Standard Definitions
Professional Learning
Also referred to as professional development, is “a lifelong, collaborative learning process that nourishes the growth of individuals, teams, and the school through a daily job-embedded, learner-centered, focused approach." (Learning Forward, 2015 as referenced in the glossary of terms and concepts, Solution Tree, 2016 retrieved from https://www.allthingsplc.info/files/uploads/Terms.pdf)
Alburnett has an expectation that all teachers be engaged in ongoing professional learning and growth. Current professional development within the district involves weekly meetings of PLCs, Data Teams, Curriculum Teams, and Building Teams. (As defined by the TL Program Grant Narrative Submitted to DE)
Teacher Leadership and Compensation
Goal 1: The TLC program will provide a structure (time and process) that supports opportunities for growth in leadership skills and expertise.
Goal 2: Teachers will transfer learning from professional development and mentoring conversations into practice.
Goal 3: The district will increase student achievement to meet growth targets as recommended by the SIAC, reviewed by district teachers, and approved by the school board each August.
Oversees the TLC work at the system level. The team consists of the superintendent and both instructional strategists.
Consists of the superintendent, building principals, teacher development coach, and instructional strategists.
Consist of all staff and community members.
Utilized to garner feedback and make changes. Consists of administrators, instructional strategists, teacher development coach, representation from PLC leaders at all three building levels, and representation from teachers at all three building levels.
Professional Learning Communities and Collaborative Teams
Titles are used interchangeably to describe the same work. The focus for these teams is to focus on the following four questions:
- What do we want all students to learn?
- How will we know they have learned it?
- How will we respond when learning has not occurred?
- How will we respond when learning has already occurred?
The structure of these teams can look different at different building levels and on different days. Examples of these structures can be grade level and content level.
Holds an administrator’s license and serves as the building principal and/or school district superintendent.
How team(s) should work with teachers at the grade levels above and below it to explore what knowledge, skills, and dispositions we want our students to acquire. (DeFour, 12/23/2008, https://www.allthingsplc.info/blog/view/41/working-in-vertical-teams).
Teacher Development Coach
Time Frame: Full time
The Teacher Development Coach is an experienced teacher who will observe and coach new and veteran teachers and model to support beginning teachers and support current teachers in areas where support is needed. The Teacher Development Coach will:
- Facilitate coaching cycles for new teachers and teachers on and off the three-year evaluation cycle.
- Work one-on-one with teachers to complete classroom observations and provide feedback.
- Participate in dialogue regarding observations and how the observations tie to ICDP goals.
- Support and observe new teachers and teachers on and off the three-year evaluation cycle.
Instructional Strategist
Time Frame: Full Time
Instructional Coaches will oversee the Teacher Leader Program, be knowledgeable about research-based practices, provide coaching and mentoring to veteran teachers, and work with all teachers to design interventions. The Instructional Strategists will:
- Jointly oversee the entire Teacher Leadership program.
- Attend district meetings, including School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) meetings, Leadership Team meetings, administrative meetings, and other meetings as needed.
- Facilitate coaching cycles for veteran teachers.
- Work one-on-one with teachers to complete classroom observations and provide feedback.
- Participate in dialogue regarding observations and how the observations tie to ICDP goals.
- Support and observe veteran teachers.
Professional Learning Community Leader
Time Frame: Full-time + 1 additional contract day
The PLC Leader will facilitate an assigned PLC group by providing an agenda for each PLC meeting and making sure it is followed with fidelity. The PLC Leader will:
- Serve as a member of the district leadership team.
- Serve as a liaison between the administration, the Leadership Team, and PLC members.
- Assist in connecting Individual Career Development Plans (ICDPs) to PLC group conversations and ensure that all group members are working toward achieving the goals of ICDPs.
- Teach 100% of the day.
- Receive an additional stipend to cover the extra time spent in this position outside of contract time.
Professional Learning
Professional Learning
Also referred to as professional development, is “a lifelong, collaborative learning process that nourishes the growth of individuals, teams, and the school through a daily job-embedded, learner-centered, focused approach." (Learning Forward, 2015 as referenced in the glossary of terms and concepts, Solution Tree, 2016 retrieved from https://www.allthingsplc.info/files/uploads/Terms.pdf)
Alburnett has an expectation that all teachers be engaged in ongoing professional learning and growth. Current professional development within the district involves weekly meetings of PLCs, Data Teams, Curriculum Teams, and Building Teams. (As defined by the TL Program Grant Narrative Submitted to DE)
Professional Learning Communities and Collaborative Teams
Titles are used interchangeably to describe the same work. The focus for these teams is to focus on the following four questions:
- What do we want all students to learn?
- How will we know they have learned it?
- How will we respond when learning has not occurred?
- How will we respond when learning has already occurred?
High-quality teaching is imperative for student success and professional development plays a key role in this success. Employees are expected to attend all professional development opportunities and staff meetings provided by the school district unless they are on leave or have been excused by the principal. (2022-2023 Employee Handbook)
District-wide professional development focused on building-level goals defined by the administrative team, including coaches. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- 191st Day Learning
- Learning Sessions with Solution Tree
Building-wide professional development focused on building-level goals defined by the administrative team, including coaches. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Department-level Vertical Alignment
- ISASP Data Reviews
Building-wide professional development focused on building-level work as identified by the PLC Leaders in conjunction with Administrators and Instructional Strategists. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Staff Share-outs and Implementations
- Productive Struggle Learning
Individual professional development focused on goals set by individual teachers set with their IS/TDC. These goals connect with the Core Teaching Competencies set forth by the administrative team at the district level. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Coaching Cycles
- Partnerships with Grant Wood Consultants
Group professional development focused on a common goal for a particular learning group, common class, and/or department. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Group Coaching Cycles
- Book Studies
Out-of-district professional development focused on learning and/or refining skills to enhance teaching and learning. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Learning Sessions Through Outside Education Agencies (GWAEA, IA Department of Education, etc.)
- Conferences Through Professional Organizations
PL goals and opportunities will be communicated via:
- Back-to-school messages from the building administrators.
- Emails prior to monthly professional development sessions (early out and half-day professional development sessions).
- Collaborative commitments between teachers and coaches.
- Connected professional learning opportunities outside of the district goals.
- All communication regarding professional learning opportunities.
A review of district goals to determine the connection(s) to the professional learning will be completed individually, with a coach, or as a PLC.
Requests for attendance or participation in a development program, other than those development programs sponsored by the school district, are made to the principal. Approval of the principal must be obtained prior to attendance by a licensed employee in a professional development program when the attendance would result in the licensed employee being excused from their duties or when the school district pays the expenses for the program. (2022-2023 Employee Handbook)
2.2 Program leader collaborates with key decision-makers to ensure that the program’s vision and mission, goals, design, and practices align with and support school and district initiatives, instructional priorities, professional learning, leadership development programs, and teacher/school leader evaluation.
3.3 Program leader provides school leaders and instructional leadership teams with ongoing professional learning that builds and sustains their capacity to align instructional coaching practices with other school-based goals, instructional priorities, and evaluation procedures to advance teacher development and coach effectiveness.
4.1 Program leader collaborates with other key decision-makers to develop and widely communicate clearly defined roles and responsibilities of instructional coaches that focus on the advancement of standards-based teacher practice, student learning, and teacher leadership.
7.1 Program leader supports instructional coaches to collaborate with teachers to create emotionally, intellectually, and physically safe learning environments and apply effective, research-based teaching practices that engage students in productive struggle with rigorous content.
7.3 Program leader guides instructional coaches to enhance the capacity of teachers in the analysis of student learning to inform the planning and delivery of standards-based instruction to meet the variable needs of every student.
7.4 Program leader guides instructional coaches to support teachers in applying new learning from teacher professional learning experiences.
8.2 Program leader guides instructional coaches to support teachers in using culturally responsive pedagogical practices to provide every student with equitable access to rigorous, grade-level content.
Triads
A high-functioning school joins teachers, coaches, and principals together in the work of continuous improvement. At Alburnett, we solidify this team approach through the triad process. This reflection allows for continuous improvement in our practice which will, in turn, improve the learning for every student.
Connection to district goals.
Advancing equitable student learning and teacher effectiveness.
Short-term and long-term goals.
At the completion of a coaching cycle, the teacher, their coach, and their building principal will meet to discuss the outcomes of the cycle.
These are short, non-evaluative meetings that are scheduled for the teacher by their coach.
The following bank of questions may be used during the triad:
- What did you try?
- Why did you try it?
- What was the intended outcome for the students?
- What was the actual outcome for students?
- What did you learn about yourself as a teacher throughout this cycle?
- What’s next? How could we support you in this next step?
- Describe the timeline of this cycle. Has this been a short cycle or a long cycle?
- Describe the connection to district goals and/or current district professional development.
- What do you need from the team? Resources? Training? Collaboration with Grant Wood staff?
1.1 Program leaders and key decision-makers create a program vision, mission, and program design focused on advancing equitable student learning and teacher effectiveness within a comprehensive system of development for all educators.
3.2 Program leader creates clear roles, expectations, and conditions to support school leaders, instructional leadership teams, and coaches to work in collaborative partnerships to improve teacher practice and the learning of every student.
6.2 Program leader ensures that instructional coaches support teachers to develop instructional-focused short and long-term goals based on their context, content focus, formative teacher and student data of practice, and developmental needs in alignment with the school leader’s evaluation focus and the district’s instructional priorities.
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