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5/9/2014



Professional Learning Wednesday: Refining and Revising
Rigorous Tasks Breakout Groups

Facilitators Agenda

Presenter(s):

Protocols:
Consider achievement for all students in our district
Be fully present
Keep an open mind
Honor tasks and time limits
OUTCOMES
Conduct a guided discussion on student work based on a professional learning
community protocol.
Refine or revise a rigorous task based on student data.
Target areas to reteach based on student data.
Materials
1. PowerPoint
2. Projector
3. Protocol/Itemanalysis handout
4. Rigorous task
5. Student work
6. Literacy Design Collaborative template
What
1. Slide 1 Getting
started













2. Slide 2
Principles for
Looking at
Student Work
How
1. Slide 1 Describe the purpose for conducting the Vertical Slice Protocol. The
facilitator will review the Principles for Looking at Student Work and the
Guidelines for Learning fromStudent Work. Encourage participants to focus
on evidence and refrain frommaking judgments. The group should go over the
guidelines and the schedule before starting the protocol.
General Guidelines for Facilitators
o Be assertive about keeping time.
o Be an advocate for the presenter.
o Encourage substantive conversation.
o As a facilitator, decide whether you will also participate, and make the nature
of your participation clear to the group. Many facilitators participate in the
actual process of giving feedback only if the group is small (fewer than four
people, including the presenter).

2. Slide 2 Principles for Looking at Student Work
a. Student work is often serious work. It is intentional. It demonstrates the
effort to understand and master a particular genre and/or media; it
demonstrates understanding of ideas and concepts, and it is meant to
Materials
PowerPoint
Protocol/Item
Analysis
handout
















Time
1. 2














2. 5



Who





















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3. Slide 3
Guidelines for
Learning from
Student Work






















communicate to an audience.
b. When looking at student work, an inquiry stance is key.
c. The work of students and adults in schools can and should be public.
Looking at work collaboratively can break down isolation and reverse the
normof privacy often found.
d. It is important to look at student work in depth, with others, overtime and
to engage in reflective dialogue about work and teaching and learning.
e. When looking at and discussing student work, standards at all levels-local,
community and national-must be important elements of the conversation.
f. Looking at student work can strengthen connections between student
learning and changes in instruction, curriculum, and other aspects of school
life.

3. Slide 3 Guidelines for Learning fromStudent Work When looking at student
work, it is helpful to follow a shared set of guidelines that helps everyone
participate in a manner that is respectful as well as conducive to effective
feedback.
a. Be respectful of the presenter, and of the student and his or her work. By
making their work more public, educators are exposing themselves to kinds
of critiques they may not be used to receiving. If inappropriate comments or
questions are posed, the facilitator should make sure they are blocked or
withdrawn.
Nonexample: The student is unintelligent.
Example: The student did not achieve proficiency on this standard.

b. Contribute to substantive conversation. Resist blanket praise or silence.
Without thoughtful descriptions, questions, and comments, the presenter will
not benefit fromusing the protocol to understand the student, the student
work, or his/her own practice. Be specific when giving feedback or making
comments.
Nonexample: You did a really good job writing this task.
Example: You chose a particular set of standards and had solid student
directions for your rigorous task.

c. Keep the conversation constructive. There is a productive middle ground
somewhere between feedback that only affirms and feedback that does
damage. It is the facilitators job to make sure that a healthy balance is
maintained. At the end of the session, the presenter should be able to revise
























































3. 5




























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4. Slide 4
Analyzing the
Work







the work productively on the basis of what was said.
Nonexample: You did everything right. There is nothing to improve.
Example: While the majority of your task is strongly built, the task could be
include specific student expectations.

d. Be appreciative of the facilitators role, particularly in regard to following the
guidelines and keeping time. A complete protocol is sometimes run on a tight
schedule. A protocol that doesnt allow for all of the steps to be enacted
properly will do disservice to the presenter and to the participants.
Nonexample: I know Im supposed to contribute, but I dont have anything to
say.
Example: While I havent participated in a conversation like this, I will try. A
significant minority of my students had difficulty performing this part of my
task.

e. Try to keep your comments succinct, and monitor your own air time.
Nonexample: I really think my task was hard for students because(10
minutes later).
Example: My task was hard for students because they needed support with
the framework of the task.

f. Maintain confidentiality.
Nonexample: Do you know what John Doe thought I meant when I
introduced this task?
Example: A student misunderstood the task because he did not understand
the context of a multiple-meaning word.


4. Slide 4 Analyzing the Work
If possible, gather in like-subject groups. (Several alternatives to this
arrangement include like-grade levels, like-subjects, or similar topics.)
Examine the graded work and fill in the task analysis chart on the back of the
protocol.




































Student work








































4. 10.









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5. Slide 5 Analyzing
the Work








6. Slide 6 Identify
next steps






7. Slide 7 For
November 6
th

5. Slide 5 Analyzing the Work
Discuss the work, using the following guiding questions to focus the discussion.
Look for patterns of evidence.
Go over each question individually.
How are our students performing on the task?
What does the work reveal about the current performance level and needs of
our students?
What does the work show about our expectations?

6. Slide 6 Identify next steps
Go over each question individually.
What instruction needs to occur based on the slice?
What improvements can be made to the rigorous task?
What professional learning would be helpful?
How will the group know these changes are making a difference?

7. Slide 7 For November 6
th

For the next PLW:
Reteach the standards that students didnt master. (Indicate the teaching
method you will use and how you will check for understanding.)
Revise the instructional task and bring it to the next PLW.
Bring your refined and revised instructional task to your next PLW.
Rigorous
task
Literacy
Design
Collaborative
template












5. 15









6. 10








7. 2