Classroom Rigor in Bracken County Schools 2016-2017 Content provided by Explicit Instruction- Dr. Anita Archer– Edited and summarized by Leah Jefferson.

Bracken County rigor defined: Academic rigor is learning through … strategically, intentionally planned curriculum focused and aligned standards diverse and multiple learning styles, needs, and experiences immersing students as workers, investigators, and problem solvers utilizing critical, creative, and higher order thinking skills generating student self-discovery and intellectual engagement through new ideas, meanings, and knowledge working with challenging text and mediums that pose dilemmas, conduct inquiry, take positions, examine multiple meanings, and apply to current life situations. Focus Areas: Questioning and Engagement

Questioning –How will I know I am successful? Teachers will: Students will: Intentionally and strategically plan questions and how to ask them at the right time to be a catalyst for powerful, exciting, and memorable learning. Frame their questions around knowledge, skills, and big ideas that students needs to learn. Choose the right type, kind, and level of questioning to reinforce and intensify different kinds of learning. Formulate questions and initiate topics. Initiate discussion participation through self or teacher direction. Build upon the contributions of others through relevant and meaningful responses/ questions. Effective questioning puts learning ahead of activities.

Engagement – How will I know I have it? Teachers will: Students will: Strategically and intentionally utilize the questions planned for their instructional purpose. Provide learning tasks that are relevant, meaningful, and important. Provide a productive mix of different types of groupings and learning opportunities suitable for lesson objectives. Be passionate about teaching. Show an observable attraction to their work. Persist in their work despite challenges and obstacles. Show application of their work in real time connections. Passionate: Be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and purposeful. Engagement is NOT just keeping students busy!

Round 1 Data Retreat We looked at the following: Questions that arose: Active Engagement –vs- Passive Engagement Strategies Instructional Groupings Observed Questions that arose: If we had serval active engagement strategies being utilized, then why are we still having trouble meeting grade level and state standards? Are the learning activities utilized resulting in active, intellectual student engagement with important and challenging content for this grade level/subject area? How do you know? How can you prove? Within the active engagement strategies, what are the students actually doing? Students completing, writing, or typing assignment/bell work/worksheet. Students raising hand and/or speaking to participate in Q & A. Are the learning activities utilizing important and challenging content for this grade level/subject area? Are the students engaged with important and challenging content enough to attend, intend, rehearse, and retrieve what is taught? Does observed instructional groupings affect the achievement of students?

THE MAGIC IS IN THE INSTRUCTION Explicit Instruction: Effective & Efficient Teaching – A Key to Prevention & Intervention

Anita L. Archer, Ph. D. Author – Consultant – Teacher archerteach@aol Anita L. Archer, Ph.D. Author – Consultant – Teacher archerteach@aol.com Archer, A., & Hughes, C. (2011). Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching. NY: Guilford Publications. www.explicitinstruction.org

Quality Instruction “The quality of teachers is the single most important factor in the educational system.” Wiliam, 2012 Reworded The quality of TEACHING is the single most important factor in the educational system.

Quality Instruction Benefits of high teacher quality is greater for low performing students than higher performing students. Slater, Davis, and Burgess, 2008 Reworded Benefits of quality TEACHING is greater for low performing students than higher performing students.

What is Explicit Instruction? Explicit instruction is a structured, systematic instructional approach for teaching academic skills that includes a set of delivery and design procedures derived from effective schools research………. Ideas that Work Explicit instruction is an unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that incorporates both instructional design and delivery procedures. Archer & Hughes, 2011

Explicit Instruction Hattie & Yates, 2014 Teacher as Activator d Teacher as facilitator Teaching students self-verbalization .76 Inductive teaching .33 Teacher clarity .75 Simulation and gaming .32 Reciprocal teaching .74 Inquiry-based teaching .21 Feedback Smaller classes Metacognitive Strategies .67 Individualized instruction .22 Direct Instruction .59 Web-based learning .18 Mastery Learning .57 Problem-based learning .15 Providing worked examples Discovery method in math instruction .11 Providing goals .50 Whole language .06 Frequent effects of testing .46 Student control overlearning .04 Behavioral organizers .41 Average activator .61 Average facilitator .19

#11 of the 16 elements of Explicit Instruction Elicit frequent responses Opportunities to respond can be related to: Increased academic achievement Increased on-task behavior Decreased behavioral challenges Caveat - Only successful responding results in these outcomes.

Elicit frequent responses – What and How? Opportunities to Respond Verbal Responses Written Responses Action Responses All Students Respond. When possible use response procedures that engage all students.

Elicit frequent responses Preview of Procedures Verbal Response Procedures Inclusive Passage Reading Choral Silent Partners Choral Teams/Huddle Groups Cloze Individual Discussion Partner Written Response Procedures Literacy Circles Types of writing tasks Whiteboards (Tablets, Virtual Whiteboards) Action Response Procedures Acting out/Simulations Gestures Facial Expressions Hand Signals Response Cards/Response Sheets (Clickers, Plickers)

Elicit frequent responses The active participation procedure should: Involve all students Be structured Allow adequate thinking time

Active Participation Essentials Think Time Given a question where thinking time is desired… If thinking time was extended beyond 3 seconds these benefits occurred: Greater participation by all learners Length of student responses increased Use of evidence to support inferences increased Logical consistency of students’ explanations increased Number of questions asked by students increased

Students are looking at teacher Verbal Responses – Structured Choral Responses * Use when answers are short & the same * Use when recall and rehearsal of facts is desired * Use for quick review of information Students are looking at teacher Ask question Put up your hands to indicate “Silence” or “Thinking gesture” to indicate you are Giving them thinking time Lower your hands as you say, “Everyone” OR Simply say “Everyone”

Verbal Responses - Choral Responses Students are looking at a common stimulus Point to stimulus Ask question Give thinking time Tap for response

Verbal Responses - Choral Responses Hints for Choral Responses When given a question that requires thinking time….Provide adequate thinking time Have students put up their thumbs or look at you to indicate adequate thinking time. (Have students put that thumb in front of them at stomach area to be less distracting) If students don’t respond for your choral answers– Prompt them, “I am not hearing ALL respond.” OR If you have a student blurt out an answer state a gentle redo, “Remember, the silence is for thinking time not call outs or hands to be raised.”

Verbal Responses – Structured Partners Verbal Responses – Structured Partners * Use when answers are long or different * Use for foundational and higher order questions Partners Assign partners Pair lower performing students with middle performing students Give partners a number (#1 or #2) Sit partners next to each other not across Utilize triads when appropriate (#1 #2 #2)

Verbal Responses — Structured Partners You may also need to do this For Partner Work: Teach students how to work together using the “Look, Lean, and Whisper” procedures OR “Look, Lean, Listen, and Whisper” Change partnerships occasionally (every three to six weeks or more frequently)

Uses of Partners Responding to a question, task, or directive Teaching information to a partner Studying with a partner Repeating/checking understanding of teacher directions Read to each other Gentle correction or direction to one another.

Uses of Partners Responding to a question, task, or directive Think - Pair - Share Brainstorming ideas

Elicit frequent responses - Brainstorming Think (Write) Have students think and record responses. As students are writing, move around the classroom and write down students’ ideas and their names. Pair (Write) Have students share their ideas with their partners. Have them record their partners’ best ideas. As students are sharing, continue to circulate around the room, recording ideas and names. Share Display the ideas and names on the screen. Use this as the vehicle for sharing.

Partner Uses Teaching Information Teach information using: graphic organizers worked math problems maps diagrams notes drawings vocabulary log

Partner Uses Studying with a Partner Give the students a minute or two to study notes, text material, graphic organizer, or handout Tell Ask partners (#1 or #2) to retell what they remember about topic Help Have the second partner assist by: Asking questions Giving hints Telling additional information Check When both partners have exhausted recall, they check with their notes, text material, graphic organizer, or handout

Partner Uses Responding to a question, task, or directive Saying answer to partner (Partners First similar to Think-Pair-Share but….) 1. Ask a question 2. Give students thinking time 3. Provide a verbal or written sentence starter 4. Have students share answers with their partners using the sentence starter 5. Call on a student to give answer

Partner Uses – Sentence Starters Support student responding by providing sentence starters (stems). In what ways are emperor penguins different from other birds you know about? Begin by saying: Emperor penguins are different from other birds in a number of ways. First, ……………

Verbal Responses - Partners Other Uses of partners Monitor partner to see if directions are followed Share materials with partners Assist partners during independent work Collect papers, handouts, assignments for absent partners

Verbal Responses - Individual Turns Less desirable practices #1. Calling on volunteers Guidelines: The calling on volunteers are usually students who are the most assertive, highest-performing. Call on volunteers only when answer relates to the personal experience of the student. If you do call on students, do it Randomly and say the student’s name after the question is stated and thinking time is given.

Verbal Responses - Individual Turns Less desirable practices #2. Calling on inattentive students Guidelines: Don’t call on inattentive students Wait to call on student when he/she is attentive To regain attention of students: Use physical proximity Give directive to entire class (Draw a T chart, put your pencil down, Put your finger on the heading) Ask students to complete quick, physical behavior

Verbal Responses - Individual Turns Option #1 - Partner First 1. Ask a question 2. Give students thinking time 3. Provide a verbal or written sentence starter 4. Have students share answers with their partners using the sentence starter 5. Call on a student to give answer 6. Engage students in discussion using discussion sentence starters

Verbal Responses - Individual Turns Option #2 - Question First 1. Ask a question 2. Raise your hands to indicate silence or thinking gesture 3. Give thinking time 4. Call on a student randomly 5. Teacher provides feedback on answer OR Engage students in the discussion by responding to others answers through building on it or checking if their understanding was or wasn’t correct and why.

Verbal Responses- Individual Turns Procedures for randomly calling on students Procedure #1 - Write names on cards or sticks (or assign numbers to students if you have multiple classes). Pull a stick and call on a student/the #. Procedure #2 - Use ipad or iphone app (e.g., Teacher’s Pick, Stick Pick, or Pick Me!) Procedure #3 - Use two decks of playing cards. Tape cards from one deck to desks. Pull a card from other deck and call on a student.

Verbal Responses- Individual Turns Option #3 - Whip Around or Pass Use when many possible answers 1. Ask a question 2. Give students thinking time 3. Start at any location in the room - Have students quickly give answers - Go up and down rows, limiting teacher comments - Allow student to pass Note: If students are “habitual passers” alter the procedure. Return to students that pass. Have them report the best or most interesting idea of their peers.

Passage Reading - Echo Reading Teacher reads a word, phrase or sentence. Students “echo” read the word, phrase or sentence. Useful for building fluency and expression. Needs to be faded as students grow in reading skills. Usually a lower grades strategy.

Passage Reading-- Choral Reading Choral Reading– Tell students to “Read with you.” Read selection with students Read at a moderate rate You may need to TELL students “Keep your voice with mine” (ALL students can use practice reading aloud) Possible Uses: Chorally read wording on a Ppt. slide, Directions at the top of an assignment, Steps in strategy, Narrative or Informative passages.

Passage Reading - Cloze Reading Cloze Reading– Tell students that you will be deliberately pausing for them to fill in the next words. Teacher reads selection then Pauses and delete for “meaningful” words Students read out loud “the deleted words” by the teacher when he/she pauses. Possible Uses: When you want to read something quickly and have everyone attending to the material. When you are Re-reading a passage for familiarity.

Passage Reading - Silent Reading Augmented Silent Reading (Whisper Reading) Pose a pre-reading question for all students. Tell students to read a certain amount and to reread material if they finish early. Don’t forget to answer questions posed. Monitor students’ reading… when teacher approaches student…Have individuals whisper-read to you Pose post- reading question for all students.

Passage Reading - Partners Partner Reading Assign each student a partner Reader whisper reads to partner Suggestion-- Narrative - Partners alternate by page or time (min.) Suggestion-- Informational text - Partners alternate by paragraphs -Don’t forget to indicate reading length. * Read - Stop - Respond Respond by: Highlight critical details, take notes, retell content, or answer partner’s questions

Additional Hints for Passage Reading - Partners Scaffolding lowest readers Partners read material together Highest reader in partnership is given the #1 and lower reader is given the #2. Partner #1 reads material, then Partner #2 rereads the same material. Has a model now. Lowest reader placed with a triad and reads with another student (#1, #2, #2). Partners allowed to say “me” or “we” when reading if comfortable.

Passage Reading - Partners Partner Reading- Teach students to…. Partner corrects errors Ask - Can you figure out this word? Tell - This word is _____. What word? Reread the sentence.

TEACH WITH PASSION MANAGE WITH COMPASSION How well you teach = How well they learn

Summing it up I intend to use the following Eliciting Frequent response- active participation procedures:

Video Website: www.explicitinstruction.org, if time runs out to view videos for Eliciting frequent responses and more. What were the Good practices observed in the video?