Episode 8 - The Canyon Springs 1st Grade Professional Learning Team Talks Collaboration

On the 8th episode of Canyon Springs: From Promising Practices to Model PLC, listen in on the PLC journey with Canyon Springs as we work to be further recognized as a Solution Tree National Model PLC school. This week, join the Canyon Springs 1st Grade Professional Learning Team (Elizabeth Gutierrez, Ashlyn Matheus and Jesseca Tobin) as they discuss the importance of regular, focused collaboration, the challenges and solutions to collaborating across 3 distinct classroom make-ups, and the student learning momentum built by trusting one another to build quicker collective responsibility. 

References:

PLC 4 Questions Flowchart - W. Richard Smith

Learning by Doing

Help Your Team

For more information on or about this podcast, contact Matt Gilpin:

mgilpin@sssd.k12.ca.us

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 0:15

Good morning. We hope you are having a very, very good start to your learning day. Welcome to the Canyon Springs from Promising Practices to Model PLC podcast. I am your host and the principal of Canyon Springs Community School, Matt Gilpin. Today is our first time ever having this experience. We actually unboxed two microphones just to make this happen. We have our entire first grade team here recording with us. We have Miss Elizabeth Gutierrez, who has been in education for over 20 years, 10 years outside of the Sulfur Springs School District, 10 years here in the district. Randomly, I guess not random, that's not the right word. Back in the day when they had job shares, you started as a job share and 10 years here at Canyon Springs, mostly in second grade, first second grade. This year, you are a one-two combo. Welcome to our podcast. Thank you. Absolutely, we are so excited to have you. And next to you is Miss Ashlen Mateus, who's fifth year in teaching, mostly in like third grade, give or take. But this is your first year teaching a straight grade here at Canyon Springs. Welcome.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_06 1:21

Absolutely. And our returning guest from episode three, Miss Jessica Tobin, who we know is a first grade teacher, a member of our ILT, our instructional leadership team, a CAPS teacher, and a part of our guiding coalition. 10 years in kindergarten. I mean I'm trying to remember these things. You're you taught straight first grade last year, and now you're in Kinder and First. Welcome back, Miss Tobin.

SPEAKER_02 1:40

Happy to be back.

SPEAKER_06 1:41

Well, and again, this is our first time having a big group conversation. And that leads us right into exactly what we're going to talk about because part of a PLC, a professional learning community, is to be a community. And this really feels like our first chance to talk about what that is as a group community. So put it out to our first grade team. Um, which of our four PLC questions are we going to talk about? There is question one, just to remind people, is what do we want all students to learn? Question two, how will we know they have learned it? Question three, how will we respond when learning has not occurred? Or question four, how will we respond when learning has already occurred?

SPEAKER_01 2:18

So today we're going to be talking about what do we want all students to learn.

SPEAKER_06 2:22

What do we want all students to learn? I'm excited about it. How did you land on that as a collective group here? How did you land that that is the PLC question that we really should start this conversation on?

SPEAKER_01 2:32

Well, interestingly enough, uh recently we had a half day where we worked together as a team in our PLT, and we actually were not going to start with that question. Um, originally we decided that we were going to focus on how we will know that they have learned it. We knew that we had CFAs, common formative assessments coming up that we needed to create, that we needed to agree on how we were gonna give those tests. So we went in with this intention of just focusing on CFAs, but when we actually sat down and tried to make those CFAs, we realized that something was missing. That we needed to dive deeper into the standards and say, okay, well, what is that standard even asking of us and what is it asking of our students? So it kind of became this cycle of, well, okay, we can't make this CFA if we don't know what we want all students to learn. And so it did kind of become a back and forth between what do we want them to learn, how will we know that they've learned it. But we really did do a deeper dive into what do we want those students to learn and targeting the actual verbs in those standards.

SPEAKER_06 3:33

And I love that that's the work you did. And before I get in, we always try to present the research that supports what we're talking about. And before we get into that preponderance of research, can I ask this question within that half day sub? Um, which again, for our listeners, our structure of collaboration is we have a protected amount of time every Wednesday for PLCs, but just to give some context to what we're talking about, Miss Gutierrez, is this you or you are teaching your first and second grade combo? That has its challenge. Miss Mateus, you are a first grade teacher with all first grade students in your and Ms. Tobin, you have kind. And so you have two people bookended within a grade level that have to then collaborate for two grade levels. So we try to, when we can, and and money affords it, um, offer a substitute, a half-day substitute to build in some additional collaboration time, which again, you have your pros and cons, because then you're not in the classroom actually executing the instruction. Okay, but in that moment, Miss Mateus, that you just described, when you came in with a plan, because time is so precious, right? This is what we're gonna do. What did it take to pivot and change and say, oh, I this is what we need, but not really what we need. What we need is back here. Whose voice was that? And was that a challenge?

SPEAKER_01 4:47

I mean, I kind of think it was all of our voices. It was kind of us sitting there going, what is this next step? And us seeming almost a little lost at first of we don't know where to go with this. And then if we don't know where to go, where better than to go than to go directly to the standard, what the state says we should start with. Um, and there was discussions about the fact that we have a K-1 combo on one end, that we have a one-two combo on the other. And that time in our classroom is so precious. So it was well, let's not test them on everything. We have our essential standards, we've already done all of that work. Uh we know our essentials, we know them like the back of our hand, especially for phonics and reading, which was our focus, so that it became okay, but they have half of the amount of time that I do in their class to teach these. So we need to almost triage what are the essentials within the essentials. So that really was us going back to the standards, and we learned that well, we were gonna give spelling tests, like traditional spelling tests, but that's not what the standard for first grade asked. It didn't want encoding, it wanted decoding. So, even though, yes, we're gonna teach them to encode these words with bossy R, with magic E, really what we need to test them on is that decoding. So it allowed us to also give them that kind of grace to say, you know what, this is your essential within the essential. This is what we are all agreeing that the state has said is mandatory, and this is what you have to focus on with your limited time.

SPEAKER_06 6:14

And I think that's beautifully said, and I'm gonna ask a follow-up question, but I want to root us in the research, right? The root is in why that collaboration, that time together is really what it is. And so in the preponderance of research, we always go back to kind of our guide, our learning by doing, the kind of that handbook for all things PLC. And if you're following along and you're on page 18 of that book, it talks about the three big ideas of a PLC: a focus on learning, and then big idea two, a collaborative culture and of and collective responsibility, and then big idea three, a results orientation. And so we're gonna lean into the big idea two, which again, that Richard Smith flow chart that we have in our training, that roots us, but then we also come back to these big ideas. And on there it says working collaboratively is not optional, but instead is an expectation and a requirement of employment. Consequently, the fun fundamental structure of a PLC is the collaborative teams of educators whose members work interdependently to achieve common goals for which members are mutually accountable. These common goals are directly linked to the purpose of learning for all. The team is the engine that drives the PLC effort and the primary building block of the organization. Okay. A lot.

SPEAKER_03 7:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 7:24

What are our thoughts on that?

SPEAKER_03 7:25

Well, I kind of like this because, you know, being a PLC, we do work, we do work hard. And I think what I benefited from this meeting when I met with them was I don't have that time with them because I work during our Wednesday times with second grade. And so having that collaboration with them and actually seeing, you know, the work and the essentials that we've been focusing on and really how this is, you know, working collaborately, you know, we're not working interdependently. I'm not, we're hold, we're held to mutual accountability, which that meeting opened my eyes, like, wow, this is great, this is exciting. I was super excited just seeing these brilliant women, you know, take the essentials and um break it down, and then just each talent that they have in, you know, making these CFAs, um, and taking the materials that we have, our curriculum that we have, and making it accessible for our students, and then you know, working backwards to make these CFAs like we've been doing. So it's just it is true. We're not a one-person team, it's definitely a team. Um if I'm not aware of what's going on, I know where to go because I know they're working on it and I know where to find it, and then just collaborately talking, or if I have questions, I know who to who to talk to because my students need to know what they what their students are knowing and how to assess and what am I doing. How are if my students aren't producing what they're producing, I can go to them and ask what they did so that my kids can catch up or you know be successful.

SPEAKER_06 9:03

Like you find the strategy that that's hitting in one room, and how do you capitalize on it? And I love that what you what you kind of were we're getting around there is, and we've talked about this on other episodes and in in other conversations, is that time to be a follower and the time to be a leader. Each one of you lead in certain elements and you walk into a different conversation, okay, but I'm gonna follow this one because of time constraints or because of um just structures, you know what it looks like. But I do like that you reference, Miss Gutierrez, that phrase mutually accountable. How across, and I'm gonna come to another book, but how across your your grade level, and you talked about Miss Mateus, the essentials of the essential. Like, how have you had the conversation in those limited times of what you are holding each other mutually accountable for? Hey, I can't teach it all, right? We know that there's the essentials, but have you had conversations about this is what we will hold each other mutually accountable for?

SPEAKER_02 9:59

I think we do quite often. Um, what's really nice too, I have to mention, is um Miss Mateus has a um experience in a combo also. So she just understands. And so when Guterres and I come to her, as we we are like, okay, like this is what our students have to know. Like all of our we're they're gonna be tested this way, we're gonna ask the questions this way. And we're so good at being like efficient, like we pop into each other's rooms, like the day like of a CFA, and we're like, we like, like, especially like the three of us, we'll be like, well, first we weren't gonna um tell them the name of the pictures for magic E, but maybe that'll help them. Like, maybe, and then we'll run into the other one's room because we're all connected by a pod, and we'll say, actually, you know what, we're gonna change the way we give that test because I don't think that's really gonna give us a really good understanding of what they can do. They might need that extra scaffolding piece right now because we're so kind of in the beginning of the magic E unit. And so I think we just have this agility to really like create together, but then still modify and find really efficient ways of just even collaborating within like five minutes. Like, I think a lot of times people think, oh, you need a whole hour to collaborate. That's ideal. You need two hours to collab, great, but there's such great collaboration with even in those moments of somebody having an idea, being like, wait, or like one of them might test like earlier in the day, and one of us had to test later in the day. That one will come in and pop into the room and be like, wait, that wasn't good. Like, you know, wait, like for when you guys test, do this. This might be helpful. And we just we're constantly helping each other and we're constantly keeping each other clued in onto um what's going well in our rooms and then what might we need to change as a grade level because something maybe isn't um transferring as well as we thought it would.

SPEAKER_06 11:37

So, can I ask a question? And and maybe, and this is maybe almost more of a an emotional personal question than a structural professional question, but very quickly, and so for people know the three people you're listening to, um, this is their first year on a team together. Worked at the same school for multiple years, but it and but the mutual accountability had is taking place this school year, and so we're seven months in, however long we are. How was that trust built quickly to have the informal collaboration of popping into the room and saying, Hey, this is what I'm doing, your kids did great. How did you teach that really quick? How was that built quickly across you three professionals?

SPEAKER_01 12:19

You know, I think first of all, I just I love both of the women on each side of me. I mean, I I just I respect them so much as educators. And you know, I I had an interesting year last year because I came from third grade and both of my teaching partners were out for the majority of the year on leave. And I I didn't have that PLT time last year. It was really me on an island going, am I doing things correctly? questioning everything. And so then, you know, when I came into the pod with Jessica and um Gutierrez, you know, it really just right away was like, we're gonna help each other. It was just this agreement of, you know, I have your back, you have my back. Exactly. And also I have the backs of your students, and you have the backs of my students. Not my students ours.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

And what's awesome about that too is like when you're going into the other one's room, you're looking out for their students too. You're like, wait, like she'll take a task like like really early, and because I'm in a combo, I can't get there until the afternoon. So when she comes in and goes, wait, like I already looked through the test, and I think that there needs to be an extra scaffolding piece, she's looking for out for my students too. She's not just closing the door and thinking, oh, next time I'm gonna do this. The first thing she does is go into my room and be like, this is a change that we need to make because I want your students to be successful. I'm gonna redo mine tomorrow. But this is something that you need to incorporate because I feel that my class had a harder time with it. And I think that she's looking out for each other's students and that they're all of our students. When we say all students at high levels, it's not just Mrs. Tobin's, it's not just Ms. Mateus, it's not just Miss Gutierrez, is you know, it definitely is like our first grade students. And then it goes even higher to like our whole school. But we start that with making it, these are our our first grade students, and we're all making sure that all of our first grade students are successful. Like when you mentioned earlier, like, you know, are my students learning the same? Are they demonstrating the same? We're constantly making sure that our three classes are on the same page and that our students are still demonstrating the same understanding.

SPEAKER_03 14:12

And I also um I'm gonna add, you know, we've worked together in different grade levels, but at the same time, I know we're professionals. Um, I trust them. I've seen how they taught their previous years, and so just knowing that we're in it for the best of the best for our students, it was it's just easy. They've been open to teach, to help, to support. So working with these girls has never really there's never really been a hiccup. Like I just know they're gonna be there. And I that's what I love about our school is that I think we all have that common, like, we're gonna do what's best for our students. And so coming into this combo and working with these girls, even though I've never taught with them in a team, it was just easy because they're just so welcoming and you know open for what's best.

SPEAKER_06 14:57

And and I wanna I wanna chime in on that and say, absolutely, it's a you know, you're you're the the Carol Dweck work of fixed mindset and growth mindset and what looks like. I mean, the collective growth mindset. We are at a school. I don't know. We're they're at a school, things happen, you might hear some background noise. I thought that was me humming. I don't know. But um you you might that that growth mindset, and it I'm gonna get to another point of research here from the book, but I want to bring up a moment that maybe you don't remember, Miss Gutierrez. But um, a little over two years ago, when we were identified by the state of California, and it's been mentioned on this on this podcast about the comprehensive in need of a school in need of comprehensive support and improvement, we had a big meeting as a staff of like identifying, first of all, what does this label even mean? What does it come with? Our superintendent was at the meeting, and there was some stunned faces, you know. There, there's that moment of like, because teaching is so emotional, of like, okay, what is it? And you were the voice that I think set the growth mindset element in the room. You were the voice that did that said what everybody wanted to say, but was a little nervous. And you're gonna be like, What are you gonna say? And I might misquote you, but my interpretation of what you said was you kind of voiced a little bit of like, oh, it's hard. It's hard sometimes that it's Canyon Springs. You know, I've been here a long time, it's hard this time, but what do we do next? Like, what is the sort and what do we do? And so you voiced at the time, uh, there's some pain in this teaching's emotional, but we're not done. So what do we do? Yeah, I don't need you to define that moment. I just need to publicly tell you, I think that set the tone for growth mindset from that minute.

SPEAKER_03 16:29

Well, yeah, we kind of have to. We can't we can't just quit, like, oh great, be defeated. We have to move on, right? And that's what a good teacher, that's what a good staff does. And you know, I think that's part of this whole PLC process is you know, what are we gonna do to move on to the next better step, not go back, but go forward, right? Absolutely that's a growth mindset for sure. But yeah, I remember that, Dave.

SPEAKER_06 16:51

Yeah, and but again, I would go back to it. Okay, so I want to go to our next piece of research. So you have it in front of you. It is from a book called Help Your Team with multiple, multiple authors. There's a forward by forward by Mike Mattis, but it's called Help Your Team, overcoming common collaborative challenges in a PLC at work. There's a link to it in the pod in the podcast information. But on page 20, it says this um to establish a foundation for effective teamwork, team members must ensure that they work interdependently to achieve common goals for which they are mutually accountable. A repeat of the research we just said. But it goes on to say this teams are more than a loose collection of people assembled to have conversations about their students or curriculum. They must center the common goals they establish on ensuring high levels of learning for all students and achieve them through routine analysis of the four critical questions for learning. And I want to go back and I want you to go deeper on what you were talking about with how quickly that came. How three loose individuals, yes, you worked at the same school, and we're not a giant school. You know, you hear about some schools that have staffs of 50 or 60. We're not. We're like 25 strong, right? But a loose collection of individuals became a team. And again, I maybe I'm just asking you to repeat yourselves because I like things to be repeated to solidify. Redundancy is our friend. I still am impressed that three loose individual, you know, loosely tied individuals. We're tied because we work at Canyon Springs, are now so in step instructionally for students within seven months.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

Um I I do think that part of that is because I I do know all of us, and we do believe so strongly in that they are not my students, that they are our students, and not even just the first graders. I mean, I I would say that about the second and the kindergartners. And when I set a goal for my students, it's not for my students, it's for all of our students. It's I'm not setting, you know, uh an expectation just for Miss Mateus's class. I'm setting it for Miss Tobin's class, and I'm setting it for Miss Gutierrez's class as well. And I think that because we all have that, that same level of rigor and those same expectations for our students, and that we're all allowed to align our teaching practices and our expectations, it helps us create things more fluidly. Um, it helps us plan better together because we are now all just so aligned with what we want our students to do. And at the end of the day, that makes our planning easier because I know that I can go to either of them. They can give me exactly what I need help with. I don't need to question it. And then they know that they can come to me as well for that same, same level of help.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

And it helps when you have that commonality too, like with just wanting the best for students. And I think it also helps because we are just supportive to each other as a team. We love to make ourselves laugh, like we have fun. I have to add that aspect. Um, it's not all just serious and planning. We have so much fun. And I did quote Miss Couter's on a podcast I know she'll be listening to soon. Um, but I did say one of my favorite moments um, you know, is that when I mentioned in my previous podcast, and I just love it because you're here now, so you can listen to it and comment on it. Um, but what I love is that the three of us, our personality is already fun. We already just jabble and we got lucky that way. It can be grown and established, but for us it's pretty seamless. But one of my favorite moments with you was um because her and I are always, Miss Matthias and I were always together, but we had the treat of having you two ourselves for the PLT. And what one of my favorite moments with you was when we were cre um, Miss Matthias was designing the CFA. And after we discussed what it was gonna look like, how we were gonna administer it, what mastery level we wanted from it, um, when we were making it, you were watching her like placing all the visuals and the images of ABC. And I'm used to this because I see her do it all the time because we just have naturally that more time together. And you are watching it, and she was just like, Oh my gosh, this is great. She goes, This is so much fun. And then at the end, and she she said, Can we make more? Can we make 10 more CFAs? And I think you realize how fun this was, and it was just to see you light up and have so much fun with it. That is why I think we enjoy what we do so much, is because we have that. But and and it's fun when you're able to really put your minds together and have that personality.

SPEAKER_03 21:03

Well, I have to say, I I was floored when I walked in. Like I was thinking, this is great. I'm just gonna meet with them, we're gonna talk and we're gonna get stuff done. And so I knew stuff was gonna get done. But when I saw you two get to it, I was like, Tobin was doing ladders, and she was on there, and I was looking at her screen, I'm like floored because she's got bears and like in outer space with this magical, you know, writing on it, and I and just and I was just like, oh my gosh, like you are magical. And then I see Mateus that's just taking out, dishing out these like pictures and making boxes, making the CFAs cute, which is like always TPT. I know wait a second, this is my team, these are the people I work with. Like I was just so amazed because the talent that we have is here, and just being given the time and opportunity to do it together, like you know, I was just trying to be like. I don't know how I'm gonna help, but you know, I was helping and we were working, and I was so excited because we had a groove going, like we didn't want to stop, we didn't have to take a break, like we just and we had a good time doing it and all for the you know for the students and you know seeing what was successful. So that was just great time. I was I was mes mesmerized by their talent and just you know, it's it's great time.

SPEAKER_02 22:22

And you are talented too, by the way. Because you were like, Tobin, what can I do to help you? Mm-hmm. She was like kind of helping the both of us at the same time.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

It's the only time I can. I want to point out too, all three of us were very sick that day.

SPEAKER_06 22:34

Oh, I do want to I do want to say this publicly. The first time I walked, and if you're listening and you're kind of getting a vibe, and I'm gonna ask a follow-up question about this, but there is a there's a lightheartedness. Like we take our job seriously, we believe in this, but they also treat each other with lightheartedness. We want to joke around. When I walked into the room with a collaboration that morning, it was a winter morning, people were not feeling good. When I walked through a couple hours later, spirits were up, energy was up, and we were excited. And so I I but I want to get to this because we've heard the we've heard the phrase collaboration, right? And three three friends that have gelled so seamlessly, clicked so well, and you hear a little bit of the banter back and forth, who have that banter at lunchtime, have that banter in the hall. We don't really have hallways. I don't know why I said hallways between pods, right? Who have that? How have you found the click into efficiency to say this is the time for this? We'll save that talk for 45 minutes from now. Like, how have you done that?

SPEAKER_02 23:33

I don't think we ever have the problem, to be honest. I don't want to make it even seem more seamless. Way to teach people. I wish I had a how to. Um, but I think with the three of us, we've never had that problem. We say, hi, how are you? We give hugs, and we're like, all right, what are we doing? And we dive right in. And I think because that's just an enjoyable process already, um, that we can't wait to dive in. Also, too, we don't, that time is so precious to us. And when we have combos, I think um, as a teacher, you almost even just become more efficient in your craft and your conversation because she has to meet with two grade levels. I have to meet, so I don't have time for that collaboration, to be honest. Neither does she, and neither does Miss Um Mateus. So I think already that's kind of ingrained of like this, we've got only two hours, we have so much we want to do together, um, and we just tackle it. There's never collaboration, I think. And and I guess some teams might have to kind of redirect themselves if that does happen. Um, I've been in meetings, you know, in bigger meetings where that needed to happen. But with the three of us in particular, I just feel that we just get in there and we just start, and I don't I don't think we have that problem.

SPEAKER_03 24:37

I think our time is so limited. Sorry, I know our time is so limited that we just get right into it. Like, hey, this is the next unit we're on, but we only have a certain amount of time to talk about it and we just kind of dig into it.

SPEAKER_01 24:48

So I think too though, I think our collaboration is just so fun and just so upbeat and so positive. I just I don't even feel like we need the collaboration. I I feel like almost our actual work and us diving into it is our collaboration. Yeah, I'm with that already. Yeah, we're having so much fun. I think we love what we do so much and we're just so excited about it that the other stuff doesn't, it just doesn't even there's a gift, there's a gift in caring about what you do for it.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

And can it also be because it's first grade? I mean, you know, I love primary. I think there's so much fun in primary.

SPEAKER_06 25:21

But I'm going on record as saying somebody who is married to a first grade teacher, the son of a first grade teacher. I will publicly say, I think first grade is the hardest grade to teach, from where you where they enter to where they have to exit. Yeah, expectation for wild expectations. And if they're not there, the foundational reading, the foundational number sense, like it sets up struggle. And so um it it it it's warming and amazing to hear the passion about it and the excitement for something that is absolutely a challenge. I mean, it it's absolutely just difficult. Well, I know maybe you don't love it. Maybe we don't love it as much anymore.

SPEAKER_03 25:59

It's true. Like, yeah, it is a it's a it's a it's an intense grade level that you're teaching them so much. It is, you know, this is why I taught fourth grade. All fourth grade teachers, I'm just joking.

SPEAKER_06 26:08

I love you all. It's my favorite grade to teach.

SPEAKER_02 26:10

So I'm just and for the recognition, we have the longest ELA budget too. Like everyone's shocked. They're like multiple pages, but that is how many technical reading skills. And not only that, but we have to make sure exactly, and we have to make sure that they are le um kind of reaching a certain level of mastery because we've got to get to the next thing. Like we can't just spend a lot of time on one concept. So there's a sense of urgency um and efficiency that you must have, especially in the grade level. And it is challenging, but it becomes less of a challenge when you have people like this that you work with.

SPEAKER_01 26:40

I think I think too, because this is my first year in first grade. I remember I think it was the first week of teaching. Um, and I walked into Jessica's room with some work samples and was like, you need me to do what with them by the end of the year. And it just seemed like this this unattainable task. Like it was like, oh, this is gonna be a long year, but because we've done so much work and we've set so many expectations, and I think just because we've broken down those standards so much, it doesn't seem like that anymore. Everything seems attainable. We've done the work to make the impossible seem possible.

SPEAKER_02 27:11

And it's so funny that you say that because you're the one that goes into my room, okay, magic key's next. What are we doing? Like you were daunted the first day, but she's the one where meets coutures and they're like, oh yeah, that's right. Like, we gotta like really get ahead on this. And yes, and so I know we're the combos, but still she's the one that spearheads a lot. Like, I know this is coming. Do you have things that I can use? Should we figure some resources together? She's she's always on top of it, and that's funny that you say that because now you're like the driving force and making sure that you know our upcoming unit is prepared for.

SPEAKER_06 27:41

I want to go back to something, Miss Mateus, that you said in the beginning, like finding the essentials of the essentials. And uh, and then go back to a moment that we had in a meeting, Miss Tobin, where one of the one of the coaching days that Paul Maker had here on um campus at Canyon Springs earlier in the school year, um, when people, you know, listen, the first month or two of teaching a combination classroom, you're you're you're trying to figure out your schedule. Like, how do how do I get tier one to both? How do I get tier two to both? What does collaboration look like? This is our first year with the new Wednesday structure of of negotiated time that we have. So really there was so much to grapple with, just as there is at the start of every school year. And you being such a student, Miss Tobin, of Polymaker's work and our time together and what what the tier tier one to tier two to tier three, the interventions look like, you you had some moments of like, okay, I don't know how to fit this in. And I remember being, I think it was room 28, right? If you're at Canyon Springs room 28, it was in there. Um they had just built the new bathrooms in there. And um she was kind of mapping out the concept of uh when you have a straight grade, like Miss Mateus is teaching, and then combo grades, the only thing that you really can agree to have in common are the essentials. And that took some pills to swallow a little bit in that it meant, Miss Tobin, you had to release more. Like, I won't get to those non-essentials. And as a as a teacher of a straight grade, then you got you heard but I'm gonna be teaching something different, like different than my other colleagues. Where are we at now with those concepts? And was that freeing? Was it was it a burden? Where what was the process we had to take to hear that information? And then now, as I observe, it's in practice.

SPEAKER_02 29:23

I think it was a big moment. I think because with the combo, this is I know that Miss Couchers has experience with combos. I did not. Um, so I was just trying to hold on to that traditional structure that I'm used to. Um, the one that perfectly follows our master schedule, tier one, tier two, ELA, math, tier one, tier two, and then the afternoon we call our purple. Um, I was so used to that. And in the beginning of the year, I said, How can I replicate this for two grade levels simultaneously all day? And I have to be honest, it was I was burning myself out in the beginning of the year, and I was getting frustrated because I was trying to hold on to everything that I wanted to do, but realistically, it just was a different picture. So when um Paula Maker came, I think it was probably my hardest week too, because I was just like so struggling. I was struggling not so much at the teaching part, but just making sure that I was doing everything I wanted for both grade levels at the same time. And so when she said um that, you know, it's just gonna look different in combo classes, you just have to find out what is most important, like in the essentials, what are the most essential that they're gonna be successful in in the next grade level? And I feel like it was very freeing because she even looked at me and said, you have to allow yourself the grace and the freedom to know that it's just gonna be a little different. We're still teaching to the ultimate capacity that we possibly can, but just focusing on what is that most essential. And I think it was very freeing. And then, you know, I think I even went to a couple combo teachers. I'm like, you guys, I have good news. We're free, you know. And then we're free. Here's the way the permission. Permission.

SPEAKER_06 30:59

It is, and again, I want to just say it out there for listeners. As someone who tracks the data of our school and observes it, the student learning within our combo classes is flying. That that there's no whether you're a first grade student in a one-two or a first grade student in a K1 or the first grade student in Ms. Mateza's straight grade, we're gaining mastery in our essentials in all three settings. So it's an interesting thing that the structure of it speaks to your commitment to align and hold mutually accountable on those essentials, that academically our first graders are meeting expectations, and that will change the trajectory of the school as the foundational reading is strong. And so, in no way is any student in any in any one of your three grades level, in any one of your three classes lacking. There's no lacking there. It's just what it created was the struggle was hey, we want to we want to collaborate all the time, but I have to split myself. And I think that moment of being free and freeing is is great to hear.

SPEAKER_02 31:56

And freedom too in the master schedule, also, because we had a standard blueprint that everybody was following, and I was really trying to figure out how that um, you know, fit into what a structure of a combo. And I think um it was a mixture of Paul Maker, but also you too, where you said, you know, if you can't do the tier two until the afternoon, like so be it that that's what happens, but they're still getting that tier one, they're still getting that tier two. So never has it been um compromising or anything. It's just how can I fit all of this in my day? Because what we picked was most essential is happening in our tier one, but they're still needing support in that in the tier two. That can't go away in a combo, like they still need that. Um, but then you know, kind of the purple stuff kind of fell to the side, right? The the more of the things that were nice to know or good to know. And I think it kept us really efficient, but it allowed us the freedom to actually really focus on what was important and have that more of our time versus feeling like we needed to be all over the place, everywhere, and all of the standards. It really gave us a focal point, I think, um, which allowed us to kind of breathe easier, um, got us kind of back on track, and the kids the students are doing great. Uh, there's never been a loss of learning of anything. I think they've almost accelerated, at least in my room, they're they're I mean, they're doing incredible. And I think that's just because it really forced us to pay more attention to what truly is essential.

SPEAKER_06 33:14

When it goes back to what I think when Mateus was saying in the beginning was that meeting, which again is not the only time that first grade has met together. It just was a pivotal time. And most recent. It was the most recent, and it was a very pivotal call uh collaboration meeting where you thought you were going in one place, but then really when it came back to was let's define the learning, let's set the expectations and root ourselves again, and and have I compliment all three of you for having the strength to do that, to not say we're gonna push through with some shallowness, you know, we're gonna we're gonna do this, we're gonna go deeper and really live that less but better.

SPEAKER_04 33:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 33:52

Yeah. Okay. So we're I don't want to take much more of your time, but Miss Gutierrez, um, I have a surprise for you, and I've been hyping the surprise up, and it's hold on, I've I've been done this on a couple other podcasts, and um, so we have I think I'm suspicious that you know what it is because she's always wanted a school with something. We yeah, no. Oh, it's when we were named. Yeah, it's true. Another great Miss Gutierrez, another great Miss Gutierrez quote. When just for the public, when we were awarded back in January, uh just a couple months ago, um, that we'd applied for and were granted the the namesake of this podcast, uh a model PLC promising practices school, uh, it comes with a flag for those of you who haven't heard of it. And Miss Gutierrez loudly announced, oh, that's fantastic. I've always wanted to work in a flag school. And it's gonna be a minute because I didn't understand it. But no, no. Ms. Gutierrez, I my office where I sit here, um, after the Super Bowl, I heard you say how excited you were for the Bad Bunny um halftime show and how much you loved it. And I thought, so exciting. So we have an AI music DJ. And he has been making new theme songs um for our podcast. Okay. And uh I said, well, I have a guest coming on who loves Bad Bunny, so we put into our AI music maker um what we need, and he said, and it and told AI, pretend bad bunny made it. So world premiere, here we go.

SPEAKER_00 35:11

This is amazing. Contenido duro, papa sala Tien un nombre que es super pelamos, pero te son igual de hermoso. Ay, ay, ay, es el poquete from promising practices. Pero te repetirá para que aprendas si quieres escuchar con mecharte con la pa'lante con el proceso peligro que yo encontré. Wow.

SPEAKER_06 36:08

Okay, feedback for an AI music DJ.

SPEAKER_02 36:10

I didn't understand a word. I love that, but it also my daughter's a huge fan of this is AI is like. Oh, and AI did it. AI, yeah, too.

SPEAKER_06 36:22

That's yeah, and I nailed it. Um we're not disposing AI does everything. But this is our if you've listened to other previous episodes, you'll hear uh other versions of our theme song. Though it's a little long, and that's the joke because our title of our podcast isn't credibly.

SPEAKER_03 36:37

Tell us what it said. Well, if it's anything like that, but it's very hard to understand what Bedanks are. I can tell you exactly what it said.

SPEAKER_06 36:44

When you listen to Mallory Langley's episode, uh there, this is after the fact, so I can say it. Um, they played it as if Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande sang it because she has a Justin Bieber um cardboard cut out. And then we first premiered this on Cami Sunday's episode because Cami Sunday, and I'm saying this anecdote again, I'm sorry if you've heard it. Cammy Sunday really makes me laugh that when we look at training dates or when we can have meetings, she pulls out her calendar to make sure she is not going to a concert that day. And so we played already. We played, I think it was like a ska punk rock, you know, type rock one. But again, we just wanted to play that for you, Miss Gutierrez, to celebrate your love for Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl halftime show. Um, so I want to thank you all for being here. I want to not only thank you for being here today to talk about it, but I want to thank you for having something to talk about because you're doing the work that is that is driving an entire grade level of collective responsibility, holding yourselves and our students mutually accountable to meet the mastery and proficiency of our essential standards. And I do go on record by saying first grade is the hardest grade, and it is sets the trajectory for schools because realistically, and and second grade solidifies that work, but we need them all reading by second grade and it by the end of second grade, and the foundation starts in K and one, and the work you three are doing is amazing. So thank you.

SPEAKER_03 38:00

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 38:01

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_06 38:02

Absolutely. Now turn to your PLT for the next steps on your PLC at work journey, and we'll see you out there. You can find more information about this week's episode in the podcast description. The intro and outro music provided courtesy of the Signors of Marseille, and podcast cover art provided care of Joel B.