the learning trifecta for teachers

The Learning Trifecta Pathway 1 

Learning Intention:  Teachers will learn how to design and implement high-impact practices in The Learning Trifecta. 

Success Criteria:

• I can identify key components of teacher clarity, student discussion, and high-level questioning.
• I can determine the interconnectedness of teacher clarity, student discussion, and high-level questioning.
• I can identify the skills and concepts in a standard.
• I can create learning intentions linked to the skills and concepts in standards.
• I can create success criteria that represents mastery of the learning intention.

The Learning Trifecta Pathway 2

Learning Intention:  Teachers will learn how to design and implement high-impact practices in The Learning Trifecta. 

Success Criteria:

• I can identify strategies to build regular student interaction with the learning intention and success criteria.
• I can determine tools and resources that facilitate robust student discussion.
• I can determine evidence to collect to monitor student discussion.
• I can design or select learning experiences that promote rich student discussion.
• I can identify appropriate discussion techniques that support student mastery of the learning intention and success criteria.

The Learning Trifecta Pathway 3

Learning Intention: Teachers will learn how to design and implement high-impact practices in The Learning Trifecta. 

Success Criteria:

• I can differentiate between various types of questions based on depth of knowledge.
• I can design questions that provoke higher-order thinking and stimulate intellectual curiosity.
• I can determine strategies to incorporate high-level questioning into student discussion.
• I can develop skills to scaffold and follow up on student responses to extend thinking and learning.
• I can create cohesive learning experiences to support diverse learners in engaging with learning intentions and success criteria, structured discussions, and high-level questioning.

The Learning Trifecta 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 teachers can share insights, celebrate successes, and identify opportunities.

Ideally, collaborative learning walks occur multiple times a year. During collaborative learning walks, teams of educators visit each other's 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, teachers come together for guided reflection regarding 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, teachers 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 have gone through professional learning for The Learning Trifecta Pathway 1. The purpose of the first collaborative learning walk is to establish baseline data. Implementing all 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 have gone through 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 have gone through professional learning for The Learning Trifecta Pathway 3. The purpose of the third 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.