Session 2A Facilitator’s Guide: Analyzing a
Standard and Connecting to Observation
Sequence of Sessions
Targets for this Session

I can interpret the meaning of a grade-specific standard, discriminating it from the same standard at other grade levels.
High-Level Purpose of this Session

This session, which builds on the one before, provides administrators with the opportunity to deeply understand and envision
effective teaching of the specific standard(s) that they determined where the priority standard(s) in session 1.
Related Learning Experiences

During session 1, participants experienced the ATLAS Protocol as they examined a data set based on the 2014 ELA
assessment results. Session 2A builds on session 1 by having participants analyze the standard that was identified as an
area of weakness for standards. Principals can turn key all processes and protocols that are used.
Key Points

Change initiatives often fail because the rider simply can’t keep the elephant on the road long enough to reach the
destination. (Switch, 2010, p.7) This is likely very true right now given state test data and teacher evaluations. The emotional
side overwhelms the rationale side of us. Knowing standards deeply supports the coaching of teachers on implementation of
the standard and can shift the conversation to from emotion to logic.
Session Outcomes
What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of
this session?
1. I can interpret the meaning of a grade-specific standard,
discriminating it from the same standard at other grade
levels.
How will we know that they are able to do this?

Performance task at end of session.
Session Overview
Section
Time
Overview
Prepared Resources
Section 1: The
Rider, Elephant, and
Path
6 min
[6 minutes] In this section,
participants will be introduced
to concepts from Switch that
are relevant to this change
initiatives and engage in a
activity in which they reveal
ELA Standard 5 at their
specific grade level.


PPT slides
switch-framework.pdf
Section 2: Analyzing
a standard
15 min
[15 minutes] In this section,
participants will be introduced
to the learning targets of the
session and engage in a


RI.5 by grade level
PPT slides
Facilitator’s Preparation

Review materials prior
to facilitation
activity in which they reveal
ELA Standard 5 at their
specific grade level.
Session Roadmap
Section 1: The Rider, Elephant, and Path
Time: 11:35-11:41
[6 minutes] In this section, participants will be introduced to
concepts from Switch that are relevant to this change initiatives
and engage in a activity in which they reveal ELA Standard 5 at
their specific grade level.


PPT slides
switch-framework.pdf
Time
(2 min)
Slide #/Pic of Slide
PPT Slide #1
Script/Activity directions
(4 min)
PPT Slide #2
The conventional wisdom in psychology is that the brain has two
sides – the emotional side and the rationale side – both of which
are in operation all of the time at the same time.
Welcome Participants
An analogy by Jon Heidt from the Happiness Hypothesis goes like
this: Our emotional side is an elephant and our rational side is its
rider. Perched atop the elephant the rider holds the reins and
seems to be the leader. But the rider’s control is precarious
because the rider is so small relative to the elephant. Anytime the
six-ton elephant and the rider disagree about which direction to go,
the rider is going to lose. He’s completely overmatched.
PPT Slide #3
Think of a time, during this transition to common core, one that you
Grouping
can articulate clearly to someone else, that you thought you were
the leader and in charge of a situation, but your emotions got the
best of you and quickly threw you off kilter. Your emotional side
overpowered your rational side.


PPT Slide #4
Can you make a connection to your teachers regarding this
question?
Have any of your staff experienced their rational side being
overcome by their emotional side during these major
changes and different expectations?
Have participants turn to the switch framework.pdf and explain that
we will continue to use this metaphor as we build our skills around
observation and coaching.
Key ideas: changes often fail because the rider (who is the decider)
simply can’t keep the elephant on the road long enough to reach
the destination. (Switch, 2010, p.7) This is likely very true right now
given state test data and teacher evaluations. The emotional side
can overwhelm the rationale side of s.
If you want to change things – must appeal to both sides of
humans, the rider and the elephant. If you reach riders but not the
elephants, team members will have understanding without
motivation. If you reach their elephants but not their riders, they’ll
have passion without direction (p.8). Both situations stop change in
its tracks.
Section 2: Analyzing a standard
Time: 11:41-12:00
[19 minutes] In this section, participants will be introduced to the Materials:
learning targets of the session and engage in a activity in which
 RI.5 by grade level
they reveal ELA Standard 5 at their specific grade level.
 PPT slides
Time
Slide #/Pic of Slide
2 min
PPT slide #5
Script/Activity directions
Grouping
Whole group
Introduce the Learning Targets for this session:
 I can interpret the meaning of a grade-specific standard,
discriminating it from the same standard at other grade
levels.
Key Idea: Explain that it is important for leaders to become as
deeply familiar with standards as teachers for effective coaching
of teachers. Also, they will be introduced to a process they can
use with their teachers to help deepen their knowledge of
standards as well. Using the data protocol helps to narrow the
focus on a couple high leverage standards rather than digging
deep into all of them all of the time.
16 min
PPT slide #6




1 min
PPT Slide #7


Turnkey Materials Provided



RI.5 by grade level
PPT slides
Facilitation Guide
In your participant notebook, locate the document RI.5 by
grade level.
1st read: Read through all the standards. (2 minutes)
2nd read: Read and underline or highlight key words in the
standards (4 minutes)
3rd read: Read through with a partner discussing the words
that you selected and why. Also, discuss what do you notice
about this standard as it progresses? (5 minutes)
Explain that after lunch they will begin connecting the work
with standard 5 to the observations tools that are available,
and will prepare to observe a model lesson on standard 5
thereafter.
Reiterate the key idea that in order to coach, leaders need
to know the standards deeply.
Solo and
partner