Mon Nov 9 2015, 5:00pm
District Meeting Room
Regular Meeting

REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Teaching and Learning Report

Memo

To:     Michael Green

From: Asha Riley

CC:    School Board members

Date: 11/4/2015

Re:     Teaching and Learning Report

Supporting Principals as Instructional Leaders:

In Woodland, every principal values their role as instructional leaders and has committed significant time in classrooms observing teaching and learning. Our shared goal is to provide instructional support to teachers where the real work is happening - in classrooms. Our first step toward this goal was attending Breakthrough Coaching Workshops. This workshop provided practical strategies for managing the overwhelming workload in a manner that ensures and protects time dedicated to instructional leadership. As a result, the principals are working closely with their head secretaries to manage their schedules. You will also notice their offices look more like empty conference rooms. This is an intentional shift in mindset to promote NOT sitting in their office all day. 

Our second step was to ensure each principal became an expert at identifying effective instructional practices. To achieve this, each principal has spent 20 hours studying Charlotte Danielson’s collection of research based practices. Each can confidently identify an instructional practice on a continuum of performance that ranges from basic execution to distinguished performance.

This year we are taking our next step toward the goal of instructional leadership. We are becoming experts in providing instructional coaching that supports improved student learning. In partnership with Battle Ground School District, we have contracted with Learning Forward, the leading organization in the field of instructional coaching. There will be six days of instructional coaching training.

A few of the key training outcomes will be:   

  • · Understand adult learners
  • · Know multiple designs for professional learning and their appropriate use
  • · Develop a deep understanding of multiple coaching roles
  • · Acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to support teachers, including how to maximize classroom demonstration lessons, co-teaching, observing and giving feedback
  • · Use data to facilitate decisions related to identifying, working on and monitoring team and individual professional learning goals for student learning.