1. NOEL School Improvement Planning Part 2 1

2. What knowledge and skills do our students need? What has been the impact to date of our improvement focus? Teacher Inquiry and Knowledge Building Cycles to Promote Valued Student Outcomes 2 How do we understand the use of the School Effectiveness in assessing classroom practice?

3. THIS IS THE REAL WORK “There is no evidence of increased student achievement without changes in classroom practice.” Planning for that work is the beginning of the improvement journey! 3

4. Questions/Challenges/Accomplishments What has happened in the past 2 months that has: 1.Us thinking about the work that we have done and the questions we have of that work? 2.Challenged our thinking that we would like clarification of? 3.Made us feel that we have accomplished a lot in the past couple of months? 4

5. One view from the Field Bill Daley 5

6. What Knowledge and Skills do our Students Need? Understanding the data Identifying the students on a continuum Identifying Student Learning Needs 6

7. ABC Public School 2009-2010 Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4 Reading Grade _____________ Hillary Justin Lorne Kyle Shilo Mitchell Jessica Shelby James Samantha Justin Kaitlyn Colton Amanda Gage Justin W Dawson Logan Ana Dustin Jaden Austin Low 2 High 1 Liz Emily Paul Rob High 2 Low 3 Kira Taylor Chris High 3 Low 4 Learning Needs /Strategies Learning Needs /Strategies Learning Needs /Strategies 7 Using the Venn to display the range of student achievement How do we begin to understand the student learning needs of our students?

8. Video of Planning Process 8

9. Identifying our Student Learning Needs Using an analysis of the student level data, what are the identified learning needs which are the focus for school improvement? 9

10. Identifying Student Learning Needs 10

11. Sample SMART Goal Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-Oriented, Time Bound Student Learning Needs at my school? “As a result, we will have a __% increase in the number of students performing at standard on the EQAO.” “We will also see a __% increase in the number of exceptional students achieving at standard.” 11 “We will also see a ___% increase in the number of ELL achieving at standard.”

12. Target Setting Targets come from our SMART goals. They assume that: – Our SMART goal articulates the skills and knowledge that our students will demonstrate. – Our Theory of Action If we have students working at that level of knowledge and skill, then students will perform at the target level. Setting targets assumes changing classroom practice, 12 “The ONLY way to increase student achievement is to change classroom practice.”

13. Stage One: Getting Started with the TLC 1. Gather evidence/data. What evidence of student achievement do we currently have? 2. Determine area of greatest need. a. What does our evidence of student achievement tell us? Identify a number of students as “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Set achievement targets for these students 3. Build clusters of curriculum expectations related to the area of greatest need. Which curriculum expectations can be clustered to address student learning? What is our individual understanding of these expectations? What areas of the achievement chart will be assessed? 4. Review current practice. What is our current practice in relation to our students’ area of greatest need? What does the research literature tell us in relation to the area of greatest need? 5. Establish the Big Idea 6. Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task. Stage Two: Create Strategies, Tools, & Scaffolding to be used during the TLC: 1. Plan a learning block and build collective understanding about how you are going to teach it and monitor it. Determine how and what will we teach based on the pre-assessment? What is the “Big Idea” students are learning about? What will classroom assessment look like? What will students write, say and do to demonstrate evidence of their learning throughout the cycle? What are we doing for our “students to watch”? Select a variety of rich texts for the instructional approaches that are appropriate for student use/Select mentor texts Select high-yield teaching strategies that will promote student learning, align with the learning goals, and demonstrate the gradual release of responsibility Share learning goals with students Co-create success criteria with students 2. Plan for differentiated instruction and assessment Create lessons to model what is expected of the students 3. Plan opportunities for formative assessment Determine how and when feedback will be provided in order to improve learning Build in opportunities for student self and peer assessment Have students complete the agreed-upon culminating task 4. Embed professional learning into learning block Stage Three: On-Going Sharing of Evidence of Student Learning: 1.Share evidence of student learning (“check-ins”) Review “students to watch” Bring in student work – both a strong piece and a piece of work that the teacher considers puzzling. How does the evidence compare to what students were expected to learn? Deconstruct student work using the criteria/rubric and suggest next steps in the improvement process – what feedback would be helpful for the student Share teacher practice. Embed professional learning needs Stage Four: Reflection 1. Engage in reflection What did we learn? Based on our inquiry, what do we want to do next? Were the most effective instructional strategies chosen? What does/ or doesn’t our student evidence tell us about student learning? How do we know that a high level of learning was achieved? What do we do for our students who are not meeting with success? What do we need to learn for next time? Conclude with next steps that contribute to the next TLC and school-wide changes Teaching & Learning Cycle 2. Conduct teacher moderation (collaborative analysis of student work) Each teacher brings student work to share and one piece is moderated by the group. The group then forms teams and moderates three or four more pieces of student work (make sure to include the puzzling ones). Next steps are generated for the students. 13

14. Setting Targets for Improvement What evidence of student achievement do we currently have? Data: Report card EQAO for grades 4 and 7 PM/DRA Classroom Diagnostic Assessments What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? On the basis of my assessment, where are my students currently achieving in relation to the standards for the grade? 14 Stage One: Getting Started with the TLC 1. Gather evidence/data. What evidence of student achievement do we currently have? 2. Determine area of greatest need. a. What does our evidence of student achievement tell us? Identify a number of students as “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Set achievement targets for these students 3. Build clusters of curriculum expectations related to the area of greatest need. Which curriculum expectations can be clustered to address student learning? What is our individual understanding of these expectations? What areas of the achievement chart will be assessed? 4. Review current practice. What is our current practice in relation to our students’ area of greatest need? What does the research literature tell us in relation to the area of greatest need? 5. Establish the Big Idea 6. Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task.

15. Target Setting Need to be set in relation to the Board standard AND Ministry expectations 15

16. Target Setting Grade 3 Applies to Grade 1 - 4 EQAO 2009-10 ________ (% of Students at Levels 3 & 4 – 59%) Current Gr. 3 Enrolment29 # of Current Gr. 3 students needed to be at standard to equal previous years results? 17 # of students at standard on Venn? 11 # of students who would have to be at standard to meet our target – 69% 17 + 3 = 20 students Target for the grade (Reasonable, attainable, aggressive) 3 (apply that target i.e. # of students at standard to all classes) The target of 69% will be applied to all grades 1-4 69% represents a 10% improvement from the 2009-10 EQAO score in primary reading 16

17. Target Setting Grade 6 Applies to Grade 5-8 EQAO 2009-10 ________ (% of Students at Levels 3 & 4 – 61%) Current Gr. 6 Enrolment31 # of Current Gr. 6 students needed to be at standard to equal previous years results? 19 # of students at standard on Venn? 18 # of students who would have to be at standard to meet our target – 71% 19 + 3 = 22 students Target for the grade (Reasonable, attainable, aggressive) 3 (apply that target i.e. # of students at standard to all classes) The target of 71% will be applied to all grades 5-8 71% represents a 10% improvement from the 2009-10 EQAO score in primary reading 17

18. Target Setting By Grade GradeCurrent Cohort Size (# of students) To maintain 2009-10 results of 59% (# of students per grade) Our target is to improve by 10%; 69% of students achieving at level 3/4 (# of students per grade needed to reach this target) September achievement (# of students achieving at level 3/4 ) Number of students that need to be achieving at standard to reach our target Grade 1281717 + 3 = 20128 Grade 2352121 + 3 = 24168 Grade 3291717 + 3 = 20119 Grade 4382323 + 3 = 26179 18

19. Target Setting By Grade GradeCurrent Cohort Size (# of students) To maintain 2009-10 results of 61% (# of students per grade) Our target is to improve by 10%; 71% of students achieving at level 3/4 (# of students per grade needed to reach this target) September achievement (# of students achieving at level 3/4 ) Number of students that need to be achieving at standard to reach our target Grade 5342121 + 3 = 241113 Grade 6311919 + 3 = 22184 Grade 7311919 + 3 = 22913 Grade 8372323 + 3 = 26206 19

20. Who Are They? Who are the students who will move? How will they move? How will we track their improvement to ensure movement and that the school attains the target for the grade? 20

21. Alexander Muir Public School 2010-2011 Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4 Reading Teacher Mrs. Harrison Grade 6 Andrea Leung Kaminder BrandonSerge Anoop Paul Batoll Sharusan Julian Jorra Olivia Amrit Paramjot Regan Azmat Kashna Harsh Andrea Peter 21

22. Identify a number of “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Students to Watch... 22 Stage One: Getting Started with the TLC 1. Gather evidence/data. What evidence of student achievement do we currently have? 2. Determine area of greatest need. a. What does our evidence of student achievement tell us? Identify a number of students as “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Set achievement targets for these students 3. Build clusters of curriculum expectations related to the area of greatest need. Which curriculum expectations can be clustered to address student learning? What is our individual understanding of these expectations? What areas of the achievement chart will be assessed? 4. Review current practice. What is our current practice in relation to our students’ area of greatest need? What does the research literature tell us in relation to the area of greatest need? 5. Establish the Big Idea 6. Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task.

23. 1.Set the improvement target: How many students will need to be at standard in each class by May? (Remember, in a grade 3 class, moving 2 students represents an improvement target of 10%) 2.Examine the Venn for each grade. 3.Which students will be at standard for the grade? Highlight these in yellow. Which additional students will need to improve in order to attain the target (“students to watch”)? 2.Thinking about each student, the target for improvement applies across the entire grade. Which students in addition to those moving to standard do you expect to move by May? Highlight these in blue. GradeTarget for My Division (1 – 4 or 5 -8) # of students in my class who will be at standard? Who are the students ? Target Setting Summary of Process 23

24. Setting Targets for At-Risk groups of Students Who? Exceptional Students ELL Learners Aboriginal Students 24

25. Setting Expectations Challenging Assumptions Education Quarterly Review, 1999, Vol. 5 #4, Statistics Canada p. 78 National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth 25

26. Aboriginal Students ₁ http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/StateAboriginalLearning/SAL-Fact-Sheet-Final_EN.PDF Assets: Aboriginal students have demonstrated the capacity to learn at the same rate as non-aboriginal students in a study of oral language acquisition (Hill/Crevola – OLA Project) Aboriginal SK Students Non-Aboriginal JK Students 26

27. Aboriginal Students Assets Aboriginal students have demonstrated the capacity to learn at the same rate as non-aboriginal students in a study of oral language acquisition (Hill/Crevola – OLA Project) Volunteerism is a strong part of on-reserve life (70% of adults volunteered compared to 46% of adult Canadians). Elders play a significant role in supporting learning about culture and traditions Challenges In 2006, 40% of Aboriginal people aged 20 – 24 did not have a high school diploma, compared to 13% of non-Aboriginal Canadians In 2006, 41% of aboriginal people aged 25 – 64 had completed a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree (compared to 56% of non-aboriginal Canadians). However, only 8% had completed a university degree compared to 23% of non- aboriginal Canadians₁ Research has demonstrated a different pattern of high school diploma acquisition, with more breaks and a longer period of time for completion ₁ http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/StateAboriginalLearning/SAL-Fact-Sheet-Final_EN.PDF 27

28. EQAO 5 Year Trend – Reading SI - Aboriginal Students Grade 3Grade 6 28

29. Grade 1 Report Card to Grade 3 EQAO - Reading All Students Aboriginal Students 29

30. Cohort Grade 3 to Grade 6 - EQAO Reading Aboriginal Students 30

31. Grade 6 EQAO to Gr. 10 Credit Accumulation Aboriginal Students 31

32. Attendance Aboriginal Students This group is 36% of Aboriginal Students. What can we learn from that group that we can apply to the other groups? 32

33. PM Benchmark Grade 2 Aboriginal Students 33

34. PM Benchmark Grade 3 Aboriginal Students 34

35. Weighing the Pig Does NOT Make it Fatter 35

36. “If the Farmer Knows That the Pig is Going to Be Weighed, He FEEDS IT” 36

37. Alexander Muir Public School 2010-2011 Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4 Reading Teacher Mrs. Harrison Grade 6 Andrea Leung Kaminder Brandon Anoop Paul Batoll Sharusan Julian Jorra Olivia Amrit Paramjot Regan Azmat Kashna Harsh Andrea Peter 37 From our original class Venn, who are the aboriginal students? How do we identify the “students to watch” – those students who will move as a result of our focused scaffolded work?

38. Identify a number of “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Students to Watch... Focusing on our Aboriginal Students 38 Stage One: Getting Started with the TLC 1. Gather evidence/data. What evidence of student achievement do we currently have? 2. Determine area of greatest need. a. What does our evidence of student achievement tell us? Identify a number of students as “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Set achievement targets for these students 3. Build clusters of curriculum expectations related to the area of greatest need. Which curriculum expectations can be clustered to address student learning? What is our individual understanding of these expectations? What areas of the achievement chart will be assessed? 4. Review current practice. What is our current practice in relation to our students’ area of greatest need? What does the research literature tell us in relation to the area of greatest need? 5. Establish the Big Idea 6. Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task.

39. /Challenges Through the Equity Lens – How do we understand the assets and challenges of our students in order to use the former and address the latter in the service of student achievement? 39

40. Assets/Attributes/Challenges Assets/ Attributes: Getting B’s in other areas of curriculum than language arts Positive and hard working Strong command of her first language (attends Saturday School for Cantonese) Confident in math skills Self-advocates regardless of subject or situation Goes to temple every week Takes piano and badminton each week. Grandma and grandpa live with them Challenges Struggling in language arts, especially in reading fluency and comprehension No one at home to support with reading in English Parents work shirt work and are not always available to assist No one at home fluent in English In very focused on getting things right resulting in her unwillingness to take risks in reading 40

41. Responses/Interventions Class Level: Have her assist students who may be weak in the area of math Daily focus on reading Draw on strengths to find reading material that interests her. Reading buddies With the aid of an interpreter, arrange a meeting with the parents Encourage parents or grand parents to read to her in her mother tongue and provide translated questions to support comprehension Dual language books for parents School Provide scaffolded questions or translated questions based on Bloom and PD to help parents understand how to question their children in natural conversation Provide information about adult ELL classes in the community Consider hosting adult ELL classes at the school. Case management to monitor achievement Community Establish parent groups in different languages and engage parents in these groups. Community support for literacy instruction in English and their first language Board Support translation resources Engage community settlement workers to build parent groups to support language acquisition Seek funding to support more locally based adult ELL classes and find space for these classes as a priority. Build data set that supports schools to identify the racialized communities in individual schools and build leadership capacity to better understand the assets and challenges of these groups within an Equity framework. 41

42. Sample SMART Goal Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-Oriented, Time Bound Aboriginal Student Learning Needs at my school? Are they really different OR Do we just need to really apply the same learning needs with more focus and maybe different strategies? “As a result, we will have a __% increase in the number of students performing at standard on the EQAO.” “We will also see a __% increase in the number of aboriginal students 42 This is about CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

43. Stage One: Getting Started with the TLC 1. Gather evidence/data. What evidence of student achievement do we currently have? 2. Determine area of greatest need. a. What does our evidence of student achievement tell us? Identify a number of students as “students to watch”. These students may need more precise scaffolding of their learning. Set achievement targets for these students 3. Build clusters of curriculum expectations related to the area of greatest need. Which curriculum expectations can be clustered to address student learning? What is our individual understanding of these expectations? What areas of the achievement chart will be assessed? 4. Review current practice. What is our current practice in relation to our students’ area of greatest need? What does the research literature tell us in relation to the area of greatest need? 5. Establish the Big Idea 6. Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task. Stage Two: Create Strategies, Tools, & Scaffolding to be used during the TLC: 1. Plan a learning block and build collective understanding about how you are going to teach it and monitor it. Determine how and what will we teach based on the pre-assessment? What is the “Big Idea” students are learning about? What will classroom assessment look like? What will students write, say and do to demonstrate evidence of their learning throughout the cycle? What are we doing for our “students to watch”? Select a variety of rich texts for the instructional approaches that are appropriate for student use/Select mentor texts Select high-yield teaching strategies that will promote student learning, align with the learning goals, and demonstrate the gradual release of responsibility Share learning goals with students Co-create success criteria with students 2. Plan for differentiated instruction and assessment Create lessons to model what is expected of the students 3. Plan opportunities for formative assessment Determine how and when feedback will be provided in order to improve learning Build in opportunities for student self and peer assessment Have students complete the agreed-upon culminating task 4. Embed professional learning into learning block Stage Three: On-Going Sharing of Evidence of Student Learning: 1.Share evidence of student learning (“check-ins”) Review “students to watch” Bring in student work – both a strong piece and a piece of work that the teacher considers puzzling. How does the evidence compare to what students were expected to learn? Deconstruct student work using the criteria/rubric and suggest next steps in the improvement process – what feedback would be helpful for the student Share teacher practice. Embed professional learning needs Stage Four: Reflection 1. Engage in reflection What did we learn? Based on our inquiry, what do we want to do next? Were the most effective instructional strategies chosen? What does/ or doesn’t our student evidence tell us about student learning? How do we know that a high level of learning was achieved? What do we do for our students who are not meeting with success? What do we need to learn for next time? Conclude with next steps that contribute to the next TLC and school-wide changes Teaching & Learning Cycle 2. Conduct teacher moderation (collaborative analysis of student work) Each teacher brings student work to share and one piece is moderated by the group. The group then forms teams and moderates three or four more pieces of student work (make sure to include the puzzling ones). Next steps are generated for the students. 43

44. Monitoring Achievement Accomplishing our Targets Assessment Strategies: Board Level – provide check-in or progress and impact. Eg. PM, DRA, Cassie Classroom Assessment TLC Stage 1 Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task. 44

45. Monitoring Achievement - Accomplishing our Targets TLC Stage 1 Design classroom assessments. What should students know, do and understand at the end of the cycle? What do my students already know and are able to do in relation to the expectations (diagnostic assessment)? Develop criteria that reflect what successful student work would look like in relation to the cluster of expectations selected Determine when formative assessment opportunities will be provided Develop a qualitative rubric that outlines learning outcomes and criteria of success Develop a culminating assessment task. TLC Stage 2 Create Strategies, Tools, & Scaffolding to be used during the TLC: 1. Plan a learning block and build collective understanding about how you are going to teach it and monitor it. Determine how and what will we teach based on the pre-assessment? What is the “Big Idea” students are learning about? What will classroom assessment look like? What will students write, say and do to demonstrate evidence of their learning throughout the cycle? What are we doing for our “students to watch”? Assessment Strategies Board Level – provide check-in or progress and impact. Eg. PM, DRA, Cassie Classroom Assessment 45

46. Continuous Monitoring Tracking Improvement What is our Strategic Approach to assessing impact on a continuous monitoring cycle? Data Walls – hand made or electronic – MAKE THE DATA VISIBLE – LOOK AT IT OFTEN. Debriefing the TLC to determine next steps for “students to watch”. Case management planning sessions for those who are not progressing. 46

47. “You cannot improve student achievement without changing classroom practice.” Richard Elmore “Classroom instruction is the single greatest predictor of student achievement” What teachers teach and how matters A LOT. “School Improvement Occurs when Teachers believe that teaching impacts on learning”. 47

48. As a result of our planning and the implementation of our Teacher- Learning Critical Pathways, what changes in classroom instruction can we expect that will scaffold the learning of students in the service of student achievement? 48

49. Learning Network Focus From each indicator, identify the examples of evidence which will focus the assessment of practice. 49

50. 1.3 Students are taught, and regularly use self-assessment skills to monitor their progress toward achieving learning goals, and to set their own learning goals within the context of the Ontario curriculum and/or Individual Education Plan (IEP) ExemplaryProgressingBeginning I generate learning outcomes based on the Ontario Curriculum and related success criteria which are posted. My students know that learning outcomes and success criteria relate to the instruction of the program but are not using these to self- assess and monitor their progress Learning Outcomes reflect the Ontario Curriculum. Students help to create the success criteria and the exemplars of good work Students can explain the importance of the learning outcomes and are beginning to assess their work on the basis of the success criteria Students refer to the criteria charts and the exemplars to develop their self- assessment skills and set learning goals Students use success criteria as a basis of discussion with peers and/or teachers to reflect on their progress and plan next steps 50

51. Monitoring Changed Classroom Practice 1.Critical Friend SEF visit focused on all parts of the instructional program with specific emphasis on the identified indicators Protocol developed 2.Daily classroom walk-throughs Comment only on the identified indictors 3.Teacher Growth Plans Promote self-assessment and action research focus. 4. Analysis of impact using Trailing Indicators Its About Student Achievement! 51

52. THIS IS THE REAL WORK “There is no evidence of increased student achievement without changes in classroom practice.” Planning for that work is the beginning of the improvement journey! 52

53. These are challenging times in public education, as we enter the second decade of the 21 st Century, the knowledge economy will require more highly educated students than ever before in our history. “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday's logic” Peter Drucker OR Doing what we have always done will get us what we’ve got. Is it enough? 53