Action Overview: Develop tools for supporting selected instructional practices

· Practice profiles enable a practice to be “teachable, learnable, and doable” in a typical educational setting (NIRN).

· Practice profiles are a tool for continuous improvement. By describing effective instructional practices that are based on research, they enable ongoing learning with teachers, coaches, and other leaders to work toward sustainability and improved student outcomes.

· Practice profiles are not evaluation tools. They are tools for constructive conversation, planning professional development, and analyzing data to create a comprehensive picture of current instruction and what desired instruction could look like.

· The selected practice in and of itself is not enough information to clearly understand the intricacies of the practice. The single statement for each practice leaves a lot open to interpretation.

· The instructional practice is not just the overarching statement, but ALL of the essential components that go along with each statement. These components are outlined in a practice profile, providing the clarity and detail necessary to help identify what is being implemented successfully and where growth areas are.

· Teams identifying the components of each practice leads to common understanding of the practice, deep examination of current instructional design, and opportunities for change (getting beyond theory, opinion, and current practice.)

1. Activity 1: Practice Profile Development

a. Introduction to the tool

b. Review the research

c. Develop the practice profile