Literacy: The Core of All Learning Changing the Way We Do Business

SouthernRegionalEducationBoard

HSTW

Literacy:The Core of All Learning

Changing the Way We Do Business

Dr. Steve [email protected]


HSTWSession Objectives To identify key leader actions at all levels to

support changes needed to implement literacy for Common Core State Standards (CCSS) successfully for all students

To avoid major pitfalls in the change, improvement, and PD process in literacy as we move toward CCSS

To understand the changes that are needed for implementing CCSS

To review the Literacy Design Collaborative Tools (LDC) to enhance instruction


HSTWDetermining Where We Are

With your elbow partner, answer the following question:

What is your plan for implementing

CCSS in your school?


HSTWObstacles for CCSS Isolation of teachers Tradition—we have always

taught it this way Lack of time spent on impactful

lesson design (no lesson planning)

Misunderstanding of College and Career Readiness (CCR) expectations

Time and capacity


HSTWCommon CCSSMisconceptions

Teachers/districts see work with the new standards as a “crosswalk”

Teachers identify that the new standards will make them “pick up the pace”


HSTWFundamental Leadership Mistakes: Obstacles for CCSS Trying to improve the school with 60% of teachers on the sidelines. Remediation rather than acceleration Drive-by PD with no structure Lack of focus on the “main thing”


HSTW

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

- Zig Ziglar


HSTWTeaching and Learning

What principal behaviors support

improving teaching and learning?

*Hint: Two principal behaviors support improved teaching

and learning.


HSTWCurrent Status

With an elbow partner, answer each of the following questions:

1. How frequently do you complete classroom observations or participate with teacher collaborative teams meetings?

2. What type of feedback is provided to teachers and/or departments?

3. How do these observations support improvement efforts on your campus?


HSTW

What does this word

mean?


HSTWSchool Action: Focus on the “How” and

not just the “What”

There really is no secret about what it

takes to turn a school around.

The challenge is in how to implement.


HSTW

Curriculum

Program of studies with concentration

Align academics to college-ready core

Career/technical studies

Work-based learning

Instruction

Students actively engaged

Literacy across the curriculum

Engaging mathematics and

science instruction

Integrating academics into CT

instruction

Culture

EffortFunctional

mission

High expectations

Data for continuous improvement

Teachers working together

Support

Purpose

Extra help

GuidanceImportance of school

Process Measures for Research-based Indicators

The What: Research-based Continuous Improvement


HSTWThe landscape of American middle grades and high schools is littered with add-on projects and purchased programs that

fail to make a lasting impression on student

achievement because they leave in place old beliefs based on the idea that most students

cannot learn at high levels; such programs encourage

schools to get better at implementing old practices designed around their old

beliefs.


HSTWThe How: Systems of Support for Deliberate

Interactions that Lead to Implementation


HSTWThe Need for Leadership

There are virtually no documented instances of troubled schools being turned around in the absence of intervention by talented leaders. While other factors contribute to such turnarounds, leadership is the catalyst.

Kenneth LeithwoodHow Leadership Influences

Student Learning


HSTWThe How: Top Down Distributed leadership is a must; however,

leaders must message…• Vision. “Where we are going?”• Urgency balanced with persistence. “We

just can’t go on like this anymore.”• A Plan of Action. “This is what we do well;

these are our challenges; and this is what we are doing to address our challenges.”

• Mission. “This is why we are here. STUDENT FOCUS. TEACHING FOCUS. LEARNING FOCUS.”

• Data with all stakeholders; small victories


HSTWDeveloping a Language About Teaching and

Learning “Excellence must be identified by and

within the community itself.” One challenge is the lack of organizing

structures or language to talk about major teaching and learning ideas.

How would your teachers define rigor and engagement?


HSTWStructures Culture

Leaders influence culture through the design and operation of structures (routines, procedures, processes) that are aligned with core beliefs. These structures are• concrete.• observable (can be documented and

described).• supported by artifacts (tangible

evidence of the operation of structures).


HSTWLesson Plans?

Elbow partner discussion

How do you currently review lesson plans?


HSTWObserving Teaching and Learning: Fundamentals

3 Essential Areas

• Classroom artifacts

• Student actions

• Teacher actions


HSTWClassroom Artifacts

At a minimum, should include

• Lesson plans and curriculum resources

• Student work samples

• Daily objectives / agendas


HSTWSemantics: Definitions to Focus the Discussion

Teacher Evaluation

Student Achievement Data Observation Other Measures


HSTWTools to Support Literacy

LITERACY DESIGNCOLLABORATIVE


HSTWThe Big Picture

Student achievement will not improve unless instruction

changes.

Efforts at curriculum alignment have limited and untimely impact. What is needed is an improved framework for teaching and learning that makes

immediate impact.


HSTWThe Shift

The dramatic shift in teaching prompted by the common core will

require practical, intensive, and ongoing professional learning – not

one-off “spray and pray” training that exposes everyone to the same

material and hopes that some of it sticks.

~ Stephanie Hirsh & Ed Week


HSTWCCSS and LDC

Efforts at curriculum alignment have limited and untimely impact. What is needed is an improved framework for teaching and learning that makes immediate impact.

MDC and LDC immediately and inherently embed the CCSS or other rigorous standards into challenging and engaging student assignments in both academic and C/T courses.


HSTWCCSS and LDC

Implementing CCSS requires a new approach to PD. The traditional drive-by PD approach will not work. Developing teacher facilitators in each subject area will build capacity at the school level and ownership. Describe our training plan.

LDC and MDC hit the sweet spot between enough structure to help teachers implement the CCSS balanced with enough flexibility for teacher creativity and selection of topics.


HSTWCCSS and LDC

LDC not only embeds new standards but is engineered with student engagement in mind. Students are compelled to work harder and engage in a productive struggle with intellectually demanding assignments.

The main tool of LDC is 29 carefully designed template tasks that build students’ reading and writing skills while they are acquiring subject area knowledge.


HSTW

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MUSTBUILD CAPACITY AT

THE SCHOOL


HSTWStructures to Support CCSSHow is just as important as what in

professional development.• District experts to support schools

• School experts to endure effective lesson designs

• Tools to shift instruction from teacher-centered to student-centered


HSTWGoals of LDC To engage students in reading,

comprehending, analyzing, interpreting, and responding to complex texts

To align assignments to the CCSS and to promote collaboration

To help teachers personalize learning so that every student can master the CCSS

To ensure that all students are college- and career-ready


HSTWWhat Are the LDC Tools? The bank of reading/writing tasks The module template

• Tasks• Skills • Instruction• Results

Scoring rubrics Local and national collaboration Access to a community of educators with

LDC modules aligned to course content and to CCSS


HSTWWhat Are the Three Types

of Writing Tasks?

1. Argumentation

2. Informational / explanatory

3. Narrative

Template Task: An Example

After researching ______ (informational texts) on _________ (content), write

__________ (essay or substitute) that argues your position on ____________ (content). Support your position with

evidence from your research. L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or

issues to illustrate, clarify, and support your position.


HSTWLDC System

Courses

•New courses•Existing courses

Modules

•Task•Skills• Instruction• Results

Tasks

• Prompt•Rubric•Scoring exemplars

Courses


HSTW

Anatomy of a Module

Introduction and reading/writing task

Analysis of skills

Instructional strategies

Results/rubric


HSTW Reading/Writing TaskSample Task 2 SS Argumentative/Analysis:

What combination of market and command systems do you believe create an ideal mixed economy? After reading informational and opinion texts, write an essay that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the texts. Be sure to acknowledge competing views.

Sample Task


HSTWSkills and InstructionSkills Instruction

Essential vocabularyAbility to identify and master terms essential to understanding a text.

Interactive Word Wall Story Impressions Concept Definition Map Frayer Model

BridgingAbility to begin linking reading results to writing task.

Quick Write Free Write Mind Map R.A.F.T.

RevisionAbility to refine text, including line of thought, language usage, and tone as appropriate to audience and purpose.

Build on Strengths to Address Weaknesses: Identify Key Element Strengths in Student Work to Address Weaknesses Mini Grammar Lessons Based on Needs Three Sets of Eyes on One Focus


HSTWThe Instructional Ladder

Skill and Definition Product and Prompt

Scoring Instructional Strategies

Ability to identify the central point and main supporting elements of a text.L2 Ability to identify and analyze competing arguments.L3 Ability to make clarifying connections or provide examples.

Short reflective entry for each textWhat is the author trying to accomplish? Which parts of the text show you that?L2 What competing arguments have you encountered or can you think of?L3 What historical or current examples can you note that relate to the task prompt?

Answers questions with credible response.

Invite students to brainstorm ways to figure out any author’s intent.Invite students to share and discuss their answers for each text.After the discussion, allow them to add to their entries.

Skill and Definition Product and Prompt

Scoring Instructional Strategies

Ability to identify the central point and main supporting elements of a text.L2 Ability to identify and analyze competing arguments.L3 Ability to make clarifying connections or provide examples.

Short reflective entry for each textWhat is the author trying to accomplish? Which parts of the text show you that?L2 What competing arguments have you encountered or can you think of?L3 What historical or current examples can you note that relate to the task prompt?

Answers questions with credible response.

Invite students to brainstorm ways to figure out any author’s intent.Invite students to share and discuss their answers for each text.After the discussion, allow them to add to their entries.

Skill and Definition Product and Prompt Scoring Instructional Strategies

Active reading Ability to understand necessary reading strategies needed for the task and develop an understanding of a text by locating words and phrases that identify key concepts and facts, or information

Annotated Articles Use annotation techniques and other reading strategies to demonstrate your reading process and your level of interaction with the text

Annotated or “actively read” article has a variety of marks (circles, underlining, stars, highlights, etc.). Annotation also includes written questions, connections, and insights in the margins. *Use annotation rubric to provide students feedback on their reading

Instruction for the first article (“Should the U.S. have a National Healthcare System?”) should be very explicit and include group/partner work and teacher modeling.

Sample mini-task


HSTWResults

Student work scored using appropriate rubric provided in LDC templates based on writing type addressed in module


HSTWBenefits of LDCLDC tasks immediately and

inherently embed the CCSS or other rigorous standards into challenging and engaging student assignments in both academic and C/T courses.

Career/Technical TaskLDC Task vs. Traditional Writing Prompt

After researching selected sources on green technological advances in the automotive industry, write an analysis report that relates how these changes have affected the environment. Support your discussion with evidence from your research. Informational

Write a report on how automotive technology has changed.

LDC Writi

ng Task

Traditiona

l Writi

ng Prompt

First Tool: Comparing Reading and Writing Tasks/Prompts


HSTWCompare to

English/Language Arts Only Literacy Attempts

Lack of College Readiness for ALL

Emphasis is typically placed on learning TEXT and not SKILLS

Connections between reading and writing are limited


HSTWCompare to Across the

Curriculum Weak Literacy Attempts

Reading selections are not connected to content.

Writing assignments are typically low-rigor and are disconnected from course content.


HSTWProfessional Development

Specific groups• English, science, social studies and

career technical teachers

Phase I: Develop one expert in each subject area. • LDC training provided over time with

coaching in between. Six days minimum.


HSTWProfessional DevelopmentCoaching

• Classroom observations• Review of student work samples from

prompts• Support to design additional units

Phase Two: Experts train a buddy.Phase Three: Departmental training

(co-delivered).Focus is on capacity building within

each team of teachers.


HSTWMapping Standards


HSTWSession Objectives To identify key leader actions at all levels to

support changes needed to implement literacy for Common Core State Standards (CCSS) successfully for all students

To avoid major pitfalls in the change, improvement, and PD process in literacy as we move toward CCSS

To understand the changes that are needed for implementing CCSS

To review the Literacy Design Collaborative Tools (LDC) to enhance instruction


HSTW

Curriculum

Program of studies with concentration

Align academics to college-ready core

Career/technical studies

Work-based learning

Instruction

Students actively engaged

Literacy across the curriculum

Engaging mathematics and

science instruction

Integrating academics into CT

instruction

Culture

EffortFunctional

mission

High expectations

Data for continuous improvement

Teachers working together

Support

Purpose

Extra help

GuidanceImportance of school

Process Measures for Research-based Indicators

The What: Research-based Continuous Improvement


HSTW

District Actions: Selecting Principals

High quality leadership is the single greatest predictor of whether or not high schools have high student achievement as defined by NCLB.

Teacher Working Conditions Are Student Learning Conditions

Southeast Center for Teaching Quality, 2004


HSTWDistrict Action: Preparing Principals

Ensure schools have a learning-centered principal who keeps the school community focused on the school’s mission, serves as instructional leader to ensure that students are engaged in a rigorous curriculum, supports and reviews instructional planning and gives feedback to the faculty continually to keep everyone engaged in ongoing, research-based school improvement efforts.


HSTWDistrict Action: Support effective transitions from middle to high school

Use early warning indicators for intervention. Page 18

Hold middle grades accountable for ninth-grade readiness. Page 17

Use indicators for assessing progress in grades nine and 10. Page 17

Redesign grade nine. Pages 18 and 19

53Blueprint Report


HSTWEarly Warning System:

Ninth-Grade Student Risk Factors

Missing more than two-days per month

34% In-school or out-of-school suspension

23% Failing at least one subject 16%


HSTWTeacher Action: Engage students in learning.

Engage students intellectually to work with new concepts, explain their reasoning, defend their conclusions and explore alternative strategies.

Engage students emotionally by giving them opportunities to choose projects or areas of further study related to their interests and goals.

Engage students socially to work in teams, participate in extracurricular activates, have friends at school, feel a sense of loyalty and belonging and believe in the legitimacy of school.

Engage students behaviorally to attend class prepared to actively participate, seek assistance when needed, take challenging classes and practice habits of success.


HSTWTeacher Action: Create a culture where ‘failure is not an option.’

This is the most important action you can take

Relentless academic press for all studentsWhat is the purpose of a grade?What is the purpose for assessment?

You are going to Mastery, Reteaching, Extra Help and Time, DI, RTI



Formative Assessment Measuring Mastery Reteaching Extra Help Extra Time Differentiated Instruction Response to Intervention

Are all just a new language to restate the most fundamental aspect teaching:



You are going to do this over and over until you get it right!

I believe in you as a student I believe in me as a teacher I will not baby sit you or just administer

assessments over and over and tell someone you are not ready…I will TEACH you, and you WILL learn in my classroom.


HSTWIn Closing to Realize Literacy Improvement…

Teams of teachers will need continued support to change instructional practices to support the CCSS...not drive-by PD.

Teacher teaming is a must.OwnershipCapacity…build experts in your buildingFidelity of implementation


HSTWIn Closing to Realize Literacy Improvement…

Lesson or learning design should be emphasized over curriculum cross-walks.

Keep the main thing the main thing! Principals, district leaders, school boards, every

stakeholder

Inspect the design of teaching and learning—in the classroom

How is as important as what

Look at student learning…not teacher performing


HSTWFor Additional Information

High Schools That Work (HSTW)Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW)LDC/MDC

Steve Broome • [email protected]

Dan Stacy in Ohio• [email protected]

Thank You!

Literacy: The Core of All Learning Changing the Way We Do Business

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