FOCUS! ECP/SCP Meeting April 26, 2011

The real path to greatness, it turns out, requires simplicity and diligence. It requires clarity, not instant illumination. It demands each of us to focus on what is vital-and to eliminate extraneous distractions. Jim Collins author of From Good to Great An Ongoing Leadership Challenge…

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Chapter 3 How We Teach

Effective Lessons share…  A clear learning objective  Background knowledge or created interest  Direct Teaching, Modeling or constructing meaning  Guided practice (pair or group work)  Checks for understanding/formative assessment  Independent practice/assessment

How we teach

Interactive Lecture- K-12 Begin with background information or questions to establish purpose/curiosity. Begin with background information or questions to establish purpose/curiosity. Lecture or provide direct teaching for no more than 5 minutes at a time. Lecture or provide direct teaching for no more than 5 minutes at a time. Provide guided practice where students take part in talking in pairs, note- taking, or quick-writing after each chunk. Provide guided practice where students take part in talking in pairs, note- taking, or quick-writing after each chunk. Formative assessments and check for understanding- example, solve 1 or 2 problems alone or in pairs. Check responses using the PDS/clickers or other method. Formative assessments and check for understanding- example, solve 1 or 2 problems alone or in pairs. Check responses using the PDS/clickers or other method. Ongoing adjustments to instruction. If less than 90% understand, have than justify their answers for each other…teacher circulates and listens for misconceptions. Reteach and clarify immediately. Ongoing adjustments to instruction. If less than 90% understand, have than justify their answers for each other…teacher circulates and listens for misconceptions. Reteach and clarify immediately.

Checking for understanding Checking for understanding means knowing that the students are following what you are saying. It is not sufficient to count on: “Does anyone have any questions?”. Checking for understanding means knowing that the students are following what you are saying. It is not sufficient to count on: “Does anyone have any questions?”. Lessons that consistently include effective use of formative assessment and checks for understanding: Lessons that consistently include effective use of formative assessment and checks for understanding: Are about 10 times as cost-effective as reducing class size Are about 10 times as cost-effective as reducing class size Would add approximately 6 months of additional learning in the school year Would add approximately 6 months of additional learning in the school year

Some simple, common forms of checking for understanding: Circulate, observe, and listen as students work in pairs. Circulate, observe, and listen as students work in pairs. Call on a sample of students or pairs randomly between Call on a sample of students or pairs randomly between each step (not on students who raise their hands). each step (not on students who raise their hands). Have students signal their understanding: thumbs up or Have students signal their understanding: thumbs up or down; red, green, or yellow popsicle sticks. down; red, green, or yellow popsicle sticks. Have students hold up dry-erase boards with answers/ Have students hold up dry-erase boards with answers/ solutions. solutions.

Until the greatest number of students has learned the material… The effective teacher implements two hugely effective techniques reciprocally: guided practice and checking for understanding. The effective teacher implements two hugely effective techniques reciprocally: guided practice and checking for understanding. This cycle must occur multiple times during the lesson. This cycle must occur multiple times during the lesson. These whole-class teaching methods are effective almost immediately, even in classrooms with a range of levels and abilities. These whole-class teaching methods are effective almost immediately, even in classrooms with a range of levels and abilities. Any teacher who adopts them can expect to multiply the number of students who learn within days of adopting them. Any teacher who adopts them can expect to multiply the number of students who learn within days of adopting them.

Authentic Literacy Think of literacy as the spine; it holds everything together. The branches of learning connect to it, meaning that all core content teachers have a responsibility to teach literacy.~ Vicki Phillips and Carina Wong Think of literacy as the spine; it holds everything together. The branches of learning connect to it, meaning that all core content teachers have a responsibility to teach literacy.~ Vicki Phillips and Carina Wong

Authentic Literacy

Instructional Leadership Believing in the capacity of the teachers and the students is a critical component of being an instructional leader. The opposite belief can become a self-fulfilling prophecy that is very easy to buy into as an excuse. (from How to Survive as a Teacher Leader by John Gabriel.) Believing in the capacity of the teachers and the students is a critical component of being an instructional leader. The opposite belief can become a self-fulfilling prophecy that is very easy to buy into as an excuse. (from How to Survive as a Teacher Leader by John Gabriel.)