(Reflections in my December email to principals)
Where we have been:
Thanks for the SEF 1 page foci that have emerged from the SEF Self-Assessments(Collaborative Inquiry). Please keep the narrow focus and continue to engage your direction teams (and others) in the shared leadership of this plan.
Where we are:
PLT's current problem of practice that I summarized from yesterday's Cluster Time:
BGRLHD - How does the Achievement Chart (4 categories) support the learning tasks/culminating tasks that students are engaged in within a TLCP?
QERL - How do Learning Goals and Success Criteria fit into a 3-Part Math Lesson and the Achievement Chart?
LLHHCB - How does student voice/engagement connect with the SEF (Self-Assessment) foci?
SALTFLEET - How are we using data to effectively drive instruction and learning?
Where are we going?
PLTs are determining their next steps for their learning and their staffs learning. Two of the PLTs are moving to a third Self-Assessment Session that will be supported by consultants. The purpose of these sessions will be determined by PLT members through facilitator and with Cluster Consultants (in consultation with me, I hope?)
What I have been thinking about?
The SEF Self-Assessments has really provided an opprotunity for system staff (superintendent, consultants, coaches) and school staff (principal, vice-principal, teachers) to co-learn in looking for patterns and trends in student learning in perceptual data (teachers' vital observations) and student achievement data (EQAO) in order to identify an area of student learning need for the school and an area of action (SEF indicator).
What I have witnessed is the power of ensuring professional teacher observations and voices are present and heard when analyzing data. As a system leader, I do not own the area of focus nor the action to address it; what I own is the ability to influence the conditions to make the opportunity for collaboration to occur and then support the school need (i.e. resources, time).
I am wondering about the power of introducing student voice into the self-assessment process? How do we validate and ensure the area of student learning need and the action schools choose to address it is having the greatest impact. We know what research indicates (i.e. SEF, Visible Learning by J. Hattie, etc) are the high yield strategies but how do we know it is working for the students in our schools, in our classrooms?
My Problem of Practice - how to introduce student voice into the data analysis of the SEF Self-Assessment process; not only the level 3 and 4 voices, but the hesitant student voices?
