AUSD Project January Visit Feedback Jodie L. Dittmar Diagnostic Center, Central CA 1818 W. Ashlan Fresno, CA

I Enjoyed Visiting Classrooms Thanks for allowing me to go in and out of classes to observe and/or to chat with many of you afterwards. Whether processing info in the teacher workroom or with those who have contacted me via … that’s also been a privilege I’ve enjoyed! I look forward to continuing with interchanges this semester, including some feedback today!

Fall visits showed me good examples of organized and engaged classes as a whole. There were no glaring gaps or nightmares in classrooms the first time I visited. A good combination of classroom management and visible active learning were also clearly the goal at each school! BUT this time I saw …

More consistent use of active engagement strategies!! (WAY TO GO TEAM!) Visual engagement strategies that more frequently demonstrate higher order reasoning. Student automaticity with engagement strategies (demonstrating that these are in usage on an everyday basis!) Students using wordings, partnering and questioning strategies in more independent, student initiated active learning.

There were many good things to see as I walked from room to room! A few I noted were:

In more than one setting, signals were observed, so that class time was not interrupted, yet directions and communication for varied needs was available. Transitions in some classrooms were especially well prepared and students moved back and forth smoothly (and rapidly) from whole class participation, to partnering, to independent trials, to self reflection and then to explaining their answers. Learning time was maximized and a positive classroom environment was enhanced.

In more than one classroom, students responded regularly with such stems as: “I noticed that…” “I’m wondering if…” “I respectfully disagree with…”.

One teacher (predicting the distractibility to come) stopped all students to directly acknowledge the thunder storms occurring at the time. Students were directed to just stop and listen! This gave a designated minute to listen to and to note the novelty of the storm -a positive, proactive strategy! Afterwards, everyone’s attention was successfully directed back to the structured work at hand.

In a group math intervention, the teacher repeatedly had students use manipulatives to show the concept being taught. He also had all students repeat each answer when given by an individual. Thus no one missed it, and those who needed it got repetition.

As a whole… Strategies differed from room to room, but showed greater teacher connection to their use and more variability aimed at meeting the goals of reasoning and learning. Strategies are surpassing a simple reliance on visible engagement for purposes of gaining student attention or creating participation... increased active (and deeper) learning was occurring within the strategies used!

Because more automaticity has been reached in using the strategies, teachers were observed to monitor for active learning, vary strategies as needed, to improve: – student questioning – student processing – repetition and practice – extension & higher order reasoning

If asked for additional feedback or ideas, I would probably suggest that: #1. When the class is reading material aloud, or the teacher is presenting new information, there are even more opportunities to combine universal design, choral responses and/or CLOZE strategies to enhance active learning. An example of this might be:

If individuals, groups or rows are numbered, reading aloud can be done by saying such things as: “Groups Two & Five - please read the next paragraph aloud. All other groups read along, and listen for the two new vocabulary words.” (Revise as needed for content and goal.)  Incorporating outcomes and universal design enhances participation for all, as well as comprehension. Reading aloud in clusters, provides prompts and minimizes anxiety for limited readers being “forced” to read aloud. Added proactive groupings (vs. only tables or rows) creates an asset in keeping engagement high, but “shaming” low.  Given the first example, if you then added the following (or similar):“Remember… our two new vocabulary terms are: (and then say each)” this enhances engagement and vocabulary learning, and provides a 2 nd opportunity for students who struggle to keep up.  Finally, if that is immediately followed by: “The word is what, class? It’s _____________” (or a signal for repetition), the ensuing choral response maximizes engagement and enhances prediction (for upcoming reading comprehension and processing). It also provides repetition of new words for English as Second Language Learners, those with speech and hearing disabilities, or those with attention or memory issues.

To view explanation and modeling of the uses and caveats of choral responding you may want to access: v=eKkR0EpvrcM v=eKkR0EpvrcM

#2. Continue to enhance differentiation.  Consider your individual student needs Would any of your students benefit from (or do have a plan written for):  More time? More repetition? More activity? More repetition? More mentoring and feedback?  Can those be incorporated into instruction for all?  Monitor and measure how it works! Then fix. Ask yourself if it adequately & efficiently adjusts:  content,  process,  product; demonstration of learning  feedback and reinforcement.

Keep Up the Good Work All!