By Jill Edwards
Instructional Partner
Florence (AL) City Schools
Teachers at Florence Middle School (grades 7-8) use their common planning time to discuss a variety of instructional strategies. One meeting per month focuses on Looking at Student Work.
The six videos below show how different collaborative groups are all implementing pre-established Success Criteria along with a Protocol for looking at student work to provide a focus in their discussions. (Download our tools at the end of this post.)
We are very proud of all the thoughtful teacher conversations and the focus on learning from one another – whether they teach the same subject or not!
Collaborative Conversations
Above: Career Tech shares work with Art & Foreign Language collaborative team.
Below: 8th ELA advanced and regular share their common work sample with 7th ELA team.
Above: 8th Advanced & Regular World History use same success criteria to analyze mastery of standards.
Below: Chorus uses video reflection to share her student work with Home Arts and General Music/Guitar collaborative team.
Above: 7th & 8th Science hold separate LASW meetings in one setting.
Below: Collaborative team that includes 7th & 8th regular and advanced math as well as Media Specialist & Coding teacher review student work together.
When I read back over my original post (January 2016) about the process of Looking at Student Work, I recall the challenges and disappointment I felt in some of my early sessions with the teams of teachers. The process takes time – and a bit of persistence! I also believe the combination of the right type of work sample, pre-established success criteria, and a protocol are keys to an effective discussion. If you have tried before, but struggled, I encourage you to explore this very beneficial process for the benefit of all our students!