You have been provided expectations by your district including connecting with students to check on their well-being, engaging students in learning, and providing alternative learning activities for the remainder of the school year. While all of these are important, remember that the health and well-being of your students should be at the forefront of your mind during this difficult time. Connecting with students and showing that you care about them and their families can make a world of difference.
As you and your colleagues begin to implement your plans to stay connected with students and engage them in learning, you might consider using the IPOF model to track the implementation of district expectations as a building team. We have created an example of how one district, Pleasant Valley Public Schools, includes principals, classroom teachers, interventionists, special education teachers, and support team members working together to monitor the implementation of the Continuity of Learning Plan. You may not all be in the same building right now but you are on the same team working to support your students at home.
In the Pleasant Valley Public Schools Student Engagement example below, the first table shows the Input, Process, and Output originally planned and the second table includes the Feedback, consisting of both the data collected and the decisions made, to adjust the processes based on the analysis of the data collected during the first two weeks of implementation.
As you read through this example, what did you notice? You may have noticed:
- The simplicity of this plan. It’s not a 20-page document with every little detail explained.
- The processes are around adult actions defined by roles.
- The output goals are measurable and short term.
- The data was collected and monitored for each defined output.
- Pleasant Valley Public Schools monitored their plan and used the information collected to identify additional steps that would move them closer to their desired results.
What wonderings did you have? You may have wondered:
- Who tracks this progress and collects the data?
- What will the next iteration’s data show based on this iteration’s feedback?
- How many small system cycles will a district or school have at one time?
Using the Small Systems Cycle (IPOF model) to monitor provides you with the opportunity to make the needed adjustments quickly based on the data you collect. This will help you stay on top of any issues that arise and allows you to provide needed support to students and families as quickly as possible. Checking in on the well-being of your students and engaging them in learning is vital during this time. As you and your colleagues work together to stay connected and provide learning experiences for students, be prepared to adjust as you go. This is new territory for everyone, we all have lots to learn.
“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.”
~ Peter Drucker
