Learning Experiences and Instruction

Dream It

Evidence

As a math and science coach, my job is to work with math and science teachers to improve student achievement in these areas. The school has adopted the idea of creating units of instruction based on the backwards design method outlined by Wiggins and McTighe, yet instruction and planning still lack a general acknowledgement of the importance of understanding. With my role as facilitator of development for math and science instruction I plan to emphasize the understanding of understanding. 

Building a learning community is a process that begins with buy-in. One way to get teachers to buy-in is to start with one of the important elements of a professional learning community – a common vision (DuFour, 2004). Teachers meet to analyze data but rarely use that data to make informed decisions as to how they should change their planning and instruction. The upcoming PARCC assessment will require teachers to become aware of their students ability to transfer what they have learned. It is the motivating factor that will be used to gain buy-in and to encourage teachers to make the shift from isolated skills, facts, and recall to understanding concepts and transfer of learning through performance assessments. Unit planning will be the context for discussing the meaning of understanding and the importance of transfer. 

The purpose of teacher meetings should be established from the beginning. Teachers are focused on student achievement and will search for learning of their own that can address any issues that surface from an analysis of student learning. Discussion is an important part of the general meeting time. Besides this, teachers will work as peer partners in grade level or content area groups. Individually conferencing with teachers will also take place on a regular basis.

Communication and collaboration drive the process but this is often difficult in a school setting. To enhance these elements the use of technology becomes important. We use the google family of applications and communication platforms in Chicago Public Schools but there are those, myself included, who feel that there is much more to learn. Professional development in this area can blossom into an improved system of communicating and sharing ideas about the learning process. Technology also can provide the showcase for student and teacher learning through websites that feature teacher units and lessons as well as student performance of understanding. Eventually the process will be sustained through the resources that are available only through the internet and the ease of communicating with colleagues through systems that are at our fingertips.

The objective is to exchange ideas about understanding while demonstrating what is learned by posting work and commenting on the work of others. Another key element is the reflection involved in teaching. Teachers can include blogs that contain their reflections about teaching the units they have designed. Beginning with a google site to host teacher units and important sources of information and research, then expanding into a site where teachers can edit files, upload units, and post blog reflections, technology will be the unifying element that maintains and strengthens communication. Success will mean an active website used by every participant with countless links to resources that contribute to the ongoing development based units that focus on conceptual understanding.