1/28/2017

February






District direction: Striving for one year of growth for one year of school. We are looking to effectively implement some of the top yielding instructional strategies. Some such strategies might be: teacher clarity, effective feedback (checking for understanding), formative assessment, discussion and questioning, active engagement (synonymous to kids being visible learners). John Hattie's research being the guide as to what strategies work best in education.

 District focus area:  Teacher and student clarity around what one is learning for the day and how one knows it is learned for the day. This clarity around learning can be measured by asking students during class visits, and/or by asking teachers. ("What are you learning ? How are you going in your learning? Where to next?")

Each school also has a focus area and ways to monitor growth:
Teacher clarity (including student clarity)
Developing a visible learner 
Providing effective feedback
Know thy impact whether through quality formative assessments; through summative assessments; through regular and frequent informal checks for understanding.

Action Steps:
Continued site and district collaboration around our instructional impact based on student progress.

Provide any desired professional development especially in the above focus area(s).

Provide any desired professional development in district in providing reading, writing, and talking instruction.

Use of instructional coaches to support planning, model instruction, observe and debrief.

Provide monthly PIP/STP and new teacher workshops around the above.










We set the bar high in striving for one year of growth (.4 ES) or more for one year of school. Teachers and students are rising to the occasion. And we look to continue to collectively progress toward our goal.

Another mid-year growth data checkpoint was the student responses from the January walk-throughs.
100% of the students asked could respond to "What are you learning?" 
Some sample student responses: 
"I am learning the word "Go"."
"I am solving two step equations." 
"I am working on how to write an argumentative paper.“

24% of the students asked could response to "How are you going in your learning?" 
Some sample student responses:
"Good." "I am checking my steps and answer to the 2 step equations to the steps and solution on the board."
"Good." "I am reading this speech, writing my claim and supporting it my finding evidence.

"Good." "I am researching and taking notes on each thing (she pointed to her graphic organizer) about the missions".

A few students could respond to "Where to next?" 
Some sample student responses:
"I am self-assessing my paper and then making corrections - adding content and adding evidence."
"I am then presenting the word "go" in front of the class. And then finding sentences in my library book with the word 'go" in it."
"I am going to keep practicing these 2-step equations and checking my work and answer, with the examples on the board."

Students are clear on their learning for the day. We continue to take strides in developing the success criteria or learning expectations for students.

We recently held some trainings specific to writing learning intentions and success criteria into our daily and weekly lesson plans. I look forward to seeing the implementation progress and impact in the classrooms.

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