Giving up time to be out of the office is always a difficult decision to make. I already have a list a mile long of things that need to be done before we return on August 27, 2014. When the opportunity to attend NTI was presented, I signed on to attend the days that had sessions that appealed most to me.
The first day did not start well at the NYS Museum for me. (I'll let that be a different blog post.) However, I want to use this post to capture the thoughts and ideas that I found most useful. Taking the time now to document this will help me encapsulate it so it is ready for use and refinement over the next few weeks of summer.
Leading Change in a Time of Uncertainty (tried to attach PPT but can not find on EngageNY site)
Logistically, this was a tough session for me to feel a part of as I was relegated to a lonely chair available away from the groups but near a garbage can. I did contemplate turning that garbage can into a table but did not do it. (My DIY friends will likely be disappointed.) The session was full and there was not seating, at tables, enough for everyone in attendance. Despite that barrier, this session had some takeaways that I can see being put into my practice.
One of the takeaways includes a review of the Iceberg Model (P. Senge). I remember seeing the model before but I don't recall using it to process a problematic situation with a partner. This was helpful for me. The other administrator sitting near me and the garbage can proved to be a great collaborator. Listening to her "issue" and then using the questions from the iceberg to process it was helpful. Her same questions to me about my "issue" felt helpful too as the speaker. What I learned about myself was that I have a tendency to skip the underlying structures or mental models part of the issue when dissecting it. That makes the analysis incomplete.
Allison Sitts was able to tweet a slide from the session that I found important too. It includes a very powerful quote that requires consideration:
Common Core Aligned DDI Primer in Math
This session was, by far, one of the best sessions I have attended over two NTI experiences. The presenter was approachable and delivered the content in a welcoming way. He clearly knew his topic, inside and out, and could infuse personal experience that helped demystify math and math assessments. Keeping me engaged, as an adult learner, in a math session is usually very difficult. Yet, this session was chock full of so many take aways that engagement was easy. We looked at math assessments through 3 lenses: procedural, conceptual, and application. We were given actual examples of each and resources to find more kinds of items at each level. Another resource he reminded us of included the Performance Level Descriptions. These charts outline the specific skills displayed at each performance level of each standard/cluster. To me, these charts have huge implications for use with my interventionists (often wondering how to get a student from A to B) and for special education teachers (who are ensuring access to grade level content within scaffolded learning opportunities).
Action Planning Around the 2014-2015 Metrics and Expectations
This session allowed for a no frills look at the Metrics and Expectations for the upcoming school year. I most appreciated the approach and time for conversations at our table that it provided. The conversations with others is usually the part of each NTI breakout session that I find most useful. The most important person in the room is the room!
It was a relief to learn that NYSED made just minor adjustments to this guide from last year. This will allow us to strengthen what we started last year. It is, in fact, as stated at the session, "naming work still undone". I think it will be a helpful tool for me to use with my building level leaders to prioritize and select collectively agreed upon goals moving forward for this year.
These are my highlights from two days of NTI training this week. I'll write more about other NTI takeaways in a future blog post. In the meantime, you can check out the tweets from other sessions here.
The first day did not start well at the NYS Museum for me. (I'll let that be a different blog post.) However, I want to use this post to capture the thoughts and ideas that I found most useful. Taking the time now to document this will help me encapsulate it so it is ready for use and refinement over the next few weeks of summer.
Leading Change in a Time of Uncertainty (tried to attach PPT but can not find on EngageNY site)
Logistically, this was a tough session for me to feel a part of as I was relegated to a lonely chair available away from the groups but near a garbage can. I did contemplate turning that garbage can into a table but did not do it. (My DIY friends will likely be disappointed.) The session was full and there was not seating, at tables, enough for everyone in attendance. Despite that barrier, this session had some takeaways that I can see being put into my practice.
One of the takeaways includes a review of the Iceberg Model (P. Senge). I remember seeing the model before but I don't recall using it to process a problematic situation with a partner. This was helpful for me. The other administrator sitting near me and the garbage can proved to be a great collaborator. Listening to her "issue" and then using the questions from the iceberg to process it was helpful. Her same questions to me about my "issue" felt helpful too as the speaker. What I learned about myself was that I have a tendency to skip the underlying structures or mental models part of the issue when dissecting it. That makes the analysis incomplete.
Allison Sitts was able to tweet a slide from the session that I found important too. It includes a very powerful quote that requires consideration:
Common Core Aligned DDI Primer in Math
This session was, by far, one of the best sessions I have attended over two NTI experiences. The presenter was approachable and delivered the content in a welcoming way. He clearly knew his topic, inside and out, and could infuse personal experience that helped demystify math and math assessments. Keeping me engaged, as an adult learner, in a math session is usually very difficult. Yet, this session was chock full of so many take aways that engagement was easy. We looked at math assessments through 3 lenses: procedural, conceptual, and application. We were given actual examples of each and resources to find more kinds of items at each level. Another resource he reminded us of included the Performance Level Descriptions. These charts outline the specific skills displayed at each performance level of each standard/cluster. To me, these charts have huge implications for use with my interventionists (often wondering how to get a student from A to B) and for special education teachers (who are ensuring access to grade level content within scaffolded learning opportunities).
Action Planning Around the 2014-2015 Metrics and Expectations
This session allowed for a no frills look at the Metrics and Expectations for the upcoming school year. I most appreciated the approach and time for conversations at our table that it provided. The conversations with others is usually the part of each NTI breakout session that I find most useful. The most important person in the room is the room!
It was a relief to learn that NYSED made just minor adjustments to this guide from last year. This will allow us to strengthen what we started last year. It is, in fact, as stated at the session, "naming work still undone". I think it will be a helpful tool for me to use with my building level leaders to prioritize and select collectively agreed upon goals moving forward for this year.
These are my highlights from two days of NTI training this week. I'll write more about other NTI takeaways in a future blog post. In the meantime, you can check out the tweets from other sessions here.
Thank you Lisa for this reflection and summary of NTI. Your perspectives are insightful and practical, and you've also given us great links in one handy place!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your comments and reading the post. I am glad you have found it helpful. I wrote it so I could remember all the ideas while they were fresh. You know how summer is! :) All the best...
DeleteI agree with you about the metrics session. Each year we do this, the metrics become a jumping off point for conversation about where my colleagues across the state are, and how they are approaching implementation. For example, how are you getting to teachers for coaching conversations, or how are you doing regional roll out? As connected and wired in as I try to stay, so much is happening 'off-line' and the conversation around the metrics is a great check in for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the DDI session was good. They've actually been doing pieces of this at the night sessions throughout the past year. Courtney and I used to call DDI the Long Lost Deliverable. But they came a long way in 13-14, moving somewhat away from the big picture/system approach, to a what-do-you-do-with-student-work-in-hand approach.
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DeleteMike, I agree. The conversations with colleagues are the most helpful. I think DDI is the toughest idea to translate into actual practice. I know we've started it here but still have so much to do to truly meet the model as it is intended. Baby steps with support from Network Team peeps (you!) makes it less overwhelming for me. Thanks for reading!
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