Thursday, February 01, 2007

Director’s Message

What better way to illustrate clear and focused mission, then to include for you HRD’s Mission and Vision. As a department we recently revised what had been created several years ago to ensure that it embodied our current values and beliefs. It gives me great pleasure to share it with you as part our ongoing commitment to high quality professional development for all.

Vision
Broward County Public School’s Human Resource Development Department will be recognized as the national model in the field of public education, providing quality staff development to all Broward County Public School employees, resulting in the maximization of student achievement.

Mission
We, at Human Resource Development (HRD), support the planning, delivery, follow, and evaluation of quality professional development to maximize student achievement and enhance the performance of all district employees.

Source: Linda S. Whitehead, Director, Teacher Development/HRD

How do we compare to Cheesecake?

Cheesecake Factory Cooks Up a Rigorous Employee Training Program

Each candidate must go through a rigorous two-week certification process before becoming a full-fledged server. Candidates are assigned a mentor for on-the-job training. They observe how experienced servers interact with customers and navigate diverse situations in the restaurant.

At the end of the two weeks, candidates are given examinations and are required to attain a letter grade of A. They are given two attempts to qualify, and if they cannot get that A, they are not hired.

Thirty days after becoming servers, employees receive follow-up classes. Servers also receive bi-annual training to coincide with the changing of the menu. To maintain strict quality control, servers go through a recertification process once a year.

Because many of the company’s workers do not hold predictable 9-to-5 schedules, creating deep, long-lasting company ties can be a tricky undertaking. With this in mind, the Cheesecake Factory gathers employees every day for a formal meeting—a ritual long practiced by Ritz-Carlton. The sessions serve as a platform for talking about a variety of issues—from the best ways to keep the stores clean to safety tips to celebrating special events.

One way the company measures its return on investment is by examining turnover rates, which are about 15 percent below the industry average of 106 percent. What support does each new teacher receive before becoming a full-fledged member of the faculty? Is our induction program for new teachers as rigorous as the Cheesecake Factory is for their servers?

Source: http://www.workforce.com

Be an Effective Decider

With so many decisions to make, how do you manage to overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed, and to resist becoming paralyzed by what is called Decide-o-Phobia?
Here are some practical tips for making decisions easier:

Empower your Instructional Coaches.
Your Instructional Coaches have brains; let them provide input. Do you really need to be the one to decide which observational tool to use, when you have a coach perfectly capable of doing research and making suggestions for the team?
Do not just throw decisions at your Instructional Coaches, provide guidelines (“Do you want the easiest tool to use or the most reliable?”), let them come to you for input, and then never second-guess or criticize them.

Set a deadline.
To avoid procrastination, set a drop-dead date for making a choice. Allow yourself enough time to do the necessary fact-finding, but make a decision by your deadline, regardless of how much research you have done.

Establish a purpose for meetings.
Successful Liaisons drastically reduce the time it takes to make choices by declaring that some NESS meetings are for discussion and others for decisions. At decision-making meetings, choices must be made. Identify the purpose for the meetings - information or collaboration.

Give yourself fewer options.
Successful Liaisons narrow choices down to two or three at the most. Leaders are often overwhelmed by too many alternatives. Here is a method to use when trying to decide something with another person: One of you lists three options -- and only three -- and the other can either choose one or veto one.

Get the right person for the job.
It is easier to make decisions if you find coaches you trust. Think about selecting a coach with the proper attitude and support skills. Do not second guess! Set a date to assess the selections with your administrator at an appropriate time, and once you have made a decision, support your Coaches.

Source: Adapted by Randall Deich from an article by Rhonda Abrams

Clear and Focused Mission of the Instructional Coach

Instructional Coaches should collaborate with administration in developing a clear, focused vision and a well-defined mission statement for supporting new educators. A vision is an image of what the New Educator can and should become. It is deeply embedded in values, hopes, and dreams. A mission statement is more specific and often defines what the support system is trying to accomplish.

Together, Instructional Coaches and administrators can develop a specific mission that defines the expectations of the coach in helping New Educators become effective teachers. The mission should concentrate on key areas of high impact – classroom management; lesson planning, delivery, and assessment of student work; building a positive relationship with parents, and maintaining behaviors that promote high student performance. This mission can be supported by creating a professional work environment that supports collegiality, professional growth, and job satisfaction.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller, NESS Program Facilitator

Writing Measurable Objectives

SMART Objectives:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Timely

Examples and non-examples of SMART objectives based on the effective teaching behaviors on the Florida Performance Measurement System (FPMS):
1. Example: New Educator will start each lesson with a brief review of material previously covered.
1. Non-Example: New Educator will review material. This is a non-example because it is not specific. When will the New Educator review - once a day, week, month, or year?

2. Example: New Educator will check student comprehension by asking a student or several students to repeat directions or respond to specific questions based on lesson content.
2. Non-Example: New Educator will check student comprehension. This is a non-example, because it is not measurable. Method for checking comprehension is missing.
See article on page 4: “Clear and Focused: Student Objectives” for more information on writing objectives.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller, NESS Program Facilitator

Using “Plan, Do, Study, Act” to Clarify the Mission

Plan, Do, Study, and Act (PDSA) is a structured process for continuous improvement. During the PLAN phase the Instructional Coach together with the New Educator identifies the characteristics of a highly effective teacher. These characteristics represent the “Desired State”, a goal that all teachers should be working toward.

After the characteristics of the “Desired State” are identified, the Instructional Coach (IC) converts those ideas into “Measurable Objectives.” (See article: Writing Measurable Objectives) The Instructional Coach uses the objectives to select the appropriate tool(s), such as Verbatim, Domain 2, lesson plans, student work, video, etc., to measure the teaching behaviors of the New Educator. Observing and collecting baseline data give the Instructional Coach information about the new educator’s “Current Reality.”

The “Current Reality” is a description of the new educator’s performance before support is provided. As soon as the “Current Reality” is determined the Instructional Coach collaborates with the New Educator to decide on the interventions that would be most beneficial in providing opportunities for professional growth.

Tips for the Planning Process:
• Align actions towards the Desired State
• Fix process, do not blame
• Use data and data narrowing tools to identify Current Reality
• Build a professional relationship based on commitment, not compliance.

In the next issue we will look at the second step (DO) in the Continuous Improvement Cycle.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller. NESS Program Facilitator

Achieve Optimum Learning

In my 41 years working in education, it has always been my premise that student learning should be child-centered and structured from a foundation established by the individual’s previous learning experiences. In other words, learning is like a pyramid constructed individually by each student wherein each section is dependent on the previous one as it builds to maximum capacity. New or modified learning is constructed using what the student already knows. Therefore, learning must be individualized and active rather than group centered and passive.

To achieve optimum active individualized learning that builds on past experiences, learning activities must be structured to engage the student in the learning environment. In light of that fact, the following processes need to be in place:
• Learning must allow for active engagement of students; learning is not a spectator activity.
• Student activities related to learning should be realistic, relevant to the context of the course, and embedded in social experiences.
• Memorization, pre-packaged assignments, and rote recitation of answers must be eliminated from the setting.
• Student achievement should be based on relating outside activities or situations to the subject arena of the course.
• Learning must engage students in new readings, projects, and activities that build on previous experiences.
• Students must develop their own work based on the analysis of real-life situations.
• Students need to share the results of their work with other students in the class.
• When students share their work with classmates they are exposed to multiple perspectives on an issue or subject.
• Classmates should be encouraged to challenge the ideas in presentations by other students or the teacher, but to support their challenges with their own real-life experiences, with readings or with other materials related to the course.
• All students need to feel they have ownership and a voice in the learning process.

Source: Dr. Roma Gay Adkins, Director, Non-Instructional Staffing

Easy Filing!


"The most time consuming task I encounter is getting materials ready for class. Instead of filing worksheets in a filing cabinet where they can be easily lost, I file them in a three ring binder using sheet protectors. I use 2 - 3" binders for each semester. Every worksheet, lesson, and other materials I have is filed in them. The best part of this is the copying. I use the thin transparent covers, and I can take it out of the notebook, copy it in the sheet protector, and put it right back in the binder. Even if I have to take the sheets out to make two-sided copies, it still saves me tons of time."

Source: Cristie P., Teacher, Teachnology.com

Clear and Focused: Student Objectives

Although often not a part of courses in many teacher education programs, teachers must understand that student objectives ARE NOT a list of class activities.
In a standards-based system teachers must write student objectives. Students need to have a clear understanding of what they are to learn and how they can demonstrate mastery. Acquiring the skill of writing student objectives is easier than most educators believe, but it is a skill that requires practice. Good student objectives are about the evidence of learning; they specify what behaviors a student must demonstrate or perform in order for a teacher to judge that learning took place. Since learning cannot be seen or directly measured, teachers must make inferences about learning from evidence they can see and measure. Well constructed student objectives provide an ideal vehicle for making those inferences.

A well-constructed learning objective leave little room for doubt about what is intended. A well-constructed student objective usually contains two parts: 1. An action verb (most teachers used Bloom or Webb as a source for action verbs) defines the student behavior that will be measured or observed; 2. The criteria are the “what” that is to be learned.

The Verb
In a student objective, the verb is the action word that communicates an observable behavior. As teachers we may want our students to appreciate, understand, know and learn. Although these words suggest things we want our students to do, we cannot see appreciation, understanding, knowledge or learning. The best teachers can do is infer that a student appreciates, understands, knows, or has learned something based on what the student does or says in a controlled situation.
An action verb is a word that is observable and measurable. Verbs such as identify, list, compare and predict are action verbs because we can observe the act or product of identifying, listing, comparing and predicting.

The Criteria
The objective must also include a declarative statement that describes what the student must perform to satisfy the intent of the action verb. Usually but not always, the criteria are expressed in some minimum number, or standard that must be included in a student’s response. For example, an objective might be in the form: “Students will be able to:

• list the first 100 numbers arranged in ascending order.”
• identify the 10 prime numbers between 1 and 25.”
• Select the five amendments that they think have had the greatest impact on American society.”
• sort historical events in chronological order.”
• classify animals as carnivores or herbivores.”
• define all content specific vocabulary.”

Well-written student objectives are the heart of any effective lesson plan. If the objectives are vague or are impossible to measure, the lesson activities and assessment will be flawed. Before you begin to write an objective, think about what the student will do to demonstrate mastery. You will find this process helps clarify what you intend, and will help communicate that intent to your students, regardless of their grade level, age, or subject.

Lighter Side

Science teachers, this lighter side is for you.

TEACHER: Can anyone give me the name of a liquid that won't freeze?
PUPIL: Hot water!

TEACHER: How did Edison's invention of electricity affect society?
PUPIL: If it weren't for him, we'd have to watch television by candlelight!

TEACHER: Name a conductor of electricity.
PUPIL: Why er
TEACHER: Wire is right. Name a unit of electrical power.
PUPIL: What?
TEACHER: The watt is absolutely correct.

TEACHER: Who can give me a definition of claustrophobia?
PUPIL: An unnatural fear of Santa Claus.

Source: http://www.teacherhumor