More Educator Effectiveness Peer Observations

Teachers throughout the district are continuing to visit the classrooms of their peers to observe specific indicators that have been identified as strategies and skills that are present in an effective classroom.  HTHS teachers complete a form after observing and after discussing their observations with their colleagues.  Here is a portion of the comments from Indicator 1:  Well-Managed Classroom:

HTHS Effective Educator Team Debrief

This will be completed with your TEAM after the Debrief Session during professional development.

Indicator 1: Well-Managed Classroom

RUBRIC

Content Area(s) Observed	Observed Best Practices What is one take away from the well-managed classroom rubric? What did you observe that you could adapt for your classroom?
Spanish/English	Teachers’ interactions with students made the classroom conducive to learning. In both classrooms, transitions were really effective. Great use of bellringer to start class. Seating arrangement in one classroom was great for smaller classes (made students listen to teacher and each other).  In the other classroom, the teacher’s whiteboards showed the answers to a lot of FAQs and this made learning the most important event in the room. Students were managing their own learning-working in groups and self directing. Teachers were appropriately correcting student misbehavior to as to attend the students to the task at hand.
AP Bio/AP U.S. History	Students were being held accountable through time management. Real world practice experience preparing for the AP exam for both APUSH and AP Bio. Students know the expectations and when to transition to other activities. Students know what the expectations are when they walk through the door to class. Data sets - do more with graphing and interpretation in A.P. U.S. History.
English	It must be great for new teachers who need guidance. I really liked the the bell ringers that got the class focused. The students were engaged in the lesson being directed by the teacher Modeling good behavior while other students completed assignment.
Academy/English/Arts	Students are knew what was expected of them. Great delegation of tasks to students; put some of the procedural work on them. Demonstrating ability to work independently. Teacher and students demonstrated knowledge of classroom routines.
Math/History/SpEd	Students were self-monitoring their behavior and following closely to instruction. Student desks were arranged in clusters to allow for peer interaction and assistance and it gave them clear line of sight to the board and the teacher. Students were actively engaged and asking questions.
English/History/Culinary	Students were engaged and very responsive to the instructor. Students were performing routines and correcting each other. Differentiation of body kinesthetic applications.

Why Collaborate?

Why Collaborate?

Professional Learning Communities co-creators Rick DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, and Robert Eaker define collaboration, “As teams of teachers who work interdependently to achieve common goals — goals linked to the purpose of learning for all — for which members are held mutually accountable.”   In Trussville City Schools, our collaboration is focused, and the accountability is evident in our K-12 progress. 

Early Career

When I reflect on my early years of teaching, as many of my fellow veteran teachers may also do, I can draw a distinct “then” vs. “now” image. “Collaboration” wasn’t the word used when teachers congregated, but rather “faculty meeting,” which consisted of a smorgasbord of information that needed to be disseminated to the teachers. Sometimes, there was a mandatory training here or there.  We now affectionately refer to that model of meetings as a “sit and get.”   Other than these meetings, teachers worked in isolation, although many did so with some level of success.  Teachers had a teacher edition as a resource – no Internet then -- what more was needed? By flipping through its pages, teachers could extract necessary materials needed to teach a unit.  However, the “then” model had no focus on collaboration, no focus on student growth, and certainly no concerns about students who were in other teachers’ classrooms. 

Today’s Classrooms

Fast forward to today’s classrooms.  Teachers use the textbook as a resource, but their teaching materials come from a variety of places, which takes hours to sift through research and available resources to present the most current and most effective lessons. This is one reason why our weekly collaboration is so important, and why research supports a collaborative environment:

It is very easy to get caught in the trap of walking into a classroom, shutting the door, and tending to your own students.  This is how many schools function, with educators sharing nothing more than a parking lot.  Some people like it this way, but an effective teacher is someone who wants to grow in the profession.  An effective teacher wants collaboration

(http://www.hotchalkeducationnetwork.com/collaboration-with-purpose/ ).

Purpose of Collaboration

Collaboration has provided teacher growth. Teachers work together to create their lessons, choose their activities, teach their content, and then return to evaluate the cycle, providing and receiving necessary feedback to improve the process.

Leigh Stovall, HTMS Social Studies teacher adds, “I think my favorite part of the professional development time has to be sitting with my colleagues and learning from their experiences.    We all have something to share and having this embedded time allows us, as a group, to work together to make HTMS great.”

Teachers are more knowledgeable about their standards, as well as their own profession, due to the conversations they have with their colleagues each week. 

We also value the collaborative model because it supports student growth.  Many afternoons are spent looking through various data, including standardized tests, classroom averages, common assessments, surveys, formative assessment, etc., to ensure our students are being challenged in a well-balanced learning environment. 

Catherine Finkley, who recently became an assistant principal at Paine Elementary after being a classroom teacher, adds, “Collaboration is vital to achieving academic success for ALL students by engaging in rich dialogue with other colleagues that will foster new ideas, concepts, and strategies which can effectively be implemented in the classroom. Collaboration allows teachers to grow professionally and students to increase their academic achievement.”

Multiple studies have shown that collaboration is key to student growth, including one by Carrie Leana who found that, “Students showed higher gains in math achievement when their teachers reported frequent conversations with their peers that centered on math, and when there was a feeling of trust or closeness among teachers” (www.theteachingchannel.org).  Our academic coaches recently celebrated student growth with some of our recent student data, and they attribute that growth to the time it provides for analysis of student data with teachers, as well as working with teachers to create strategies for improvement in certain areas.  These instructional partners value Monday afternoon collaboration which provides meaningful time for conversations among all staff.

Dr. Tim Stull, HTHS history teacher, agrees, “Embedded professional development and collegial collaboration provide much needed opportunities for educators to improve their practice. Because of these opportunities, educators are introduced to new strategies, concepts, and technologies that directly impact student learning and achievement.”

Trussville City Schools is seeing gains in all subject areas, including math, through a collaboration effort K-12. 

Value of Collaboration

Collaboration is valued because it provides a preserved hour each week for teachers to meet with colleagues and have vertical conversations.  Even though some variables have not changed much over the past couple of decades, the time teachers must invest in their professional responsibilities has increased exponentially.   They spend countless hours after the school day ends answering emails, sending Remind texts, grading papers, sponsoring clubs, hosting parent conferences and chat nights, coaching sports, etc.  There are many demands on our teachers.  By providing an hour each week for teachers to collaborate, Trussville City Schools creates opportunities for teachers to share their knowledge with each other that is focused around a single topic. The value of this time is well-spent, as all of the schools in the system look at data, work with grade-level colleagues on content-area lessons, research best-practices for lesson creation, share lesson designs and model that work for all of their colleagues, as well as reflect on and revise lesson strategies based on student needs.  Their collaboration has resulted in great growth system-wide. 

Secondary English teacher Lacey DeShazo agrees, “I appreciate having paid time to do the important work of collaborating with my colleagues.  It makes me feel as though the work I do is valued and valuable.” 

Professional educators are mindful of the investment in this protected time for collaboration, and schools honor this with intentional professional learning opportunities that focus on our students. 

Trussville is not alone in recognizing the benefits of district collaboration time.  Most effective school systems see the value in collaboration and provide this time for their faculties, although some structure their time differently.  Some choose to give teachers multiple prep periods instead of just one, providing weekly agendas for their teachers.  This model sometimes requires additional teacher units to still effectively educate students.  Some systems provide a day each nine weeks for teacher collaboration, deeming them an “online learning day” for students, where the students can work from home so teachers can work together at school to discuss, plan, and reflect on best practices.  When we have teachers come to us from school systems that did not provide collaborative time, they recognize the benefits:

“Common planning time among educators is a crucial element in the success of a school. This is something that has never been offered to me in previous school systems, and I find it very beneficial,” according to Nicole Jenkins, fourth grade teacher at Paine Elementary.   

While not everyone collaborates in the same manner, many school districts value and provide time for collaboration. 

With Gratitude

Professional Educators in Trussville City Schools are thankful for the collaboration hour each week.  As Harry Wong, renowned educational author reminds us, “The trademark of effective schools is a culture where all teachers take responsibility for the learning of all students.  The key to strong collaboration is recognizing that a student shouldn’t be the responsibility of only one teacher, but of all teachers” (www.newteacher.com).  

One of our 4^th grade elementary teachers at Paine Elementary, Beth McKinley echoes this, “TCS Early Dismissal is a benefit for both teachers and students. Teachers are allowed collaborative planning time with grade level teachers so that we can ensure that all students are receiving the same level of instruction regardless of who their teacher is.”

 Our teachers work to provide every student in our district an optimum learning experience because they share, support, and create together.  And for that, we are thankful:  Thankful for teachers who take this hour each week to engage in meaningful discourse with their colleagues for purposeful school-wide growth and thankful for a community who supports their work. 

By Dr. Jennifer Cardwell

For list of resources:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YblbBOuD6K4uN-N91VIXFYVsLSBW9cqjDTAj0RZfGSg/edit?usp=sharing

HTHS Teachers Discussing Educator Effectiveness During Collaboration Time

Technology Training

Elementary technology teachers, Janet Benson, Susan Brandon, Charlene Hallman, and Lauren Long worked with Jana Walls and Theresa Ray this afternoon to learn how to manage DreamBox Learning and to input teachers' professional learning hours in STIPD.  Many thanks to the technology teachers and Michelle Dawson and to Jana and Theresa for their hard work.

Student Shout-Outs at HTMS

Counselor Amy McIntyre is asking teachers to encourage their students to give a "shout-out" to their fellow students on the Student Shout-Out banners in the hallways at HTMS. "Shout-outs" are student recognitions by peers for good character and good deeds.  Selected shout-outs will be recognized over the intercom.

Paine Elementary Fourth Grade Collaboration

Paine Elementary music teacher, Dr. Brian Cocke, collaborated with Paine Elementary fourth grade teachers to design and present a program on September 22 that focused on 4th grade social studies standards and PACE (the TCS character education program).  Dr. Cocke integrated the standards with music through his classes with fourth graders.  Parents filled the bleachers to affirm their children and their new learning.  After the program, parents were invited to stop by the fourth grade halls to view students' work that was posted in the hallway.

Fourth grade teachers include:
Ms, Waites
Ms. McKinley
Ms. Jackson
Ms. Bramlett
Ms. Jenkins
Ms. Felts
Ms. Brooks
Ms. Taylor

To see videos of the performances, you can click on a link on the left side of the Paine Home Page that will take you directly to Dr. Cocke's Music Page and links to the performance videos.

Educator Effectiveness Peer Observations

Teachers throughout the district are dropping in for quick visits in their colleagues' classrooms.  The focus for the last two weeks has been on classroom management and positive classroom environment. Teachers have been grouped with two or three other colleagues and leave short notes in Google Classroom.  Here are a few examples of positive classroom environment and classroom management that teachers are seeing:

Cynthia Weyerman Sept 15
Nancy Camara’s students were engaged in a math lesson. The desk placement and physical environment were perfect for learning and classroom management. Students were easily monitored to tell if they were on task, but they also could easily turn and talk. It was clear that they understood the classroom procedures and expectations. Students began quickly and stopped immediately when asked to start and stop sharing. They maintained a whisper voice during sharing. She gave great compliments and encouragement along the way to promote good choices. When a reminder had to be given it was quick, kind, and didn’t disrupt the flow of the lesson. I was extremely impressed by her exemplary classroom management!

Jana LoPresti Sept 15
I observed Payge Chambliss and her first graders. They were working in small groups with each group performing a different task. The students knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing. A small group was working with Mrs. Chambliss while the other students worked in groups. Students were on task and if they had questions, I saw many of them asking a friend instead of asking the teacher. Expectations were clear and students were working beautifully.

Heather Findley Sept 22
I was able to observe Lee Swatzell's class on Tuesday. She has an awesome positive reinforcement system where she gives the students tickets for being on task. She used it to help remind students to stay on task when they were getting distracted. She didn't say anything, just put the tickets in the students' pockets that were on task and it quickly pulled the students that were off task back on task.

Doug Benton  9/19/2016
Subject/Teacher: Jared Meads - 8th Grade Physical Science
Well Managed Classroom  - A Science Starter (Bell Ringer) was on the board, as wells as the Learning Target was posted. Students were able to walk in and immediately become engaged and focused by writing their learning target in their Learning Target tracker and to solving the Science starter problem.

Positive Classroom Environment - equity cards were used  to call on student during discussion of the problem solving stations that they had done the previous week. Students were encouraged to defend their answers with evidence.

Students self-assessed and indicated their understanding questions asked during their review by a show of fingers (5 = got it - 1 = need help) to rate their level of understanding.  This is a good way to quickly assess student understanding.

Please indicate 1 GLOW (compliment/something done well) for your colleague.
Your students were engaged and and seem to know what to do without being reminded to be on task. You did a good job of asking them probing questions and having them defend their answers with evidence.  You also but provided support along the way while they are answering if they need assistance.  The project is a great way to have them use their knowledge in  a useful and meaningful problem solving exercise.

Jane Sulser Sept 22
I observed Kim Evans. She had a small group working with her at the table. The other students were working quietly at their tables. I was so amazed that these kindergartners were able to stay on task while Kim worked with her group. It was very obvious that Kim had set clear expectations with her students and had been consistent with those expectations!

Quotable Quote

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”

—Voltaire (1694-1778)
Philosopher, Essayist

Quotable Quote

“Forget yesterday - it has already forgotten you. Don't sweat tomorrow - you haven't even met. Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift - today.” —Steve Maraboli (born 1975) Author

Inaugural Meeting of TCS Literacy Team

Teachers, librarians, academic coaches, and administrators met Friday afternoon for the inaugural meeting of the TCS Literacy Team.  Representatives from all schools are reading and using Doug Lemov's Reading Reconsidered as a guide to jump start professional conversations about how to increase reading and improve literacy skills in TCS.  The district team is led by Jennifer Cardwell, Kelly McGough, and Edra Perry.  Each school has created school literacy teams that will lead their members in reading and discussing Reading Reconsidered.  

Our District Goal:  Improving student growth through various measures of achievement by focusing on increased literacy skills in every subject-area, through the reading of complex texts, discussions, and writing. 

Our District Literacy Team Purpose is to assist each school team in conducting turnaround training that will lead students to increased literacy proficiency. This should also provide increased reading data at each school which will help schools meet their local indicators. 

Each school has written a purpose and goals.  The HTMS Purpose and Goals:

Provide teachers with professional development that will prepare them for choosing appropriate texts and provide instruction on how to teach students to read closely and analyze texts.  

Expose students to complex texts and engage them with the texts through close readings and analyzation of the complex texts

According to Lemov, Driggs, and Woolway, our responsibility as schools is to prepare students to read with:

• rigor
• independence
• precision
• insight  

So how do we do that?  According to the authors:

• Read harder texts.
• Close read.
• Read more nonfiction.
• Write more effectively in response to texts.  

This passionate team is dedicated to helping every school in our district raise expectations, rigor, and achievement.  The team has a plan that we believe will accomplish the goals of increased reading skills.  

Grant Opportunities

by April Chamberlain,
Technology Integration Specialist

I am a firm believer in applying for grants to fund learning and professional development.  There are so many ideas that teachers have that could benefit from additional funds.  Teachers, please review the grants below and  apply if you qualify.  You will NOT get funded, if you do not apply.

In the past, I have applied for many grants.  Some I have received, but many I have not.  A few things I learned along the way is to either work as a team to submit a grant or have two or three readers who are willing to help you edit.  You know what you mean, but a grant reader may not completely understand, so it helps to have fresh eyes to read the application.  Always locate the scoring rubric/summary so you know exactly what the grant readers are looking for.  If you do not receive the grant, you can request the scoring summary for your application to see which area(s) you were scored low and adjust for the next submission opportunity.

Please note that many of the deadlines are late September and early October.

Upcoming K–12 Grants

Lowe's Toolbox for Education
This year LCEF is seeking ways to provide the tools to help educators and parent groups through educational challenges by providing the greatest impact, with basic necessities being the priority.
Sponsor: Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation
Award: $5,000
Number of Awards: Up to 1,000
Qualification: Public schools only
Application Deadline: Sept. 26


Toshiba America Foundation Project-Based Learning Grants for Grades K–5
Do you teach in an elementary school classroom?
Do you have an innovative idea for improving math or science instruction in your classroom?
Is your idea project based learning with measurable outcomes?
What do you need to make learning math and science fun for your students?

K-5 grade teachers are invited to apply on-line for a $1,000 Toshiba America Foundation grant to help bring an innovative hands-on project into their own classroom.
With a Toshiba America Foundation grant, elementary teachers can bring their best new teaching ideas to life

Sponsor: Toshiba America Foundation
Award: Two categories: Up to $1,000
Number of Awards: Not specified
Application Deadline: Oct. 1


NEA Learning & Leadership Grants
The Learning & Leadership Grants support National Education Association (NEA) members who are public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education by Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes, conferences, or action research.
All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. "One-shot" professional growth experiences, such as attending a national conference or engaging a professional speaker, are discouraged. Decisions regarding the content of the professional growth activities must be based upon an assessment of student work undertaken with colleagues, and must be integrated into the institutional planning process. Grant funds may be used for fees, travel expenses, books, or other materials that enable applicants to learn subject matter, instructional approaches, and skills. Recipients are required to exercise professional leadership by sharing their new learning with their colleagues.
Sponsor: National Education Association
Award: $2,000 to $5,000
Number of Awards: Not specified
Application Deadline: Oct. 15


NEA Student Achievement Grants
The NEA Foundation provides NEA members with grants to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection.

Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, technology, or scholars-in-residence. Although some funds may be used to support the professional development necessary to implement the project, the majority of grant funds must be spent on materials or educational experiences for students.

Grant funds may not be used to:
•        Support after-school, weekend, or summer programs:
•        Pay indirect costs, grant administration fees, or salaries;
•        Pay stipends to the applicants;
•        Support conference fees for more than one person.
•        Lobbying or religious purposes
*Identical applications will not be considered

Sponsor: National Education Association
Award: $2,000 to $5,000
Number of Awards: Not specified
Application Deadline: Oct. 15


SaveOnEnergy.com Teacher Grant
Interested in winning $500 for your classroom? SaveOnEnergy.com® is looking for the best lesson plans for teaching students about energy or sustainability. We teach consumers of all ages about the many aspects of energy in our Learning Center through blog posts, videos and infographics. Plus, our Nico the Ninja guides help teach kids about electrical safety and energy savings.
Now it's your turn to create a lesson plan for our second annual Teacher Grant that can help kids learn about energy. We encourage lesson plans that vary in scope and topic, and you're welcome to cite any helpful information you find on the SaveOnEnergy.com Learning Center. All lessons must check off every requirement on the list below to be considered.
• Encompass energy and/or sustainability knowledge.
• Be appropriate for a grade level from kindergarten through eighth grade.
• Include goals and how you plan to measure students’ understanding.
• Include a fully detailed description of the lesson plan, handouts, etc., with a list of all materials needed.
• Be created by one teacher without use of existing prepared educational materials outside of those available on SaveOnEnergy.com.
• Encourage student development through participation opportunities.

Sponsor: SaveOnEnergy.com
Award: $500
Number of Awards: 6
Application Deadline: Oct. 21


AIAA Foundation Classroom Grant
The AIAA Foundation believes that one of the most significant means to inspire and advance the future of Aerospace is to fund grants to meet the unmet and unfunded educational need of students. Each school year, AIAA awards grants of up to $250 to worthy projects that significantly influence student learning.

Sponsor: AIAA Foundation (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)
Award: $250
Number of Awards: Not specified (up to two grants per educator per year)
Qualification: Teacher submitting proposal must be AIAA member (Educator Associate membership is freeand includes other benefits); homeschool clubs of 25 or more students also eligible
Application Deadline: Nov. 16 (submission period opens Oct. 1)


Verizon Innovative Learning app challenge
The app challenge, part of Verizon Innovative Learning, is a nationwide contest in which middle and high school students are challenged to develop concepts for mobile apps that solve a problem in their community. It’s a unique, hands-on activity that teaches collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and entrepreneurship, as well as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills and coding. It builds on students’ excitement about technology and aims to equip them with skills they need to succeed in the jobs of the future.

Sponsor: Verizon
Award: $5,000 plus technology for state-level winners; $15,000 additional cash, plus travel and support, for national winners
Number of Awards: 102 state-level winners (one middle school and one high school team from each state, plus DC); nine national winners (four middle school and four high school, plus one "fan favorite" based on public voting)
Application Deadline: Nov. 18


Toshiba America Foundation Project-Based Learning Grants for Grades 6–12
Toshiba America Foundation's mission is to provide teachers with additional funds to support classroom projects. After school and summer projects, and independent study projects are not eligible. The Foundation strongly encourages projects planned and led by individual teachers or teams of teachers for their own classrooms.
Many successful grantees have designed projects that tap into the natural curiosity of their students, enable students to frame their own scientific questions, and incorporate the expertise of community partners.
Sponsor: Toshiba America Foundation
Award: Two categories: Up to $5,000 and more than $5,000
Number of Awards: Not specified
Application Deadline: Up to $5,000 awarded on a rolling basis; Feb. 1, 2017 deadline for applications for more than $5,000

Fund for Teachers
Fund for Teachers awards summer fellowship grants to pre-K-12 grade teachers to pursue self-designed professional learning. Teachers decide what they want to learn and where they want to learn it. Their odysseys take them all over the world—as scientists, researchers, artists and agents of change—and they return to their classrooms with new ideas that transform student learning and achievement.
Who is eligible?
Full-time preK-12th grade teachers:
 • Spending at least 50% of their work week in direct classroom instruction
• Returning to the classroom in the consecutive school year
• With at least three years’ experience as a preK-12th grade teacher
Design your Fellowship: Individuals may apply for up to $5,000 and teams may apply for up to $10,000 Application available October 1, 2016 with deadline of January 31