Managing Staff-Support & Accountability Flashcards
Describe your approach to supporting teachers in improving their practice?
What would you do if you had a non-teaching staff member who was not meeting expectations?
Define their responsibilities. Alternate their assignments. Monitor their work. Have staff model acceptable and professional behavior. Assist students while not becoming too dependable to them.
What would you do if you had a classroom teacher whose performance was not meeting expectations?
What would you do to work with a teacher struggling with serious classroom management issues?
How would you deal with a teacher who was resistant to a new initiative and was discouraging others from participating?
How would you handle a veteran teacher who is struggling with instruction?
Constructive Feedback- Talk with the teacher
Provide Resources- Online, new technology
Offer relevant professional development.
Peer Mentor- Seek assistance from another teacher who is friendly with the teacher to help.
Reflective- Encourage teachers to be reflective of teaching practices and assess themselves.
What are some indicators of high-quality instruction that you would look for during a walkthrough?
First I would look for clear and measurable objectives with build in cognitive rigor. Objectives should be clearly placed in the teacher’s lesson plans and posted on the classroom whiteboard. I want to see a hard copy of the teachers’ lesson plans on their desk. I would look for differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction can be a real challenge, but it is necessary to provide all students with challenging and engaging work. I would assess a teacher’s classroom management ability by looking for behavioral procedures and expectations. Behavioral procedures are necessary at all grade levels. Expectations must be clear and well defined. I want to see formative assessments during instruction. Formative assessment is an ongoing process that should take place during instruction. Some formative assessment techniques I’d look for include one to five, thumbs up thumbs down, brainstorming, and much more. I prefer to see a student centered classroom, where students are working, collaborating, and thinking critically. Short periods of well planned lectures are necessary too. During walkthroughs, it’s important to ask students to explain what they are learning. Go right to the source. You want to see if the message is getting through to the students. And lastly, I’d look for actual displays of student work. Student should be proudly displayed in teacher’s classrooms. The work could be anything from projects to tests. The standards must be attached to the examples of student work.
Summary: Clear objectives with cognitive rigor, lesson plans present on teachers’ desks, differentiated instruction, behavioral procedures and expectations in place, formative assessment, student centered learning, ask the students what they have learned, and examples of student work with standards.
How would you deliver instructional feedback to teachers?
I would primarily collect observable data to analyze and share with the teachers. Utilizing observable data takes the subjectivity out of the evaluation. With observable data, you are essentially evaluating only what you saw, and basing your conclusion in an objective manner. Second, provide feedback that is actionable for teachers. That means providing feedback in a way where teachers are able to make instructional adjustments. The feedback should also be personalized. You shouldn’t generalized all teachers or teachers in a specific department. I’d also try to connect with the teacher when providing feedback. It’s a great way to develop relationships. Next, make the feedback as specific as possible. Let the teacher know how they can individually improve. And lastly, feedback should be both timely and on-going. It is best to give feedback as soon as possible. As time goes on, the feedback becomes less meaningful. Also don’t just meet with teachers during observation time. Administrators should give feedback on continuous basis.
Summary: Collect observable data, provide feedback that is actionable, make the feedback personalized, be specific in providing feedback, provide the feedback in a timely manner, and make instructional feedback an ongoing process.
How would you support teachers with the incorporation of technology into their practice?
I would create a Technology Support Team for the school. The team would consist of tech savvy teachers of various grade levels and subjects. Other team members include school administrators, guidance counselors, child study team members, and more. Not all teachers have the same ability utilizing technology. Then I would group teachers by their ability to use technology tools. A simple survey, such as a google form, would allow teachers to assess themselves based on their own judgement. This feedback would allow for differentiation in trainings. Novice teachers would receive basic training, while experienced teachers would get more advanced training. I prefer teacher led professional development. Teachers with a knack for technology can lead on-site trainings. I like using teachers that are a part of our district, because they are very accessible to other teachers. In addition, a self paced model should supplement the in-person trainings. The technology support team (in conjunction with myself) would create the self paced trainings. Self based trainings include YouTubes videos, tasks cards, Google Classroom assignments, and more. Overall, you want to create a non-judgmental environment for the teachers. You don’t really want to force the technology on your teachers, let them get comfortable.
Summary: Create a Technology Support Team, differentiate training for different groups, teacher led professional development, add self directed training by Tech Team, and create a non-judgmental environment.
What is the difference between a leader and a manager?
Managers are mostly concerned with numbers and results. A manager has a main focus of hitting their targets, and it doesn’t really matter how they get there. Managers want to show off their results.
Leaders on the other hand, are more concerned about their people. Leaders put their people over the numbers. A leader is someone who sticks their neck out on the line. Managers follow plans and systems. A manager is just a follower himself/herself. They use established systems to complete tasks. Managers don’t look to create, but rather control. Leaders create new paths for people. Leaders take their people to places they have never been before. They focus on the the development of their people. They want their people to prosper. Managers look at the short term only. They keep their eyes on quick results, and have a complete lack of vision. Leaders focus on the big picture. A leader sees not only the tree, but the entire forest. And great leaders show their staff the forest as well. Leaders have a vision.
Summary: Managers are numbers driven/Leaders are people driven, Managers carry out plans/Leaders create plans, Managers see the tree/Leaders see the forest.
What does rigorous instruction look like, and how would you ensure it is occurring in classrooms?
Rigorous instruction involves having the students engage with the content. A lecture driven (teacher centered) classroom is reduces engagement. Learning should be student centered. Rigorous instruction includes inquiry-based or problem based learning models. High order questioning techniques are required for instruction. Teachers need to ask questions that involve evaluation, analysis, synthesis, and application (Think Bloom’s Taxonomy & Webb’s Depth of Knowledge). Rigorous instruction is in need of rigorous assessments. If teachers “dumb down” the assessment, they will “dumb down” instruction. I’d also like to see teachers review previous content using the spacing effect. Over time, students forget things they’ve learned. Previously covered content must continually to be touched upon in daily instruction. And lastly, instill some degree of a flipped classroom model. The flipped classroom is great for getting more content out to the students. Then classroom instruction revolves around critical thinking problems and activities.
Summary: First you have to identify critical content, have students engaged with the content, student centered learning, inquiry or problem based approach, high-order questioning techniques (Bloom’s & Webb’s Depth), rigorous assessments, spacing effect, and flipping the classroom.
What do you look for when evaluating lesson plans from your teachers?
The first things I look for are clear and measurable lesson objectives. Student objectives should be aligned to standards and measurable in terms of student success. For examples, (85% of students will learn……..). Then, I would look for high levels of cognitive rigor in objectives and activities. For student achievement, activities and assessments must incorporate higher order thinking skills. Essential questions in the lesson plans should ask students to apply knowledge and synthesize ideas. I’ll look for specific learning activities. Success in the details. Great teachers plan specific activities. I expect to see alignment of curriculum and standards. Educators must teach to the standards from the curriculum. I’ll check for a match of the lesson plan standards to its corresponding curriculum maps. Other lesson plan components include accommodations/modifications, differentiated instruction, technology standards, career ready practices, and writing elements.
Summary: Clear and measurable objectives, cognitive rigor in lesson objectives, essential questions, specified activities, alignment of lesson plan standards and curriculum standards, and look for the necessary lesson plan components such as accommodations/modifications, activities, objectives, standards, differentiated instruction, technology standards, career ready practices, and writing elements.
