https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2 Fostering a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning The teacher leader understands the principles of adult learning and knows how to develop a collaborative culture of collective responsibility in the school. The teacher leader uses this knowledge to promote an environment of collegiality, trust, and respect that focuses on continuous improvement in instruction and student learning. Functions The teacher leader: a) Utilizes group processes to help colleagues1 work collaboratively to solve problems, make decisions, manage conflict, and promote meaningful change; b) Models effective skills in listening, presenting ideas, leading discussions, clarifying, mediating, and identifying the needs of self and others in order to advance shared goals and professional learning; c) Employs facilitation skills to create trust among colleagues, develop collective wisdom, build ownership and action that supports student learning; d) Strives to create an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed in addressing challenges; and e) Uses knowledge and understanding of different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages to promote effective interactions among colleagues. Teacher Leader Model Standards Select one of the teacher leader functions from Domain 1 and provide specific examples of how that function is utilized at your school OR how it could be utilized at your school in Padlet. en-us 2021-03-06 14:48:29 UTC 2021-03-09 18:10:20 UTC hello@padlet.com mmpeter1 https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1288896201 Domain I is "Fostering a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning." At CHS, domain I is used in several ways. We work collaboratively to solve certain problems, such as student data. For example, last year, all English teachers gave up their planning periods several times per week to help any student taking the ACT or the English State Test. Every English teacher worked together with groups of 5 or 6 students, 3 to 4 times per week during school, and 1 to 2 times per week after school or on Saturdays. Even if the teacher did not teach the student, or the grade the student was in, we worked together to help students succeed. 

Another way it is used at CHS is through our PLCs. Our PLCs meet once every two weeks, where we share things that have been going well and things that need improvement. We share different projects we have worked on, different ways students have succeed in our classes, ways to approach the standards, and ways to work on student behavior. During the PLCs, teachers are supposed to be effective listeners, meaning that they are listening, taking notes, asking questions, and responding with ideas and suggestions of their own. 

At CHS, we strive to create an inclusive culture. Our principals are very open to hearing ideas and having teachers experiment in the classroom. They are very receptive of new teaching styles and teaching strategies. Other teachers in my hall are very willing to share what they are doing, their successes, and their failures so that we can all learn from each other. ]]> 2021-03-09 17:36:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1288896201 mmpeter1 https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1288931674 Domain I states that the "teacher leader understands the principles of adult learning and knows how to develop a collaborative culture of collective responsibility in the school. The teacher leader uses this knowledge to promote an environment of collegiality, trust, and respect that focuses on continuous improvement in instruction and student learning." 

Domain I a can be somewhat lacking at CHS. Sometimes, our PLCs are not helpful, since we are expected to create the agenda, share our data from the week, and do everything ourselves. This often ends up with our PLCs not being planned, and becoming mostly a "🤬 session," where we complain about our students, the data, and the administration. Sometimes, the PLCs become areas where we simply check in with each other and leave. This is because often, there are not clear goals set for the PLCs, and teachers have a need to grade, respond to emails, set up things for the next day, etc. 

In order to utilize group processes to help colleagues work collaboratively to solve problems, I think the best option would be for the administration to be clear about the goals for each PLC meeting, to have a measurable way of checking in on the goals, and to work as a team toward a common goal. For example, if the goal was "All students proficient in standard RI.10.1," then the PLC could create a plan that discusses how to introduce RI.10.1, how to start with DOK 1, how to move students over several periods to DOK 4, how to work with students daily to get RI.10.1 in their minds as something easy to do, etc. 

The PLC could then create an action plan and work to design lesson plans across grade levels that incorporate the different DOKs and the different performance tasks students could achieve. Then, the PLC could meet and discuss the outcomes, and talk about ways to improve the outcomes. I think that a teacher leader could do this (the goal-setting), but it would be very difficult at CHS because the English department is very resistant to things that might take up more of their time. I think that we prefer to work on the tangible items that our district demands, like updating grades weekly and calling 5 parents daily. ]]> 2021-03-09 17:41:53 UTC https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1288931674 mmpeter1 https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1288997895 Domain I (b) says, "Models effective skills in listening, presenting ideas, leading discussions, clarifying, mediating, and identifying the needs of self and others in order to advance shared goals and professional learning." Domain I b could be used better at CHS. 

I think the most effective thing to do right now would be to start at the department level, since that is a fairly small, tight-knit group of people. I think that, first and foremost, we as a department need to establish a clear, specific, measurable, and attainable goal for students. This goal should cross all three grade levels (10-12), and show how students are expected to grow over those three years. Our vision for students should have clear end goals for each year, and should include the diversity of our students. This will give us something to discuss during PLCs and something to work collaboratively toward. 

Once we have an overall shared goal, the next step would be to break it down into small pieces, such as by terms. For example, teachers could say, "By the end of term 1 of the tenth grade year, the students will..." That would establish 4 smaller, specific goals per year. Then, they can break that down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals, and we can discuss how to achieve each goal together. We would then be able to track data and ensure that students are on the right path. ]]> 2021-03-09 17:53:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1288997895 mmpeter1 https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1289037410 Domain I c states, "Employs facilitation skills to create trust among colleagues, develop collective wisdom, build ownership and action that supports student learning." This is something I think CHS needs to work on a lot. 

There is a lot of trust placed on the teachers with the most seniority. Their ideas are heard, discussed, and implemented often. Teachers with lower seniority are dismissed as not knowing what they are talking about or as having nothing significant to say. 

In order to effectively implement this, CHS might start by building both practical and emotional trust between and among colleagues. For example, we should have a focus on sharing data throughout the school, sharing plans for improvement throughout the school, and working with teachers inside and outside of one's own department. Teachers should have opportunities to ask when they don't know something, and these opportunities should be given to every teacher to answer and assist.

Teachers need to be held accountable for what they say they will do. For example, canceling last minute, missing duty, etc. should not be tolerated in the school. This ensures all teachers are reliable and trustworthy. 

Teachers should always be willing to share new things they have come across and work together to include others and explain their thought processes. ]]> 2021-03-09 17:59:43 UTC https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1289037410 mmpeter1 https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1289068147 Domain I (d) is "Strives to create an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed in addressing challenges." This is something that is a big issues at CHS.

Because our student population is 99% African American, most of the focus is placed on Black culture in rural Mississippi. This makes it difficult for students to read texts from different cultures or experiences, since most of what they learn in and outside of school is about their own culture. 

Teachers need to prioritize diverse texts. They should celebrate diverse holidays in their classrooms, discuss the significance of those holidays, work to create a culture where differences are embraced, and students are exposed to new ideas and cultures. 

One way to do this is to model inclusive, person-first language, and to call out students who are using exclusionary language. Students should know that their words have a profound effect on other, and that language can be harmful. Teachers should call out students using harmful language, even if it isn't a slur. 

Teachers should also prioritize texts that showcase marginalized voices. Each month, teachers can focus on a different culture, bringing in diverse texts, videos from the culture, samples of the language spoken, etc. These texts should be written in an easy-to-read font, like Dyslexie or Lexie Readable. ]]> 2021-03-09 18:04:45 UTC https://padlet.com/mmpeter1/4o7dmie1mxbcqlj2/wish/1289068147