Quality Review & Student Engagement Wings High School Tuwanna Williams-Gray, Principal April, 2014

Identifying Our Belief At Wings High School, what is our belief about how students learn best? Question was given to teachers prior to presentation. Elicit feedback from staff on this questions. AP’s can scribe teacher responses for you.

Your Classroom Practices and Routines How do your classroom practices and/or routines support our belief about how students learn best? Question was given to teachers prior to presentation. Elicit feedback from staff on this questions. AP’s can scribe teacher responses for you. Try have teachers identify whether they are citing a practice or routine. If responses are slow – you can elicit responses from teachers you observed who used effective strategies or routines.

In Terms of Student Participation … When do your students participate the most in your classes, why? Question was given to teachers prior to presentation. Elicit feedback from staff on this questions. AP’s can scribe teacher responses for you. Try to have teachers give specific examples.

Student Thinking What strategies used in your class result in “high levels of student thinking”? Question was given to teachers prior to presentation. Elicit feedback from staff on this questions. AP’s can scribe teacher responses for you. If slow to respond – direct teachers to the VERBS and FOCUS for Level 3 and 4 in the Webb’s DoK Table.

QR SSEF II. Classroom Visits (1.2, 4.1) Describe how your school community uses the Danielson Framework for Teaching to assess and support teacher practice and student achievement. Please respond to the following prompts: How has your school community developed a shared understanding of effective instruction? What curricular, pedagogical and assessment practices do you expect to see across classrooms in your school that result in high levels of student thinking and participation? In what ways do these classroom practices and/or routines align with your school community’s beliefs about how students learn best? How these classroom practices are informed by the strategic use of the Danielson Framework for Teaching? Let them know you are writing the SSEF for the QR and what their input for the SSEF (note this is for Classroom visits and statement 1.2) – which is why you asked the 4 REFLECTION questions. Start with the connection to RED font bullet – understanding of “how students learn best” (reflection question 1 and 2). Then connect to the 2nd bullet about high levels of thinking and participation (reflection questions 3 and 4).

Quality Review Rubric 1.2 Develop teacher pedagogy from a coherent set of beliefs about how students learn best that is informed by the instructional shifts and Danielson Framework for Teaching, aligned to the curricula, engaging, and meets the needs of all learners so that all students produce meaningful work products And know we can see the connection of reflection questions to Quality Review Rubric (1.2: coherent set of beliefs about how students learn best). As a school we want to focus on QR statement 1.2 for our upcoming May QR. However, please note that 1.2 also references The Danielson Framework --- and Engagement (in red font).

Danielson Framework for Teaching Domain 3: Instruction 3c Engaging Students in Learning “Student engagement in learning is the centerpiece of the Framework for Teaching; all other components contribute to it.” And QR Statement 1.2 in terms of ENGAGEMENT – connects directly to Domain 3 (Instruction) and specifically to 3c: Engaging students in learning. Note the quote --- everything is connected to student engagement!!!

Elements of Component 3C Activities and Assignments* Grouping of Students** Instructional Materials and Resources*** Structure and Pacing**** There are four components to Engaging students in Learning (3C). There are 4 extra slides at the end if you want to address each one – but you probably won’t have the time.

2013-14 Quality Review School Quality Expectations: Quality Indicator 1.2 Lessons and teaching artifacts represent deep content knowledge, understanding of diverse students’ linguistic differences and other needs, and available resources*** (including technology), resulting in a series of learning activities* designed to ENGAGE students in high-level cognitive activity. The lesson and unit structure is clear****, allows for different pathways to understanding according to diverse student needs. (b) Instructional student groups** are organized thoughtfully and are varied as appropriate; they build on student strengths and incorporate student choice as appropriate to maximize learning. Plans for lessons or units are well-structured, with appropriate pacing**** and time allocations. ( b) All the Elements of Component 3C (engaging students) are reflected in the Quality Review (see asterisks) – School Quality Expectations (Quality Indicator 1.2)

Engaged Students … are “on task” not merely busy. are intellectually active in learning important and challenging content. develop understanding through what they do select their work from a range of choices How do visitors/administrators recognize engaged students – they look for specific characteristics …

Evidence for Engagement What are the students saying and doing as a consequence of what the teacher does, has done, or has planned? It is NOT essential that students be involved in a hands-on matter; it is essential that they be challenged to be “minds-on” More specifically they look to see what they are doing as a result of what the teacher asks them to do. And just doing an activity – hands-on (coloring a map) does not make it Minds on!

Degree of Student Engagement What are the students being asked to do? Does the learning task involve thinking? Are students challenged to discern patterns or make predictions? As we look to determine the level of student engagement (as a result of a teacher action) – we consider three questions.

3C Indicators include: Activities aligned with the goals of the lesson Learning tasks that require high-level student thinking and are aligned with lesson objectives Suitable pacing of the lesson: neither dragging nor rushed, with time for closure and student reflection Student enthusiasm, interest, thinking, problem-solving, etc. Students highly motivated to work on all tasks and persistent even when tasks are challenging Students are actively “working”, rather than watching while their teacher “works” And if we put it in the context of 3C: Engaging Students in Instruction --- it grows even more to include things like alignment with goals/objectives, persistence, and pacing. What is in BLUE – are indicators related to the lesson and in RED are indicators related to the students.

Strategies for Engagement Discussion Debate “What if” questions Discovering Patterns “The critical distinction between a classroom in which students are compliant and busy, and one in which they are engaged, is that in the latter students are developing their understanding through what they do. That is, they are engaged in discussion, debate, answering “what if?” questions, discovering patterns, and the like.” – taken directly from Danielson Evaluation Instrument!

What if Questions Work in All Content Areas

“What if …” Questions Math: What if … X was negative and not positive – how would that change the answer, why? English: What if … the main character did not believe that …, how would have if changed his/her actions? Explain. Science: What if … the consumer in the food web was an omnivore and not a carnivore – how would that affect the flow of energy? Social Studies: What if … Hitler had not invaded Russia …, how would it have changed the outcome of the war? Explain Samples of What if … questions in the four main content areas. Note that your looking to see how that would change the student answer and WHY.

Let’s Adopt the What if … Let’s Adopt the What if …? Strategy in our Classroom to Build Student Engagement!

Implementation Plan Introduce the strategy to your Students Post a “What if …” Poster in your Classroom for Student Reference Model the Strategy with your Students (Think Aloud) Include a minimum of 2 “What if …” Questions for your Students in each Lesson

To Encourage Students to Discuss their “What if …” Responses Let’s Remember to Use the Four Single Word Prompts 1. Add 2. Challenge 3. Connect 4. Summarize The prompts in YELLOW (add and challenge) are about getting the desired information. Then you move to the prompts in GREEN which are about engaging the students in HIGHER ORDER THINKING!!!

ADD … CHALLENGE … CONNECT …. SUMMARIZE … Hear many voices Develop a complete answer Not “wrong” Refine a “best answer” Develop a “Class/Group” answer CHALLENGE … “Better answer(s)” Misconception Correct an aspect or entirety Review Evidence New Idea Multiple answers (open-ended) CONNECT …. Inter/Intra-Unit Relationship Personal/ “Non-Content” Theme, AIM, EQ or EU Real World SUMMARIZE … “Put it all together” Explain with Evidence Condense information Sort/Resort Information Conclusion When you use each simple word prompt (bullets)

3C Examples (Proficient) There is clear beginning, middle, and end to the lesson. Students are asked to formulate a hypothesis about what might happen if … Students are given a task to do independently, then to discuss with a table group, and then to report out from each table. Students are asked to create different representations of … Student groups could be given the task to CONNECT or SUMMARIZE (green boxes) a concept, skill, or major understanding. Then each table could be asked to report out – where they ADD and CHALLENGE each other.

3C Examples (Distinguished) Students summarize their learnings from the lesson. Students are asked to write an essay “in the style of …” Students identify or create their own learning materials. The SUMMARIZE discussion PROMPT perfectly address the 3C example of “Students summarize their learnings from the lesson”

DF Rubric (Distinguished) Virtually all students are intellectually engaged in challenging content through well-designed learning tasks and suitable scaffolding by the teacher and fully aligned to the instructional outcomes. In addition, there is evidence of some student initiation of inquiry and of student contribution to the exploration of important content. The pacing of the lesson provides students the time needed to intellectually engage with and reflect upon their learning and to consolidate their understanding. Students may have some choice in how they complete tasks and may serve as resources to one another. DF – Danielson Framework. Our “What if …” Questions and Discussion prompts allow students to engage in challenging content (suitably scaffolded). “What if …” Questions also lead to inquiry where students propose/test/explore new ideas. And the strategies give the student time to engage and reflect on their learning (CONNECT and SUMMARIZE) and offers them CHOICE in what they want to offer to the question or prompts/

QR 1.2 Well Developed b) Across the vast majority of classrooms, teaching strategies (including questioning, scaffolds in English and/ or native language where appropriate, and routines) strategically provide multiple entry points and high-quality supports and extensions into the curricula so that all learners, including ELLs and SWDs, are engaged in appropriately challenging tasks and demonstrate higher-order thinking skills in student work products Connect back to the Quality Review Rubric for 1.2 --- our “What if …” Questions and 4 Discussion prompts allows us to engage all learners in higher order thinking skills

FINIS

EXTRA SLIDES

Critical Attributes (Proficient) Most students are intellectually engaged in the lesson Learning tasks have multiple correct responses or approaches and/or demand higher-order thinking. Students have some choice in how they complete learning tasks. There is a mix of different types of groupings, suitable to the lesson objectives. Materials and resources support the learning goals and required intellectual engagement, as appropriate. The pacing of the lesson provides students with the time needed to be intellectually engaged.

Critical Attributes (Distinguished) Virtually are students are highly engaged in the lesson Students take initiative to modify a learning task to make it more meaningful or relevant to their needs. Students suggest modifications to the grouping patterns used. Students have extensive choice in how they complete tasks. Students suggest modifications or additions to the materials being used. Students have an opportunity for both reflection and closure after the lesson to consolidate their understanding.

1.3 Make strategic organizational decisions to support the school’s instructional goals and meet student learning needs, as evidenced by meaningful student work products

b) The use of staff time is structured such that teams have substantial and regular meetings that are deliberately structured so that teachers’ professional responsibilities align with the school’s instructional goals, focusing teacher time on instructional work and resulting in improved instruction that engages all students in challenging academic tasks

Activities and Assignments The activities and assignments are the centerpiece of student engagement, since they determine what it is that students are asked to do. Activities and assignments that promote learning require thinking that emphasizes depth over breadth and encourage students to explain their thinking

Grouping of Students How students are grouped for instruction (whole class, small groups, pairs, individuals) is one of the many decisions teachers make every day. There are many options; students of similar background and skill may be clustered together, or the more-advanced students may be spread around into the different groups. Alternately, a teacher might permit students to select their own groups, or they could be formed randomly.

Instructional Materials and Resources The instructional materials a teacher selects to use in the classroom can have an enormous impact on students’ experience. Though some teachers are obliged to use a school’s or district’s officially sanctioned materials, many teachers use these selectively or supplement them with others of their choosing that are better suited to engaging students in deep learning – for example, the use of primary source materials in social studies.

Structure and Pacing No one, whether an adult or a student, likes to be either bored or rushed in completing a task. Keeping things moving, within a well-defined structure, is one of the marks of an experienced teacher. And since much of student learning results from their reflection on what they have done, a well-designed lesson includes time for reflection and closure.

Rubric (Proficient) The learning tasks and activities are aligned with the instructional outcomes and designed to challenge student thinking, the result being that most students display active intellectual engagement with important and challenging content and are supported in that engagement by teacher scaffolding. The pacing of the lesson is appropriate, providing most students the time needed to be intellectually engaged.