OSP Connected
December, 2017-Office for School Performance-Volume 14
Message from Dayle
We are hearing a lot about behaviors. Student behaviors are often and extreme and many of our staff members are very concerned. We are too.
First, please know we hear you. Some of our youngest learners are having violent outbursts and we have had to seek medical assistance. Some of our older students are frozen from anxiety or sharing suicidal thoughts. This is big, and to be honest – unprecedented.
I wish we all knew exactly what we need to do and that we had all the resources that we need. But the truth is, we have limited funds, limited resources, and we are – like many of us in the state and nation – trying to solve and address these behavioral issues that may be new, or on a grander scale or just unresponsive to our current skills, resources and tools.
So, in the absence of a quick fail-proof solution, what do we do?
First, be kind to yourself. Keep seeking ideas and support and know this issue is bigger than any one of us. Realize that this is not personal. Students are doing the very best they can with the skills they have. While a human reaction to these behaviors may sometimes be anger – acknowledge the feeling and then set it aside so you can teach. Teach them new ways of self management, new words to communicate, and new ways to share feelings whenever possible. Give them time to practice these skills. Reinforce them daily.
Remember the best student management is good instruction. Maintain your focus on quality, engaging lessons and supporting all learners. The majority of students who can access the learning need your best.
HSD Focus 2017-2018
INSTRUCTION: Teaching to the Test
Whether it is the SBAC, ELPA21, SAT or any other standardized test or assessment, keep in mind that the more familiar you are with how these assess students' learning, the better you will be able to embed them in your instruction and the better students will be able to demonstrate their learning when taking these assessments. We encourage you to visit the OAKS Portal and take the practice tests and give your students time to get familiar with the assessments. If you haven't yet, take some time to review the SBAC Math Target & ELA Target Data.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: Know me... Help Me
The average number of teachers (out of 8) that high school students felt knew them well was 2. There was a strong correlation with the students’ perception of whether their teachers like them and their success in the class. However, while teachers sometimes equate this with “I need to know more about my students…” Students often report they want to know what they have in COMMON with their teachers. It is that connection that strengthened the relationship - even in the absence of one-on-one connections.
Once a student knows that their teacher likes and appreciates them, they will be more open to ask for support. Here are a few tools you may want to use:
Asking for Help Practice Script for Students
Asking for Help Sentence Starters (EL Focus)
Check out this Know Me...Show Me slide show for more tips and ideas.
CAREER & COLLEGE READY: A PK-12 Journey
By creating relevant, viable pathways for all young people, our desired outcome is that our students will graduate ready for post-secondary learning and career opportunities. It is important for students to understand our Career Pathway options and to be able to identify and articulate their Career Pathway program in high school and how it connects to their career and postsecondary transition. In order to accomplish this, the work requires support PK to 12th grade to guide students through the Career and College Readiness journey:
- Becoming Aware of Career Pathways and Postsecondary options at the elementary level
- Learn about Eligibility requirements for Career and Postsecondary Options at the middle level
- Be Prepared in high school to complete application processes for selected Career and/or Postsecondary choices.
Here are two key tools that can be used in a K-12 setting to support students:
- Roadmap: Understanding what students can do at each stage in their journey to College and Career Ready.
- Career Learning Areas: Connecting curriculum to the learning areas as part of planning for instruction in order to make it real.
We would like to hear from your experience with using these tools! Please respond to this survey if you have any testimonials of how these tools have impacted student engagement in your classroom.
If you have any questions of how to incorporate tools or strategies into practice please contact Kelly Purdy orBrooke Nova.
Changes to SBAC ELA Assessment
Very recently a decision was made by ODE to exclude Brief Writes from SBAC in the CAT section of the test and replace them with machine-scored like items and also add two claim 4 (research) items to compensate of reduction of research items from the Performance Task. This was not an SBAC decision but and Oregon decision in order to reduce the time of the test by an hour.
As we know Common Core State Standards have created claims, targets and standards within the targets that are a scaffolded progression, each building upon the other. This is the CCSS writing scaffold. Students learn to edit and clarify, use language and vocabulary and then with that knowledge revise a short text and practice writing a short text (brief write) until they are able to compose a full composition or performance task.
These are in order of their DOK levels. Although the SBAC will not be assessing our students with brief writes, eliminating brief writes from our instruction would be impactful for our students. Therefore we will continue to focus our work on them in order to help our students through the process of writing a full composition. ODE’s response in support to our work was as follows: “we believe your work on brief writes is still a valuable asset to support students within the district to prepare them for performance task.”
Wonderful Third Wednesdays (WTW)
Wednesday, Jan 17, 2018, 04:00 PM
Raymond Arthur Brown Middle School, Southwest Cornelius Pass Road, Hillsboro, OR, United States
Professional development -that you need!
Anything that helps you improve as an educator and employee is professional development. This could be working with a colleague, reading an article or book, watching videos or 3-2-1 Insight, observing a coach or peer, or attending a training or class. And, like all learners, you all need something different.
We, in OSP, try to offer as many different ways to learn and types of learning as possible in support of you targeted to our strategic plan. But we know we aren’t meeting all needs all the time. Please feel free to reach out to our Coordinators of Teaching and Learning - Becky Kingsmith or Arcema Tovar - if you need support in an area we aren’t currently addressing. Our Wonderful Wednesdays are a great place for us to expand and meet needs as well. Just reach out!