Collaborating to Provide
Feedback for Learning
Lisa Youell
and
Michelle Samples
Fundamental Assumption
• To have a mission of learning for
every student:
– You must believe that all students can
learn at high levels.
– You must take responsibility to assure
that all students learn.
The purpose of our school is to see to it that
all students learn at high levels, and the
future of our students depends upon our
success. (Focus on Learning)
We must work collaboratively to achieve that
purpose because it is impossible to
accomplish if we work in isolation.
(Collaborative Culture)
We must continually assess our effectiveness
in achieving our purpose on the basis of
results—tangible evidence that our
students are acquiring the knowledge, skills
and dispositions essential to their future
success. (Focus on Results)
Focus on Learning
• In a collaborative team, there is a
collective commitment to ensure
high levels of learning for every
student
– By name, by need
– Not “your student” versus “my
student” but OUR students
– Failure is not an option
Focus on Learning
We accept high levels of learning for
every student as the fundamental
purpose of our school and therefore
are willing to examine all practices
in light of their impact on learning.
Talk Time
• What practices are already in place in
our school or team that are
consistent with a focus on learning?
– What cultural evidence demonstrates
our commitment to the learning of all
students?
– Are there any practices that are
incompatible with a commitment to
high levels of learning for every
student?
Reflection
Are the collaborative
teams in my school
getting by or are they
getting better?
Cultural Shifts –
A Focus on Learning
• Focus on Learning
– For students
– For adults
• Shift from isolated “good works” to
systems thinking and collaboration
• All of our students (not yours, mine)
Focus on Learning
• The engine behind school improvement is
the team—grade level teams,
departmental teams, course or content
teams. The actions of these teams are
guided by the following questions:
1. What is it we expect students to learn?
2. How will we know when they have
learned it?
3. How will we respond when they don’t?
4. How will we respond when students
already know it?
Focus on Learning Questions
Expectation
Every teacher in the school will be
called upon to work collaboratively
with colleagues in clarifying the
questions “Learn what?” and “How
will we know?” The pursuit of
these questions cannot be assigned
to others. The constant collective
inquiry into these questions is a
professional responsibility of every
faculty member.
Focus on Learning
Find the 4 critical questions
What is it we expect students
to learn?
How will we know when they
have learned it?
How will we respond when
they don’t?
How will we respond when
students already know it?
Focus on Learning
1.
2.
Distribute the cards (tasks) among the people at your
table.
Each person takes a turn reading a task aloud. The
team discusses and decides which question that
particular task would address.
What is it we
expect
students to
learn?
How will we
know when
they have
learned it?
How will we
respond when
they don’t?
How will we
respond when
students
already know
it?
What are the “right things” that a school
staff should address if high levels of learning
are the focus of their collaborative efforts?
• The purpose of our school is to see to it
that all students learn at high levels,
and the future of our students depends
upon our success.
• We must work collaboratively to
achieve that purpose because it is
impossible to accomplish if we work in
isolation.
• We must continually assess our
effectiveness in achieving our purpose
on the basis of results—tangible
evidence that our students are
acquiring the knowledge, skills and
dispositions essential to their future
success.
Formative Assessment
“Formative assessment is a planned
process in which assessment-elicited
evidence of students’ status is used
by teachers to adjust their ongoing
instructional practices or by students
to adjust their current learning
tactics.”
Popham (2008) Transformative Assessment
Feedback for Learning