Data Driven?

Last night, when I arrived home and checked the computer for updates, I found that data related to some of our year's efforts had been reported.  The data is based on standards we strive for during the year.  I've worked with these standards for years and know them well.  Collectively, teachers in my system have tried many, many strategies to teach the standards well using multiple instructional methods.  I analyzed the initial data carefully looking for areas where students had done well, and areas where students and teachers were still challenged. These were some of my initial findings.

1. Overall, it appears that ELA intervention programs are working in my system.  Many at-risk readers and writers made significant progress.  We have a team that works closely with many of these students using a researched, responsive, regular program to "grow" their skills and knowledge.  Kudos to that group for tremendous work.
2. There are still some students we have to think more deeply about.  They tend to be our most complex students.  Some of the strategies I'm wondering about with respect to these students include the following:
• Social/Emotional Support:  Smaller homerooms for some to get the day off to a good start.  A mentor would lead that homeroom period to make sure students have snacks, appropriate clothing, completed homework, and time to talk and plan for the day ahead.  Some of these students need extra social/emotional support. We all know that if a child isn't ready emotionally to learn, then the learning is challenged.
• Targeted Instruction:  More time for targeted, small group or individual instruction away from the busy, sometimes noisy, classroom atmosphere.  Regular, small group or individual targeted help with skilled instructors for challenging learning goals can make a big difference.
• Double Dosing:  Rather than moving with the the large class group to a project block, perhaps students that struggle with essential skill development could move to a more targeted project block that teaches the project within the context of reading and/or math development. Again, it's essential that the leader of such a group is a skilled instructor.
• Passion:  It's very important for challenged students to work within their arena of interests and passions; that's motivating and keeps the learning meaningful and fun.  It's essential to consider this as we try to meet their essential skill needs.
• Time for Professional Collaboration:  This summer many teachers in our system are meeting to discuss RTI and how we can improve instruction for all students.  It's great that we have some valuable essential skill scores prior to this meeting.
• Assistive Technology:  As I think about the idea of print disabilities, I wonder what technology can assist our most challenged students. It looks like blogging, online journals, books on iPods, and Lexia, tools currently in place, have helped.  How can we use these tools best, and what other tools are available to help our learners?

While I'm very excited about data based on solid academic standards, I recognize that this is one piece of the school puzzle.  I am a fan of streamlined, targeted testing that occurs a couple times a year for most students, and more, but not too often, targeted, individualized or small group testing for students that are challenging to teach in an effort to inform our instruction with respect to essential skill development.

I've written earlier about my vision for school change,  Restructuring Schools for Student Success, and with that in mind, I believe that testing/data fits into the essential skill section of that vision.  What do you think about data?  How does it inform your instruction?  Where does it fit into your school program?  What's the right ratio of data/testing to instruction/development?  I'm listening.

Teacher Evaluation

Someone asked me today what I thought about teacher evaluation.  I decided to blog about it.  Here's what I think.

1.  Teachers are hired to serve children well.
2.  School systems establish vision, goals and protocol.
3.  Teachers are educated to teach well.  Teaching well includes the following:

• Knowing your students well.
• Knowing your content well.
• Creating structures that facilitate optimal learning for all.
• Communication.  Response.

4.  Optimal teacher evaluation systems include the following:

• System vision, goals.
• Teacher strengths.
• Teacher/system growth goals.
• Plan for achieving goals.
• Assessment related to plan's success.
• Future goals, efforts.

In summary, the evaluation process for teachers should be a process that helps teachers continue to grow as professionals in line with an educational system's vision and goals.  The evaluation system should include acknowledgement of a teacher's strengths as well as focus on a combined teacher/system area of desired growth and goals as well as a plan for achieving those goals.  Finally, the evaluation should acknowledge the teacher's growth, plan success, and future desired areas of study and development.

It should be a fluid, developmental process based on what's best for student achievement and education.

Signature Projects: Biography Time Line

Many years ago, John Koch wrote The Interview each week in the Boston Globe.  At that time, teachers in the Wayland Public Schools were looking for a new venue for biographies.  We decided to copy Koch's model with a twist.  Instead of interviewing living people, we'd have students become experts of inspirational people in American history and create a Koch-like interview with those people.

A fifth grade colleague at the time piloted the project.  Students read and read and read about a person of interest in American history.  Then they created an interview modeled after Koch's Boston Globe The Interview.  We even had Koch come in to talk about his work which was helpful to both teachers and students.  After that, students dressed in character, lined the school auditorium creating a human time line and welcomed visitors and their questions.  The project was a success.

Now, a good 12 years or so later, the project still exists.  Many teachers over the years have put their own stamp on the project, and Koch's Boston Globe The Interview no longer exists.  This year's teachers connected the interview process to the popular news show, 60 Minutes.

I attended the event as a parent today.  Since I knew the project well and had worked with many fifth graders over the years to complete the task, many of the famous people in history's names were familiar to me, but others were new.  Visually, I once again enjoyed looking at the clothing changes from the early 1600's to the twentieth century.  I spied the mix of scientists, inventors, artists, writers, politicians, presidents, explorers, entertainers, sports stars and others.  Again, I was amazed at the fact that most of those famous people in history got their first inspiration in the early years of life.  For example, Wilbur and Orville Wright's fascination with flying began with a toy helicopter their father gave them when they were young, and Robert Goodard's inventions began with his love of science and experiments when he was young too.  I enjoyed asking the young experts questions about the people they portrayed, and learned facts and information I never knew before.

I was amazed at how knowledgeable each fifth grader was about the famous person he or she studied.  I also thought it was interesting to see how students chose historic figures that resembled their own passions, interests and challenges.  I admired the care and thought that went into each child's costume, and most of all the pride each child exhibited as they answered the questions I asked.  I marveled at the bravery and courage of the persons portrayed, and wondered how the study of these champions in history would influence our fifth graders.

I was very grateful for the diligent and thoughtful work the teachers had done to prepare these students.  The fifth grade students were experts!  They knew their characters well.  Several had even rehearsed the accent and speaking style of the character they portrayed.  I'm sure that the students will never forget this signature project.  I also know that this project will evolve over the years.  It's important that the project continue to resemble a familiar, timely venue as it helps children access that venue for greater learning on their own time.

What signature projects do you support and encourage at your school?  What learning takes place during these signature projects? During the biography project students learn about history, reading, writing, presentation, effort and passion.  They are asked to think critically, collaborate, create and communicate. It's an awesome project -- a reason why we teach, and a memorable event that will help to propel our students toward their future goals and learning.  If one of this year's teachers chooses to blog about the details related to this project, I'll connect the link.

Field Trip!

There's a field trip coming up.  On the first day of school students ask, "When are we going on a field trip?"  It's a treat; a day away from the typical routine.  It's also a lot more responsibility for the teacher.  When there's a field trip, there's no lunch break or planning period or a quiet moment to gather your thoughts.  Instead, it's go, go, go!

I have a great team.  We all think differently, and bring a diversity of ideas to our planning meetings.  That results in optimal planning.  So we're ready for this field trip.  We collected the money, wrote and received signed permission slips (even translated a few), sent out reminders, ordered the busses, reserved the field trip venue, enlisted the help of chaperones, created chaperone lists and reminders, made a schedule and taught the units that match the trip.  Soon we'll be off.

We'll gather the children, answer questions, and remind them about behavior and safety rules.  We'll pick up the health kits, board the fancy busses we reserved, watch an entertaining, curriculum related film on the way, and then attend the program.  We've invited any and all family members to join us as long as they pay the fee and provide their own transportation.  After the event, we'll have a picnic (weather permitting) at a local park to celebrate the end of the year.  Then we'll board the busses, watch the end of the first movie or a new film, and return to school.

I'll wake up early tomorrow and prep the necessary items for the trip.  Most of all, I'll remind myself that this is chance to relax and enjoy my students before the year's end.

Does your school provide field studies for students?  How often?  Where do you go?  How do you integrate your field studies with the work you do in the classroom?  Field studies are an important part of the curriculum process; one, like other important components, that requires yearly revision and review.

Multimedia Compositions: Endangered Species

Our school system's fourth graders have a long history of completing endangered species projects.  The original project was crafted by an extraordinary veteran teacher.  It's one of our schools' signature projects -- a project that students look forward to, and eagerly await as they approach fourth grade.

Each year the project's shape and scope evolves to meet the changing needs and interests of learners.  Most of my students have completed the project, and we're currently in the midst of project presentations.  This year's projects evolved to include 21st century skills, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity with greater strength.  We were also able to use many new tech tools to broaden the project's scope and interest.  

I like to sit down at the end of a project to reflect--to think about what worked well and what I'd like to research and possibly change for next year.  I've listed my reflections below for your review and response.  I'll return to this document next spring when we begin our project planning and implementation once again.  Also, I recently read this article about project based learning which provides a solid rationale for our endangered species project.

Reflections

1. Project Planning: 
• Animal Adaptation Unit:  This unit is a good precursor to the endangered species study.  Next year I will have students create a number of charts and vocabulary lists/mini-projects that they'll be able to use later on when they study endangered species.
• Animal Adaptation Presentation:  The fourth grade teachers, thanks to funding from our PTO, hosted an animal expert from The Museum of Science in Boston for a grade-wide animal adaptation presentation with live animals.
• Topic Overview:  I coupled this with a review of nonfiction strategies and "reading to find out" skills.  The one-two page articles we reviewed together were helpful, and provided the entire class with a solid content foundation.  I showed a number of films to strengthen the foundation as well.
• Slide Show Template:  This gave students a note-taking guide to use online or offline as they researched their topic.
• Classroom Library:  The classroom library exhibited related books as well as books written by students in past classes.  Our librarian has researched and collected a wonderful array of books to support this project.
• Tech/Library/Art Integration:  Technology integration specialists, the librarian and the art teacher helped out with the project.
• It's Learning Course:  An online course was created to guide students' research and presentation efforts with links and other information. 
• Social Network Discussions:  Several ongoing discussion threads related to the project were posed on our closed classroom social network.
• Next Year:  I'd like to add a list of essential questions to the unit plan to guide our overall study and work. We're also going to explore a local zoo connection for the project, and look for additional up-to-date overview materials.
2. Project Work
• The first week was devoted mainly to reading books about the topic to understand endangered species, and to think about the animals each student wanted to study.
• A Google form was created and students completed the form, listing the animals they wanted to study.
• Animal selections were made -- everyone got their first choice.  Typically only one child studies each animal, but this year some students were comfortable with studying the same animal.
• Once students had selected their animals, they read about their animals online and off using Internet articles, classroom resources and library books.  Students took notes as they read.
• As students began to collect their resources, they crafted their presentations.  Teachers worked with students on an as needed basis highlighting student work exemplars along the way to guide.
• Students helped each other create iMovies using a public service message guide.
• A checklist was created for students to follow.  Students edited with teachers when they were finished or close to finishing. (See recent related blog, The Edit)
3. Student Presentations
• Students presented in front of the room to classmates and family members.  They engaged the class with a multimedia mix of videos, comics, public service messages, quizzes, and information slides. (Presentation Example and Examples of Specific Slide Types)
• The audience used Tweet Sheets to build their active listening/learning during the presentations.
• Students answered questions and listened to comments at the end of the presentations.
4. Assessment
• Assessment was ongoing since most of the work was done in a workshop style.  Teachers were meeting with students continually to help out, edit and review.
• Through conferencing, all students brought their projects to a high level of completion.  All students were expected to complete the basic slide presentation, then there was room for more creativity and enrichment.
• Rather than a grade, students received a final assessment by way of a teacher letter highlighting the project's unique strengths.  Students will also receive compliments/connections comments from classmates as part of homework on our classroom It's Learning site.
5. Reflections
• The project process was engaging from start to finish.
• The project employed 21st century skills: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking skills, and creativity.
• Students developed reading, writing skills.
• Students learned about animal biology, geography, sociology and the environment.
• Students learned and strengthened their technology skills specifically skills with iMovie, Google Presentation and Internet research.
• Students practiced their public speaking and teaching skills.

Once again this has been a vigorous, engaging and profitable learning experience for all.  I welcome your comments, questions and suggestions as my colleagues and I continue to "grow" this project for student success.