Visible Learning Meets BTC - Ch 4: I am a Change Agent and Believe All Students Can Improve

By the title alone, I knew I was going to love this chapter!  Some of the quotes from this book that really seemed to hit home included...

"Aiming for students to have agency (includes asking for help, seeking to find out what they do not know, and working beyond what they can do now) in their learning is indeed a major aim in learning."

"How is it possible to convince learners to tackle a more difficult problem, fill them with enthusiasm, and inspire them?"

1) One moment where these attributes were all present was when we were working with solving equations.  We had a reached a point where the students were not challenged anymore.  In a tentative voice, I suggested that we could try fractions, but added that I knew they already struggled with fractions, so we might need a refresher course.  The students jumped all over moving forward with the fraction equations and using what they had already learned with a concept they had already identified as being one of their gaps in their learning.  Students were high fiving each other as they solved the problems.  The talk was all about the math, good questions were being asked...and answered by the students!  It was truly a glorious moment.

But how to create that day in and day out?  

Is that even a reasonable expectation?

"When confronting issues in schooling, we need to know how to ask for help, the climate of trust needs to be high to allow for the help to be asked and heard, you need to be put in situations where you are challenged to make mistakes, and there must be help there to resolve the dilemma.  This create a yes we can mindset to learning in a situation when we most rapidly need to learn and ask for help to learn."

This statement TOTALLY reminded me of when I decided to read the book and implement the BTC strategies.  Students were not thinking at the level I was happy with.  It felt like they were relying more and more on my questions back to them.  I thought I was helping them think more, but in reality my questions were guiding them far to much so they didn't have to think as hard.  At my school, my principal is very trusting in allowing us to take risks in the classroom.  And implementing BTC was a huge risk as I was changing a lot.  After discussing my view on the lack of thinking and what I wanted to try, he was on board immediately.  Taking a risk of implementing new strategies and revamping how your classroom operates, also includes lots of mistakes.  And we made mistakes.  But I ultimately believe it was in those mistakes that the strategies grew stronger.  

"Good classroom management is a scene-setter for trust to be built, for fairness to be dominant, and for learning to then occur."

This is probably the hardest part of BTC is creating the classroom culture where the class manages themselves.  At least it was this year, my second year of implementation.  I don't know if it was because I had become lax in the strategies, thinking I knew how to incorporate them after one of of implementation.  Or if it was a different group of students?  But, for whatever reason, this year had me focusing on the impact of classroom management and how it relates to learning in the classroom.

1) Focus and presence - I make a promise to my students at the beginning of the year and then remind them of it often that I am watching and listening to them at all times to best help them learn.  It's more than just the words...I back it up almost daily with what I witnessed earlier in the class or the previous day, and how we are going to tackle learning from that point forward.  In terms of classroom behavior, there are many times where I ignore the little disturbances and simply move myself closer to the misbehavior, give the student a look to convey that I know what they are doing, and then proceed with the lesson since that's the more important than their behavior.  

2) Smoothness and pace - When planning the lesson, I plan for the transitions as well.  Idle time never seems to serve the lesson well and always requires refocus which is harder to do the second time.

3) Group focus - With BTC, there are lots of small group discussions which are great as they concern just the misunderstandings at that particular board.  However, if I start to see the same misunderstanding board after board, we then pull together the whole group.  This year, we may implement the expectation that when whole group discussions/consolidations are happening, that students pull out their notebooks in case there is something they will need to jot down for future use.  

Advance Organizers - we have done something like this with the KWL chart or versions of it.  This helps students see how their prior knowledge lends itself to the new learning.

"Learning requires motivation and it is difficult to initiate learning processes without motivation."

Yes.

Absolutely.

Amen!

This has been my focus FOR YEARS...even prior to implementing BTC and knowing that the first five minutes are critical for grabbing the students attention.  My quest all these years has been to create a collection of strategies for my toolbox to add variety and intrigue to my lessons.  The following chart is based on Figure 4.5 ARCS model on page 51.  I added my own strategies to the descriptions in the chart.  These are not all the strategies, but the ones that immediately came to mind.  What was fun, was by the end of the chapter, the author suggests to do just this very thing!  One step ahead of ya!  Ha!  :)

"I am a change agent and believe all students can improve" requires both a constant search for evident and close cooperation with colleagues.

The "close cooperation with colleagues" is on area I need to work on.  I can get so focused on the analyzing and reflecting in my four walls that I forget about the importance of collaboration.  I wonder if this is also due to the fact that I am the only one implementing BTC in our district???

Visible Learning Meets BTC - Ch. 3: I Collaborate with my Peers and Students

With being the only classroom in the school, well, the district really, that follows the BTC strategies, I can see where this could open up a great avenue for getting collaboration started over our impact in the learning process.  With student thinking literally on the board for all to see, assessing our impact that all students can grow is so much easier I believe.  It takes a focus though for truly "seeing" (listening) to each and every student to more precisely account for our impact.  

We have to believe that "we cause learning".  This is greatest joy of teaching, I believe, that I have the power, the magic, the impact, the ability, to cause learning.  To see that light bulb of understanding...to hear a summary of their learning in their own words...to watch the successful completion of a problem is possibly the best feeling in the world as far as teaching goes.  

Sharing expectations...in the BTC classroom, I feel like this is ever so important.  Especially because when students come to my 8th grade classroom, the learning environment looks so different.  So clearly stated high expectations is a must for a focused lesson.

I love the change in thinking of "less about how to teach" and "more about the impact of teaching."  While BTC is a way of how to teach, there is a clear pathway to dig deeper into the impact of teaching.

Collaborating with Peers

I love the idea of the micro-teaching and viewing teaching videos under the lens of what is the impact of the teacher on learning.  By allowing the teacher to voice their decisions for how they conducted the lesson, is a lot like what I do with my student teachers.  Every decision I make, I feel like I must explain why I chose that one over the others I was mulling around.  This seems easier with a student teacher, as we are both focused on the exact same lesson.  With other teachers, either the same grade level or same teaching content/different grade levels, the dialogue will look differently than it does with a student teacher, but I think there is a benefit to having these conversations.  

I also liked the idea for collaborating on the impact we have with specific parts of the lesson.

• Importance of motivation for the lesson introduction - create a list of motivation strategies and then reflect and discuss each with colleagues
• Assess the effectiveness of the factors of Visible Learning (table on page 36) based on our own teaching and discuss with cohorts
• Scrutinize one's own thinking and action while teaching, asking the questions, "What is effective?" "What is not effective?" "Why?" and "Why not?"

All the Exercises on page 38 are good ones to use when collaborating with others to get the focus on the impact of our teaching and that we are the ones that "cause learning".

Since starting BTC, I have always gone back to the students to find out which strategies have the most impact on their learning.  Having students reflect on the use of these strategies gives me feedback on how they feel they learn the best.  I do this in various ways:

1. Reflection Question on a quiz
2. Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down if the activity met their learning needs
3. Rating various activities as to their effectiveness for helping them learn: VWBs, note taking, consolidation, CYU, quiz rubrics, etc

Collaborating with students using the BTC model is also good when addressing expectations.  For example, we have had whole group discussions on what it should look like when groups are struggling and actions they can take and then what it doesn't look like. This allows us all to be on the same page and when we post these discussions in the classroom, a focal point to look back on when things start to go astray again.

Visible Learning Meets BTC - Ch. 2 - I See Assessment As Informing My Impact

Checklist Thoughts

1) See student achievements as what they are: feedback about you and for you.

This is a blessing and a curse at times.  I always take student achievement (or lack of) personally.  I guess this is where I need to change my mindframe...instead of having it define me as a teacher, use it as constructive criticism to continue to improve. 

2) Consider the learning process in close connection with the teaching process. 

3) Interpret the mistakes your learners make with your teaching in mind.

When students show progress...

--> How did I design the lesson(s) to get this result?  

--> What did I do differently than in years prior?

--> How did I pay attention to the students learning during the process?

--> What went well?  What did this look like?  

--> What were the goals of the lesson(s)?

When student progress is lacking...

--> Where were the stumbling blocks in the lesson?

--> What could have been improved?

--> At what points was I not paying attention to student learning?

--> What other instructional strategies could have been incorporated into the lessons?

--> How can I reteach this in a different manner?

4) Include a phase at the end of the lesson in which you make learning visible.

This is important for both the learner and the teacher.

Exit Tickets - 

This, That, or the Other problem completion - 

Notes for My Future Forgetful Self

5) Unistructural Level - single, relevant aspect of a task or subject

     Multistructural Level - acquires a lot of knowledge of the content but doesn't know how to put it all    

          together

     Relational and Extended Abstract Levels

To me, this is where math fluency comes in.  We are good at acquiring one skill.  Two skills.  But when asked to put it together with other skills previously learned, that's when it seems to fall apart.  This is definitely an area that needs attention.

6) The questions listed in this checklist bullet are ones I ask myself ALL THE TIME.  They sit quietly during the first run-through of the lesson, and as aspects of the lesson continue throughout the day, the answers to these questions are the ones that guide my lesson for the next day.

• Which of my goals did I achieve in the lesson?
• What material did I successfully get across to the learners?
• Which methods turned out to be useful for fostering learning?
• Which media were useful for fostering learning?

7) Double check to make sure your students have learned the material, even if you believe they have: Knowing it is better than believing it in this case.  We cannot go by the simple adage, "well, I taught it".  Students need the repetition...what is it at least 6 inputs of new material and 6 activities to retrieve this material?  I would say teachers need the same to fully comprehend if students are learning the material.  

Visible Learning Meets BTC - Ch 1: I Am An Evaluator of my Impact on Learning

At first, it I will admit it seemed a little strange to focus on MY IMPACT on student learning.  Shouldn't the focus be on student learning.  But after reading, it is the impact that I have that will ultimately affect what the students learn.  I am the designer of the lesson.  I create the learning experience.  I choose the instructional strategy.  

So how do I make my impact on student learning visible?

With BTC (Building Thinking Classrooms), student learning is VERY visible on the VWBs (vertical white boards).  On CYU (Check Your Understanding) days, when students are working more independently at the tables, it takes longer to not only check in with each student but to see their work to see their thinking.  When we are at the VWBs, I can easily catch misconceptions and do either of the following for immediate feedback...

     1) Small Group Feedback - If only one group is struggling with a concept, we can easily have a quick conversation on the mistake or misconception that was displayed on their board.  With the mobility of learning utilized in the BTC approach, other groups can learn from these mistakes as well by looking/using the thinking of another group.

     2) Whole Group Feedback - There are times when most/all groups seem to struggle with a concept or moving forward when at the VWBs.  Going group to group is an inefficient use of time, with many students left spinning their wheels as they wait for feedback.  In this case, we refocus as a whole group.

       a) Students can ask questions whole group to get back on track

       b) The teacher can ask a question that ties to the misconception or the struggle.

       c) If thin-slicing, the teacher can provide another example that is not at the same difficulty stage of the one the groups are stumped on.  

Using This Information to Plan the Next Lesson

This just occurs naturally to me.  When a day's lesson is complete, I reflect on the learning that I've witnessed.  So when looking ahead, I immediately start the monologue of...

      Are students ready for this next lesson?  

      What adjustments do I need to make to make the lesson accessible/more challenging to students?

      Is a different instructional strategy needed?  Which strategy will be most beneficial to my students?

      What misconceptions/hurdles do I foresee the students stumbling on?

Intervention Phase

I'm not sure if I'm totally understanding this.  Are interventions the same thing as instructional strategies?  For example, if I'm wanting to make sure students are understanding new vocabulary, would an intervention be to draw what they see when I say the "designated vocab word"?  This would give me feedback, make learning visible, and also give visuals for students to attach meaning to the new vocab word.  

Using Formative Evaluation to Make Learning Visible - 

Ideas that I've already brainstormed in my BTC Year 2 Reflection.  

1. Exit Tickets
2. Favorite Mistake
3. Create a sticky note graph on VWB
1. Concepts "mastered"
2. Concepts still struggling with
3. Questions
4. This, That or the Other - Create a Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced problem.  Students pick the hardest problem that they believe they can successfully complete.  
5. Notes for My Future Forgetful Self
1. What are the students including in their notes that they have learned?
2. What are they excluding?
3. What questions are they writing down in place of notes?
6. Quiz Rubrics (this would be more of a Summative Evaluation) - students can see where their strengths and weaknesses are based on the quiz they just took
7. Check Your Understanding Accountability - when students complete a Check Your Understanding on their own, have them report in an exit ticket how many correct out of how many completed.  This will give feedback to both the student and the teacher. 

Preface - 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning by Hattie & Zierer

The Preface

I start this book with much anticipation!  I have heard just brief snippets about it and as I am one that loves to learn new things, I am excited to see where this book will take my teaching!

My Why

Why do I teach the way I do?  Simply said, I want students to find the joy that mathematical discovery and learning has to offer.  All the patterns, the relationships, the a-ha moments, the connections, the wonder.  All. Of. It.  I approach my teaching from the lens of the student.  Why is this important?  Why do I have to know this? Why is this way more efficient than that way?  Why doesn't this work?  Why does this work?  Everything about my lesson planning is focused on the why.  But that's not what this section is talking about, although I will say that it does apply quite nicely.  This question is about why I do what I do.  As my mathematical knowledge and instruction has morphed and changed over the years, overall I have seen growth.  It is my desire, in one year's time with a group of students, to instill this way of thinking, this passion, this curiosity, this way of questioning what they are learning, into my students. It's really not just about the math.  It's about becoming a better person.  I just help them do it through the lens of numbers and calculations.

The Why Do I Do This Rather Than That

Oh my word.  This is the constant dialogue that is running through my mind for almost every single lesson.  Even lessons that have stood the test of time, good problems that I know will increase learning in my classroom, I still run through all the options of why this problem is a good fit for this particular group of students or if I should change it up.  Most often, the why-do-I-do-this-rather-than-that conversation has to do with a particular instructional strategy for that problem.  After teaching 28 years, my toolbox of instructional strategies continues to grow.  This is probably hands-down the best thing of being an experienced teacher.  Being able to tap into these strategies, knowing how they work and what the main outcome will be if applied in the learning process.  Most often, these conversations in my mind happen after each day of teaching as I prepare for the next day.  With lesson plans written weekly, I have a framework of what I'll be doing, but it's the day to day conversations I have with myself of why one particular strategy would be better than another, that makes teaching meaningful to me.  Sometimes, these conversations happen on the fly in the middle of the lesson.  Even that most thought out lesson can sometimes take a nose-dive and a new instructional strategy needs to be brought to light, prompting the immediate question of "why should I choose a new strategy?"  What's not working?  Why is it not working?  What needs adjusting?  Can the same strategy be used with some tweaking?  

I have heard the statistic that teachers make thousands of decisions a day.  It's the answers to these questions that will have the most impact on student learning...not the simple ones of "no, this isn't a good time to use the restroom." LOL!

The 10 Mindframes

I know that each mindframe will be reviewed in much more depth, but as I read through the list, I was able to check off each one.  Now, I'm interested to learn more about each one to see if I am viewing it in the same light.  At this time, #7 grabbed my attention.  I believe I engage waaaaaay more in monologue than dialogue about Learning Focus while at school.  I miss the days of math conversations at ESSDACK or with my math groups from other districts.  Two of us still meet up to have these conversations about once a year, not nearly enough.  Collaboration with the other two math teachers in our building is beneficial, but I think it could be improved to have a common focus.  Maybe this book, will spark those conversations that I've been missing from the past.  Also, here lately I've had several student teachers.  These conversations are always fun as they mostly focus on the "why".