GVSU Learning Network
Improving Learning and Teaching
October, 2015
Norms—GVSU East 7-12
• Minimize sidebar conversations (and create intentional
spaces for processing and conversation)
• Be honest, respectful, and transparent—agree to disagree
• Trust the process
• Share the air
• Simplify (keep it basic) and get to specificity
• Break out of your comfort zone
• Remain positive and solutions oriented
• Start on time, end on time.
• Be present and be mindful of the impact of your devices on
others
Quick Team Reflection
What was the problem of practice
relative to improving teaching and
learning we identified in August?
– What did our root cause analysis
reveal?
– What did we really do relative to
what we planned to do in August?
– What progress did we make?
What obstacles emerged?
– What did we learn (for example,
about our problem, about our
school, about our team, etc.)?
Team-to-Team (15 minutes)
• Share an overview of your team’s reflections.
• Listen and hear the overview of a partner
school’s reflection
Essential Question
How do we improve
teaching, learning and
outcomes for our
students?
Greenhouse Schools
Greenhouse Practices in Boston
• Consistent Learning Environments That Enable a
Focus on Student Growth
• Teacher Development Through Observation,
Feedback and Peer Modeling
• Early Hiring with a High Bar
• Right Responses to Good (and Bad) Performance
Greenhouse Leadership Practices
• Consistent Learning
Environments That
Enable a Focus on
Student Growth
• Early Hiring with a
High Bar
• Teacher Development
Through Observation,
Feedback and Peer
Modeling
Learning
Environment
Teacher
Development
Hiring
Performance
Management
• Right Responses to
Good (and Bad)
Performance
Improving Instructional Practice
Improving Instructional Practice:
Key Themes
• Clear vision of what highly effective teaching
looks like
• Opportunities to collaborate with and observe
effective teachers who exhibit highly effective
practice
• High-quality observation and feedback
• Coaching and support
• Focus and coherence
The Capacity and Coherence Framework
What Do We Do? What Do We Need?
Dimension
What Do We Do?
Clear vision of highly effective
teaching and learning (instructional
core)
Do we have one? What is it? How shared?
Clear strategies for creating a clear
vision and bringing it to life in
classrooms
What do we do to create a clear vision?
Opportunities to collaborate with
highly effective teachers
To what degree do we have highly effective teachers (how do
we know)? To what degree do people get to observe and
collaborate with?
Supervision system that provides
regular & actionable feedback
(including coaching and support)
How often do people get observed? How useful is the
feedback? How much ongoing coaching and support do they
receive?
A culture that supports and reinforces
this work
Are we collaborative around issues of instruction? Are we
committed to continuous improvement?
A coherent school where the pieces fit
together
Do we have clear focus with systems, culture and structures
that align?
What Do We Need?
Compare Notes
• If you have a team that attended different
sessions, take the next 10 minutes to share:
– Big takeaways
– Practical implications for your school
• If you all attended the last session, discuss the
implications of that session for what needs to
happen next at your school.
Plan of Action
Name of School:
What do we want to accomplish by the end of the year?
What will we accomplish by our winter meeting?
Action Steps
Deadline
Measure of Success
Person Responsible
Afternoon Break
Fresh vegetables and candy bars
await you.
Please be back by 2:25.
Team-to-Team “Shop Talk”
• Share your plan of action with the other team
– Explain your actions as well as the logic behind
those actions (the “whys” behind your planning)
– Field questions and listen to suggestions of the
other team.
– 20 minutes total (back ready by 2:05)
Individual Reflection
Respond in writing:
• What is one thing I learned?
• What is one thing I am going to do?