I have been fortunate to be on a learning journey with the MNPS Exceptional Education Department.  This fall, we have been using the collaborative inquiry process to use multiple sources of data to inform their work for supporting student success throughout MNPS.  This learning journey is an  example of leveraging professional expertise to support student success. 

During the first session on September 20th, coaches worked in an assigned expert group and used a fishbone analysis to identify root issues.  After a gallery walk for feedback from the entire group, each group identified one root issue to focus on this semester.

In the second meeting on October 18th, expert groups participated in a data dive to inform their work.  Multiple sources of data was used to inform the creation of action plans for their respective root issue.

On November 15th, the groups convened to share their action plans.  A critical friends protocol was used for feedback.  Teams then had time to finish the creation of their plans, which will be presented to the MNPS Exceptional Education leadership team, and implemented next year.

To read about their learning journey, go to: www.mnpscollaboration.org/exceptional-education-coaches.html

If you have a collaborative story to share or would like to request assistance, please contact Margie Johnson at margie.johnson@mnps.org.

Thanks to the following middle schools and organizations that participated in the collaborative inquiry data dive.

The session began with an Activating and Engaging activity called Looking Back...Looking Ahead (Lipton & Wellman, 2011) where participants shared how family involvement in schools has changed from the past to now and then their vision for future family involvement.

We Organized and Integrated the observations using the Traffic Light protocol (Lipton & Wellman, 2011) to discuss actions to stop, continue, and start.

References:
Learning Hero. (2017, August).  Parents 2017: Unleashing their power & potential.  New York, NY: Learning Heroes.

Lipton, L. & Wellman, B. (2011).  Groups at work: Strategies and structures for professional learning.  Charlotte, VT: MiraVia, LLC.

 You might see that acronym BHAG and be thinking......"what in the world does that mean?"  Well, Cole Elementary has brought BHAGs to their school (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) as a way of having "unrelenting focus, clarity of thought, consistent communication, alignment of resources, innovation, discipline, and teamwork" (Sparks, 2007, p. 13). 

Cole Elementary started the year with a literacy BHAG and decided to create a BHAG for math.  To create the math BHAG, they used the collaborative inquiry process during grade level team meetings to get teacher voice about the math BHAG.  Once the teachers' BHAGs were compiled, the leadership team met to finalize the math BHAG.  Then, on November 16th, grade level teams are meeting to collaboratively develop action plans for achieving their math BHAG.

To read more about their BHAG work, go here: www.mnpscollaboration.org/cole-elem-bhag-fall-2017

Cole Elementary also participated in the SEL Culture and Climate Walk-through.  On November 6th, the collaborative inquiry process was used to help them analyzed the data and discuss actions they might stop, continue, and start to continue working on the culture of the building.

To learn more about that exciting work, go here: www.mnpscollaboration.org/cole-elem-culture-and-climate--2016.html

If you have a collaborative story to share or would like to request assistance, please contact Margie Johnson at margie.johnson@mnps.org.

Reference:
Sparks, D. (2007).  Leading for results: Transforming teaching, learning, and relationships in schools.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

The Exceptional Education team began using the collaborative inquiry process in September for their coaches.  The purpose of these sessions is to foster a culture of collaboration for supporting student success.  Each group was assigned identified a goal for their work in September.  During the October meeting, multiple sources of data were used to further inform their action plans.

To learn about their work and the workshop, please go to www.mnpscollaboration.org/exceptional-education-coaches.html

If you have a collaborative inquiry story or are interested in learning more, please contact Margie Johnson at margie.johnson@mnps.org.