Dawn Cottnair

EDAD 543
Assignment 4
The Inquiry Cycle: Staff Learning
Prompt
1. Write about your current experiences as a classroom teacher or TOSA. How do you know
you are learning and improving your practice? What are you focusing on? When thinking about
your own learning, how do you rely on both quantitative and qualitative data? Why? At the end
of the year, what evidence will you give your supervisor/ evaluator?
My Learning Standards - AWSP Criterion 1
1.1 Develops and sustains focus on a shared mission and clear vision for improvement of
learning and teaching
1.2 Engages in essential conversations for ongoing improvement
1.3 Facilitates collaborative processes leading toward continuous improvement
As a second year TOSA, I am learning and improving my practice on a daily basis. Last
year, as a new TOSA, my main focus was building trust with the staff. Stepping into the role of a
TOSA from that of a classroom teacher was rough - learning to trust myself that I did possess the
knowledge I needed to help teachers and gaining the trust of teachers I didnt know very well and
may have seem me as an intruder. Taking that time last year to build relationships and develop
trust is proving to have been time well spent as I dive into improving instruction for our students.
This year, I have three personal leadership goals: 1. continue to develop the role of a TOSA for the
Middle and High Schools in Blaine, 2. accurately communicate information in such a manner as to
support the District goals, support teachers, and improve instruction in service of the students in
our system, and 3. effectively facilitate our newly created Science Leadership Team as we begin to
transition to Next Generation Science Standards.
In order to accomplish my goals in 1.1 and 1.2, I am learning constantly. Much of my
learning comes in the form of dialogue with two people I admire and respect, my Teaching and
Learning Director, Stacy Thomas, and my Middle School Principal, Darren Benson. I meet weekly
with Darren to discuss his vision and the work we need to do. Questions I am constantly asking

include stems such as, How do you know?, When doing ___, what do you do if?, and
When you sit down with ___, how will you tell them ___? My purpose is asking those questions
is to have him make his thought processes more transparent for me so that I can learn the factors
he considers when determining the capacity of his staff to do/learn what he wants. Much of my
focus has been learning how he determines what to focus his feedback on with teachers in need of
improvement, how he has the essential conversations so teachers know the things they need to
work on, and how he determines his next steps for staff learning time. I know I am learning
because I am feeling more comfortable having pressing conversations with staff members. I am
asking teachers to Why? a lot - especially when it comes to practices that seem ineffective of
questionable. I am also asking, What data supports what you are saying? The other advice I
have learned from both Stacy and Darren around meeting teachers capacity is to start with a
teachers strength. Because of this feedback, I am now observing my first and second year
teachers weekly for a Post-it Passthrough where I drop in for about 10 minutes and, on a post-it
note, write down an action I see the teacher doing well and articulating why it is good for students.
I also then include a next step. I then leave that post-it for the teacher to encourage them to
continue the positive teaching action and hopefully take it one step further. This practice has
helped me determine what feedback to give teachers and support teacher capacity for learning.
So how do I collect evidence of my learning for 1.1 and 1.2? This has actually been very
tricky for me to figure out. I feel like pictures of the post-its could be a source of qualitative
evidence to show both Darren and Stacy the feedback I am giving. Another piece of qualitative
evidence will be the folders I keep on the teachers I work with. Within each folder are forms I keep
with the teachers self--identified successes and challenges based upon the 5D rubrics, and my
notes on next steps the teacher and I will take to move the teacher forward on his/her challenges.
In this folder I can also track what I notice about how teachers are reacting to my oral and post-it
note feedback. I am thinking about taking an audio recording of a few of my feedback sessions
with willing teachers so that both Stacy and I can listen to them and reflect on my feedback.

Specifically listening for where I can/am have essential and productive conversations. Quantitative
data could include surveys of the staff I work with to measure my abilities to lead, facilitate, have
essential conversations, and such. Finally, quantitative data could include the self - assessment
scores teachers give themselves on the 5D rubrics before and after my feedback cycles.
My leadership of the newly formed District Science Team will be my main source of growth
and evidence for 1.2 and 1.3. For this goal, my main source of feedback and learning will be Stacy
Thomas. For this District Level work, the importance of accuracy in communication and facilitating
collaborative work is high. Much of my learning and evidence of growth, will come from my back
and forth communications with Stacy directly. In our work we have established a system of having
me try the work on my own and then submitting it to Stacy for feedback. When I am stuck and
unsure what the next course of action is, Stacy and I sit down and I she guides me through the
work and how she thinks through the problem. I then take her advice and feedback, apply it to my
work, and submit it to her for more feedback. My evidence of growth in this work is primarily
qualitative and will include copies of my email communications with the Science Team, Stacys
observations of my facilitation of the science team meetings, and the exit slips from the science
team meetings that will include feedback on success in facilitation of the group and accuracy in
communication.

Summary of Evidence Collection

Goal Area

Qualitative Data

Quantitative Data

1.1 Develops and sustains

focus on a shared mission and
clear vision for improvement of
learning and teaching

Meetings with
Darren and Stacy

Feedback from
Darren, Stacy, and Scott
on my pro-d with staff - my
connection to the vision

Staff survey on
my effectiveness to
communicate and support
the vision, how they
perceive my role and next
steps

1.2 Engages in essential

conversations for ongoing
improvement

Audio recording
of feedback conversations

Pictures of postits - added to feedback

files for first/second year
teachers

Individual
teacher folders with
conferring records of
feedback and responses

Feedback from
Stacy, Darren, and Scott
on my effectiveness to lead
essential conversations,
maintain trust, dignity,
communication,
expectations, and followthru

Before and after

teacher self assessments
on 5D rubrics

My evaluation of
teachers using the 5D
rubrics

Weekly time
tracking: classroom visits,
pro-d
development/implementati
on, administrative tasks
(meetings, emails, etc),
lead learning time

Staff survey on
my effectiveness to lead
essential conversations,
maintain trust, dignity,
communication,
expectations, and followthru

1.3 Facilitates collaborative

processes leading toward
continuous improvement

Emails

Stacys
observations

Progress on K12 Science alignment to

NGSS

Staff exit
task/survey on my ability to
facilitate collaboration,
monitor group dynamics,
promote open and
constructive atmosphere