Weekly Coaching Communication
Make it a great day -- every day!
25 - 29 September 2017
On the Standards Front . . .
"The Research" Behind Standards-Based Grading
Recently, in one of my ASCD news feeds, I read an article from The Washington Post about Maryland's largest school district returning to a traditional grading system after attempting to use a standards-based grading system for four years. Parents found the grading system "perplexing."
I do not disagree with the idea of the grading of standards as perplexing . . . I'll even add that it is QUITE perplexing because an equivalency in our traditional system does not exist. However, I could not help but chuckle at the lack of evidence and research provided that supports traditional grades are more informative, accurate, or less perplexing.
Ironically, on the same day of reading The Washington Post's article, I receive a notification of a tweet from Matt Townsley, offering a link to his article "What does the research say about standards-based grading?" Townsley calls his article a "primer" for the research, but the explanations and sources should help alleviate the perplexing question of whether standards-based grading and learning are a good and necessary change in education.
For more articles and research on standards-based grading and learning, check out Townsley's web page with a bibliography for "All Things Standards-Based Grading."
CPU High School Blended Learning Team
As a team, we experienced Blended Learning, while we learned about what Blended Learning is. In the morning session, we rotated through 5 sessions: gallery walk, direct instruction, independent learning, digital learning, and a forced choice activity. In the afternoon, we collaborated within our own team and planned potential lessons, collaborated with alike-content teachers from other schools, and then we also had choice for mini-lessons, more collaboration, or more planning.
One of the main components to understand about Blended Learning is the "pedagogical shift" from being a teacher-centered classroom (keeper of content knowledge and sole discriminator of what is to be learned) to a facilitator of learning in a student-centered classroom where the workload is shifted from teacher to student through student choice, flexible spaces for small group learning, digital components to help with differentiation, and immediate feedback (see graphic below courtesy of Beth Swantz, GWAEA).
Yes, a lot of front loading is required for students to be successful in a blended format; however, the pay off is huge (reminder: 0.4 effect size = 1 year's growth):
- Small Group Learning has an effect size of 0.49
- Teacher Clarity has an effect size of 0.75
- Collective Teacher Efficacy has an effect size of 1.57
Hattie, J. (2009) Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses related to achievement. New York: Routledge.
By putting students in charge of their learning, they can more easily move towards proficiency of the content standards and be engaged with what they are learning.
If you want to know more about Blended Learning, feel free to ask one of the team members or me about our experience and work in the blended format.
Coaching Schedule -- see Google Calendar for specific "Busy" times **schedule subject to change**
Monday, 25 September
- NGSS for ICs @ GWAEA -- ALL DAY
- 4:00 - 5:45 PM JV Lift & Practice Volleyball @ NG; Varsity practice after 9/0 QUAD
Tuesday, 26 September
- DBQ Training @ GWAEA -- ALL DAY
- VB Frosh @ 5, Sophs & JV @ 6, and Varsity @ 7:30 vs Vinton-Shellsburg (Home)
Wednesday, 27 September AM Staff MTG in Mr. Jaquette's Room Literacy Survey
- 8:30 - 9:15 Meet & Greet Laura Musser GWAEA Science Consultant in Tjaden's Rm
- 9:30 - 10:30 IC/Principal MTG
- 12:30 - 1:30 PM Susan O'Dell & Katie Goddard Literacy Mtg
- Serve Teachers & Students
- Research & Resources
- 3:30 - 5:00 PM DTL MTG
- 3:45 - 5:15 PM Volleyball Practice
Thursday, 28 September -- Early Out PTCs
- 12:30 - 2:00 PM SBL Council Meeting
- 2:00 - 3:30 PM Rigorous Reading Book Study planning MTG w/ Laura Johnson
- Serve Teachers & Students
- Research & Resources
- VB Frosh @ 5, Sophs & JV @ 6, and Varsity @ 7:30 vs Williamsburg (AWAY) Bus @ 4:30)
Friday, 29 September
- Serve Teachers & Students
- Research & Resources
- 3:45 - 6:00 PM Volleyball Practice & Lift
ARCHIVE LINKS
Click on the link to access 2015-16 prior weekly communications.
Pope's IC Weekly Communication Archive & Index 2016-17
Click on the link to access 2016-17 prior weekly communications.
IC/Principal Weekly Meeting Notes
Click on the link to view the Friday notes.
Contact Information
Center Point - Urbana CSD
Email: epopenhagen@cpuschools.org
Phone: 319-849-1102+91015
Twitter: @Epopenhagen