LONG TERM PLANNING PROJECT

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF, BY, AND FOR PARKWAY CENTER CITY

A. Schiera
June 13, 2015

I. Statement of Need
The mission of Parkway Center City, as a college preparatory school, is to prepare our
scholars to lead productive, independent lives, in college and beyond. (See Appendix A for full
mission and vision statement.) Accordingly, we need a teaching staff that is expert in both
content and pedagogy, so that our scholars are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be able
to succeed in their adult lives. And yet, as the data on student achievement from our 2013-14
School Progress report shows (see Appendix B), it is clear that our scholars have room to grow
which means we have the responsibility, as a staff, to grow as well.
This is not a challenge unique to Parkway Center City. To improve teaching and learning
city-wide, the School District of Philadelphia has doubled down on its instructional core:
organizing professional development around the Danielson Framework it uses in its formal and
informal teacher evaluations, and identifying 6 pedagogical shifts and 8 common instructional
practices (9 for mathematics) to align the work of teachers across the District. (See Appendix C.)
Of course, these tools are useful only to the extent that they affirm Parkway teachers strengths
and help them develop in areas of needin other words, are responsive to who our teachers are.
Accordingly, across the 2014-15 school year, I investigated the nature of teaching,
learning, and professional development at Parkway Center City High School. My guiding
question was: How can the Districts expectations for instructional growth through professional
development, and the particular needs teachers have for development in our school, be aligned
and adapted to create a meaningful instructional learning community?
To investigate this question, I collected four primary sources of data.
First, I analyzed an open-ended questionnaire I delivered on the professional
development day before the first day of school. Teachers were prompted to respond to how they
would facilitate teaching and learning beyond expectations this year (our principals tagline);
what they could contribute to professional development; and what they sought to contribute from
professional development. The most common themes were that teachers could contribute
expertise in building classroom community or classroom management, and wanted more support
in engaging students, developing rigorous, inquiry-based learning experienced, and integrating
technology into their lessons. (See Appendix D for full responses.)
Second, across the year, I participated in 64 informal observations conducted by the
principal (See Appendix E). We would record our observations together, each draft observations
and feedback to the teacher, debrief together, and then she would assign scores according to
Domains 2 and 3 in the Danielson Framework. All in all, teachers performed lowest in
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Component 3B, using questioning and discussion techniques. Results were also broken out by
department (table E2 in Appendix E) and by month (table E3 in Appendix E) so that a more
targeted understanding of the teaching staffs strengths and needs could emerge.
Third, I collected artifacts and drafted fieldnotes from the four professional development
sessions related specifically to instructionone each for Danielson Components 3A, 3B, and 3C,
and one for Instructional Practice 3 (Gradual Release). The content of all four sessions was
developed by District officials. To some extent, the different presenters adapted them for the
Parkway audience; but in general, the bulk of the content remained more closely aligned to the
Districts generalized presentations rather than Parkways teachers or students. From my
fieldnotes, I also observed that in moments when it became more clear that the presentation
content was not developed for themand felt more removed from the strategies that worked in
their classroomthey were less meaningfully engaged. For example, in the professional
development session on Student Engagement, teachers were very engaged in the Four Corners
exercise, because a Parkway teacher was able to describe how she employed it in her classroom;
but teachers openly scoffed at the use of plastic disposable plates as dry erase boards, noting that
whichever District official decided that strategy was important to share did not understand the
realities of managing the materials across five periods and 150 students, and did not consider the
resource needs for markers.
In response to these observations, I designed a survey for teachers about their perceptions
of professional development. Nine of 24 teachers participated. (See Appendix F for complete
results.) Teachers were comfortable with many forms of professional development, and were
interested in visiting others classrooms but more hesitant about being visited by other teachers.
They cited the investment of time and energy as the number one barrier to making changes in
their instructional practice they knew they needed to make. They reported that concrete
representations of practice (reading or watching it, hearing how another teacher implemented it,
seeing it modeled) were most useful for developing practice. In short, they emphasized the
qualities of learning through experience in professional development as key components of
quality professional development; they noted the absence of teachers adhering to group norms,
and the top-down nature of professional development, as qualities they would like to see
changed. In short, the survey revealed that teachers wanted to improve their practice, but did not
yet feel confident in the comfort of their peers or the meaningfulness of the professional
development content to see it as an efficacious learning space. As one teacher wrote, This topdown, administratively-decided remediation is boring, borderline insulting, and to be honest, not
very useful.
II. Goals
In reflecting on the guiding question, as well as the light shed by these diverse sources of
data, three central goals emerged for improving professional learning at Parkway Center City.
They are stated broadly, and then include SMART goals within them to be accomplished in
this three-year plan.

1. Invite teachers into the professional development process, so that we can reframe and
adapt district professional development in a way that is responsive to our schools
abilities and needs
a. 100% of professional development sessions will be adapted in order to both meet
the Districts expectations and also respond to Parkway teachers strengths and
needs
b. 100% of professional development sessions will be co-planned and co-led with at
least one teacher
2. Support teachers in further developing a sense of community from which they can grow
as professionals, including encouraging more conversation about instructional practice
among staff members
a. 70% of teachers will report an increase in comfort observing classrooms and
being observed by colleagues
b. 70% of teachers will report an increase in the amount of talk about professional
practice they engage in with colleagues, including reflective practice
conversations with their colleagues
3. Leverage (1) and (2) in order to improve teachers practice, leading to improvement in
student achievement.
a. 70% of teachers will demonstrate improvement across a majority of the Danielson
framework components on formal and informal observations
b. 90% of teachers will average a 2 (proficient) or better across their formal
observations
c. Student achievement on the English, Algebra, and Biology keystones will increase
10%
III. Action Steps
The following action steps lie at the core of an approach to professional development
across the next three years:
First, introduce District instructional frameworks starting with teacher beliefs and
aspirations about good practice first. For example, rather than introducing the Danielson
Framework as the Districts organization and evaluation tool, first start with what teachers
individually believe good teaching to be, and connect it to the components in Danielson. This is
especially important in professional development sessions in September before school starts it
sets a tone that our (evolving) understandings and our personal growth come first.
Second, facilitate teachers observing each others classes. In the first year, it is best that
teachers ease into this process by observing other teachers in their department, on their own time;
teachers might simply be required to visit four other teachers at some point in the year. In the
next professional development session, departments can debrief what they saw and learned from
their observations. This is important for building comfort and trust as teachers begin to observe
each others classrooms. In subsequent years, this can become more systematic, organize
teachers into pairs to accompany each other and their principal six times throughout the year on
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informal observations of teachers classrooms. These teachers should have their preparation
period scheduled at the same time. (See Appendix G for a sample schematic for observation
visits; this will have to be adjusted given the realities of teachers scheduled lunches, preparation
periods, etc.) At the end of these classroom visits, the remaining time in the period would be
used for the observing teachers to debrief what they saw, and discuss implications for their own
practice. (They are not involved in scoring their peers on the Danielson framework for that
informal observation.)
Teacher pairs should be chosen thoughtfully, creating pairings where each teacher can
learn from the other given their different skill sets, or where teachers from different subject areas
might tend to notice different things. This will help spark conversations about instruction among
teachers, align what teachers see with what the principal sees during informal observations, and
help teachers reflect on what their colleagues do that they might learn from.
Third, when scheduled half-day professional development sessions near, use informal
observation data to identify teachers proficient or distinguished in that area to lead or co-lead the
session. Engage in conversations with those teachers to adapt the District-created presentations
in ways that still meet the Districts expectations, but respond specifically to the talents and
needs of Parkway teachers. Encourage teachers to talk with their colleagues, and consider their
observation visits, to inform their planning of the session. This is critical for ensuring that
professional development sessions are responsive to who is in the room, and come from those
teachers who have been successful in these domains with our scholars at Parkway.
Fourth, over time, transition into the development of professional learning communities
based on teachers strengths and needs so that professional development sessions are teacherdriven. This will encourage further ownership over professional growth and development by
positioning teachers as agents rather than respondents.
IV. Timeline for Implementation
Year 1 (2015-16)
September Introduce professional development approach starting with teachers
perception of strong teaching practice, and connecting from there to District frameworks
and priorities
October-May Teachers visit classrooms within their departments across the year, and
debrief these visits in department meetings.
October-May For each half-day professional development session related to
instruction, identify a teacher or teachers to plan and lead the session. Include in
professional development sessions the opportunities for teachers to debrief their peer
observations by department.
June Debrief the process with teachers and consult educator effectiveness data and
student achievement data to make adaptations for the following year
Year 2 (2016-17)

August - Select teacher pairings which will maximize how they learn from each other.
Consult informal and formal observation data, and knowledge about teachers strengths,
personalities, and relationships, in making these pairings.
August - Construct teachers schedules to ensure that these paired teachers have their
preparation periods at the same time.
September Introduce professional development approach starting with teachers
perception of strong teaching practice, and connecting from there to District frameworks
and priorities
October-May Each pair does 6 visits of other classrooms
October-May For each half-day professional development session related to instruction,
identify a teacher or teachers to plan and lead the session.
June Debrief the process with teachers and consult educator effectiveness data and
student achievement data to make adaptations for the following year

Year 3 (2017-18)
August - Select teacher pairings which will maximize how they learn from each other.
Consult informal and formal observation data, and knowledge about teachers strengths,
personalities, and relationships, in making these pairings.
August - Construct teachers schedules to ensure that these paired teachers have their
preparation periods at the same time.
September Introduce professional development approach starting with teachers
perception of strong teaching practice, and connecting from there to District frameworks
and priorities
October-May Each pair does 6 visits of other classrooms
October-May For each half-day professional development session related to instruction,
identify a teacher or teachers to plan and lead the session. Include in professional
development the opportunity for teachers to participate in professional learning
communities based on teacher-decided strengths and needs.
June Debrief the process with teachers and consult educator effectiveness data and
student achievement data to make adaptations for the following year
V. Monitoring and Evaluation
Several sources of data will be used to monitor and adjust this long-term plan to better
meet the needs of Parkway scholars and staff:
Teachers improvement in their Danielson Framework ratings of educator effectiveness
observed quarterly
Teachers responses to a survey about their comfort in Parkways community of practice
twice per year
Scholars achievement on benchmark exams and standardized Keystone exams
observed when the District returns results to the school
These data sources will be considered in light of the goals of the plan: to increase the extent to
which professional development is responsive to Parkway teachers and scholars; to develop

teachers sense of comfort growing in a professional learning community; and to increase the
quality of teachers instructional practice and student achievement.
These metrics will be used to adjust the nature and timing of the aspects of this plan. For
example, if teachers become more comfortable having other teachers in their department visit
their classroom in the first year, then we could organize into pairs for informal observation visits
with the principal in the second-half of the first year. Or, if teachers are not showing that degree
of comfort going into the second year, more frequent intra-department observations might be
scheduled but without the principal attending. Similarly, if teachers are showing to be
exceptionally strong on one of the Danielson components, or weak in another, the schedule and
presenters in professional development will adapt to reflect that.
VI. Reflection and Celebration
The nature of this long term planning project implies structured opportunities for teachers
to reflect on their practice, and improve it with the support of others. Professional development
sessions should end with opportunities for teachers to reflect on how they have grown, and what
they hope to try in their next class period. Paired visits culminate with debriefing sessions with
the principal to discuss what we saw, and what that means for our individual and collective
growth. Importantly, as a leader, I must take the same approach to this planning project
constantly reflecting on how it does and does not facilitate teachers development, and
collaboratively working to improve it.
In each professional development session, we will set aside to celebrate teachers growth
trying a new approach, giving kudos for something another teacher did effectively, or thanking
another teacher for their support. The chance to give shoutouts can help affirm that we are a
community of teachers and learners, comfortable trying new things with the support of each
other, and celebrated for our progress together. Additionally, the selection of teachers as coleaders of professional development sessions represents a celebration of their expertise. Finally,
at the conclusion of each year, in the final professional development session, we will look back
on our progress and our scholars progress that year, reflecting on what steps we have made as a
community and looking forward to what we seek to achieve the following year.

Appendix A Parkway Center City Mission and Vision

Our Vision
It is Parkway Center City's vision to develop each student to her/his fullest potential enabling
independence and productivity in all aspects of life.
Our Mission
To provide a liberal arts, college preparatory education for all students to prepare them for
matriculation in and graduation from college/university, career and innovation. Our staff
provides a secure and enriching teaching and learning environment in which all are engaged and
nurtured. Our families join us in fostering academic achievement, personal responsibility, and
self-actualization. We encourage our scholars to have an appreciation for civic responsibility.

Appendix B 2013-14 School Progress Report: Achievement

Appendix C School District of Philadelphia Instructional Frameworks and Core

Practices
Danielson Framework for Professional Practice

Domain 1 Planning and Preparation (not scored in informal observations)

o 1C: Setting Instructional Outcomes
o 1E: Designing Coherent Instruction
Domain 2 The Classroom Environment
o 2B: Establishing a Culture for Learning
o 2C: Managing Classroom Procedures
o 2D: Managing Student Behavior
Domain 3 Instruction
o 3A: Communicating with Students
o 3B: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
o 3C: Engaging Students in Learning
Domain 4 Professionalism (not scored in informal observations)

6 Pedagogical Shifts for Instruction - ELA, Social Studies, Science, and the Technical
Subjects

Shift 1: Balancing Informational & Literary Texts - Students read a true balance of
informational and literary texts: K-5 (50L-50I); 6-8 (45L-55I); and (30L-70I)
Shift 2: Knowledge of the Disciplines - Students build knowledge about the world
(domains/content areas) through TEXT rather than through the teacher or through
activities.
Shift 3: Staircase of Complexity - Students read the central, grade appropriate text
around which instruction is centered. Teachers are patient, create more time and space
and support in the curriculum for close reading (engage in careful, sustained
interpretation of a variety of texts: process of reading with a greater emphasis on the
particular over the general with strategic attention to individual words, syntax, and the
order in which sentences and ideas unfold as they are read).
Shift 4: Text-Based Responses - Students engage in rich and rigorous evidence-based
conversations about the text (95%).
Shift 5: Writing from Sources - Students are required to produce original text
characterized by an emphasis on the use of evidence from sources to inform or make an
argument.
Shift 6: General and Domain Specific Vocabulary - Students consistently build
transferrable vocabulary they need to access grade level complex texts.

6 Pedagogical Shifts - Math

Focus: Teachers significantly narrow and deepen the scope of how time and energy is
spent in the mathematics classroom. They do so in order to focus deeply on only the
concepts that are prioritized in the standards.
Coherence: Teachers carefully connect the learning within and across grades so that
students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. Each
standard is not a new event, but an extension of previous learning.
Procedural Fluency: Students are expected to have speed and accuracy with simple
calculations; teachers structure class time and/or homework time for students to
memorize, through repetition, core functions such as multiplication tables so that they are
more able to understand and manipulate more complex concepts.
Deep Conceptual Understanding: Students deeply understand and can operate easily
within a mathematics concept before moving on (mastery). Students learn more than a
trick to get the answer right because they are able to see mathematics as more than a set
of mnemonics or discrete procedures. Students actually learn the math and can write and
speak about their understanding using the language of mathematics.
Application: Students are expected to use math and choose the appropriate concept for
application even when they are not prompted to do so. Teachers provide opportunities at
all grade levels for students to apply mathematics concepts in real world situations.
Teachers in content areas outside of mathematics, particularly science, ensure that
students are using mathematics to make meaning and access content.
Dual Intensity: Students practice and understand. There is more balance between these
to phenomenon in the classroom both occur with intensity. Teachers create practice
opportunities for students to participate in drills and make use of those skills through
extended application of math concepts. The amount of time and energy spent practicing
and understanding is driven by the specific mathematical concept under study and varies
throughout a given school year.

District-wide Instructional Practices

ELA, Social Studies, Science, and the
Technical Subjects

Mathematics

An instructional objective (accessible to

students, teachers, and observers) linked to
the content and a literacy standard or
higher-order thinking skill.
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1c; 1e; 2b; 3a;
4e
Pedagogical Shift 1

An instructional objective (accessible to

students, teachers, and observers) linked to
the content and a worthwhile
mathematical task
Danielson
Correlation: 1a; 1c; 1e; 2b; 3a; 4e
Pedagogical Shift 1 and 5

Curriculum-driven opportunities to determine the meaning of general and domain10

specific words and phrases (pre and during reading)

Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1e; 2b; 4e
Pedagogical Shift 6

Lessons characterized by knowledge of student ability and gradual release of

responsibility (from teacher dependence to student independence)
Danielson
Correlation: 1b; 1e; 1f; 2a; 2c; 3a; 3b; 3c; 3d; 3e; 4a
Differentiation

Curriculum-driven opportunities
characterized by a balance of:
informational (in a variety of topics,
perspectives, and eras) and/or
literary texts (from a variety of authors,
topics, genres, eras, and traditions)
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e;
1f; 3e
Pedagogical Shift 1

The consistent use of manipulatives to

teach abstract mathematical concepts
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1d; 3c; 3d
Pedagogical Shift 4

Curriculum-driven reading opportunities

characterized by discipline-specific
approaches to text; regularly taught,
assessed, and re-taught (if necessary) the
discipline-specific lens through which
members of the specific discipline read,
analyze, and make use of text
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 3a; 3b; 3c; 4e
Pedagogical Shift 2

. A scope and sequence driven by the

connection of new concepts as a logical
extension of previously taught/mastered
concepts (coherent instruction)
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1e; 3b;
3c
Pedagogical Shift 2

Curriculum-driven reading opportunities

characterized by careful, sustained
interpretation of a variety of texts with an
emphasis on: (1) the quantitative
measure; (2) the qualitative measure; and
(3) the reader & task measure
Danielson Correlation: 1e; 3c; 3e; 4a

Lesson characterized by a balance of

procedural fluency and conceptual
understanding (dual intensity)
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e;
1f; 2b; 2c; 3a; 3b; 3c
Pedagogical Shift 6

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Pedagogical Shift 3

Curriculum-driven reading opportunities

to engage in evidence-based
conversations about the text in whole and
small-group settings
Danielson Correlation: 3a; 3b; 3d; 3e
Pedagogical Shift 4

Practice 7:
Homework aligned with the requisite
concept necessary to demonstrate
mastery of the content, concept, process
under study
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e;
1f; 3c; 3d; 3e
Pedagogical Shift 3

Multiple opportunities to use evidence

from multiple sources on the same topic
to compose or evaluate composition
Danielson Correlation: 1c; 1d; 1e; 1f; 3a;
3c; 3d; 4e
Pedagogical Shift 5

Practice 8:
Multiple opportunities for students to
demonstrate behaviors associated with
the 8 Standards for Mathematical
Practices
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e;
1f; 2a; 2b; 3a; 3b;
3c; 3d; 3e
Pedagogical Shift 4
Practice 9:
Teachers consistent use of the language
of proficient mathematicians (the 8
Standards for Mathematical Practice)
throughout the gradual release of
responsibility [see matrix]
Danielson Correlation: 1a; 1b; 1c; 1d; 1e;
1f; 2a; 2b;
3a; 3b; 3c; 3d; 3e; 4e; 4f
Pedagogical Shift 4

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Appendix D Initial Statements from Teachers on Teaching, Learning, and Professional

Development (September 2014)
PCC Summary Statements Sept. 5, 2014

Summary Statement: This

year, I will teach beyond
expectations by

What I can contribute

What I want from

PD

providing my students the

opportunity to explore real
world applications for topics
covered in class

careful and intentional

planning. Looking at my
lessons metacognitively.
Most importantly, I will
carefully assess and reassess
my teaching practices
constantly to make sure I am
creating curriculum and
lessons that best serve the
needs of each specific group
of scholars.

Community building, proactive

and restorative circles in the
classroom, drama therapy
based activities

taking up the challenge of

preparing struggling students
to pass the Keystone Algebra
I Keystone exam. I will
motivate students,
collaborate with other math
teachers and communicate
with parents, etc.

Explain organizational skills,

share classroom management
practices, collaborate with other
math teachers teaching the
content I have taught

Incorporate
technology,
Algebra I content,
precalc content,
creating more
creative lessons

adhering to teacher feedback

regarding the use of call slips
to be signed by teachers;
more boundaries keep
volume out of my office

Admissions, student behavior,

mental health issues in
teenagers, at risk signals to
pick up on, resources for
students/ families

Calling home
(importance of),
Rtii documentation

14

providing timely feedback!

Teaching to release healing
Sharing experience in literacy
endorphins (re: Dr. Creedons and/or classroom management
presentation)

Designing
standards-driven
assessments

following the PST and

instituting those aspects of
the Common Core that relate
most closely to achieving
Parkways objectives
regarding teaching and
learning beyond
expectations. Using
technology more Google
Docs, Drop Box, etc.
Focusing more on Deep
Learning with more writing
and project-based
assessments

Lessons on using
the School
Districts grading
system and Grade
Pro

working to establish
opportunities and contacts for Utilizing the Core Curriculum
institutional credit

Technology
instruction core
curriculum, grade
pro

expanding the interest in the

minds of our scholars to
appreciate art for itself as
well as its meaning, place in
history and to provide an
avenue for them to express
themselves visually as well as
in word and voice

engaging the students

through inquiry based
learning and project based
assessments. Students will
be engaged through multiple
means of representation,
multiple means of
engagement and multiple

I also do have a broad legal

expertise and would like to use
it to help a section of the
students by starting a Debate
Club. This is intended to build
the analytical and
argumentative skill as well as

15

means of expression

developing their oratorical skill.

updating lessons and being

more structured in my
classroom, be more creative
with my lessons

Talk at common
Offer workouts in AM for
students with
teachers and staff and students
problems

using observations and

quantifiable data to get to
know the students capacities
and needs, and then curate
and develop appropriate
resources to help the
students figure out how to
use the content of my
courses to help them achieve
their goals in life

I would like us to
further develop our
common
understanding of
Gathering resources from online
the tools and
networks, developing critical
practices of inquirythinking/ reading exercises,
based learning,
planning and thinking through
with an eye on
student projects
establish a
common culture of
open inquiry in our
classrooms

working to have students

create a website as part of
senior project, coordinating/
facilitating better
collaboration among English
Dept.

preparing rigorous, engaging,

standards-aligned lessons for
my scholars. My vision is that
my students know exactly
what their strengths and
weaknesses are in the class,
and take initiative to build on
their strengths and address
their weaknesses. Scholars in
my class will take ownership
of their education.

21st century skills,

authentic
assessment

Due to my experience, I am an
expert in integrating technology
in the classroom, leveraging
internet-connected mobile
devices to achieve positive
student outcomes. Furthermore.
I have successfully implemented
standards-base-grading (SBG)
through trial and error (after
many trials and many errors!!)
and I can provide guidance on
how to successfully implement
it, leading to better student
outcomes.

One area in which I

would like to
improve is using
data to inform my
instruction.

16

increasing literacy within

math by using better vocab
techniques and incorp. more
technology within the
classroom

Common/
collaborative
planning

incorporating more technical

vocabulary into my lessons
and adding activities to my
lessons that foster the
development of critical
thinking skills with sufficient
rigor

Connecting the social studies

Common planning
curriculum to the modern day to time for 9th grade
boost its relevance
teachers

having the students carry

more of the load in class student involvement

Discussing the use of

technology in the classroom to
facilitate daily student
evaluation

having students pass the AP

exam, and love it

My extensive knowledge of
mathematics. I can also help
teachers that need help with
classroom management

My colleagues own
secret techniques
and tricks that they
have used and
worked

reaching the scholars as

individuals as much as
possible

I have no expertise

Grade group
meetings,
department
meetings

providing rigor in AAH and

WH by using my experiences
in AP as a guide in what skills
and standards I will focus on.
Increase student
achievement via studentcentered learning

How to apply rigor

My resources, time and help in
in the classroom,
APUSH to Bill and AH to CJ and
how to differentiate
ask that we all lean on others for
teaching, Socratic
the same
seminars

thinking reflectively about my

Guided reading17

lesson plans and delivery

(throughout the year. I will
maintain an open-mind to
make changes when
necessary to better serve our
students

literacy PD
(Maureen);
Collaboration with
department
member(s) in order
to discuss lesson
plans and common
delivery
expectations

improving my lesson plans,

and finding ways to facilitate
the learning of the students
by encouraging them to
explore areas of interest base
of what is taught

Collaborate with
Caroline on how to
improve the lesson
plans and their
delivery to
students (common
meeting plan)

challenging each student to

their individual highest
potential, using rigorous and
engaging material to excite
and stir learning,
implementing positive
reinforcement for effort

Common planning
time, how to
engage students in
classroom

trying as hard as I can to

follow the established
protocols and practices
established by the teaching
community of Parkway Center
City.

I would like to see a

professional
development that
provides time for
departmental
meetings,
information about
incorporating
technology in the
classroom, and
grant writing.

18

Appendix E Informal Observation Data

Table E1 All informal observations of all teachers. Names condensed to protect anonymity.
Cells color coded: Blue for 3 (distinguished); green for 2 (proficient); yellow for 1 (needs
improvement); red for 0 (failing).

19

20

Table E2 Observations by department, by Danielson component. Colorpleth coloring by

high/low. Whole staff data at the bottom.

Table E3 Observations by month, by Danielson component.

21

Appendix F Teacher Survey on Professional Development

[1] How comfortable does it feel

22

[2] When thinking about an area of your practice you know you need to improve in, to
what extent are the following barriers to trying?

23

[3] When it comes to learning a new instructional practice, how helpful is

24

[4] How interested would you be in trying these forms of professional development?

25

[5] What are the characteristics of PD sessions you've been in that have led to the greatest
growth?

Practicing what you learn

Discussing specific components and what it looks like in the building's classrooms. Also
completing job-embedded exercises that can be immediately translated into classroom
practice. I also believe that it is important to have different teacher lead PD - and
everyone should lead a PD - in order to improve the culture of the school specifically as it
relates to instructional practice.
To be honest, I've been fairly uninspired by PD this year.
Reflecting on own teaching practices by visiting our Danielson evaluation tool. Having a
planned agenda and following the agenda.
Useful subject matter Collaboration Hands on learning
Well structured with clear examples that are modeled.

[6] What are the characteristics of PD sessions you've been in that have been least helpful
for your instructional practice?

Too long with no substance.

Discussing specific students, complaining, not having norms enforces (i.e. teachers
grading papers, checking email, etc.).
When we do not stick to the agenda... Such as when teachers use PD time to bring up
issues that relate to their own individual situation, which often times only affects a
handful, rather than the majority of teachers/staff.
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Use of abstract terms that don't really describe the classroom.

All lecture Lack of relevant examples Lack of collaboration
Again, PD has been remediation for lower-caliber teachers. It has not been healthful, in
large part.

[7] What recommendations do you have for PD at Parkway?

Have a rotation of presenters. Try to offer choice - from a controlled list. Having teachers
leave their computers in their classrooms - and have the table clear of anything not
related to the PD. Have teacher's preview materials and agenda in advance - followed up
by a reading check. I think these measure are somewhat juvenile; however, the time
translates into millions of dollars district-wide and these a significant barriers to
professional learning.
More subject specific time with other teachers.
Let teachers lead the sessions and have some level of choice in what we what to develop.
Also, we need allotted time to plan these sessions and choose what is best for us. This
top-down, administratively-decided remediation is boring, borderline insulting, and to be
honest, not very useful.
*Allow teachers to go to some offsite PD offered at other district sites on some PD days.
**If schools staggered some PD days. We would have the opportunity to observe teachers
at other schools.
Give teachers time to plan together. 45 minutes is not enough

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Appendix G Rotating Teacher Observation Schedules

Teacher Pairing
A&B

Visit 1
C&D

Visit 2
E&F

Visit 3
K&L

Visit 4
M&N

Visit 5
S&T

Visit 6
U&V

C&D

A& B

G&H

I&J

O&P

Q&R

W&X

E&F

G&H

A& B

O&P

I&J

W&X

Q&R

G&H

E&F

C&D

M&N

K&L

U&V

S&T

I&J

K&L

M&N

S&T

U&V

C&D

E&F

K&L

I&J

O&P

Q&R

W&X

A&B

G&H

M&N

O&P

I&J

W&X

Q&R

G&H

A& B

O&P

M&N

K&L

U&V

S&T

E&F

C&D

Q&R

S&T

U&V

C&D

E&F

K&L

M&N

S&T

Q&R

W&X

A&B

G&H

I&J

O&P

U&V

W&X

Q&R

G&H

A&B

O&P

I&J

W&X

U&V

S&T

E&F

C&D

M&N

K&L

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Appendix H Relevant Contract Provisions

X. Professional Development
A. Recognition of the Need for Professional Development at School District, Regional,
and School Levels
3. At the school, Regional, and School District levels, the Federation and the
School District shall work together cooperatively to effectively assess the
professional development needs of instructional and instructional support
personnel for the purpose of planning professional development activities.
B. Required Professional Development Hours
1. As part of their regular workday and work year, professional and temporary
professional employees, long-term substitutes, intern teachers and apprentice
teachers shall annually be required to participate in at least twenty-eight (28)
hours of scheduled mandated professional development, which shall include
professional development in classroom management skills such as developing and
implementing appropriate instructional and behavior adjustment strategies as well
as strategies to interrupt and deescalate disruptive student behaviors.
XVIII. Working Conditions of Teachers
B. Work Schedule
1. Teaching Assignments and Preparation Periods
(i) In each high school, each teacher shall receive at least two hundred
twenty-five (225) minutes of preparation time each week. If a teacher
loses more than one hundred eighty (180) minutes of preparation time
during any school year, then such teacher shall have the time restored for
any additional lost preparation time within thirty (30) calendar days of
each lost period of preparation.

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Appendix I Budget Calculations

The following calculations are for the time required to pay teachers for missing their preparation
periods. Other aspects of this long term planning project occur within the mandated sessions of
professional development in X-B, above.
Year 1 (2015-16) 4 periods of classroom visits
4 scheduled visits to a classroom, per year, in 50 minute periods, totals 240 minutes of
lost prep time per teacher. However, as teachers are not to be compensated for the first
180 minutes of preparation time lost as per the contractual provisions in XVII-B-1-I
above, this yields 60 minutes of lost prep time to be compensated per teacher. Multiplied
by the 24 staff members, this totals 1,440 minutes (24 hours) of prep time to be
compensated per year.
To estimate this cost, the median salary step for teachers is $51,113 per year; across a
year of 180 instructional days and 7 hours and 4 minutes per instructional day, teachers
work 1,272 hours per year; thus the median hourly rate for this median teacher is $40.18.
Multiplying the 24 hours of prep time times the hourly rate of the median teacher, the
cost for this intervention for one year of 6 periods of classroom visits is approximately1
$964.32.
Years 2 & 3 (2016-17, 2017-18) 6 periods of classroom visits
6 scheduled visits to a classroom, per year, in 50 minute periods, totals 300 minutes of
lost prep time per teacher. However, as teachers are not to be compensated for the first
180 minutes of preparation time lost as per the contractual provisions in XVII-B-1-I
above, this yields 120 minutes of lost prep time to be compensated per teacher.
Multiplied by the 24 staff members, this totals 2,880 minutes (48 hours) of prep time to
be compensated per year.
To estimate this cost, the median salary step for teachers is $51,113 per year; across a
year of 180 instructional days and 7 hours and 4 minutes per instructional day, teachers
work 1,272 hours per year; thus the median hourly rate for this median teacher is $40.18.
Multiplying the 48 hours of prep time times the hourly rate of the median teacher, the
cost for this intervention for one year of 6 periods of classroom visits is approximately
$1,928.64.

1 Again, this is listed as an approximate cost, because using the hourly salary for a median teacher is not
the same as payment for each teacher, given their particularly hourly rate on the salary schedule, given
their step and qualifications.
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The total cost of this plan across three years is approximately $4,821.60.

31

Appendix J - Long Term Planning Project, Phase 1

A.J. Schiera
Long Term Planning Project - Brainstorming
November 15, 2014
1. Define the Problem: What is the issue?
Professional developments are an odd thing at Parkway Center City High School. There
is a lingering effect of the School District scripting professional development sessions via
PowerPoint and sending them to principals to simply recite and deliver. Our principal comes
from a culture of meaningful teacher inquiry, mentorship, and supporta culture of teachers
being open to learning about their practice from other more experienced teachers, feeling
empowered to improve rather than vulnerable in sharing. And our staff is a diverse group of
practitioners, with varying degrees of experience teaching, proficiency teaching, and interest in
and comfort in improving their practice.
The School District is in various stages of rolling out many new initiatives, including:
The Common Core State Standards; specific District Instructional Practices aligned to the Core;
the Danielson Framework for Instructional Observations; Student Learning Objectives; and a
value-added measure of teacher effectiveness connected to standardized tests. As such, teachers
have at least one half-day per month set aside for professional development sessions; our school
has also added a one-hour meeting per month in addition to this requirement. The time allotted
for professional development is greater than I can ever remember it being in the past; and yet, the
purposes assigned to professional development are numerous and conflicting, and the approach
teachers take to professional development (or, seeing themselves as a learning community) varies
deeply. Most specifically, using Cochran-Smith and Lytles framework for the relationships
between knowledge and practice, the School District often sees PD as an opportunity for
knowledge-for-practice, where best practices are transmitted from the District to teachers, and
then principals are expected to hold teachers accountable for these (via the Danielson
framework); teachers prefer to talk about knowledge-in-practice, the tricks of the trade that
master teachers use in the Parkway-specific context to support learning; and what appears to me
to be a serious absence of consideration of knowledge-of-practice, teacher-initiated inquiry into
the effectiveness as well as fundamental assumptions about our practices.
2. Focus the Questions: What questions need to be asked?
How can the Districts expectations for professional development outcomes, and the particular
needs teachers have for development in our teacher community, be aligned and adapted to create
a meaningful instructional learning community? How can multiple types of relationships
between knowledge and practice co-exist in this community? How does this impact the
principals role, as teacher educator, chief of teacher accountability, and continuous learner?
3. Investigate: What data do we need to collect?
To learn more about the Districts approach to professional development, I will need to
collect data about the particular content of professional development that the District intends
principals to deliver, and the vehicles for holding the principal accountable (and then the teachers
accountable) for its implementation. Since this would largely occur through District
walkthroughs and principal evaluations according to the Danielson framework, I would rely on
quantitative measures and qualitative accounts of those observations.
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I would also need to develop a deep sense of how teachers perceive their own practice,
the improvement of their practice, and the relationship between professional development
sessions (what is, and what could be) in improving their practice.
4. Refine the Problem: How does the data help us restate the problem?
I would look for ways in which teachers already instantiated the values and practices that
the district was striving for, as well as which areas of practice teachers could improve. In
essence, I would be collating this data to help figure out how Parkway teachers, as a community
of learners, can be responsible for driving professional learning in a way that does what the
District desires anyway, rather than professional development being positioned as something
imposed from the outside. I would also look for ways teachers wanted to collaborate to improve
their learning to build into these professional development sessions. Most likely, this would
involve narrowing a focus to the particular District Instructional Practices and aspects of the
Danielson Framework that teachers can support each other in (given the strengths already in the
building), as well as the forms of professional learning more rigorous and meaningful to the
teachers at Parkway.
5. Plan: What goals, strategies, resources, and additional data are needed?
This would largely depend on the outcomes of the data, but I imagine they would involve
a restructuring of the broader PD agenda for the 2015-16 school year, to incorporate this new
approach to professional development. It would have to build in flexibility in professional
development for unforeseen District-mandated initiatives, as well as time in scheduling and
school organization for teachers to collaborate and to build professional development sessions. It
would also need technological support to have a home for this professional learning outside of
simply the face time teachers have together.
6. Implement: How will we translate our commitment into action?
First off, a sense of unfreezing, as Evans calls it, will be necessary for some teachers.
Expectations of teaching effectiveness are changing, and some teachers will have to see that the
fear of not trying is greater than the fear of trying. A team of teachers representing a range of
teacher commitments, not just the golden children will have to collaborate in creating the form
and structure of professional development needed.
7. Monitor: How will we monitor and adjust?
The core team or perhaps a rotating team of teachers will need to address how
effectively these professional development sessions are meeting teachers, the principals, and
the Districts expectations, and adjusting them accordingly.
8. Evaluate: How will we know we have been successful?
Quantitatively, we should see teachers improve their scores on the Danielson Framework
for Effective Teaching, especially in the areas in which significant time in professional
development was spent as a group. Qualitatively, we should also see teachers reporting that they
feel they are improving in the practice, that the staff collectively is a supportive teacher learning
community, and that professional development sessions are a meaningful part of that growth
(rather than a session of imposed marching orders).
9. Reflect: What have we learned to inform our practice?
Teachers should be reflecting on how professional development has improved their
practice individually, and the core professional development committee should be exploring how
the staffs learning has improved its practice collectively.
10. Celebrate: How can we recognize our accomplishments?

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This approach should provide opportunities at the end of the year for teachers to share the
most significant aspects of their growth, whether internally, or by creating professional
development sessions for educators from other schools to learn from.

34

Appendix K Long Term Planning Project, Phase 2

A.J. Schiera
Long Term Planning Project Data Collection and Analysis
March 24, 2015
In November 2014 I identified professional development as the central dimension of my
Long Term Planning Project at Parkway Center City High School. At that time, I identified the
following as my central questions:
How can the Districts expectations for professional development
outcomes, and the particular needs teachers have for development
in our teacher community, be aligned and adapted to create a
meaningful instructional learning community? How can multiple
types of relationships between knowledge and practice co-exist in
this community? How does this impact the principals role, as
teacher educator, chief of teacher accountability, and continuous
learner?
These questions still lie at the core of my long-term planning project, particularly in finding
convergence among the ways that teachers, the principal, and the District identify instructional
strengths, instructional needs, and effective vehicles of professional development. The data I
have collected over time have really helped me begin to explore these questions, and I hope that
my Long Term Planning Project can help make use of all of this data to create a professional
development experience that is integrated, rather than fragmented by what individuals perceive is
needed and works best. What follows is a brief summary of the data I have collected thus far,
and broad themes that emerge from that data that likely will inform my Long Term Planning
Project.
(1) Introductory Questionnaire (Sept. 5, 2014; 22 responses)
This three-question questionnaire was distributed at the end of the School Organization days in
September. Teachers were given three prompts: This year, I will teach beyond expectations
by; What I can contribute; and What I want from PD. Key themes that emerged were teachers
setting a high bar for themselves for rigorous instruction; teachers broad sense of what they
might contribute, from classroom management to technology to instruction; and the broad span
of what teachers identified they needed, from instructional support to content-specific support to
documentation and paperwork support.
(2) Documents, Fieldnotes, and Reflections from Professional Development Sessions (Sept.
2014-present)
In varying forms, I have fieldnotes, artifacts, and reflections from professional development
sessions related to instruction at Parkway across the year. From these documents, Ive gained a
35

sense of what District content for PD looks like, how it is (at times) modified to fit our school
audience, and how teachers participate in these sessions. A brief bullet-point list will suffice:

Sept. 17, 2014 Fieldnotes from PD on teaching/ learning strategies broadly and special
education strategies
Oct. 2014 District presentation on Instructional Practices documents, fieldnotes
Nov. 4, 2014 Led PD on Gradual Release (District Instructional Practice #2)
Jan. 21, 2015 Led PD on Student Engagement (Danielson 3c) documents, teacher
feedback
February 2015 District-led PD on Question & Discussion techniques (Danielson 3b)
documents, fieldnotes
March 18, 2015 Co-developed and co-led PD on Communicating with Students
(Danielson 3a) documents, reflection

(3) Informal Observations of Teachers (Oct. 2014-present)

On the days I come to Parkway, I often accompany my principal on her walkthroughs of the
building. Together, we debrief our informal observations, and she has shared with me the text of
the feedback she gives with teachers. Thus, I have access to all of the informal observations she
has done, both the ratings she has given them on components 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, and 3c of the
Danielson Framework, and the text of the feedback she has given. As a result, I can see patterns
in her perceptions of teachers performance in their instruction, which I also hope to relate to
whether they were before/after the PD on that particular domain. For example, I want to see
whether teachers scores and the principals feedback changed on Domain 3c, student
engagement, before and after the PD on student engagement on Jan. 21, 2015.
(4) Teacher Survey on Professional Development (Mar. 2015, 8 responses).
In mid-March, I disseminated a survey to teachers about their perceptions of professional
development. Questions asked about teachers comfort relating to varying dimensions of
improving their practice; barriers they perceive in trying to improve their practices; aspects of
professional development sessions they find most helpful in learning new practices; alternate
forms of professional learning not currently used in our school (video recording classes, peer
observation of classes and reflection on practice, etc.); and characteristics of PD sessions they
have found led to their greatest growth or have been least helpful.

36