1.1 Examining beliefs and assumptions Begin a conversation to clarify beliefs and assumptions about professional learning and change.

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1 TOOLS INDEX TOOL TITLE PURPOSE 1.1 Examining beliefs and assumptions Begin a conversation to clarify beliefs and assumptions about professional learning and change. 1.2 Uncovering assumptions Identify and write assumptions that undergird individuals beliefs and actions. 1.3 Clarifying beliefs and assumptions in Learning Forward s Standards for Professional Learning Consider the underlying beliefs and assumptions regarding change associated with the Standards for Professional Learning. 1.4 Writing beliefs and assumptions Clarify a district s or school s principles about professional learning or other topics. 1.5 Writing a teachable point of view Write a teachable point of view that helps individuals uncover their beliefs and assumptions. 1.6 Article: Navigation Assist district leaders in looking at data through new lenses.

2 TOOL 1.1 Examining beliefs and assumptions PURPOSE Begin a conversation to clarify beliefs and assumptions about professional learning and change. 45 minutes 1 hour MATERIALS A copy of the Survey of Beliefs and Assumptions for each group member Pencils or pens STEPS 1. Circle your belief regarding the statement. 15 minutes 2. When all group members have completed the inventory, share and compare answers. You do not need consensus. 15 minutes 3. Discuss your opinions. Up to 30 minutes

3 TOOL 1.1 cont d Survey of beliefs and assumptions Adults learn differently than young people; principles of adult learning should guide the design of adult learning. One-shot workshops violate the principle of good professional learning. Professional development should be voluntary. Individual development without organizational development is a waste of time. Effective professional learning requires collaboration. An essential task of schools is to establish a results-oriented culture. Educators capacity to invent solutions to educational problems is a powerful, untapped resource. Evaluation of professional development must include its impact on student achievement. Adults always deserve choices in their professional learning. Professional development is essential to achieving a district s or school s goals for students.

4 TOOL 1.2 Uncovering assumptions PURPOSE Identify and write assumptions that undergird individuals beliefs and actions. 30 minutes 45 minutes; varies by individual MATERIALS A copy of the sample chart A blank chart for each person STEPS 1. Review the sample chart to understand the columns. 5 minutes 2. Practice filling in your own chart to clarify your hidden assumptions. 15 minutes 3. Encourage colleagues to volunteer to share assumptions, and discuss. 15 minutes

5 TOOL 1.2 cont d A commitment that is important to me What I m doing/ not doing that prevents my commitment from being fully realized A competing commitment is The underlying observation/ assumption Assumptions/ observations I could make that would open opportunities for me More open and direct communication. I don t speak up when people are violating the norms I value. Silently, I collude in it being OK to talk behind another s back. I am also committed to Not being seen as rude. I want people comfortable around me. An observation I make of the world is that if I support open and direct communications, even though I value it, I will eventually be shunned and have no real connections with the faculty. An observation I could make is that when I speak up, people will have greater respect for me and know the things I value. Supporting my staff to exercise more individual and team initiative. 1. When they ask me to get involved or take over, I don t refuse. 2. I don t delegate as much as I could. 3. I too often am willing to be drawn into things when I should refer to others who have accepted the responsibility. Not having my staff feel like I ve abandoned them. Not having my staff feel like they are doing my job. Not having may staff unhappy with me. Not having our work product be less than I think I could do on my own, even if it means disempowering them. If the quality of our work does fall below what I could produce by maintaining more control, then I will be seen as a failure. If the quality of our work does fall below what I could produce by maintaining more control, I could take this as a learning opportunity for the coaching I need to do with others to ensure their success. I am also committed to I am also committed to Source: Adapted from Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. (2001). How the way we talk can change the way we work: Seven languages for transformation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

6 TOOL 1.2 cont d A commitment that is important to me What I m doing/ not doing that prevents my commitment from being fully realized A competing commitment is The underlying observation/ assumption Assumptions/ observations I could make that would open opportunities for me I am also committed to I am also committed to Source: Adapted from Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. (2001). How the way we talk can change the way we work: Seven languages for transformation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

7 TOOL 1.3 Clarifying beliefs and assumptions in Learning Forward s Standards for Professional Learning PURPOSE Consider the underlying beliefs and assumptions regarding change associated with the Standards for Professional Learning. Up to 45 minutes, depending on group MATERIALS A copy of Learning Forward s Standards for Professional Learning for each group member or one copy visible to all A copy of the Standards Handout for each Chart paper Markers STEPS 1. Have group members review Learning Forward s Standards for Professional Learning. 10 minutes 2. Next, in pairs or small groups, depending on the group size, ask participants to consider the degree to which the system s beliefs match the principles identified in each standard. 3. When they have outlined beliefs, define underlying assumptions and ask that the same pairs or groups identify the system s underlying assumptions. 10 minutes 10 minutes 4. As an alternative, each group or pair might work with one of the standards rather than all. 5. Share results as a large group, and chart responses. 10 minutes 6. Discuss which standards the system aligns with and which it might consider need additional attention. 5 minutes

8 TOOL 1.3 cont d Learning Forward s Standards for Professional Learning Learning communities: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal alignment. Leadership: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning. Resources: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources for educator learning. Data: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning. Learning designs: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to achieve its intended outcomes. Implementation: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long-term change. Outcomes: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students aligns its outcomes with educator performance and student curriculum standards.

9 TOOL 1.3 cont d Standards handout STANDARD ALIGNED BELIEFS UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS Learning Communities Leadership Resources Data Learning Designs Implementation Outcomes

10 TOOL 1.4 Writing beliefs and assumptions PURPOSE Clarify a district s or school s principles about professional learning or other topics. 1 hour MATERIALS A copy of your organization s strategic plan Chart paper Markers STEPS 1. Ask team members to generate or review organizational principles about professional learning. Statements are frequently found in the organization s strategic plan. 2. Ask members for examples of professional development routines, practices, and policies demonstrating the principles and examples where there is incongruence. The point is to see whether the principles are being adhered to or are principles only on paper. Strong organizations typically have strong alignment between their espoused principles and principles-in-action. 3. Consider areas where there is incongruence. Discuss the principles that are foundational to building a trusting community in which all members learn each day. Discuss the associated organizational practices, policies, and processes that are necessary to align desired principles and behaviors. 4. Clarify and publicize professional development principles and establish routines, practices, and policies that align with them. 5. Ask members to continually review how individual and organization beliefs and routines, practices and policies align and discuss how to monitor implementation of professional development principles. 10 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes 6. Determine ways to celebrate instances in which principles are applied and recognize how they contribute to personal and organizational success. 5 minutes

11 TOOL 1.5 Writing a teachable point of view PURPOSE Write a teachable point of view that helps to surface individuals beliefs and assumptions. 1.5 hours MATERIALS Copies of the Feb. 25, 2010, blog post Leading for results quotation: Gain clarity by developing teachable points of view, by Dennis Sparks (available at ) Copies of Chapter 11 from Sparks, D. (2007). Leading for results: Transforming teaching, learning, and relationships in schools (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. FACILITATOR NOTES Norms are critical to this activity. Suggested norms include: active listening, one person speaks at a time, question your assumptions. Allow adequate time. Ensure a large space or allow participants to choose a space outside of the meeting room with clear time parameters of when to come back. Facilitators may wish to read The Rock and the Fish, by Edward Betof, to prepare for the discussion. Betof defines a teachable point of view as key values and ideas that have influenced a leader s personal performance, development, and career success. (Article available at images/teachable_points%20of_view_for_leadership.pdf)

12 TOOL 1.5 cont d STEPS 1. Provide a definition and overview of a teachable point of view minutes 2. Have participants read Leading for results quotation: Gain clarity by developing teachable points of view, by Dennis Sparks. 10 minutes 3. Have participants choose learning partners, selecting a Partner A and Partner B. Review norms. Ask that each partner prepare a teachable point of view on a principle related to professional learning minutes Examples are: How is learning for adults linked to student learning? How does change in practice occur? What is effective professional learning? What is successful implementation of new practices? Individuals should write clarifying ideas that they will present to their partners. 4. Explain that partners should engage in dialogue to understand the other s perspective rather than to reach consensus or determine which principles are right or wrong. 30 minutes Next, have participants find their first partner. Partner A shares a teachable point of view. Partner B engages in dialogue to understand Partner A s perspective. Continue with Partner B sharing a teachable point of view and partner A clarifying Partner B s perspective. Ask partners to share with each other how they demonstrate in actions and words their stated principle. (Partners should avoid identifying incongruities unless the group agrees to engage collectively in this work and is a supportive, healthy culture.) 5. Debrief the experience by sharing several principles and perspectives. 15 minutes 6. Discuss how committed listening helped individuals clarify their teachable points of view. 5 minutes

13 TOOL 1.6 Article: Navigation PURPOSE Assist district leaders in looking at data through new lenses. 1 hour MATERIALS Wellman, B. & Lipton, L. (2000, Winter). Navigation: Charting a path through a sea of information. Journal of Staff Development, 21(1), Chart paper Markers STEPS 1. Select a protocol to use for the team to examine the text. 2. Ask the team to read the article ahead of the meeting and to highlight statements that stand out to them. 3. Engage in the protocol for discussing the text and capture the team s main ideas on chart paper. 4. Work with the team to reflect on the implications for the district. 5. Establish at least one new theory of action for the district.

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