A Strategy for Connecting Teachers, Iowa Core, & Changing Instruction IA ASCD Curriculum Academy April 2013 Kevin Vidergar Director of Teaching & Learning North Polk CSD

Today’s Learning Goals 1.Understand one strategy for engaging grade level teams in learning more deeply about the Iowa Core literacy standards & benchmarks. 2.Consider how you might implement a similar strategy at your school or district. 2

Success Criteria I can…  describe the 6 shifts that must occur in the teaching of English Language Arts (ELA).  plan a similar approach for working with teachers in my building or district.  recognize how this strategy can be used to develop and support teacher leadership.  identify the advantages & disadvantages of using this strategy for engaging teachers.  identify several useful resources for engaging teachers in learning about the Iowa Core (Iowa Core = CCSS). 3

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Initiative Fatigue in Action Recognize this Person? 5

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How to engage teachers in deep learning of the Iowa Core Literacy Standards, create an understanding that their teaching must change, and maintain or build their confidence in their capacity to actually change their instruction? 8

Theory of Change If… teachers are engaged in half-day sessions spread throughout the school year, and focus on the 6 shifts in literacy, and develop scope and sequences, and receive coaching and encouragement, while working as a grade level team, … 9

Theory of Change Then… teachers will increase their efficacy in teaching the Iowa Core by becoming more skilled with their ability to plan instruction and confident to follow through and actually change their teaching. 10

Structure 6 half-days spread monthly throughout the school year. 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. sessions Provide breakfast and lunch 11

What does a typical half-day session look like?

Shifts… 13

ELA Major Shifts 1.Text-based Answers 2.Staircase of text complexity 3.Balance of fiction & nonfiction 4.Writing from sources 5.Academic vocabulary 6.Building knowledge across disciplines From: A Guide To The Shifts In The ELA Common Core State Standards, 2012, Delaware 14

Expected Products Scope & sequence for writing Scope & sequence for citing sources Scope & sequence for speaking and listening 15 Additional items added by the team…

Expected Products Additional items added by the team included… Collaboratively plan units that incorporate writing, speaking, listening Plan a middle school newspaper Plan how we will teach spelling & vocabulary Develop a plan to increase use of computer with writing as well as increase writing in other curricular areas Identify essential objectives that all students will master for each grade level 9-12 Create a new teaching schedule for the HS English Department 16

Developing Teacher Leadership Skills Made clear to middle school teachers that I expected them to lead the high school and grade 4 and 5 teams in this work during As we learned, we discussed how the information might be shared with these other teachers. Ultimately, MS teachers are leading sessions with grades 4 and 5. Next year, teachers from grades 4 & 5 will lead sessions with grades K, 1, 2, and 3.

Some useful Resources 18 Delaware Guide to ELA Shifts Asmt-sbac-ela-gr__-sample-items Appendix C from the CCSS for ELA Learning Progressions Bookmarks CCCSS_SpeakListen (or any other area)CCCSS_SpeakListen Continuum_______ ELA Green Flags and Red Flags

Scope & Sequences Completed scope & sequences crafted by the team include Citing Sources Writing Grades 4-8 Speaking & Listening

Plans for  Summer 2013: Summer camp!  : One full day divided into half day with Kindergarten and half day with Grade 1 One full day divided into half day with Grade 2, and half day with Grade 3.

21 How might you use this strategy in your school or district? Questions ?

22 Kevin Vidergar Director of Teaching and Learning North Polk Community School District

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