The "Oskaloosa Syllabus"
November 2015 - "News You Can USE"!
What Makes the Biggest Impact on Learning/Achievement?
Having said that.... the treatment must be done with integrity and intensity - not just one teacher can do it, the entire building must do this at a high level of fidelity to see the gains.
I have copied the list below - the first graphic are those above .50 and the 2nd graphic are those things that give us the least amount of impact.
Footnote: While some things are over 0.0, they still make a positive impact. What we need to do is to compare the bang for the buck. Why wouldn't we focus on those things making the MOST or GREATEST impact?
- Note: Some of the items might be confusing - I have included a glossary for the top 10.
- This is not the entire list - if you are interested in seeing the rest of the list, just ask!
Least Impact on Achievement
Literacy Corner - Writing
Traits Writing Language
Next year the goal will be to have all classrooms using the language around the writing process and the traits terminology.
Steps in the Writing Process
- Prewriting
- Drafting
- Revising
- Editing
- Finishing/Publishing
Traits of Writing
- Ideas
- Organization
- Voice
- Word Choice
- Sentence Fluency
- Conventions
- Presentation
UPDATES
District Leadership Team (DLT) Update
- Participants took part in a self-assessment related to the items high performing districts do
- The "Tool for Improvement" started to be revised and will be completed at the next DLT meeting.
- A summary of Rick Wormeli, Secondary MTSS was provided by those who attended (see article).
District Advisory Committee (DAC) Update
- Reviewed the fall Measures of Academic Performance (MAP) results
- Discussed the Elementary School in Need of Assistance (SINA) Restructuring Plan
Multi-Tiered System of Supports - Secondary
The two days can be summed up in one idea: Your Core MUST be strong - having a strong instructional purpose (Learning Target), along with quality formative assessment practices is critical to student learning. It is about PREVENTION rather than INTERVENTION.
What if your students still struggle? Then there must be supports in place. Each team discussed and planned possible structures to maximize student learning. They each will attend four follow-up 1/2 day sessions in Ottumwa throughout the school year as they refine their ideas.
Project Student Dates
You will be meeting as a Vertical Team from 2:30-3:30 each of these dates.
December 9th - MS/HS
January 13th - Elementary
February 10th - MS/HS
March 30th - Elementary
April 13th - MS/HS
Gradebook Updates
Friday, November 6th
Thursday, November 19th End of 1st trimester
(Grades will be posted by Tuesday, November 24)
Learning Targets and Assessment - The Connection is Clear
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, how will students know they have hit the target?
John Hattie's meta-analysis shows how important these two connected things are to student learning. BUT, unless you involve your students in the process, you will NOT see the gains his study illustrates.
Use the Tool for Improvement to guide how you use the Learning Targets in the assessment process. Don't think of these as exclusive things; rather they are connected in the instructional process.
Formative Assessment is NOT a noun. When you plan your instruction you should build in techniques that are fluid and provide you rich information.
A few formative assessment techniques:
- Walk around and observe and listen - are students talking about the content in a relevant way? If not, use the Learning Target to refocus them
- Provide specific feedback regarding their work - refer back to the Learning Target in your conversation.
- Ask Questions to clarify or have students reflect - refer back to the Learning Target often
- Use a ticket out the door - with self-reflection from the students based on the Learning Target
These are just 4 things you can do tomorrow! Notice none of them are quizzes or anything you will grade. You will need to have students in collaborative groupings or provide opportunities for you to observe them demonstrating learning.
<Whole group questioning is not effective if you want to see how EVERYONE is meeting the Target>
Connect everything you do to your Learning Target throughout the lesson and at the end of the lesson. Have students self-assess their learning along the way and again at the end of the lesson - the EFFECT SIZE for that = 1.44!!!!!!!
So simple to do, does not take much time, and it is FREE!!!! What is the argument for NOT doing this?
Iowa Core Connection - Common Formative Assessments!
Learning Targets Around Classrooms
November Challenge
Instructional Coaches - Frequently Asked Questions
I will try to provide some information for those curious minds!
- Choice and Voice - Instructional Coaches only work with teachers who have expressed interest in working on a specific technique in their classroom. 1st and 2nd Year teachers have been asked to seek out this layer of support - as many of you have. There is NO mandate to say you MUST work with an Instructional Coach. HOWEVER - since we want to improve and refine our practices, it would be worth your while to contact one of our very capable Coaches to work with.
- There is NO QUOTA or expectation of how many teacher the Instructional Coaches should be collaborating with each week, month, or year. They are cultivating relationships and not pressuring anyone to collaborate with them - we are about choice and voice!
- Instructional Coaches are busy during their day. We track the types of interactions and work they accomplish weekly. Pop-Ins (visiting classrooms) to learn about your classroom, having conversations, unpacking and organizing data, providing resources, modeling instruction, assisting with MTSS, meeting with administrators, attending workshops, reading and researching..... this is just a touch of what they are doing each day!
If YOU want to work with an Instructional Coach - please seek them out - they are super supportive and want to help you refine curriculum, instruction, or assessment practices.
Professional Learning Community Work - November
PLC Board Presentation of the Month
November 10th: 5th grade
December 8th: HS CTE and HS Math
January 12th: MS PBIS TEAM
February 9th: 3rd Grade
March 8th: 6th Grade
April 12th: HS SPED
May 10th: 2nd Grade
PLC for November is 5th Grade
- Reading Goal - When given F&P reading assessment, 100% of students will grow 3 or more levels or be at grade level (V or above) by May 11, 2016. (F&P is Fountas and Pinnell Text Leveling assessment)
- Math Goal - When given a 5th grade M-CAP, a 100% of students will score a 13 or above by May 11, 2016. (MCAP is the Aimsweb screener and it stands for Computation and Problem-Solving)
What are some things they do during their PLC time?
- Gain new ideas for classroom
- Analyze Math DATA Wall and analyze MCAP Data
- Create a DATA wall sheet for Wonders’ Tests & Look at DATA wall for reading
- Number Talks Book Study
- Share of Tech Goal with team
- What would we like to study with Brita-vocabulary, fluency, or comprehension?
Math Talks - What is THAT?
Math Talk provides students an opportunity for deeper understanding through communication. Individually or in groups, students articulate and defend their ideas and analyze the reasoning of others.
Teachers will gain the ability to assess student knowledge through asking “good questions,” and align instruction to ensure each student understands how to use math skills through thinking, talking, and doing.
Why Math Talk™?
Five Major Reasons That Talk Is Critical to Teaching and Learning- Talk can reveal understanding and misunderstanding.
- Talk supports robust learning by boosting memory.
- Talk supports deeper reasoning.
- Talk supports language development.
- Talk supports development of social skills.
Using communication in the classroom to represent, explain, justify, agree, and disagree shapes the way students learn mathematics. Classroom dialogue engages students, encourages them to learn more, and allows for the exploration of ideas, strategies, procedures, facts, and more.
Affecting the way ideas are exchanged and developed, Math Talk supports a social learning environment for children—creating a community of encouragement, respect, and the exchange of ideas.
Using Data - Have you Looked?
- Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments - Reading, Math and Science
- Aimsweb - Reading and Math
How are you using this data? How will you measure student progress toward the next assessment period? How will you know if they are making growth?
Formative data from your classroom is critical to analyze!!!