esl program retreat marconi 2009 “moving forward together” esl program retreat marconi...

ESL Program RetreatMarconi 2009

“Moving Forward Together”

ESL Program RetreatMarconi Conference Center, Marin

February 27-28, 2009




Professional Development Mission and Vision

• Focus on learning• Increasing interdependence• Foundation: Essential learning outcomes

identified for common ground for teachers to collaborate effectively around student learning

• Transparency around what students must know and be able to do at each level



Commitment to Continuous Improvement

• Teams engaged in ongoing cycles of continuous improvement

• Appreciation of collective synergy, imagination, spirit, inspiration

• Commitment to constantly expand our competence to achieve desired learning for students



Collaboration

• Embedded structural and collaborative culture with a focus on learning

• Working primarily as “grade level” teams to analyze and impact practice in order to improve individual and collective results for students



Collaboration

• Shared responsibility for student learning through regular teamwork – learning, investigation, development, experimentation, looking critically at results and adjusting instruction accordingly

• Working together toward common purpose• High degree of autonomy of teacher teams

around the same courses/students taught



Collective Inquiry• Reflective dialogue and inquiry into effective

practices and curriculum• Collective problem solving; Results = student

learning• Results not satisfactory? Regroup, analyze,

plan different approach.• Common formative assessments



Collective Inquiry

• Critical Friends: challenge and question our practices in respectful, spirited, supportive ways

• Lesson study• Question, search, analyze, develop, test and

evaluate new skills, strategies, awareness, attitudes and beliefs that promote learning



Supportive and Shared Leadership

• Learning at all levels• Shared responsibility, shared accountability,

shared leadership• Supporting teacher leadership• Trust, respect, openness• Authorship



Supportive Conditions

• Program planning• Consistency of curricula, materials• Resources – primarily time and money - to

collaborate• Reduced isolation, increased capacity, caring

and productive environment, program improvement



Supportive Conditions

• Students get additional support for learning through systematic interventions

• Teachers get targeted support for implementing practices



Results Orientation• Effectiveness is based on student results; results

show whether students have learned essential curriculum

• Results of common formative assessments are shared among team members

• Ongoing common formative assessments are used in consistent ways to facilitate improved learning



Jacques’ Perceptions – Where can we improve?

• Increasing focus on student learning as the starting point and the goal

• Increasing inquiry skills – disciplined inquiry• Increasing facilitation and collaboration skills• Relaxing with the practice of ongoing, long-

term collaboration and not settling for workshops or sharing



Jacques’ Perceptions – Where can we improve?

• Using time more effectively and efficiently• Assessing for learning• Making assessment a manageable,

meaningful, integrated, shared part of our work

• Addressing fewer challenges at a time and making sure they are the most important ones



The Heart of the Matter• Exactly what is it that we want all students to

learn? What exactly is the essential knowledge? What exactly are the essential skills?

• How will we know when each student has acquired the essential knowledge and skills? How to assess and how to measure competence or mastery?

• What responses occur in our program when students do not learn?



Closing Questions

What questions do you have?

What resonates with you?

What challenges you?

esl program retreat marconi 2009 “moving forward together” esl program retreat marconi...

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