Developing Readers in Middle Years Schools Using Assessment For Learning Thompson Owens Atlanta: IRA Conference May 2008 Thompson Owens Atlanta: IRA Conference May 2008

Winnipeg Facts Number of Schools 77 Total number of students33, 517 Inner City Schools 21 Inner City students 7066 Number of Schools 77 Total number of students33, 517 Inner City Schools 21 Inner City students 7066

Ancestral/Cutural Identity Aboriginal 33% Filipino23% British12% Canadian10% Ukranian8% German 6% French5% Aboriginal 33% Filipino23% British12% Canadian10% Ukranian8% German 6% French5%

Your Class? Lets discuss the field trip tomorrow; lets discuss the way you treated the substitute yesterday; and then, oh yes, todays lesson, and what? You dont have your book? Your pen? Theres a knock at the door? Why are you late? Where is your late slip? I guess Ill have to enter that attendance… now where were we?

The Scaffolding Steps Teacher understands the learning TASK and the learning INTENT (why). Task/intent shared with students in accordance with the students learning profile. Discuss, What will it look like if we finish? Design and carry out enabling tasks that lead students towards the learning goal(s). Provide a first attempt for the students to show what they know. INVITE COMPARISON. STUDENTS IDENTIFY THE NEXT STEP (S) Provide an opportunity for a second attempt to reach the goal(s), using the chosen next step. Encourage the students to look back and reflect on themselves as learners. Teacher understands the learning TASK and the learning INTENT (why). Task/intent shared with students in accordance with the students learning profile. Discuss, What will it look like if we finish? Design and carry out enabling tasks that lead students towards the learning goal(s). Provide a first attempt for the students to show what they know. INVITE COMPARISON. STUDENTS IDENTIFY THE NEXT STEP (S) Provide an opportunity for a second attempt to reach the goal(s), using the chosen next step. Encourage the students to look back and reflect on themselves as learners.

Main Points Decide for yourself what you want the students to pay attention to (the intent). Take lots of time to share the task and intent with the students. Keep your main lesson short (7 minutes). Re-teach for individuals later in the class. Observe – dont talk – and let the students work and get stuck. Compliment successes in terms of your criteria. Take note(s) – what lessons will students need. Listen to the student problem, repeat it aloud. Use questions to make the student search for comparisons. Have a variety of options visible in the room. Wait, wait, wait, and let the student make a choice. Dont try to be successful every time. Let the student make the changes right away. (Change the mark?) Take time at the end of class to celebrate successes, the problems encountered and the solutions. Decide for yourself what you want the students to pay attention to (the intent). Take lots of time to share the task and intent with the students. Keep your main lesson short (7 minutes). Re-teach for individuals later in the class. Observe – dont talk – and let the students work and get stuck. Compliment successes in terms of your criteria. Take note(s) – what lessons will students need. Listen to the student problem, repeat it aloud. Use questions to make the student search for comparisons. Have a variety of options visible in the room. Wait, wait, wait, and let the student make a choice. Dont try to be successful every time. Let the student make the changes right away. (Change the mark?) Take time at the end of class to celebrate successes, the problems encountered and the solutions.

A Learner is Someone Who: 1) Knows what they know and can do (with examples) 2) Identifies what they have difficulty with (specifically) 3) Identifies how to improve. (has multiple strategies) 1) Knows what they know and can do (with examples) 2) Identifies what they have difficulty with (specifically) 3) Identifies how to improve. (has multiple strategies)

Problems into Learning Intro: Restate Search for clarity – details Intro: Restate Search for clarity – details

Problems into Learning Middle: Do you remember what I said? Have you seen this problem before? Is there a chart on the walls that could help you? What have you tried so far? Middle: Do you remember what I said? Have you seen this problem before? Is there a chart on the walls that could help you? What have you tried so far?

Star Classrooms Teacher Friends Siblings Experts Memory Notebook Classroom Strategy Lists Criteria Lists Resources Exemplars

Problems into Learning Conclusion I think you have a solution. Just so I know we both agree, can you tell me what the solution is? Thank you for you thoughtful responses? Conclusion I think you have a solution. Just so I know we both agree, can you tell me what the solution is? Thank you for you thoughtful responses?

Thinking about Intent Intent of intents To help students think about more than just finishing the task. To help students be successful learners Intent of intents To help students think about more than just finishing the task. To help students be successful learners

Thinking about Intent Getting started The most difficult way to find the intents is to look for them alone. Teachers who work sitting alone at their desks complain: I cant come up with these Intents often require a deep understanding of a subject. The easiest way is to work with an expert in the field who can give you a range of possibilities Short of having an expert handy, work with one or two colleagues. Often one teachers comments will inspire another: As soon as Jacquie said… Getting started The most difficult way to find the intents is to look for them alone. Teachers who work sitting alone at their desks complain: I cant come up with these Intents often require a deep understanding of a subject. The easiest way is to work with an expert in the field who can give you a range of possibilities Short of having an expert handy, work with one or two colleagues. Often one teachers comments will inspire another: As soon as Jacquie said…

Thinking about Intent Brain storm questions What will you pay attention to? Why is this useful? We are learning to… Brain storm questions What will you pay attention to? Why is this useful? We are learning to…

Thinking about Intent Criteria to help you narrow your choices Which on your list are more short term? which are long term? Which refer to what the students are working on today? Which deal with the end result Start small: choose only 1 intent to begin that deal with todays work. Pick something possible. You often dont have the luxury of time to think carefully. Use your knowledge of your students Criteria to help you narrow your choices Which on your list are more short term? which are long term? Which refer to what the students are working on today? Which deal with the end result Start small: choose only 1 intent to begin that deal with todays work. Pick something possible. You often dont have the luxury of time to think carefully. Use your knowledge of your students

Thinking about Intent Ask, Does the criteria match the intent?

Developing Quality Intents Start with one. Make the beginning and end of your lesson focus heavily on the TICs Spend time during the lesson using the intent as your lens to watch students List: Who is being successful? Who is off task? What misconceptions/learning needs arise? Use this information to decide your next lessons and incorporate the observations in to your next Task, Intents and Criteria The intents are now based upon the observed learning needs of your students. Start with one. Make the beginning and end of your lesson focus heavily on the TICs Spend time during the lesson using the intent as your lens to watch students List: Who is being successful? Who is off task? What misconceptions/learning needs arise? Use this information to decide your next lessons and incorporate the observations in to your next Task, Intents and Criteria The intents are now based upon the observed learning needs of your students.

Thinking about Intent You can now build, layer, deepen the intent of your lessons – go wild and enjoy the learning.

I Believe… When we help one child to understand how to learn, we give the child the gift of pride To ourselves, the gift of joy And to the world, the gift of hope for our future When we help one child to understand how to learn, we give the child the gift of pride To ourselves, the gift of joy And to the world, the gift of hope for our future