Providing High-Quality Professional Development

Session Questions

• Why is alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessments to state standards a critical factor in school improvement?

• How does the Professional Teaching and Learning Cycle (PTLC) reflect the characteristics of effective professional development and promote alignment?

• What are the steps of PTLC?

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School-Level Factors Affecting Student Achievement

• Challenging goals and effective feedback

• Parent and community involvement

• Safe and orderly environment

• Collegiality and professionalism

3Marzano, R. J. (2003). What works in schools: Translating research into action. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Alignment of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment to Standards (CIAS)

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About the Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, Standards (CIAS) Circles

Each group of three participants gets one set of the CIAS circles.

The circle labeled “Curriculum” represents the district curriculum.

The circle labeled “Instruction” represents all the instruction done in classrooms in a district during one school year.

The other circles represent the standards (TEKS) and the assessment (TAKS). 5

Table Task 1

Consider the size of each circle and discuss the following:

Why are the sizes of the circles different?

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Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Misalignment of CIAS

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How are these misaligned?

Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Misalignment of CIAS

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How would they look if they were aligned?

Instruction

Curriculum

Standards

Assessment

Alignment of CIAS

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What is the PTLC?

The Professional Teaching and Learning Cycle is a six-step process that teachers use for collaboratively planning and implementing lessons that are aligned to their state standards.

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Professional Teaching and Learning Cycle: A Research-Based Strategy for Alignment Analyze Data

Identify Standard

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Read and ReflectRead and Reflect

Instructions for Carousel Task

There are 6 charts, one for each of the six PTLC steps.

• Each group will be assigned to a chart; that is the home chart for the group.

• Groups will perform a task at each chart, using the handout (six steps of PTLC) for reference.

(2–3 minutes at each chart)

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Instructions for Carousel Task (continued)

• Each group will write something on each chart, so be sure you leave room for the other groups.

• Each group will use the same color marker for their tasks on all charts—take your markers with you.

• There will be a signal before groups may move to the next chart. At the signal, groups will move to the next chart on their right.

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Home Chart

At this chart —

The group will identify activities that SHOULD occur during this step.

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will identify activities that should NOT occur during this step.

At this chart —

The group will identify resources needed for this step.

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will identify the possible benefits gained during this step of PTLC.

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will identify possible challenges that might be encountered during this step of PTLC.

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Move to Next Chart

At this chart —

The group will design a bumper sticker or illustration to represent this step of PTLC.

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Move to Next Chart

Return to Home Chart

At home chart —

The group will read their chart and identify the most interesting thing that has been recorded about the step.

Be ready to share in 2 minutes.

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Chart Tasks

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1) Identify activities that SHOULD occur during the step.

2) Identify activities that should NOT occur during the step.

3) Identify resources needed for the step.

4) Identify the possible benefits gained during the step.

5) Identify possible challenges that might be encountered during the step.

6) Design a bumper sticker or illustration to represent the step.

Table Reflection

Return to table groups, reflect and discuss —

What structures might schools have in place that would help implement PTLC?

You have 3 minutes. Be ready to share salient points of the reflection and discussion with the whole group.

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