�Session 2.4:
Putting it All Together:
Preparing to Lead Impactful Practice-Based Summer PD
Joaquin & Rebecca
June 26, 2025
Session Objectives
Together we will…
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Back to where it all begins…
It all starts here!
The Promise of PD
“PD is the best bet we have for improving the learning and life chances of students in our care. Research shows that it’s more cost effective than other approaches to improvement… and when done well, teachers build student understanding multiple times faster. It’s also highly positively associated with desirable teacher outcomes, such as retention, well-being, and self-efficacy.
And perhaps most crucially, PD compounds. When we help a teacher get better, every single child they work with from that point on benefits. PD is not only the biggest lever we have for improving schools–it’s also the most sustainable.”
–Peps Mccrea, Developing Expert Teachers
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What word/ phrase/ sentence from this excerpt resonates most with you? Why?
…but it’s hard to get right
“…Despite substantial investment by many education systems around the world, much PD fails to reliably turn the dial on teacher effectiveness.”
–Peps Mccrea, Developing Expert Teachers
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Reflection
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Qualities of Highly Effective PD
Research finds that high-impact PD is…
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Self-Reflection (60 sec):
Exploring Our Framework for Practice-Based PD
A Framework For PD Success
See it.
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A fast path to building skill and expertise in planning, instructional practices, and more!
Name it.
Do it.
… and repeat until it’s mastered!
PD Session Framework
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Review the PD Learning Session Framework on pages 45-46
How does this framework set teachers up for successful implementation of the session action step?
See It
Name It
Do It: Round 1
Do It: Round 2
Reflect
2
4
5
6
Our Framework In Action
3
Lead with the Why
1
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Framework For Practice-Based PD
See It
Name It
Do It
Share the Why
Reflect/
Action Plan
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Reflection: Building Investment
When have you seen teachers really invested in a priority you launched at PD? What actions did you take before and during PD that you think helped build that investment?
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Key Questions | Ways to Answer |
Why this? |
|
Why here? |
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Why now? |
|
Ideas for Building Investment
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Framework For Practice-Based PD
Present an artifact that gives teachers a clear picture of what the practice/skill looks like in action. (Examples: video, planning artifact, live model, classroom transcript)
Build a common language around the technique that you can then use in practice, coaching, and future PD. (Examples: defining key terms/ideas, “backstop” slides, frameworks, technique notes, one-pagers)
Design and lead structured activities that give participants multiple opportunities to practice applying the skill. Two types: “Planning Practice” and “Role Play” practice.
See It
Name It
Do It
Share the Why
Reflect/
Action Plan
Give participants time to develop a bite-sized, measurable, and concrete action step that they will want to implement based on their learning (and timeline for it!)
Effective PD opens with clear, concise framing that helps teacher answers three questions: why this, why here, and why now?
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An Essential Challenge When Teaching Adults
“The gaze of an expert is different from that of a novice. Experts’ eyes lock in on the salient details within their gaze earlier and stay on them for longer. This leads to better decision-making. So if we want better decisions, the place to start is with the eyes, to guide [novices] to see—and make a habit of looking at—the most salient details of what we want them to learn from and act on.” –Doug Lemov
Silent Solo (60 sec): How might this connect to our goal of leading strong Professional Development?
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Common Language & Video Analysis Cycle
Key Idea: The goal of any professional learning is to sharpen the vision of the participants, making their gaze (and therefore their understanding and practice) more like that of the expert. In order to do that you need to both provide Common Language and a clear model.
Strong Common Language includes:
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“See It”: Video Analysis Cycle
Turn & Talk
Context & Focus Question
Backstop Slide to emphasize key ideas
Cold Call to Open Discussion
“Name It” with Technique Notes Slides
Key Idea: These slides provide more formal, precise definitions for the technique you’re introducing and the key idea or take-away teachers should remember. Whereas video and artifact “ backstop slides” put language to multiple planning or execution moves evident in a video or artifact, a technique notes slide focuses squarely on defining and describing the technique at hand.
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Objective: Refine and practice facilitating our talking points for the Devon Joyce video from the Lesson Prep Turnkey PD.
Video Analysis Cycle Practice:
Devon Joyce Video
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Turn & Talk
Context & Focus Question
Backstop Slide to emphasize key ideas
Cold Call to Open Discussion
Video Analysis Cycle Practice
Plan
(5 min)
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Video Analysis Cycle Practice
With a partner:
Practice
(12 min)
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This cycle applies to artifacts, too!
Turn & Talk
Artifact
Backstop Slide to emphasize key ideas
Cold Call to Open Discussion
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Framework For Practice-Based PD
Present an artifact that gives teachers a clear picture of what the practice/skill looks like in action. (Examples: video, planning artifact, live model, classroom transcript)
Build a common language around the technique that you can then use in practice, coaching, and future PD. (Examples: defining key terms/ideas, “backstop” slides, frameworks, technique notes, one-pagers)
Design and lead structured activities that give participants multiple opportunities to practice applying the skill. This builds buy-in and muscle memory in preparation for the “Monday morning test.” Two types: “Planning Practice” and “Role Play”
See It
Name It
Do It
Share the Why
Effective PD opens with clear, concise framing that helps teacher answers three questions: why this, why here, and why now?
Reflect/
Action Plan
Give participants time to develop a bite-sized, measurable, and concrete action step that they will want to implement based on their learning (and timeline for it!)
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The Making of an Expert
“Benjamin Bloom, a professor of education at the University of Chicago, published a landmark book, Developing Talent in Young People, which examined the critical factors that contribute to talent. He took a deep retrospective look at the childhoods of 120 elite performers who had won international competitions or awards in fields ranging from music and the arts to mathematics and neurology. Surprisingly, Bloom’s work found no early indicators that could have predicted the virtuosos’ success…. Later research building on Bloom’s pioneering study revealed that the amount and quality of practice were key factors in the level of expertise people achieved. Consistently and overwhelmingly, the evidence showed that experts are always made, not born.”
Reflect: Why is practice an essential part of teacher professional development? Why is it often forgotten or skipped?
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Teaching is a Performance Profession
What is one thing that is going well with leading practice with your teams? What is a challenge that you face?
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Teneicesia White
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Teneicesia White
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Clip 1:
Clip 2:
Elements of Effective Practice
Success Points
The practice should isolate the bite-sized skill that teachers are working on, or the action step.
Give teachers time to plan what they will do to effectively execute the skill. This ensures higher quality practice, builds confidence, and frees teachers up to focus on the skill in focus.
Clear, Bite-Sized Objective
Planning First
Multiple At Bats
Structure practice in a series of rounds to build skill and encode success step by step. Rounds can also be used to add complexity or challenge, and are often followed by feedback and an opportunity to re-practice.
Describe & Model
Modeling first gives teachers a clear idea of what they’re expected to do in practice. To model planning skills, try “thinking out loud” to make your process visible.
Name the 1-2 specific, observable moves teachers should focus on mastering first. Encourage teachers to give feedback on those points too.
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Active Observation
Circulating supports accountability and batched feedback. Gather bright spots, and re-model or give feedback to address gaps.
Active Observation
Objective: Prepare for and facilitate a practice activity from our Lesson Prep Turnkey PD.
Practicing Practice
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Practicing Practice– Planning
Planning
(6 minutes)
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Practicing Leading Practice
Take It Live
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Coda: Culture of Practice
Key Idea: A culture of practice is universal, safe, fun, accountable, and sacred.
Five Keys to Creating a Culture of Practice
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Tips for Making Our Turnkey PDs Your Own
What’s a Turnkey PD?
Defined: A PD aligned to shared LDM practices that we’ll provide your coaches with throughout the year. Each PD comes complete with editable handouts, Google Slides, facilitator talking points, embedded video clips, and feedback cheat sheets (if applicable). Coaches will experience each of the PDs for themselves, so they can feel confident about delivering the content to their teachers.
**NOTE: All resources are editable, so they can be adapted to meet the needs of your organization/teachers!
A Bit of a Misnomer: These materials can and should be adapted and customized to meet the needs of your teachers…and we’ll be there to support in doing just that!
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Reflection
Why is it important to adapt and customize MSLC PDs to fit your context? What are the risks of not doing so?
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General Tips for Adapting Your Turnkeys
How We Prep
Two Stages:
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Turnkey PD Adaptation Work Time
Plan
(20 min)
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Things you might consider doing:
Making Time For Summer
Turnkey PD
MSLC Summer Turnkeys
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Session Topics | Session Outcomes | Est. Length |
Fundamentals of Lesson Preparation Part I | Teachers will…
| 90 min |
Fundamentals of Lesson Preparation Part II | Teachers will…
| 90 min |
Making Time For Post-Summer
Turnkey PD
Final Reflection
Silent Solo (90 sec): What are two key actions you must take between now and when your teachers return to set yourself up to lead impactful summer PD?
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Plan to connect with senior IL
Directions (10 min): Working in school teams or independently, pull up your summer PD calendars and begin identifying opportunities for where it makes the most sense to slot in these content-specific turnkey sessions. Consider:
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