Category: Pedagogical System

Connect 2 Learn: Episode 47 of "the Missing Link"

2/11/2019

Welcome back to Flipping the Focus.

1. Introduction
Recently, I had the awesome privilege to take part in a voicEdcanada Radiothon--a space that brought together many educators in the spirit of sharing their thoughts on the future of Education.

I’d like to express my deepest thanks to Rola Tibshirani (@rolat, Ottawa Catholic School Board) and Stephen Hurley and the team at voicEdcanada for the recent opportunity to share my learning journey with others across Canada.

We engaged in a discussion of the confluence of thinking, assessment, connected learning (globalized competencies) and flipped learning practices upon student learning, as well as what learning we need to do, as educators and leaders, for continuously improving the conditions for teaching and learning.

tweet for episode 47 of the podcast, the missing link

Click on the image to access the podcast

These are timely, relevant and important considerations for Education.

With respect to the last five posts, here on Flipping the Focus, listeners can experience the essence of each of them--i.e., a confluence of the themes--through the podcast.

The podcast can be accessed at: https://soundcloud.com/rola-tibshirani/rt-chris

Each of the contributing posts, from the "Equity Through Pedagogy" Series, are linked below for further, deep reflection.

2. Series: Equity Through Pedagogy
Post 1: Thinking Classrooms

Post 2: Global Competencies

Post 3: Flipped Learning

Post 4: Formative Assessment

Post 5: Pedagogical System for Teaching Mathematics

3. Provocation
Once you've had an opportunity to listen to the podcast and/or read any one of the posts, consider sharing your perspectives to this blog and/or with your colleagues in response to the following provocation.

What affirmations, wonderings and/or challenges are you
and your teams experiencing?

Final Remarks
In closing, I can't help but to think of the conversations that can be inspired when we take collective action to improving student learning.

As this blog is a means for readers to network and gradually change the context for how they teach and learn, we all benefit by drawing nearer to the perspectives shared here and shared beyond with our professional learning networks.

I am more than happy to collaborate with you and make our learning visible, here, in this blog and across Flipping the Focus' social media platforms, as well as your own.

If at any time, you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out through the "Contact" button (below).

Sincerely,

Chris Stewart
Education Leader, Flipping the Focus

CONTACT

BOOK CHRIS

Reference
The Missing Link: Episode 47 - Chris Stewart [Audio blog interview]. (2019, February 11). Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/rola-tibshirani/rt-chris

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equity through pedagogy - part 5: pedagogical considerations for Teaching mathematics

2/10/2019

Welcome back to Flipping the Focus.

Leading up to the Mid-Atlantic Conference for Professional Learning, March 13-15, in Atlantic City, this marks the fifth (and final) post in this series devoted to pedagogical practices and frameworks that educators can leverage in their collaborative efforts to respectfully and equitably honour student voice.

1. Introduction
Envision learning environments where students and their teachers are engaged to interact in profound and meaningful ways--ways that...

MAC PL 2019, March 13-15, Atlantic City

help students to seeing “...themselves as powerful mathematics [learners]” (Anthony & Walshaw, 2009a); and
grow teachers’ and leaders’ confidence that a better prescription for student success in mathematics is one that’s grounded in occasioning students’ thinking.

In this post, the characteristics of The Pedagogical System for Teaching Mathematics (SIM K-12, 2017) are explained and questions are asked to engage you, your colleagues and students in thinking about how this system might better frame the teaching and learning that goes on in your class and school each and every day.

I’d also like to draw your attention to the following: You’ll not only find the framework described in this post as being effective in supporting mathematics teaching and learning, but also as having the potential to influence teaching and learning in other subject areas and aspects of school life.

As you continue with the post, consider framing your thinking against these, sample goals:

(Teacher Focus) To deepen your understanding of practices that engage students with differences in backgrounds, learning strengths, needs and interests.
(Leadership Focus) To inform your next best moves to supporting the growth of individual and collective teacher learning and practice.

"Having explored this framework--alongside many educators, students occasioning thinking, and complexed with other pedagogies--has
been transformational for my own teaching and student
learning, as well as that of my colleagues."

2. Background
The Pedagogical System is a framework that provokes us to consider how teaching and learning needs to be...less about telling...less about prescriptive moves and responses. Really, it calls us to shift our mindset about teaching, leading, and learning to one that gives more value to student thinking. This philosophy, grown out of mathematical, educational research, is mirrored through several references and resources. Some suggested reading and resources are included in the references section to this post.

This stance is one that depends on each and every one of us. Students, teachers and leaders all have a role to play in improving the conditions for student engagement, achievement and well-being.

Consolidated and adapted from the work of Anthony & Walshaw (2009a), System Implementation & Monitoring-K to 12 in Ontario (2017) has produced summary graphics and tools to help inform and guide educators as they inquire towards improving teaching and student learning.

The system (or framework) consists of four, interrelated components. This is so important to recognize and identify: none of the parts work in isolation of the others. These components include the following:

1-Worthwhile Mathematical Tasks
2-Tools & Representations
3-A Non-Threatening Classroom Environment
4-Classroom Discourse

The Pedagogical System for Teaching Mathematics

Let’s consider descriptions for each of these components in the form of reflective questions.

Worthwhile Mathematical Tasks
- Do the tasks students engage in support how mathematics is viewed; how it can be understood through thinking and reasoning; and how it can be used?
Tools & Representations
- How are students making their thinking visible? Are tools being used to organize thinking? Are multiple representations used, and are they connected for building a deepened understanding of mathematical concepts?
A Non-Threatening Classroom Environment
- Does the classroom community encourage each of its members to think and reason, communicate ideas, and receive, provide, and take action on feedback?
Classroom Discourse
- Do students value mistakes? Does the classroom community look forward to and honor the explanations of all students? What are the characteristics of productive, accountable discourse?

Already you can get a sense of some criteria that you could use for monitoring inquiries into building communities of learners and a coherent school culture, where students see themselves and others as empowered learners of mathematics.

Let’s take a moment to look more closely at the first component.

What defines a task as being rich or worthwhile?

3. Worthwhile Mathematical Tasks
Let's start with considering problem-based teaching in mathematics.

The premise to problem-based teaching in mathematics is that students are able to meaningfully construct their knowledge by engaging in a variety of problem solving strategies. Coincident with developing their understanding, students also build procedural fluency since many of the concepts provide opportunities for students to work with numbers and expressions.

Ultimately, basing one’s approach to teaching and learning, in this way, moves us away from seeing mathematics as being about the right answer and/or getting to an answer TO seeing mathematics as valuable and connected to the real world.

According to Anthony & Walshaw (2009a), some of the characteristics of problems and tasks that are rich (or worthwhile) include the following:

They tend to...

Have a focus on original thinking;
Provide opportunities for productive struggle;
Be designed and presented at an appropriate level
- E.g., Low-floor for entry and a high ceiling for extending (Boaler, 2016);
Be open-ended;
Include contextually-based problems that invite students to make sense of mathematics; and
Provide opportunities for students to develop procedural fluency in meaningful ways.

4. Leading Through The Pedagogical System
Previously mentioned, you might have made some connections to criteria that you could use for monitoring inquiries into building communities of learners and a coherent school culture.

Linked to a tab called "Connections" (here), you’ll find a leadership-related tool with a variety of criteria for effective mathematics teaching. All of them are related to The Pedagogical System and are connected through formative assessment--both assessment FOR and AS learning (Anthony & Walshaw, 2009b).

Whether you’re conducting classroom walk-throughs, facilitating collaborative team learning, or observing and providing feedback to lessons, you might find these criteria essential to guiding discussions around effective practice and having discussions with students about their learning.

In your conversations and inquiries, consider how these criteria could allow you to better uncover and understand the hidden skills and talents of the educators in your school and your students.

5. Final Remarks
As you reflect, how are you seeking to co-create conditions that can give life to equity in the teaching and learning you do with students and your colleagues each and every day?

In closing, I can't help but to think of the conversations that can be inspired when we take collective action to improving student learning. As this blog is a means for readers to network and gradually change the context for how they teach and learn, we all benefit by drawing nearer to the perspectives shared here and shared beyond with our professional learning networks.

I am more than happy to collaborate with you and make our learning visible, here, in this blog and across Flipping the Focus' social media platforms, as well as your own. If at any time, you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at Flipping the Focus.

Sincerely,

Chris Stewart
Education Leader, Flipping the Focus

CONTACT

BOOK CHRIS

6. References
Anthony, G., & Walshaw, M. (2009a). Characteristics of Effective Teaching of Mathematics: A View from the West. Journal of Mathematics Education, 2(2), 147-164.

Anthony, G. and Walshaw, M. (2009b). Effective Pedagogy in Mathematics. http://www.iaoed.org/downloads/EdPractices_19.pdf

Anthony, G. and Walshaw, M. (2009b). Characteristics of Effective Teaching of Mathematics: A View from the West. http://www.educationforatoz.org/images/_9734_12_Glenda_Anthony.pdf

Boaler, J. (2016). Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages, and Innovative Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass & Pfeiffer Imprints.

System Implementation & Monitoring K - 12. (2017, February 23). The Pedagogical System with Reflective Questions. Retrieved from https://sim.thelearningexchange.ca/tag/the-pedagogical-system/

7. Suggested Reading
EduGAINS. (n.d.). Guides to Effective Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/math/guides_effective_instruction.html

EduGAINS. (n.d.). Targeted Implementation and Planning Supports for Mathematics (TIPS4M). Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/math/tips.html

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2018). Focusing on the Fundamentals of Math: A Teacher's Guide. Retrieved from https://math.thelearningexchange.ca/

Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All. (2014). Reston, VA: NCTM, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

creating conditions for occasioning thinking & Supporting student well-being in mathematics classrooms

3/2/2018

Welcome back to Flipping the Focus.

In the last post, a detailed look was taken at one means through which school improvement teams could enact their 'How.' For your consideration, a developing series of tools & resources (i.e., for additional learning) have been posted here.

Recently, as set in the context of supporting student and professional learning, a colleague and I were considering strategies to getting to the 'What' of school improvement in a Grade 9 Mathematics class. For contextual purposes, this time of year in Ontario marks the beginning of semester 2 courses, leading up to Spring Break: the perfect time to looking upon students' past learning experiences and contemplating how to increase student engagement moving forward.

As per their school's goal in Mathematics, the importance of students improving their confidence in self-assessment (i.e., in relation to success criteria) had been identified. With this in mind, we set our minds to contemplating the collaborative inquiry we might engage in to helping students come to the knowledge that 'they can?'

"Yes, I Can!"

A recent publication, "Yes, I Can!," published by the Ontario Ministry of Education (pdf, below) portrays the multi-faceted nature of approaching such problems of practice (i.e., identifying the components necessary to building student well-being through mathematics).

On page 6, one of the key learnings of a five-year inquiry in the Province of Ontario is that
"[s]tudent self-assessment is linked to student well-being."

We know that students require mathematical experiences where they are engaging in uncovering and authoring criteria necessary for understanding and solving problems. And by interacting with descriptive feedback, relating and acting out upon feedback in relation to criteria for success, students become more adept at self-assessment--i.e., knowing what 'good' looks like and when it is achieved.

It follows that the more experience a student has in developing confidence in their self-assessments, the more capable they become in setting goals for their learning and monitoring achievement of these goals.

Ontario's Vision for the Mathematics Learner

The Pedagogical System for the Teaching & Learning of Mathematics

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Returning to the previous statement concerning the correlation between student self-assessment and well-being, "...students [come] to see themselves as successful mathematics students, particularly when they [have] problems that they [are] allowed to approach in many different ways" (Yes, I can!, p7).

Monograph: Yes, I can! Paying Attention to Well-Being in the Mathematics Classroom

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Connections to Well-Being

Returning to the professional discussions with my colleague (i.e., How might we help students come to the knowledge that 'they can?'), it became clear, in part, that we need to use problems where students are allowed to approach solutions in many different ways.

Other considerations for creating a space more conducive for students to build their self-confidence are described below.

Making the Mathematics Well-Being Connection (Yes, I Can!, 2018)

Thinking Classrooms

Recently, a framework for enacting pedagogical practices that can engage both teachers and their students in occasioning worthwhile tasks, developing responsive classroom environments, culturing classroom discourse, and use of tools and representations for thinking is that of "Thinking Classrooms" (see Dr. Peter Liljedahl's summary on Edutopia and 2017 OAME Leadership Conference keynote for background).

This framework presents an interesting opportunity to engage the four, pedagogical practices above, as well as enacting the recommendations made by researchers (i.e., those identified (above) for building student well-being, thus bringing the vision of the mathematics learner to light--for both student and teacher.

With current research recommendations, our professional practice, a keen desire to know and support our learners, and a school-level inquiry into the impact of students' self-confidence upon their achievement in mathematics, we had much to go on in setting directions with students to teaching and learning in ways that might better serve both teachers and students.

Pedagogical practices present in Thinking Classrooms

Getting Started with a Thinking Classroom in MFM 1P: Observations & Reflections

In this section, you'll notice that our observations, reflections, and considerations for developmental next steps have been provided (pdf, below). Further along, a slideshow has been built in (ppt included for download) to provide further context as to how we went about conducting our lessons for the first, two days of our journey into a #thinkingclassroom.

The lesson elements, observations, reflection and developmental next steps (i.e., for students and ourselves) are also linked to both the four domains of the pedagogical system and where these elements might also occur in a lesson using guided inquiry (stages of Before, During, After) through the 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions.

File: Our Observations & Reflections from Days 1 & 2

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Slideshow: Making Space for You & Your Peers to Think Mathematically

File: Sample PPT Lesson

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Some Final Thoughts

In reflection, the experience for both teachers and students over these two days lead to considering what is possible when we work collaboratively to culture #thinkingclassroom environments that engage the four domains of the pedagogical system.

As co-teachers, we did just that: planned and taught together. We experienced an excellent 'back-and-forth:' What was invisible to one of us was made visible by the other. When we made 'moves,' we not only explained them to one another, but we modeled this for students and explained why we were making them. We openly shared our reflections and invited input from students about process and what we might consider doing differently. We were empowered by students to facilitate their learning because we had access to their ongoing and developing thinking...we were (all of us) engaged in assessment for learning.

For students, we (in a short time), engaged them in considering learning through a non-traditional manner (e.g., rich/open problems, collaborative work with #vnps, and making visible & discussing their thinking to uncovering what was important...meaningful). And most significantly, we noted how quickly their knowledge was mobilized, noticed and referenced by others using this type of classroom setting.

As per classroom discourse, this is an area of great interest and development for us.

What value do we see in/place on it?
What value do students assign to it?
Altogether, if we value it, how will we co-construct and enact principles for occasioning it?

In short, teachers and administrators recognize that for many classroom types to thrive (e.g., #thinkingclassroom, #flipclass, #blendedlearning), both teachers and students need to engage in making and discussing their thinking in a visible manner; that is, we need to respectfully occasion and remain within spaces of argumentation where we are productively reasoning and proving one another's conjectures to derive a deepened sense of mathematical understanding and ability to solve problems--supporting both the individual and the group. In these 'spaces,' we have the potential to gain traction in creating and sustaining vibrant, mathematical communities.

And in relation to this class, our collaboration, and this school's improvement processes--where students see themselves as assessment-capable and confident learners--we are laying the groundwork for supporting students' well-being. Through these types of experiences, students can come to the understanding that 'they can' and that 'we can', too.

Some Questions for Your Reflection

-How have you helped/are helping students occasion thinking in mathematics such that they come to know that 'they can'?

-How have you worked/are working with school teams to create/creating an understanding that 'we can'? How are you taking action on this understanding?

-What elements of the #thinkingclassroom (or other classroom) are you and your students working on? What has been the impact upon student learning and your 'moves' as an educator?

-What are you wondering about student-centered approaches to teaching and learning? Student-centered leadership?

In closing, I hope that you have not only found this post informative but supportive towards how you can better address your face-to-face time with students, colleagues, and/or network partners, as you engage in exploring your professional and school improvement practices that can be potential 'game-changers' for student achievement, equity and well-being.

Be sure to check the blog and/or website, periodically, for updates regarding a depository of several tools & resources to help you in your teaching and/or instructional leadership journeys.

Professionally Yours,

Chris Stewart, OCT
Learning Partner, Upper Canada District School Board
Founder & Educational Consultant, Flipping the Focus

getting to & enacting our 'How': collaborative spaces for occasioning thinking about school improvement

2/13/2018

A) Introduction

Welcome back to Flipping the Focus.

In the last post, you encountered a thinking framework or theory of action that not only identified a deep sense of purpose and passion, but also highlighted how to deliver on its values and sample tools to do so. Today's post builds upon the last, providing individual practitioners, schools and districts another framework that can be leveraged for continuous improvement to student achievement, well-being and equity.

To begin, let's review a concept from the world of business and marketing that can be re-purposed to implementation and monitoring for system-wide improvement: the "Golden Circle."

B) Knowing & Understanding Your 'Why'

The "Golden Circle" by Simon Sinek

Now that you've viewed the video, it's time to make some connections with others to practice. Using the Comments Section here at Flipping the Focus (below), share your perspectives and discuss what resonates with you.

Here are a couple of prompts to get the discussion going:

i-What are your takeaways (affirmations, learning)? What's important for you to carry forward?

ii-What are you wondering?

Seth Godin, author of Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, writes that it's important for leaders to have and convey their vision/passion for growing their organization (their 'Why') and that it's also important they are committed and authentic to connecting with the members of their team...their 'tribe.'

In education, school and district goals constitute a larger, grand sense of purpose for improving achievement, well-being and equity (our 'Why'), but the real opportunity for improvement comes through our work to addressing the 'How.'

For example, if a district goal is to have most classes engaging in making their thinking visible (i.e., strategy for getting to improvement), then there must be a plan and process developed and addressed in an ongoing manner for addressing 'How.'

C) Getting to & Enacting Your 'How'

As a leader, it's critical that we connect with our team members, by doing the work <=> learn by doing and that we help by connecting members of the team. In essence, we are culturing a learning community and a community of learners for school improvement.

Using frameworks for collaborative study and action-based/classroom-embedded activities is a means (i.e., 'What') by which we can occasion thinking about our plans and actions--i.e., assessing our moves and reflecting to inform next steps to meeting goals. Collaboratively planning, acting, assessing and reflecting, in a cyclical manner, are key components to the 'How' of school improvement (diagrammed, below).

D) Tools & Resources to Supporting Your 'What'

To help frame and lead conversations concerning the various aspects of your 'How' (i.e., getting to reflection of cyclical improvement process), we require 1) research-informed information that we can relate to practice ('Act' of cyclical improvement process), 2) collaborative learning activities for professional practice ('Act'), and 3) actions and tools to help monitor our progress (i.e., we need to have data to lead conversations about student learning and well-being; 'Assess' of cyclical improvement process).

For example, there is a plethora of research-informed resources that can be used to help facilitate group and individual, professional learning in Mathematics. Below, you'll see and have access to an interactive infographic that highlights current, key researchers and resources to pay attention to during your collaborative study. To access these sources, hover over the various areas of the graphic and click to access the embedded links.

1-Summary of "Achieving Excellence in Teaching & Learning Mathematics: A Synthesis of Approaches to Supporting Student Achievement, Equity & Well-Being Through Mathematics K to 12" (Interactive Graphic)

In short, I would recommend that you begin by examining the resources connected to the "Pedagogical System." From here, you have several choices dependent upon your team's chosen area of study (Caveat 1: Much like you'll uncover with the Pedagogical System, there is interdependency for these areas of study).

With "Visible Learning," you have the opportunity to review practices that have the most impact upon teaching & learning--classroom discourse, self-assessment, and teacher clarity are examples of strategies that have higher effect sizes. Professor John Hattie (below) speaks extensively about learning goals (i.e., intentions, targets) and success criteria. He explains that learning goals are not about 'the task' and that success is not what happens at the end of a learning period. In fact, students need to create success criteria, as supported by their teacher. Further to this need, Hattie also identifies that it is important for students to develop conceptual understanding in math, then to apply strategies for efficiency. As a means of developing understanding, teachers are more likely to name-and-notice strategies for/with their students--i.e., strategies that can be applied for efficiency. As far as pedagogical practice is concerned, pre-tasks are key to understanding students' prior knowledge so that you can start anticipating what success can look like for students. Student success can be made visible early on, and you'll find that you'll need to vary your strategies to determine if students authentically understand and can demonstrate their learning.

For "Classroom Discourse," take a close look at the work and resources of Lucy West (Metamorphosis Learning Communities). There is a significant interdependence of accountable talk, learning goals/success criteria, and the pedagogical system (mentioned, above).

In mathematical communities of practice (Caveat 2: You will find that much of the pedagogical knowledge and practical 'moves' in, and in extension to, this post apply to all communities of practice), "Thinking Classroom" frameworks are growing, not only in popularity, but in their effect/impact upon the teaching and learning of Mathematics. I would highly recommend that you explore the possibility of beginning with some of Dr. Peter Liljedahl's 1st Year/Stage elements of thinking classroom design in your school(s)/district.

To help facilitate meaning-making in your thinking classrooms, take a look at the "5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions." Within this resource, you'll not only find good reason(s) for facilitating problem-based learning, but you'll also have access to some examples from teacher practice (Caveat 3: Embed the "5 Practices," "Thinking Classrooms," and "Classroom Discourse" into your improvement practices such that you're better able to address the interdependent attributes of the Pedagogical System).

Lastly, as a 'glue' that binds all things pedagogical, and I would argue as also helping us to maintain 'flow' in our own learning, are our formative assessment practices. To inform your formative assessment practices, take a close look at pages 33 to 36 of Ontario's Growing Success document, as well as the visual graphic provided from the #ucdsbmath "Assessment Loop", as you study the document. And in your leadership practices related to keeping the various aspects of your engagement of the Pedagogical System 'in play,' the following SIM K to 12 graphic (below; pdf for download) lends itself well to inviting reflection to formative assessment practices.

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2-Collaborative Learning Activities for Professional Practice

Up to now, your school/district is well under way having identified an improvement goal, reflected upon data (including perceptual data), and is beginning/continuing to enact a cyclical plan to studying together. With the information provided in the previous section, what methods/activities are available to you and your teams for facilitating collaborative forms of study?

The document, below (pdf; available for download), is a synthesis of a #ucdsbmath document used during system-wide RMS (Renewed Math Strategy) study and Collaborative Professionalism
(Ministry of Education-Ontario PPM-159; further expounded by Dr. Lyn Sharatt). Exemplifying collaborative professionalism through leadership means that we are knowledgeable/know how learning happens, are able to mobilize knowledge/learning, and work to sustain growth incurred by collective efforts. There are a variety of activities that we can use to engage one another in collaborative learning, but I would put forth that we need to lean more into working with those that can sustain growth in our schools/districts. By examining the document, you'll notice that I've labeled the last two options--Leadership for Monitoring Team Learning & Leadership for Learning Team Practices--as being Growing-Sustaining factors.

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3-Enacting Collaborative Learning Activities: Occasioning Thinking & Taking Action to Exploring Pedagogical Practice

As you embark on exploring pedagogical practice, it's important that we do so with others. As mentioned in the section, above, collective development and sustaining growth as a team/school/district occurs when we can collaboratively monitor our progress. At the classroom level, this would look like documenting student thinking and re-purposing that documentation to helping students move their learning forward. At the school level, this process might involve a group (or groups) of practitioners cultivating and re-purposing student thinking, as elicited by exploring an agreed-upon pedagogical strategy, to planning next steps in the team's approach to helping students improve learning outcomes and minimizing variation within the school. Further along--i.e., in consideration of scale--districts can also follow the same process by engaging their schools in exploring and documenting efforts to solving a challenge to practice, co-facilitating data-lead conversations of school-level processes, and encouraging reflection and mobilizing findings to their district for helping to inform next steps at the school-level.

Despite challenges of scale, there is a great deal of congruence in the patterns and processes to improving teaching & learning. As far as collaborative activities are concerned, what you'll notice as being a unifying construct for moving any and all groups forward can be those practices that I've highlighted as being Growing-Sustaining--i.e., Leadership for Monitoring & Leadership for Team Practices.

Engaging the Pedagogical System Through Occasioning Thinking: The Thinking Classroom

As your team(s) begin(s) to explore challenges to practice with one another, students, and other teams (networked learning), a framework that can engage the interdependent attributes of the Pedagogical System and guide year(+)-long collaborative inquiries into improving student learning is that of a Thinking Classroom.

The document (pdf, below; available for download) I am providing represents a synthesis of both Pedagogical System and Thinking Classroom (Dr. Peter Liljedahl, Simon Fraser University) attributes. The thinking classroom elements serve the Pedagogical System, and although this tool has been organized as a 'checklist,' this list needs to be occasioned as criteria for success. That is, there is ample room for practitioners, teams, and districts to incorporate a variety of strategies to meeting these criteria.

By enacting a cycle of inquiry, with strategies (the 'What') aimed at students' occasioning thinking, you'll be engaging the Pedagogical System. And by documenting your process and assessing in relation to these criteria for success, your data-lead reflections will point to next steps for moving improvement efforts forward.

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Key Element to Building a Thinking Classroom for School Improvement: Classroom Discourse

If you examine John Hattie's list of effect sizes, you'll see that classroom discourse is reported to have an effect size of 0.82. In short, any strategy with effect size 0.40 is expected to occur with respect to maturation (i.e., with one year of learning). Thus, culturing a safe, discursive environment (albeit not the only teaching strategy being used, as the interdependency of high-yield strategies better serves students) has the potential for closing gaps in learning (e.g., the equivalent of two years of learning).

You'll also notice that both the thinking classroom framework and pedagogical system have significant and important reliance upon student discourse. To further help your team in addressing the 'What' of their improvement practices, I would encourage you to consider exploring developing accountable discourse with your students. Below, I've provided a synthesis of resources (Lucy West, "5 Practices to...," NCTM) into the form of a tool that I've also tried (implemented and assessed with students) within my own teaching practice (pdf; available for download).

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As with the thinking classroom elements, the elements for culturing a classroom of discourse have been organized into a 'rating' system. This system needs to be occasioned as criteria for success. That is, there is ample room for practitioners, teams, and districts to incorporate a variety of strategies to meeting these criteria.

E) Some Final Thoughts: Growing Your Leadership & Networking at Flipping the Focus

An Emergent Leader: Growing Your Leadership

Throughout this post, I've use the word leadership. Typically, in an educational context, our minds might tend to think about our school-level leaders (principals and vice-principals). Not all that long ago, my system-level principal explained that you can lead no matter your position in the 'line-up'. If you're reading this post, and find yourself not in a leadership role, think again: you are, by informal nature, an emergent leader (ASCD) and you have lots of room to engage the pedagogical system in your own/team's/school's improvement practices--collectively setting goals and disciplining ourselves to occasioning collaborative work on an ongoing basis.

According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD),...
-If you are more concerned about the journey towards a goal, rather than the goal itself, you are emerging in leadership.
-If you carve out your own path, inquiring as you go, you are an emerging leader.
-If you desire to work with others with varied backgrounds...each of you passionate and driven to improving achievement, equity and well-being for students in your school/district/province, you are an emerging leader.
-And if desire to serve others for the public good, you are an emerging leader. I hope that you are finding the information in this post helpful and that you will return to it, as you are looking to carve out a place in your school/district to lead as a collaborative professional. Remember: We need you to lead us (Seth Godin, Tribes).

Building & Supporting Your Professional Network: Getting Connected

As emerging leaders, remember that there are practitioners in various locations and in various roles who have a strong desire to frame their work through school improvement processes. What they have uncovered is that learning on behalf of others (Steven Katz & Lisa Ain Dack, Intentional Interruption: Breaking Down Learning Barriers to Transform Professional Practice) is a powerful means to growing collective capacity--i.e., growing both the confidence and efficacy to enact their collaborative professionalism to, as Seth Godin might say, motivate, connect and leverage the team members of their 'tribe.'

In conjunction to what you're doing individually and/or at the school level, getting connected to others of this 'tribe' might be as simple as following a particular hashtag (#) on Twitter and/or participating in on-line discussions (e.g., Twitterchats, commenting through this blog). You might also consider creating a backchannel to discussions you’re having in your own district. And if you're looking to connect with a smaller group of practitioners within and beyond your current location and/or role, I would invite you to consider registering with the Professional Learning Network (PLN) Finder (link/button, below; Form Results link to connect with other registrants).

If you'd like to start out by considering a more personalized interaction with Flipping the Focus, you can also connect via email (see the contact form, end of page). NEW to Flipping the Focus is a booking tool (Flipped PL) for professional learning experiences. Click on the link/button, below ("Book Now") to be re-directed to registering for your next professional learning event/experience.

Networking Option:
Flipped PLN Finder

PLN Finder - Register

Finder - Form Results

Professional Learning Option:
Booking with Flipped PL

F) Looking Ahead

In closing, I hope that you have not only found this post informative but supportive towards how you can better address your face-to-face time with students, colleagues, and/or network partners, as you engage in exploring school improvement practices that can be potential 'game-changers' for student achievement, equity and well-being.

Be sure to check the blog and/or website, periodically, for an advisory regarding a depository of the several tools & resources mentioned here (AND for a series of new tools) to help you in your instructional leadership journey with and towards school improvement.

Professionally Yours,

Chris Stewart, OCT
Learning Partner, Upper Canada District School Board
Founder & Educational Consultant, Flipping the Focus (copyright, 2018)

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Connect 2 Learn: Episode 47 of "the Missing Link"

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