Texas Teachers of TomorrowTexas Teachers of Tomorrow

WOWWOW

Texas Teachers of Texas Teachers of TomorrowTomorrow

Using the WOW Using the WOW Framework to Become a Framework to Become a

WOW TeacherWOW Teacher

““Schools cannot be made great Schools cannot be made great by great teacher performance. by great teacher performance.

They will only be made great by They will only be made great by great student performance.”great student performance.”

Phillip SchlechtyPhillip Schlechty

Pressure to Improve Student Pressure to Improve Student PerformancePerformance

Work on StudentsWork on Students

Work on TeachersWork on Teachers

Work on the WorkWork on the Work

Work on the StudentsWork on the Students

Teachers have had little success.Teachers have had little success. You can cajole them or threaten You can cajole them or threaten

them and sometimes get them and sometimes get compliance, but it does not compliance, but it does not produce the commitment needed produce the commitment needed to perform at high levels.to perform at high levels.

In the long run, working on the In the long run, working on the students hasn’t worked.students hasn’t worked.

Work on the TeachersWork on the Teachers

Putting more pressure on the Putting more pressure on the teachers doesn’t work.teachers doesn’t work.

Most teachers are already doing all Most teachers are already doing all they know how to do.they know how to do.

Work on the WorkWork on the Work

Working on the Work – Working on the Work – The WOW FrameworkThe WOW Framework

The key to school success is to be found in The key to school success is to be found in identifying or creating engaging identifying or creating engaging

schoolwork for students.schoolwork for students.

The Nature of SchoolworkThe Nature of Schoolwork

Work is a goal-oriented activity and Work is a goal-oriented activity and therefore is a purposeful activity. It is therefore is a purposeful activity. It is intended to produce something of intended to produce something of use.use.

Schoolwork refers to the tasks, Schoolwork refers to the tasks, activities, and experiences that activities, and experiences that teachers design for students and teachers design for students and those that teachers encourage those that teachers encourage students to design for themselves.students to design for themselves.

Working on the Work entails teachers Working on the Work entails teachers purposefully creating, designing, purposefully creating, designing, identifying, or otherwise making identifying, or otherwise making available to students authentically available to students authentically engaging activities, programs, tasks, engaging activities, programs, tasks, assignments, and opportunities to assignments, and opportunities to practice that result in students practice that result in students learning those things it is determined learning those things it is determined that students need to learn to be that students need to learn to be judges well educated. judges well educated.

Basic AssumptionsBasic Assumptions

Differences in commitment and Differences in commitment and attention produce differences in attention produce differences in student engagement.student engagement.

Differences in the level and type of Differences in the level and type of engagement affect directly the effort engagement affect directly the effort that students expend on school-that students expend on school-related tasks.related tasks.

Effort affects learning outcomes at Effort affects learning outcomes at least as much as does intellectual least as much as does intellectual ability.ability.

Great teachers are Great teachers are great leaders.great leaders.

The primary function of a The primary function of a leader is to inspire others leader is to inspire others to do things they might to do things they might

otherwise not do.otherwise not do.

What do you need learn?What do you need learn?

The teacher needs to be skilled in The teacher needs to be skilled in providing students with providing students with schoolwork that will engage them schoolwork that will engage them and encourage them to direct their and encourage them to direct their efforts in productive ways.efforts in productive ways.

What is What is Student EngagementStudent Engagement??

Students are Students are attentiveattentive—not just in —not just in attendanceattendance

Students Students stick withstick with the tasks they have the tasks they have been assigned or encouraged to undertakebeen assigned or encouraged to undertake—they are persistent. They —they are persistent. They stick withstick with the the task task until it is completeduntil it is completed and and completed completed wellwell..

Students areStudents are committed committed to the task, to the task, activity, or assignment.activity, or assignment.

What is What is Student Student EngagementEngagement??

Students Students invest energy beyondinvest energy beyond that that needed to simply get by.needed to simply get by.

Students Students find some inherent valuefind some inherent value in what in what he or she is being asked to do.he or she is being asked to do.

Students do the task with Students do the task with enthusiasmenthusiasm and and diligencediligence..

How do educators get How do educators get Student Student EngagementEngagement??

FIRSTFIRST Educators need to be able to assess Educators need to be able to assess IFIF their their

students are engaged.students are engaged. Educators need to be able to assess Educators need to be able to assess HOW HOW

ACTIVELYACTIVELY their students are engaged. their students are engaged.

SECONDSECOND Educators need to invent experiences, tasks, Educators need to invent experiences, tasks,

activities, assignments that students find engaging activities, assignments that students find engaging and that bring them into profound and that bring them into profound interactions(engagement) with content and interactions(engagement) with content and processes.processes.

Five Levels of Five Levels of Student Student EngagementEngagement

To see if students are engaged, we need to To see if students are engaged, we need to be able to identify the five levels of be able to identify the five levels of engagement:engagement:

Authentic EngagementAuthentic Engagement Ritual EngagementRitual Engagement Passive CompliancePassive Compliance RetreatismRetreatism RebellionRebellion

Authentic EngagementAuthentic Engagement

The task, activity, or work the student is assigned or The task, activity, or work the student is assigned or encouraged to undertake is associated with a encouraged to undertake is associated with a result or outcome that has clear meaning and a result or outcome that has clear meaning and a relatively immediate value to the student. These relatively immediate value to the student. These students are students are committedcommitted to work, they to work, they persistpersist in in the work until it is completed well. They the work until it is completed well. They see see valuevalue in the work and don’t stop when difficulties in the work and don’t stop when difficulties arrives. They experience a sense of arrives. They experience a sense of satisfaction, satisfaction, accomplishment, pride, and even delight in their accomplishment, pride, and even delight in their work.work.

Ritual EngagementRitual Engagement

The immediate end of the assigned work has The immediate end of the assigned work has little or no inherent meaning or direct little or no inherent meaning or direct value to the student, but the student value to the student, but the student associates it with extrinsic outcomes and associates it with extrinsic outcomes and results that are of value to him/her. They results that are of value to him/her. They do do what is requiredwhat is required because they are because they are compliantcompliant to authority. to authority. They meet They meet expectations for work more from expectations for work more from obedience than from commitment.obedience than from commitment.

Passive CompliancePassive Compliance

The student is willing to expend whatever The student is willing to expend whatever effort is needed to avoid negative effort is needed to avoid negative consequences, although he or she sees consequences, although he or she sees little meaning in the tasks assigned or the little meaning in the tasks assigned or the consequences of doing those tasks. The consequences of doing those tasks. The students students do thedo the minimum minimum to get by. They to get by. They are more concerned with just having their are more concerned with just having their work accepted than respected. They just work accepted than respected. They just want want to get by.to get by.

RetreatismRetreatism

The student is The student is disengageddisengaged from the tasks, from the tasks, expends no energy in attempting to expends no energy in attempting to comply with the demands of the tasks, but comply with the demands of the tasks, but does notdoes not act in ways that act in ways that disruptdisrupt others others and and does notdoes not try to try to substitute other substitute other activitiesactivities for the assigned task. There are for the assigned task. There are various reasons for the retreat—uncertain various reasons for the retreat—uncertain of what is being asked, lack the skills to do of what is being asked, lack the skills to do the task, etc.the task, etc.

RebellionRebellion

The student summarily The student summarily refusesrefuses to do the to do the task assigned, acts in ways that task assigned, acts in ways that disrupts disrupts othersothers, or , or attempts to substitute tasksattempts to substitute tasks and and activities to which he or she is committed activities to which he or she is committed in lieu of those assigned or supported by in lieu of those assigned or supported by the school or teacher. Key words: the school or teacher. Key words: refusal, refusal, rebellion, disruption.rebellion, disruption.

IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHERSTEACHERS

By exercising control over curriculum By exercising control over curriculum content and ensuring that the content and ensuring that the schoolwork provided is engaging, the schoolwork provided is engaging, the teacher increases the probability that teacher increases the probability that each child will learn what he or she each child will learn what he or she needs to learn.needs to learn.

TEACHERS ARE…TEACHERS ARE…

Leaders--and like other leaders, they Leaders--and like other leaders, they are known more for what they can are known more for what they can get others to do, rather than what get others to do, rather than what they do themselves.they do themselves.

Inventors--they are called upon to Inventors--they are called upon to create schoolwork that will produce create schoolwork that will produce authentic engagement.authentic engagement.

The The efforteffort students are willing to students are willing to expend on tasks is determined by expend on tasks is determined by the the levellevel and and typetype of engagementof engagement the tasks generate. This comes the tasks generate. This comes from the way the work is designed.from the way the work is designed.

The task for the teacher, therefore The task for the teacher, therefore becomes to design work that is becomes to design work that is responsive to students’ needs and responsive to students’ needs and motivesmotives, which results in the students , which results in the students learning what is intended for them to learning what is intended for them to learn.learn.

ExcusesExcuses When thinking of why students cannot or do When thinking of why students cannot or do

not do assigned tasks, we come up with not do assigned tasks, we come up with reasons. reasons. – Too many poor studentsToo many poor students– Too many unsupportive parentsToo many unsupportive parents– Language barriersLanguage barriers– Economic StatusEconomic Status

While all of these “excuses” have some While all of these “excuses” have some validity, we still have no control over them.validity, we still have no control over them.

What Teachers Cannot ControlWhat Teachers Cannot Control

Resources availableResources available School calendarSchool calendar Level of parental involvementLevel of parental involvement Socioeconomic Status of StudentsSocioeconomic Status of Students Primary LanguagePrimary Language Learning ReadinessLearning Readiness

What Teachers Can Control What Teachers Can Control

The content of the curriculum that The content of the curriculum that they deliver to studentsthey deliver to students

The qualities and characteristics of The qualities and characteristics of tasks assigned to students tasks assigned to students

To Ensure Proper Focus, Teachers To Ensure Proper Focus, Teachers ShouldShould….….

Estimate level and types of engagement – Estimate level and types of engagement – compare on a daily basis.compare on a daily basis.

Conduct student questionnaire\interviewsConduct student questionnaire\interviews Invite principal and colleagues to assess Invite principal and colleagues to assess

types of engagement.types of engagement. Relate patterns of engagement observed Relate patterns of engagement observed

to the quality of student work.to the quality of student work.

WOW Attributes Are….WOW Attributes Are…. Product focusProduct focus AffiliationAffiliation Clear product standardsClear product standards ChoiceChoice Protection from adverse consequences Protection from adverse consequences

for initial failuresfor initial failures Novelty and varietyNovelty and variety Affirmation Affirmation AuthenticityAuthenticity

#1#1 Product Focus Product Focus

Link the work with some problem, Link the work with some problem, issue, product, performance, or issue, product, performance, or exhibition that students find exhibition that students find compelling.compelling.

#2#2 Affiliation Affiliation

Work that is designed to permit, Work that is designed to permit, encourage, and support encourage, and support opportunities for students to affiliate opportunities for students to affiliate with others is likely to encourage with others is likely to encourage some students to engage the work some students to engage the work that otherwise they might not find that otherwise they might not find engaging.engaging.

#3#3 Clear Product Clear Product StandardsStandards

Children and young adults prefer Children and young adults prefer to operate in a world where they to operate in a world where they know what is expected. know what is expected.

#4#4 Choice Choice

Choice implies some degree of control Choice implies some degree of control over events. Individuals who have over events. Individuals who have choice are empowered. choice are empowered.

#5#5 Protection from Adverse Protection from Adverse Consequences for Initial FailureConsequences for Initial Failure

The level of engagement of The level of engagement of students is clearly affected by the students is clearly affected by the extent to which students have extent to which students have opportunities to engage without opportunities to engage without fear of embarrassment, fear of embarrassment, punishment, or an implication of punishment, or an implication of personal inadequacy.personal inadequacy.

#6#6 Novelty and Variety Novelty and Variety

Novelty adds freshness and new life Novelty adds freshness and new life to the tired and repetitious.to the tired and repetitious.

Don’t get into a teaching rut!Don’t get into a teaching rut!

#7#7 Affirmation Affirmation

When significant others see the work that When significant others see the work that the students are doing as valuable it the students are doing as valuable it affirms the work for the student.affirms the work for the student.

#8#8 Authenticity Authenticity

Authenticity refers to a sense of realness Authenticity refers to a sense of realness about experiences. If they carry real about experiences. If they carry real consequences then student engagement is consequences then student engagement is likely to increase. likely to increase.

Example…class business.Example…class business.

Points to PonderPoints to Ponder

All of these attributes are not All of these attributes are not required in every lesson, but are a required in every lesson, but are a list of possibilities a teacher might list of possibilities a teacher might want to consider when designing want to consider when designing lessons.lessons.

Authentic engagement occurs only Authentic engagement occurs only when the work is designed in a way when the work is designed in a way that it appeals to values and needs that it appeals to values and needs that are real to the students. that are real to the students.

“ “The important thing is not The important thing is not so much that every child so much that every child should be taught, as that should be taught, as that

every child should be given every child should be given the wish to learn.”the wish to learn.”Are your lessons Are your lessons

engaging?engaging?

WOW Attributes Are….WOW Attributes Are…. Product focusProduct focus AffiliationAffiliation Clear product standardsClear product standards ChoiceChoice Protection from adverse consequences Protection from adverse consequences

for initial failuresfor initial failures Novelty and varietyNovelty and variety Affirmation Affirmation AuthenticityAuthenticity