Teach for Success® (T4S®) Foundational Institute

Who Should Participate

District leaders and school teams, including teachers, site leaders, and academic coaches

Goals of the Institute

The T4S Foundational Institute is based on the Teach for Success Classroom Observation Protocol, a research-based framework that provides administrators and teachers with criteria and definitions to impartially discuss the process of teaching and how to improve classroom instructional practices. During the institute, teachers, academic coaches, and district and site leaders explore practices that have been found to enhance achievement for all students. As a result of the institute, participants develop:

• A foundation of research-based instructional practices needed to plan, deliver, and assess effective standards-based instruction
• A process to lead and sustain an organizational culture able to plan, deliver, and assess effective standards-based instruction
• Ways to provide ongoing, specific feedback to teachers to improve their abilities to plan, deliver, and assess effective standards-based instruction

Format of the Institute

The two-day foundational institute covers seven aspects of effective instruction in parallel sessions designed for teachers and for administrators. In addition to lecture, modeling, and discussion activities, participants practice utilizing the protocol, to understand how it can guide their teaching and/or guide observing and analyzing classroom instruction.

What You Learn

Participants develop common vocabulary and understanding of
seven components of effective teaching by exploring descriptions of teaching practices, attributes of these practices, and classroom examples. The seven components are also the components of the T4S observation protocol:

• Instructional Practices to Engage and Support All Students in Learning
• Student Engagement Throughout the Learning
• Selected Concepts That Maximize Student Engagement
• Level of Cognition
• Instructional Practices Related to Standards, Curriculum, and Students
• Assessing Student Learning
• Creating and Maintaining an Effective Learning Environment for Student Learning

Who Facilitates Your Learning

WestEd staff, including experienced former administrators and teachers, infuse the institute experience with their deep expertise in evaluating teacher skills.

What Resources Support Your Learning

The T4S Classroom Observation Protocol is the touchstone for the institute. At the same time that participants learn the attributes of effective teaching, they also learn how the protocol can help identify areas of pedagogical strength and areas for further development.

What the Research Says

T4S incorporates the findings of the Learning First Alliance (2000) that if teachers are to learn a new behavior and effectively transfer it to the classroom, several steps are necessary: "(a) understanding the theory and rationale for the new content and instruction; (b) observing a model in action; (c) practicing the new behavior in a safe context; and (d) trying out the behavior with support in the classroom."

What Participants Report

"Classroom instruction has improved countywide in the participating school districts using the T4S model."

"An effective classroom observation protocol has been the missing piece. T4S will supply data, without judgment, that can be used by whole schools, departments, and grade levels, and for individual teacher/administrator coaching. Thanks to the WestEd development team. It will make a great difference in our [state's] schools!"

Cost

The two-day institute is presented by two facilitators to parallel groups of administrators and teachers. Each group can accommodate up to 50 participants. The total cost is $12,000. In-depth follow-up workshops are also available.

Contact Information

Huck Fitterer
602.322.7002
hfitter@wested.org