the learning trifecta for leaders

The Learning Trifecta for Leaders Pathway 1

Learning Intention: Leaders will learn how to support teachers with implementing key elements of The Learning Trifecta.

Success Criteria:

• I can identify key components of teacher clarity, student discussion, and high-level questioning.
• I can explain the interconnectedness of teacher clarity, student discussion, and high-level questioning.
• I can explain the process to unwrap a standard.
• I can explain the steps involved in creating a learning intention and success criteria.
• I can evaluate the quality of a learning intention and success criteria.

The Learning Trifecta for Leaders Pathway 2

Learning Intention: Leaders will learn how to support teachers with implementing key elements of The Learning Trifecta. 

Success Criteria:

• I can identify the tools and resources teachers use to interact with the learning intention and success criteria and promote robust student discussion.
• I can provide teachers with strategies, tools and resources to build regular student interaction with the learning intention and success criteria and facilitate robust student discussion.
• I can provide teachers feedback on implementation of teacher clarity and student discussion.
• I can create a process to progress monitor teacher clarity and student discussion.

The Learning Trifecta for Leaders Pathway 3

Learning Intention: Leaders will learn how to support teachers with implementing key elements of The Learning Trifecta. 

Success Criteria:

• I can differentiate between various types of questions based on depth of knowledge.
• I can identify questions that provoke higher-order thinking and stimulate intellectual curiosity.
• I can provide teachers with strategies to incorporate high-level questioning into student discussion.
• I can provide teachers feedback on implementation of teacher clarity, student discussion and high-level questioning.
• I can create a process to progress monitor teacher clarity, student discussion and high-level questioning.
• I can evaluate instruction to ensure it engages students with learning intentions and success criteria, includes structured discussions, and high-level questioning techniques.

School Leadership Team Collaborative Learning Walks

The Learning Trifecta Collaborative Learning Walks are a professional development practice aimed at collecting evidence and monitoring the implementation of teacher clarity, student discussion, and high-level questioning. By using focused continuums, evidence collection is directly linked to the professional learning teachers receive. Unlike formal evaluations or classroom audits, learning walks are non-evaluative and non-judgmental; they serve as an opportunity for educators to collectively observe, analyze and reflect on teaching and learning in action. This approach fosters a supportive and collegial environment where school leadership teams can share insights, celebrate successes, and identify opportunities.

Ideally, collaborative learning walks occur multiple times a year. During collaborative learning walks, members of the school leadership team visit classrooms to observe teaching and learning in action using focused evidence gathering techniques for teacher clarity, student discussion and high-level questioning. The focus is on identifying strengths, finding examples of transfer, and exploring opportunities for growth.

After visiting classrooms, members of the school leadership team come together for guided reflection on the evidence from learning walks using a structured protocol. This reflective dialogue helps to build a sense of trust and collaboration among team members. By collectively analyzing evidence in a structured format, team members develop a shared sense of responsibility for student success. They recognize that their collective efforts are more powerful than individual actions, fostering a strong belief in their collective efficacy.

Collaborative Learning Walk Schedule

Collaborative Learning Walk Time 1

The first collaborative learning walk occurs after teachers and leaders have gone through the respective professional learning for The Learning Trifecta Pathway 1. The purpose of the first collaborative learning walk is to establish baseline data. Implementing all the components of The Learning Trifecta is a process that oftentimes has incremental success before full implementation is present. Baseline data captures the current reality and lays the foundation for measuring growth and progress moving forward.

Collaborative Learning Walk Time 2

The second learning walk occurs after teachers and leaders have gone through the respective professional learning for The Learning Trifecta Pathway 2. The purpose of the second collaborative learning walk is to collect evidence of transfer from professional learning experiences teacher underwent in The Learning Trifecta Pathway 1 and 2. Collaborative learning walk teams will analyze, discuss and reflect on evidence from the second learning walk as well as evidence from the Time 1 and Time 2 learning walk.

Collaborative Learning Walk Time 3

The third learning walk occurs after teachers and leaders have gone through the respective professional learning for The Learning Trifecta Pathway 3. The purpose of the second collaborative learning walk is to collect evidence of transfer from professional learning experiences teacher underwent in The Learning Trifecta Pathway 1,2 and 3. Collaborative learning walk teams will analyze, discuss and reflect on evidence from the third learning walk as well as evidence from the Time 1, Time 2 and Time 3 learning walk.