Wolcott’s Wednesday "What's Up"
News and Notes from the Office of Teaching & Learning
Common Core ELA Curriculum Development
Over the last month I have asked the Instructional Coaches to really take note of instructional practices, in the area of literacy, occurring in our classrooms. Through informal observations as well as conversations with staff, we have realized we have a great deal of program based thinking and teaching going on as well as a lack of clarity as to what the district's true framework for literacy instruction is or should be. We had said, at one time, Woodridge in a Day was our model, but staff don't seem to remember this or understand it. We are all getting many questions like "can we do this...' "I am not sure if we can..." etc.
Obviously, we can't jump into writing a new ELA curriculum to address Common Core without first identifying a framework from which to start. A well written framework will be the basis for all to build from and to fall back upon. Items to be included in the framework will be such things as explicit instruction, interactive read alouds, guided reading, shared reading, etc.
I have directed the Instructional Coaches to begin developing a clear framework for which further curriculum can be built. This will be done over the next 4-6 weeks. Expect to be asked your input on this by the coaches and also to be invited to look at what they have developed as we proceed.
Once the framework is complete, we will develop a half day professional development opportunity for each staff member to learn about the new framework in relation to the instructional shifts. We will not begin writing the new ELA curriculum until this framework and the instructional shifts are understood by all, as we know, a new curriculum built on the Common Core Standards will not change anything if instruction in the classroom looks the same.
Instructional Coach Activities for the Next 6 Weeks
Given the need above to closely develop a framework and common language of literacy instruction, we need to make a shift in what coaches will be doing over the next 6 weeks. I have prioritized the coaches' time in the following manner:
1. Develop a common literacy framework for the District
2. Continue to write math curriculum units
3. Other coaching as needed.
Major Lexia Change- Take Note
In the past we had floating licenses from Lexia, meaning we could have up to 130 students on Lexia at any given time across the district. This worked great- theoretically all 3000 District 68 students could use Lexia at some point or another during the day. Unfortunately, with their new update to Lexia Core 5 at the elementary this has changed. We now have only 490 individual student licenses across the district. This means once a license is assigned to a student, it is used and cannot be freed until the student exits out. So, each elementary school now has 75 licenses and JJHS has 40 licenses. No longer can all kindergarten and first grade students be assigned a license! So, choose carefully which 75 students in your school are assigned a license.
Contact me if you have further questions.
PD 360 Usage
Kim is updating staff emails, etc in PD360. They should be ready by the end of the week. Next time you stop by District Office, you will receive a "Getting Started with PD360 for Educators" flipchart for each certified staff member (more are on order for non-certified staff), a "Getting Started with PD360 for School and District Administrators" flipchart, and a "Getting Started with Observation 360 for School Administrators" flipchart. These are new resources from PD360 which should help staff utilize the product.
*Please note: Kim is the contact person if there are PD360 issues.
Significant 72 Padlet
The "Significant 72" Padlet page was a huge success! We had more than 40 staff members add relationship building ideas to the page: http://padlet.com/wall/Significant72. I will begin scheduling time to spend 20 minutes in each of those classrooms. I will begin this in November and will be done before Winter Break.
Master Calendar
Please make sure staff use the new Master Calendar and discard previous versions. We have several important updates and don't want anyone left out of the "know."
Board Presentation Reminders
- October: CHANGE: Playworks
- November: CHANGE: Gifted Program Update by Kelly Neylon and Gifted Specialists
- December: District 68 Rebranding by Amy Melinder
FOCUS by Mike Schmoker
I had the opportunity last week to participate in a webinar with Dr. Mike Schmoker. During the webinar, he discussed the three most important benchmarks that influence student achievement; coherent curriculum, authentic literacy, and effective lessons. He stressed the importance of teachers understanding the more effective their lesson, the more ground that they cover. The webinar was only 45 minutes long. Attached below you will find:
Link 1: Webinar recording
Link 2: Webinar slides
Link 3: An article Schmoker wrote entitled "Simplifying the ELA Common Core; Demystifying Curriculum"
Leadership Quote of Note:
In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.
- Eric Hoffer