September

“If we want to reach kids who have never been reached, we need to do things that have never been done” 

Making Learning Visible as the District Direction in 2017-18

The Goal: to ensure one year's growth, or more, for one year of school.

Actions to attain the goal:

1.) Teacher clarity - the learning intentions and success criteria. Teacher clarity can also include showing models of success, checks for understanding, and giving feedback related to the success criteria and intended learning.

2.) Know thy impact - formally and informally, monitoring student learning as feedback about our instructional practice/effect/impact

The vehicles of support so staff and students can succeed:

1.) Capitalize on the experience and expertise of the teachers

2.) Provide professional development

3.) offer regular high impact collaboration opportunities

4.) Offer instructional coaching per site

Why teacher clarity? Teacher clarity can double the rate of learning when done well. Student confidence and commitment increases when they are clear on what is expected of them in the way of their learning (Visible Learning for Teacher, Hattie, 2011)

Why know they impact? Evaluating and assessing one's learning/one's effectiveness can also have over a .90 effect size. Knowing one's impact, knowing one's learning, adds clarity, and allows staff and students to respond accordingly.

Celebrations from the start of school

During the first couple of weeks, the sites felt safe and welcoming. We know the perquisite and ever-present condition for high levels of learning is creating that safe space here adults and students can learn freely, can find relevance and excitement in their learning. The kids look and sound so healthy and happy. They are cordial and genuinely excited to learn and be back to school. Academically, the students were abuzz reading, talking and writing about their learning.

Celebrations from last year

It is important to acknowledge our data from last school year.
* Over 50% of our students, K -7 made one year's gain or more (as measured by either the Early Literacy Renaissance test or as measured by the state exam, CAASPP).
* Over 30% of our high school students made one year's gain or more (as measured by either the reading inventory exam or as measured by the CAASPP).
This is remarkable progress in such as short amount of time on our journey and considering we raised the expectation. In 2017-18, we strive for 100% of our students making one year's growth or more.

                                                Celebrations from the first district-wide collaboration:

1.     Evidence of grade levels analyzing their students’ reading scores and their impact on those results

2.     Evidence of every high school department agreeing to the next piece of data staff are bringing to the collaboration

3.     Evidence of sixth grade using the filter, of one year’s growth, to design and track the instruction and learning of the 6^th grade science camp.

4.     Conversations around the growth in math for students using the new K -5 math materials and pedagogy of = concrete learning to the mental math or math schema (pictures) to the abstract math (the algorithm).

5.     Evidence of ELD/PE teachers learning from one another (real time evidence) through peer observations, and then talking instructional next steps at September’s collaboration.

The deliberate and intentional conversations around student learning throughout the entire Konocti Unified School District is what will reach the kids never before reached.

It will take many +1s (all of us) to ensure 1+ years' growth in all students! Go Team.