Signature
Practices and
the ISLLC
Standards
Facilitated by Joanne Picone-Zocchia
Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
joannepz@lciltd.org
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Signature practices are…
What are
signature
practices?
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd

Structures or processes

Activities, events,
programs, action,
protocols nested inside
bigger structures or
processes that unfold
over time
2
Signature practices can
be…
What are
signature
practices?
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd

A new spin on a
common or existing
practice

A new approach
designed specifically to
meet an existing
challenge or
opportunity
3
Where can we find examples
of signature practices?
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4
New spin on an existing
practice:
Outside of
Education
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Michelle Kwan’s signature
spiral
5
Associated with its
originator:
Outside of
Education
This signature has lent its
name to all signatures!
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6
OK…but…“signature practices”
of principals?
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Kerry’s focus on parental involvement
(from The Principal’s Story” Produced by the Wallace
Foundation and PBS)
Kerry visits students’ homes and builds support for
her student achievement goals. “I went to every
house in my first year,” she says.
A well-attended family education night at Harvard
Park involves parents and children in a learning
game and builds awareness and understanding of
the Illinois Standards Achievement Test. She thanks
the parents for coming and tells them, “We can’t
do this work without your help and support.” Kerry
adds, “School is the ticket out. If you want a better
life or a different life for your child, then we have to
work together.”
8
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Ted’s
graphic
organizer for
vision
alignment
“How will
doing X
support and
move us
closer to
our vision?”
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
9
Sal’s cross-role
strategic planning team
Monthly (more, if needed) meetings with a
strategic planning team that includes teachers,
students, administrators, parents and
community partners gather to analyze data,
generate goals, create and monitor the
implementation of the action plan to attain the
goals set, and revisit/refine the school’s vision.
This team also troubleshoots current issues (like
the district’s mid-year excessing of all school
aides), and identifies opportunities for
improvement as they occur.
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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How do we find “signature
practices”?
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Standard 1: Shared Vision of Learning
Signature practices related to Shared Vision of
Learning include:
activities, events and programs for promoting
ongoing, sustainable improvement. They connect
improvement with attainment of school wide
goals that are grounded in shared vision, mission
and data.
Processes inside which Standard 1 signature
practices might operate include budgeting,
induction, goal setting and strategic planning,
decision-making, and monitoring/responding to the
effectiveness of decisions, actions and strategies.

© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Ted’s 13
graphic
organizer for
vision
alignment
“How will
doing X
support and
move us
closer to
our vision?”
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Standard 2: School Culture and
Instructional Program
Signature practices in support of Standard 2 include
principal created activities, events, and programs
focused on:
 ensuring optimal learning for diverse student needs
and abilities
 the use of standards and assessment data to
identify, address and monitor student needs and
progress
 development of best practices in curriculum,
instruction and assessment
 providing learning opportunities to improve
teachers’ practice and ability to meet student
learning needs
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Standard 2: School Culture and
Instructional Program
Processes and structures inside which these
signature practices could be nested, and which they
could inform, include:
scheduling
professional development
curriculum development
teacher observation and evaluation
analysis and use of data
technology integration, etc.
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Turn and Talk
What signature practices have you
observed or implemented that
would support Standard 2?
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Standard 3: Safe, Efficient, Effective
Learning Environment
Signature practices related to Standard 3 include:
activities, events and programs that improve
operational efficiency, address the capacity for
shared leadership, ensure safety in a variety of
circumstances, etc.
Processes and structures that could encompass and
be informed by these signature practices are energy
conservation, budgeting, induction, scheduling,
safety/crisis plan, leadership development, shared
decision-making, etc.

© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
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Sal’s cross-role
strategic planning team
Monthly (more, if needed) meetings with a
strategic planning team that includes teachers,
students, administrators, parents and
community partners gather to analyze data,
generate goals, create and monitor the
implementation of the action plan to attain the
goals set, and revisit/refine the school’s vision.
This team also troubleshoots current issues (like
the district’s mid-year excessing of all school
aides), and identifies opportunities for
improvement as they occur.
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
18
Standard 4: Community
Signature practices supporting the Community
standard include:

activities, events and programs focused on
engaging key school and community stakeholder
groups (teachers, out of classroom staff, parents,
businesses, politicians and community members
who do not have children in the school or district)
in working as partners to improve learning.
Processes and structures that could contain or be
influenced by these signature practices are
communication plans, community outreach,
community partner development
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
19
Kerry’s focus on parental involvement
(from The Principal’s Story” Produced by the Wallace
Foundation and PBS)
Kerry visits students’ homes and builds support for
her student achievement goals. “I went to every
house in my first year,” she says.
A well-attended family education night at Harvard
Park involves parents and children in a learning
game and builds awareness and understanding of
the Illinois Standards Achievement Test. She thanks
the parents for coming and tells them, “We can’t
do this work without your help and support.” Kerry
adds, “School is the ticket out. If you want a better
life or a different life for your child, then we have to
work together.”
20
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
Standard 5: Integrity, Fairness, Ethics
Signature practices in support of Integrity, Fairness and
Ethics can be found in principals’ design and
implementation of:
 services, programs, and activities that address and
meet students' emotional, physical, and mental
health needs as well as ensure the best possible
learning for each student.
They can be nested inside the processes and structures
that support behavior management, allocation of
educational services, induction, scheduling, analysis
and use of data, labor relations (including
mediation/negotiation), discipline/behavior policies
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etc.
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
Standard 6: Political, Social, Economic,
Legal and Cultural Context
Signature practices in support of Standard 6 include:

activities, events or actions that develop advocacy,
influence and awareness that transcends the school
walls. They can include public speaking, writing, and
research into current events in education.
Processes that would include these signature practices
are communication, professional improvement,
advocacy, etc.
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Activity
Finding the ISLLC Standards in
Principals’ Signature Practices
Work in pairs or triads.
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How do we uncover or develop
signature practices?
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To uncover existing signature
practices:
 How do you foster…?
 What do you do to enable…?
To raise awareness about
potential:
Ask questions that
focus on the areas
in which the
practices either are
most likely to be
present or most
necessary
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd

What could you do to
address or improve…?

How might you address (or
help others to address) the
need to…?

What could you introduce
or put in place that would
help others to…?
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Consider 3 key factors:

Context – Are there conditions in place in
the district that may be acting to promote
or inhibit the development or
implementation of signature practices?

Experience/training – Is there a need for
leadership training or support?

Real Purpose and audience – Is there an
authentic reason for developing and
implementing a “signature practice”?
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”Signature practices” are not the be-all,
end-all, nor are they the only way of
looking at professional practice.
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The ability to tease out or establish
signature practices is bigger than
evaluation.
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Recognition of the existence
and importance of “signature
practices” is an opportunity to
honor and encourage
professional creativity and
innovation in the service of
improved learning.
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Something to
ponder…
© 2013 Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd
What signature practices
are we developing and
implementing related to
professional evaluation?
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