B BiologyR RealignmentA andC CurriculumE Enhancement

Fayette County Public SchoolsToyota USA Foundation Mini Conference

Friday, June 29, 2012Georgetown, KY

BRACE

Based on teacher needs identified by Science Department Chairs and District Administration

New Science Literacy Standards

ACT Biology Quality Core – End of Course Exams

Real world experiences which prepare students for career and college readiness

Challenges

Comfort with biotechnology and expensive equipment

Quality Core End of Course Assessments

New content and practices not taught (or known) during teacher preparation

Challenges

Communication/collaboration beyond department, school, and district

Competition - yes, it is still there

Silos: “I am not an English teacher”

Unease - working with IHE partners

Participants Biology teachers

IHE partnerDistrict leadership

Participants Biology teachers

IHE partnerDistrict leadership

Twenty Nine Teachers from ALL High Schools

Martin Luther King Academy

The Learning Center at Linlee

Locust Trace AgriScience Center (hosted all meetings)

Bryan Station High School

Henry Clay High School

Lafayette High School

Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School

Tates Creek High School

IHE Partner

Dr Robin Cooper, Professor of Biology, University of Kentucky

Created an atmosphere of higher ed and secondary ed working together for the students benefit

Put teachers at ease with regard to working with higher ed

Seen by participants as an approachable resource

District Presenters

Mr David Helm Science Resource Specialist, Fayette County Public Schools

Ms Heidi Anderson NBCT Science Teacher, Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School

Dr Scott Diamond, Science Teacher, The Learning Center at Linlee

Goals

Teachers learn biotechnology-related content and techniques they weren’t taught in “teacher school”

Teachers work with teachers from other schools in the district

Teachers make connections between literacy and science education

Teachers believe ALL students can “do” biotech

BRACE Meetings 5 Release Days

Collaboration with IHE PartnerTeachers as presenters

LOTS of work, activity, and discussion

Collaboration

District and school personnel collaborated with the IHE in:

Planning

Training

Content Resource

Facilitation

Positive Attitude

The BRACE Agenda Day 1: Meeting the Challenge of the Quality Core – GAP Analysis and Sequence

Day 2: Science Literacy and the Common Core – LDC Argumentative Piece

Day 3: Formative Assessment, Targets for the Quality Core and LDC Argumentative pieces

Day 4: Intro to Biotech – gel electrophoresis and genetics

Day 5: Biotech Day 2 – rapid colony transformations, PCR, genetic engineering

Accomplishments

All biology teachers trained in biotech methods

Enhanced biological science content knowledge

Developed comfortable relationships with IHE

Accomplishments

All biology teachers trained in biotech methods

Enhanced biological science content knowledge

Developed comfortable relationships with IHE

Accomplishments

Each school has 1 LDC argumentative task read

Five days of Quality Core training for biology teachers from ACT through district funding

Accomplishments

Each school has 1 LDC argumentative task read

Five days of Quality Core training for biology teachers from ACT through district funding

Teacher Response

Anecdotal data indicates a positive response from teachers – when they ask if you can do it again, you are doing the right things!

“Can we do this again next year?”

“I started this thinking it would be a waste of time away from my kids – boy was I wrong!”

“Dr. Cooper from UK is just awesome!”

Teacher Response

Anecdotal data, continued:

“I really enjoyed getting to work with teachers from other schools.”

“Before this I wouldn’t have ever thought of doing these things with my kids”

“How do I reserve the materials?”

“I didn’t realize what great resources we have in the district (people and materials)”

Further Evaluation

Comparison of EOC results between FCPS and the State will be made to look for positive differences

Use of the new biotech materials will be monitored – request are already coming in

Increased use of literacy tools through LDC

What Next?

Initial planning in place to continue working with higher ed in an effort to prepare our students to be career and college ready:

Content Academies

Content Resource

What Next?

Funds allocated to continue LDC training for ALL Biology teachers next year

4 release days

2 stipend day

Content Academies are being scheduled for additional training sessions after school

Continued District support for Quality Core

Thank You!

QUESTIONS???