Transcript Whole-Faculty Study Groups - Ware County School System

Whole-Faculty Study Groups
Carlene Murphy
Definition of WFSG
Whole-Faculty Study Groups is the
heart of a job-embedded, selfdirected, student driven professional
development system. The
individual Whole-Faculty Study
Groups are professional learning
communities that strive to increase
student learning by engaging in
cycles of action research driven by
data and putting into practice what
teachers have been trained to do.
Definition of WFSG
‘Whole-Faculty’ means that every
faculty member at a school is a
member of a study group focusing
on data-based student instructional
needs. The collective synergy of all
the study groups advance the whole
school.
Practitioners
deepen their own knowledge and
understanding of what is taught
 design lessons
 take action in their classrooms
 assess student results
 reflect on their actions and on
student results
 take joint responsibility for the
students they teach

A System Grounded in the
following:
What do students need for teachers
to do so that teachers will have a
deeper understanding of what they
teach?
What do students need for teachers
to do so that teachers will be more
skillful in how they teach?
WFSG is

a structure

a place to work
a vehicle
The Guiding Question
“What are students learning and
achieving as a result of what teachers
are learning and doing in study
groups?”
WFSG Guiding Principles
Students are first.
 Everyone participates.
 Leadership is shared.
 Responsibility is equal.
 The work is public.

WFSG Functions
 developing
a deeper
understanding of academic
content
WFSG Functions
 implementing
district-wide
curricular and instructional
initiatives
WFSG Functions
 integrating
a school’s
instructional programs and
practices
WFSG
 targeting
a school-wide
instructional need
WFSG Functions
 studying
research on teaching
and learning
WFSG Functions
 monitoring
the impact of
instructional initiatives on
students
WFSG Functions
 examining
colleagues
student work with
WFSG Functions
 reflecting
practices
on current teaching
WFSG Decision Making Cycle
Whole Faculty
Evaluates
Impact
WFSGs Implement
Cycles of
Action Research
Whole Faculty
Participates
Steps 1-4
Analyze
Data
State
Student Needs
Context
Categorize
Student
Needs
WFSGs Design
Action Plans
Complete Individual
Action Plan
WFSG Cycle of Teacher
Inquiry
Reflect
Assess
Plan
Act
Student Needs Identified
Impact on Student
Performance
Teachers work in Study Groups
Teachers use new and refined
practices and materials
Students use new and refined
practices and materials
Students are assessed
School Improvement Plan
The school
improvement plan
gives direction to
study groups.
Study groups give
direction to the
school improvement
plan. Action plans are
the instructional
component.
Individuals use the
action plan as a
major component of
the individual
professional
development plan.
WFSG System:
In individual study
groups professional
development activities
converge and
classroom
implementation for the
benefit of students is
the focus.
The School
Improvement Plan
encircles the work.
Key to Success
Learning
Focused
Strategies
Georgia
Performance
Standards
Instructional
Programs
Professional
District
Workshops
Learning
What do you tell
folks who say
their plates are
too full for
WFSG?
Tell them,“WFSG
is the ‘plate’ that
holds everything
together.”
WFSG
is the PLATE!
Modified Workday Schedule

Time to implement WFSGs
Sample Schedule:
 Mon., Tues., Thurs.: 7:15-3:00
 Wednesday: 7:15-4:30
(Students off campus by 2:30) 2:30-4:30 (WFSGs)
 Friday: 7:15-2:30
Copyright
Carlene Murphy owns the COPYRIGHT
on the intellectual content of the slides in
this presentation.