Challenging Curriculum and Organizational StructuresOct. 23, 2013Jesse White

PA Core Standards

•Districts are realigning curriculum▫Many new teachers will be teaching a

course while they are writing the curriculum

▫Teachers won’t teach the same curriculum for 20 years, constantly changing

•Core Standards – Changes to the curriculum

Literacy in the Core Standards

•New requirements for types of reading▫50% of materials read at the middle school

level should be non-fiction or informational text

▫70% at the high school level

Science and Social Studies in the Core Standards•Both subject areas have reading and

writing core standards that must be taught▫Many teachers feel they lack the content

knowledge to be able to instruct reading and writing

Math in the Core Standards

•Increased Rigor▫Real life problems▫Application of skills

•Many materials shifted down to a grade lower than they were previously taught

Real World Application of Standards

•A goal in the all subject areas is to focus instruction on college and career readiness▫Apply the material being learned▫HW

Not 40 skill review problems 5 higher level application problems

Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTII)•RTII is a multi-step school improvement

approach to provide early academic and behavioral supports to struggling students rather than waiting for a child to fail before offering help. (PDE.com)

RTII

•Data analysis▫All students will be expected to make

curricular decisions based on data from assessment results Standardized tests, benchmark assessments,

common assessments

RTII• Benchmark assessments for all students

▫ Gathers data to compare all students• Flexible Groupings

▫ Students are placed in different intervention groups depending on scores on benchmark assessments

• Special intervention time in the schedule▫ Each teacher will have a group of students during the

intervention period to teach a skill at their level of instruction

▫ Teachers may have students that are not in any of their classes

• RTII instruction▫ Data driven instruction

Curriculum Cycle

•Constant Refinement▫Curriculum is no longer developed and

used for many years Aspects of the curriculum are constantly

refined Common Assessment, Pacing, Unit Plans

▫Curriculum adjusted for strengths of students in the class

▫Curriculum adjusted for results of common assessments

Textbooks are tools

•The curriculum is written based on standards▫Textbook is used to instruct on standards

included▫Supplemental materials need to be used for

standards not included in the textbook

Teamwork

•Teaming▫Grade level teams

Cross curricular projects Problem solving student concerns

▫Subject area teams Curriculum revisions Comparing assessment data

▫Meetings Active participant

Whole Child

•Character Education•Clubs

Building a Positive Environment•Getting to know each student

▫Interests▫Attending events (music, band, etc.)

•Contact with parents▫Make positive phone calls▫Send parents information about

assignments▫Positive relationships with parents are

essential

New Teacher Evaluation System•4 categories

▫Observation▫School Data▫Teacher Data▫Elective Data

New Teacher Evaluation System

•Teacher and school data▫Based on PSSA and PVAAS results

PSSA The level the student scores is factored into the

rating PVAAS

Projected level of achievement for a student Students scoring at the projected level count as

a positive Students scoring below the projected level

count as a negative▫Teachers must differentiate

Differentiation

•Meeting the learning needs of every student▫Teachers need to use assessment data to

decide what students need▫To improve the teacher and school rating

all students must score at least what the state projects