Monitoring Leading Indicators
Title: Monitoring Leading IndicatorsDescription: T his workshop focuses on identifying “leading indicators” to assist in monitoring the school improvement plan. Participants will learn how to identify leading indicators and appropriate formative assessments that are leading indicators. The significance of celebrating successful achievement of milestones (specific leading indicators) is discussed. The application focus is that participants will use data from multiple sources to monitor student progress.
NOTES:
- Leading indicators is a concept borrowed from economics, that applies concepts of formative assessment.
- PD hrs: If you are interested in facilitating this workshop for “Professional Development Hours” through ASU, please contact us at or details (including an Attendance Roster Form and a Participant Feedback Form)
- FEEDBACK: We would appreciate feedback regarding the quality of this PD Facilitator Kit and/or suggestions for improvement (including participant feedback and/or recommended changes to the Facilitator PowerPoint and/or Facilitator Guide). Please email feedback, comments, or suggestions for improvements to (be sure to include the exact name of the workshop).
TARGETED LEARNING FOR THIS WORKSHOP
Note: It is recommended that the facilitator post the objectives and guiding questions (also applicable VAL-ED Research-Based Critical Behaviors and relevant ISLLC Standards).
Introduction to the Instructional Leadership Model
Targeted Objectives:
- Participants will be introduced to the "Instructional Leadership Model" (a systems thinking approach).
- Participants will pre-assess their application level of the critical behaviors. (Research-Based Critical Behaviors are presented through the introduction of the action plan.)
- The introduction emphasizes a systems thinking approach regarding key processes & core components. Specific behaviors relevant to this workshop are listed in the action plan.
- The introduction is not aligned to specific ISLLC Standards
Core Components, Key Processes, Research-based Critical Behaviors (see action for specific definitions)
Key Words
- VAL-Ed Workshop, ISSLC Workshop, administrator professional development, principal expectations
Targeted Objectives (What is to be learned? How will it be demonstrated? Using Observable verbs & Learning outcomes with Evidence):
Participants will:
- Identify specific leading indicators and develop a plan to continually monitor school improvement efforts
- Determine milestones that provide opportunities to celebrate teacher effectiveness
- Connect learning to Research-Based Critical Behaviors and apply learning to developing an action plan to impact teacher performance and student learning.
- What are leading indicators in an educational context?
- How do instructional leaders use leading indicators to guide decisions?
- How do Instructional leaders use leading indicators to celebrate teacher effectiveness?
- Monitors the accuracy & appropriateness of data used for teacher accountability
- Uses data to guide actions for improved student learning
- ISLLC 2.C Assessment & Accountability
- ISLLC 5.C Maintaining High Standards for Self & Others
Agenda and Segment Titles / Time in Minutes / Notes
Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model / 20
Monitoring Leading Indicators / 80
ConclusionDevelopment of an Action Plan / 20
TOTAL TIME: / 120 (2 hrs)
PARTICIPANTS MUST BRING A COPY OF THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Strongly recommend participants bring a relevant data set from their school
Materials
- Facilitator Guide for Monitoring Leading Indicators
- Facilitator Power Point for Monitoring Leading Indicators
- Agenda (facilitator makes this on chart paper)
- Chart Paper, markers, Post-its
- Action Plan
- Ways to Recognize
- Participant Feedback
- Beyond Test Scores: Leading Indicators for Education FACILITATOR: It is recommended that this article be provided to participants at the end of workshop as a take-away. You may choose to have participants read pages 1-3 and figure 1 on page 5 during the workshop.
- none
Research Included
- Foley, Ellen, Mishook, Jacob, Thompson, Joanne, Kubiak, Michael, Supovitz, Jonathan, Rhude-Faust, May Kay (n.d.) Beyond Test Scores: Leading Indicators for Education. The Annenburg Institute for School Reform, Brown University, Foley, et.al.
- Effective Schools Research, from
- Elliot, Stephen, Goldring, Ellen, Murphy, Joseph, & Porter, Andy (July 2009). Vanderbilt Assessment for Leadership of Education: Handbook Implementation & Interpretation. Nashville, Tennessee. Discovery Education Assessment
Instructional Leadership Matrix: Core Components & Key Processes
Instructional Leadership Model (for poster)
Five Reasons (graphic organizer for change leadership)
Norms Development Framework
ISLLC Standards Rubric
Content Experts: Toni Reynolds, Julius Koenigsknecht, Glen Turner, Karyn Blair, Pam Santesteban
Ed Sloat, Director of Research and Assessment, Dysart Unified School District
John Wilson, Director of Assessment, Tempe School District
Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model (and overview)
Management Considerations, Notes, etc (for Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model)
- The “Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model” presents a systems thinking approach to the many components that impact teacher performance and student achievement, and is based on the Vanderbilt University research. Each workshop segment in the Instructional Leadership Series represents one component of a systems thinking approach to instructional leadership. The Instructional Leadership Series provides professional development opportunities for principals to gain a deeper understanding of each component, to recognize the level of implementation of each component in their school, to identify the leverage points applicable in their school, and apply concepts within a systems thinking approach. (Note: A leverage point is a specific component where improvement is needed, and improvement in the implementation of that component will have the most significant impact of teacher performance and student achievement.)
- If this is the first workshop in the series for the participants, this systems thinking approach is a critical part of the Instructional Leadership Series and must be discussed thoroughly.
- If participants have previously discussed this systems thinking approach, the facilitator may quickly review the systems thinking approach (5 minute overview/reminder).
- Each workshop in the Instructional Leadership Series focuses on one VAL-ED Core Component, one VAL-ED key process, and a set of Research-Based Critical Behaviors. The Research-based Critical Behaviors are used to focus thinking at the beginning of the workshop through the introduction of the action plan. At the beginning of the workshop participants do a “pre-assess” of their application level of the critical behaviors related to that specific core component and key process. At the end of the workshop participants create an action plan including “who will do what by when,” which is typically focused on one prioritized Research-Based Critical Behavior (listed in bold on the Action Plan).
- [#] The number of the PowerPoint slide that aligns with that portion of the presentation is listed in bracket
- Each segment in the template contains the objective and guiding questions for that unit. Each segment in the PowerPoint begins with a slide entitled “Segment Guiding Questions”
- Ask the superintendent in advance to prepare a welcome and remarks regarding WHY this workshop is important for principals.
- Check with the superintendent in advance to see if s/he prefers to use established district administrative team norms
- If you are comfortable with the proposed norms in the PowerPoint, use them as listed.
- If you are not comfortable with those norms you may insert your own proposed norms.
- If you feel it necessary to engage the participants in the process of establishing norms …here is a recommended process:
- Explain that norms are a part of our everyday lives. However, typically that are not formally “adopted” or “written.” Give examples like the norms of acceptable behavior within a family (and note how those can vary) and norms of acceptable behavior in an office, etc. Norms are ground rules that govern the group. So…norms should be stated as commitments to behave in a certain way – meaning they are both observable and measurable. Pose the following questions to prompt participants thinking about desired observable behaviors during the workshop:
What behaviors will you commit to and hold others accountable for?
What behaviors do you think will make the collaborative work more productive during the workshop?
What are your Pet Peeves? (Consider what you do not want to see at this workshop.)
- As a table, ask participants to brainstorm norms for their collaborative work during this workshop …as an engaged learning team (each table group). Think about your pet-peeves of meetings. Consider PLC concepts like the DuFour ideas. Think about what you’d expect from teachers. Place one norm (observable action) per one sticky note. Organize the observable actions by topic/theme. Select approximately one observable action per topic/theme. Place these FEW ITEMS on a chart paper and post on the wall.
- As a whole group, determine which norm (observable action) from the lists should be considered as a norm for the workshop (select agreed-upon items and place a check mark beside it.
- Once you have an agreed-upon list, pose the following questions:
Is there anything missing?
Is there anything else you want to add or refine to your initial brainstorm list?
- Post agreed-upon norms on chart paper
This information is intended to provide guidance to adjust the pacing or lesson within the workshop. After you have worked through this workshop, you may make modifications and/or additions to these items to guide other facilitators.
- Observe participants’ engagement in superintendent’s opening remarks
- Listen to shared interests of participants. Do comments align with workshop outcomes?
- Observe participants’ reaction to the proposed norms.
PRESENTATION FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP MODEL
Anticipatory Set for the introduction
- [1] This is the title slide
- Start the session with a BRIEF opening remark about the whole workshop.
- [2] Introduce superintendent to welcome participants and discuss WHY this workshop is important
- Reinforce superintendent’s opening by sharing several reasons WHY this topic is important. Your reasons should align with the concepts of change leadership & creating demand for new initiatives …relative advantage, compatibility with beliefs, trialability, observability, complexity, etc (”Five Reasons” graphic organizer is available)
- Give participants an opportunity to share interests they have for developing their skills for in this area/topic
- [3] Provide an overview of today by discussing today’s agenda, targeted objectives, and/or guiding questions (FACILITATOR’S choice on which perspective to use. It is recommended that you choice one to put on chart paper, post-it in room, and reference frequently during the workshop; and adjust the content of this slide to align with your choice.)
- As you provide an overview, ask participants to make notes regarding items with which they are familiar. This will help when developing their action plan and/or discussing new learning.
- It is recommended that you set-up a “parking lot” and have a designated participant put questions and/or issues on post-it notes in the “parking lot”. These may be addressed later!
- IF appropriate/necessary, facilitate introductions of all persons in the room (use a strategies that requires each person to “uncover” something about him/her self that others may not know …favorite music, most unique trip, favorite movie from 80’s/college, unique story, etc)
- [4] Introduce today’s proposed norms (FACILITATOR: you may want to add some explanation as provided in the parentheses) NOTE: see management notes for other options.
- Demonstrate trust
- Be trustworthy & trusting of others (this is a safe environment, do not judge one another, things stay in the room, do not use things discussed today against someone in the future)
- Demonstrate healthy conflict
- Listen to one another (listen to others with an open-mind to first understand their perspective)
- Share what is on your mind (do not assume another person’s perspective is the right answer, there are many right answers, and do not go silent …we need to hear your thoughts)
- Demonstrate an growth mindset (this means being open to continuous self-improvement)
- Engage in dialogue to develop new ideas (we know that adults learn through talking it out)
- Ask questions to learn and clarify
- Share ONE point …then next person (this is an agreement that each person will share just one idea at a time, this enables everyone to be able share – no one person dominates)
- Silence cell phones
- After a brief discussion ….ask group to raise their hands to indicate that they are willing to accept the proposed norms for today.
- Emphasize “Share ONE point” …this norms allows everyone to have opportunities to add to the dialogue
Presentation / Engagement Set for the introduction
- [5] Introduce the Instructional Leadership Model
- The Instructional Leadership Model is a systems thinking approach and represents the impact of core components and key process on student achievement, teacher performance, and administrator excellence. Core components are characteristics of schools that support teacher performance and student learning. Key processes refer to how principals manage those core components. Each core component is managed through the six key processes.
- Explain which core component (defined on the next slide) and key process will be addressed in the workshop (multiple segment workshops apply multiple key processes)
- [6] Provide a working definition for the core component focus of this workshop (one of the core component of the VAL-ED and our Instructional Leadership Series)
- [7] Provide an overview of the Research-Based Critical Behaviors (listed on slide and listed in the action plan)
- Explain that these are based on Vanderbilt University researchers who found that these principal behaviors have a direct and significant impact on teachers’ performance and student learning. These particular behaviors will guide our training in the Instructional Leadership Series.
- [8] Introduce the Action Plan (ask all participants to take out the form)
- Explain that by the end of this workshop each participant will develop an action plan
- As anticipatory set for that planning, ask participants to carefully read the definition of the core component and make notes about their interpretation of its meaning (1 minute)
- Then ask them to carefully read the definition of the key process (or key processes) and make notes (1 minute)
- Next ask them to carefully read the definition of the Research-Based Critical Behaviors and rate their current application of those behaviors. Explain that if they participated in the VAL-ED this should look very familiar. Participants should use the rating scale of 1-5 (5 = highly effective, 3 = satisfactorily effective, 1 = ineffective). Emphasize to participants that the point of this activity is to identify EVIDENCE, so they must describe the evidence that supports their rating (4 minutes).
Closure for the introduction
- None
Follow-up Strategies for the introduction
- Coaches may use the Instructional Leadership Model to emphasize or explain a “systems thinking” approach.
- Coaches are expected to use the reflection and/or discussion questions to clarify learning and/or reinforce strategies and successful implementation of workshop concepts.
- The items presented in this introduction target change leadership strategies; facilitators may provide additional questions.
- How is this topic compatible with district, school, and/or personal beliefs?
- What new learning will be implementing as a result of this workshop?
- How will you manage the implementation so that you avoid it being perceived as too complex?
- What are the relative advantages of this topic? Why are these concepts better than past practice?
- How will you change your behavior, in observable & measurable ways, as a result of this topic?
- How will you engage staff in this topic to ensure this becomes a part of the school culture?
Main Segment: Monitoring Leading Indicators
Management Considerations, Notes, etc (segment is less than one hour chunk of learning; one big idea or one theme)
Management Notes:
- [#] The number of the PowerPoint slide that aligns with that portion of the presentation is listed in bracket (within the structure or left-hand column).
- Ask the superintendent in advance to prepare a welcome and remarks regarding WHY this workshop is important for participants.
- Check with the superintendent in advance to see if s/he prefers to use established district administrative team norms.
- Typically, each segment of the workshop begins with a slide entitled “Segment Guiding Questions”
- Closure for each segment and/or the end of the workshop should be adjusted/adapted to the facilitators style
- The leading indicators in education information comes from “Beyond Test Scores: Leading Indicators for Education” The facilitator must read this article thoroughly to familiarize him/herself with the concept, and to be prepared to help participants make connections to their school improvement planning and data driven decision making.