1. Teams That Make A Difference… Look What W Did in Just Two Years!! 2007 -6th grade test 2008- 7th Grade Test 2009-8th Grade Test Math - Below Basic 12%14%5% Math-Basic 18%16%13% Math- Proficient 34%29%24% Math- Advanced 36%42%58% Reading- Below Basic 11%9%5% Reading- Basic 11%9%6% Reading- Proficient 38%32%18% Reading- Advanced 41%50%71% ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL By the conclusion of eighth grade: over 80% proficiency in math nearly 90% proficiency in reading CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS 2004-2009 Black and White eighth grade students: Math from 42% to 15%- 64% reduction Reading from 36% to 1%- 97% reduction Growth of IEP Students IEP eighth grade students: Math from 30% to 39%- 30% improvement Reading from 23% to 55%- 139% improvement

2. Creating and Maintaining an Instructional Focus of the Month Team Within Your School 2009 Grand Prize Winner Cedarbrook Middle School Wyncote, PA Principal: Iris Parker Team Members: Kevin Burke, Peggy Cooper, Sarah Stout, Heather Blumberg, Linda G. Roeder, Jamie Osea Program: Instructional Focus of the Month Category: Focusing on Student Achievement

3. Who We Are And How We Got Here

4. What is IFOM? IFOM places strategic emphasis on specific academic skills that can be utilized across all curricular areas. Goals for our program: ·Increase academic rigor across the curriculum ·Improve student achievement and understanding through repetition and consistency ·Foster a climate of academic excellence ·Provide timely and appropriate disaggregated data for teachers ·Increase the amount and quality of reading by students in all curricular areas.

5. Key Elements Everyone is a Reading Teacher Common Language Awareness – For Teachers We’re not asking for more… just a little different! – For Students Transfer skills outside of “Reading” class Increase self confidence and self awareness

6. IFOM Strategies Where did we begin? We researched looking for similar programs. We tried to enlist Central Admin support. – Grassroots Approach We agreed on 9 Strategies / 1 Per Month.

16. Learning to Read….. Reading to Learn…..

17. Communication For Teachers: – Weekly Principal’s Bulletin – Teacher In-Service, PLCs, Team Meetings – Grassroots, Bottom Up, Teachers Helping Teachers For Students – In Classrooms Consistently – Bi-Annual Conferences “Advocacy for All” Bi-Annual Conferences “Advocacy for All” Testing Environment For Parents – PTO, UPG – Website – Special Conferences

18. Related Programs IFOM helped focus the conversation around student achievement and increased rigor for all students. Other programs were improved or developed.

19. Strategies for Learning Math Strategies and Reading Strategies for ALL Students Supplement English and math curricula Research, Writing, Problem Solving, Application Team Approach Study Island

20. Reading Across the Curriculum An innovative, content area literacy program The program increases the number of novels students read, exposes students to a variety of genres, and demonstrates the relevance of reading across all content areas. – The Number Devil introduces Pascal’s triangle to pre-algebra students. – Gun Stories presents the multi-faceted viewpoints of second amendment rights to eighth grade civics students – The Secret Under My Skin illustrates the ecological and political ramifications of environmental policies. – Online Reading Across the Curriculum Website Online Reading Across the Curriculum Website

21. Meaningful Data Driven Instruction Provided meaningful data in a usable format Lead discussion to help teachers interpret data Small group discussions – Practical – Try This – Question Stems – Trends Math Example Reading Example

22. Outcomes Confidence Collaboration Improved Understanding -Students -Teachers -Administrators Increased Student Achievement

23. Teams That Make A Difference… Look What We Did in Just Two Years!! 2007 -6th grade test 2008- 7th Grade Test 2009-8th Grade Test Math - Below Basic 12%14%5% Math-Basic 18%16%13% Math- Proficient 34%29%24% Math- Advanced 36%42%58% Reading- Below Basic 11%9%5% Reading- Basic 11%9%6% Reading- Proficient 38%32%18% Reading- Advanced 41%50%71% ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL By the conclusion of eighth grade: over 80% proficiency in math nearly 90% proficiency in reading CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS 2004-2009 Black and White eighth grade students: Math from 42% to 15%- 64% reduction Reading from 36% to 1%- 97% reduction Growth of IEP Students IEP eighth grade students: Math from 30% to 39%- 30% improvement Reading from 23% to 55%- 139% improvement

24. Lessons Learned Celebrate small victories Teacher generated vs. Top down Patience, they’ll get there… Sustaining change is just as hard as making change It feels different in our building

25. Questions?

26. Works Cited Harvey, Stephanie, and Anne Goudvis. Strategies That Work Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement. 2nd ed. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishing, 2007. Print. Jacobs, Heidi Hayes. Active Literacy Across the Curriculum: Strategies for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, 2006. Print. Reading Strategies Scaffolding Students’ Interactions With Texts. Greece Central School District, n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2009..