Tuesday 6 November 2018

Collective Efficacy Book Study- Chapter 2

This week, our group has chosen a blog format for our book study conversation. Instructions for this format are as follows:

Visit this post anytime between November 8th and November 14th. Use the “comment” feature at the bottom of the page by clicking where it shows the number of comments in orange (see picture below). This will allow you to make a comment. Use this feature to answer the posted questions. Be sure to check back through the week to see what others have posted and reply to their posts.



Although this is the only week we will be using the blog to conduct our study, questions will be posted on the blog every week for reference.

Chapter 2- Consequences of Collective Teacher Efficacy

Chapter Summary

“When a sense of collective efficacy is present, staffs maintain a school environments in which students feel good about themselves. They also engage in more productive behaviours that support positive student outcomes.” (p. 13)

Positive consequences of collective teacher efficacy discussed in this chapter include:
  • Putting forth greater effort and persistence, especially aimed toward students experiencing difficulty 
  • Trying new teaching approaches based on effective pedagogy
  • Conveying high expectations to students 
  • Fostering learner autonomy (student-centered teaching) 
  • Decreasing disruptive behaviour
  • Increased commitment 
  • Enhanced parent involvement 

Questions 

Q1- “When teachers expect their students to perform at high levels, they do” (p. 15). How can school leaders help cultivate the belief that students in their school can meet high expectations?

-Q2- “When efficacy is high, teachers are more accepting of change and more likely to try new teaching approaches” (p. 15).  What are some actions taken by school leaders that you think would create these conditions conditions?

Q3- “Student centred classrooms move the focus from teaching to learning” (p. 21).. How can school leaders help create the conditions where students have responsibility in some of the decisions made regarding their learning and the implementation of those decisions?

Q4- Learner autonomy, where teachers share responsibility for solving classroom problems with their students, is said to go hand in hand with a sense of intrinsic motivation.  Along with teachers fostering this condition in their classrooms, school leaders can also facilitate opportunities for shared problem solving with their students and staff. What are some ways that school leaders might do this?

Q5- How can school leaders invite parental involvement, paying particular attention to parents from marginalized populations or those who may be less comfortable interacting in a school setting?

24 comments:

  1. Q1 - The high expectations hits home for me - I have come from a board (and from the 7-12 site within that board that was one of the "pilot" schools) where all applied and academic math students entering grade 9, took Academic math - the math course went all year, every other day. On day A, it was math, Day B it was french (for students who would have traditionally been taking academic math) or a Learning Strategies course (for students who would have traditionally been taking applied math). The pass rate was significantly higher (over 80%) than when we traditionally streamed kids. For sure, we believed that the success of this program was a direct result of the high expectations that teachers had for all students.
    This pilot project started out as a CI between the elementary and secondary math teachers - looking at big ideas throughout the curriciculum k-12; a group of teachers that were looking at ways to increase the focus of their math programs to include greater emphasis on math understanding (conceptual understanding) and mindset. This group of teachers were able to attend some very helpful math learning opportunities through OAME and EOSDN - Closing the Gap.
    Through these learning opportunities, teachers were able to hear about other success stories (vicarious experiences) and hear from professionals in the field (social persuasion).

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    1. This is so interesting to me! What board was this in?

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    2. I agree with Alison that this is very interesting.
      I wonder if the students felt more supported in this class? Students were feeling like they were given the supports to be successful.
      Was it evident that staff who had participated in specialized training were bringing this to their classrooms?
      Were those staff members sharing their learning with others at the school/Board, and did other staff members use it as a model?

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    3. I think that one way that leaders can cultivate this in teachers is by not only setting high expectations for their staff as a whole and showing ongoing support for this, but by setting high expectations for staff that struggle as well. When all staff see that their colleagues "on the fringe" are being held accountable, well-supported by administrators who overtly BELIEVE IN THEM, and when these outliers' accomplishments are celebrated it has such a positive impact. I can think of someone on my staff who others tended not to bother with. Nice person but would always do the same things he had done for years. When I got to know this teacher I found something they were very passionate about and skilled in and challenged them to engage in a few activities that would have a high impact on students as well as on staff. This teacher's enthusiasm in the workplace visibly changed. More participation at staff meetings, gave up their own time to spend with other students and staff... I think when staff sees admin having high expectations and high levels of support for struggling staff, they are more likely to do this with their students too

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  2. Q2 - Creating conditions so staff are more accepting of change and are likely to try new teaching approaches - INVOLVE staff in data collection and data analysis - staff need to have the opportunity to see the big picture (school wide as opposed to just in their classroom); they need to recognize that there is a need to change; staff need to feel safe to have their own, individual, un-judged starting point along the learning continuum; working along side with staff as co-learners is important because it helps staff to feel less threatened and helps admin model the "messiness" of the learning cycle
    - opportunities to have "experts" (social persuasion) come in to talk about the success in similar situations (vicarious experiences)
    - show them what the research says about the impact of (effect size of) collective efficacy - break down this term in a staff meeting so that staff really understand what it is -
    - celebrate successes in terms of the IMPACT THE STRATEGY HAD ON THE STUDENT(S)

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    1. Staff need the "opportunity to see the big picture"...this resonated with me because I am a firm believer in creating a vision for staff and establishing the WHY. By using data we are able to secure accountability with not only staff but also our community and stakeholders. We will then be able to co-create goals for our students, and ourselves that are manageable, attainable and worthwhile.

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    2. I agree with both of you and we have to CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO THE "WHY" OVER AND OVER AGAIN. It shows that we are committed to what we are doing and serves as a constant reminder that grounds them in what they are doing or serves as a beacon.

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    3. I have continued to think about engaging parents over the week and I keep going back to one idea in the book. They said that if teachers are not confident in themselves they are less likely to have parent volunteers into the class. This is so true and as administrators we should be fostering confidence in our teachers. We can do this by sharing positive feedback from parents and the community with teachers, and celebrating successes. Unfortunately the media can put a negative buzz in the ear of our teachers, so we need to work extra hard at silencing that negativity and nourish the positive things that we see everyday in our buildings.

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  3. Q4 - the following quote really had an impact on me (ha - as an admitted "control freak"), "...when students are overly controlled, they lose initiative and learn less well, especially when learning is complex or requires conceptual, creative processing."(p.22) When thinking about 21st century skills of collaboration, inquiry, problem solving, critical thinking, responsible and resourceful digital citizenship, creativity, initiative, etc I am still seeing pedagogy that reflects a "control and consequence" and "giver of knowledge" society - and I think because it is very uncomfortable for people to give up control - they don't know how to do that and still feel that they are teaching the curriculum, preparing kiddos for "next year's demands", but the statement that students lose initiative and creativity and learn less well is very difficulty to hear - my own children go to school in our school system - I want the same for my own kids as I do for the students within our schools: to love learning because it is interesting, purposeful, challenging - so much so that they seek out opportunities on their own
    - learner autonomy is said to go hand in hand with intrinsic motivation AND intrinsic motivation is linked to competency beliefs and attributes such as persistence, self-control, curiousity, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence - we need to develop these in ourselves (mastery experiences) so that we can help foster and nurture the development of these skills in students
    - shared problem solving with students and staff??? - student leadership groups; healthy schools groups where students and staff work together on healthy school goals; involving students in appropriate stages of the school action planning process;

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    1. I like the idea of having "pop ups" that are engaging, creative and led from within. Sometimes short, powerful opportunities to learn from each other have the biggest impact. As leaders I wonder if we (I!) sometimes make things too layered and complicated.

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  4. Q5 - Given the large effect size of parent involvement, this is a great opportunity to think about how school leaders are able to invite parents into our schools. I think that most of us have our "go to" parents who are at every event and we can count on them to support us whenever called upon, but what about parents from marginalized populations, or those who may be less comfortable interacting in a school setting? It's important to understand and accept that being part of the school community can look different for everyone. I think that it is important to get to know your parents so that you are able to tap into their skills and interests. This will only be possible if we reach out and build trusting relationships. Make several positive connections with the parent and ensure that communication is open through a variety of tools.
    It is also important to look at and understand the barriers that may be restricting or limiting parental engagement. Time, wellness, schedules, or language may be factors that need to be addressed to ensure that parents are able access our schools. In my PQP II course, a colleague who was not having much luck with turn out at his school council, invited a well respected member of the community to attend meetings. He was able to bridge the communication gap, a major barrier that was inhibiting involvement, and his turn out at council tripled.
    It is also important to create a climate of shared responsibility in your building. We want our community to know and understand that we trust and we need them on our team. We want to work together to do what is best for our kids.

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  5. I feel that Collective Efficacy is high amongst my staff around student well-being. It is taking that same sentiment of change and possibility and attaching it to academic achievement. On Thursday, we had our Remembrance Day Assembly. I told staff that my expectations were that our students were to walk to the gym in silence, sit in silence and return to their classrooms in silence as a form and sign of respect. The comments were interesting as many staff shared the "imposiblity" of such an expectation. I reassured them that we could. Our students new all about respect and the importance of show it, they just had to understand "why" this expectation was so important. All staff seemed to be visiting the library to share books on Remembrance that our amazing librarian had prepared. Class visits to the front foyer where an incredible display of Remembrance was available was visited by many classes. I heard teachers talking with their students about the war and how lucky we were to be free and why we had that luxury. On Thursday, they came down to the gym in silence, sat in silence... many cried... and left in silence. Afterwards there was a lot of celebrating amongst staff. Could you believe that the Kindergarten classes sat for over an hour? Could you believe that the DS classes sat and didn't make a sound? We celebrated. I see this as a perfect springboard to next steps. I am excited to learn and listen from our Collective Efficacy and bring that learning to my school.

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    1. I love this Robbie, thanks for sharing so that we can celebrate your success with you!

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    2. I heard about this Robbie! Great impact!

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  6. What a great accomplishment for your students and staff, Robbie. This is one of those "small wins" that has to be recognized and celebrated,as they did. What significant momentum to go forward. Staff need to see and feel the differences that their actions are making. An example for us has been the use of diagnostic tools in math. We have been building capacity in this area, and I'm hearing our educators talk about their students' starting points and how "they might not have known" where to start if they didn't go through the process. In a big school, grade partners can then compare starting points and share scaffolding ideas. When these gaps are identified and narrowed, new concepts are more readily acquired. This helps to support collective efficacy. I think the most important thing is to recognize the small changes (wins) along the way and to provide time for staff to identify and share them...and also to seek ideas/feedback when our efforts are not resulting in the gains we hope. I love that your team raised the bar and that your students met it!

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  7. Q3 - We need to create a variety of mechanisms to gather student voice, and then include staff and students in the data. We can obtain data from EQAO, School Climate and Grade 8 Exit Surveys, but we can also create our own data tools and opportunities to gather feedback through student focus groups. We learned that as much as our students highly value the leadership and extra-curricular sports opportunities offered at our school, that about 70% of our students shared how much they like to use their creativity and imagination through music and the arts. Our family survey was similar in asking for a greater diversity of clubs and extra-curricular opportunities. Staff are now looking at creative ways of offering a diversity of programming, including 4-6 week arts and culture clubs, partnering with volunteers with special skills, and a J/I musical. We have to make the connections clear to our students and families between these new opportunities and the feedback they offered. In order to build collective efficacy it will be important to support staff to make connections between these increased offerings and our students' sense of belonging, improved attendance, and well-being. It is hoped that positive outcomes will support an even greater commitment to seeking and responding to student interests in each of our classrooms, and to use them to drive the content (effect size 0.54)

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    1. Q3. What is your parental/grandparent involvement like Kristen? Wouldn't it be great for the student voice and the parental or community involvement to come together? You are in a more culturally diverse part of our region and the community can bring a wealth of experiences, traditions and interests represented through the arts.

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  8. Q1- “When teachers expect their students to perform at high levels, they do” (p. 15). How can school leaders help cultivate the belief that students in their school can meet high expectations?

    I think one of the key ideas to getting both staff and students to meet high expectations is to find ways to motivate. When people see the value of learning and experience success their attitude and expectations grow. We can help students (and staff) be successful by providing support. For a staff member this might look like team teaching, asking questions, asking how you can help them, being positive and encouraging, helping the teacher to access resources. For a student this might include finding different ways to teach concepts, providing graphic organizers, learning about who the student is as a learner and supporting them, ensuring students' understand the expectations by providing clear learning goals and success criteria and providing timely, relevant feedback that shows what the student did well and what the next step is.

    I believe it was on Twitter this weekend that I saw a post that said, "What if school leaders shared these words with members each day?
    I believe in you
    Your work makes a difference
    How can I help you?
    Thank you
    I value you
    What do you need?

    What if teachers shared these words with students everyday?" I wonder how would things would change.

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    1. Thank you for reminding me of these simple statements and questions that are so important Wendy. A few years ago a new staff member came to my school. On my goodbye card last year she commented on how many times during her first year I had asked her how I could help her and what did she need. She said it had a huge impact on her. I wonder if I ask staff who have been at a school a long time those same questions and offer the same level of encouragement. I hope I do I think I can do better.

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  9. Q3- “Student centered classrooms move the focus from teaching to learning” (p. 21).. How can school leaders help create the conditions where students have responsibility in some of the decisions made regarding their learning and the implementation of those decisions?

    Providing students' choice, and voice!

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    1. Learning from beside their students rather than in front of them.

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  10. Q4- Learner autonomy, where teachers share responsibility for solving classroom problems with their students, is said to go hand in hand with a sense of intrinsic motivation. Along with teachers fostering this condition in their classrooms, school leaders can also facilitate opportunities for shared problem solving with their students and staff. What are some ways that school leaders might do this?

    Conferencing, assessment as, of and for learning, providing opportunity for classroom discussion and sharing ideas.

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  11. Q5. When I think about how impactful parent involvement can be on student learning, I remember reading about Peter Dewitt's strategies for parental involvement in his book "Collaborative Leadership." I think most of us are familiar with the flipped staff meeting." Dewiit talks about how he uses a similar strategy with parents by sharing information ahead of time about upcoming events or priorities and he goes and talks to people about these things. He uses social media a great deal (something I don't enjoy but need to embrace- help me Golding!). By doing this, when there is an important meeting, initiative or event there have already been many rumblings about them beforehand. I remember having a few "gardening bees" for lack of a better term at my school. The front beds were a mess and I invited any staff, parents, community members and students to join and bring along their gloves and shears. We laughed alot and it gave us all a great opportunity to be on a level playing field. We were all dressed the same and extremely dirty by the end. I especially remember a grandmother who came and had a chance to witness what a powerful influence she was in her granddaughter's life. I saw a who different side of that student that day. At the next council meeting two people from the gardening bee attended. Baby steps...

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  12. We are continuing to build this, Joanne. Currently, we have a group of parents/guardians representing different faiths who are working on making the school’s annual Storytime with Santa an inclusive event with activities more representative of our diversity. It’s helping all of us to reflect on our school traditions and how they may need to evolve with our community.

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