BuildingCapacityforEffectiveUseofAssessmentData
Dear Colleagues:
In recent years many schools have implemented professional learning communities (PLCs), data teams, and other types of teams in an effort to improve teaching and learning. Therefore, thefocus on Collaborative Teacher Teams should feel familiar to most educators. This document is designed to help improve theeffectiveness of grade- and course-level teams through implementation of Data Wise, which is a step-by-step guide to using assessment data to improve teaching and learning.
This Collaborative Teacher Team Guide includes three major sections:
- Section 1:Overview of Collaborative Teacher Teams - This section defines and explains the purpose, key structures, and tasks essential for school improvement by developing powerful teams.
- Section 2:The Ideal State of Collaborative Teacher Teams (including tools to support implementation)- This section gives direction on the “who,” “when,” and “how” of collaborative teams, providing schools with key information on membership, team norms, and protocols and tools that can be used to ensure productive, action-oriented meetings.
- Section 3:Sample Collaborative Teacher TeamMeeting- This section of the guide pulls the explanations and tools together to help educatorsvisualize how team members might collaborate together on a meeting agenda, data inquiry, and action steps to move teaching and learning forward.
As you work through the guide with your team, we encourage you to pause to consider the reflection questions at the end of each section. These questions are intended to facilitate collaborative discussionand collective understanding.
Getting Collaborative Teacher Teams off on the right foot is essential so that educators individually, and collectively, see the value in collaborative teaming and enter the process eager to participate. We trust that this guide will help schools implementAction Plans that yield powerful results for students and teachers. We welcome your feedback on how we might improve this guide for both your school and others that may use it as a resource in the future
Warm regards,
Your school transformation partners:
Table of Contents
Section 1: Overview of Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs)
What are Collaborative Teacher Teams?
Collaboratively Determining and Implementing Evidence-Based Instructional Practices
The Role of Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs) in the Assessment to Achievement Project
Pause for Reflection: Questions
Section 2: Getting Started with Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs)
The Team
The Process
Four Components of Effective CTT Meetings
Effective Meeting Component #1: Engaged and Efficient
Tool #1: Norms Protocol
Tool #2: Compass Points Protocol
Tool #3: Comprehensive Meeting Agenda
Effective Meeting Component #2: Data-Driven
Ladder of Inference
Student Achievement Data
Artifacts
Implementation Data
Schedule a Review of All Three Types of Data
Data Analysis Tools
Tool #1: Data Review Calendar Template
Tool #2: General Questions for Looking at Data
Tool #3: The Five Whys Protocol
Tool #4: Questions for Analyzing Common Assessment Data
Tool #5: What do you see? What do you make of it? Protocol
Tool #6: Basic Student Work Protocol
Tool #7: Student Work Calibration Protocol
Tool # 8: Atlas Protocol (for looking at student work)
Tool #9: Looking at Student Work Protocol
Tool #10: Co-Examining Student Work with Students
Tool #11: Protocol: Scoring Standards Together
Effective Meeting Component #3: Committed to Action
Committed to Action Tools
Tool #1: Action Checklist
Tool #2: The Five “Hows” Protocol
Effective Meeting Component #4: Growth Oriented
Growth-Oriented Tools
Tool #1: Reflection for Improvement Checklist
Pause for Reflection: Questions
Section 3:Pulling it All Together: A Sample Collaborative Teacher Team Meeting
PART 1: Begin With An Agenda (Be Engaged & Efficient)
Collaborative Teacher Team (CTT) Meeting Fishbowl: Meeting Agenda
PARTS 2 and 3: Engage in a Data Protocol (Be Data Driven and Commit to Action)
Collaborative Teacher Team (CTT) Meeting Fishbowl: Data Protocol
Questions and Samples of Student Work
Hot Potato Issue: Answer Key
Collaborative Teacher Team (CTT): Meeting Fishbowl Script
SECTION 2: COMMITTED TO ACTION
PART 4: Wrap Up with a Growth Mindset Protocol (Be Growth Oriented)
Collaborative Teacher Team (CTT): Meeting Fishbowl Script
Pause for Reflection: Questions
Section 1: Overview of Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs)
What are Collaborative Teacher Teams?
Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs) are exactly what the term implies: two or more teachers who work deliberately, and collaboratively, as a team to improve teaching and learning. Typically, CTTs are formed around grade levels or common content (math, ELA, science, social studies, world language, etc.). CTTs organize or the collaborative work by developing shared goals, objectives, and norms. Effective CTTs also use an inquiry process, such as Data Wise, to ensure that their work is driven by data and focused on action..
Prepare
1. Organize for Collaborative Work
2. Build Assessment Literacy
Inquire
3. Create Data Overview
4. Dig into Student Data
5. Examine Instruction
Act
6. Develop Action Plan
7. Plan to Assess Progress
8. Act and Assess
Collaboratively Determining and Implementing Evidence-Based Instructional Practices
The whole point of collaborative inquiry is to collect and analyze accurate information (data) to determine whether classroom instruction is effectively producing high levels of student learning. As it turns out, this practice of data-driven, collaborative dialogue among teachers is a highly effective process to grow the abilities and skills of teachers to meet the needs of students, as multiple researchers have discovered:
- In a longitudinal study conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the American Institutes for Research,[1] collaborative professional learning was demonstrated to improve the effectiveness ofclassroom instruction when teachersengaged in structured activities that allowed them to: 1). obtain feedback about teaching and 2). review student work and assessment data in relation to the school’s improvement goals.
- Similarly, researchers at Michigan State University report[2]that in order for teachers to effectively acquire and apply relevant knowledge about teaching, they must have the opportunity to engage indata focuseddialoguemeasuring: 1).teaching practices and 2). student learning.
- Research conducted by Stanford University found[3] that a culture of collaborative inquiry supports: 1).ongoing learning for educatorsand students, 2). increases teachers’ feelings of effectiveness (i.e. self-efficacy), and 3). the likelihood that teachers will try new teaching techniques(to improve instruction and increase student learning).
However, effective collaborative inquiry among teachers requires leadership and support. Schools must abandon the historical culture of schools, in general, that encourages and/or allowsteacher isolation and individualistic approaches to teaching. When leadership is focused and supportive, schools can build incredible cultures of collaborative inquiry and growth built around teachers whowork together to identify common challenges, analyze relevant data, and test instructional approaches.When positive leadership supports CTTS in developing practices and routines that facilitate collaborative, data-based dialogue about instruction and learning, student achievement will improve[4].
The Role of Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs) in the Assessment to Achievement Project
Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs)rethink and reshape what happens in classrooms. As the following illustration shows, the CTT is supported most closely by the School Transformation Team (STT), which is supported directly by the District Transformation Team (DTT) and Utah State Office of Education (USOE) partners. The success of improvement work relies heavily on the instructional changes that happen in the classroom as a direct result of Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs). Classroom teachers have the greatest effect on student learning.
Pause for Reflection: Questions
Q. Why are CTTs essential to the work of school transformation?
Q. Why are STTs important to the work of school transformation?
Q. How are CTTs different from STTs and how are they the same?
Q. How will CTTs be received at our school, and what can the STT do to address potential concerns?
Q. What should we call CTTs at our school? CTTs or something else?
Section 2: Getting Started with Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs)
The Team
The ideal Collaborative Teacher Team (CTT) is made up of 2-6 members who share the same students and/or curriculum. CTTs should:
- Hold weekly, data-driven meetings for at least 45-minutes in duration
- Use a structured inquiry cycle (e.g. Data Wise)
- Take direction and guidance from the School Transformation Team (STT)
- Maintain a strong feedback/communicationloop with the STT
The Process
The chart below provides additional detail about the ideal expectations for teachers (action together as CTTs) to implement the schoolwide Action Plan. This chart provides specific details about the function of teams at both the elementary and secondary levels.
Ideal Expectations of Teachers for Implementing the Action PlanFrequency: Weekly meetings
Feedback Loop: Submit instructional plan, meeting notes, summaries of aggregated student data and/or implementation data
Elementary Level / Secondary Level
TEACHERS / Focus of Action Plan
- Implementation of the Evidence-Based Instructional Strategy (EBIS) in all classes/grades
- Regular, intentional focus on Learner Centered Problems in all classes/grades
- Implementation of the Evidence-Based Instructional Strategy (EBIS) in all classes/grades
- Regular focus on Learner Centered Problems in English Language Arts and math classrooms
- Intentional focus on Learner Centered Problems at least once per month in content areas outside of English language arts and math
Collaborative Teacher Teams / All grades/subjects
Primary focus of weekly Collaborative Teacher Team meetings:
•Improve learning related to the Learner Centered Problems
•Improve implementation of EBIS / English language arts and math / Other Subjects
Primary focus of weekly Collaborative Teacher Team meetings:
- Improve learning related to the Learner Centered Problems
•Math: 1 of 4 meetings will focus on English language arts Learner Centered Problem
- Improve implementation of EBIS
•Improve implementation of EBIS (3 of 4 meetings)
•Improve learning related to the Learner Centered Problems (1 of 4 meetings)
While the process for Collaborative Teacher Teams (CTTs) will vary slightly from one school to the next, it is important to recognize that the meeting cycle) is a continuous, data-driven, process ( based on the Data Wise inquiry cycle) that starts with the creation of an instructional plan and relies on the collection of data to inform next steps.
Four Components of Effective CTT Meetings
The following sections outline the four components of effective Collaborative Teacher Team (CTT) meetings and provide tools to support them.
Effective Meeting Component #1: Engaged and Efficient
CTTs that are engaged and efficient:
-Use protocols to promote clear communication, productive problem solving, and on-going learning.
-Commit to teamnorms
-Create and utilize constructive agendas
Protocols
Establishing and using protocols de-personalizes feedback by focusing conversations on the critical components of the team’s role and function. In a 2015 publication,[5] the National School Reform Faculty outlined the following benefits of protocol use in school settings:
Time is protected for active listening and silent reflection, giving people license to listen without having to respond
Equity and parity are emphasized and valued; ensuring all voices will be heard
Participants feel safe to ask challenging questions, and give and receive honest feedback
Focus is narrowed to specific pieces of work or dilemmas, in an honest attempt to address and resolve problems
Participants gain differing perspectives and leave feeling empowered and optimistic, with actionable next steps
Norms
Effective teams create norms as a social contract; “this is how we agree to do business when working together.” Practical experience teaches that well-developed norms for collaborative teacher teams are essential to a civil discussion, and include some variation of the following categories and examples.
Suggested categories for team normsAttendance Communication outside of the team and within the team
Focus and engagement Preparation and Punctuality…………………..Confidentiality
Task assignments and accountability Conflict resolution…………………………………..Technology use
Examples of team norms:
- Everything we do as a team will reflect our commitment to student achievement and improving the work of our School Transformation Team (STT) and Collaborative Teacher Team (CTTs)
- We will maintain a positive, solutions-based focus; we will refrain from admiring problems by focusing on variables that are under our control.
- We will honor time commitments by beginning and ending meetings on time.
- We will contribute equally to the workload of this team.
- We will listen respectfully and consider matters from another’s perspective.
- When not in DTT, STT, or CTT meetings, we will consciously communicate in a positive manner about our work and our colleagues.
Agendas
Before every CTT meeting, an agenda should be developed. As a best practice, agendas should prepared and available to participants in advance of the meeting. This will allow meeting participants an opportunity to plan appropriately, bring all necessary materials, and be ready to report on any tasks completed from the previous meeting.
While each CTT will choose the meeting agenda template that works best for their team, the agenda should include, at a minimum, that following components:
-Time allocation: To ensure that the meetings will start and end ontime
-Time for accountability and reflection
-Space to define and assign roles and tasks (i.e. facilitator, recorder, timekeeper) for each meeting participant
-Space to summarize decisions and results in notes to build institutional memory and effective feedback loops
Tools
The following tools have been created to support “engaged and efficient” CTT meetings.
Tool #1: Norms Protocol
Total Time: 10 minutes
On your own (3 minutes):
Reflect on the suggested categories for team norms and examples provided.
Make note of specific norms you would like your team to have in place.
‘Round the horn (4 minutes):
Each person shares their suggestions for team norms.
With your team (3 minutes):
The team agrees on and articulatesnorms for their team and records them on the template below.
Our Team Norms:We will...
Tool #2: Compass Points Protocol
Purpose: To help groups come to common understanding on how work style preferences affect group work. Similar to the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory, this exercise uses a set of preferences which relate to group behaviors.
1.The room is set up with four signs on each wall — North, South, East and West.
2.Participants are invited to go to the “direction” of their choice. No one is only one “direction,” buteveryone can choose one that most closely matches their personality.
3.Each “direction” answers the five questions on a sheet of poster paper. When complete, they report back to the whole group.
4. Discussion of this activity might center on a few questions::
•Note the distribution among the “directions”: what might it mean?
•What is the best combination for a group to have? Does it matter?
•How can you avoid being driven crazy by another “direction?”
Tool #3: Comprehensive Meeting Agenda
This agenda was adapted from the authors of Data Wise and includes prompts for A2A identified components of effective team meetings.
CTT MEETING AGENDADate: Time: Location:
Topic: / Attendees:
Facilitator: Recorder: Timekeeper:
Meeting Objectives:
To prepare for this meeting, please:
Materials we will use at the meeting:
Data: ❏Artifact ❏Student Achievement ❏Implementation
Protocol:
Schedule:
Time / Minutes / Effective Meeting Component / Task
Engaged & Efficient / Welcome: Review team norms, meeting objectives, and agenda
Recap:
Data-Driven
Committed to action / Assign tasks
Create a plan for follow-up and monitoring of progress
Growth-oriented / Reflection: Identify a celebration from this meeting and determine current level of team functioning
Growth Orientated: Reflection for Improvement
Item / Yes / Somewhat / No
Did we track whether we’re completing action items from previous meetings?
Are the completed tasks having the desired effects on team functioning (STTs), instruction (CTTs) and student achievement?
Did we follow the meeting norms?
Did all members participate productively by offering strategies, resources and ideas, while prioritizing simple and impactful actions?
Are committed actions deliberate in ensuring that students receive the interventions? *Verbal advocacy does not equal implementation.
What did we do exceptionally well?
How will we improve ratings of somewhat or no?
Feedback Loop to School Transformation Team (STT)
Summarize Instructional Plan: Actions your team will take in response to the data
Assessment Update / Date of next common short-term assessment / Brief description of next common short-term assessment
Evidence-Based Instructional Strategy Update / Upcoming collection of implementation data / Specific coaching needs
Summarize any questions or concerns for your STT
Tasks
Task / Person Responsible / Status
Effective Meeting Component #2: Data-Driven
Teams that are data-driven make better decisions are more likely to improve instruction, achieve higher increases in student learning, and maintain momentum. As quoted in the preface of Data Wise:
“Continuous improvement is compelling. Once you get a taste of what can happen when you work hard with people you respect on something important and see results, there is no turning back. This is what teachers, principals, and coaches tell us about using data to improve teaching and learning (p. ix).[6]”