ONgoing Professional Learning

Teacher Survey

Reflect on the Teacher Survey data. How has the data guided the support provided to teachers?

Data from responses to TTS #3 showed a much higher percentage of teachers (88%) who responded that they are incorporating opportunities for student device usage for assessments "always" (n=21) and "sometimes" (n=44) compared to TTS #2. Only 12% of respondents (n=9) reported having students use devices "never".

Additionally, among the TTS #3 respondents, 75% (n=41) reported that they have students use devices in their classroom "more than once per week" (n=20) or "Daily" (n=21) and a total of 95% (n=53) reported having students use devices in their classroom at least once per week. Furthermore, 71% of respondents (n=40) reported that students use devices at least one per week to create content.

When asked about access to their VILS Coach, 96% of respondents (n=54) to the TTS #3 also reported that their VILS Coach is either "Sometimes Accessible" or "Always Accessible."

Based on this data, throughout the 2021-2022 school year we have looked for ways to ensure that teachers are providing opportunities for student device usage that occur at least multiple times per week both in class and at home. We have also made better use of our schedule by utilizing common planning time for PLCs to meet to discuss data-driven instruction and blended learning as well as devoting each Monday afternoon when there are staff meetings to PLCs to meet by grade level, content area, and by committee.

How have the results of the survey impacted student learning?

The results of the survey and subsequent actions by the school leadership team have impacted student learning by proving more time for teachers to use PLCs to plan relevant, engaging, differentiated, and future-focused lessons, tasks, and activities for their students. Additionally, the leadership team has been able to plan and prepare better for the future by more actively seeking ways to partner with community organizations such as the Maritime Aquarium to help transform learning activities for students into ones that will be more authentic, STEM-related, and future-focused.

TIM WaLKTHROUGH DATA

What does your TIM data show?

TIM-O data gathered throughout the 2021-2022 school year and during classroom walkthroughs show that teachers are, in fact, intentionally planning more opportunities for student device usage.

However, when teachers are having students engage in digital learning and collaboration, with respect to active learning and authentic learning, the TIM-O data shows that many of their lessons are around the adaptation and infusion levels and many are also at the adoption level.

How has TIM data reimagined the support for teachers at your campus?

The TIM Matrix has allowed the VILS Coach to reimagine the support that I can provide to teachers by seeking ways to provide more student choice, voice, and especially empowerment and ownership.

Additionally, we have used the TIM Matrix to transform what would normally be lower-level lessons into powerful opportunities for student content creation. Such was the case when many of our 8th graders in social studies created video tutorials to explain aspects of the principles of the United States Constitution using a district-supported video production software called WeVideo.

COach Support

How do you support your teachers individually and in small groups?

WRMS has several PLCs that meet during common planning time each day with a variety of foci. I will often support staff in small groups during these PLC meetings to help them plan to embed more opportunities for digital learning and collaboration into their units and lessons. Additionally, I coach individual teachers as they seek my assistance through a booking form contains a coaching menu. Most often teachers would like help learning new digital tools. However, I also have opportunities to coach them before, during, and after lessons on implementing more innovative instructional strategies such as station rotations, student discourse, and student content creation.

How do your supports align with PLP and campus goals?

With digital collaboration being one of our most important PLP goals, I often work with teachers on implementing more opportunities for students to work together on tasks and projects. One prominent example of this was in January when students in a social studies class worked collaboratively on video slideshows and documentaries depicting Dr. Martin Luther King's life and work. In another social studies class, students collaborated to analyze Dr. King's work and demonstrate their learning by creating a series of fabricated Instagram posts that could have been posted by Dr. King's followers and supporters.

How are learning experiences implemented in the classrooms?

WRMS participates in the "Digital Collaboration" track for our learning experiences. Therefore, much of my work revolves around working with both teachers and students to increase opportunities for them to work with others. As evidenced in the artifacts shown here and the information provided in the above section, noticeable improvements have already been made in this area of instruction throughout this school year.

Do you leverage TLC members to lead peer observations? If not, how can you leverage their expertise?

So far, TLC members have participated in regular monthly meetings as well as individual coaching cycles using the TIM-C. However, they have not yet engaged in meaningful opportunities to leed peer observations. I have prior experience facilitating "learning walks" in multiple schools and I created an effective learning walk tool to capture evidence during a peer observation. I would like to introduce learning walks to TLC members later this school year.

STUDENT TECH TEam

How are you increasing the capacity in your student tech team members? How has the student tech team supported teachers, students, and families?

All students have the opportunity to join the Student Tech Team regardless of their tech skills or leadership experience, with priority given to students who are part of the WRMS chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. There are a variety of tasks offered and members of the team can sign up for which task(s) they are most interested in and feel most comfortable doing. We want all students to feel included as long as they are willing to commit to signing up for some tasks.

As the Student Tech Team began meeting in early 2022, one of the ideas that the members quickly thought of was to create resources, tutorials, and other educational materials for both fellow students and staff. In April of 2022, the team launched the West Rocks Tech Resources website. This website hosts more information about the Student Tech Team, including the application for prospective members to complete and submit, as well as the variety of resources for students and staff. The site already contains several student-produced tutorial videos and screencasts and resources for teachers to get help from IT when devices are in need of repair.

As seen in the image to the right, the West Rocks Student Tech Team was highlighted in the Norwalk Public Schools' district-wide internal curriculum and instruction newsletter for their hard work and inspirational and innovative ideas.

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