Minding the Future

Angeline Anderson, Ph.D. is currently an independent educational consultant. She is formerly the Executive Director for Instruction in a large suburban school district in Texas, where she oversaw the activities of 124 staff members whose mission was to provide high quality curriculum, assessments, media services, and professional development to district teachers and staff. Her experience as an educator includes classroom teacher, counselor, administrator, program evaluator, statistician, and district leader. Dr. Anderson has served students and teachers in Florida, Texas, and California. Her work and interests include social cognitive theory, quality schools, strategic planning, curriculum development, instructional technology, response to intervention, and leadership. She has presented at state and national conferences on a variety of strategies to transform instructional processes using technology integration. Susan K. Borg, EdD, is a clinical assistant professor at San Houston State University where she supervises the superintendent certification program and teaches graduate-level principal preparation courses. Susan is also a senior associate at N2 Learning, an educational consulting company. She is formerly the associate superintendent for instruction and student services in a suburban school district in Texas, supervising the academic programs for approximately 50,000 students. Dr. Borg facilitated the collaboration of six instructional and data accountability departments at the district level with 44 campuses, prekindergarten through Grade 12. Dr. Borg served the field of education for 34 years in a variety of roles as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, executive director, and associate superintendent. She has presented at state and national conferences on the importance of the integration of the innovation and technology into instructional processes for the education preparation of future-ready students. Stephanie Edgar, M.Ed. is currently an associate at N2 Learning, an educational consulting company. She is formerly the Director of Campus Instructional Support in a large suburban school district in Texas. Her team provided direct support to campuses through professional development, specialist training, video production, adaptive and benchmark assessments, campus planning, and embedded technology. Mrs. Edgar has provided in-depth training in the areas of planning, professional learning communities, assessments for learning, collaborative consultations, critical conversations, instructional best practices, student and teacher portfolios, and online professional development. She has served students and teachers for 38 years as a teacher, instructional specialist, and district administrator. Her presentations at state and national conventions focus on leading innovative professional learning, student engagement, and opportunities for transformative teacher leadership.

PREFACE Professional Learning to Inspire Vision and Voice Audience Transform Academy Design Who We Are Organization of This Book ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHORS Introduction to the Transform Academy Scope, Purpose, and Goals Transform Academy Design: Informing Our Driving Vision Participant Selection Transform Academy at a Glance Becoming Comfortable With the Unknown CHAPTER 1. Is Your Learning Culture Ready to Transform? Academy Pre-Session Ask the Teachers Establishing Your Vision for the Future Essential Aspects of a Learning Culture Ready to Transform Framework for Transforming a Learning Culture Planning and Chronicling Your Transform Academy Differentiated Approaches for Professional Learning Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Pre-Session Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 2. Developing Collaborative Innovators: Session 1 Culture of Innovation: How Do You Define It? Becoming a Collaborative Innovator Professional Learning for Transform Academy Session 1 Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Session 1 Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 3. Teacher Voice: Session 2 Celebrating Teacher Innovation Three Components of an Emerging Vision Inspiring Teacher Voice Teacher Leadership Collaborative Innovator Mindset How Mindsets Influence Teacher Voice Professional Learning for Transform Academy Session 2 Developing Teacher Voice Tapping Student Potential: It's Time! Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Session 2 Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 4. Open Permission to Dream: Sessions 3-6 If Only We Could . . . Opening the Doors to Dreaming Research and Risk Taking Field Trips, Conferences, and Experts Implementing New Learning Standards Professional Learning for Transform Academy Sessions 3-6 Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Sessions 3-6 Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 5. Flexible Learning Environments: Session 7 Now Ask the Students Promoting Differentiated Innovative Ideas Encouraging Student Voice and Choice Student Learning Communities and Personalized Learning Classrooms Growing Toward Flexible Learning Environments Professional Learning for Transform Academy Session 7 Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Session 7 Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 6. Student-Led Learning: Session 8 Teachers Learn to Code Fostering Student-Led Learning Essentials for Implementing Student-Led Learning Professional Learning for Transform Academy Session 8 Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Session 8 Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 7. Sustaining the Momentum: Session 9 Welcome to the Learning Fair Multi-Year Planning Cycle The Significance of the Learning Fair Key Ideas Discussion Questions Transform Academy Session 9 Activities Suggested Action Items CHAPTER 8. Parting Thoughts Open Doors and Minds Building Your Transform Academy REFERENCES INDEX

The true leaders in education are the ones who have the most direct contact with learners - our teachers. They represent the most significant influencer of student outcomes, which is supported by a vast amount of research. Angie Anderson, Susan Borg, and Stephanie Edgar not only highlight this fact but present strategy after strategy on how to cultivate teacher leadership and leverage its impact to improve learning for all students. -- Eric Sheninger, Author and Consultant Minding the Future outlines a very clear framework for how a school might reimagine professional learning in support of results for students. The authors do an excellent job of providing a specific set of strategies to help educators innovate responsibly and transform their teaching. What's especially helpful are the tools and resources that will help educators through every step of the process. Thank you for bringing this great resource to the field! -- Frederick Brown, Deputy Executive Director, Learning Forward If you've been searching for proven strategies on creating a vision, planning, and establishing a learning culture ready for transformation, this is it. Real ideas from actual practitioners! Written with knowledge only gained from experience, Minding the Future presents readers with clear plans to lead their own professional learning transformations. The anecdotes and stories happily bring these plans to life. This book is for educators wishing to embrace the future head-on and hand in hand! -- Linda Macias, Associate Superintendent, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX There is no handbook to transforming school culture. Leaders will need to know their culture and drive meaningful change from the point of their learners. That being said, in Minding the Future, the authors start some very compelling conversations and give practical ways you can initiate, maintain, and adapt the transformation process, leading to amazing learning opportunities for all stakeholders in your organization. -- George Couros, Innovative teaching, learning, and leadership consultant and Author of The Innovator's Mindset Minding the Future encourages communication, collaboration, and problem-solving through the engagement of teachers in professional learning academies that will inspire creativity, risk-taking, and transformation of the learning environment. It is a practical guide to changing the culture of learning in American schools to ensure that all students are future-ready. -- Johnny L. Veselka, Executive Director, retired; Texas Association of School Administrators If you have been inspired to ask if there is a better way to approach improvement in our schools and put the focus on learning, this is the book for you. Anderson, Borg, and Edgar provide readers with a plethora of authentic examples that empowers all stakeholders to take action. -- Peter DeWitt Minding the Future is a clearly and passionately rendered story of one district's endeavor to engage teacher leaders in imagining and co-creating learning to ready today's students for living, learning, and flourishing in constantly changing tomorrows. Both a road map outlining strategically designed professional learning experiences and a travel log taking readers inside the sojourners' transformed classrooms and schools, this book is an invaluable guidebook for educational leaders seeking to design and lead a similar expedition. -- Jackie A. Walsh, Author and Consultant Written by designers and facilitators of professional learning, these three authors share their thinking behind the Transform Academy-as well as agendas, facilitator notes, and resulting participant actions and reactions. The authors' enthusiasm and successful design of this year-long academy is conveyed energetically, creating a desire to give their design a try. Knowing that deep and lasting change doesn't just happen through mandates, these leaders recruited teams (principal and teacher-leaders) from interested schools to establish their vision of a future-ready school. Honing skills of collaboration among adults and students, bringing in teacher and student voice to engage learners, celebrating successes, and planning for sustaining mindsets that change is the only constant in an improving school. -- Beth Sattes, Author and Consultant This book provides practical ways to utilize the presented concepts in an effective and personalized professional development program. It could serve as a model for a strong professional development program that incorporates much collaboration, especially at the local level. -- Keith Mason, Curriculum consultant, New Providence, NJ The authors present a systematic approach to change, as well as the necessary tools, to allow educators to apply this process to their own districts. The stories, examples, and visuals make the work relevant and practical. -- Jacie Maslyk, Assistant Superintendent, Hopewell Area School District; Aliquippa, PA WOW! - Where was this book when I became a principal?!? Within these pages is a delightful blend of background narrative and concrete processes that will assist you in bringing meaningfully and intentionally engaging instruction to every student. A compelling read, this book offers the instructional leader something that will help you change the game! -- Rich Hall, Director of Elementary Education, Henrico County Public Schools; Henrico, VA This insightful step-by-step guide provides a roadmap for how one district was able to make this change, and how it can be duplicated in other districts or schools that are willing to accept this challenge. -- Laura Von Staden, ESE Lead Teacher; Franklin Middle Magnet Boys Preparatory Academy; Tampa, FL