Lead Learners Update 11.26.12

Tell me to what you pay attention, and I'll tell you who you are.

--Jose Ortega y Gasset

Calendar of Events
11.26 Walpole Workshop (K-4)
11.27 Walpole Workshop (5/6 and 7-9)
11.28 Media Council
11.29 Digital Train the Trainer Day
11.30 Digital Train the Trainer Day
12.3 PL Day
12.4 Cadre Day (Common day)
12.5 Writing Task Force
12.6 Digital Literacy Planning

Celebration of Learning (By Ying Ying Chen)
Cassie Erkens, the consultant we hired two years ago, emphasized the importance of celebration.  Deliberate celebration of learning, according to Cassie, has a positive effect on school culture.  At the system level, we witness success stories all the time.  For example:

• Crest just did a presentation about concept-based learning at the AIW leadership group as most other AIW schools struggle with this practice.
• Heights’ SINA process has been considered a model, and the results have been evident in classroom practice.
• View’s 4th grade teachers have used the new math standards and redesigned their teaching to be more personalized, student-centered, concept-based and standard aligned. They also embed digital tools to manage student assessment and feedback. They will submit their experience for the Iowa ASCD presentation!
• Ridge teachers are well positioned for its Literacy Improvement Cycles and produced team common formative assessments for their literacy units.
• Creek began to use the newly designed, competency-based report card this year and continues to build their units and assessments aligned with standards.
• Point’s PLC structure is engenius that teachers have 80 minutes a week to collaborate.  Their student-joined tuning protocol has been featured by Transform Ed.
• PHS will have their first adult POL (presentation of learning) in December.  What a courageous move!

Our district has been invited to present at the Spring Iowa ASCD Statewide Conference with the focus on Concept-based learning and Iowa Core.  This invitation is not self promoted.  Others have heard about our work and are interested in learning from us.  It is a great honor.  Bill and I will  get some input from you as regarding the content of the presentation. The district is also working on some form of celebration in mid-year.  More details to come.

Q/A (By Ying Ying Chen)
As schools differentiate PD and school improvement focus, we have less opportunities to answer questions directly. This section is written with the intention to clarify questions we heard from the field.  ESC will be happy to schedule additional conferences with individual principals if further clarification is needed.

Q1: What is the relationship between SMART Goals and “Cycle of Improvement”?  
The cycle of improvement is a framework that helps schools reach SMART goals.  We have worked very hard on unit design, Common Formative Assessment and AFL in the past two or three years.  Our weakness has been completing the entire cycle so that we can see the effect of our instruction and respond to student needs. So far, all schools are approaching the work diligently.  Our strengths will come from our administrative PLC when we share our insights, pitfalls and successes.  ESC will also focus on unpacking, prioritize standards and building common assessments with curriculum teams.

Q2:  What is the expectation on Curriculum Mapping/Rubicon?
Rubicon is a tool to help teachers plan quality units individually and collaboratively.  The research-based, locally designed framework (UBD/Concept Based Instruction) helps us, the entire system, to sustain best practice in curriculum work.  

The only tight guidance from the district: principals ask teachers to identify one (or two) subject area to map their instructional units.  This is the same expectation we have had for the past three years.  Teachers could use the same maps from last year and choose to improve some over time. In addition to summer Rubicon orientation sessions, Tutorial 1 (how to begin a unit) and Tutorial 2 (How to transfer a map from Edhesion) have been mailed to all teachers.  Transferring a new unit takes about 5 minutes.

Eventually, when all core curriculum anchor units are sequenced, they will be our planned curriculum (they are “D” - district maps).  Teacher and team maps will be the taught curriculum (they are “B”- building or “I” - individual maps).  Unit assessment results will be the learned curriculum.  We estimate that we should be able to have all “District” units established in four core areas within 18 months.  (Note: Singletons will have only individual maps unless they choose to work with vertical teams and build district maps.)

Q3. Why is it important to use Rubicon?
The most important reason is to keep the research-based framework in front of all teachers as they collaborate on units. The second reason is that teachers will look at standards more carefully when they use the tool to plan units.  Thirdly, Rubicon is our district’s chosen strategy to monitor IC implementation, which is a state mandate.  If a school does not choose this strategy, the school will have to provide other strategies/evidence such as Power School (which is impossible) or ICAT.  Schools that have used ICAT have concerns about its “event” based nature and the results are not deep enough.  Most importantly, Rubicon is sustainable.  Quality units can be preserved, shared and improved over time at individual, team and system levels.  The administrators and the Rubicon Task Force will learn the report function in January.  It is vital that all teachers enter their chosen subject so that we have real data to analyze in January.

Q4: What should be entered on the map?
Teachers should select standards first (check them), then enter EU, EQ, Concepts, Content (just nouns) and Skills/Learning Targets.  They should also build assessments that are aligned with the chosen standards.  Additional information will be teachers’ choice.

Q5: Do we assess the unit recorded on Rubicon when we collect data for SMART goal #1?  Which unit should they assess?
Yes, we should ask the staff to record on a map, then assess the unit.  The reason is that our TPP is highly aligned with the Rubicon template.  It will raise their awareness on quality with the “help bubbles” and other references available to them.  Regarding which unit to assess, our Oversight team did discuss this last year.  The committee agreed that it should be the unit they are currently working on, not just any “old unit”.  Reason for this decision?  It is “improvement” we are after, not compliance.

Q6.  Data collection still feels like compliance, what can we do?
Adult learners need formative assessment, peer and self-assessment just like any other learners.  Using TPP to self-assess does not need to be an event, but a habit.  Capitalize your weekly collaboration by asking teams to reflect and set small goals as they plan authentic lessons to address student learning needs.  Since unit design and AFL are not new learning but maintenance learning, principals can provide guidance without too much direct instruction.  For example:

Tight: each team will reflect their units against TPP at least once/per unit

Loose: when or how to do it and where to record team reflection or goal setting

In addition, schools can celebrate and highlight teams’ successes and reflection through weekly news and on PL days. Their reflection will provide insight to building leaders regarding their next level of work.

More About SMARTER Balanced Assessment (By Ying Ying Chen)
Even though Iowa’s assessment plan is still pending on legislative decisions,  we begin to hear more update about SMARTER.  We keep you posted as our teachers should align their assessment design with the same level of rigor as seen in SMARTER.  A few interesting points:

• An initial pilot school reported that the pilot test was 90 minutes long for only 15-18 problems.  This means, it involves a lot of analyzing, thinking and WRITING, not quick/short answers.
• The actual assessment will be about 4 hours long and the assessment is not timed.
• Invitation for larger scale pilot will happen soon. (Advantage for being in pilot: teachers will have a preview of the assessment)

This reinforces what we have been thinking along the way - we must design more rigorous assessments if we are serious about implementing Iowa Core.  We have been collecting assessment/task samples to prepare our curriculum councils for the upcoming work.  All the hard work you are doing on unit design, common assessment, PLC, AIW and PBL etc. are fully aligned with the thinking behind the assessment design.

Student Services (By Cheryl Kiburz)
12.3   Special Education Teachers meet from 1:45-3:45 PM
         IAA/Literacy Action Plan-Heights
         Reading Instruction- Point
         Challenging Behavior-***change in location--ESC Boardroom

12.6   LETRS Training-Teaching Phonics, Word Study, and the Alphabetic Principle
12.7   LETRS Training-Digging for Meaning: Teaching Text Comprehension

Curriculum Matters (By Bill Poock)
K-6 Math Textbook Adoption Update:
On November 13th, we met as a K-6 Math Task Force Textbook Adoption team to begin the process to recommend a new mathematics curriculum for K-6 for the 2013-2014 school year.  To review, we concentrated on the following:

1. Learned about the 3 shifts in the standards:  focus, coherence, and rigor
2. Needs assessment using district mathematics data (Iowa Assessments and MAP)
3. Needs assessment reviewing K-6 math teachers feedback from survey
4. Investigated the K-8 Publishers’ Criteria and Evaluation instrument we will use
5. Exploring mathematics curriculum online
6. Narrowed down to 3 vendors

We have made the decision to narrow down to 3 vendors:  enVisions, Math in Focus (US version of Singapore Mathematics), and Go Math!.  All three curricula look very different than what we’ve been using in Everyday Mathematics.  With the Common Core State Standards, there is more of an emphasis on learning to mastery, so a spiral philosophy such as Everyday Mathematics is inconsistent with the standards and their intent.
I have started receiving boxes of materials.  LOTS of boxes!  We will meet again on Thursday, December 6th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM in the ESC Boardroom to begin the next component--pilot/review.  Teachers will dig deeper into the evaluation criteria and will also get samples/boxes for use.
Our timeline will run roughly about 19-20 school days with each set of curriculum.  There will be enough materials for the representative on the Math Task Force team (K-6) to have a complete set of materials.  I’m hopeful that we’ll receive additional materials so that other teachers can also view the materials.  The expectation will be that Math Task Force members K-6 will need to pilot/review at least one unit/chapter within the materials.  I will share a timeline/schedule that will need to be adhered to closely and the procedures for making sure that all materials are passed to the next school when appropriate.
Thank you in advance for your patience and flexibility--there are lots of materials and many things to consider as we move forward in this process.  We will run the pilot/review until spring break in March, followed by a vendor presentation of our final 2 vendors shortly after Spring Break vacation.

Walpole/McKenna workshop at GWAEA:  
On Monday, November 26th, your K-1 reps on the Literacy Team will attend the Walpole/McKenna workshop at GWAEA to learn more about effective differentiation of the ELA block for primary grades.  This workshop will be an important foundation for us as we seek to provide more effective differentiated instruction for students who need additional support.  It is also important because your reps on this team will lead the PL session on January 11th (AM session of the AM-PL and PM-Clerical Day).  It will be important that you have follow-up discussions with the members of this team as we determine what is best to be shared with the rest of the K-1 teachers to ensure that we have adequate time to share what is needed.  There will also be a time to share diagnostic reading materials with these teachers and to think about follow-up sessions (1/2 day sessions for each team - kindergarten team and 1st grade team).  More details will be shared as we have more clarity about the materials and the schedule.

The 5-9 reps will attend the November 27 workshop with the focus on vocabulary, comprehension strategies and text complexity. These strategies will strengthen instructional core as they carry out the literacy standards.

Lead Learners Update 11.12.12

Thanksgiving is not just about pilgrims and turkeys but also a special culture and a mindset for life.  We would like to take a moment to thank each of you for being a giving person in your words, actions and spirit.  Most of all, what a privilege to work in such a giving environment when the entire purpose of our daily life is devoted to growing minds and hearts of youngs and adults! We are truly blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Upcoming Events
11/12 Administrative Learning (K-6: 10:00 - 1:30; 7-12: 12:00 - 3:30)
11/13 PHS AIW site visit day/Plan with Dana K @ 11:00 (Mark, Laura, Ying and Bill)
11/14-11/20 K-6 conference
11/19 Elementary/Secondary Administrative meeting
11/20 Music Council
11/21 No School

Dropout Prevention/Allowable Growth State Report (Ying Ying Chen)
As you remember, this is a very involved report and we have a very short timeline (Due in Mid December).  The state made some revisions on the questions again so we will have to sort them out first.  We will begin to work with you /your designee very soon.  The most important data for you to gather is to identify the students served by your dropout prevention programs from last year (for results) and to propose number of students who will be served this year:

7-12

• Success center/Learning Center
• Strategy classes (reading and math)
• Credit recovery programs
• Kirkwood High School Completion Program
• Alternative school
• Supported math classes (like algebra half)
• 540 program
• Second Chance Reading/21st Reading

K-6

• Strategist service
• At Risk Tutoring

 

Study Group (By Ying Ying Chen)
The teachers on the Oversight Team had a very positive experience in the study group on Data Team.  If you wish to capitalize on their learning, you may invite them to lead a small piece of learning for your cadre/leadership teams.  Their sharing was deep, constructive and highly collaborative.  Teachers who felt that their teams were “stuck” actually gained ideas from the book and/or other teachers on the team.

New Teacher Workshop Feedback and Follow Up (Ying Ying Chen)
Once again, thank you for your commitment in inducting new teachers to best practice.  Your investment in year 1 and 2 will pay off for many years to come.  Here are the feedback results from workshop #2.  

From our follow up visits, we found a higher level of implementation this year.  Several new teachers approached us and shared their positive experience in implementing Think Aloud.  One teacher said, “In my X years of teaching and learning, I finally realized why it was not working with my students before.  Sarah’s video made a huge difference for me!”.  Another teacher said, “When I did my Think Aloud, so many of my kids wanted to help me, but I resisted to interact with them.  It was hard to do, but the result of their learning was wonderful.”

Please continue to reinforce that the Think Aloud strategy should be implemented on a weekly basis and that they should continue to write strong learning targets and use varied responses to check for understanding.

Quarterly Conversations (Ying Ying Chen)
We truly appreciate the privilege to have quarterly conversations with our leaders.  Your voices help us understand your focus, reflection and challenges.   It reinforces my belief that our district is full of talents and commitment and that we are a very cohesive team, more than we realize. Thank you for taking time to reflect what you do as a leader and to model life-long learning.  

We also learned a lot of great strategies from our team.  For example, many are trying to turn general team collaboration into high functioning teams.  Ideas highlighted:

• Team self-assessment on cycles

• Using a PLC rubric for team to reflect
• Building leadership capacities among team leaders by hosting leader PLC/Study groups
• Have teacher teams model high performing team behaviors for each other
• Have teams examine results from CFA
• Have teams formatively assess progress using TPP
• Have teams set short-term SMART goals with a focus on student learning

Common Core Resources (Ying Ying Chen)
As we continue to implement common core and build Formative Assessments, there are plenty of resources on the field. Here are two items worth reviewing:

• Inside Mathematics (There is a section developed for principals with videos, discussion guides, etc.)
• SMARTER Balanced Assessment (A quick review power points)

I have shared SMARTER with you before, but the link/ppt above indicates a few key functions that might trigger some thoughts about how you lead teachers in building CFA:

• SMARTER will be an electronic interactive assessment (Implication: Think about the endless ways a “task item” could be presented.  It will be highly performance-based.)
• SMARTER will be given as a summative assessment by the state, but it suggests schools to have benchmark and formative assessments (Implication: We will need to build both benchmark and formative assessments to inform teaching and to monitor system progress.)
• SMARTER will assess skill, concept and performance in various formats  (Implication: Traditional items such as multiple choice, short answers, etc. may be included, but writing, reasoning and problem solving will be heavily emphasized.)

Curriculum Matters (Bill Poock)
Math Task Force Curriculum Adoption Meeting:  I will meet with the K-6 Math Task Force team members on Tuesday, November 13th to begin our process for textbook adoption.  We will ground our work in three important shifts in the core curriculum mathematics standards:

• focus
• coherence
• rigor

We will study the three shifts in greater detail and use a new evaluation instrument to determine how well mathematics curricula options are aligned with the common core standards.  In addition, we’ll specifically look at focus, coherence, and rigor in order to make the determination for which publishers we’ll invite for an on-site presentation of the materials.  Please communicate with your K-6 Math Task Force team members about this process.  I am excited to work with them this week to begin this process.  Our ultimate goal is to recommend a new mathematics curriculum to be implemented in the fall of 2013.