Reflections

Reflections from Learning Focused Conversations
//with Lynn Sawyer// June 2-3, 2008 (Peach sheet)

The “process” to be more effective. The strategies to use with groups! And the activities! Dialogue vs. discussion. Predictions and assumptions about the data. Most everything! How, why, what, diamond learning. Collaboration cycle. The importance of activating and engaging before looking at data. Collaborative Learning Cycle. What – Why – How? The importance of the process. Dialogue vs. Discussion. We have a plan, a way of bringing data to our staff that will be meaningful and drive positive changes. Questioning. To learn the difference between dialogue and discussion. This is my 2nd time to attend this workshop and so this time isolate the various strategies/techniques and over practices them, until they become a part of me. Tools to use to engage group members in dialogue. Difference between dialogue and discussion. It is okay to be uncomfortable. Dialogue activity. First turn/last turn. I really like this to use not only with teams, but also in class to ensure everyone has a voice. Dialogue. Listening. Including everyone. Exploratory language. The difference between dialogue and discussion. Dialogue vs. discussion. Give all opportunity for input in a non-threatening way. Connections with PLC and RRR. Frameworks. Data should guide our action research. What, why, how. Useful dialogue. I totally enjoyed the 2 days. I learned more in these two days than I have learned in a long time. That directly relates to my work and my personal sketches. Dialogue vs. Discussion. Grouping procedures. Data is useful. Collaborative learning cycle. Dialogue vs. Discussion. First turn/last turn. 3rd point. Think, write, pair, and share. Dialogue/discussion. 3 Phases, activating, exploring/discovery, organizing & integrating. Data have no meaning. What, why, how. Get minds on the topic not just hands. Strategies to use in the classroom and with our teams. Standardized data is such a small part of what we should be looking at. The time to work in our building teams helped us to come to consensus for the school year. Presentation of data, dialogue, discussion. The who, what, how. Predictions and assumption when looking at data. What is a good facilitator? Distinguishing between assumptions and predictions. Purposeful planning. Discomfort is okay. Data is everywhere!
 * What had real meaning for you? New learnings? Take away?**

I love the way this all fits together: PLC, 3R’s, frameworks, etc. I love this model – I have lots to learn! The importance of setting up dialogue and discussion, more than one reason. That relationship continues to be the underlying support of all groups. The model can help in teams and faculty meetings. We can use it for everything! The Building Action Plan data can be more precise and looked at more efficiently. I can now assign terms to the practice I already see in place. All of these things are interconnected and I am beginning to organize my thinking in terms of these BIG ideas. Our Action Plan will take time if it is to be done well! More work on questioning skills. Working on “pre” activities before looking at data. I am no longer a ‘newcomer” to 313, and find that I can positively contribute to both Obee and BGS as a team members. The new connections I am making pertain to the DDD and how best to present data to staff. Looking at data – pre-work – BEFORE we see the data. I am connecting the 3R’s to the data driven dialogue vocabulary. We need to work as a team to keep dialogue more focused and moving forward. Using the skills in all groups – students, teachers, BLT, DLT. Non-dichotomous questions. How can I take these ideas back to my team and my classroom? Making meetings purposeful. I believe that we really need to work on a non-threatening atmosphere to promote more dialogue. Dealing with the discomfort of others. Managing decisions. Group development. Collaborative teams can do so much more than we are currently doing. Gaining knowledge and helpful information forms groups. Process of exploring data as a team within this framework. Specifically predictions and assumptions. Using procedures to conduct meetings. We’re on top of the game, but we need to keep persevering. Purposeful dialogue I feel will be able to help and better understand my team leader’s intentions. Incorporating the ideas into our building action plan and in collaborative meetings.
 * What is emerging for you? What new connections are you making? PLC? 3Rs? Collaborative teams? Building Action Plans?**

Direction we will take as a DH/BLT. How will we use this new or renewed learning. BE Purposeful – it fits and connects all the pieces mentioned above. All of the topics go together – they fit and work very well. All of the above – what we learned applies in all of the above areas. Ways to create ownership – facilitate group work. Enhanced ways to get people involved. Approach for touch “personal data” to depersonalize. Just using the “facilitator” vs. leader – may be less threatening, more open to those who may be resistant. How to become a more productive leader and engage everyone in the team meetings. PLC. Collaborative Teams. Incorporating these strategies as a natural extension of being a leader in my classroom and on my team.
 * We are discussing how to have our entire building dialogue about the data before constructing our Action Plan.**

Yesterday I really needed pain pills. Started a migraine while here. Made complete participation difficult. Nothing State changes – needed more movement How does the facilitator know when to stop what they are doing and move on? Time constraints are a big concern also. Time to apply & discuss with my building team. Just my own energy. All was great. Thank you. My team! It would have been nice to have multiple people from a team hear Lynn! Time to reflect and digest all the information. I wish I would have spent a little more time working with the BGS staff. Heat in the room! Breaks – I needed more movement. Time to discuss new learnings with BLT. I need more information on organizing the team and agendas. Practice-that will come. Time to soak in information and make it my own-that will come also. Cognitive coaching New information—a lot of info. I’ve heard before. I needed to move around a bit more. Practice. Several of my key BLT members. Nothing! It was awesome! It was very informative—nothing missing Definite changes we will make for next year in how we use data. I didn’t know much to start with so I’d say nothing was missing. A little more time to digest what was presented. Chocolate on Day 2 I would have like to have more time in building groups. Starbucks Great 2 days The “whole picture” wasn’t given upfront. It took me awhile to figure out where we were heading. Time to plan/process by building Pace—more time doing things in building teams to specifics Jumping around a little—although I can see value in activities Agenda. The “why” at beginning of day. Nothing—learned so much
 * What was missing for you?**

How will we put this to use? Especially for the teachers who won’t be with students for a couple of months? Easy to forget. We need to start the building with this in August. Building meetings. Determine how to put this information to use to build a stronger team(s). Using the tools in the book will really help. Allowing time to implement these ideas. How can we use this framework and some of the strategies at our building level? Time to plan—time to work—time to write—time to implement! Time to collaborate. Practice on the strategies! Time-time-time Many of the strategies could be shared with grade level teams. Then, when planning agendas, all members can make informed suggestions about tools to use at meetings. How will this affect our collaborative teams both district and building wide. How do we get everyone actively involved? Buildings—how will we apply this in our building? Aren’t we there yet? Have time with our teams to implement ideas. Collaborative—how to involve data driven conversations in the group. Choosing strategies that we can use in our team to better facilitate growth. Next level predict/look at data—create action plan Wow! I am anxious to meet with my team to begin exploring our next level of thinking. Personally, how I might craft next Monday’s meeting. Work on this process with collaborative teams. We need to change how we receive data for common assessments. Don’t give every team member all the data. Infusing the collaborative learning cycle into all staff’s lingo not just BLT’s. Utilize info—not just good intentions. Spread the word to other staff members. How to incorporate in our summer DH work and our back to school initial professional development meetings. Bring it back to our staff members and get them engaged in the process. Buildings Powerful PD days since we’ll have more. Application to our building teams and whole school. Continue to move forward—allowing team members to own and value Making sure to explain the why, how, what—how to be better connected with all three when data is looked at. Building time to develop a focus. Time to absorb and practice what we learned. Buildings Incorporating this model into daily practice and making it a norm of our culture.
 * What is the next level of thinking we need to do? Collaborative Teams? Buildings? District?**

Mon-65%, Tues-95% 95% 80% 80% 98% 55% 95% Mon-75%, Tues-100% 80% 90% 95% 60% 70% 90% 80% 75% 95% 75% 95% Mon—90%, Tues—95% 90% 70% 85% 70% 95% 81.2% 89% 70% 73% 85% 80-85% 70% 85% 95% - Really!
 * What % of time were you engaged?**

I plan on using the activities in the book with tech cadre and in collaborative teams. This will help us plan PD at the beginning of the year and all through the year. Gives me a guideline when designing PD days. The book and experience provides a resource for strategies to use and reason for using them. I now have an effective plan to work with my team. It gives me some tools for the teams. I am more aware of how much “power” I have as a leader. I must be conscious of separating myself from the data. A great reference for the future! I will continue to expand the strategies that I use based on those shared and discussed on our two days. Resource for strategies. The book is a solid resource! I will share it with SIT members at Obee & BGS. I’ll use the book as a reference tool, especially to look up specific strategies (facilitation) to use with my grade-level group. They will help me structure meetings, facilitate discussion, and help move meetings forward. I will use this book as a resource to help guide the team in moving forward. Great strategies for bringing everyone to the group and including everyone in dialogue -ways to discuss data hard for us. Reinforced things I have heard before I hope to be able to teach the team to open their eyes and view different possibilities. A great guide/handbook. Very good lesson plan for any kind of meeting. I can use it as a guide when planning meetings—lots and lots of strategies. Using the ideas to keep my group focused and engaged. It made me more aware of the things I should be looking for. Let me count the ways. . . 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004 Good resources to go back on and use. Good plans for meeting starters, organizers Help guide conversation with more purpose. The book is an excellent resource of what was presented these two days. It will help me structure dialogue so that everyone is heard and so that emotional topics can be dealt with efficiently and effectively. Help me craft my container both in my classrooms and in various groups/meetings. The message is spreading. It is nice to have all the team leaders in our building have the same information. I will look to get more out of my team members. Pull lots of pieces together that seemed to be missing. Guide how we set up building inservice. Help the grade level team leader. Activities at your fingertips. Give ideas to dialogue. Presenting and looking at data. Meeting set up, dialogue Will use strategies in classroom and at meetings. It will make me more cognizant of being a good listener. I will be more efficient/effective in conducting meetings. Become a better facilitator of learning.
 * How will this book and these two days of learning help you as a leader?**