1 Children First Intensive ESO NETWORK 14 CFI INQUIRY TEAM MEETING September 18, 2008 Bob Cohen, Network Leader; Deena Abu-Lughod, SAF Alan Godlewicz, Brandon Alvarez, Freddie Capshaw, Jo Ann Benoit Deirdre Burke, Dr. Pamela McCarthy Knights of Columbus 3243 Ampere Avenue Bronx, New York 10465

2 Welcome! New Principals New Schools Joining Network 14: MS 166, MS 313 Returning and New School Team Members New Network Team Members

3 “ When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.” Phyllis Bottome

4 9/18/08 AGENDA 7:30Breakfast 8:30Welcome and Connecting Activity 9:00 Outcomes and Norms for Collaborative Work 9: ESO Goal of 90% of teachers participating in inquiry Process: Quick Write, Read Quotations, Discussion Protocol, Share 10:00Best Practices Presentation PS 81 10:30Break 10:45John DeAngelis, Triumph Learning 11:15Deconstructing Elements of the ESO Instructional Framework 12:15Lunch 1:15Optional small group sessions: Deena: Progress Reports/Data Freddie: School-Based Mentoring Plans Alan: Budget/Business Many thanks to John DeAngelis, Triumph Learning for sponsoring this meeting!

Connection Reflection Connecting Activity – to connect to each other and to reflect on last year’s work 3 - Ways that your learning community was impacted by last year’s CFI Inquiry Team Work. 2 - Things you learned or skills you acquired/improved. 1 – Describe the impact of your work on one student who was in the target population It mattered to him…

6 Outcomes for Today Inquiry Teams will: Reflect on 2007–08 CFI Inquiry Team Work Examine the goal of 90% of teachers participating in inquiry work/structured professional collaboration Observe Best Practice: Using State item response to identify learning gaps and plan instruction Deconstruct elements of the ESO Instructional Framework Preview the year

7 NTC/USC Workshop Format Welcome/Introductions Outcomes (Charted) Collaborative Norms Agenda Post-it Feedback-Parking Lot Processing Activities/Protocols Reflection/Evaluation

8 Professional Development Standard Workshop Format Based on NTC/Univ. Santa Cruz format See the left side of your packet for standard components 9:00

9 Norms for Collaborative Work Equity of Voice Monitor Electronics Active Listening Allow Space for Different Perspectives Collective Responsibility for Meeting’s Success Confidentiality Seek Innovation

ESO Goal By the end of the year, 90% of teachers in all ESO schools will participate in inquiry work/structured professional collaboration to strengthen classroom practice and raise student achievement.

11 Building Leadership Capacity in Empowerment The Empowerment Support Organization’s goal is for 90% of teachers to participate in Inquiry. You are the leaders who can create sustainability around the inquiry work. Collectively, we must determine how best to reach teachers not currently on Inquiry Teams with the fundamental message of the work so all teachers understand the meaning of inquiry work and how it can help improve student learning in their school.

12 Teams across the city are at different points in the inquiry work, and have experienced varied levels of investment. In , some teams will want to focus on more system-wide change, while some may still need to deepen their work with their target population and to learn more about their schools’ decision-making patterns. Every network will incorporate principal and teacher involvement at more phases of the planning process. Inquiry Team Work Year 3

13 Collective Responsibility: Network Principal + 1 to join Network Team This year, as we deepen inquiry work, we must take collective responsibility for our outcomes. To ensure that these meetings match our needs, we are asking for one school leader plus a teacher to support in developing our learning plan. Requires attendance at Monthly Cluster (4 networks) CFI Meeting in addition to our Network monthly Inquiry Team Meeting. Please communicate interest to Bob or Deena.

14 Expanding the sphere of success The goal of inquiry work is to move every student into the sphere of success.

15 Core beliefs: Professional learning communities We believe in Inquiry Teams as professional learning communities: >Inquiry Teams help facilitate the shift from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning. >An Inquiry Team model develops professional learning communities in schools focused on improving student outcomes. >An Inquiry Team model promotes principal and teacher leadership, which in turn leads to systemic and sustainable change.

16 Core beliefs: Closing the achievement/equity gap Inquiry Teams are a means to close the achievement gap: >A process of inquiry begins with identifying a targeted need for a small group of struggling students. >It identifies the conditions that support student learning— e.g. what is taught, how it’s taught, who teaches it, and how well it’s taught. >Inquiry Team work requires going beyond the task of moving students to impact the decision-making systems that affect students school-wide. >Inquiry Teams must focus on aligning assessment, curriculum, instruction, and youth development to create a coherent system.

17 A big picture look at the inquiry process Phase II: Move the Students Phase I: Identify Students and Targets Phase III: Move the System

18 Define a school-wide focus group Define a target population: skill, sub-skill, students Define learning targets and short-term goals Analyze target population conditions of learning Analyze systems that produced conditions of learning Design and implement change strategy Evaluate and revise based on interim progress measures Instructional System-level Define a long-term goal A look at the inquiry process

19 So what does this 90% goal mean for us? What is your understanding of “participation”? What is your understanding of “inquiry work/structured professional collaboration”? Refer to the handout “3 definitions of teacher inquiry” or your own prior knowledge and beliefs. What pre-existing structures in schools can support this goal? Task: As a group, reach a consensus on the fundamental elements of inquiry work/structured professional collaboration and chart. Chart the pre-existing structures that can support this goal.

20 Best Practices: Item Response Presentation by Leadership Team from PS 81

21 5 Levers to Improve Student Learning The ESO has developed a framework to be used by network teams with Principals to jointly assess areas where there is potential to collaborate in a targeted way to improve a school’s instructional quality. The framework builds on the Four Conditions of Learning we have used in our Inquiry Team work to get to at issues of systemic change: Coherent Curriculum: What is being taught? Differentiated Pedagogy: How is it being taught? Assessment for Learning: Are the students learning? Accountable Professional Collaboration: Are the teachers learning? Aligned Structure and Resources: Does the Principal use available resources to support student and adult learning?

22 Protocol for Deconstructing a Lever Your table will receive ONE question related to one of the 5 levers. 1.As a group, answer what it is the question is asking, and; 2.What would be the evidence. 3.Chart your response and post for the gallery walk. 4.Responses will be typed up, distributed, and used to guide our work.

23 A glance ahead… Inquiry Team Interface CPRE Report Scaffolding the Inquiry Process: Knowledge Management New Quality Review with Rubric Teacher Value Added

24 The Inquiry Team Interface

25 The American Institute for Research has been developing resource maps to help educators think through variables at the school, classroom, and student levels, specific to identified learning challenges in ELA and Math. Scaffolding the Inquiry Process Phase I: Identify Students and Targets Step 1: Define a school-wide focus. Step 2: Define a target population. Step 3: Define a long-term goal. Step 4: Define learning targets and short-term goals. Phase II: Move the Students Step 5: Analyze target population conditions of learning. Step 6: Design and implement an instructional change strategy. Step 7: Evaluate and revise based on interim progress measures. Phase III: Move the System Step 8: Analyze school-wide systems that produce conditions of learning. Step 9: Design and implement a system-wide change strategy. Step 10: Evaluate and revise based on interim progress measures. A set of tools are being developed to help Inquiry Team members and other educators select an instructional strategy for their struggling students..

26 Identified Learning Challenges: ELA and Math Math Learning Challenges Whole Numbers: Addition & Subtraction Whole Numbers: Multiplication & Division Fractions and Decimals Ratios, Rates, Proportions, Percents Patterns, Variables, and Expressions Linear equations, functions, and inequalities Shapes and spatial relationships (including transformations) Data Analysis (including data representations) Probability ELA Learning Challenges Reading Phonemic awareness/Phonics Vocabulary Fluency Explicit Comprehension Strategies Text Meaning Reading & Writing in the Content Areas Writing Mechanics & Usage Organization & Development Language Use & Awareness Learning challenges were identified by reviewing Inquiry Team Interface information, city- wide ELA and MATH results, and discussion of standards and performance indicators.

27 Sample Variable Map: Vocabulary Student-level variables Classroom-level variables Student Cognitive Skills (6 abstracts)Student Behavior (6 abstracts)Student Motivation & Engagement (6 abstracts) OrganizationMemory Self-Monitoring Teacher-Student Interaction Clear ExpectationsFeedbackEncouraging Reading Classroom Instruction of Word Meaning (8 abstracts) Content Area Vocabulary Vocabulary for Writing DictionariesVocabulary for Reading Classroom Instruction of Word Analysis Skills (8 abstracts) Word PartsSyntactic Clues Context CluesUse of prior knowledge Classroom Instructional Environment (8 abstracts) Differentiated Instruction Technology and materials Print-rich environmentCollaborative learning Curricular and Assessment Resources (8 abstracts) Curriculum PlanningCoherence AssessmentsCurricular Resources Culture of Professional Learning (10 abstracts) Professional Development Culture of Inquiry School-level variables School Organizational Environment (8 abstracts) Teaming and Collaboration Scheduling Staffing Decisions

28 Why is this strategy useful? Description of strategy Summary of research evidence Sample studies supporting this strategy Sample activity/worksheet for strategy Usually more than one study listed. Often only for student- and classroom-level variables. Sample Abstract: Word Walls Additional resources