THE 21ST CENTURY THE 21ST CENTURY INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERINSTRUCTIONAL LEADER

It’s the Law: Newton’s Law of Inertia

• If you keep doing what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always gotten.

• The law is loosely based on the concept that if a body is in motion and no force exerts itself on that body, it will remain in the motion it is in.

What does this mean for instructional leadership?

It means that . . .

• If you are doing something that is working and you are getting good results, it may not continue to work if new “forces” are present.

• Schools will have to transform themselves to meet the new demands (i.e., forces) of the 21st century.

• Instructional leaders will need to step up to lead in a very different education environment.

Program Objectives for Instructional Leaders

• Be familiar with the changes and existing conditions in the educational context, and understand the need for effective instructional leadership.

• Be familiar with the research on the knowledge and skills needed by 21st century instructional leaders and teachers.

• Be familiar with implementation tools, methods, and strategies useful for leading and learning in the 21st century school environment.

What do you want?

• Vision and mission• Standards• Life and career competencies• 21st century skills

What do you have to change?

• Correlate research with existing practices and select changes

What have you been doing to get what you want?

• Data analysis and interpretation

What’s your plan? • Improvement plans

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will continue to get what you’ve always gotten.

Applying the Law of Inertia to Schools

Reflection Questions

•What is your school doing that it needs to stop, abandon, or modify?

•What is your school doing that is really working?

This program will address . . .

1. Changes in the “new millennial” learner and existing conditions in the education environment.

2. Critical components of instructional leadership:

• Challenges and concerns.

• Research, theory, and best practice.

• Actions for instructional leaders.

CHANGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

Changes Call for Thoughtful, Inspiring Leadership

We can see changes related to • Students• Teachers• Accountability• The science of teaching and learning• Professional development• Educational tools and resources• Skills and knowledge needed for the 21st

century

Changes in Students

• They need immediate feedback and instant gratification.

• They are motivated by interactive and hands-on learning, especially with technology.

• They are motivated by challenge and curiosity.

• They are motivated by competition and using winning strategies.

• They need more freedom and independence.

• They are more culturally and linguistically diverse.

Changes in Teachers

• Baby boomers are retiring, and new teachers are filling the gaps.

• The 20-something new teachers have different styles, characteristics, and needs.

• More new teachers are leaving the profession within the first five years than in the past.

Changes in Accountability

• Federal and local governments have created mandates for continuous improvement.

• More students who have special needs, have limited English language proficiency, or live in poverty must be educated to meet the highest standards.

• The public wants a response to achievement needs.

• Employers expect new competencies for success.

Achievement Gaps Persist

• Half of all African American and Hispanic students are dropping out.

• Children from affluent families are 11 times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree than are children from low-income families (Ollivara, 2004).

Changes in the Science of Teaching and Learning

• Scientific research methodology has improved the body of professional education literature.

• Meta-analyses have suggested best instructional practices.

• Research about change and factors that improve student learning can guide school improvement.

Changes in Professional Development

• Schools should create professional development plans that are data-driven and based on results and standards.

• To really be effective, professional learning should be job-embedded and ongoing and involve support and coaching opportunities.

Changes in Education Tools and Resources

• Textbooks

• Technology

• Supplemental materials

Changes in Skills and Knowledge

• Student understanding includes more than knowledge and skills in the disciplines.

• Students will require 21st century skills.

• More jobs are requiring postsecondary training or a degree.

• Student motivation to learn must be connected to new ways of learning.

Addressing the Changes

Reflection Questions

• In what ways do instructional leaders need to adapt to address these changes?

• In what ways do teachers need to adapt to address these changes?

ROLE OF THE 21ST CENTURY INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER

These changes require the 21st century leader to be . . .

• A visionary

• An instructional leader

• An influencer

• A learner

New ISLCC Standards for School Leaders

• Facilitate a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community.

• Develop a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

• Ensure a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

New ISLCC Standards for School Leaders (cont’d)

• Collaborate with faculty and community members.

• Act with integrity and fairness and in an ethical manner.

• Understand, respond to, and influence the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.

Source: The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (2008).

The Focus for Instructional Leaders

We firmly believe that creating a system focused on the ongoing improvement of instruction must be the central aim of any education improvement effort. . . . Student achievement will not improve unless and until we create schools and districts where all educators are learning how to significantly improve their skills as teachers and as instructional leaders.

—Wagner & Kegan, 2005

The 21st century leader will need to have tools and methods to . . .

• Expect• Inspect• Direct• Respect• Reflect

The 21st century instructional leader will need to focus on . . .

• supervision• curriculum• assessment• instruction• technology• culture and climate• professional development• school improvement

FOCUS ON SUPERVISION

Instructional Supervision Reflections

• What instructional leaders have to understand, know, and be able to do.

• How supervision demands are similar and different for 21st century instructional leaders.

• Obstacles and opportunities for instructional leaders to develop and maintain self-confidence.

Supervision Challenges and Concerns

• Insufficient knowledge of research, theory, and best practice and inconsistent application.

• Management instead of leadership.

• Random acts of leadership.

• Lone-ranger leadership, which is often not shared.

Supervision Challenges and Concerns (cont’d)

• Lack of clear expectations and indicators about teaching and learning.

• Superficial monitoring of classroom teaching.

• Ineffective feedback.

Instructional Supervision Professional Literature Review

• 21 responsibilities of the school leader (Marzano, Walters, & McNulty, 2005)

• Indicators of effective teaching (Danielson, 2004)

• Leadership styles (Glanz, 2002)

• 21st century trends and guiding principles (Marx, 2006)

FOCUS ON CURRICULUM

Curriculum Reflections

• How teachers develop, monitor, evaluate, and revise curriculum for classroom use.

• The role of the instructional leader in this process.

• Characteristics of an ideal curriculum for the 21st century student.

Curriculum Challenges and Concerns

• Curriculum is not written, guaranteed, viable, or aligned to standards.

• Curriculum is not systematically assessed.

• There are random acts of teaching and learning.

• Curriculum is not equitable for some students.

• Curriculum is often delivered by teacher entrepreneurs in their own classrooms.

• Curriculum is superficially monitored at best.

Curriculum Professional Literature Review

• Guaranteed, viable, standards-based, and taught curriculum (Marzano, 2003)

• Curriculum mapping and backward design for curriculum frameworks (Hayes Jacobs, 2001; Wiggins & McTighe, 2004)

• Sound unit planning (Wiggins & McTighe, 2004; Tomlinson, 2003; Marzano, et al., 2003; Walberg, 1995; Guskey,1987)

• 21st century themes and skills (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2007)

Curriculum Actions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

• Map the intended curriculum and monitor the taught curriculum.

• Analyze student performance by examining curriculum frameworks and data concurrently.

• Conduct effective walk-throughs and observations.• Use protocols for teachers to discuss strengths and

needs of students and make instructional changes.• Provide time to collaboratively develop units.

FOCUS ON ASSESSMENT

Assessment Reflections

• How instructional leaders can monitor assessment in schools.

• Challenges teachers face when assessing student learning.

• Characteristics of effective assessment.

Assessment Challenges and Concerns

• Standards and objectives often don’t drive classroom assessment (random acts of assessment).

• Formative assessment of learning is infrequent.

• Assessment, instruction, and curriculum are not aligned.

• Classroom assessment data are often not analyzed or used for instructional decision making.

Assessment Challenges and Concerns (cont’d)

• Assessment is superficially monitored by instructional leaders.

• Commercial tests are often misaligned with curriculum.

• Students usually don’t get opportunities to retake tests or redo assignments until they reach the objectives.

Assessment Professional Literature Review

• Effective and efficient assessment of and for learning (Stiggins, 2005)

• Alignment with the standards or goals, understandings, knowledge, and skills

• Use of varied forms and communication of understandable criteria and feedback

• Connections to real-world contexts, encouraging student self-assessment

Assessment Actions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

• Discuss how, when, and how often understandings, knowledge, and skills are assessed.

• Monitor the variety of assessments.

• Measure and increase teachers’ assessment literacy and provide coaching and support.

• Encourage teacher teams to analyze student achievement on classroom assessments and adjust instruction.

• Provide time to develop assessments.

FOCUS ON INSTRUCTION

Instruction Reflections

• How instructional leaders communicate expectations about classroom instruction.

• How instructional leaders encourage teacher reflection about instructional practices and make needed changes.

• How instructional leaders inspect the instructional environment to determine the prevalence of research-supported instructional practices.

Instruction Challenges and Concerns

• Instructional practices don’t support the standards or assessment (random acts of instruction).

• A one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t match instructional practices to student needs.

• Teachers blame students: “I taught it; they should have learned it,” or “They are just not motivated.”

• Teachers are uninformed or choose not to use research-supported instructional practices.

• Supervision of teaching and learning is superficial.

Instruction Professional Literature Review

• Differentiated instruction (Tomlinson, 2005)

• Building background knowledge and academic vocabulary (Marzano, 2003)

• 9 research-based strategies (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001)

• 10 questions addressing the art and science of teaching (Marzano, 2007)

Instruction Actions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

•Discuss best practices in learning teams.

•Review the variety of instructional practices by examining lessons, units, and student work.

•Use program evaluation criteria to evaluate programs of study.

•Use protocols to discuss instruction.

•Conduct effective walk-throughs and observations.

Instruction Actions for Instructional Leaders (cont’d)

• Support implementation of new practices and teacher discussion about results.

• Ensure that instruction is differentiated for students.

• Provide time for teachers to create lessons using different instructional practices, and then use a lesson-study approach to analyze lessons.

• Provide ample professional development to acquire new skills and knowledge.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Technology Reflections

• Forms of technology being used in the classrooms of your school.

• Teacher preparation to integrate technology with content-area instruction.

• Components and current status of your school’s technology plan to address areas of need.

Technology Challenges and Concerns

• Inadequate technology planning, monitoring, support, and professional development.

• No alignment with curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

• Misinformation about how and what to observe in technology-supported classrooms.

• Superficial uses of technology.

Technology Professional Literature Review

Technology improves student performance when…

•The application directly supports the curriculum objectives being assessed.

•The application provides opportunities for student collaboration.

•The application adjusts for student ability and prior experience and provides feedback to the student and teacher about student progress.

Technology Professional Literature Review (cont’d)

• The application is integrated into the typical instructional day.

• The application provides opportunities for students to design and implement projects that extend the curriculum content and are more authentic.

• The application is used in environments where teachers, the school community, and school and district administrators support the use of technology.

• Students use technology presentation and communication tools to present, publish, and share results of problem-based projects.

• Students use challenging, gamelike programs and simulations designed to develop basic skills and knowledge and critical thinking.

Technology Professional Literature Review (cont’d)

• Computer-based learning provides drill and simulation opportunities to students at a developmentally appropriate skill level and provides immediate feedback and correction.

Source: Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), a division of International Society for Teacher Educators (ISTE), 2009. http://caret.iste.org

Technology Professional Literature Review (cont’d)

Technology Actions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

• Observe teachers using technology in their classrooms.

• Use a technology plan inventory to determine the state of the school’s technology plan.

• Examine technology standards and curriculum maps to determine which standards are addressed and in what courses and grades.

• Provide opportunities for teachers to create technology-supported lessons.

• Provide teachers with opportunities to locate and review Web sites and applications that support the classroom curriculum.

• Explore how adaptive technology is used for students with disabilities.

Technology Actions for Instructional Leaders (cont’d)

FOCUS ON CULTURE AND CLIMATE

Culture and Climate Reflections

• Factors influencing the development of a respectful and productive culture and climate for teachers.

• How instructional leaders can create and sustain productive school norms with motivated and inspired teachers.

• How instructional leaders become and remain credible leaders.

Culture and Climate Challenges and Concerns

• Teachers’ use of time in groups is often inefficient and ineffective.

• Teachers often don’t talk about research-supported practices related to their own teaching.

• Instructional leaders require development to facilitate meaningful professional discussion.

• Instructional leaders may need development in how to build a culture of inquiry and collegiality.

Culture and Climate Professional Literature Review

• 12 norms of school culture that need to be strong to create a healthy school culture (Saphier & King, 1985)

• Ability of educators to work together to direct and strengthen their efforts toward successful achievement through a variety of best practices (Vojtek & Vojtek, 2009)

• Professional learning communities (DuFour & Eaker, 1998)

Culture and Climate Actions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

• Create opportunities for teachers to examine the criteria for developing and evaluating professional learning teams.

• Arrange a consistent time for professional learning teams to meet frequently throughout the school year.

• Use strategies to recognize individual and group progress and goal accomplishment.

• Be visible in the school.

FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional Development Reflections

• Factors influencing effective professional development that promotes sustainable change in teacher practices.

• The role of instructional leaders in ensuring that policies and practices are in place for effective, school-based professional development.

• How to build capacity and local expertise in best instructional and professional development practices.

Professional Development Challenges and Concerns

• Professional development is often ineffective because of inadequate planning, monitoring, coaching, and evaluation of results.

• Professional development is not job-embedded, ongoing, and based and driven by data.

• Supervision is superficial; new strategies and practices in the school are just suggestions.

Professional Development Professional Literature Review

• Professional development as data-based, results-driven, and job-embedded (NSDC, 2002)

• Evaluation of professional development for changing teacher practice and student achievement (Guskey, 2000)

• Inclusion of a variety of delivery systems (Easton, 2004)

Professional DevelopmentActions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

• Identify teacher knowledge and skills required for effective curriculum development, instruction, assessment, and classroom management.

• Engage teachers in self-assessment of their knowledge and skills, and determine areas of needed professional learning.

• Ensure that school teams select professional development related to their school improvement goals. Provide differentiated professional learning for the teams.

• Encourage teachers to be involved in evaluating the effect of professional development on student and teacher learning.

Professional DevelopmentActions for Instructional Leaders (cont’d)

• Lead or arrange professional development aligned with student and teacher learning needs.

• Encourage teachers to select improvement goals and create a personal learning plan.

• Conduct walk-throughs and formal observations to become aware of the application of targeted professional development knowledge and skills.

Professional DevelopmentActions for Instructional Leaders (cont’d)

FOCUS ON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

School Improvement Reflections

• Ways instructional leaders involve teachers in the school improvement process.

• How your school monitors progress and celebrates accomplishment of improvement goals.

• School improvement efforts that have been successful in your school and why.

School Improvement Challenges and Concerns

• Instructional and teacher leaders often lack knowledge and skills for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using data.

• Achievement data used are superficial and from one source.

• Instructional and teacher leaders often lack knowledge of research and practices to reduce achievement gaps.

• Instructional leaders need support with effective use of school improvement plans.

School Improvement Professional Literature Review

• An effective school improvement planning process allows schools to develop a plan focused on opportunity and achievement equity.

• The school improvement process should be data-driven and results-based.

• The school must know how to respond to these questions: Why is performance the way it is? How do we improve student learning and performance?

School ImprovementActions for Instructional Leaders

Expect—Inspect—Direct—Respect—Reflect

• Involve professional learning teams in the examination of standardized and classroom assessment data to determine the greatest areas of need.

• Lead or arrange professional development activities for staff to learn about analyzing, interpreting, and using data and making the needed instructional changes.

• Recognize incremental progress of the teachers who are trying new instructional practices that have been matched to student learning needs.

• Conduct walk-throughs that focus on a school improvement initiative, and discuss feedback with teachers.

School ImprovementActions for Instructional Leaders (cont’d)

Instructional Leadership Action Planning

• Identify two areas of concentration most important in your school this year.

• Use the information in the e-book and slides to determine best practices you will implement.

• Develop an action plan for moving forward.

• Enlist a colleague to support you at scheduled intervals in monitoring and adjusting your action plan.

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