MICRO-CREDENTIALS

Formal Recognition for Informal Learning

BDG0123 Ministry Development Plan

DESCRIPTION: Teachers who earn the Ministry Development Plan micro-credential can facilitate a goal-setting conversation that allows an educator to develop a goal statement that addresses professional growth and the effect of that growth on student learning.

EARNING THE MICRO-CREDENTIAL: To earn the Ministry Development Plan micro-credential, participants demonstrate that they can plan and carry out a conversation that leads to a goal statement that is appropriate for the WELS Ministry Development Plan (MDP). Credential earners will be able to show a shift in thinking to a model that includes not only inputs (best practices for teachers), but also outputs (effect student learning). They will also develop skills to assist educators in aligning a goal statement to the WELS Teaching Standards. First, earners will write and submit a written reflection based upon a sample video they will view. Second, individuals completing this credential will record an authentic goal-setting conversation with an educator who is preparing an MDP. Finally, earners will submit a second written reflection based upon their video recording of the discussion with an educator.

RESEARCH BASE: Proponents of professional growth for educators have begun to emphasize a shift in thinking from a summative focus on teacher evaluation to a formative emphasis on teacher growth. In 2011, the InTASC Standards for Teacher Development and Licensure were revised and renamed the InTASC Core Teaching Standards. This change marked a move away from viewing standards as an evaluation tool, towards “a decision to use standards to craft developmental progressions of teaching practice that could be used as a support tool for teacher development.” (CCSSO, 2013) When discussing standards, Frontier and Mielke (2016) noted that descriptors associated with standards should not have ratings for evaluation as their function. Other authors have promoted this shift by calling for a process that measures teacher goals in terms of evidence of student performance. (Aseltine et al., 2006)

Aseltine, J.M., Faryniaz, J.O., & Rigazio-Digilio, A.J. (2006). Supervision for Learning: A performance-based approach to teacher development and school improvement. Alexandria, Virginia USA: ASCD.

Council of Chief State School Officers, Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. (2013, April). InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers 1.0: A resource for ongoing teacher development. Washington, DC: Author. https://ccsso.org/resource-library/intasc-model-core-teaching-standards-and-learning-progressions-teachers-10

Frontier, T. & Mielke, P.W. (2016). Making Teachers Better, Not Bitter: Balancing evaluation, supervision, and reflection for professional growth. Alexandria, Virginia USA: ASCD.

BACKGROUND: The following tools are useful to understand more about the topic:

Writing a Goal Statement https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GFPTzfp6eP5A_qfwmx_RkV-txSibkgyvd8DlDxcwmiU/edit?usp=sharing

Goal-Setting Conversation Planning Sheet https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dominzCdexgQRuco0JL6s8HV5N3qGcnU/view?usp=sharing

Frontier & Mielke Infographic http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/making-teachers-better-infographic.pdf

Formative Supervision Coaching Language https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzC7EaZhFvsNZlM2WlpJRDFfbE0/view?usp=sharing

Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and andragogy  http://infed.org/mobi/malcolm-knowles-informal-adult-education-self-direction-and-andragogy/

MICRO-CREDENTIAL CRITERIA: A Ministry Development Plan micro-credential earner can do the following:

  1. Facilitate a collaborative goal-setting conversation with a current educator.
  2. Assist an educator in developing a goal statement that addresses professional growth and student learning.
  3. Assist an educator in connecting his/her goal statement to the WELS Teaching Standards.
  4. Assist an educator in identifying strategies to plan professional growth and to assess student progress.

SKILL DEMONSTRATION:

a.       Submit a Written Reflection (Reflection 1)

1.          View the Sample Goal-Setting Conversation (password: Growth). https://vimeo.com/292358181

2.          Write a reflection (500-word maximum) based on the sample video that explains:

    • Use of a collaborative and facilitative coaching stance
    • Identification of standard elements that align with the goal
    • Identification of strategies to assess student learning in relation to the goal
      Note: Include time stamps for parts of the video that you reference.

b.      Submit a Video and Written Reflection (Reflection 2)

1.          Video recording of your goal-setting conversation (15-20 minutes).

      • Conduct an authentic goal-setting conversation with an educator who is preparing an MDP.
      • Obtain recording permission from the educator.
      • In contrast to the sample video, the educator will likely have given some pre-conversation thought to a goal topic and standard alignment.

2.          Written reflection (500-word maximum) based on your submitted video that explains:

      • Use of a collaborative and facilitative coaching stance
      • Identification of standard elements that align with the goal
      • Identification of strategies to assess student learning in relation to the goal
        Note: Include time stamps for parts of the video that you reference.

RESOURCES:

Books
Dean, C.B. & Marzano, R.J. (2013). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Materna, L. (2017). Jump Start the Adult Learner: How to engage and motivate adults using brain-compatible strategies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

 

Articles
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/effective-teacher-professional-development-brief

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2009). Professional Development Plan: Initial educator toolkit. https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/tepdl/pdf/pdpinitialeducatortoolkit.pdf

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2014). PDP Goal Approval: Ten things to remember when reviewing initial educators’ PDP’s for goal approval. https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/tepdl/download/pdpteam_goalapproval.pdf

Videos
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction: What is coaching? https://youtu.be/jLIMI1vNscs

Martin Luther College Courses

EDU5908 Understanding, Supporting, and Facilitating a Professional Development Plan / Mentoring as Leadership (2 credits)
Synthesize the research, theory, and writing, as well as teacher and administrator standards behind a professional development plan, in order to be a resource in your school or district and assist new teachers in writing a professional development plan.