Running Head: CURRENT REALITY AND GAPSS REVIEW
Professional Learning Current Reality and GAPSS Review
Carmela Martinez
PL & Technology Innovation (ITEC 7460)
Kennesaw State University
M. Ed in Instructional Technology, Spring 2018
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Part A: Professional Learning Current Reality
Vision
Cobb County School District has made a significant investment in technology, especially
with the push for each school to become STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
certified. The current vision for the current and future path of technology in the instructional and
learning processes at Lost Mountain Middle School (LMMS) in Kennesaw, Georgia is to have an
educational atmosphere where students are involved in academically challenging activities that
are genuine, relevant, and necessitate higher-order thinking abilities. At LMMS we believe that
technology is a tool to boost and support more practical and efficient communication,
partnership, learning, and teaching. As stated by Candace Wilkes (principal at LMMS), “our goal
is to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their learning experience by having
students engage in collaborative learning where students work closely together to do hands on
activities to come up with solutions to real world problems utilizing technology” (personal
communication, January 23, 2018). The Cobb strategic plan consists of increasing the percentage
of students reading on grade level, LMMS helps our student achieve this goal through a
technology software program called Read 180 for students that are reading two grade levels
below expectations. We also provide reading to all students 6th, 7th, and 8th grade with
appropriate course placement (AC or on level) and LMMS also provides a reading and writing
lab to all students. (Lost Mountain Middle School 2017-2018 Cobb Strategic Plan, 2018). While
all of these goals may not include ways that technology will be used to increase achievement,
incorporating technology to meet the needs of the 21st century learner is a main goal at LMMS.
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Needs Assessment
Lost Mountain Middle School has two learning communities which guide the direction of
the school, administration community and academic teams. The academic team’s make
suggestions and helps guide decisions for the school. It is made up of administration staff along
with teacher leaders of the school. Several of the academic team members are part of the
committee which developed and implemented “Rose, Buds, and Thorns (RBT)” a professional
development (PD) where each grade level teacher is surveyed on what is working, what needs
work, and what is not working. RBT happens twice a year once at the middle of the school year
and once again at end of the year to continuously use the data gathered to monitor ways in which
to meet the needs of staff and students. Professional development is guided through student data
discussion, staff requested and those which align with the school goals. Not only does the
administration utilize PD they also determine staff development needs through frequent
classroom walk-throughs, teacher evaluations, and looking at results of content area assessment
data.
Professional Learning
Professional learning at Lost Mountain Middle School is engaging and continuous. While
Cobb County sets broad standards for professional learning, LMMS has a tapered focus that
allows flexibility and teacher input. Mrs. Wilkes shares that, “some of the determination is
driven by the county, but here at LMMS we like to try to provide what’s important to teachers.
LMMS professional development training is part of the county standards, but the utilization of
our expert teachers to help provide professional learning that ensure topics that have applicable
classroom strategies and not just theory. We find it’s more engaging for teachers when they are
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learning from teachers” (personal communication, January 23, 2018). This aligns well with
Knight’s view that, change imposed from above tends to create resistance and limits the potential
value of professional learning (p.123). Additional, the involvement of teachers in Professional
Learning Communities (PLC) adds a level of involvement into the school’s culture. The
Learning Forward standards for professional learning states that, “learning community members
are accountable to one another to achieve the shared goals of the school and school system and
work in transparent, authentic settings that support their improvement” (Learning Forward,
2017). The PLC becomes a place for professional interaction geared to assisting student
achievement and for addressing professional learning. Furthermore, the administrative staff
understands the wide-ranging demands placed on teachers this understanding is demonstrated in
professional learning that is offered that strengthens PLC objectives, without excessively placing
additional obligations on teaching staff.
Alignment to School Improvement Goals
The principal objective at LMMS for school improvement is the development of PLC’s.
Where student achievement and engagement is honed through data driven research and teacher
input. “To be effective, these policies and supports align with an explicit vision and goals for
successful learning communities. Learning communities align their goals with those of the
school and school system, engage in continuous professional learning, and hold all members
collectively accountable for results” (Learning Forward, 2017). Professional learning is
unswervingly aligned with the success of teaching and learning practices that take place at Lost
Mountain Middle School. All Professional Learning at LMMS is designed to meet the needs of
our school by bridging the gap of student achievement on the Milestone, EOC, CoGAT, SRI,
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MI’s and other various tests. It is also designed to help students prepare to become productive
members of society as they move on into high school. LMMS is focusing on really bridging that
gap of literacy and mathematics for those students whom are scoring two grade levels below
expectations, by providing targeted resources for students:
1. Not reading on grade level (Lexile)
2. Unsuccessful in Math/Algebra
(Based on CCRPI Math/Algebra
scores)
3. Not on-track for graduation
Lost Mountain Middle School does this by implementing eight key actions:
1. Provide Read 180 instruction at 6th, 7th, & 8th grade for students reading two grade levels
below expectations and/or System 44 instructions per qualifying guidelines
2. Implement Math Connections in 7th & 8th grade for students struggling at the end of prior
grade
3. Provide weekly Math Lab for re-teaching
4. Offer math tutoring to struggling students through Socrates Club (Partner in Ed. Tutors)
5. Utilize the RTI process to support struggling students
6. Utilize the Retention process to monitor and support struggling students
7. Growth Mindset strategies taught to all 8th grade students in math
8. Provide before school core content Help Sessions for students who do not demonstrate
mastery of standards on common formative assessments in core classes (Lost Mountain Middle
School 2017-2018 Cobb Strategic Plan, 2018).
LMMS also uses multiple surveys to evaluate where the school positions are by using surveys
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such as TKES self-evaluations, student evaluations and administrator walk-through and
evaluations. This integrated alignment formal and informal of school initiatives is necessary to
effect meaningful change.
Funding & Incentives
According to Principal Wilkes Lost Mountain Middle School does receive a small budget
for professional development from the county, but that funding is earmarked for the twice a year
subject area collaboration day but because that is not enough money, LMMS also receive funds
through a grant process from the county through the Cell Tower Funding Grant (personal
communication, January 23, 2018). Also, according to the School Strategic Plan, training for
technology, and for TKES are all ongoing for all teachers at LMMS. Funding for these trainings
is chiefly handled at the school level. Since the training sessions are typically carried out by a
teacher or district member during planning sessions, there is no major cost unless the person is
not from the county or is now retired. There are no real incentives for professional development
focused on technology except for a teachers’ own desire to improve one’s self.
Diversity
Lost Mountain Middle School is more diverse when it comes to the special education
realm then it is when dealing with race and socio-economic status. The demographics at LMMS
are as follows: White: 72.0%, African American: 16.3%, Hispanic: 6.5% and Free/discounted
lunch recipients: 10.7% we have a total of 1,064 students at the school. Although we have a
population of Hispanic students we do not have any classified as ESOL within the whole school
we have one ESOL student. LMMS has many inclusion classrooms with special education
teachers (Co-teachers) coming into classrooms to assist the general education teachers and the
special education students. The Cobb County School District employs someone full-time to
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provide appropriate assistive technology and to help teachers use the technology with special
education students.
Collaboration
At LMMS teacher of the same subject area collaborate twice a week on Wednesday and
Thursday for forty-five minutes each day. During these mandatory PLC’s teachers have an
opportunity to share ideas, plan, and look at the upcoming week. These PLC’s are not considered
professional development/learning, these are peer collaboration meetings with your content and
grade level colleagues. These PLC’s are documented in a OneNote notebook which provides an
agenda, meeting notes, and a plan for the next meeting each member of the PLC has a rule to
implement to help the team run smoothly. During each PLC, teachers assess current data the data
must be based off common assessments within each PLC, for either formative or summative
assessment. The OneNote from these collaborative meetings are then reviewed by an
administrator to ensure that maximum collaborative efforts are taking place in all content areas
and that every staff member is being an effective collaborator for the success of the team and the
students at Lost Mountain Middle School.
Evaluation
Informal and formal evaluations are ongoing at Lost Mountain Middle School. In terms
of formal evaluation, Teacher Keys Effective System, is the main device for teacher evaluation.
We have two different paths for TKES in Cobb County Schools we have the flex plan and the
full plan. On the full plan a teacher is evaluated six times a school year for the first three years
that they teach within a Cobb County School. Once a teacher reaches his/her forth year they will
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be moved to the flex plan where the teacher is then evaluated once each semester for thirty
minutes. Each department has a specific administrator assigned the responsibility of oversight
and evaluation. This evaluation platform is setup to ensure teacher effectiveness and ensuring
consistency and comparability throughout the state (GADOE.org, 2017). Informal evaluations
are made many times throughout the year by any administrator who generally does evaluations
for TKES, Mrs. Wilkes states that “walk throughs provide follow-up and identification of both
great teaching and teaching that needs improvement” (personal communication, January 23,
2018). The use of walk throughs also inspires participation and reflection by the teacher.
Likewise, when the content of professional learning integrates student curriculum and educator
performance standards, the link between educator learning and student learning becomes
explicit, increasing the likelihood that professional learning contributes to increased student
learning. When systems increase the stakes for students by demanding high, equitable outcomes,
the stakes for professional learning increase as well” (Learning Forward, 2017). At Lost
Mountain Middle School, the walk through allows the identification of problems and to support
teachers that may be struggling to meet expectations. Evidently evaluation is a continual and
steady symbol of an effective school. Indeed, the clarity of expectations and the consistent push
for excellence at LMMS is encouraging to teachers.
Running Head: CURRENT REALITY AND GAPSS REVIEW
References
Georgia Department of Education: Teacher Keys Effectiveness System. 2017.
http://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/Teacher-and-Leader-Effectiveness/Pages/TeacherKeys-Effectiveness-System.aspx
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Lost Mountain Middle School. (2018). Cobb Strategic Plan 2017-2018. Kennesaw, GA: Cobb
County School District.
http://www.cobbk12.org/lostmountain/LMMS%202018%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf
Standards for Professional Learning (2017) Learning Forward.
https://learningforward.org/standards
Wilkes, C. (2018). Personal Communication, January 23,2018.
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Part B: GAPSS Review
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
The means by which teachers, administrators, and other staff acquire, enhance, and refine the knowledge, skills, practices, and
dispositions necessary to create and support high levels of learning for all students
Professional Learning Standard 1: Aligns professional learning with needs identified through analysis of a variety of data
Professional learning needs are
identified and differentiated
through a collaborative
analysis process using a
variety of data (e.g., student
achievement data, examination
of student work, process data,
teacher and leader
effectiveness data, action
research data, perception data
from students, staff, and
families). Ongoing support is
provided through
differentiated professional
learning.
X
Level 4
Exemplary
Level 3
Operational
Professional learning needs are
identified through a
collaborative analysis process
using a variety of data (e.g.,
student achievement data,
examination of student work,
process data, teacher and
leader effectiveness data,
action research data,
perception data from students,
staff, and families).
Level 2
Emerging
Professional learning needs are
identified using limited
sources of data.
Level 1
Not Evident
Professional learning needs are
identified using little or no
data.
EVIDENCE: Teachers participate in content area PLC’s where they collaborate and share expert experience for common core strategies.
Teachers meet twice a week to discuss common assessment data for student mastery and modify instructional practice based on data
analysis.
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RECOMMENDATIONS: To move from operational to exemplary I believe that my school needs to also focus on the ongoing support
factor provided through differentiated professional learning.
Professional Learning Standard 2: Establishes a culture of collaboration among administrators and staff to enhance individual
and collective performance
Level 4
Exemplary
X
Administrators and staff, as a
foundational practice,
consistently collaborate to
support leadership and
personal accountability and to
enhance individual and
collective performance (e.g.,
construct knowledge, acquire
skills, refine practice, provide
feedback).
Teachers conduct action
research and assume
ownership of professional
learning processes.
Level 3
Operational
Administrators and staff
routinely collaborate to
improve individual and
collective performance (e.g.,
construct knowledge, acquire
skills, refine practice, provide
feedback).
Level 2
Emerging
Administrators and staff
routinely collaborate to
improve individual and
collective performance (e.g.,
construct knowledge, acquire
skills, refine practice, provide
feedback).
Level 1
Not Evident
Administrators and staff
routinely collaborate to
improve individual and
collective performance (e.g.,
construct knowledge, acquire
skills, refine practice, provide
feedback).
EVIDENCE: PLC’s have been an integral component at LMMS for many years, which works well in our school. We a constantly
evaluating the PLC’s and finding ways to make them better. We also have training to develop high functioning collaborative teams. (Lost
Mountain Middle School 2017-2018 Cobb Strategic Plan, 2018).
RECOMMENDATIONS: At the moment I don’t have any recommendations on improvement as I feel that our PLC’s are extremely
effective.
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Professional Learning Standard 3: Defines expectations for implementing professional learning
Administrators, teacher
leaders, or both consistently
define expectations for the
implementation of professional
learning, including details
regarding the stages of
implementation and how
monitoring will occur as
implementation progresses.
X
Level 4
Exemplary
Level 3
Operational
Administrators, teacher
leaders, or both regularly
define expectations for the
implementation of professional
learning.
Level 2
Emerging
Administrators, teacher
leaders, or both occasionally
define expectations for the
implementation of professional
learning.
Level 1
Not Evident
Administrators, teacher
leaders, or both rarely, if ever,
define expectations for the
implementation of professional
learning.
EVIDENCE: A survey was given to all teachers to determine the strength of professional learning, which also asked question about
moving forward and how to better the PL’s, we were also given a plan for implementation of what was learned in PL’s.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Provide and explain the expectations for the implementation of PL’s, and provide teachers with dates
regarding when stages of implementation must be completed.
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Professional Learning Standard 4: Uses multiple professional learning designs to support the various learning needs of the staff
Staff members actively
participate in job-embedded
professional learning that
engages collaborative teams in
a variety of appropriate
learning designs (e.g.,
collaborative lesson study,
analysis of student work,
problem solving sessions,
curriculum development,
coursework, action research,
classroom observations, online
networks). Professional
learning includes extensive
follow-up with descriptive
feedback and coaching.
Level 3
Operational
Staff members actively
participate in professional
learning, most of which is jobembedded, which includes
multiple designs (e.g.,
collaborative lesson study,
analysis of student work,
problem-solving sessions,
curriculum development,
coursework, action research,
classroom observations, online
networks) to support their
various learning needs.
Professional learning includes
follow-up with feedback and
coaching.
X
Level 4
Exemplary
Level 2
Emerging
Some staff members are
engaged in professional
learning that makes use of
more than one learning design
to address their identified
needs.
Level 1
Not Evident
Staff members receive single,
stand-alone professional
learning events that are
informational and mostly
large-group presentation
designs.
EVIDENCE: LMMS focuses much attention on the special education department to ensure that differentiation is happening across the
board. Professional learning for special education homes in on co-teaching strategies.
RECOMMENDATIONS: To increase the achievement of in-depth professional learning committees, curriculum development must take
place within all departments and focus on more than one aspect of curriculum.
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Professional Learning Standard 5: Allocates resources and establishes systems to support and sustain effective professional
learning
Level 4
Exemplary
X
Extensive resources (e.g.,
substitute teachers, materials,
handouts, tools, stipends,
facilitators, technology) and
systems (e.g., conducive
schedules, adequate
collaborative time, model
classrooms) are allocated to
support and sustain effective
professional learning.
Opportunities to practice
skills, receive follow-up,
feedback, and coaching are
provided to support the
effectiveness of professional
learning.
Level 3
Operational
Adequate resources (e.g.,
substitute teachers, materials,
handouts, tools, stipends,
facilitators, technology) and
systems (e.g., conducive
schedules, adequate
collaborative time, model
classrooms) are in place to
support and sustain
professional learning.
Level 2
Emerging
Some resources and systems
are allocated to support and
sustain professional learning.
Level 1
Not Evident
Few, if any, resources and
systems are provided to
support and sustain
professional learning.
EVIDENCE: At LMMS we have two days out of the school year where we get to spend the day collaborating with our PLC’s.
Substitutes are paid for by the school and all material needed is also provided by LMMS.
RECOMMENDATIONS: I would like to also have a full day to collaborate with co-teachers as they only receive half days during these
times and if we have a speaker come in to teach us something new that is time that I am losing with the co-teacher,
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Professional Learning Standard 6: Monitors and evaluates the impact of professional learning on staff practices and student
learning
Monitoring and evaluating the
impact of professional learning
on staff practices and increases
in student learning occurs
extensively. Evaluation results
are used to identify and
implement processes to extend
student learning.
Level 3
Operational
Monitoring and evaluating the
impact of professional learning
on staff practices and student
learning occurs routinely.
Level 2
Emerging
Monitoring and evaluating the
impact of professional learning
on staff practices occurs
sporadically.
X
Level 4
Exemplary
Level 1
Not Evident
Monitoring and evaluating the
impact of professional learning
on staff practices occurs rarely,
if ever.
EVIDENCE: Lack of IC’s make it difficult to monitoring professional learning PLC’s and to have self-evaluation is taking place
RECOMMENDATIONS: PLC evaluations need to take place at the end of the week to help determine the impact of professional learning
this can be done using a quick survey through a google doc.
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KSU ITEC Professional Learning Standard: Professional learning reinforces educators’ understanding and use of strategies for
promoting equity and high expectations for all students, application of research-based teaching strategies and assessment processes,
and involvement of families and other stakeholders in promoting student learning.
Classroom practices (e.g.,
considering interests, backgrounds,
strengths, and preferences to provide
meaningful, relevant lessons and
assess student progress,
differentiating instruction, and
nurturing student capacity for selfmanagement) of all teachers reflect
an emotionally and physically safe
environment where respect and
appreciation for a diverse population
is evident. There are high
achievement expectations for all
students and teachers. The principal
and other leaders provide
professional learning for teachers
lacking understanding of the impact
that attitudes regarding race,
disabilities, background, culture,
high expectations, and social class of
both students and teachers have on
the teaching and learning process.
X
Level 4
Exemplary
Level 3
Operational
Classroom practices of most
teachers reflect skill in
communicating high
expectations for each student
and adjusting classroom
activities to meet student needs.
Respect for students’ cultures
and life experiences is evident
through the emotionally and
physically safe learning
environment where students of
diverse backgrounds and
experiences are taught the
school code of conduct
(customs) to help them be
successful in the school context.
Level 2
Emerging
Classroom practices of some
teachers reflect evidence of
teachers’ training in
understanding the impact that
attitudes regarding race,
disabilities, background,
culture, high expectations, and
social class of both students and
teachers have on the teaching
and learning process.
Level 1
Not Evident
Classroom practices reflect
little or no evidence of
teachers’ training in
understanding the impact that
attitudes regarding race,
disabilities, background,
culture, high expectations, and
social class of both students
and teachers have on the
teaching and learning process.
EVIDENCE: Our vison at LMMS is to expand the pursuit of excellence through engagement, encouragement, and educating learners
with enthusiasm (Lost Mountain Middle School, 2016).
RECOMMENDATIONS: More focused engaged learning strategies for more “experienced” teachers who tend to be techno phobic.
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References
Lost Mountain Middle School. (2018). Cobb Strategic Plan 2017-2018. Kennesaw, GA: Cobb County School District.
http://www.cobbk12.org/lostmountain/LMMS%202018%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf
Lost Mountain Middle School. (2018). http://www.cobbk12.org/lostmountain/