Manitoba School Leadership Framework
Stories of Practice
Leading Professional Learning Through Teaching Sprints in Literacy and Numeracy
This story of practice centres on facilitating and engaging in professional learning for both school leadership and staff, with a focus on researching, implementing, and leading the Teaching Sprints process. The emphasis is specifically on the key areas of literacy and numeracy. The school leader’s goal was to positively impact student learning in these key areas by creating a collaborative and effective professional learning process that strengthens teachers' collective efficacy in achieving those outcomes.
Setting the Context
The school leader is the vice-principal of a rural Kindergarten to Grade 8 school with approximately 420 students and over 40 staff members, including administrators, teachers, and educational assistants. The staffing complement includes 1.5 FTE learning support teachers, 1.0 FTE guidance counsellor, 0.5 FTE literacy support teacher, as well as physical education and music specialists.
The school is deeply committed to developing literacy and numeracy skills in every student and offers a range of unique learning spaces, including areas dedicated to learning support and technology. Staff strongly believe in the power of collective efficacy, collaboration, and student achievement. The school also fosters strong relationships with students and families, with many parents actively volunteering their time. Recently, the community had experienced growth through new housing developments, leading to changes in the school’s student demographics.
Story of Practice – Pre-conditions
The success of the practice relies on several pre-existing conditions that supported its implementation. Within the division, the majority of the five designated professional development days are dedicated to school-based learning. The principal, vice-principal, and administrative team are responsible for planning meaningful professional development opportunities for teachers, grounded in the school’s goals, classroom observations, and identified areas of growth. The division’s senior leadership actively supports and promotes the Teaching Sprints process, which the school leader uses to strengthen teachers’ instructional capacity and collective efficacy, with the overarching goal of improving student achievement in literacy and numeracy.
Story of Practice – Leadership Actions, Purpose, and Outcomes
Over a two-year period, the school leader engaged in learning about the Teaching Sprints model while simultaneously supporting and encouraging staff to do the same. The goal was to build teacher efficacy and embed Teaching Sprints as a regular professional learning practice to enhance student learning outcomes.
To begin, the school leader focused on building their own understanding of the Teaching Sprints process. They participated in an online course offered by Simon Breakspear, which was recommended by their superintendent. The school leader emphasized the importance of thoroughly understanding the process prior to presenting it to staff, and an assistant superintendent demonstrated the approach the leader planned to use. Additionally, the school leader joined a Manitoba professional learning network for Teaching Sprints, where they connected with other educators and administrators to share experiences and gather insights. This learning deepened the school leader’s understanding of how the process could enhance collective efficacy, instructional practices, and student achievement. It also equipped them with the tools and confidence to lead the implementation at their school.
In the fall of the first year, the school leader presented their learning to staff, beginning with the “why” behind the strategy. They emphasized the potential benefits of Teaching Sprints and the desire to make professional learning more cohesive and impactful at the classroom level. Sprint Teams were intentionally formed to include one teacher from each hallway and a specialist teacher, breaking down artificial barriers within the school. Teachers were enthusiastic about forming their teams, collaborating with new colleagues, and applying the process directly in their classrooms.
Following the introduction, teachers were asked to complete two Teaching Sprints between November and March, both focused on providing effective feedback. Each team received a document and presentation outlining expectations, including a personal planning template for each staff member. These templates were shared during scheduled team meetings. In the second year, staff selected strategies based on their students’ needs and aligned with school goals in literacy or numeracy. The principal and vice-principal were assigned to Sprint Teams, attending meetings and learning alongside staff. They also participated in check-ins and reflection meetings throughout the process. Teachers appreciated the flexibility of the plan-sprint-review cycle and valued the opportunity to assess strategies in their classrooms, monitor their impact, and refine their approaches. This regular engagement in professional development fostered continuous self-improvement. Leadership’s involvement helped track progress and identify areas where additional support was needed, while also providing a space for teachers to share feedback on the process.
In the first year, staff were responsible for finding time in their schedules to meet with their sprint teams, often relying on professional development days or staff meetings. This presented some challenges, as meeting delays occasionally led to tasks being overlooked and slowed progress. In response, school leadership embedded Teaching Sprints time into bi-weekly school-wide meetings during the second year. This created protected time for teachers to collaborate, implement strategies, and reflect on their practice, leading to more consistent and effective engagement.
Reflection was a key component of the process. The document and presentation previously provided included reflection questions that staff answered individually and then further discussed as a team. Teachers recorded their findings and learnings, which provided leadership with valuable insights into what was working and what needed adjustment. This qualitative data informed real-time decisions and planning for future sprints. Leadership gained a clearer understanding of staff experiences and used this information to refine the process. Teachers found the Teaching Sprints valuable, noting improvements in their instructional practices and a positive impact on student learning. They made small, intentional changes to their teaching, clearly identifying what they wanted to improve and why.
Lessons Learned
The school leader believes that Teaching Sprints is a valuable strategy for improving teaching practices and student learning. They emphasized the importance of leaders participating in the Teaching Sprints process and engaging in conversations alongside staff. By taking part in a sprint themselves and acting as a “lead learner,” leaders are able to build trust, encourage teachers to take risks, and model vulnerability.
The school leader also learned that giving teachers the “gift of time” is essential for fostering a culture of collaboration. Providing this dedicated time shows staff that the work is meaningful and that their contributions to both their own and their colleagues’ professional growth are vital to building collective efficacy. In addition to time, the school leader believes it is important for teachers to understand their starting point in the learning journey. To support this, staff completed a collective efficacy survey, which helped leadership identify where to begin and how to respond to staff needs. The survey was repeated after two rounds of Teaching Sprints to measure growth in collective efficacy.
The school leader recognizes that leaders must be present, engaged, and responsive to what teachers are saying about their professional development needs. They believe that effective leadership practices are more important than any leadership style. The leader also recognizes the value of taking time to reflect on their own leadership role, particularly when encouraging staff to do the same. They are committed to “modelling the way.”
Implementing Teaching Sprints was part of a broader cultural shift envisioned by school leadership. The school leader understands that cultural change requires significant effort at the outset, as it is not yet a natural or embedded part of teaching practices. However, once staff have the time and confidence to engage in the process together, it becomes part of the school’s culture. Sustaining this practice will require revisiting the process regularly and providing dedicated support for new staff.
References
Aguilar, Elena. The Art of Coaching Teams: Building Resilient Communities That Transform Schools. Jossey-Bass, 2016.
Breakspear, Simon, and Bronwyn Ryrie Jones. Teaching Sprints: How Overloaded Educators Can Keep Getting Better. Corwin, 2020.
Donohoo, Jenni. Collective Efficacy: How Educators’ Beliefs Impact Student Learning. Corwin, 2017.
Fullan, Michael, and Joanne Quinn. Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems. Corwin, 2016.
