This document outlines a protocol for teachers to collaboratively examine student work in order to improve learning and teaching. The goals are to develop a deeper understanding of what students know and can do, foster community among staff, and prepare for an upcoming accreditation report. Using a structured protocol provides focus and ensures the discussion centers on student achievement rather than teacher evaluation. Teachers bring student work samples, describe the context and standards, analyze the work, and pose a focusing question for colleagues. The group examines the work, offers feedback, and reflects on implications to help advance student learning.

1. Looking at Student work
to Improve Learning
Vintage High School
Staff Development

2. Why look collaboratively at
student work?
 To gain greater understanding of what
students know and are able to do
 To embed meaningful professional
development into the school schedule
 To foster a sense of community among
the staff
 To develop across the curriculum a
common language of expectations and
standards

3.  To continue the metacognitive
conversation among colleagues
 To build ways to assess student work
and improve curriculum
 To prepare for our WASC report next
year
 To engage in reflective practice

4. Why use a protocol?
 Provides a safe context and keeps the
conversation focused on student
achievement and not on teacher
evaluation
 Encourages efficient time management
(staying on task)
 Emphasizes results through focused
professional reflection

5. The goals of this protocol
 To develop more effective assignments
 To gather ideas to improve classroom
practice
 To clarify and internalize performance
standards and ESLRs

6. Keep in mind, please…
 The focus should be on the work and
the learning it reveals
 Not on the student’s personality,
motivation or ability
 Not on the teacher
 We are learning a protocol, one of many
possible protocols
 Other protocols exist for differing
purposes
 Groups of teachers may develop
different protocols to suit their needs

7. Protocols should include three
parts
 Description – what is the work?
 Analysis – how does it compare to
standards and expectations?
 Reflection – what have I/we
learned about the work from this
collaborative process?

8. Before the meeting
Cover Sheet and Reflection
for Student Work Samples

9. Description – Page 1
 Teacher, Department/Course, date
 Content Standards addressed
 List standards references and
statements
 ESLR’s addressed
 Check off
 See reference list on back of last page

10. Describe the learning goal…
 Where does this lesson fit into the
course? Is it part of a thematic unit?
Is it an ongoing classroom routine?
How does it connect with topics that
precede and follow it? What was the
sequence of learning activities?
 What should students learn and
know how to do as a result of this
learning opportunity?

11.  What materials were students given to
work with? What were students asked
to do with these materials?
 How were students grouped? What was
their task? What did you do?
 How would students know the criteria
for successful achievement of the
lesson’s goals?
 What literacy support strategies did you
use?

12. Description – page 2
 What criteria would you apply to
the student work? Describe the
features of this work
 Below expected proficiency
 At expected proficiency
 Above expected proficiency

13. Analysis – Page 3
 In the Analysis section, we
determine what qualities are
present or missing for each of the 3
samples
 Below
 At
 Above

14. Focusing question
 Based on your description and
analysis, what question would you
most like the group to consider as
they examine this student work?
 This is the question you want to ask
your group to examine with you
during the tuning protocol.

15. Examples of focusing questions
 How could the activity be changed to
increase the achievement of the low and
middle students?
 Does the assignment provide adequate
evidence that the concepts were learned?
 Is this part of the assignment really
essential?
 How could the concluding activity be
altered to elicit more engagement by
students?
 Does the high example truly exceed the
standards/expectations? How so?

16. Reflection
 Reflection – the most critical part
of this activity!
 Reflect on the instructional needs for
each student and how they might be
addressed.
 What have I learned as a result of
this description and analysis?
 You may prefer to do the reflection
after meeting with your colleagues.

17. Tuning Protocol
What to do in your group

18. 1 – Choose a Facilitator
 This teacher will move the group
through the protocol, watch the time,
monitor probing questions, and balance
both warm and cool feedback to ensure
productivity and objectivity.
 2 minutes

19. 2 – Present the student work
and focusing question
 The presenting teacher provides copies
of the student work. The teacher
explains the context of the work and
briefly explains the learning experience
to the group (ie, description and
analysis). The teacher presents a
focusing question to establish a purpose
for the meeting.
 5 minutes

20. 3 – Ask clarifying questions
 The team asks clarifying questions. How
long did students work on this
assignment? Was a rubric involved?
Clarifying questions should be precise
and objective.
 3 minutes

21. 4 – Examine the work samples
 The team quietly examines the sample
work, making observation notes in
silence. Participants should specifically
focus upon the evidence of learning in
the work.
 5 minutes

22. 5 – Make inferences about
learning; offer feedback
 The team uses evidence in the work to
infer the students’ thinking,
understanding and interpretation of the
assignment. (The presenting teacher is
silent throughout this step, but makes
notes regarding comments heard). The
team shares feedback (warm and cool).
The team discusses the implications for
teaching and assessment in the classroom
in addition to identifying other kinds of
assessments that could lead to more
desirable qualities in the work.
 8 minutes

23. 6 – Reflect on feedback
 The presenting teacher reflects upon
what he or she has heard. The team is
silent.
 2 minutes

24. 7 – Debrief/Reflect
 The facilitator opens the discussion. Any
speaker may contribute ideas,
discoveries and “take-aways.” The
group reflects orally upon the process of
the protocol.
 5 minutes

25. Final Reflection
 At this point, the presenting teacher can
go back to the work sample cover sheet
to fill in the “Reflection” section.
 Some teachers may prefer to do the
Reflection piece after the tuning protocol
 Others may want to do some reflection
before and after the protocol
 Do what is most useful for you as an
educator

26. Homework for March 14th
 At the next literacy training, we will
meet in departmental groups to
implement this protocol.
 You need to bring a work sample (the
same one is ok), complete the cover
sheet, and be prepared to go through
the protocol with your department
(some departments will subdivide into
smaller groups).
 We will send out the cover sheet file via
e-mail to the whole staff for future use

27. Thanks for your
participation today!