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Whenmulti-classroomleadersdescribetheirjobstoothers,theyhearthesamequestion:Howdoyoufitallthatin?Multi-classroomleaders(MCLs)inOpportunityCultureschoolssometimessoundliketheydoitall.ButsuccessfulMCLs keep a tight focus: leading excellent instruction.Inschoolswithstrongresults,principalsprotectMCLs’timeforhelping

theirteamsteachandforimprovinginstruction,andtheyavoidheapingonadditionaltasks.SowhenOkemaOwensSimpson,thesixth-gradeMCLforEnglishlanguagearts(ELA)atRansonIBMiddleSchoolinCharlotte,N.C,

plansherscheduleforthecomingweek,sheprovideswhatherteachersneedmost:daily,on-the-jobcoaching;lessonplanning;prac-ticeindeliveringlessons;co-teachingormodelingalesson;analysisofstudentlearningdata;andpullingoutsmallstudentgroupsforintensivehelp.Althoughschedulesandtasksvarysomewhatfromschooltoschoolandamonggradelevels,Simpson’sdaysillustratetheessentialsoftheMCLroledoneright—andhowtofitthemallinoverseveraltypicaldays.

Inthe2017–18schoolyear—her19thasaneducator—SimpsonledateamofthreeELAteachers:MirahaSmith,asecond-yearTeachForAmericateacher;KaylaWilmer,alsoinhersecondTeachForAmericayear,whowasnamedasRanson’s“first-yearteacheroftheyear”in2016–17;andAviennaSimpson(norelation),afirst-year,lateral-entryteacher.Inaddition,shecoachedDeadraHall,theteacherfortheAVIDelectivecourse.Thiscoachingwasmorelimited,butsheaimedtoholdacoachingcycleeachweekwithHall.

AstheirMCL,OkemaSimpsontookaccountabilityforthelearningofall275ofherELAteachers’students.Ranson,partoftheProjectL.I.F.T.zonewithinCharlotte-MecklenburgSchools,wasoneofthefirstOpportunityCultureschoolsinthecountry.

Thehigh-povertyL.I.F.Tschoolshadbeenpersistentlystruggling,butafter taking Opportunity Culture and the MCL model schoolwide in 2014–15, Ranson had the highest student growth among Title I district schools in the stateandwasinthestate’stop1percentoverallforgrowth.

Theprincipalatthattime,AlisonHarrisWelcher,andthecurrentprincipal,EricaJordan-Thomas,bothhighlightthepowerofhavingMCLsschoolwide,forminganinstructionalteamofleaderswhorelyononeanotherforsupportandcollaboration.

AstheschoolcontinuestorefineandadjusttheMCLrole,ithasfocusedheavilyonlessonplanningandlivecoaching.MCLsalsouseotherstrategiestoguideanddeveloptheirteammembersandhelptheirpeers.ThisprofileofOkemaSimpsonshowswhatahigh-per-formingMCL’sdaystypicallyinclude,viewedthroughthelensofaschoolandMCLonthecuttingedgeofdefiningtheartandscienceofinstructionalteacherleadership.

Note: Since this was published, independent research in 2018 indicated that multi-classroom leaders leading small teaching teams pro-duce strong learning gains for students. See here for details.

OPPORTUNITYCULTURE.ORG

a profile of okema owens simpson

DAYS IN THE LIFE: THE WORK OF A SUCCESSFUL MULTI-CLASSROOM LEADER

AN OPPORTUNITY CULTURE VIGNETTE

day 1Starting the Day Right: Connect and Set ExpectationsBecauseofbusschedules,studentsarrivegraduallyatRanson,giv-ingMCLstheopportunitytogreeteachindividual—animportantchancetodevelopandmaintainrelationshipswithstudents,whichmanyRansonMCLsidentifyasakeytoinstructionalsuccess.Ran-sonhasalsoidentifiedthistimeandthetransitionsfromclasstoclassascriticalobservationandcoachingopportunitiesforMCLs,especiallyinthefirstsemester.With50percentoftheirteachersintheirfirstfouryearsofteaching,Ranson’sleaderssawthatteach-erswerestrugglingtostartclassperiodsontrack.Newerteachersoftenneedhelpwiththisclassroommanagementskill—howtostarteachclassbybothconnectingwithstudentspersonallyandremindingthemofthebehaviorandlearningexpectations. Ms.Simpsontalkswithastudentinthehallwaybeforeschoolstarts.

OPPORTUNITYCULTURE.ORGOPPORTUNITY CULTURE An Initiative of Public Impact

© 2017, 2018 pu bl ic i m pact OpportunityCulture.org 2

So,likeotherMCLs,Simpsonobserves and coaches her team teachers duringdailystudenttransitiontimes—evenusinglivecoaching—tohelpthemearlyintheyearwiththesecrucialbuteasilyoverlookedskills.

Observing and CoachingAfullcoachingcycleatRansonconsistsofa“baseline”—whenanMCLobservesateachertocollectbasicdataonthetopicorstrategyofthiscycle;a“pre-conference,”inwhichtheMCLandteacherdiscusswhatwasseeninthebaselineobservationand

determineanactionstep,whichpreparesthemforalivecoach-ingsessionorobservation;livecoachingorobservation;andthefollow-up“post-conference”meeting.Thesecyclesoccuressen-tiallyevery7days,althoughteachersmaynotneedafullcycleeverytime.Additionally,teachersreceiveotherobservationandfeedbackthatdoesnotinvolvelivecoaching,including“post-checks”toensurethatteacherscontinuetouseastrategy.

Withstudentssettled,SimpsonheadsfirsttoAviennaSimpson’sclassroomforafollow-up observation.AftermeetingwithAvi-ennatheweekbefore,OkemaSimpsonwantstoseeherpractice

typical mcl duties

In a typical week, most MCLs divide their time among:

?  Coaching, which may include

•  observing team teachers while they teach.

•  meeting with teachers before and after the observation to discuss what the MCL saw and determine “action steps” to change instruction before the next observation.

•  leading a teacher through a practice session delivering instruction—this may include live coaching in which the MCL uses a walkie-talkie to guide the teacher, who wears a headset, a practice known as Real-Time Teacher Coaching (see page 3).

•  providing feedback after co-teaching.

?  Co-teaching: Sharing delivery of a lesson

•  MCLs use this as needed for any team teacher, to demonstrate or assist with instruction or classroom management skills.

•  MCLs may use co-teaching more heavily in the first months of the school year, especially with newer teachers.

?  Modeling: Teaching a lesson in front of a teacher

•  MCLs may model-teach as needed for any team teacher, to demonstrate instruction or classroom management skills.

•  MCLs may use modeling more heavily in the first months of the school year, especially with newer teachers.

•  Teachers can observe a modeled lesson in one period, then deliver it themselves to more classes in later periods.

?  Planning: Preparing for lessons and teacher coaching

•  Individual planning time may be used to make plans about how to coach or follow up with teachers, and to create or tweak lesson plans.

•  Co-planning includes meeting with each teacher individually and team meetings at least weekly—preferably more often—to analyze data, discuss challenges, plan changes, practice lesson delivery, and address other concerns.

?  Analyzing data

•  Some MCLs handle most of the analysis of student data for the team (especially for newer teachers).

•  Other MCLs let team teachers analyze student data, and instead focus their help for teachers on changing instruction—whole-class and individual—in response to the data.

?  Teaching

•  MCLs teach individual students and small groups, as needed, and may sometimes teach the whole class.

•  Successful MCLs limit their own teaching time in favor of improving their team’s teaching skills.

?  Being coached

•  MCLs receive regularly scheduled coaching on their team leadership and instructional skills from a principal or assistant principal.

•  MCLs may also attend district-wide MCL training sessions or cohort meetings.

?  Collaborating with other MCLs

•  In large schools, MCLs may have regular (preferably weekly) meetings with other MCLs in their subject or grade (in smaller schools, an MCL may cover an entire grade or subject).

•  MCLs also meet regularly as a schoolwide “instructional leadership team” made up of all MCLs, assistant principals, and the principal.

•  Informally, MCLs confer with one another throughout the week to share ideas and ask for help.

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thechangestheyplanned,andtoprovidelive coachingusingawalkie-talkie.

Livecoaching,usingtheReal-TimeTeacherCoachingmethodfromCT3,allowsMCLstoprovideinstantfeedback.Teacherslis-tentocoachingthroughaheadsetfromtheMCL,whostandsatthebackoftheroomduringlessons,allowingtheteachertoad-justteachingimmediately,accordingtotheMCL’sinstructions.

Conferring with ColleaguesReturningtoheroffice,SimpsonandJenniferTyler,theMCLforsixth-grademath,andSophiaCrawford-Mapp,theschoolwideexceptionalchildrenMCL,conferabouthelpingastrugglingteacherkeepherstudentsengaged;thesebrief,informalcollabo-rationsoccurthroughouteachday.

“WhatI’vefoundintheroleofanMCListhatIoftenneedmycolleaguestobounceideasoffofandso,oneofthebenefitsofhavingacolleagueintheroomwithme—wesharethesameof-ficespace—isIcandojustthat,”Simpsonsays.

Teaching and SupportingThenSimpsontakestimetolead a small groupofstudents,filmingherteachingonherlaptoptouselaterasamodelforateacherofhowtodoa“do-now”exerciseasstudentssettlein.MCLsatRansontypicallyconductsmall-groupinstructionforstrugglingstudents,butmayalsopulloutstudentsforadvancedinstructionortofocusonspecificprojectsorconcepts.

Afterthestudentsreturntotheirclassrooms,Simpsoncrossesthehalltoprovidescheduled“support time” forKaylaWilmer,inwhichsheobservesandpitchesintohelpwheneverstudentsneedit.ShefilmsWilmer’swhole-classinstructiononhercellphone.

“Wevideoalot,”Simpsonsays.“Iasacoachhavetorecordmycoachingconversationswithmyteachers,andwhenIgoinforob-servations,IrecordwhatIsee,sothatIcanwatchthatfootageinordertoreallypinpointtheactionstepthatneedstobeaddressed.Also,it’sawayforotherteacherstoseewhat’shappeningandto

namethegapthatwe’regoingtodiscussandcreateanactionsteparound.Sometimestheteacherschoosetorecordthemselves,be-causethey,too,seethebenefitofwatchingandanalyzingtheirownworkandtheirownpracticeinordertogetbetter.”

Fromthere,Simpsonheadsdownthehallforsupport timewithMirahaSmith,whichincludesdoinga“post-check”onherdo-nowexercisetoensurethatitisstillbeingdonewell,andagainemployingabitareal-timecoaching.

Analyzing Student Data and Planning Returningtoheroffice,Simpsoneatsalatelunchwhileplan-ning lessons andplanning her post-observation meetingwithAviennaSimpson.Shewatchesthevideoofthemorning’slesson,analyzesthedatashegathered—suchashowmanystudentsgotthedo-nowanswerright,andhowengagedstudentswere—andplanswhatactionsteptoassigntotheteacher,whichwillbeimplementedforthenextfivedays,whentheywillassessitssuc-cess.AfterAviennajoinsher,theyreviewthosepoints,andAvi-ennapracticesdeliveringtheinstructionasSimpsonproposes.

“Therearethreepartsofmyrolethatmaketherolevaluable.Thelessonplanning,observationsandbeingintheclassroom,andthenthedata,”Simpsonsays.“Ididn’trealizehowmuchIlovedataandhowmuchdatatrulyshoulddriveinstructionuntilIsteppedawayfromtheclassroom.IanalyzeddatawhenIwasaclassroomteacher,butitwassomethingthatInaturallydid,anddidn’treallyknowthatIwaspayingsomuchattentionandre-spondingsomuchtothedata.Inthisrole,itbecamecleartomethatdatawastheheartofwhatIdo.

“SoIspendtime,ifnoteveryday,everyotherdaylookingattheirdo-nowandexit-ticketdata.Idesignthosequestions,andItakealookattheirassessments,Itakealookatalltheirdata,andwemeetasateamtorespondtothedata.”

Receiving Her Own CoachingAfterhelpingtoensurethatallstudentsmakeitontotheirbuseshome(providingmoretimetobuildrelationshipsandwork

Ms.Simpsonandthesixth-grademathMCL,JenniferTyler,shareanoffice,givingthemtimeeverydaytocollaborateinformally.

Ms.Simpsonreceivesherownweeklycoaching,fromPrincipalEricaJordan-Thomas,todevelopherskillsasanMCL.

© 2017, 2018 pu bl ic i m pact OpportunityCulture.org 4

alongsideherteachers),Simpsonclosesthedaywithher own coaching conference, meetingwithPrincipalJordan-Thomasforanhour.Duringthemeeting,Jordan-ThomasreviewswhatshesawintherecordingsSimpsonmadeofhercoachingconversa-tionswithherteamteachers.

“Sheusesthosevideos,noticessomegapsinmypractice,andIleavewithanactionsteponhowtoaddressandclosethosegaps,”Simpsonsays.ThetwoalsotrackSimpson’sprogressonitemssheidentifiedduringasummerinstructionalleadershipteamretreatthatshewantstofocusoninherowndevelopment,andforwhichsheaskedJordan-Thomastoholdheraccountable.

day 2MuchofSimpson’sseconddaymirrorsthefirst—it’safullsched-uleofobservations,coachingconversations,andplanning.

Observing, Coaching, and ModelingShebeginswithanobservationofWilmer’sdo-nowexercise,recordingherobservationsonarubricthatallRansonMCLsuse.AsimilarobservationfollowsofSmith’saggressivemonitoringstrategy(aninstructionalstrategymeanttonoticeandfixstu-dentmisperceptionsorlearningmistakesinthemoment),withasimilarrubric.Simpsonlatertransfersthoserubricstoanonline,schoolwideobservationtrackerthatguideshercoachingdeci-sionsandallowsschoolleaderstogatherdataonhowallteach-ersaredoingonspecificskillsandstrategies.

Simpsonreturnstoherdesktoimmediatelyplanhercoaching conversationwithSmith,andtheymeetshortlyafterwardtoreviewSimpson’sfeedbackanddiscusswhatelseSmithwantstodevelopinherinstruction.ThetworeturntogethertoSmith’snextclass,whereSimpsonmodelsalessonforher.

Lesson Planning and Team MeetingsThenit’sbacktoherdeskformoreplanningtime;Simpsonsetsasideatleastanhourperdayforlesson planning,somethingallRansonMCLsdo.Theyalsogetpaidforsummerplanningtime,

duringwhichSimpsoncreatedthefirsteightweeksoflessonsandtheirmaterials.Ensuringthatteachershavestronglessonsinadvanceiscrucialinaschoolwheremanyteachersarebrand-newandlearningtoteachandleadclassrooms.

Shealsoprepares for her team meeting;twiceaweek,allthreeteamteachersandSimpsonholdameetingfocusedeitherondataorinstruction.Theteachersjoinherfortoday’sinstructional meeting,duringwhicheachpracticesdeliveringthreedifferentlessons.Tolearntipsforherowncoaching,theseventh-gradeELAMCLalsoattends.

Creatingstrongbondsonandwithherteamarecrucialtothesuccessofallherleadership—boththeindividualcoachingandtheseteammeetings,Simpsonsays.

“Oneofmystrengthsasaclassroomteacherwasbuildingre-lationshipswithstudents.Weallknowthatifyouhaveastrongrelationshipwithyourscholar,theytrustyouandthey’llbewill-ingtodowhatitisthatyouaskofthem.Ifoundthatthatcar-riesoverintheroleasanMCL,soIhavetobeintentionalwiththerelationshipthatIbuildwiththeteachers,becauseiftheydon’ttrustmetoexecutethelessonplaninthewayinwhichI’veaskedthemto,thentheywon’t.SoIbuildthoserelationshipsintentionally.Iseemyteamas,yes,educators,butalsopeople.Iunderstandit’shardwork,Ivaluewhattheybringtothetable,andtheyknowthatandtheyappreciateit.They’realwayswillingtotrywhatitisI’maskingthemtodo.”

Day 3

Collaborating to Lead Instruction SchoolwideAtthecloseoftheweek,allRansonMCLsformallycollaborateintheir instructional team of leaders (ILT)meeting.Thisweekly,two-hourmeetingiskeytoschoolsuccess,saysJordan-Thomas,wholeadsthemeetingwithatight,focusedagenda.TheILTalsoincludesassistantprincipals,whocoachMCLs.

Jordan-Thomasdeterminesthetopicforeachmeeting’sprofes-sionaldevelopmentbyreviewingschoolwidelearningdataandMCLcoachingdata.Topicshaveincludedclearandbite-sizeactionsteps;Ms.SImpsonprovidesinstantfeedbacktoherteachersthoughlivecoaching,usinga

walkie-talkieandaheadsettogiveinstructions.

Twiceaweek,Ms.Simpsonholdsaplanningmeetingwithherthreeteamteachers,MirahaSmith,AviennaSmpson,andKaylaWIlmer.

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TIME MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

8-9:30Transition: Simpsontalkstostudentsastheyarrive;sheusesthisandalltransitiontimesandlunchduty

tobuildrelationshipswithallofherteam’s275students,andtoobserveandcoachherteachers,includingusinglivecoachingthroughheadsets,onroutinesandprocedures.

9:30 Hallbaselineobservation

A.Simpsondo-nowobservation

A.Simpson’spost-conference

ondo-nowHallpost-conference

InstructionalLeadershipTeam

meeting

10:00 A.Simpsonfollow-upobservationon

aggressivemonitor-ing(andReal-Time

Coaching)

Wilmeraggressivemonitoring

observation

Hallpre-conference Wilmerpre-conference

10:30Smith

post-conferenceonaggressivemonitoring

SupportSmith

10:45 Transition Transition Transition Transition

11:00 LunchDutyScriptWilmer’s

post-conferenceonaggressivemonitoring

LunchDuty LunchDuty

11:30 SupportA.Simpson Wilmer’spost-conference

Pullsmallgroupbasedondataanalysisfrom

Tuesdaymeeting

Observationtrackerupdating

12:00

SupportWilmer

Smithaggressivemonitoring

observation(includingReal-Time

Coaching)

Wilmerbaselineobservation Asneeded Checkinwith

allteamteachers

12:30 HallReal-TimeCoaching SupportA.Simpson Planning

1:00 Transition Transition Transition Transition Transition

1:10 SupportSmith Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded

Planning1:30

Planning(ScriptA.Simpson’s

post-conferenceonaggressivemonitoring)

Planning Planning Planning

2:00 Planning Planning Planning Planning

2:30 Transition Transition Transition Transition Transition

3:00 A.Simpson’spost-conference

Teachingteammeeting(data) Grade-levelmeeting Teachingteam

meeting(instruction) Planning3:30

4:00 Afternoonbusduty

4:30 Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded

5:00 Coachingconversationwith

Jordan-Thomas

Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded

5:30 Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded Asneeded

Notes:“Asneeded”timeduringtheschooldayiskeptopenforissuesastheyarise,andtohandlesmallertaskssuchasrespondingtoemailsormakingquick,immediatelyneededtweakstolessonplans.

Simpsonisexpectedtostayoncampusuntil4:30;shetypicallystaysuntil5:30catchingupontasksleftoverfromtheday.

typical schedule for okema owens simpson

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small-groupinterventionstrategies;howtobuildaschedulethatreflectsschoolpriorities;andhowtoaddressteachermindsets.

Afterthismeetingends,Simpsonblockstherestofherdayforintensiveplanningtime.Itistheonedayoftheweekherteachersdon’texpecthertoobserveorsupporttheirclassrooms,butsheremainsavailabletothemifneeded.

Leading While TeachingForSimpson,asformanyMCLs,hercombinationofdutiesthroughouttheweekremainsidealforsomeonewhowantstoadvancebutstayinteaching.Shewentsofarastogetamaster’sdegreeineducationleadership,butquicklydecidedthatbecom-inganadministratorwasnotrightforher.Instead,shenowreachesmanymorestudentswithexcellentteaching,andpre-paresanothergenerationofteacherstoteachexceptionallywellforthelongterm,despitethemanypressuresineducation.

“TheclassroomiswhereIlovetobe.I absolutely love teaching, I love students,Iloveinstruction,Iloveplanninglessons,andasanassistantprincipalIwouldn’tbeabletodothat.ButIreceivedalotoffeedbackandadvicefromotherteachersandadministra-torswhosawmyworkandthoughtthatIneededtostepoutandexpandmyimpact.So,althoughtheclassroomwasasafespaceforme,IknewthatIwasatthepointinmycareerwhereIneededtotakeachallengeandstepoutofmycomfortzonetodosome-thingnew.…Thisjobismypassion.It’swhatIdo,it’swhatI’vebeencalledtodo—Iservescholars.”

building anopportunity culture for america’s educators

Acknowledgements

ThisvignettewaswrittenbySharonKebschullBarrettofPublicImpact.ThankyoutoEmilyAyscueHasselforediting,BeverleyTyndallforshep-herdingthisworkthroughproduction,andAprilLeidigforthedesign.

Theworkforthispublicationwasperformedunderasubcontracttothe American Institutes for Research andfundedbyananonymousfunder.

ThestatementsmadeandviewsexpressedaresolelytheresponsibilityofPublicImpact.LearnmoreatOpportunityCulture.org.

©2017,2018PublicImpact,ChapelHill,NC.

PublicImpactencouragesthesharingandcopyingofthesematerials,butwerequireattributionforalluse.If you adapt the materials, you must include on every page “Adapted from OpportunityCulture.org; © 2017, 2018 Public Impact.”Materialsmaynotbesold,leased,licensed,orotherwisedistributedforcompensation.SeeourTerms of Usepageorcontact usformoreinformation.

Pleasecitethispublicationas:PublicImpact:Barrett,S.K.(2017,2018).Days in the life: The work of a successful multi-classroom leader.ChapelHill,NC:PublicImpact.Retrievedfromhttp://opportunityculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/MCL_Vignette_Okema_Simpson-Public_Impact.pdf

Watch: SeeMs.Simpsoninactioninanaccompanyingvideo.

for an overview of opportunity culture:

visit ☞ www.OpportunityCulture.org

visit ☞ Multi-Classroom Leadership

view ☞ Videos of teachers and administrators working in Opportunity Culture schools across the U.S.