Reflections on Common Assignment Study & Thoughts for the Future of Our Work

By: Renee Boss

As we conclude the initial research in our three year research study (Common Assignment Study) we press onward with ideas for impact and expansion. At The Fund, we are asking ourselves a few questions about our related work. We start with WHY? The why driving our purpose and vision rests in our unwavering belief that Every Child Deserves a quality education.

Where have we been?

• 100 + KY & CO teachers & nearly 10,000 students reached
• 14 Units of Study implemented, revised and undergoing more enhancements
• Dozens of hours spent analyzing student work and revising units to meet needs of students

What have we learned?

• Collaboration is messy but worth it
• Evaluation of products leads to enhanced quality
• Teacher leadership for improved instruction works
• Teachers need support from school and district administrators
• There’s power in disciplinary content
• A Common Assignment approach connects well to Kentucky’s Professional Growth and Effectiveness System

Where are we going?

• Better learning experiences for Kentucky’s students
• Teacher led professional development
• Intentional focus on students’ input for learning activities
• Data (anecdotal and numerical) to make adjustments based on students’ needs

How will we get there?

• Next Generation Instructional Design Teacher Network 
• 49 more teachers working in groups led by original Common Assignment Teachers design new common units of study grades K-12
• New units include 
• Literacy Design Collaborative modules
• Performance Based Assessments
• Project Based Learning (some)
• Continued analysis of student work 
• Renewed support from school and district leaders

The Fund Celebrates Its First Full Year

By Barbara Bellissimo, Executive Director

On January 1, I celebrated my first anniversary as the executive director of The Fund, and The Fund celebrated its first full year of operation. I am so proud to share with you some of our accomplishments over the last year.

We continued our Common Assignment initiative, bringing together a group of Kentucky teachers with a group of teachers in Colorado to develop common units of study aligned to Kentucky’s Core Academic Standards (KCAS). During 2014, we more than doubled the number of teachers and districts participating in this work. And we continue to get requests from others wanting to participate. In 2015, we’ll expand the work even further, into new grade levels and content areas.

We joined the extended team and advisory council for the Kentucky Network to Transform Teaching (KYNT3) on both the extended work group and advisory council. The goal of this work is twofold:  increase the number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in Kentucky and to innovate and improve teacher leadership opportunities for existing NBCTs. This project is key to the success of our Transforming the Teaching Profession initiative.

Our work in this area involves an expanded network of state and national partners:  Kentucky Education Association, Hope Street Group, the Center for Teaching Quality, Bluegrass Center for Teacher Quality, the Kentucky Network to Transform Teaching, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Education Professional Standards Board, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and many individual teachers and superintendents to engage Kentucky teachers to design, execute and continuously improve policies, practice and the profession so that students reach their maximum potential. During 2014 we developed our strategic vision for our work together, and are now focused on defining our Five-Year Goal and Implementation Plans.

On January 25, 2014, we facilitated the first statewide Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2). 45 teachers braved a snowstorm to meet in Lexington to inspire, motivate and celebrate each other. This event was so successful, that we have since facilitated four regional ECET2s (Green River, Ohio Valley, Central KY and Northern KY), and are expecting 300 teachers to join us at the second annual ECET2 KY this January 30-31 in Louisville.

In August 2014, we awarded the initial round of Innovation Fund grants to six different individuals and organizations, to pilot and scale innovative tools and practices across Kentucky. Our interim report on these projects will be available in early February and we are currently fundraising for our 2015 grant cycle.

We grew our team from three to five in 2014, and have already added two more in the first month of 2015! While we were growing our team, we grew our social media and online presence as well. Our Facebook page and Twitter handle (@TheFundKY) now have hundreds of followers. We also redesigned our website so that it’s easier to find information and keep our stakeholders informed about our work, and redesigned our blog to match the new site.

I’m so excited and proud of our work in 2014, and hope you will stay tuned to this blog as we announce even greater accomplishments for our students in 2015!

Why We Support Teacher Leadership

By: Renee Boss, NBCT

Last year at the National Teaching and Learning Conference in Washington, D.C., I heard Secretary of Education Arne Duncan commit the nation to an intense focus on teacher leadership. Incidentally, The Fund for Transforming Education in Kentucky has included Teacher Engagement as a key initiative since our inception in the spring of 2013. Kentucky continues to lead the way in work around teacher leadership as evidenced in conversations and in Twitter exchanges among the nation's teachers.  Clearly then, we found it fitting to attend and support the first Teach to Lead Summit sponsored by the the U.S. Department of Education and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Louisville this past December.

As a supporting organization, we committed to

• facilitate conversations
• support the Summits (Louisville and Denver) via social media
• attend and serve as critical friends as ideas were presented in Louisville
• encourage teachers to attend and share their ideas
• provide ongoing support to teacher leaders in Kentucky
• host events for teachers 
• convene partner organizations for continued collaboration about how to best support teachers
• elevate the voice of teachers in Kentucky

Following the Louisville Summit, we asked Kentucky teachers for their biggest take-aways and thoughts on how the TTL Summit might advance our work around teacher leadership in the state. Here's what they had to say...

"The shear number of teacher leaders and the variety of ideas was inspiring! Teacher leadership must guide the education reform for the good of our students."                                 ~Pennye Rogers, NBCT

"A 'big takeaway' from the event was that it struck me how important it is for our work to be acknowledged and respected by national leaders. It made me feel empowered and professional knowing that policy makers believed in my work and that I had something of value to say. I believe conferences like these will advance the work of teacher leaders by elevating the profession and inspiring them to continue doing their difficult work. It helps to know we're not alone out there."                   ~Sarah Yost, NBCT

"In addition to receiving input with our ideas, we were able to hear from other educators from across the nation in regard to problems they are working to resolve, and give them feedback as well." ~Lisa Garner, NBCT

 "I am excited about what our district is doing to promote collaboration and leadership opportunities. Teachers love learning. Being given the opportunity to learn from each other is true gift."     ~Hope Eans

Common Assignment Study (CAS) teachers also participated in the summit as they shared their ideas around how we should continue the work when our research study ends. Their ideas require districts and schools to re-think teacher time and master schedules. At The Fund, we strongly encourage innovative re-designs such as these to better the learning experiences for students and increase the effectiveness of teachers who are committed to teaching Kentucky's students. CAS teacher, Eddie Mullins, sent me a message following the Louisville Summit saying he was encouraged and inspired by the experience. Even better was this part of his message

"I love the thought of growing as a leader WITHOUT having to leave my classroom"      ~Eddie Mullins

When you consider what the quotes from the teacher leaders in this post have in common (along with all the other teachers we continually hear from), you will notice the emphasis on learning and on students. Teachers want opportunities to lead, to learn, and to continue impacting the lives and learning of students. Undoubtedly, this is what we at The Fund want as well, so we will continue to support teachers as leaders and we will celebrate and elevate their voices for the good of all Kentucky's students.

Kentucky Connected Educator Brison Harvey

Social Studies Teacher  Lafayette High School Fayette County

In what ways are you a connected educator?

When thinking of connectivity, I try to envision myself as a hub on a network of lines. Some of the lines connect with my students, whom I focus my energies on facilitating their growth throughout the year. Other lines connect with other professionals, with whom I respect greatly. I have gotten to know many great educators across the state and the country through the Common Assignment Study, Center for Teaching Quality online collaboratory, and my work with Literacy Design Collaborative. All three have their own inner networks with some overlap, but the primary reason to connect with these groups revolves around their promotion of student learning. These connections exist online through teleconferences, webinars and social media chats. They also have deep roots in offline interactions, including conferences, seminars and work sessions.

How does being connected impact your practice in schools/classroom?

I believe that in order to be a great facilitator of students, a teacher must translate the collective knowledge of the teacher universe and make it usable for their classroom.That is my goal with my involvement with the various groups that I connect with. It has allowed me reflect on my own practices at a deeper level, but also incorporate new ideas that keep the classroom fresh. The amazing part of being connected with amazing teachers is how easily the amazingness of the others becomes part of my own routine. Strategies as simple as political cartoon analysis and as immersive as “Inside-Outside” discussion circles now become part of the learning routine.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

Finding other teachers, with similar passion and terrific skill, has lit a fire for professional growth within myself. Every session adds fuel to the fire to be the best educator I can be, to try new things and expand the learning opportunities for my students. These connections replenish me on the days where I feel like I am dragging, professionally. It is like an extra bold coffee in the morning; it reaches out of the computer screen and slaps me on the face and gets me ready to get better tomorrow. If I were a teacher on an island, I would find it easy to get discouraged and give up on the profession. Fortunately, I have found paths to plug into, creating a never-ending supply of energy and innovation for professional consumption.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

1. Find a network outside of your school building. By finding other teachers outside of your world can help you learn about other situations and apply new methods into your classroom.
2. Make an effort to stay connected. It is easy to gain connections, but maintaining your lines of communication are key to remain intellectually fed.
3. Return the favor. While learning and receiving ideas are beneficial, equally as beneficial is throwing your own ideas out into the pond to see if they sink or float. It may turn into a brilliant idea or fall flat but giving back to the educator community keeps the information flowing.

Brison's Bio: After graduating from Asbury University in 2011, Brison received his first teaching job at Lafayette High School. Since then, he has been involved with the Center for Teaching Quality, Common Assignment Study, Literacy Design Collaborative, and is a teacher leader for the Continuous Instructional Improvement Technology System.

Want to participate in Connected Educator Month? Consider:

• Following our blog daily where we will highlight a different educator each day in October
• Adding tips and resources to a shared Google folder

Doubling the Number of Teachers for Common Assignment Study

 By:  Renee Boss

As we near the end of the 2013-2014 academic calendar year, we are excited to announce that we will double the number of Kentucky teachers participating in the Common Assignment Study, a collaborative research study in which Kentucky and Colorado teachers create units of study for their students.  The expansion of our project comes on the heels of teachers and students wrapping up the second common unit this semester.  In addition to increasing the number of Kentucky and Colorado who participate, year 2 of the research study will involve teachers taking more of a leadership role in facilitating their colleague work groups during the summer workshops and throughout the 2014-2015 school year for ongoing face-to-face and virtual meetings.

Virtual and face-to-face meetings this school year allowed 22 teachers from Fayette and Kenton counties to collaborate with 22 teachers from Colorado.  The Common Core State Standards (known in Kentucky as the Kentucky Core Academic Standards and in Colorado as the Colorado Academic Standards) provided teachers a common set of standards to plan units of study for students in both states.  The goal is to engage students using essential questions and a thematic focus based on the Understanding by Design Framework for developing units of study.  Embedded within these units are Literacy Design Collaborative modules and other performance based assessments providing students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the content and skills targeted for each unit.

Moving forward an additional 24 teachers from each state will join their colleagues in revising the units of study created this year.  This summer teachers from Washington, Simpson, and Fleming Counites will join Fayette and Kenton County teachers and teachers from multiple districts in Colorado for summer workshops hosted here in Kentucky.  The workshops will be co-facilitated by Kentucky and Colorado teachers and will include teachers analyzing samples of student work and making decisions about adjustments needed for the instructional units before they are taught again.

The collaboration between states allows Kentucky teachers and students to be connected based on the content they are learning and the skills they are acquiring. The crux of this project is teachers leading the work because this is the only way we will sustain and expand it in our states.  While the research study itself will end in the summer of 2016, the work in our states will continue to evolve and expand based on the needs of students in Kentucky and in Colorado. 

Common Assignment Study Gears Up for Second Semester

 By:  Renee Boss

We are one semester into our Common Assignment Study, and this means Kentucky and Colorado teachers have implemented one common unit in each of six subject/grade groups, have reflected upon what worked and what didn't, have analyzed student work, and have designed new units of study based on these learnings.   When we last wrote about our work, we were just beginning the implementation of the fall units, and now we are preparing for new units of study that will be taught during the spring semester, and we are also discussing how our work might expand during 2014-2015.

 For the past six months, Kentucky and Colorado teachers have demonstrated dedication, perseverance, and effectiveness.  Teachers regularly devoted Sunday afternoons or weeknights after teaching all day for conference calls, webinars, and Google Hangouts to collaborate on unit revisions and to share ideas about what was working during unit implementation and what wasn't.  Teachers also utilized social media via Twitter, and the CAS online platform to share ideas, communicate, and to encourage one another. You can read more about the fall units the teachers implemented by visiting this link.

Loveland, Colorado

After months of virtual collaboration, the Kentucky and Colorado groups were reunited in Colorado last week when the Colorado Legacy Foundation and the Thompson Public Schools district hosted workshops for us in their beautiful facilities in Loveland, Colorado.  Days full of collaboration and hard work yielded great results.  Check out our workshop hashtag if you want to follow some of the group dynamics and ups and downs of our week on Twitter at #casconvene. You can also read a personal account of the week by visiting here.

A few hints of what's coming this spring...

• Students in middle school science will design roller coasters.
• Students in middle school social studies will explore Westward Expansion.
• Students in high school science will explore human impact on biodiversity.
• Students in high school English language arts will argue the impact of social media on language.

The above are only hints not complete unit explanations because we want to allow the teachers some time and space for implementation,  but rest assured all units are designed using UbD frameworks and are thoughtful about how to engage students in learning.

While it's too early to communicate any research findings, we can certainly share that an overall impression of the work is that collaboration is tough, but productive struggle makes it worth it when we see improved student work and learning.

Middle School Social Studies teachers from both states

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 2

Sherri McPherson 

Lafayette High School

Fayette County

In what way(s) are you a connected educator?

 

I am a connected educator because I develop networks, both digitally and in person, that helps me build my knowledge base and bring back what I learn to my classroom, school, and district. I collaborate with other learners through various online platforms, use social media like Twitter to interact with colleagues across the country, and reflect on my practice and profession through my blog, Finding My Teacher Voice.  I am also a participant in the Common Assignment Study where we are creating units of study (with LDC modules embedded within them) in collaboration with colleagues in Kenton County and colleagues in Colorado.  You can learn more about the units from this newsletter.

How does being connected impact your practice?

 

Being connected, I am able to problem solve in real time with a wider net of professionals than those in my immediate physical space. This summer I read an article about 20% time in education. Curious, I tweeted: Dreaming of incorporating 20% time in my classes next year. Looking to connect w/ other teachers. Any tips? . Within minutes, several colleagues shared resources and their own experiences with 20% time. With the support of my online Professional Learning Network (PLN), I have implemented 20% time or genius hour in my writing class this year.

How does being connected impact you as an educator? 

Being connected means I am not isolated. With a few clicks, I have access to support, feedback, and free resources. I am able to easily connect with the best minds in education. These connections give me freedom and control over my professional development. In turn, connectedness and control allow me to devote more time to innovation and creativity which helps me meet the diverse needs of my students.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

Start small. Pick one platform and devote some time every week to cultivate connections.. Be reflective and willing to reach out to your new network. 

Sherri McPherson is an English/Language Arts teacher with 13 years' experience teaching grades 9-12. She earned a Bachelor's degree in English and Theater and a Master's degree in English Education from the University of Kentucky. This fall, she began her 14th year of teaching at Lafayette High School with the Fayette County Public Schools. She is currently serving as a member of the Gates Foundation's Teacher Advisory Council. With her passion for literacy and students, Sherri is a vocal advocate for the Common Core State Standards, student choice in their learning, and teacher innovation in the classroom. Her leadership positions have included department chair, Literacy Design Collaborative lead teacher, and literacy coach. Last school year she began working toward her National Board Certification. She currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband of 17 years and their three children. When not teaching, she enjoys spending time with family, gardening, biking, and reading.

Common Assignment Teacher Shares Views on Innovation

 Guest post by:  Brison Harvey, social studies teacher at Lafayette High School in Lexington & one of the Common Assignment  Study teachers

Innovation inspires change. Thinking of a new way to wash the car or grocery shop can shoot an ambitious business person to the top, reaping the rewards of the invention along the way. It provides an exciting, autonomous and rewarding journey to solving a problem or making the existing world slightly more efficient and enjoyable. Creating an environment of innovation climbs to the top of many corporate goals; perhaps it is time for education to take the same step.

In order to innovate, a teacher needs some boundaries, resources and safety nets. Standards create an adequate starting point for the boundaries that a teacher should not cross. The standards help to create some level of uniformity within the classrooms across schools, districts and states. Likewise, some level of accountability for student growth and achievement creates a certain amount of containment to the innovation. However, that containment is necessary to ensure that students do not lose out in the course of experimenting within the classroom. It may keep the "mad scientist" from creating a monster hole in the natural growth of the students in their classroom.

Inventors in any field need some type of resources in order to create their new invention. "Edventors" also need the supplies to create a new product that will help students learn. The simplest resource to provide teachers with is time. Creating additional time to think, invent, test and revise will help create a more polished and effective result. The largest deficiency within schools across the country has been access to the technological resources, which limit the scope of their growth to their physical classroom. Digital learning requires the doors of the internet to be open to all students at anytime during the learning process. However, all growth does not occur through the tech; some innovation will take place in the improvisation that happens daily in the classroom.

School administrators have the authority needed to support projects and "experiments" within the classroom. The expectation shouldn't be for teachers be successful in every class that they teach. Instead, it should be a constant  stream of ingenuity and creativity coming out of a classroom, with teachers growing and learning from each lesson as much as students. As any teacher will tell you,  the growth of students is uneven and not every assignment has a successful conclusion. Administrators must note this concept, that in the course of inventing new and exciting ways of teaching will not always lead to successful results. However, it is important for "edventors" to track their progress so that they can grow from failures and build upon successes until the project is final. For administrators, it is important to allow teachers to fail so that they can grow even stronger in the classroom.

If teachers take this new mindset of innovation into the classroom, I believe some exciting things will begin to take place. Teachers will want to stay in the classroom. The feeling of some level of autonomy and freedom will make the profession more appealing. Teachers will create some new ways of building student success. Students will be the true winners of this movement when new ideas are spread across states into new classrooms. Teachers will become more invested in their own classroom and effectiveness. Results and assessment will find a renewed meaning for teachers who invent. Just like a chef wants to taste his new recipe, a teacher will want to know if the strategies and inventions in the classroom are effective through the use of assessment.

For educators, the time is now. Invention will key the change of education. Creating an environment of innovation will only benefit the students of tomorrow.

Online Tools Essential for Collaobrating Across States

 Using online tools such as Google Hangout, Google Docs, WebEx, and Twitter, Kentucky teachers are showing they will do what it takes to make a collaboration project with Colorado teachers benefit their students.  As mentioned in the previous Common Assignment post, teachers are collaborating across states to create common units of study. 

While the bulk of the fall unit preparation was completed face-to-face in Seattle over the summer, teachers are currently refining and revising the units of study now that they have met their students and have a better understanding of what each student needs to be successful.  Anyone who has ever been a teacher will tell you, your work doesn't end when the final bell rings at the end of each day.  Kentucky and Colorado teachers are collaborating after school hours and even on the weekends to make this project a success.  According to English teacher, Sherri McPherson, the benefit of this collaborative project is the team of teachers from two states teaching at the same time and making adjustments based on feedback they provide to each other.  They are in this work together with "no lone wolves."

Lafayette High English Teacher, Sherri McPherson, collaborating online Sunday afternoon

Common Assignment Study

By:  Renee Boss

The Common Assignment Study is a research study bringing together teachers from Kentucky and Colorado with a mission of creating units of study that will meet the demands of learning needed to ensure College and Career Readiness. English language arts, science, and social studies teachers from both states gathered recently in Seattle to begin creating the first unit they will teach this fall.  Based on recent successes with Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) in our state and across the nation, the research study extends the use of LDC as it was always intended to be a module within a larger unit of study.  Though the units being designed include embedded LDC modules within a context of Understanding by Design (UbD), they also leave room for some teacher flexibility to meet the needs of individual students in each classroom.

With support from content experts at Stanford Center for Assessment Learning and Equity (SCALE), the teachers are emerging as teacher leaders who know what good teaching looks like.  With Kentucky’s new Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES) emphasizing the importance of every student being taught by an effective teacher and every school being led by an effective principal, one hope is that the Common Assignment Study (CAS) is in a unique position to inform the various measures.

In addition to the teachers working collaboratively with one another, there are numerous organizations collaborating to support the work.  Already mentioned is the support of SCALE; the Kentucky Department of Education serves as a thought partner on the project, and The Fund continues to learn from the Colorado Legacy Foundation (an organization similar to The Fund that was established several years ago).  Of course, a research study would not be complete without researchers (Center for Assessment and Research for Action), and none of the work would be happening without the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

U.S. History teachers share their unit overview

In an upcoming post we will share more details about the project partners.  If you have questions about the Common Assignment Study, please contact Renee Boss at renee.boss@thefundky.org.

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog about transforming education in the state of Kentucky. As our description suggests, we do hope this blog will be a place where we can share the work of educators across the state as a way to inspire and a way to learn from one another.  We also hope the blog will be a place for supporters and partners of The Fund for Transforming Education in Kentucky to learn more about what we are doing and how we are doing it.

 You can expect to see blog posts on regular basis coming from Fund staff members with guest posts from teachers involved in the various projects.

To get us started, project leaders for The Fund share thoughts about the first two major initiatives.  The Teacher Engagement Project is being led by Karen Handlos, and The Common Assignment Study is being led by Renee Boss.