Focusing on Students in a Data-Driven World

Carol Corbett Burris, Ed.D.

Principal of South Side High School Rockville Centre, NY

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q 44%  of  the  NY  students  who  entered  9th  grade  in  2008  were  economically  disadvantaged  

q 42%  of  all  of  the  2010  births  in  NYS  were  to  single  mothers  

q 44%  did  not  attend  pre-­‐school  

q  In  NYS  big  cities  75%  were  economically  disadvantaged  

q  70%  of  all  birth  in  the  Bronx  were  to  single  mothers    

There is an inverse relationship between the % of low SES students and graduation rates

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Low  Needs   Average  Needs  

High  Needs  rural  

High  Needs  urb/sub  

High  Needs  NYC  

High  Needs  Lg  

City  

% poverty

% grad rate all §  Effects  of  individual  poverty  

 §  Effects  of  concentrated  poverty  

Low-SES students can do well if they are in well–resourced schools that are not

overwhelmed by poverty

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How  do  we  provide  our  students  with  the  enriched  and  engaging  curriculum  that  they  deserve  in  a  time  of  data  driven  reform?  

“The gravest threat posed by all these reforms is that they encourage teachers to forego real teaching for test prep”. Gary Rubenstein, Ed Leadership July 2013  

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ü  Place-­‐based  learning  provides  students  with  background  knowledge  which  in  turn  promotes  transfer,  thereby  deepening  and  accelerating  learning.    

Why  place-­‐based  learning  matters…..  

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DIRECTIONS  FOR  CLOSE  READING  From  http://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/[iles/High-­‐School-­‐Exemplar-­‐Lincoln-­‐Gettysburg-­‐Address.pdf      “Other  than  giving  the  brief  de[initions  offered  to  words  students  would  likely  not  be  able  to  de[ine  from  context  (underlined  in  the  text),  avoid  giving  any  background  context  or  instructional  guidance  at  the  outset  of    the  lesson  while  students  are  reading  the  text  silently.  This  close  reading  approach  forces  students  to  rely  exclusively  on  the  text  instead  of  privileging    background  knowledge  and  levels  the  playing  [ield  for  all  students  as  they  seek  to  comprehend  Jacques’  soliloquy.”  

Read and summarize

Having crumbled to 214 all out, with Jonathan Trott's 84 not out the glue across an otherwise brittle English innings, the tourists were back in the contest when Paul Collingwood's brace had the hosts wobbling at 100 for five at the turn of the 21st over. From:http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2013/05/does-background-knowledge-matter-to.html

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ü  Place-­‐based  learning  provides  an  invaluable  opportunity  to  expand  student  vocabulary.    

Why  place-­‐based  learning  matters…..  

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Theme    vocabulary  •  Lighthouse  •  Historic  •  Shoals  •  Route  •  Conical  •  Breakwater  •  Portholes  •  Catwalk  •  Cistern  •  Buoy  •  Navigational  hazards  •  Obsolete  •  Erected  •  Navigate    •  Shallow  

1883  Lighthouse  at  Kingsland  Point  Park  

Words of a Feather

route

shoals

shallow

buoy

Give students sentence starters

Link all four words together to build one sentence, or two related sentences.

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ü  Place-­‐based  learning  provides  us  with  experiential    “texts”  that  we  can  use  to  develop  our  students’  analytical  and  evaluative  thinking.      

Why  place-­‐based  learning  matters…..  

Designing lessons using

Blooms as a guide

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Text  B:  Washington  Crossing  the  Delaware    

1.  Describe  the  dress  and  condition  of  the  soldiers.  2.  Explain  why  you  know  the  crossing  was  dif[icult.  3.  How  does  the  artist  use  light  ,  shadowing,  color  and  

other  techniques  to  create  setting?  4.  What  is  the  artist’s  opinion  of  Washington?  Justify  your  

opinion.  5.  Write  the  story  this  painting  tells.    

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1.  What,  according  to  Whitman  is  the  true  monument  to  honor  Washington?  

2.  The  original  title  was,  “Ah,  Not  This  Granite  Dead  and  Cold”.    Which  title  is  better?  Explain  why.    

3.  What  is  Whitman  telling  the  reader  with  the  insertion  of  a  question  mark  in  the  poem?  What  is  the  function  of  the    parenthesis?  

4.  To  what  extent  does  Whitman  see  George  Washington  as  an  archetype,  rather  than  a  [lesh  and  blood  hero?  Include  evidence  from  the  text  to  make  your  argument.    

Text  C:  Washington's  Monument,  February,  1885  by  Walt  Whitman  

Jigsaw Assignment

Provide  evidence  how  each  text  portrays  Washington  as  a  great  and  heroic  leader.  Decide  which  of  the  three  makes  the  best  case  and  explain  why.  

Designing lessons using

Blooms as a guide

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Here  is  the  choice  that  confronts  us…..  

   

“Other  than  giving  the  brief  de[initions  offered  to  words  students  would  likely  not  be  able  to  de[ine  from  context  (underlined  in  the  text),  avoid  giving  any  background  context  or  instructional  guidance  at  the  outset  of    the  lesson  while  students  are  reading  the  text  silently.  This  close  reading  approach  forces  students  to  rely  exclusively  on  the  text  instead  of  privileging    background  knowledge  and  levels  the  playing  [ield  for  all  students  .”    David  Coleman    

“When  I  am  tempted  to  compromise  on  what  I  know  is  good  instruction,  I  will  think  back  to  letters  I've  received  from  students  over  the  years.  Although  I  certainly  can't  claim  to  have  inspired  every  student  I've  taught,  I  know  from  these  notes  that  I  have  inspired  some.  When  a  student  writes  to  me  that  she  used  to  hate  math  and  now  she  likes  it,  I've  gotten  all  the  merit  pay  I  need.”  Gary  Rubenstein  

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