Title: Supporting Stages of Concern & Levels of Use
Title: Supporting Stages of Concern & Levels of UseDescription: Participants will explore the Concerns Based Adoption Model including Stages of Concern and Levels of Use. They will then discuss strategies to address an individual teacher’s stages/level in order to move teacher to more effective and fluid practice. Application Focus: Participants will develop an Action Plan for supporting quality instruction. Emphasis is placed on supporting teacher improvement.
NOTES:
- 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
- Participants will examine the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (including Stages of Concerns and Levels of Use)
- Participants will discuss and present how instructional leaders support teachers’ opportunities to improve their instructional practices.
- Participants will connect learning to Research-Based Critical Behaviors and apply learning to developing an action plan to impact teacher performance and student learning.
- Plans opportunities for teachers to improve their instruction through professional development.
- Coordinates efforts to improve instruction in all classes
- Observes each teacher’s instructional practices routinely to provide feedback
- Evaluates teacher’s instructional practices
- Supports teachers’ opportunities to improve their instructional practices
- Discusses instructional practices with faculty
- ISLLC 2.B Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction
- ISLLC 2.C Assessment and Accountability
- How do instructional leaders recognize and support teachers’ opportunities to improve their instructional practices?
Agenda and Segment Titles / Time in Minutes / Notes
Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model & Overview / 20
Applying Concernand Use / 50
Conclusion & Development of an Action Plan / 20
TOTAL TIME / 90 (1.5 hrs)
Materials
- Facilitator Guide for Supporting Stages of Concern & Levels of Use
- Facilitator PowerPoint for Supporting Stages of Concern & Levels of Use
- Agenda (facilitator makes this on chart paper)
- Post-its, Chart paper, Markers
- Action Plan
- Stages of Concern
- Levels of Use
- None
- None
Research Included
- Stages of Concern, Hord, Rutherford, Hulling-Austin and Hall, 1987
- Level of Use, Hord, Rutherford, Hulling-Austin and Hall, 1987
- Vanderbilt Assessment for Leadership for Educators (VAL-ED), Discovery Education Assessment, Nashville, TN; July 2009
- Stages of Concern, Hord, Rutherford, Hulling-Austin and Hall, 1987
- Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach, Jane Vella, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994.
- Instructional Leadership Matrix: Core Components & Key Processes
- Instructional Leadership Model (for poster)
- ISLLC Standards Rubric
- Norm Development Framework & Five Reasons
Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model (and overview)
Management Considerations, Notes, etc (for Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model)
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).
- Each segment begins with a slide entitled “Segment Guiding Questions”
- Check with the superintendent in advance to see if s/he prefers to use established district administrative team norms.
- Ask the superintendent in advance to prepare a welcome and remarks regarding WHY this workshop is important for principals.
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
Introduction / 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 (as modeled on the right).
- Give participants an opportunity to share interests they have for developing their skills for in this area/topic
- 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)
Presentation / Engagement Set for the introduction
- [3] Provide an overview of today by discussing today’s agenda (create & post simple agenda on chart paper)
- Describe the “Intended Outcomes” for today
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
- [5] Introduce the Instructional Leadership Model
- In the big picture, or from a systems thinking perspective, the Instructional Leadership Model represents the focus on student achievement, teacher quality, 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.
- If necessary, explain which key processes will be addressed in the workshop.
- [6] Provide a working definition for core component focus of this workshop (one of the five core component of Instructional Leadership)
- [7] Provide an overview of the Research-Based Critical Behaviors (listed on slide and listed on 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.
- [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 (Coaching Bundle)
- 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: Supporting Stages of Concern & Levels of Use
PRESENTATION FOR THIS SEGMENT (segment is less than one hour chunk of learning; one big idea or one theme) / Management Considerations, Notes, etc
Introduction / Anticipatory Set for this segment
- [9] This slide indicates the beginning of this segment. Facilitator should discuss the guiding question.
- It is intended to communicate the focus of this segment to participants. Note that the guiding question is used again at the end of this segment.
- Explain that author Shirley Hord and others have provided us with a guide to help instructional leaders “uncover” an individual teacher’s Stage of Concern.
- The key is to LISTEN carefully to the individual teacher’s choice of words. They will unveil their concerns.
- Explain that author Shirley Hord and others have provided us with a guide to help instructional leaders “uncover” an individual teacher’s Level of Use.
- The key is to OBSERVE carefully with regard to the expected (fidelity of implementation). They will unveil their use, and provide hints on the help you need to provide.
- [#] 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).
- Each segment begins with a slide entitled “Segment Guiding Question”
The formative assessment items are presented only for general guidance. Use this informal feedback to adjust pacing or lessons. After you have worked through this workshop, you may make modifications and/or additions to these items to guide other facilitators.
- Observe the participant discussion.
Presentation / Engagement for this segment
- [10] Facilitator Note: Stages of Concern is conceptual framework that enables the principal to listen carefully to teacher’s words and identify their stage of concern for an initiative.
- Ask participants to choose one initiative being implemented in their school (focusing one concept will probably result in more specific feedback; also focusing on one instructional strategy may be best). And then ask participants to answer the following question: What WORDS or PHRASES are you hearing from teachers regarding that initiative or instructional strategy. (FACILITATOR: If a participant is struggling because of the specific initiative, reword the question as “things you typically hear when a new initiative is implemented in the school”)
- Jot down some exact quotes when possible.
- Put one quote per post-it note.
- Shareat your table top: Group similar comments together.
- Ask participants to sharesome of the comments from the group, not duplicating previous comments shared.\
- [11] Effective instructional leaders learn to recognize the words and/or phrases …those words tell the leader what stage the individual is in. So, principals must learn to recognize a teacher’s stage of concern (regarding a new initiative) in order to support their professional growth, help them to the next stage, and ultimately help them implement the new initiative. So, listen carefully to the teacher’s choice of words …in their words is an important message.
- [12] Distribute the handout: Stages of Concern
- Explain that supporting the teacher’s implementation is related to developing the teacher’s understanding:
- To address self concerns the teacher needs to know what the strategy is, why this effective and what is required of him/her. At this stage it is important to discuss needed resources – how a principal will secure and allocate what is needed.
- To address task concerns the teacher needs specifics regarding what the strategy looks like, when it is used and what has to change in his/her practice. At this stage it is important to discuss organizational details (structures, processes, non-negotiables, etc).
- To address impact concerns the teacher needs to know ways the strategy can be adapted, how others are using the strategy, and how this connects to other school improvement efforts. At this stage it is important to discuss data, collaboration, and potential flexibility or adaptation.
- [13] Walk through the chunks …Self, Tasks, & Impact. Provide a big picture description of the growing capacity to implement the initiative effectively
- Use the handout to walk through stages…Awareness, Informational, Personal, Management, Consequence, and Refocusing. Read the description of each and emphasize how the teacher is growing in his/her readiness and/or capacity to implement the initiative effectively.
- Continue using the handout and walk through the right-hand column. Emphasize that the teacher’s words indicate where s/he is in the stages of concern for implementation of the initiative.
- [14] Ask participants to organize their post notes by stage (use chart paper, or it may sufficient to simply use one of the handouts and place the post-its on the table around it)
- Pose the following questions:
- How insightful were your teachers words in “uncovering” their probably stage of concern?
- What do you need to do to support each teacher’s transition to the next stage?
- Ask participants to create a brainstormed list of strategies that an instructional leader might use to help a teacher transition from one stage to the next stage.
- Emphasize that some of the strategies MUST be one-on-one facilitation (because change leadership research indicates the leader must manage personal transitions …one-at-a-time)
- [15] Facilitate a whole group share. Start with a teacher at the lowest stage and discuss strategies to move the teacher up one stage at a time.
- [16] Facilitator Note: Levels of Use is conceptual framework that enables the principal to observe carefully teacher’s actions and identify their level of use for an initiative.
- Ask participants to choose one initiative being implemented in their school (focusing one concept will probably result in more specific feedback; also focusing on one instructional strategy may be best). And then ask participants to answer the following question: What do you see teachers doing in their classroom regarding that initiative or instructional strategy. (FACILITATOR: If a participant is struggling because of the specific initiative, reword the question as “things you typically observe in classrooms when a new initiative is implemented in the school”)
- Jot down some exact quotes when possible.
- Put one quote per post-it note.
- Shareat your table top: Group similar comments together.
- [17] Effective instructional leaders learn to recognize teacher’s action relevant to a new initiative…those actions tell the leader the level of use of the new initiative. So, principals must learn to recognize a teacher’s level of use (regarding a new initiative) in order to support their professional growth, help them to the next level, and ultimately help them implement the new initiative. So, observe carefully the teacher’s actions …in their actions are an important message about what you need to do next.
- [18-19] Distribute the handout: Levels of Use
- Explain that supporting the teacher’s implementation is related to developing the teacher’s understanding
- To address use by a teacher you need to know what the DEGREE to which the teacher is using it.
- Walk through the chunks …Nonuser & User. Provide a big picture description of the growing implementation the initiative effectively. (Emphasize the difference: Stages of Concern is about the teacher’s attitude toward the initiative and readiness or capacity to implement. Levels of Use is focused on the actual doing that is observable in the classroom.)
- Use the handout to walk through levels…nonuse, orientation, preparation, mechanical use, refinement, integration, and renewal. Read the description of each and emphasize how the teacher is growing in doing “it.” The individual’s level of use is becoming more effective and more skilled.
- Walk through the right-hand column. Emphasize that the descriptions are providing the instructional leader with a hint on how to assess teacher’s level, and are providing critical hints regarding Decision Points (DP) that the teacher needs to move through in order to move to the next level. These Decision Points are critical! They are the key to helping the individual teacher move to the next level of use of the initiatives.
- [20] Ask participants to organize their post notes by level (use chart paper, or it may sufficient to simply use one of the handouts and place the post-its on the table around it)
- Pose the following questions:
- How insightful were your observations “uncovering” their probably level of use?
- What do you need to do to support each teacher’s transition to the next stage?
- [21] Facilitate a whole group share. Start with a teacher at the lowest level and discuss strategies to move the teacher up one level at a time.
- [22] The guidance provided by Sages of Concern an Levels of Use is only valuable is the instructional leadership use it to take action to support the teacher’s improvement
- Again, let’s go back to our warm-up activity. You selected a component of quality instruction you would like to discuss with an individual teacher. Think about ONE initiative or ONE instructional strategy that all teachers are expected to implement in your school. Think about one teacher and where that teacher is relevant to the stages of concerns (words you are hearing) or level of use (observable classroom actions). For that teacher, create an outline of an individualized professional development plan.
- Remember, the PD plan can include workshops, coaching from an instructional coach, coaching from the principal, readings, conversations, or other appropriate less formal ideas.