1. Moving Forward: Strategies That Work For Us
M.J. Ewald
English Department Chair
ROSCOMMON HIGH SCHOOL
HOME OF THE BUCKS
Roscommon Area Public Schools
P.O. Box 825
Roscommon, MI
Phone: (ext 6510)
Web Page:

2. MME Results 2007-2009 2007 62% 27% 45% 40% 81% 47% 2008 63% 34% 46%
Reading
Writing
ELA
Math
Social Studies
Science
2007
62%
27%
45%
40%
81%
47%
2008
63%
34%
46%
44%
80%
53%
2009
77%
60%
57%
91%
71%

3. RHS scores in 2009 were 57% in Math and 60 % in ELA.
Michigan AYP Targets
High School
Math
33%
44%
55%
67%
ELA
42%
52%
61%
71%
RHS scores in 2009 were 57% in Math and 60 % in ELA.

4. How did we get there? *Where did we come from?
*Re-examine how we did almost everything at an organic level.
*Painful to do, but so worth it…

5. Our Process…
Evaluation from top down (administration as change agents).
Teacher self-evaluation of classroom instruction, with special emphasis on reading and writing strategies and assessment.

6. Building-Wide Changes
Staff Data Disaggregration
Development of Departmental Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
-Common Planning Time
-K-12 Subject Area Team Meetings
-Departmental Power Standards
-Math Proficiencies
Administration Walkthroughs

7. Content Expectations/Power Standards
ELA Power Standards
Content Expectations/Power Standards
Ideally, by the end of the trimester, students MUST demonstrate at least 65% mastery of 80% of the following RHS/MMC (Michigan Merit Curriculum) content expectations/power standards
(CE = Content Expectation):
CE I CAN USE VARIOUS STRATEGIES FOR PLANNING, DRAFTING, REVISING, AND EDITING TEXTS.
CE I CAN WRITE DRAFTS THAT DETAIL AN IMPRESSION OR IDEA (DESCRIPTIVE) and ARGUE A POSITION (PERSUASIVE).
CE I CAN REVISE DRAFTS TO MORE PRECISELY CONVEY MEANING.

8. Building-Wide Changes
Switch to Trimesters from 4x4 Block Schedules
Class Restructuring (based on Michigan Merit Curriculum)
Development of Common Assessments
2-Hour Early Release/2-Hour Delayed Start
Use of NWEA data

9. Building-Wide Professional Development
Writing Strategies Training
-John Collins (5 Types of Writing)
-I.R.A.C. Essay Writing
Reading Strategies Training
-Michelle Ewald (Pre- and During Reading Strategies)
-In-House Staff Presentations

10. Writing Training -5 TYPES OF WRITING (John Collins)
-Types 1 and Type 2 (cross-curricular)
-Types 3, 4, 5 (focus on ELA/SS)

11. 5 Types of Writing Anchor Chart
(John Collins/Mark Dressel)
TYPE 1 GATHERS INFORMATION; NOT GRADED; SHORT WRITING PIECE
TYPE 2 QUIZ RESPONSE; GRADED FOR CONTENT; SHORT WRITING PIECE
TYPE 3 COMPLETED ROUGH DRAFT OF AN ESSAY
TYPE 4 TYPE 3 THAT HAS BEEN READ ALOUD TO; SELF AND TO PARTNER (SEE EDITING/REVISING CHART FOR PROCEDURE)
TYPE 5 “PUBLISHABLE” WORK
*TYPES 3, 4, 5 ARE GRADED USING FCAs (Focus Correction Areas) OR RUBRICS

12. Writing Training I.R.A.C. Essay I – Interrogative C – Conclusion
R – Reasoning
A – Argument
C – Conclusion

13. I.R.A.C. Essay Anchor Chart
I = INTERROGATIVE Question or prompt to be answered or addressed (1-2 sentences)
R = REASONING 3-part thesis statement: subject, opinion, blueprint reasons (1 sentence)
A = ARGUMENT Evidence = CEI paragraphs (1-3 paragraphs of 100+ words)
C = CONCLUSION Wrap-up of essay (1-2 sentences)
CEI PARAGRAPH
C = CLAIM Topic sentence
E = Evidence Supporting details for topic sentence
I = Interpretation So what?/Explanation of supporting details

14. What We Did With Writing Training
~School-wide writing prompt completion (2 times/year)
~Mandated I.R.A.C. prompt responses (in all classes at least 2 times/trimester)
~Mandated use of Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 writing in ALL classes

15. What We Did With Reading Training
Attempted to use…
-Activation of prior knowledge
-Text preview/establishing purpose
-Questioning
-Determining importance

16. Pre-, During, Post-Reading Questions Anchor Chart (Pt. 1)
“Good” Reading Strategies Chart
All smart, effective readers do the following when tackling any sort of reading selection, whether expository (informational) or narrative (story)…
Activate prior knowledge  What do you already know about the topic? How do you relate to the topic?
Establish purpose  Why am I reading this?
Make predictions  What is to come next? ASK “GOOD” QUESTIONS (see below).

17. Pre-, During, Post-Reading Questions Anchor Chart (Pt. 2)
ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS
Pre-Reading -Why am I reading this? (PURPOSE)
-What do I already know about the topic? (PRIOR KNOWLEDGE)
-Using text features (i.e. titles, subheadings, words in bold or italics, pictures, etc.), what will the text be about? (PREDICTIONS)
During Reading -Does the text make sense?
-What just happened?
-What will happen next?
-What makes understanding the text difficult?
Post-Reading -So what?
-What should I remember?
-How would I explain this to someone else?

18. Future Plans ~Dissemination of MME/ACT data ~Use of common assessments
~Utilize Title I funding in ELA and Math
~Evaluation of reading and writing strategies
~Consistent professional development
~Move from horizontal to vertical PLC groups
~Address commendations and recommendations from QAR Team visit