Discuss ways to motivate students. Explain how student engagement factors could be reflected in a lesson plan. Please give spec

105

7 EVIDENCE

How Will You Evaluate Your Impact? Im

plem entation

A Focus on

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Student Engagement

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Evidence

Scan this QR code for a video introduction to the chapter.

C o p y r i g h t 2 0 2 0 . C o r w i n .

A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . M a y n o t b e r e p r o d u c e d i n a n y f o r m w i t h o u t p e r m i s s i o n f r o m t h e p u b l i s h e r , e x c e p t f a i r u s e s p e r m i t t e d u n d e r U . S . o r a p p l i c a b l e c o p y r i g h t l a w .

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106 Instructional Leadership

How do we know that our instructional leadership practices have an impact? How do we go from an inspiring and satisfying conversation around student learning to focusing on whether our words created actions that ultimately had an impact on it? Just as with the program logic model, we need to determine our needs, create activities that will help us meet our needs, define outputs to put the improvements into action, and then collect evidence to understand the impact of doing so. Instructional leadership is not all about our own ideas of improvement—much of it is about the ideas we inspire in others. However, we need to know that those ideas are result- ing in improvements, and that is where evidence comes into our instructional leadership story.

Evidence of impact is something that is always on my mind. We often reflect on our days as leaders, but do we reflect with evidence? Without evi- dence, aren’t we just remembering it the way we think it happened and not necessarily the way it did happen?

The interesting issue is that when I train leaders in competency-based collaborative leadership, the evidence part of the course is the most difficult but also the most rewarding. I find that leaders are good at asking teachers to collect evidence but not so good at collecting it themselves.

As a consultant and author, evidence of impact is something I often pur- sue. It’s easy to give a keynote address or run an inspirational workshop, but it’s less easy to see whether what those participants learned is actually being used in their school. The question I pose to you here on evidence of impact is the same one that I often ask myself: How do we know what we are doing is having an impact on student learning? As leaders, we can use the reasoning that we are too far removed from direct impact on students, but throughout the book I have offered ways of having more direct impact. In my role, I can use the excuse that I’m too far removed or that there are too many variables that may prevent the work that I do to make its way to impacting students, but if I don’t have impact, why I am doing what I do?

What does “evidence of impact” mean to you? In what ways have you collected evi- dence of your impact? If you could become the instructional leader you dream of being, where would be your greatest impact?

Mindful Moment

When looking at evidence of impact, it’s all about what we are measuring, and we know we should be measuring those things we are trying to impact. I do not believe there is one specific way to measure our impact. Rather, it’s about the group driving the improvement engaging in dialogue around what

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Evidence 107

evidence they could collect that would show them the improvement was working. Evidence collection should not involve sitting alone in our adminis- trative office; it should involve working collaboratively with a group.

In the competency-based work that I do, participants are required to bring evidence of impact around the six influences of collaborative leadership, which are instructional leadership, collective efficacy, professional learning and development, feedback, assessment-capable learners and!family!engagement.

Student Voice Questions

Don’t forget about the students when collecting evidence. Many participants bring in their notes or data but rarely bring in samples of students’ work.

Additionally, when they meet to discuss their evidence, I remind them that this is not a practice of judgment, meaning that we should not judge our- selves based on the evidence we collect but look at it as a starting point. How does the evidence we collect help us understand where we are in the learning process, and what dialogue can we engage in to decide how to go further? The following image is the slide that I use when diving into the conversation regarding evidence and instructional leadership.

Collaborative dialogue is instrumental in the evidence collection process, because it helps guide us to a deeper level of learning if we choose people to collaborate with who have different ways of thinking than we do.

Figure 7.1 Evidence-Sharing Session

Evidence-Sharing Session

• Instructional leadership—What evidence helps support your goal of being an instructional leader?

• Evidence sharing — What evidence did you bring?

— How did you collect it?

— Whom did you engage in dialogue with around this evidence?

— What did you learn?

— What would you do differently next time?

Time: 30 minutes

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108 Instructional Leadership

EVIDENCE OF IMPACT

In the following pages, I will guide you through the process of collecting evidence by using program logic and the implementation cycle. We will once again focus on common language and common understanding.

As I stated earlier in the book, common language and understanding are the cornerstones of a supportive and inclusive school climate. However, common language and understanding can also help build an environment around learning that I believe surpasses any discussion around content expertise.

After the program logic model has been used to bring about a com- mon understanding of the goal, it’s time to implement the cycle of learning around the goal. The implementation cycle example in Figure 7.3 specifi- cally looks at conceptual understanding around the most commonly used words in education—words like “student engagement,” “growth mind- set,” “differentiated instruction,” “cooperative learning” and “conceptual understanding.”

When going through this process, we may want to choose activities with the intent of facilitating the different levels of learning (surface, deep, and transfer), in order. For example, we can use surface-level learning by provid- ing staff members with one research-based article around conceptual under- standing that they need to read prior to a staff meeting. At the staff meeting, after discussing the research-based article, we dive into a deep level of learn- ing by showing a video (from YouTube, from the Teaching Channel, or one created by our own teachers), and then the teacher who is the expert at the growth mindset or student engagement guides the teachers through a lesson. This is often part of what is referred to as the “flipped faculty meeting” pro- cess. Transfer-level learning comes in when teachers in the staff meeting feel inspired to try one new instructional strategy to build student engagement in the classroom, and the instructional leader sees that practice when doing walkthroughs. It is important to note that not all teachers will feel confident enough to try a new instructional strategy so quickly. They may need the additional support of an instructional coach, peer, teacher leader, or instruc- tional leader to help them achieve the next level, that of implementing those practices in the classroom.

The evidence of impact collected, in this example, are the videos of the practice being implemented, walkthrough observation notes from the instructional leader, and the work created by the students.

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Evidence 109

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110 Instructional Leadership

Figure 7.3 Implementation Strategy for Concepts of Learning

Stage 1: Common language/common

understanding

What are those words? “student engagement,”

“growth mindset,” “differentiated instruction,”

“cooperative learning” or “conceptual understanding”

Stage 2: Begin researching the common

definition around the chosen common

language

Group decides to focus on one or two

research studies

Stage 3: At faculty meetings, begin modeling

examples of how to put the common language

into action

Stage 4: Have a pilot group

implement the strategies in their classrooms; film the strategies in action

Reflect on evidence collected (video,

observation notes, teacher reflections,

student responses, etc.)

Who will it help? How is it better than what we are already doing?

How are teachers involved?

Who is responsible for finding the research? How will the research be provided to staff?

E.g., provide video around high-quality conceptual questions to use in the classroom.

Instructional leader observes and takes notes.

How can we embed this into the collaborative culture?

Based on research by Odom et al. (2014) and Fixsen et al. (2005).

Student Voice Questions

When it comes to common language and common understanding, don’t forget the students. Randomly select students from a few class- rooms, and ask them for their definition of the common language and common understanding your staff is working on. If they know it, then it’s a good sign that the work you are doing with staff is having a posi- tive impact.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES

Let’s move on to another example. This time we will specifically look at social-emotional learning. Figure 7.4 is a program logic model focusing on social-emotional learning, which you read about in Chapter 4, on student engagement. When I was a school principal, Kids Club was our student advi- sory group created by teachers, and you will notice it specifically mentioned

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Evidence 111

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112 Instructional Leadership

Advisory Groups: Helping to Create a Positive School Climate

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009) recommends school cli- mate reform as a data driven strategy that promotes healthy relationships, school connectedness, and dropout prevention” (Thapa et al., 2012).

According to the latest National School Climate Study (2012), “A growing number of State Departments of Education are focusing on school climate reform as an essential component of school improvement and/or bully prevention” (p. 2). Schools are often looking for quality ways to create a safe atmosphere for students. Using advisory groups is one way to promote a healthier and more nurturing school climate.

Student advisory groups are not what you are probably thinking. This doesn’t just mean that school social workers and school psychologists work with groups of students who are in need. Advisory groups are small groups of students that span the grades in the school system, and every staff member has a part in it. It can help make a large school feel a little bit smaller.

Student advisory groups allow for a couple of students from each grade level to get to know kids in other grade levels. It also encourages students from upper grades to be role models for the younger students in the school. Older students need to learn to be role models and understand the responsibility that comes with being the oldest students in the school. Establishing advisory groups is one way that many schools are creating a community of learners and showing students that they have an important part in their own educational process.

Kids Club

In the school district where I am principal, we have advisory groups at all of the ele- mentary schools. The one in our particular school has been in existence since the year before I became principal, while the other schools have created their groups over the past few years. We call our advisory group Kids Club, but one school calls their group Peace Groups, and the last school calls their advisory time together Tiger Talk (their school mascot is a tiger). Kids Club was based on an idea that our staff got from read- ing the book The Big Picture: Education Is Everyone’s Business by Dennis Littky.

in the Outputs column. It is one of the greatest examples of student voice that we had in our school.

For those of you at the secondary level, this was actually a method of stu- dent voice that was created based on a high-school model. From the program logic model, we take a deeper look at what can be created out of it, which is a student advisory group. As I mentioned before, ours was called Kids Club, and I wrote about it for Education Week in the following blog post (DeWitt, 2012).

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Evidence 113

Advisory groups are not simple to put together, but the time it takes is well worth it when the kids meet with their advisory teacher. Typically, once or twice a month we meet with our groups for 15 minutes and talk about what is going on in the school or at home. Sometimes they complete surveys on how much they enjoy the school lunch or other aspects of the school. When I first became principal the students had an opportu- nity to choose which playground equipment we could get for our new playground.

The advisory group that the principal has is not all the students who frequently get into trouble. They are an evenly balanced group of students just like every other staff member has. I have about 10 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. One of the great things that happens is when a child transfers from our school to one of the other elementary schools, they understand the concept of advisory groups already and feel comfortable contributing to the group because they know the process.

Character Education

“There is extensive research that shows school climate having a profound impact on students’ mental and physical health” (Thapa et al., 2012).

I have not always been a promoter of character education programs. It’s not that I don’t believe in character education, because I do. I just believe that if the program doesn’t become a part of the culture of a school, it is harder to see if it is effective. Advisory groups offer schools the opportunity to really delve into the topic of character education because the groups are the venue that help build the culture. In the words of Todd Whitaker, “It’s people, not programs.” Advisory groups will be successful if the people in the school believe in them.

In New York State we have the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). All schools in New York State are required to “include classroom instruction that supports the devel- opment of a school environment free of discrimination and harassment, including but not limited to, instruction that raises awareness and sensitivity to discrimination and harassment based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, and gender” (N.Y. State Commissioner Regulation 100.2 (c)). Our schools are using our advisory groups as one way to meet this very important mandate.

In the End

Advisory groups can be beneficial to creating a safe and nurturing school climate. In addition, they offer all students, even those who are new to the school, an opportunity to feel like a valued member of the educational community. Many students feel a spe- cial connection to their advisory teacher, because they may be in the same group with them for up to six years.

(Continued)

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114 Instructional Leadership

School culture is so important to the educational process. It’s through a positive school culture that we meet the social and emotional needs of our students so they will feel safe and learn. We want our students to leave us feeling that we listened to their needs, and advisory groups are just one of the ways that schools can meet that need.

Creating an Advisory Group:

• Three or four teachers work together with a list of all staff members. • Add one or two students (depending on size of school) from each grade level into a

group. • Each group stays with the same staff member year after year. (This is clearly harder

to do with schools that have high teacher turnover or in schools that have experi- enced many budget cuts.)

• Put together monthly topics that each staff member should discuss. Remember that not every staff member knows what to talk to kids about.

• Use character education words. For example, every staff member in the district is talking about “Respect” with their advisory groups.

• Each staff member should get a plastic organizer that has crayons, pencils, scissors and other supplies.

• Organization is key. School days are busy, and the more the planning group can do some of the thinking for each teacher, the better. Teachers need to be prepared on the morning or afternoon of the advisory group meeting, in the event that some- thing comes up that morning that prevents them from having everything they need for the group.

Advisory Groups:

• Advisory groups should last no more than 20 minutes. • The principal or secretary uses the loudspeaker to announce the beginning and end. • All staff members stand in the hallway to welcome students and make sure they are

being polite in the hallway as they individually walk to their advisory group. • Grades 1 through 4 students walk on their own to their Kids Club. • Grade 5 students pick up their kindergarten Kids Club peers and walk them to their

destination. • Every Kids Club group has a plastic organizer that holds different ideas for meet-

ings, as well as crayons, scissors, and other items needed for crafts and projects.

References

Littky, D. (2004). The big picture: Education is everyone’s business. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Higgins-D’Alessandro, A., & Guffey, S. (2012). School climate

research summary: August 2012. New York, NY: National School Climate Center.

(Continued)

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Evidence 115

Now that you have viewed the program logic model and have a deeper understanding of advisory groups, we will look at the implementation cycle used to put it into practice. This implementation cycle should happen at the very beginning of the advisory groups practice. Clearly, the cycle below will keep going on and on to reflect the growth process that the school commu- nity goes through during the advisory group process.

Something that is not reflected in the cycle or the program logic model is what I cited from Fullan’s work earlier in the book around the topic of the implementation dip. When looking at social-emotional learning, student engagement, and an extra task put on teachers such as advisory groups, it’s important to understand that not every staff member will be on board, and

Figure 7.5 Implementation Strategy for Student Advisory Groups (SEL)

Stage 1: The need for school-based SEL

practices

Student advisory groups is a research-based

practice to help connect students with the

school community

Stage 2: Focus on creation of advisory groups with school stakeholder group

Stage 6: Hold the first advisory group meeting, which includes students

Stage 3: Stakeholder group defines/explains

the advisory group process to all teachers/staff

Stage 4: At faculty meetings, begin modeling

examples of what is discussed at advisory

group meetings

Stage 5: Students are provided with an advisory group teacher and given an understanding of what

happens during the group meetings

Reflect on evidence collected (i.e, student responses to surveys,

teacher reflections)

Usually happens at the end of one school year, and involves a summer planning group

How do we involve all teachers?

Each member of the school community will have a group of students representative of each grade level in the school

School community decides on frequency of meetings (i.e., once a week, twice a month, etc.)

How can we embed this into the collaborative culture?

Based on research from Odom et al. (2014) and Fixsen et al. (2005).

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116 Instructional Leadership

that will result in an implementation dip. Another thing to notice is the sheer amount of work that goes into planning something like advisory groups. However, the ends justify the means, because in a school community where this emotional connection to school is established among students and teach- ers, fewer students will feel alienated.

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