Table of Contents
About the Authors xi
Introduction 1
Using Rubrics to Operationalize Improvement 2
Aligning Expectations to Drive Growth 4
Understanding the Need for Instructional Frameworks 5
Navigating This Book 6
Part 1 What Are Instructional Frameworks? 9
1 Defining and Developing Instructional Frameworks 11
Selecting a Professional Practice as the Focus of an Instructional Framework 12
Capturing the Key Components of Professional Judgment Within a Professional Practice 12
Articulating Levels of Fluency 14
Establishing a Collaborative Team 17
Adopting an Insider's Versus Observer's View 17
Using the Framework to Provide Evidence-Driven Feedback on What People Are Doing, Not What They Aren't 24
Conclusion 25
Questions and Activities 26
Compare Your Notes 27
2 Making Shared Expectations More Specific 29
Buzzwords: Identifying a Destination 30
Definitions: Getting on the Same Page 30
Checklists and Checklist Rubrics: Articulating Key Components 31
Frequency-and-Extent Rubrics: Adding Nuance and Detail 33
Instructional Frameworks as Qualitative Rubrics: Arriving at the Gold Standard of Specificity 34
Other Forms of Shared Expectations 35
Drive-By Feedback Forms 35
Classroom Look-For Guides 36
Observation Scoring Rubrics 36
Policies 36
Procedures 37
Handbooks 37
Step-by-Step Directions 37
Strategic Plans 37
Best-Practice Glossaries 38
Conclusion 38
Questions and Activities 39
Compare Your Notes 40
3 Examining Instructional Frameworks in Action 41
Kindergarten Explorations Block 42
The Framework 42
Moving Forward 42
Elementary Guided Mathematics 44
The Framework 44
Moving Forward 46
Middle School Science Labs 46
The Framework 46
Moving Forward 49
Paraprofessional Behavior Management 49
The Framework 49
Moving Forward 53
Zones of Regulation 54
The Framework 54
Moving Forward 55
Conclusion 56
Questions and Activities 57
Compare Your Notes 58
Part 2 How to Develop Instructional Frameworks 59
4 Choosing a Focus 61
Look Upstream From Data 61
Visit Classrooms and Hold Conversations to Discover Improvement Opportunities 62
Get Insider Input on Outside Ideas 64
Invite Teachers to Share Their Thinking 66
Identify High-Leverage Improvement Opportunities 67
Dig Deeper Into Root-Cause Analysis With the Five Whys 68
Make a Hypothesis 71
Conclusion 73
Questions and Activities 74
Compare Your Notes 76
5 Bounding Your Improvement Focus 77
Zoom In to the Right Level of Detail 77
Choose Your Audience 78
Focus on One Area of Practice 79
Customize by Subject or Team 79
Be Concise 80
Choose Your Key Components Carefully 80
Limit Total Length to One to Three Pages 80
Use Multiple Frameworks for Complex Initiatives 81
Conclusion 81
Questions and Activities 82
Compare Your Notes 83
6 Identifying Key Components 85
Nonexamples of Key Components 86
Examples of Key Components 86
Third-Grade Classroom Management 87
High School Mathematics 89
Middle School Fine Arts 90
Solo First Draft of Key Components 92
Conclusion 93
Questions and Activities 95
Instructional Framework Template 96
Compare Your Notes 97
7 Articulating Levels of Fluency 99
Behaviors and Activities Outside the Levels of Fluency 100
General Characteristics of Levels 1-4 101
Level 1 Beginning 101
Feedback for Moving to Level 2 102
The Instructional Leader's Role 103
What It's Like to Move From Level I to Level 2 103
Source of Professional Authority 103
Example 104
Level 2 Developing 104
Feedback for Moving to Level 3 106
The Instructional Leader's Role 108
What It's Like to Move From Level 2 to Level 3 109
Source of Professional Authority 110
Example 110
Level 3 Fluent 111
Feedback for Moving to Level 4 113
The Instructional Leader's Role 113
What It's Like to Move From Level 3 to Level 4 113
Source of Professional Authority 114
Example 114
Level 4 Exemplary 115
Feedback at Level 4 115
The Instructional Leader's Role 115
What It's Like to Practice at Level 4 116
Source of Professional Authority 116
Common Problems With Level 4 Descriptors 116
A Caution Against Modeling at Level 4 116
Solo First Draft of Levels of Fluency 117
Conclusion 118
Questions and Activities 119
Compare Your Notes 119
Instructional Framework Template 121
8 Getting Started and Getting Input 123
Start With Level 3 124
Move From Specific Examples to Characteristics of Fluency 126
Avoid Placing Specific Techniques at Specific Levels of Fluency 127
Get Feedback From Individual Level 3 Practitioners 128
Test-Drive Your Draft Framework in Feedback Conversations 129
Present Your Draft Framework to the Target Departments or Teams 130
Present Your Draft Schoolwide Framework to Your Leadership Team 130
Revise and Retry 131
Navigate False Starts and Dead Ends 133
Conclusion 134
Questions and Activities 135
Compare Tour Notes 136
Part 3 Instructional Frameworks in Action 137
9 Using Instructional Frameworks for Teacher Growth 139
Creating a Neutral Third Party 140
Using Consistent Professional Language to Help Teachers Improve 140
Aligning Evidence With Framework Criteria Through Conversation 141
Replacing Flowery Language With Specific Language 143
Understanding Thinking and Habits for Fluent and Prefluent Teachers 143
Consider an Example: Debra-Prefluent 143
Consider an Example: Jacklyn-Fluent 144
Develop Habits, Patterns, and Muscle Memory by Fixing One Thing at a Time 144
Solve Foundational Problems First 147
Don't Worry About Level 4 With Struggling Teachers 148
Using Frameworks as Peer-Observation Guides 148
Setting Clear Expectations for New Teachers 149
Conclusion 150
Questions and Activities 151
Compare Your Notes 152
10 Considering Broader Applications for Instructional Frameworks 153
Professionwide Sources of Shared Expectations 153
Teacher Standards 154
Administrator Standards 154
Commercial-Program Rubrics 154
Self-Assessment and Professional-Growth Frameworks 155
State and Provincial Strategic Plans and Improvement Initiatives 155
School, District, and Regional Shared Expectations 155
District Initiatives 156
Vague Staff-Evaluation Criteria 156
Mandates, Specific Challenges, and Difficult Circumstances 156
School-Improvement Initiatives 157
No Resources for a Big Change 158
Frameworks as Student or Staff Recruitment Tools 159
Frameworks as Site- or Classroom-Visit Tools 159
Team- and Department-Level Shared Expectations 160
Grade-Level Team Applications 160
Discipline-Specific Teams 160
Interdisciplinary, Elective, and Specialist Teams 160
Preventing Grade Inflation on Teams 161
Managing Team Meetings 161
Frameworks for Individual Teachers 162
Handling Role Changes 162
Managing Student Teachers and Interns 162
Playing a Less Directive Role With Teachers at Higher Levels of Fluency 163
Other Ways to Use Frameworks With Teachers 163
Managing Teachers Who Resent Feedback, Argue, or Cry 163
Treating All Teachers Fairly, Regardless of Personal Issues or Differences of Opinion 163
Frameworks for Students 164
Supporting One Student and One Paraprofessional 164
Promoting Independence 164
Clarifying the Zones of Regulation in Student-Friendly Language 164
Helping One Student Address a Challenge 164
Conclusion 165
Questions and Activities 166
Compare Your Notes 167
11 Supporting Organization-Level Initiatives With Instructional Frameworks 169
Clarifying the Vision in Sufficient Detail 169
Checking Your Own Understanding of Improvement Initiatives 170
Finding Exemplars of Level 4 Practice 171
Maintaining Fidelity of Implementation 172
Comparing Bulk Change and Lean Change 173
Diffusion of Innovations Explained 173
Implications of Rogers's Diffusion of Innovations for School Leaders 176
Recognize Who Should Go First When Implementing a New Initiative 176
Consider Lean Change With Two or More Waves of Implementation 176
Expect Later Adopters to Need More Time and Support 177
Recognize the Cost of Change for Teachers 177
Conclusion 178
Questions and Activities 179
Compare Your Notes 180
Conclusion 181
Appendix : Reproducibles 183
Justin Baeder's Ten Evidence-Driven Feedback Questions 184
Second Draft of Instructional Framework for Behavior Management for Paraprofessionals 185
Instructional Framework for High Expectations for Student Learning 186
First Draft of Instructional Framework for Zones of Regulation 189
Second Draft of Instructional Framework for Zones of Regulation 190
Instructional Framework for Elementary Guided Mathematics 191
Evidence-Driven Instructional Leadership Road Map 192
Instructional Framework for Hannah's Classroom Observations 193
First Draft of Instructional Framework for Balanced Literacy 194
Second Draft of Instructional Framework for Balanced Literacy 195
Draft Key Components for Instructional Framework on Scaffolding Strategies for Teachers of English Learners 196
First Draft of Instructional Framework for SEL Interactions for Adults 197
Second Draft of Instructional Framework for SEL Interactions for Adults 198
Instructional Framework for Morning Messages 199
Instructional Framework for Vertical Team Meetings 200
Instructional Framework for One Paraprofessional Working With One Student (Hope) 201
Instructional Framework for Student Independence 202
First Draft of Instructional Framework for Zones of Regulation in Student-Friendly Language 203
Instructional Framework for One Fifth-Grade Student (Dan) Managing and Self-Regulating at Recess 204
References and Resources 205
Index 207
