Moving from Legacy Practices to Personalized Learning Practices

The three core personalized learning elements below scale from legacy practices as the 1 and full personalized learning practices as the 5. Eighty School District of Waukesha teachers and Administrators were asked to rate their current classroom practices or their current overall school practices (80% of where the staff practices fall).

Although there are multiple elements in the honeycomb from @InstituteCESA1, the three core elements highlighted below are said to be the key, innovative elements to seeing sustainable, lasting change in personalized learning. We can make incremental changes to our system, but the impact likely will be small and short-lived. It is important to start at the center and move outwards in order to see the biggest impact.
@WaukeshaNorth1 and @WaukeshaSchools are working hard to create a learner-centered system because that is what our learners deserve!

Customized learning paths

1	5	6%
2	38	48%
3	27	34%
4	9	11%
5	0	0%

Proficiency-based progress

1	26	33%
2	20	25%
3	21	27%
4	10	13%
5	2	3%

Personal learning goals (Learner Profile)

1	15	19%
2	31	39%
3	25	32%
4	7	9%
5	1	1%

The good news is, that the charts below highlight a shared commitment to success and strong educator collaborative practices happening throughout our district. Continue to connect with one another as you create your shared vision and as we all work to bring our best thinking together around how to help our learners reach their maximum capacity.

Shared commitment to success

1	7	9%
2	24	30%
3	24	30%
4	21	27%
5	3	4%

Educator collaboration

1	5	6%
2	14	18%
3	27	34%
4	27	34%
5	6	8%

Waukesha North HS student learning reflection responses

Part of our focus is to do a better job of asking our learners what they are experiencing every day in our classrooms. We have a focus on WICR strategies (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration and Reading) so that our learner outcomes and their experiences happen through the use of WICR. Another strategy we focus on to help make thinking visible, is to have our learners verbally share what they have learned.

Do our learners know and recognize our adult focus? The plan is to ask them about every four weeks and then use their feedback to help us make positive classroom connections. They don't want to fill out surveys and not have their voice be acknowledged, just like adults.
How can we involve them in these discussions about their own learning?

Here is what 140 students say:

Were you asked to COLLABORATE?

In 25% or less of my classes	43	29%
In 50% of my classes	38	26%
In 75% or more of my classes	43	29%
In all of my classes	25	17%

Were you asked to WRITE?

In 25% or less of my classes	28	19%
In 50% of my classes	35	23%
In 75% or more of my classes	40	27%
In all of my classes	46	31%

Were you asked to ASK QUESTIONS?

In 25% or less of my classes	55	37%
In 50% of my classes	35	23%
In 75% or more of my classes	32	21%
In all of my classes	27	18%

Were you asked to READ?

In 25% or less of my classes	24	16%
In 50% of my classes	44	30%
In 75% or more of my classes	41	28%
In all of my classes	40	27%

Were you taught how to ORGANIZE yourself?

In 25% or less of my classes	90	60%
In 50% of my classes	30	20%
In 75% or more of my classes	16	11%
In all of my classes	13	9%

Were you asked to VERBALLY SHARE what you learned?

In 25% or less of my classes	47	32%
In 50% of my classes	48	32%
In 75% or more of my classes	34	23%
In all of my classes	20	13%

Fab 5 on a Feel Good Friday

Congratulations to @S2_A2_V2, Ms. Vogg on winning the first STAR student nomination for the month of September! Students say they haven't loved a teacher this month! She explains things so well in Algebra and makes everyone feel important. She is always positive. She cares for all of her students and wants to help. She explains things nicely and doesn't get frustrated when you don't understand. Ms. Vogg makes Math fun for me. I love coming to Math. She is amazing. She is so energetic making everyone want to do Math. Not only that if you don't understand something she will make sure that you do before she moves on to someone else who needs help. Also, when you are getting frustrate she calms you down and works with you to make it right.

@efix1213, Ms. Fix has pushed me to the level where I'm supposed to be at. She helps me go through my struggles. She is very very nice and comfortable to be around. She is an overachiever, good role model for students and other staff members.

@juliekabitzke, Mrs. Kabitzke is always working hard on how to make the classroom and the way she teaches change to how people learn since not everyone learns the same way. She is also very approachable in letting us come to her with any concerns we have and she is overall a wonderful person that not only teaches us marketing skills but life lessons.


@DanKnuth2, Mr. Knuth is the most supportive and inspiring teachers I have ever had. He makes coming to school everyday a wonderful experience.

@NorthstarBand, Mr. Redner is an outstanding teacher because he gives critical feedback in a kind and helpful way. He creates a very connected feeling throughout the band, as he demands respect but allows his students to have fun while learning. Mr. Redner uses metaphors to help students relate better to the lesson, and improve more quickly. Finally, Mr. Redner has a true passion for his job that I really admire.




I'm choosing @jricciar55, Mr. Riccardi, because he's an amazing teacher. I'm being honest right here, but I have never gotten home to tell my parents about something I learned in class... But this year, I go on and on about the brain and all of its functions because of him. He uses examples that make you laugh, and when he explains things, it's just so fascinating. He really does deserve this award, for actually making learning fun and making a connection with each one of his students. You can really tell that he cares.

Evidence of Danielson's components @WaukeshaNorth1 in September

To use Teachscape for formative feedback or not to use Teachscape for formative feedback, that is the question? We have come to the conclusion that right now, Teachscape will be used as an evaluation warehouse and to help document artifacts for the state and for our district, so the North team is back to using our Google Form that helps gives you timely feedback related to the evidence observed in components 2 and 3. 

Although, we do not give out scores because of the formative and growth mindset of our visits, we still would like to report out a general pattern of practice. This allows each of us to be reflective about our practices, it allows us to plan purposeful professional development and just in time support for each of you and hopefully most importantly it allows each of you, as professionals, to engage with your PLC/PLN's to help you build stronger practices and feel supported - together. Please see the progress below from only 17 visits since we just started to use this form again. VERY focused, VERY high levels of practice happening @WaukeshaNorth1.  #proudprincipal

My visit occurred

First 20 minutes of class	5	29%
20-40 minute mark	10	59%
Last 20 minutes of class	2	12%

Domain 2: The Classroom Environment

2a: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

1	0	0%
2	0	0%
3	13	76%
4	4	24%

2b: Establishing a Culture for Learning

1	0	0%
2	1	6%
3	14	82%
4	2	12%

2c: Managing Classroom Procedures

1	0	0%
2	3	18%
3	11	65%
4	3	18%

2d: Managing student behavior

1	0	0%
2	2	12%
3	14	82%
4	1	6%

2e: Organizing physical space

1	0	0%
2	0	0%
3	13	76%
4	4	24%

Domain 3: Instruction

3a: Communication with Students

1	0	0%
2	0	0%
3	14	82%
4	3	18%

3b: Questioning and Discussion Techniques

1	0	0%
2	8	47%
3	8	47%
4	0	0%

3c: Engaging Students in Learning

1	0	0%
2	7	41%
3	9	53%
4	1	6%

3d: Using Assessment in Instruction

1	0	0%
2	8	47%
3	9	53%
4	0	0%

3e: Demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness

1	0	0%
2	3	18%
3	14	82%
4	0	0%

Making Thinking Visible @WaukeshaNorth1 in September

It's hard to believe that we have one month in and that I am providing feedback on our progress so far. Making thinking visible is our high leverage "look-for" when we come into classrooms and observe what our students are doing. Are we giving them opportunities to write? Are we giving them opportunities for verbal communication? Evidence of student thinking, rather than high levels of teacher thinking need to be the norm. In 28 visits, there was no writing observed. In 12 visits, students were not talking or engaged in verbal communication. Take a look below at what our baseline data tells us. Are there some quick wins and things you can do to help flip the visibility of thinking to our students? We will learn more about Webb's Depth of Knowledge at our October faculty meeting. Think about the cognitive demand and expectations of the tasks and the learning that is happening in your classroom. Lets continue to learn from one another and find ways to make student thinking visible.

Identify Student Group Format

Whole Group	31	52%
Individual	21	35%
Pairs	4	7%
Small Group	16	27%

Evidence of Student Thinking Through Writing

Worksheet	15	25%
Annotating Text (Interacting with Text)	3	5%
Using a Graphic Organizer (KWL, Venn Diagram, Taking Notes, etc.)	12	20%
Writing Process (Brainstorming, Drafting, Editing, Final Copy, etc.)	3	5%
Collaborative Writing, (Discussion Boards, Responding to Blogs, etc.)	0	0%
Journaling (Thoughtful Logs, Response Journals, etc.)	1	2%
Exit Tickets	0	0%
Student to Student Feedback	0	0%
Not observed at this time	28	47%

Level of Student Thinking - Writing

Recall and Reproduction	12	20%
Working with Skill and Concepts	19	32%
Short-term Strategic Thinking	9	15%
Extended Strategic Thinking	1	2%
Not observed at this time	25	42%

Evidence of Student Thinking Through Verbal Communication

Partner Discussion (Turn & Talk, Think-Pair-Share, etc.)	10	17%
Teacher-Led Discussion	22	37%
Student-Led Discussion (Socratic Seminar, Debating, etc.)	0	0%
Students Asking Questions	4	7%
Student Presenting (Formal or Informal)	4	7%
Conferring (Teacher:Student)	12	20%
Student-to-Student Feedback	8	13%
Not observed at this time	12	20%

Level of Student Thinking - Verbal

Recall and Reproduction	18	30%
Working with Skill and Concepts	27	45%
Short-term Strategic Thinking	9	15%
Extended Strategic Thinking	0	0%
Not observed at this time	12	20%