanding of the skills necessary for transforming schools through DI. The vehicle of learning for this first phase was whole-group instruction led by ASCD consultant Dr. Carol O’Connor.  She left us with 10 practical steps for leading and implementing DI:   Start slow but keep expecting growth. Provide real-world reasons for implementing DI. Start with your “plums.” Realize that teachers need resources.  There are many free ones. Model DI for teachers. Connect DI to other district/campus initiatives. Provide teachers with Strategy or Structure of the Month (SAM Club.)  Provide teachers with time to plan for differentiation.  Connect this planning and implementation to professional development. Differentiate your professional development for teachers.  Consider mailbox PD, wikispaces, Ning, face-to-face, workshops, and book studies.  Celebrate the successes you see!      We quickly separated from the traditional PD path as we stepped into the second phase that began this month and continues until mid-January.  Our district and campus leaders will have the opportunity to see DI in action.  The vehicle for learning in this phase is onsite visits to campuses who are implementing DI, while providing “footprints” in the journey that lead to high levels of implementation.  Campuses were identified and selected to be showcase campuses based on a rubric assessment administered to principals and district content coordinators and directors, as well as input from our ASCD consultants.  Attaining high levels of implementation is a journey and none of our showcase campuses claim to have “arrived.” They graciously agreed to share their stories, successes and challenges, so that their footprints can help us all move forward.  Tomlinson and Allan (2000) remind us that:   Leaders for responsive, personalize, or differentiated classrooms focus much of their professional energy on two fronts: what it means to teach individual learners effectively, and how to extend the number of classrooms in which that sort of teaching becomes the norm. Now both a rarity and a profound need, effective DI stands a chance of proliferating where determined partnerships exist between teachers and administrative leaders with a vision of more effective classrooms, a plan to realize the vision, and a dogged will to persist.   As our journey through DI continues, our campus and district leaders will come together in January to begin the process of creating an implementation plan that is individualized for each campus. Just like the butterfly, we, too have awakened from the comfort of our cocoon. With anticipation, we take flight!   As I continue to write, I would love to hear your comments or questions.  I invite you to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group.   Resources:   Joyce, B. & Showers, B., Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Marshall, S. Chaos, Complexity, and Flocking Behavior: Metaphors for Learning. Wingspread Journal, Vol. 18, Issue 3, The Johnson Foundation, Inc., summer 1996.   Tomlinson, C. & Allan, S., Leadership for differentiating school & classrooms. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   “I felt better with the understanding that differentiated instruction is a journey that will take time and to take small steps toward a permanent change in thinking.”   “I am excited to get to work on this all year – to see other schools – make a plan and have time to try things!”   “So often I have gone to training and learned great tools and information but didn't have the time to reflect on how to bring it back to my campus for our students and teachers.”   These are reflections from a few of the more than 130 district and campus leaders who began a new phase of our journey through differentiated instruction (DI) this past month.   Our district’s path of transformation can be likened to that of the butterfly. Fighting our way out of the old form, through a tough silk shell, we emerge from our cocoon. Patterns of behavior and professional practices that served us when we were caterpillars are no longer useful or helpful. We're transcending the old patterns. As Marshall wrote: “Adding wings to caterpillars does not create butterflies; it creates awkward and dysfunctional caterpillars." Similarly, we are looking at a transformative model in which our leaders and many of our secondary campuses are working with ASCD coaches on a monthly basis to implement DI.  Our desire as a district is to provide this kind of DI training and support for all of our campuses. As the third largest and fastest growing district in Texas with 83 large campuses this is indeed a Herculean task!   It wasn’t always this way. In the past, we came together in a large group setting every other month or so to listen to “experts.” As passive recipients of the bi-monthly General Leadership Training sessions, all too often, the result was little lasting change. But beginning in the Spring of 2009, campus and district leaders engaged in conversations about how to improve the professional development provided to instructional leaders through GLT. As a result of these conversations, as well as additional feedback, a transformed model for GLT was introduced this school year. This new model is grounded in two bodies of research knowledge. The first is what we know about the principles of adult learning, which includes the need for professional development to be experiential, self-directed, life applicable, and performance-based (Barker, 1992; Bridges, 1991; Brookfield, 1988; Dalellew & Martinez, 1998; & Knowles, 1980). The second body of research that was used to guide the transformation is the Joyce and Showers research which demonstrates the connection between components of training and the transference and application of learning.  Our model is a multi-stepped process that allows time to build a common knowledge base and understanding of DI, as well as an opportunity to visit campuses already involved in the implementation of DI.   In October, we began by building a common awareness and a common understanding of the skills necessary for transforming schools through DI. The vehicle of learning for this first phase was whole-group instruction led by ASCD consultant Dr. Carol O’Connor.  She left us with 10 practical steps for leading and implementing DI:   Start slow but keep expecting growth. Provide real-world reasons for implementing DI. Start with your “plums.” Realize that teachers need resources.  There are many free ones. Model DI for teachers. Connect DI to other district/campus initiatives. Provide teachers with Strategy or Structure of the Month (SAM Club.)  Provide teachers with time to plan for differentiation.  Connect this planning and implementation to professional development. Differentiate your professional development for teachers.  Consider mailbox PD, wikispaces, Ning, face-to-face, workshops, and book studies.  Celebrate the successes you see!      We quickly separated from the traditional PD path as we stepped into the second phase that began this month and continues until mid-January.  Our district and campus leaders will have the opportunity to see DI in action.  The vehicle for learning in this phase is onsite visits to campuses who are implementing DI, while providing “footprints” in the journey that lead to high levels of implementation.  Campuses were identified and selected to be showcase campuses based on a rubric assessment administered to principals and district content coordinators and directors, as well as input from our ASCD consultants.  Attaining high levels of implementation is a journey and none of our showcase campuses claim to have “arrived.” They graciously agreed to share their stories, successes and challenges, so that their footprints can help us all move forward.  Tomlinson and Allan (2000) remind us that:   Leaders for responsive, personalize, or differentiated classrooms focus much of their professional energy on two fronts: what it means to teach individual learners effectively, and how to extend the number of classrooms in which that sort of teaching becomes the norm. Now both a rarity and a profound need, effective DI stands a chance of proliferating where determined partnerships exist between teachers and administrative leaders with a vision of more effective classrooms, a plan to realize the vision, and a dogged will to persist.   As our journey through DI continues, our campus and district leaders will come together in January to begin the process of creating an implementation plan that is individualized for each campus. Just like the butterfly, we, too have awakened from the comfort of our cocoon. With anticipation, we take flight!   As I continue to write, I would love to hear your comments or questions.  I invite you to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group.   Resources:   Joyce, B. & Showers, B., Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Marshall, S. Chaos, Complexity, and Flocking Behavior: Metaphors for Learning. Wingspread Journal, Vol. 18, Issue 3, The Johnson Foundation, Inc., summer 1996.   Tomlinson, C. & Allan, S., Leadership for differentiating school & classrooms. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:31:05 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_DI-and-the-Butterfly/blog/2967324/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2010-11-15T00:31:05Z ASCD EDge   “I felt better with the understanding that differentiated instruction is a journey that will take time and to take small steps toward a permanent change in thinking.”   “I am excited to get to work on this all year – to see other schools – make a plan and have time to try things!”   “So often I have gone to training and learned great tools and information but didn't have the time to reflect on how to bring it back to my campus for our students and teachers.”   These are reflections from a few of the more than 130 district and campus leaders who began a new phase of our journey through differentiated instruction (DI) this past month.   Our district’s path of transformation can be likened to that of the butterfly. Fighting our way out of the old form, through a tough silk shell, we emerge from our cocoon. Patterns of behavior and professional practices that served us when we were caterpillars are no longer useful or helpful. We're transcending the old patterns. As Marshall wrote: “Adding wings to caterpillars does not create butterflies; it creates awkward and dysfunctional caterpillars." Similarly, we are looking at a transformative model in which our leaders and many of our secondary campuses are working with ASCD coaches on a monthly basis to implement DI.  Our desire as a district is to provide this kind of DI training and support for all of our campuses. As the third largest and fastest growing district in Texas with 83 large campuses this is indeed a Herculean task!   It wasn’t always this way. In the past, we came together in a large group setting every other month or so to listen to “experts.” As passive recipients of the bi-monthly General Leadership Training sessions, all too often, the result was little lasting change. But beginning in the Spring of 2009, campus and district leaders engaged in conversations about how to improve the professional development provided to instructional leaders through GLT. As a result of these conversations, as well as additional feedback, a transformed model for GLT was introduced this school year. This new model is grounded in two bodies of research knowledge. The first is what we know about the principles of adult learning, which includes the need for professional development to be experiential, self-directed, life applicable, and performance-based (Barker, 1992; Bridges, 1991; Brookfield, 1988; Dalellew & Martinez, 1998; & Knowles, 1980). The second body of research that was used to guide the transformation is the Joyce and Showers research which demonstrates the connection between components of training and the transference and application of learning.  Our model is a multi-stepped process that allows time to build a common knowledge base and understanding of DI, as well as an opportunity to visit campuses already involved in the implementation of DI.   In October, we began by building a common awareness and a common understanding of the skills necessary for transforming schools through DI. The vehicle of learning for this first phase was whole-group instruction led by ASCD consultant Dr. Carol O’Connor.  She left us with 10 practical steps for leading and implementing DI:   Start slow but keep expecting growth. Provide real-world reasons for implementing DI. Start with your “plums.” Realize that teachers need resources.  There are many free ones. Model DI for teachers. Connect DI to other district/campus initiatives. Provide teachers with Strategy or Structure of the Month (SAM Club.)  Provide teachers with time to plan for differentiation.  Connect this planning and implementation to professional development. Differentiate your professional development for teachers.  Consider mailbox PD, wikispaces, Ning, face-to-face, workshops, and book studies.  Celebrate the successes you see!      We quickly separated from the traditional PD path as we stepped into the second phase that began this month and continues until mid-January.  Our district and campus leaders will have the opportunity to see DI in action.  The vehicle for learning in this phase is onsite visits to campuses who are implementing DI, while providing “footprints” in the journey that lead to high levels of implementation.  Campuses were identified and selected to be showcase campuses based on a rubric assessment administered to principals and district content coordinators and directors, as well as input from our ASCD consultants.  Attaining high levels of implementation is a journey and none of our showcase campuses claim to have “arrived.” They graciously agreed to share their stories, successes and challenges, so that their footprints can help us all move forward.  Tomlinson and Allan (2000) remind us that:   Leaders for responsive, personalize, or differentiated classrooms focus much of their professional energy on two fronts: what it means to teach individual learners effectively, and how to extend the number of classrooms in which that sort of teaching becomes the norm. Now both a rarity and a profound need, effective DI stands a chance of proliferating where determined partnerships exist between teachers and administrative leaders with a vision of more effective classrooms, a plan to realize the vision, and a dogged will to persist.   As our journey through DI continues, our campus and district leaders will come together in January to begin the process of creating an implementation plan that is individualized for each campus. Just like the butterfly, we, too have awakened from the comfort of our cocoon. With anticipation, we take flight!   As I continue to write, I would love to hear your comments or questions.  I invite you to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group.   Resources:   Joyce, B. & Showers, B., Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Marshall, S. Chaos, Complexity, and Flocking Behavior: Metaphors for Learning. Wingspread Journal, Vol. 18, Issue 3, The Johnson Foundation, Inc., summer 1996.   Tomlinson, C. & Allan, S., Leadership for differentiating school & classrooms. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . butterfly, cacoon, capacity building, carol ann tomlinson, carol oconnor, di, differentited instruction, glenda horner, journey, leadership, oscb, pd, professional development nonadult false DI and the Butterfly text blog butterfly,cacoon,capacity building,carol ann tomlinson,carol oconnor,di,differentited instruction,glenda horner,journey,leadership,oscb,pd,professional development 706 10 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false Houston 0 0 2967324 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Scaling-the-Great-Wall/blog/2736733/127586.html On a visit to Washington, D.C., I chose to walk up the steps leading to the gigantic statue of Abe. The truth is, at the time, I didn’t know there was an easier route to the statue! Nevertheless, I do not regret taking the steps! What met me at the top was a fabulous statue. This past summer, I topped that experience!   I told my friends that I scaled the Great Wall, but the truth is I merely jaunted across a small section that spreads across nearly 4,000 miles of northern China! Made up of winding, rugged paths, the steps creep along steep mountains and allow the traveler to take in some of the grandest of scenery! My journey was well worth the dozens (and dozens) of steps I took! (The banner on this blog is the view I saw that day!) As I crept along the Wall, I developed a simple technique that made the seemingly impossible, possible. I looked ahead and decided where I wanted to end up. Others with me did the same. Some traveled further, some less. I tried to not look too far up ahead because I easily became discouraged by what seemed impossible. I literally took it one step at a time. When I became breathless, I stopped to catch my breath, mumbled words that I would not want my children to hear me saying, and on occasion, burst into laughter. Wasn’t it Confucius who once said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."   Our district’s journey through differentiated instruction (DI) easily parallels my experience that day. After all, it is a journey of a thousand steps beginning with a single step from where you are.   Recently, someone shared with me that at a one-day DI follow up training, heads turned when one of the participants audibly sighed as if to say: “Not this, again.” A subsequent side-bar conversation allowed the participant to re-focus and realize that, yes; it is “this” again. At a nearby table, a couple of participants were momentarily distracted by their laptops, and yet another sidebar conversation unfolded. Amazingly, with a little redirection and a gifted ASCD presenter, within moments, even the averse ones became authentically engaged in the training. This small handful of hesitant participants sat in juxtaposition to a room filled with dynamic individuals ready to see where their journey might take them next.    In the past, I received my fair share of what some refer to as “sit and get” or “spray and pray” professional development (PD). The participant literally “sits and gets,” while the presenter “sprays” around theories and ideas and “prays” that some of it sticks. Little, if any, follow up occurs after a PD experience like this; it might not even be mentioned again. We began our journey through DI with a concerted effort to move away from this past PD practice towards a coaching model grounded in research (Joyce and Showers, 2002).  Our district’s view of PD is shifting. We would be naïve to think that all have embraced this changing paradigm. Perhaps somewhere along the way, the reluctant participants were led to believe that “change is a synonym for ‘fad,’ that innovations have the shelf life of bread, and that business as usual is fine after all.” The stark reality is that “leaders may prefer to give up rather than to proceed; but when leaders give up, they contribute to (this) nearly universal teacher belief (Tomlinson and Allan, 2000, p. 40). Thankfully, I am a part of a district that realizes that the change process is slow, arduous, and at times, exhausting! Tomlinson and Allan remind us that district-wide efforts are required in order for schools to become what they ought to be and that “widespread and effective differentiation does not happen by accident” (2000, p. 38).   As we tiptoe into our second year of implementation, we continue to provide training and support for our teachers and leaders. Daily, I see living testament to the district’s commitment. It comes in glimpses; a busy assistant superintendent who actively participants in a full-day training for some of our teacher leaders; an agenda item at a curriculum meeting that attends to the idea of grading in a DI classroom; a responsive professional development that tiers according to readiness levels: straight ahead, uphill, and mountainous. Tomlinson and Allan remind us that: “Wishing or even mandating change does not make it come to pass. Though more difficult than that, the journey is possible; and as is true with most things in life, the complex and uncertain things are often the most rewarding”  (2000, p. 48).   As I continue to write, I would love to hear your comments or questions. Also, I invite you to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group. The journey of a thousand steps is less onerous when accompanied by friends.   Resources:   Joyce, B. & Showers, B., Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Tomlinson, C. & Allan, S., Leadership for differentiating schools & classrooms. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . On a visit to Washington, D.C., I chose to walk up the steps leading to the gigantic statue of Abe. The truth is, at the time, I didn’t know there was an easier route to the statue! Nevertheless, I do not regret taking the steps! What met me at the top was a fabulous statue. This past summer, I topped that experience!   I told my friends that I scaled the Great Wall, but the truth is I merely jaunted across a small section that spreads across nearly 4,000 miles of northern China! Made up of winding, rugged paths, the steps creep along steep mountains and allow the traveler to take in some of the grandest of scenery! My journey was well worth the dozens (and dozens) of steps I took! (The banner on this blog is the view I saw that day!) As I crept along the Wall, I developed a simple technique that made the seemingly impossible, possible. I looked ahead and decided where I wanted to end up. Others with me did the same. Some traveled further, some less. I tried to not look too far up ahead because I easily became discouraged by what seemed impossible. I literally took it one step at a time. When I became breathless, I stopped to catch my breath, mumbled words that I would not want my children to hear me saying, and on occasion, burst into laughter. Wasn’t it Confucius who once said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."   Our district’s journey through differentiated instruction (DI) easily parallels my experience that day. After all, it is a journey of a thousand steps beginning with a single step from where you are.   Recently, someone shared with me that at a one-day DI follow up training, heads turned when one of the participants audibly sighed as if to say: “Not this, again.” A subsequent side-bar conversation allowed the participant to re-focus and realize that, yes; it is “this” again. At a nearby table, a couple of participants were momentarily distracted by their laptops, and yet another sidebar conversation unfolded. Amazingly, with a little redirection and a gifted ASCD presenter, within moments, even the averse ones became authentically engaged in the training. This small handful of hesitant participants sat in juxtaposition to a room filled with dynamic individuals ready to see where their journey might take them next.    In the past, I received my fair share of what some refer to as “sit and get” or “spray and pray” professional development (PD). The participant literally “sits and gets,” while the presenter “sprays” around theories and ideas and “prays” that some of it sticks. Little, if any, follow up occurs after a PD experience like this; it might not even be mentioned again. We began our journey through DI with a concerted effort to move away from this past PD practice towards a coaching model grounded in research (Joyce and Showers, 2002).  Our district’s view of PD is shifting. We would be naïve to think that all have embraced this changing paradigm. Perhaps somewhere along the way, the reluctant participants were led to believe that “change is a synonym for ‘fad,’ that innovations have the shelf life of bread, and that business as usual is fine after all.” The stark reality is that “leaders may prefer to give up rather than to proceed; but when leaders give up, they contribute to (this) nearly universal teacher belief (Tomlinson and Allan, 2000, p. 40). Thankfully, I am a part of a district that realizes that the change process is slow, arduous, and at times, exhausting! Tomlinson and Allan remind us that district-wide efforts are required in order for schools to become what they ought to be and that “widespread and effective differentiation does not happen by accident” (2000, p. 38).   As we tiptoe into our second year of implementation, we continue to provide training and support for our teachers and leaders. Daily, I see living testament to the district’s commitment. It comes in glimpses; a busy assistant superintendent who actively participants in a full-day training for some of our teacher leaders; an agenda item at a curriculum meeting that attends to the idea of grading in a DI classroom; a responsive professional development that tiers according to readiness levels: straight ahead, uphill, and mountainous. Tomlinson and Allan remind us that: “Wishing or even mandating change does not make it come to pass. Though more difficult than that, the journey is possible; and as is true with most things in life, the complex and uncertain things are often the most rewarding”  (2000, p. 48).   As I continue to write, I would love to hear your comments or questions. Also, I invite you to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group. The journey of a thousand steps is less onerous when accompanied by friends.   Resources:   Joyce, B. & Showers, B., Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Tomlinson, C. & Allan, S., Leadership for differentiating schools & classrooms. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . Fri, 15 Oct 2010 02:57:31 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Scaling-the-Great-Wall/blog/2736733/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2010-10-15T02:57:31Z ASCD EDge On a visit to Washington, D.C., I chose to walk up the steps leading to the gigantic statue of Abe. The truth is, at the time, I didn’t know there was an easier route to the statue! Nevertheless, I do not regret taking the steps! What met me at the top was a fabulous statue. This past summer, I topped that experience!   I told my friends that I scaled the Great Wall, but the truth is I merely jaunted across a small section that spreads across nearly 4,000 miles of northern China! Made up of winding, rugged paths, the steps creep along steep mountains and allow the traveler to take in some of the grandest of scenery! My journey was well worth the dozens (and dozens) of steps I took! (The banner on this blog is the view I saw that day!) As I crept along the Wall, I developed a simple technique that made the seemingly impossible, possible. I looked ahead and decided where I wanted to end up. Others with me did the same. Some traveled further, some less. I tried to not look too far up ahead because I easily became discouraged by what seemed impossible. I literally took it one step at a time. When I became breathless, I stopped to catch my breath, mumbled words that I would not want my children to hear me saying, and on occasion, burst into laughter. Wasn’t it Confucius who once said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."   Our district’s journey through differentiated instruction (DI) easily parallels my experience that day. After all, it is a journey of a thousand steps beginning with a single step from where you are.   Recently, someone shared with me that at a one-day DI follow up training, heads turned when one of the participants audibly sighed as if to say: “Not this, again.” A subsequent side-bar conversation allowed the participant to re-focus and realize that, yes; it is “this” again. At a nearby table, a couple of participants were momentarily distracted by their laptops, and yet another sidebar conversation unfolded. Amazingly, with a little redirection and a gifted ASCD presenter, within moments, even the averse ones became authentically engaged in the training. This small handful of hesitant participants sat in juxtaposition to a room filled with dynamic individuals ready to see where their journey might take them next.    In the past, I received my fair share of what some refer to as “sit and get” or “spray and pray” professional development (PD). The participant literally “sits and gets,” while the presenter “sprays” around theories and ideas and “prays” that some of it sticks. Little, if any, follow up occurs after a PD experience like this; it might not even be mentioned again. We began our journey through DI with a concerted effort to move away from this past PD practice towards a coaching model grounded in research (Joyce and Showers, 2002).  Our district’s view of PD is shifting. We would be naïve to think that all have embraced this changing paradigm. Perhaps somewhere along the way, the reluctant participants were led to believe that “change is a synonym for ‘fad,’ that innovations have the shelf life of bread, and that business as usual is fine after all.” The stark reality is that “leaders may prefer to give up rather than to proceed; but when leaders give up, they contribute to (this) nearly universal teacher belief (Tomlinson and Allan, 2000, p. 40). Thankfully, I am a part of a district that realizes that the change process is slow, arduous, and at times, exhausting! Tomlinson and Allan remind us that district-wide efforts are required in order for schools to become what they ought to be and that “widespread and effective differentiation does not happen by accident” (2000, p. 38).   As we tiptoe into our second year of implementation, we continue to provide training and support for our teachers and leaders. Daily, I see living testament to the district’s commitment. It comes in glimpses; a busy assistant superintendent who actively participants in a full-day training for some of our teacher leaders; an agenda item at a curriculum meeting that attends to the idea of grading in a DI classroom; a responsive professional development that tiers according to readiness levels: straight ahead, uphill, and mountainous. Tomlinson and Allan remind us that: “Wishing or even mandating change does not make it come to pass. Though more difficult than that, the journey is possible; and as is true with most things in life, the complex and uncertain things are often the most rewarding”  (2000, p. 48).   As I continue to write, I would love to hear your comments or questions. Also, I invite you to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group. The journey of a thousand steps is less onerous when accompanied by friends.   Resources:   Joyce, B. & Showers, B., Achievement through staff development. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.   Tomlinson, C. & Allan, S., Leadership for differentiating schools & classrooms. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000.   Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She will be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instructions during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb . ascd capacity building, di, differentiated, differentiated instruction, glenda horner, leadership, on-site capcity building, oscd, professional development nonadult false Scaling the Great Wall text blog ascd capacity building,di,differentiated,differentiated instruction,glenda horner,leadership,on-site capcity building,oscd,professional development 746 11 5.0 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 3 0 2736733 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275 http://edge.ascd.org/_Diving-in-to-Differentiated-Instruction/blog/2647182/127586.html The summer of my first-grade year, I flunked beginning swimming twice! I could not master the final test, which was to swim the length of the pool. I would swim halfway across the pool, and panic would set in. I never did master swimming, but, through some unconventional coaching, I did conquer the diving board. I was small and timid as a child, but, hard as I tried to fade into the background, my fiery-red hair would tell on me. As I stood in line to jump off the board, I continued to weave backward, toward the end of the line. My goal was to completely avoid the humiliation of failing yet another swimming-related task. Despite my efforts, I felt a pair of hands lift me from behind. These hands carried me to the front of the line and placed me at the edge of the board. Then, I felt a gentle nudge. I had no choice but to land in the aqua-blue water. I went down screaming, but, as I began my return to the surface, something overcame me. I could not help it—a smile emerged. I had a blast! I scurried up the side of the pool and pushed past everyone to make my way to the front. I jumped off the board again and again without assistance. My experience in the world of professional learning easily parallels the lessons I learned while jumping off the diving board. As a participant and a presenter, I have discovered three basic approaches following a professional development experience – those who willingly jump in, those who need a gentle nudge, and those who either intentionally or unintentionally never get wet.   When I was a campus-level administrator, I expected to see evidence of professional development. I yearned to see teachers who willingly jumped in and took their learning for a “swim.” However, I seldom saw a full implementation that extended over a significant period of time. Don’t get me wrong. I saw glimpses of it. I saw teachers passionate about providing dynamic research-based instruction to their students. Yet, I have become keenly aware that the “learning-doing gap” is alive and well in today’s classrooms. We are often rich in relevant professional development, yet poor in implementation. Last year, in response to this “gap,” our district explored a capacity-building model of professional development. We began a journey with ASCD faculty through Differentiated Instruction (DI). Several of our campuses are currently working with ASCD coaches to implement DI campus-wide. In practice, DI involves offering several different learning experiences in response to students' varied needs. Basically, DI is about providing quality first-time instruction; it is about meeting learners where they are at and taking them where we need them to go.   We are in our second year of DI implementation. Two days each month, the ASCD coach at each campus works with a core of ten teacher leaders to help them gain an in-depth understanding of DI, while assisting their learning in planning, leading, and implementing DI within their content areas. The coach will work alongside the teacher leaders, observing and modeling lessons. Over the course of the next year, I’ll be writing about these experiences and some of the challenges and successes involved in implementing DI in our district.  I hope to share the joys of seeing teachers jump off, with students in tow, into the waters of differentiated instruction. Yet, I know from experience things don’t always run so smoothly – while some teachers will dive right in, others will only edge cautiously toward the deep end, at least in the beginning. Hence, what I hope to share from this blog is a realistic view of implementing DI in a school in hopes others can see the potential to change their schools as well.   As I write, I would love to hear your comments or questions. Also, feel free to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group. For some of you, these waters may be unfamiliar, but I hope you’ll take the plunge with me as I know I’ll learn a lot from what you’re doing as well.     Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She’ll be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction with ASCD coaches during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   The summer of my first-grade year, I flunked beginning swimming twice! I could not master the final test, which was to swim the length of the pool. I would swim halfway across the pool, and panic would set in. I never did master swimming, but, through some unconventional coaching, I did conquer the diving board. I was small and timid as a child, but, hard as I tried to fade into the background, my fiery-red hair would tell on me. As I stood in line to jump off the board, I continued to weave backward, toward the end of the line. My goal was to completely avoid the humiliation of failing yet another swimming-related task. Despite my efforts, I felt a pair of hands lift me from behind. These hands carried me to the front of the line and placed me at the edge of the board. Then, I felt a gentle nudge. I had no choice but to land in the aqua-blue water. I went down screaming, but, as I began my return to the surface, something overcame me. I could not help it—a smile emerged. I had a blast! I scurried up the side of the pool and pushed past everyone to make my way to the front. I jumped off the board again and again without assistance. My experience in the world of professional learning easily parallels the lessons I learned while jumping off the diving board. As a participant and a presenter, I have discovered three basic approaches following a professional development experience – those who willingly jump in, those who need a gentle nudge, and those who either intentionally or unintentionally never get wet.   When I was a campus-level administrator, I expected to see evidence of professional development. I yearned to see teachers who willingly jumped in and took their learning for a “swim.” However, I seldom saw a full implementation that extended over a significant period of time. Don’t get me wrong. I saw glimpses of it. I saw teachers passionate about providing dynamic research-based instruction to their students. Yet, I have become keenly aware that the “learning-doing gap” is alive and well in today’s classrooms. We are often rich in relevant professional development, yet poor in implementation. Last year, in response to this “gap,” our district explored a capacity-building model of professional development. We began a journey with ASCD faculty through Differentiated Instruction (DI). Several of our campuses are currently working with ASCD coaches to implement DI campus-wide. In practice, DI involves offering several different learning experiences in response to students' varied needs. Basically, DI is about providing quality first-time instruction; it is about meeting learners where they are at and taking them where we need them to go.   We are in our second year of DI implementation. Two days each month, the ASCD coach at each campus works with a core of ten teacher leaders to help them gain an in-depth understanding of DI, while assisting their learning in planning, leading, and implementing DI within their content areas. The coach will work alongside the teacher leaders, observing and modeling lessons. Over the course of the next year, I’ll be writing about these experiences and some of the challenges and successes involved in implementing DI in our district.  I hope to share the joys of seeing teachers jump off, with students in tow, into the waters of differentiated instruction. Yet, I know from experience things don’t always run so smoothly – while some teachers will dive right in, others will only edge cautiously toward the deep end, at least in the beginning. Hence, what I hope to share from this blog is a realistic view of implementing DI in a school in hopes others can see the potential to change their schools as well.   As I write, I would love to hear your comments or questions. Also, feel free to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group. For some of you, these waters may be unfamiliar, but I hope you’ll take the plunge with me as I know I’ll learn a lot from what you’re doing as well.     Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She’ll be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction with ASCD coaches during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:31:51 GMT http://edge.ascd.org/_Diving-in-to-Differentiated-Instruction/blog/2647182/127586.html Glenda_Horner 2010-09-15T00:29:27Z ASCD EDge The summer of my first-grade year, I flunked beginning swimming twice! I could not master the final test, which was to swim the length of the pool. I would swim halfway across the pool, and panic would set in. I never did master swimming, but, through some unconventional coaching, I did conquer the diving board. I was small and timid as a child, but, hard as I tried to fade into the background, my fiery-red hair would tell on me. As I stood in line to jump off the board, I continued to weave backward, toward the end of the line. My goal was to completely avoid the humiliation of failing yet another swimming-related task. Despite my efforts, I felt a pair of hands lift me from behind. These hands carried me to the front of the line and placed me at the edge of the board. Then, I felt a gentle nudge. I had no choice but to land in the aqua-blue water. I went down screaming, but, as I began my return to the surface, something overcame me. I could not help it—a smile emerged. I had a blast! I scurried up the side of the pool and pushed past everyone to make my way to the front. I jumped off the board again and again without assistance. My experience in the world of professional learning easily parallels the lessons I learned while jumping off the diving board. As a participant and a presenter, I have discovered three basic approaches following a professional development experience – those who willingly jump in, those who need a gentle nudge, and those who either intentionally or unintentionally never get wet.   When I was a campus-level administrator, I expected to see evidence of professional development. I yearned to see teachers who willingly jumped in and took their learning for a “swim.” However, I seldom saw a full implementation that extended over a significant period of time. Don’t get me wrong. I saw glimpses of it. I saw teachers passionate about providing dynamic research-based instruction to their students. Yet, I have become keenly aware that the “learning-doing gap” is alive and well in today’s classrooms. We are often rich in relevant professional development, yet poor in implementation. Last year, in response to this “gap,” our district explored a capacity-building model of professional development. We began a journey with ASCD faculty through Differentiated Instruction (DI). Several of our campuses are currently working with ASCD coaches to implement DI campus-wide. In practice, DI involves offering several different learning experiences in response to students' varied needs. Basically, DI is about providing quality first-time instruction; it is about meeting learners where they are at and taking them where we need them to go.   We are in our second year of DI implementation. Two days each month, the ASCD coach at each campus works with a core of ten teacher leaders to help them gain an in-depth understanding of DI, while assisting their learning in planning, leading, and implementing DI within their content areas. The coach will work alongside the teacher leaders, observing and modeling lessons. Over the course of the next year, I’ll be writing about these experiences and some of the challenges and successes involved in implementing DI in our district.  I hope to share the joys of seeing teachers jump off, with students in tow, into the waters of differentiated instruction. Yet, I know from experience things don’t always run so smoothly – while some teachers will dive right in, others will only edge cautiously toward the deep end, at least in the beginning. Hence, what I hope to share from this blog is a realistic view of implementing DI in a school in hopes others can see the potential to change their schools as well.   As I write, I would love to hear your comments or questions. Also, feel free to connect with me on my ASCD EDge Wall or on the differentiated instruction group. For some of you, these waters may be unfamiliar, but I hope you’ll take the plunge with me as I know I’ll learn a lot from what you’re doing as well.     Glenda Horner is the Coordinator for Staff Development in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She’ll be blogging about her district’s journey in implementing Differentiated Instruction with ASCD coaches during the 2010-2011 school year.   To learn more about ASCD’s On-Site Capacity Building Services, go to www.ascd.org/oscb .   ascd, capacity building, differentiated, differentiated instruction, differentiation, diving, diving in, glenda horner, leadership, on-site capacity building, oscd, professional development, swimming nonadult false Diving in to Differentiated Instruction text blog ascd,capacity building,differentiated,differentiated instruction,differentiation,diving,diving in,glenda horner,leadership,on-site capacity building,oscd,professional development,swimming 4126 13 4.92308 http://edge.ascd.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19680050&as=127586 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/127586/photos/PHOTO_10622543_127586_19680050_ap_160X120.jpg false United States TX Houston 1 1 2647182 19680050 ASCD EDge Member 275