National Board Study Group Meeting Dan Barber 5 th Grade Teacher Irwin Academic Center

Today’s Agenda: 1) The good, the bad, the ugly 2) Lunch with students assignment 3) Entry 4 (+ Entry 4 practice) 4) Housekeeping & Homework 5) Re-grouping by certification area

How many accomplishments should I use (3? 8?)? Entry 4 Advice: As you begin to write Entry 4, go HEAVY (heavier) on your impact on student learning; light (lighter) on nature & significance. Advice: When writing Entry 4, consider giving a general example or two of your accomplishment’s impact on student learning followed by a more specific example of impact. “After taking this ______ workshop and applying the strategies in my class, the average _____ score rose ____ points from the pre-test to the post-test…” ‘For example, Miles said to me, “I used to dread writing, but this Facebook thing is really cool! … Writing really isn’t as bad as I used to think it was.”’

Teacher as Learner Teacher as Partner with families & community Teacher as Collaborator/ Leader Entry 4 Impact on Student Learning Taking a class to learn about a school cultural group Inviting parents/ community leaders in to speak to kids Mentoring new teachers

Some activities in which all teachers must engage may not make the best examples of accomplishments for this entry unless you perform them in a way or to a degree that makes them very effective in promoting children’s learning. For example, almost all teachers are required to attend an open house for parents each new school year. This is, of course, a form of communication with parents and caregivers. In and of itself, this activity shows little or no significant accomplishment or impact, because according to the Standards, it is both routine and required. However, if your contribution to the open-house night went beyond the routine, making it an effective avenue to engage parents about their child’s learning, you should make that very clear in your Description and Analysis. Entry 4 Translation – look for those extraordinary (and out-of-the-ordinary) ways that you impact student learning.

Not everything you do outside the classroom is appropriate for this entry. For example, community volunteer work or personal interests are worthwhile endeavors, but for those activities to be valued in this entry, your involvement must have had an impact on children’s learning. Entry 4 On the other hand, if you have been involved in an activity that has had great impact on children’s learning, you must discuss that impact and how it made a difference in children’s learning to provide the necessary evidence for an accomplished score. Assessors are trained not to make inferences in this area; you must clearly describe the impact on children’s learning. Translation – outside the classroom (MUST) = impact on student learning Translation – PROVIDE EVIDENCE!

1 -- Teacher as partner with families & community Teacher as partner with children’s families and community: Provide evidence of how you value parents and other interested adults as partners in children’s development and education; how you facilitate ongoing, mutually beneficial interactions between the children and the wider community; and how you foster two-way dialogue with parents and other interested adults. You also need to show how your interactions impact children’s learning. (In the current year) Ask yourself – does your communication with families and the community address substantive teaching and learning issues and student progress (as opposed to communications that are strictly procedural, such as organizing field trips, or focused on behavior or discipline issues.)? Entry 4 Look at the quality (not necessarily) quantity of communication/outreach you are making.

Let’s share out: What forms of communication do you use? How often do you communicate to families/community? What evidence might you be able to produce demonstrating your ability to effectively communicate with families & the community? Strategies used by the teacher to reach out to families and the community are appropriate for their students and extensive enough to engage families and the community in two-way communication for the purpose of impacting student learning. Entry Teacher as partner with families & community (continued)

Entry Teacher as partner with families & community (continued) If you are not a classroom teacher and/or do not make as regular contact with families/community, consider reaching out more to the community and families of the students you teach and consider the ways that may improve your teaching practice.

2 -- Teacher as learner showing Professional development activities and work with colleagues is ongoing, showing the application of improved content knowledge and/or pedagogical approaches that impact student learning. What evidence might you be able to produce demonstrating your leadership ability &/or collaboration and your dedication to lifelong learning? Entry 4 Teacher as learner: Provide evidence of how you have engaged in ongoing professional development strengthening your knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to your teaching context (e.g., how you seek information on current theories and research—and their applications—through familiarity with professional literature; participate in and support professional organizations; or take advanced course work relevant to your teaching and learning context). You also need to show how these activities impact children’s learning. (Within the last five years)

Most important – in what ways can you demonstrate these qualities (professional development/lifelong learning & leadership/collaboration) are having a positive impact on student learning? Entry 4 Teacher as collaborator and/or leader: Provide evidence that you have worked collaboratively with colleagues and that you have shared your expertise in a leadership role with other educators to improve teaching and children’s learning within the school or in the wider professional community. (Within the last five years) 3 -- Teacher as collaborator and/or leader:

Entry 4 What makes good evidence for entry 4? Example(s) of evidence you may provide: -- communication log -- newsletter -- letter ( ) from a parent or colleague -- workshops or presentations that you developed or conducted -- grant proposal abstracts – -- syllabi for professional classes you have taught -- PD Transcript? -- Copy of website? Let’s share out: What other artifacts could you use?

Verification Form vs. Letter (from parent, colleague, etc.)

Entry 4 Let’s Practice: 1) You just went to a very interesting workshop on a new math program being offered in the district. How can you fit this accomplishment into all 3 “loops”? 2) A parent ed you concerned their child is struggling in writing (teacher as partner with families). 3) A new teacher comes to you. One of her students is struggling in reading and she needs tips from you? *** What accomplishments do you have which you’re trying to fit into all 3 loops? ***

Housekeeping (before you leave today): Next month’s meeting will focus on the different types of writing (descriptive, analytical, and reflective) relevant for National Boards Please take the survey for this month’s study group meeting:

Homework: Read the Portfolio Instructions & NB Standards. Highlight the standards that will be addressed by each of your entries so you can begin to internalize what standards go with what entries. Have lunch with one of your students. Begin writing Entry 4 and gathering documentation for it. Read the Evaluation of Evidence Guide and Scoring Rubrics for all entries (this is what your assessor will use when looking at your entries). Next Meeting – December 8 th

Resources available to you as an NB Candidate: -- Candidate Support WikiCandidate Support Wiki -- Candidate Support MoodleCandidate Support Moodle (Directions for the Moodle are available on my website) -- Two “reads” of each of your 4 entries (typically by an individual in your certification area) (Directions for having your entry read are available on my website) -- My Website:My Website (danbarber.cmswiki.wikispaces.net) --