Tuesday Teaching Point December 10

Tuesday Teaching Point

December 10, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

If they are truly expecting high quality student examples of work, teachers must know what an exemplar work looks like for their class. The exemplar is the model (or a model) of what you expect to see before the student turns in the work to you. As we learned about the APEX protocol for looking at student work, and built our rubrics, we were asked to “dream up” what our perfect piece would look like for an assignment to be evaluated. This would be the example of the best student work we wish would be turned into us. In a three tiered evaluation, there is the exemplar work, and then the work that needs improvement. The bottom tier is none, or irrelevant work to the assignment given.

In this blog, I have shared with you pictures of example posted learning objectives. Though I have a clear vision of all the components, I have not yet seen our exemplar posted teaching point. For our purposes regarding teaching point, an exemplar would include; Student friendly/relatable language, a connection to a standard, reflected in an assessment, part of a broader idea, repeated and restated in multiple ways, concisely worded statement of what the student will learn, and should be able to do. Haven’t quite seen it yet. And I still haven’t seen consistency across classrooms (but hope to by June).

My point (and hope) is that you capture the exemplar student work to which you aspire for all of your students to meet. My challenge is for you, is to send me a fantastic teaching point that you have posted in the past or have been developing. My aim is to share what has been shared with me. Then I too, will have an exemplar to share that meets my highest expectation for student work.

Teaching Standard:

CDIF 3D Using Assessment in Instruction. Distinguished teachers allow students to assess their work against exemplars pieces of work or rubrics describing what is expected in the highest order. 5D Assessment for Learning; students evaluate their work using rubrics and examples of other students work which meets or exceeds standard.

Teaching Assessment:

So that I can understand your grasp of exemplar I am asking that you send me, or show me, an exemplar of student work you are using in your classroom. If you don’t have the work I would hope to see a description or the “perfect piece” that students can access or evaluate their own work against. I already know that many of you have several examples of this, and indeed exemplars. In lieu of a student work exemplar please take a stab at the perfect Teaching Point. I’d love to read what you have used or are using. Who knows, maybe I’ll share it and use as my exemplar of teaching point. By Friday please.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

Friday PCT for New Start is collaborative Advisory Planning. At CHOICE Common Core in LA/SS will be discussed and examples shared. Please come prepared to your PCT. 12:30 CHOICE, 1:00 New Start. Standby for room locations.

Stay warm -

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point December 3

Tuesday Teaching Point

December 3, 2013

• ·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction
• ·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration
• ·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community
• ·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

Teachers will know that the general structure of their daily classes contributes to the communication of Teaching Point. This is a bit of a refresher for all of you, but did you realize using the workshop model as a general structure for your class can help you re-edify your teaching point to students? The expectation and general structure of the workshop model has three distinct parts to any class period. Just to remind:

Part 1; Gathering; Where the teacher focuses on communicating the teaching point and delivering the content of the lesson. The gathering is critical to making a connection to a past lesson, or prior knowledge of the students, thereby making the teaching point more relevant. Teaching Point extends well beyond this portion of the class.   

Part 2; Work time; When students transition to small groups, individual practice, presentations or any one of many possible formats which allow them to practice and work on what was taught during the lesson. There are numerous opportunities during work time to remind students of, and repeat the original teaching point. Students can write in their journals or on the top of their worksheet. Students can discuss the teaching point and content. Perhaps a prompt by the teacher will relate the teaching point to student’s lives, or ask them to make a point of connection for themselves. Still, the Teaching Point carries on…

Part 3: Conclusion; The teacher helps the students cognitively “wrap-up” and review the learning for the day. Certainly, the teaching point will be a part of the last activity in the period. Again, any number of activities, from exit tasks, private writing, discussions, or even an explanation to the teacher can help students conclude the learning period. Students should recall and understand what was taught to them today, how they learned it, and why is was important.

We see that teaching point can be carried through the period and lesson. Much more than a posted learning objective, Teaching Point is the central theme of what is to be learned in class on any given day. How do you attach your Teaching Point to your student’s minds?   

Teaching Standard:

Charlotte Danielson 3A, Communicating with Students. Proficient: “The instructional purpose of the lesson is clearly com­municated to students, including where it is situated within broader learning; directions and procedures are explained clearly and may be modeled. The teacher’s explanation of content is scaffolded, clear, and ac­curate and connects with students’ knowledge and experience. During the explanation of content, the teacher focuses, as appropriate, on strategies students can use when working independently and invites stu­dent intellectual engagement. The teacher’s spoken and written language is clear and correct and is suit­able to students’ ages and interests. The teacher’s use of academic vocabulary is precise and serves to extend student understanding.” - CDIF

Teaching Assessment:

How is the teaching point carried through your lesson? Is it as clear to the student at the end of the period as it is at the beginning? Is the Teaching Point clear, at the beginning of the period? I see it is posted in all of your rooms. I’d like you to share with me your follow-through strategies for teaching point from bell to bell.  

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

This week we hold the second of four required collaborative learnings around teacher’s Professional Growth and Evaluation. The PG&E topic is collecting evidence in the eight state criteria and our own instructional framework. Mr. Frank Cantwell, and I, will co-conduct the combined PCT at CHOICE Academy at Woodside. All programs be at Woodside, in Mrs. Laura Mitchell’s room, at 1:00. Friday, December 6. See you there – Have a wonderful week.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point November 19

Tuesday Teaching Point

November 19, 2013

• ·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction
• ·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration
• ·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community
• ·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

Teachers will be familiar with various elements of the Fixed and Growth Mindsets as described by Carol Dweck in her 2010 article, “Boosting Achievement with Messages that Motivate.” Here is the link:  http://www.cea-ace.ca/sites/cea-ace.ca/files/EdCan-2007-v47-n2-Dweck.pdf

In order to give you time to read, I will not share a lot on this, but here is a teaser: “Teachers might be tempted to look for opportunities to praise students’ abilities and assure them of their intelligence. In a survey we gave parents, over 80% of them thought that it was necessary to praise their children’s intelligence in order to give them confidence in their abilities and motivate them to them to succeed. Our research shows that is wrong…”  (Dweck 2010)

Article: Boosting Achievement with Messages that Motivate

I am looking forward to what you learn and hope you can draw some comparisons to how we communicate or not with students in our classrooms

Teaching Standard:

Charlotte Danielson 3A Communicating with Students, Expectations for Learning a Distinguished teacher might say, “Here’s a spot where some students have difficulty; be sure to read it carefully.”

Dweck, Carol S. (2010), Boosting Achievement with Messages that Motivate , Education Canada Vol. 47 (2); Canadian Education Association; Toronto, ON

Teaching Assessment:

At Wednesday’s Staff Meeting, November 20, certificated staff will be given a short quiz. The quiz will assess for familiarity with five points of information directly from the article.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

“The BERC Group conducted a Needs Assessment for New Start High School in Highline Public Schools (HPS) on October 15th and 17th, 2013. The purpose of the Needs Assessment was to assess potential reasons for the school’s low graduation rates. The analyses are designed to provide actionable data focused on the needs of the identified student sub-groups as well as the whole school.”

This Friday, November 22, the BERC Group will present to staff in the library at 1:00, our normal PCT time. Please come to receive the feedback and findings of the Needs Assessment for New Start. See you there.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point November 12

Tuesday Teaching Point

November 12, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

The center of our school wide focus this year has been Teaching Point. Teaching Point is the purpose of our lesson. It is also how we communicate our expectations and Learning Objectives to our students. There are two critical scaffolding elements which contribute to the crafting and expression of Teaching Point; Standards and Assessment.

In the last few weeks, I have focused on Standards in my writing about Teaching Point. I have discussed the importance of Standards and asked you to think about how you relate Standards to your Learning Objectives through your daily practice. I have shared with you what your colleagues are doing in their classrooms to let students know that each day’s Teaching Point is rooted in a Standard. I want to shift, now, some focus to the other element which supports our Teaching Point, Assessment!

Think about this. The assessments in your class, from formative to summative, must be directly linked to what you are trying to teach (Which is linked to a Standard). Teachers, therefore, must know how each assessment in their classroom aligns with Teaching Point.

It is really quite simple. If you are teaching students how they can draw inferences from text, you will assess them on their ability to infer concepts based on what they have read. They may demonstrate this by writing in a journal or perhaps verbally sharing in a class discussion. The teacher will look to see that they are basing their claim in the text that was written, and that they are not letting their own emotion guide their thinking. The teacher will assess the student’s ability to infer, because that is aligned with the Teaching Point. If the teacher, in their assessment, was instead focusing or emphasizing the student’s speaking ability, or the grammar, the alignment of the assessment might be in question.

That is not to say that writing and speaking properly are not important. It is just that these skills are not what is being taught in class on that particular day. If successfully drawing an inference is what is to be expected, then that is what the teacher should be looking for in his or her students.

Are your daily assessments aligned with what you are teaching? Are they loosely connected? Is your alignment direct and clear with what you initially told students they will be learning?

Teaching Standard:

In the 5 Dimensions, Assessment for Student Learning, The Vision states, “Assessment criteria, methods and purposes are transparent and match the Learning Target. Furthermore a guiding questions might be, “How does the teacher’s instruction reflect planning for the assessment?”

Teaching Assessment:

It might help us identify the alignment of our assessments by first identifying where we have not so strongly connected the learning target to what we are asking students to demonstrate. Please take a moment to reflect about a time in your teaching that you realized, that maybe, your quiz or discussion, or even a question, missed the mark? Please share with me if you think that has ever happened in your teaching experience.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

This Friday we collaborate in learning about a method of examining student work. We will be assessing student work together through the Apex protocol as developed by the University of Washington. This will be a great opportunity to look at how assignments do, or may not align with what we are trying to teach. If you are assigned to bring in student work, I look forward to your examples. If you are simply participating in the process, please come with your best thinking about alignment and assessment to Teaching Point! Friday, November 15. We start together in the Library and will break out into teams to look at our student’s work, together.

I hope you enjoyed the long weekend. Have a wonderful week.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point November 5

Tuesday Teaching Point

November 5, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

In this edition teachers will learn how their colleagues at New Start are communicating Learning Objectives and Teaching Points. After last week’s note I have gone around to classrooms to see how our teachers communicate learning objectives. Beyond just something being written on the wall, I was interested in the phrasing of teaching point, and looking for a connection to standards. As promised I brought my camera and took some pictures for sharing and analysis. To keep this email short, I will share one thought or wondering of mine. Here we go:

This seems direct and describes the learning as a continuation from previous classes or lessons. The term “practice” might be a substitutable word for continued learning in this case. 

Loud and Proud Poster of the Common Core Standards. I saw two like this in separate rooms. Teachers report it is easier to link the learning objective directly to specific language from the Common Core. (Posted on the wall!)

Ah…an inquiry-based purpose in a standards-based world. The teacher approaches this by stating student will understand the “How”

Key concepts underlined for emphasis?

These are learning goals. Though the posting is demure in large classroom, the teacher is verbally repeating and re-edifying this to students for our predominately auditory learners

 Two days - worth of the same teacher. Wondering why a poster if students should write more in the core?

 This teacher has Common Core Posted in the room and it is clearly reflected in the language of her learning objective for Students. Students will…Read Closely, determine Text, analyze and infer actions in relation to the circumstance. Wow.

What did you think?

Teaching Standard:

Charlotte Danielson: Domain 3A “Communicating with Students”. Proficiency is “The teacher clearly communicates instructional purpose of the lesson, including where it is situated within broader learning (Notice the Guiding Questions in the last two pictures?), and explains procedures and directions clearly.”

Dimension of Purpose, Vision: The learning target is clearly articulated, linked to the standards, embedded in the instructions and understood by students. 5D Guiding Question? How does the target clearly state what the students will learn and be able to do?

Teaching Assessment:

I will assess what you have learned after reading this, by the comments you make back to me via email or in person. I invite you to respond to what you have now seen going on in the classroom next store! Please let me know what you have learned, observed, surmised or are still wondering about.  

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

This Friday, November 8, is a District Job-Alike or Team Time Collaboration with your colleagues. Please let me know which you will be participating in. Have a great week. Happy November.

BTW:

Some have asked why Tuesday Teacher is not on a blog (like last year’s, Alt Ed Weekly). For those of you who prefer the internet, or hoping to look up past Tuesday Teaching Points here is the link. http://tuesdayteachingpoint.blogspot.com/

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point October 29

Tuesday Teaching Point

October 29, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

Teachers will learn a phraseology to be used when posting a teaching point, and be able to write learning objectives in a consistent fashion across the school. To date we agree that having a clear teaching Point is important. Last week I wrote of the importance that Teaching Point or your Learning Objective be tied to a Standard. Today I want you to consider one method we can all use to communicate Teaching Point. As a school, how can we be consistent in our communication of teaching point?

Indeed, a district wide convention is that you write your learning objective(s) on the white board. At a minimum that is to be expected in your classroom. What I have seen, however, is that each teacher posts their teaching point differently. I fear this can be confusing to students as they move around from classroom to classroom throughout the day.

Experts say a posted Teaching point should be stated in so-called “kid friendly language” so that the student knows the learning of the class is about him or her. That means the Learning Objective should be stated in a format that stems from a phrase like “Today students will learn________, and be able to _________”. I am asking that this phrasing be used in each classroom. Some acceptable tweaks to this might be:

“Today students will continue to learn________, and be able to _________”.

“Today students will review (or reflect upon) their learning about ________, and practice their ability to _________”.

“This week (or By Wednesday) students will learn________, and be able to _________”.

“Today students will demonstrate what they have learned about________, and that they can _________”.

There are more. I intend to go a little deeper into this notion of “Kid Friendly” next week. But what is important is that each learning objective clearly states “What student will learn and be able to do.” There can be no confusion about what the student is going to learn. And gives focus to the aims of the teacher.

Teaching Standard:

The inspiration to write a little more in depth about Learning Objective came from a passage a book by Jan Chappuis, Seven Strategies of Assessment and Learning. In Chapter 2, she lists the first two strategies as 1: Provide students with a clear and understandable vision of the learning target, and 2: Use examples of strong and weak work. The author goes on to state, “Taken together Strategy One and Strategy Two, provide students with a vision of what they are to be learning. When we invest time up front to build the vision, we gain it back later in increased student motivation and the resulting higher quality work.” (Chappuis Page 17)

Charlotte Danielson: This week’s teaching point is based in Domain 3A “Communicating with Students”. Proficiency is described as “The teacher clearly communicates instructional purpose of the lesson, including where it is situated within broader learning, and explains procedures and directions clearly.” Furthermore, a distinguished teacher, “links the instructional purpose of the lesson to student interests; the directions and procedures are clear and anticipate possible student misunderstanding.”

5 Dimensions: In the dimension of Purpose, the Sub-Dimension is Learning Target and Teaching Point. A vision is that Teaching Points are based on the Teacher’s knowledge of the student’s learning needs in relation to the learning target. That means one might consider how the teaching point supports the learning needs of individual students in meeting the learning target.

Teaching Assessment:

I will be around this week to take a picture of your learning objective as stated in these terms. I look forward to what I find and sharing with you how we narrow the message about what we are teaching in class, and most importantly how we communicate that, consistently.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

On Friday November 1, PCT will be the second meeting of our all staff Success team. We will check in on the progress of our struggling students and the ways we are intervening to support them towards success. We meet in the Library at 1:00. We will have visitors to observe our work. 

BTW:

Pumpkin Pi…Have a Happy Halloween and a great November, starting this week! 

Tuesday Teaching Point October 22

Tuesday Teaching Point

October 22, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

I want you to understand how important it is that there are standards to which you teach. No matter what you think of the common core philosophically, the short video I shared last week speaks to the basic importance of having a standard. Here is the Video Link. Over the years I have been asked many times by students if we are a “real school”?

Our standards allow me to confidently respond to that question.  I can assure any student and family that we teach to the same high standards as any other “real” school. Our diploma is as strong, and valid, as any other school. Having rigorous and rich standards is what makes our school rock solid. We are based in Standards. 

Without standards we are nothing. We need to be able to speak to the standards-base of all our classes, or we may seem as nothing to others. Happily, I have started seeing the standards being posted in our classrooms. A large poster of the common core is in at least two classrooms at New Start. That is a start, yet it is only the beginning. 

What really matters, is that the standard on your wall is aligned with the actual learning objective in your classroom.

There needs to be a clear connection between the posted learning objective and the standard to which you teach. The standard validates what you are teaching. If you cannot articulate or show me that connection, you probably do not understand it yourself. Do you understand the importance of your standards?

Teaching Standard:

The Common Core was adopted in New York in 2010, and the NY State Department of Education is national leader in organizational, leadership and teacher professional development around CCSS. They have a website for you to peruse www.EngageNY.org.

When I write about making a connection between a Learning Objective and the Common Core, I am thinking about observable shifts in teaching practice. “The Shifts” are where I begin to see CCSS in ELA, Literacy and Math begin to manifest in your classroom.

Teaching Assessment:

We discuss the Shifts next week, but for a preview you might want to check out this document. Twelve Shifts. This describes twelve shifts in teaching that can be seen in the classroom. There are six shifts in Mathematics, and six shifts in the Language Arts. They are required by the common core, and in our daily instruction if we are truly aligned (based in) with Standards. I’ll be stopping by to take a look in your classes on Wednesday or Thursday.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

On Friday at PCT we will be having a discussion to define the purpose and set norms for Peer Observations.  There will be a complete explanation of the process, as well as time to give feedback as we coordinate.  Staff should leave the PCT with a clear vision of the procedure and goals of the first non-evaluative peer observation round, coming in November. 1:00 in Mr. Alexander’s Room, this Friday October 25.

BTW:

Thank you all for your participation in our recent Needs Assessment conducted by the BERC group. We will receive our feedback and recommendations in about a month in a specially called meeting. More to come in our ongoing improvement and growth at New Start.

Happy Tuesday and have a great week.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point October 15

Tuesday Teaching Point

October 15, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

Standards do not stand alone and neither should a proposed learning objective in any class. In your planning you will align learning goals so that they scaffold, or build upon one another leading to a bigger idea. Making sense of a broader concept is critical to setting the context for smaller, but still the very important learning objectives.

For example, I write this weekly Instructional Letter because I want my teachers to be on point in everything they teach, every day. My Big Idea is that the most effective teachers are on point!

Picture a school of fish. Imagine that each fish is a “Learning Objective”. Are all of your fish swimming the same way? Are you clear where the fish are headed? Are your students clear where they are headed? Are you teaching a lesson that is not aligned with the rest of the fish?

My learning goals for you are that you: 1) focus your lessons, 2)understand your standards, and 3) know how to check-in with your students frequently to ensure they are learning what you want them to learn. If you can learn to do all of this effectively, your teaching will be focused and on point. That’s my Big Idea.

Teaching Standard:

In the Dimension of Purpose under Standards, a guiding question says, “How does the standard and learning target relate to the ongoing work of the classroom? What about the broader ideals of the classroom like problem-solving or citizenship?” These too, are big ideas. I’m asking, how are your standards and objectives connected to something larger? Where is your “school of fish” headed?

Teaching Assessment:

This graphic shows an interesting relationship between Standards and Assessment. I think the first line in each box says it all. “What should students know?” and, “How do we know what students know?” This shows how one builds upon the other in a perpetual cycle. Do you have anything to say after looking at this?

How do you assess your students to the standards you have identified for your class? Next time I stop in class please share with me the highest leverage formative assessment that you use frequently. I look forward to seeing what you have to share. And how that assessment is connected to the most current learning objective posted in your room.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

This Friday at PCT we will cover two topics to prep us for ongoing professional development and collaboration in following times throughout the year. First, we will discuss our Advisory planning model and how to develop what is taught in our new upper/lower grade level model. Secondly, we will see a protocol and exemplar for looking at student work. Student work, you will see, will give us an incredible opportunity to look deeply into what our students are learning in our own classes. This is an excellent tool to examine our own practice and how it connects directly to student work. Have a great week.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point October 8

Tuesday Teaching Point

October 8, 2013

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

Teaching Point:

Last week I asked you to identify the Standard Set upon which you will build your classes for the year. I found that most of you have something in mind, but few could actually show me their standards. One of your colleagues has his standards printed out and posted in his room. Happily, anyone who enters this room can see exactly what is taught throughout the year, and to what level instruction occurs. I’ve seen standards in a teachers flip file for planning, or bound in a book on a shelf by the door.

You need to be familiar with the standards for which each of your classes and lessons are based. This is important because having a standards base helps you identify relevant and rigorous learning objectives. This sophisticates, yet simplifies, writing your learning objectives. As we move toward more clarity in how we communicate teaching points in each of your classes, you will find that your standards can be a most valuable reference and tool!

Standards are written by the experts with clear outcomes about what students should know and be able to do. The student, knowing the standard by which he or she is assessed, can be assured they are being taught to the level which is deserved in any content area.

Having a standard, and teaching to such published expectations, will assure you and others that your class is of no lesser quality, or expectation. When we are standards-based, your teaching objectives and points will be of excellent, and expected, quality. All of our students will get the level of precise teaching due to them, and what they would get in any other high caliber school.

More importantly, knowing your standards simplifies deciding what it is you are going to teach each day. With standards in hand, you can begin to build learning objectives and connecting them to the larger concepts and smaller ideas which represent the learning that occurs in your classroom. Know your standard set. Get it in your hands and on your wall! If you are not sure what I am requesting here, please talk with me.  

Teaching Standard:

The distinguished teacher has all outcomes stated and written in terms of rigorous and important learning for students. Objectives are clearly linked to standards and permit viable methods of assessment. (Charlotte Danielson 1C Setting Instructional Outcomes) In the dimension of Purpose of the 5Ds, Standards allow the lesson to be intentionally linked to other lessons. Which is exactly what I will write about next week, Connecting Standards. 

Teaching Assessment:

I will continue to come around to your classes in search of the standards upon which your classes are based. I will take pictures of our exemplars and share with you what I find. It is assuring to me, and to your fellow teachers when we all have certifiable and adopted standards to base our classes upon. So show your standards, loud and proud, so we all can see you are a standards-based teacher! (Which is a lot better than being a non-standards based teacher.)

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

There is no building level PCT this Friday in lieu of State In-Service Day. This means you can use Friday for collaborative and Professional Learning in a larger sense at various workshops in the region, state conferences or other district PD. We are sending our PBIS team to the National PBIS conference in Chicago this weekend. Please let me know what you will be doing toward your professional learning on this day.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point Opening Edition

Tuesday Teaching Point

October 1, 2013

Orientation:

It is a best leadership practice for a principal to consistently communicate a teaching point to instructional staff. Tuesday Teaching Point will be my weekly letter reminding each of you about our purpose, and giving focus to how we conduct ourselves in the important practice of teaching.

In our exceptional alternative programs and schools, most of us share in the daily ritual of engaging, teaching and assessing our students. The rest of us, support instructional staff in the growth and learning of our kids. Nonetheless, for all of us, engagement, teaching and measuring our student’s growth occupies the center of our work.

If we engage in truly equable practices, each student will have similar learning experiences of high quality and expectations in every classroom, and with every teacher, every day. It is unfair to our children if there is a lower expectation or quality of instruction in any one classroom. Therefore, each of us is morally compelled to be aligned in our approach to engaging students.

Let us begin with the four pillars of our district strategic plan:

·       Equitable Access to Rigorous, Standards-based Instruction

·       Results-focused Professional Learning and Collaboration

·       Strong Partnerships with Families and Community

·       A Culturally-Responsive Organization

My weekly letter is born of the first two of tenants of the compact with our community: 1) Equitable access to rigorous standards-based instruction, and 2) results-focused professional learning and collaboration. The intent of my weekly message and direction to you will be to manifest the above in all of our classrooms. We will do that by communicating a quality, standards-based teaching point, and regularly assessing if students are learning what you teach. Tuesday Teaching Point will be our instructional journey, learning and growth together this year. I look forward to sharing a weekly message with you, in high hopes we can effectively teach to the point, and with purpose for our children every day. 

Teaching Point:

My goal for you is; Teachers will effectively communicate the standard and purpose of their lessons. Also, teachers will assess their students daily, and in multiple ways, to know if they are learning. For the next 30 weeks of this letter, and through my learning walks, and feedback to you, I will be looking to ensure that teaching staff has an understanding of, and propagates a clear, standards-based teaching point, while implementing the structures for ongoing formative assessment in every class, and every period. That is my expectation.

Teaching Standard:

The standards I am connecting my expectations with are in the Charlotte Danielson Instructional Framework and the Five Dimensions of Teaching and Learning, developed by the Center of Educational Leadership (CEL). There are too many standards to list in this email, but I will certainly share what is to be expected in a quality teaching point and purpose tied to a standard. Likewise I will teach you this year about assessment as expected in these standards.

Teaching Assessment:

Direction: The first step for you is to identify the standards upon which your classes are based. That is what makes a course “Standards-based”. It may be the Common Core ELA, Next Generation Science Standards, or a set that is CTE based. Whatever it is, find your standard set immediately. Many of you already have. I will be asking you to share with me in the next week or two. And we will learn how to check for your student’s understanding of the standards in coming weeks and months.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

The All-Staff Success Team will be meeting Friday in the Library at 1:00 on Friday. 15-day reporting has identified our students in danger of failing one or more classes this session. Success Team will facilitate a meeting and create interventions to help our struggling students. This Friday we focus on supporting our students to success for Session 1!

BTW:

By the way, you already possess the Charlotte Danielson Instructional Framework and rubrics. I have attached the Charlotte Danielson FW Smart Card, and the quick reference card listing standards in the Five Dimensions. (The 5Ds, you may recall, I shared with you several years ago in my weekly letters)

Also, in the past I have included my weekly schedule and nuts and bolts type announcements in my weekly instructional letter. So not to delude the message of Tuesday Teaching Points, I will end this practice. However, over the next few weeks you will begin to receive a weekly bulletin via email. This will be the venue in which logistics, dates and our daily operational work will be communicated. You will be able to provide inputs to the weekly bulletin as well. But for now, Tuesday Teaching Point (TTP) will be reserved exclusively for you and me to focus on instruction.

So get busy digging up your standards set for me. I’ll be around asking! Have a great week.

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike