Balancing Act: Prioritizing myFolio in a Hectic Role

Learn how Phoenix Country Day School shifted their professional development model from an evaluation system to a 3 year Growth and Renewal Cycle by leveraging collaboration, myFolio, and teacher strengths.

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Introductions
The Balancing Act: Faculty Perspective
The Balancing Act: Administrative Perspective
Live Q and A
Slide Deck
Session Recording

Introductions

(transcript edited for clarity)

I'm Melissa Fast, Head of School Success at Folio. When I worked in schools, one of the biggest barriers that we had related to prioritizing professional growth was all of the “things” that we had going on in a school day. Time ended up becoming the biggest barrier that most of the schools that I worked with experienced.

Hello, my name is Curtis Fee and I'm head of lower school at Phoenix Country Day School. And I think probably the biggest barrier is the tyranny of the urgent. So just the things that are happening day in, day out that need immediate attention and or other deadlines that come through the season of a school year where things that are important can get put on the back burner.

I'm Kelli Newsome. I am a lower school teacher at Phoenix Country Day School with Curtis. He's my head. I also hold the role of the myFolio admin at our school.

KAREN: Hi, I'm Karen Coffelt. I am the director of teaching and learning at Antilles School on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and I've been part of Folio for quite a while now. Professional development has to be on the schedule and the teachers have to be given time in a meeting or professional development or what you want them to do is not going to get done.

MELISSA: Curtis and Kelli have agreed to share their experiences at Phoenix Country Day School. We’ll have time to talk about any questions related to what they've shared and provide some time for reflection and conversation.

KELLI: Thanks Melissa. So we've been given the topic of the balancing act which is prioritizing myFolio in a hectic role. Curtis and I have the privilege of working together. I am one of the faculty members and he is our division head so we're definitely coming into this with two different perspectives and viewpoints which is very important in working in a school setting.

I'm a teacher, but I'm also the myFolio admin at our school. I have that role because I help head up a group called the Teaching Advocacy Group which is essentially a group of master teachers. Our job at the school is to dream a little bit in terms of what teachers can do and how we can do it better at PCDS and also implement as many systems as we can that will help us be the best that we can be. Folio became a part of that in 2018 when we joined.

CURTIS: I have been Head of Lower School at Phoenix Country Day since 2020, so I'm in my fifth year at this school and in this role. I've been working closely with Kelli as we implemented and engineered our growth and renewal program.

The Balancing Act: Faculty

KELLI: A huge part of the balancing act is we’ve shifted our focus from an evaluation system to the value being in growth and renewal. We developed a framework using myFolio as the tool to keep the systems accountable and us all using the same software and able to communicate the same messages throughout the expectations of the framework.

We launched that last year after a few years of development and it truly was a separation of evaluation that put the focus on growth and renewal. The system that we created was developed by faculty from our Teaching Advocacy Group (TAG) which is completely composed of teachers from all the different divisions.

Our goal was to create an evaluation system that was more meaningful to us as teachers and actually supported the work we want and get to do at PCDS rather than checking the boxes off like an evaluation system.

There was a huge shift in our culture in the communication of that message. This is a visual of how we as a school collaborate together and make connections.

Balancing Act_ Prioritizing myFolio in a Hectic Role PCDS Growth and Renewal Cycle Our growth and renewal cycle is broken up into three separate years. Faculty spend a year in each part of the [3-year] cycle. One cycle is led by our division head, another one you choose a peer partner to work with and then another year you work directly with your department chair. So the heavy load does not necessarily lie on the admin - it's divided up amongst everybody. The goal is that we want to collaborate with each other and we want to connect with each other.

One aspect of PCDS that we wanted to hang on to is that we have a faculty that really enjoys being together and talking to each other. We respect and value the work that we do and wanted to keep that at the forefront in what we did.

As a teacher, using myFolio within our growth and renewal process does these things:

It helps us be seen
It helps us be heard
It helps us be valued
It helps us be challenged

Balancing Act_ Prioritizing myFolio in a Hectic Role Teacher Balancing Act

Admin have a very hectic role and teachers really appreciate feedback, they just don't always get it regularly due to the time constraints of a single person.

myFolio allows us to share things on the platform that we want and we need our heads to see. So if a peer is observing us and they create an observation note, Curtis gets to see that and he gets to comment on that. He's directly connected to what we're [teachers] are doing even though he is not physically in the room.

We challenge ourselves. We try really hard as a faculty to encourage growth-related goals - goals that take risks and goals that aren't always successful. We have communicated as a school that that is the type of innovation and experimentation that we value here. It's our second year into our new growth and renewal process and our teachers are loving it.

“Prior to PCDS, being observed never felt purposeful. What I like about this Growth and Renewal process is that it's tied to meaningful goals that I care about for my growth and the growth of the students.”

-PCDS teacher

The Balancing Act: Administration

CURTIS: From an administration standpoint I really don't look at myFolio as a burden. Things that are efficient, effective and meaningful aren't burdens or extra. And so our growth and renewal program energizes teachers to do things that help them stretch beyond their comfort zone.

I express [to the teachers] that I'm not a bit interested in seeing them teach a lesson they've done 20 times and that they can do with their eyes closed for the sake of checking off boxes and they aren't interested in that either. They get to choose what that growth area is for them. When I say growth area it's not like it's working on a deficiency - it can be maximizing a strength that they have.

That gives the teachers a lot of choice and latitude and makes it really fun for me to be able to support them and see them actively in the classroom - learning, growing, stretching, reaching and coming alongside to support them rather than ‘evaluate’ them.

[Our growth and renewal process] divided up so I [as division head] see all of the teachers once every three years. There’s a third of the faculty I work with intensively and that's always teachers that are new to PCDS. Any new to PCDS teachers are automatically in that cycle and I need to be in their classrooms observing anyway.

So again, it's not a burden, it's not an extra - it's built into the structure of myFolio. For me to do it every year I just feel like I'm saying the same things like, “yeah yeah that was really good and these are some things for you to consider.”

Having this rotation gives [teachers] different lenses and different feedback along a different kind of hierarchical structure. We're not really in a hierarchy but I can't divorce myself from the position. When the supervisor comes in there's always that sense of latent evaluation present. But [teachers are] able to cycle through other people who are truly peer observers.

The Teaching Advocacy Group [master teachers] are doing observations for another third of the faculty. It is fantastic because [experienced teachers] are able to very clearly describe what they're seeing in the classrooms in a way that I can just close my eyes and picture exactly what is taking place. They're describing a lesson with a group of students and teachers that I know and offering really great feedback - probably better feedback than I would be able to offer myself - and then I'm able to comment on that.

Rather than spending three hours in a pre-meeting, observation, and post-observation conversation, in about 15 minutes I'm able to read the comments and add on with, “oh that sounds like such a great lesson! Kelli's offered some really great suggestions here. I look forward to hearing more about X, Y, and Z.”

It's a way to show the value of being seen and heard even though I was never in the classroom. I was able to see what was taking place and [the teacher is] hearing from me and knows that I'm paying attention and contributing to the conversation in a way that is really efficient and effective.

Balancing Act_ Prioritizing myFolio in a Hectic Role Admin Balancing Act

For the balancing act, I think it's a matter of seeing the usefulness and efficiency of [myFolio]. It is not something at all that I'm adding on - it's actually making my life easier in a lot of different ways.

Folio_ColoronTrans_Icon

We also use Spotlights. At the beginning of every faculty meeting we spend three minutes on Folio. We start promptly at 3:30 so at 3:33 we transition. [Faculty] either write a Spotlight, contribute to the Community Feed, or do a Mindful Minute. I populate those spotlights in our faculty newsletter for general consumption. It's a way to magnify that spotlight beyond the individual person that's receiving the recognition. This makes it easier for me because it is teachers sharing with teachers things that they appreciate. I’m just capturing and magnifying it to a broader audience.

“As a supervisor, I glean so much from the comments. For example, I can read what teachers are passionate about and/or struggling with and offer feedback so that, along with my routine classroom pop-ins, I'm able to have a great pulse on our community.”

-PCDS Division Head

KELLI: When we were creating this framework, a huge ask was a commitment specifically from our heads. We have three heads - lower school, middle school, and upper school because we're pre-k through 12. Asking for full admin buy-in to really commit to using myFolio consistently and as a connection piece, making sure the messages were very clear and consistent - essentially everything you would be asking the teacher to do in a classroom. We were making sure that as the Teaching Advocacy Group was launching the growth renewal framework that we had as much admin buy-in as we did teacher buy-in.

myFolio PCDS Leadership Expectations

PCDS myFolio Leadership Expectations

Live Q and A

What resonates with you after hearing that?

KAREN: I love this. We have been trying to figure out a way to make things easier for admin and I like how you have it divided into thirds because we have too many people in admin trying to get into everybody's classroom all the time.

The observer fills out the observation note and that goes to the teacher that was just observed and the observer and then you as their supervisor can also see it? Then you jump in and type something too?

CURTIS: Kelli sets up all of our permissions for us and I have permissions for all of the lower school faculty. So when any note is entered, I receive that to my email. It comes to my inbox and then I'm able to find some time to tag in on those observation notes and I'll just go down to the comments. When I make a comment, it's about two to three sentences.

Do you have a certain format that you're using when you're observing to try to keep that consistent?

KELLI: Yes - part of the goal was to make this a very clear system for everybody to use, especially across three different divisions. We wanted to make sure that everybody knew that everyone was doing the same thing and everyone was being communicated the same messages and expectations.We have one observation form in our templates that everyone uses. Curtis uses that as admin, peers use it with each other and department chairs use it with the people that they're observing.Everyone has the same protocol in terms of having a pre-observation conversation or email. The first [conversation] is always in person and then later in the year can be over email. The observer types up the notes and then there's some reflection questions that the person being observed answers in the comment back. Then Curtis or the supervisor for that division can see all of that and engage with it - usually with a comment, sometimes with a question asking a little bit more, or a consideration.Then there's that post-observation conversation, which essentially is, “you're amazing, this is great, how can I help you? What else can we do?” Everyone across the board is doing the same thing.

How many times a year do you observe and comment on your group of people?

KELLI: The way we have the framework set up is that we have two observations or more if needed - usually have one at the beginning and one at the end of the year. Obviously, if people need an exception, they can ask for that because we want to make sure that people are feeling that they are able to be observed with the work that they want observed - when they're trying something new. We're not doing the surprise I'm coming in. The pre-observation conversation is more like, “hey, I'm trying this. I'm not quite sure how it's going to go. I think it's going to go this way.”That may or may not fall into whatever deadlines we have so we do provide a little bit of wiggle room with admin permission. Some peers end up being in each other's classrooms four, five, six times a year because they really are partnering together and enjoying the collaboration.

With peer observations, how do you handle a teacher being out of a classroom to go watch another teacher?

KELLI: In the lower school, we are lucky enough to work in team teaching situations where there's two teachers in every classroom so we're able to support one another if we need to step out into another class. But for the other divisions, people do ask for help. For example, “hey, I need to make this happen. Can a department chair come in or someone from the same grade level?” We're all really understanding of the work that we're asking people to do and that we get to do. 90% of the teachers (that might not be the right percentage, I’m being a bit conservative) really enjoy this work. Last year, it was a learning curve for them and beginning to trust the process - that this was truly about them and growth. But this year, like it's been amazing to see the excitement. It can be tricky, but we help each other.

KELLI: We provide as much time as possible scheduled during division meetings [for teachers to] catch up on growth and renewal work or have conversations. We have those work periods scheduled throughout the year within [regular] meeting times so that we are giving teachers that time.

CURTIS: Those are established the spring before and so they're already placeholders across every division. It's about five or six division meetings. Not all of them are the full time - sometimes we just need 20 minutes.

With those slotted prior to the beginning of the year, each division then fills in around that knowing that those are rocks in our faculty meetings for the year.

MELISSA: That pre-planning makes it like this is where we're going to lock in our time and you have to work around it. Doing it ahead of time also shows that it's a priority to you.

CURTIS: Doing it six or seven months ahead of time means that Kelli Newsome isn’t in charge and involved.

KELLI: With the planning ahead, we have an overview document with the [entire growth and renewal schedule] that is shared with faculty so they know when that's happening too.

How do you handle difficult conversations?

KELLI: For the peer to peer, they get to choose their partner. Partners are chosen with admin approval and essentially, it’s what we would tell students in a classroom. Choose someone that's going to support you and encourage you and challenge you, maybe has the same interests, not necessarily your best friend. This one might be a little bit gray, depending on the people and their comfort level within the department.[Members of] TAG and department chairs have been given support in having difficult conversations. Some of the divisions have read Thanks for the Feedback. We've pulled information from that and shared it with the entire faculty about ways to handle those conversations. A lot of it comes out in asking questions and wondering. For example, “I noticed that so and so was up the entire time. Can you tell me more about that?” Framing things in a question format disarms people who are feeling defensive. You're just stating the fact and then asking a question. But it is an ongoing thing that we need to continue to improve upon because no situation is the same ever. We have different times during the year where the faculty lead professional development workshops and one of the fall workshops was developed specifically with that in mind.Things like what do I ask for when I have someone coming to observe? How do I offer feedback? It wasn't a presenter telling people what to do, but was small groups working together and coming up with ideas on what [difficult conversations] would look like and how that would feel for them as a faculty. We shared all of that information with everybody.

After the first year, do teachers get to pick whether they go to the peer [cycle group] or the [department chair cycle group]?

CURTIS: [The cycle groups] go admin, department heads group and then the peer group. But we don't want the tool to dictate to us what needs to be done, so we're able to move people to a different cycle group or repeat a cycle if they need to at our discretion. We want [myFolio] to be usable for us - to have some clarity and some structure, but also the flexibility to serve our needs well. This year I prioritized some of the [admin group] cycle [teachers] and I asked other teachers to do a peer [group cycle] again. They agreed, so it’ll be four years before I [observe] them [directly]. But I knew who to ask and that it wasn't going to be a problem.

Do you have a goal meeting or an end of the year reflection meeting with every teacher or just the people in your [cycle] group?

CURTIS: I do not. But again, I think this is the part of where myFolio is so helpful because I weigh in on everybody's goals and I weigh in on everybody's year end reflections. And so I don’t meet with them but I am seeing the comments and weighing in on them and even modifying them. So again, in terms of efficiency and productivity, [myFolio is] a huge boon and really has saved me a lot of time because I'm not meeting one on one with every teacher at the beginning and the end of the year, but I still feel very connected to what it is that they're doing.

KELLI: We have a goal meeting set at the beginning of the year during a division meeting where teachers meet with each other, write their goal meeting note for themselves, and then the division head comments.

There's also a set division meeting time where teachers have the opportunity to meet and chat and then write their own year end summary note. Same for the mid cycle. So the burden of the note writing is put on the owner of the note and who it’s about, not necessarily admin writing that note for the faculty.

KAREN: I like that. It just sounds like it's so much more efficient than the division heads trying to hold goal meetings, observe, and write notes with everybody because they don't have time to get to anything else.

KELLI: We know that we're getting what's left. The divided attention, it's hard. We understand that.

MELISSA: It also provides for really good conversation among colleagues that are interacting with students on an everyday basis, teacher to teacher. I can tell just by listening to Curtis that he walks the walk and talks the talk in terms of putting the comments in there.

Being a former teacher, if I was able to sit down with Kelli as a teacher and have that conversation around my goals, we get the goal meeting note in there. Then Curtis is able to provide written support or advice that is more valuable to me than if Curtis and I sat down for a meeting where I can tell he's so distracted and so worried about what he has going next that it's scripted out. It doesn't feel as meaningful.

I definitely see how it may feel like the burden is on the [note] owner, but really I want to be responsible for my growth as a teacher. I really love the idea of being able to own the initial engagement in the conversation and then allowing leadership and others to sculpt the clay that I've given them.

KAREN: And I like that everybody is still getting something. I know other schools that do cycles where they only have end of year meetings every three years, but the teachers that aren't having that meeting aren't getting anything. The way that you are doing it, every single teacher is getting comments and feedback from somebody.

KELLI: Exactly.

MELISSA: Oftentimes I get asked about ways that we can make myFolio part of our day to day life so it doesn't feel like it is just another thing.

Curtis mentioned the Spotlights, Community Feed, and Mindful Minute. Kelli talked about peer observations and you can share resources on the site.

The other thing that I always recommend to folks to think about is when you're creating your themes in myFolio, create those themes to align to the type of growth that you are wanting to see happen at the school level. That way when teachers write their goals, what they are striving to improve upon will ultimately improve the school and the direction that it's wanting to go. We also have many of our schools using workspaces.

KAREN: I'm sorry, what was the first one? Electronic vita, what is that?

MELISSA: When you have pushback from teachers about why do I fill out my profile? Why am I putting all this information in there? People can use myFolio as an electronic vita. So let's say you put in all of your education, any professional growth opportunities that you've done, things like that. And let's say they were at Phoenix Country Day School this year, but their spouse got a job offer in the Virgin Islands and they're going to work with you next year, Karen.

They can reach out to us and we can give them their portfolio with all of their information from myFolio to take with them so they don't lose it. By encouraging teachers to use [myFolio] as their source of truth, teachers will put more effort into putting their profile information in there.

KAREN: I did not know that.

MELISSA: It's a great thing. We have a session coming up with Fordham Prep. They're going to be doing a case study on how they shifted from evaluation to growth that was faculty driven and faculty inspired. Meghan Cureton was the consultant that worked with them along this journey.

She'll be sharing some of the activities they did and then we'll be talking a lot about how they're leveraging myFolio as a new member this year to do exactly what Curtis mentioned - make their life more efficient.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to join in person but especially to Curtis and Kelli for sharing your story, answering questions, and providing ideas to others about how we might empower teachers to be actively involved in their growth process in a balanced way.