ORCHESTRATING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING

I like to use the term orchestrating to describe teachers’ behaviors especially relating to the creation of a learning environment. When you consider the musical conductor of the orchestra, they have their back to the audience, don’t have an instrument to play, and yet they have a major role in the music created. I believe that successful teachers are often not front and center and, sometimes, not even present when quality learning is occurring, yet if we explored deep enough or far enough off stage, we’d find the teacher’s orchestration.

Creating an environment for student trust and risk taking is key to student learning. When examining how teachers create that trust, I often compare it to how folks learned to ride a bike. Most learn with someone holding the seat. I ask, “Did they ever let go?” and get a resounding, “Yes!” Then I ask, “How can you trust them?”

I‘ve identified three kinds of trust that people connect to their bike riding experience.

Totally Safe

These folks tell me someone was holding the seat and they knew the person would let go, but they knew the person would catch them if they fell. Thus, making it totally safe. Some students need this assurance before they are willing to attempt a learning task. A math teacher early in the year helps students during their first several tests to make sure they all pass. After passing some tests with his help, he looks for them to attempt on their own.

Safety Net

These folks tell me they knew the person was going to let go and they might not be able to catch them, but they would pick the right place to let go…a grassy knoll, maybe a tree, but no trucks on the road. In other words, failure won’t be fatal. Some students come to our classrooms bringing their safety nets from home. They are confident and resilient and see a failure as a way to learn. Other students need teachers who build safety nets into their instruction. Working in cooperative groups can provide a safety net. I can check my thinking with a peer before sharing it with the class and teacher.

Push Off the Cliff

These folks tell me they knew the seat holder would let go and trusted that they’d know the rider was ready. Even if the rider was unsure, they trusted the instructor. Most teachers have students who are ready for higher learning, more challenging tasks, but who won’t go there voluntarily. The teacher needs to trick or tug, thus “push off the cliff”. A special education teacher takes the first chapter of a novel she wants the student to read and prints it out in large type. After the student successfully reads the chapter and asks for more, she hands him the book. He says he can’t read that book and she informs him he just did. He wouldn’t have tried, had she started with the book.

I recently came across two articles that illustrate educators orchestrating environments for learning.

The first illustrates totally safe as students at Baker Middle School in Damascus, GA read to Canine Assistants, dogs trained to sit quietly while students read aloud. Click here for article.


Recently the students sat on couches and chairs in the media center and took turns reading to Amelia while they petted her. They sat quietly and listened to each other read. If the students asked for help reading a word, teacher's aide Deborah Volley gave them the answer. "It is awesome," said Juan Pablo, a sixth-grader. "She doesn't care if you accidentally read a word wrong. Sometimes you read a word wrong and [people] just start laughing at you. She doesn't laugh at you. She stares at you, waiting for you to start reading again." 1

The second has many elements of “safety nets” and push off the cliff”.

In Prince William County,VA, Osbourn Park High School Earth Jubilee science celebration required 320 high school freshman and sophomores to be teachers with lesson plans presenting information and activities to 500 first through third grade students. Click here for article. The high school biotechnology program combines English, social studies and science and requires students to take rigorous courses and do science-related volunteer work. Notice the orchestration in these comments:

“We make believe we are doing it only for the little kids, but we are doing it for us, too," said Larry Nemerow, biotechnology program coordinator. "There is no higher form of learning than teaching. You can learn something for a test, but then you forget it. Here, they had to become experts on a subject, and the information will stick with them a lot longer."

Sixteen-year-old Kelly Greico, who was working the chemistry booth, said it was hard to come up with ways to teach a challenging topic to young minds. The demonstration, she said, was something her team knew would catch their eye. "It was interesting to try and come up with what to say at their level," she said. "The topics we presented we just learned sitting in chemistry class, but we had to come up with hands-on [activities] and different ways to get the kids to learn them."
Students said they were given a list of topics in January and received little guidance from teachers. It was up to the students to figure out how to keep a young crowd engaged. "I liked the fact we were able to do stuff on our own with no one breathing down our necks," 15-year-old freshman Taylor Owens said.2

1 Washingtonpost.com, For Young Readers, an Audience With a Cold, Wet Nose for Books
Middle School Students Say Program Has Helped Them Improve
By Titus Ledbetter IIIGazette Staff Writer Thursday, June 5, 2008; Page GZ05

2 Wadhingtonpost.com, High-Schoolers Teach and Learn at Science Fest
Hands-On Fun, Exhibits Engage Young Crowd, By Jennifer Buske, Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, June 1, 2008; Page PW03

ROLES THAT COACHES PLAY

Joellen Killion and Cindy Harrison have produced a book for the National Staff Development Council titled, Taking the Lead: New Roles for Teachers and School-based Coaches. After exploring why coaching is important to student achievement, they dedicate a chapter to each of the following roles that school-based coaches can play:

Resource Provider
Data Coach
Instructional Specialist
Curriculum Specialist
Classroom Supporter
Learning Facilitator
Mentor
School Leader
Catalyst for Change
Learner

I have had the opportunity this year, along with my colleagues, Steve Sassaman and Mark Thompson, to work with the instructional coaches in the Salem Keizer School District in Salem, Oregon.

At Houck Middle School, I met and worked with Instructional Coach, Shanda Brown. I was told that Shanda had a middle school team that found great value in working with a coach. The team agreed to meet with me over lunch and shared how they work. I was impressed with their “teamness”. One neat example was that the Social Studies teacher had agreed to assume responsibility for one of the writing standards in the English curriculum.

I asked the team if they would be willing to create a list of the benefits they gained from working closely with an instructional coach. Also, what did they feel it cost them.
They provided me the following:

Instructional Coach Payoffs/Costs
Synergy Team 2007-08
As evidenced by anecdotal notes re: Shanda Brown, Instructional Coach
Shanda’s List:

Payoffs:
Was an additional team teacher, working alongside all members of the team.
She knew all the kids. This not only assisted us in the classroom, but also in hall supervision/lunch supervision/after-school supervision; i.e. she could catch kids who “forgot” after-school study hall at the crosswalk!
Tracked students of concern.
Facilitated student calls home. Made calls home on behalf of the team when we were in class and unable to get to the phone.
Liaison to administrative staff in office regarding discipline or other issues.
Support for rookie teacher on the team; i.e. classroom management, teaching strategies, etc.
Modeled lessons for veteran teachers, which provided a chance for self-reflection on our current practices as compared to the strategies she used with our classes.
Observed lessons for all teachers, focusing on whatever aspect(s) we asked her to observe, and wrote anecdotal accounts, which provided a chance for low-key self-evaluation. Made suggestions for improvements. Answered teacher questions such as, “What’s going on behind my back when kids are working in groups?!” so that we could gain awareness of potential problem situations and adjust our practices accordingly.
Did research on unit materials, literacy materials, and supplementary math materials. Obtained materials when requested.
Did action research as requested, following the most difficult class from class to class and providing anecdotal notes for teachers which were valuable in self-reflection on classroom strategies and procedures. Pointed out “holes” / resources the team had that we could make better use of. (effort poster)
Visited a LA arts class in Albany and shared her observations at a team meeting, which prompted reflection on the way we were doing team vocabulary, followed by a brainstorming session on making it more useful and relative to test-taking skills. Also gave us tips for new strategies/materials that would relate to building reading fluency.
Helped track kids for after-school mandatory study hall.
Helped facilitate curriculum projects on in-service days.
Was a resource for subs in our classrooms. Knew all our procedures and practices, so she could give them specific assistance.

Costs:
We had to be willing to be transparent and have another instructor in the room at any given time. She saw the good, the bad, and the ugly!
We had to develop a trust relationship, in that she was a part of the team and not there to evaluate us in any way.
We had to release control in our classrooms when she was modeling lessons.
We had to be willing to accept constructive criticism/suggestions without allowing ego to get in the way. Having developed the trust relationship, we knew she had our best interest and the kids’ best interest in mind.
We had to be interested in self-reflection and bettering our practices.
We had to remember to include her in all team communications.
We had to make time for conversations following observations, etc.

Take a moment and compare the list of Shanda’s work with the NSDC roles.

THE POWER OF VERTICAL TEAMS

For the past three years, I have been working with the staff and administrators at Twin Lakes Elementary in Hillsborough County, FL forming teaching professional learning communities that team K-2 and 3-4 teachers in groups of 7-8. These PLC’s have a three year focus on students as they move through the grades staying in classrooms of teachers on that team.

This year I will be working with at least 5 additional schools looking to create various forms of vertical PLC’s. One of the schools in Hillsborough County, FL asked the staff from Twin Lakes to share their experiences. What follows are the key points they shared.

A big thank you to the Twin Lakes team!

Professional Learning Community Overview
May 13, 2008
Twin Lakes Elementary

Katherine Biggens- 4th grade teacher
Arlene Haack Music -Specialist/Facilitator
Maggie Leverett- Counselor/Facilitator
Vanessa Malzone- Kindergarten Teacher


Big Picture-What is a PLC? (represents a shift in thinking)
*PLC’s are something you are, not something you do.
*PLC’s focus on results
*We focus on student behaviors which result in student achievement and identify what teacher behaviors are needed to make that happen.
*We focus on learning rather than teaching as we collaborate.
*We begin with the end in mind.

What are the benefits of vertical teaming vs. horizontal/grade level teaming for students and teachers?
*Development of quality lesson plans; work smarter rather than harder
*Knowing students better via more valuable discussion
*Data informed discussions; predicting how students would do then comparing to what they actually did
*You are a part of a team that has a knowledge base of grade level expectations but that also contribute to a team across grade levels
*You have an opportunity to collaborate with teachers across grade levels where you can plan such things as Buddy Reading, peer tutoring,
*During vertical teaming, there is a group of teachers across grade level that can assist with Student Teacher Assistance Team (STAT) interventions
*Student discussion is communicated by current and previous teachers

How did our PLC’s impact the school?
*Increased school grade
*Personal growth-stretching
*Increased communication/collaboration
*Interventions shared among house members/regrouping of students
*Tied to Continuous Improvement Model (CIM)
*Celebrations of learning
*Decrease in behavioral problems
*Matching teaching and learning styles
*PLC’s complete next school year student placement task


Why do we need common planning time?
*There needs to be a time dedicated to facilitate the PLC process. This time needs to be protected and consistent on a weekly basis. It also needs to be during school time and not a voluntary meeting. Without the common planning time we cannot have the discussion and results for student improvement.

How do Specialists impact this process? Specialists work the schedule so common planning time can occur for houses. Specialists have changed their ‘team talk’ into more students centered discussion finding their commonality was ‘children’. Specialists and houses share information about children in order to improve student behaviors and achievement.

Challenges?
*Time and Scheduling
*Money to get a mentor (Steve Barkley)
*Resource people buy-in necessary for success
*Communication between Houses
*Meetings/Training/Administrative Support
*Grade levels still need to meet as a team
*Faculty decisions of benefits vs. challenges
*Teachers do not want to go back to the old way

SCHOOL 4 ALIGNS CHALLENGES

Last year I had the opportunity, as part of a contract with Rochester City Schools in NY, to work with the school based management team at George Mather Forbes School #4 and its principal, Karon Jackson. I especially remember Ms. Jackson as she volunteered to help me model what a coaching conference with a principal might be like. I often promote principals asking to be publicly coached in front of their staffs as an ideal way to model that vulnerability to coaching as a key to ongoing professional growth.

Recently a newspaper article, School 4 Aligns Challenges, Understanding, from the Rochestrer Democrat and Chronicle, featured Jackson and School #4 because the achievement gap — the difference in math and reading test scores between various groups of students — is lower at School 4 than at any other high-poverty school in the state. School 4 was named a National Title I Distinguished School,[an award reserved for schools that receive federal Title I poverty aid, have improved test scores and have narrowed the difference between the scores of its lowest- and highest-performing student subgroups, such as students with disabilities, those with limited English skills and those in various ethnic groups.]The National Association of State Title I Directors recognized 71 schools this year from 37 states, including just two from New York.

As I read the article, the following words said by Jackson or about her caught my attention:
Knowing students
Collaborating
Empowering
Celebrating
Hugging and gently scolding
Mothering Caregiver…Hard on kids
These words strongly connect for me to the work I do with increasing student effort. I asked Karon to respond to a few questions I had. Here they are with her responses.

1. What did your students do that was critical to their success?
The students learned to accept and work with differences (cultural, physical and academic) of the students and staff. They learned specific strategies to support themselves in the areas of English, Language Arts, Math and Writing.

2. What did teachers do that motivated the necessary responses?
The staff focused on the needs of the students by aligning specific strategies to specific needs. They embraced the concept of the school’s intervention block (30 minutes where students switch classes according to the skills they need). They used students’ data to drive their instruction, their grouping and their discussions with parents. They all celebrated small successes in the classroom.

3. How important was teacher collegiality to your success?
Collegiality played a major role in School No. 4's success. School No. 4 staff, involved in the Urban Teacher Leadership Academy at the University of Rochester, did a unit of study on vocabulary. They created a word wizard and a word of the week for primary and intermediate grades. This initiated a school-wide vocabulary program. The school-wide intervention block (Soar 4 Success) provided teachers opportunities to work closely with each other and to know each other’s students.

4. What did you do as principal to promote that collegiality?
Built common planning time into the schedule.

Throughout the year brought in Arthur Brown and Dr. Jason Berman to do workshops on “Where is the Love: How to love our students”.
Worked with specialists to align all School wide professional development to the needs of the students (always hands–on, interactive with thought provoking questions and reflection).
When I talk with the staff, I speak from the heart, making connections to self, the students and the entire school community.
Set up a monthly staff award called “Give Me Love Award” .

5. Words of Wisdom for readers looking to increase student achievement.

Know your students, know your staff (Relationships, Relationships, Communication, Communication, collaboration, Collaboration).
Know the data and make sure your staff does, too.
Model the way and lead by example.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, celebrate the small victories, but most of all do “Whatever It Takes” .

INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES AND CLASSROOM TEACHERS: SHARING THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Cheryl Jones and Mary Vreeman, who lead the Reading Coach Project in Hillsborough County, FL, have published Instructional Coaches and Classroom Teachers: Sharing the Road to Success. I have had the opportunity to work with Mary and Cheryl for the past seven years and have seen the results of their work with elementary reading coaches. In addition to training their new coaches each summer, I have worked with coaches and administrators to plan for building implementation with faculty. [click here to read about their program]

Instructional Coaches and Classroom Teachers: Sharing the Road to Success will be helpful to principals and coaches planning to maximize the value of coaching. But the strongest payoff is that the book is written for teachers. In my comments that I wrote for the book’s cover, I noted that most teacher training programs, new teacher orientations, and professional development activities, do not prepare teachers to “make the most” of an instructional coach resource.

Here are a few quotes that will give you a sense of Mary’s and Cheryl’s message.

“Coaching is a two way street for inspiration—you will find you receive inspiration from and provide inspiration for, those you partner with in coaching activities. Coaching does not entertain any notions of perfection, performance, or evaluation.”

“Coaching builds upon the power of collaboration and provides opportunities to explore and examine our beliefs in the company of others.”

“Relationships are at the heart of coaching”

“Coaching offers something to every teacher—from the beginner to the seasoned veteran.”

Throughout the book you will hear Cheryl’s and Mary’s personal experiences as teachers, coaches, and school leaders. You’ll hear the voices of teachers. You’ll find opportunities for your own reflection, plus research and appendices of resources that support coaching activities.

Those of you working with Quality Teaching in a Culture of Coaching will find Instructional Coaches and Classroom Teachers a valuable complementary text.