Tuesday Teaching Point January 28

Tuesday Teaching Point

January 28, 2014

·       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:

This week with a new Session or semester at all three programs it is important we remember Criterion 1 is about centering our instruction on high expectations for student achievement. Charlotte Danielson describes this as Establishing a Culture for Learning…a critical step to remember at the beginning of any new term.

In CDIF 2B the Proficient teacher is described as creating a classroom culture that is a “cognitively busy” place where learning is valued. High expectations for learning are the norm for most students.

The teacher conveys that with hard work students can be successful. Students understand their role as learners, consistently expending efforts to learn. Classroom interactions support learning and hard work.

How does 2B manifest in your room this week? I’d be curious to know by Friday if you think your Culture of Learning has improved over the last semester (session) or flattened as we hit mid-year.

In the Distinguished teacher’s classroom, according to Danielson, students assume self-responsibility for high quality learning by initiating their own improvements, making un-prompted revisions, adding new details, and/or helping their peers.

I do not need a response, but would like you to rate the environment you create in your classroom using the state criteria.

Teaching Standard:

Washington State Evaluative Criterion 1, CDIF 2B

Teaching Assessment:

Please share with me what evidence of “establishing a learning environment might look like, in your room or others.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

This Friday PCT has been set aside for the second planning and debrief meeting of Peer Observations at New Start. Teaching staff will meet in the Math Room at 1:00, Friday Jan 31. CHOICE has set aside the PCT for Team Time.

Have a good Session Start!

Go Hawks

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point January 21

Tuesday Teaching Point

January 21, 2014

·       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:

As you know assessment takes many forms from a final summative demonstration at the end of a term, or merely asking students a question as they enter the classroom. What’s the appropriate assessment at any given time? I do not know that I can tell you how to gauge that.

Certainly academia has identified two categories of assessment (Which you very well know); Formative and Summative. But within these domains it is truly your pedagogy that helps you determine the nature of a “check along the way” or a final examination of what was learned at the end of a unit.

In Danielson 1F, Designing Student Assessments, the Proficient teacher’s plan for student assessment is aligned with the instructional outcomes; criteria and standards are clear. The teacher also has a well-developed strategy for using formative assessment and has designed particular approaches to be used.

Furthermore, the Distinguished teacher will show evidence that there was student participation and contribution toward the development of the assessment.

Teaching Standard:

Danielson Framework for Teaching by the Washington State Criteria. SC 6: Using multiple student data elements to modify instruction and improve student learning, CDIF 1F

Teaching Assessment:

I have seen the distinguished approach in classrooms. I have observed a teacher using the final unit review with students to design and literally write out the final exam. Can the teacher incorporate distinguished elements into the more formative brand of real-time classroom assessment? Please let me know what you think by email or in personal response.

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

Alt Ed Leadership has scheduled this Friday’s collaborative time to be independently directed. New Start Leadership Team will be meeting at 1:00. Please let me know how you will be collaborating with colleagues this Friday, January 24.

A Quote for the Monday Holiday in Honor of MLK Jr:

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."  Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have a wonderful week,

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike

Tuesday Teaching Point January 14

Tuesday Teaching Point

January 14, 2014

·       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:

There is a list of descriptors of Teacher Actions and Student Actions that reflect Common Core implementation in the classroom.  I have attached it to this email. The “Look-fors” were shared by the district office last week, and I have been examining them over the weekend. While thinking about Teaching Points and purpose, what strikes me in this document is how Student Actions could very well be incorporated into a posted Teaching Point.

Take a moment to review the attached document.

The “shifts” toward common core in this discussion are based in the national English Language Arts standard. The shifts are in the left colored column of the sheet. The right column is titled “You see students…” There are a list of actions you might expect to see the student doing in a class or classroom at any given time. The actions are associated with the shifts, which are associated with the Common Core.

My question for you to ponder as we move into this year of the Common Core is, how might you (or how do you already), incorporate the phrases under “You see students…” into your daily teaching point? Might such practice result in evidence of the classroom being based in the common core? Which of these could you pull off in Social Studies, Science or Math?

Teaching Standard:

National English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core Standards Shifts.

Teaching Assessment:

Please respond to the questions posed above in person or by email. I do keep track of who responds, so please let me know what you think.  

Professional Collaboration and Learning:

PCT at New Start will be for collaborative Advisory Planning. At CHOICE further illuminate training.

BTW:

Happy New Year. I look forward to getting back into the classrooms this 2014 to see how we can improve our school wide instructional practices together.  

Your Instructional Leader,

Mike