TST BOCES Inquiry Team Training

DEVELOPING AN INQUIRY-BASED FOCUS ON STUDENT LEARNING

AUGUST 2011 

Cheryl Covell – Data AnalystBeth Dryer – Literacy Instructional Specialist

Heather Sheridan-Thomas – Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

Allison Sitts- Math Instructional SpecialistAND two new additionsJennifer Gondek – Instructional Specialist for Inclusive Education

Lauren Faessler – focusing on Inquiry, Assessment, & Principal Evaluation

Plus Amanda Verba- Youth Development

Introductions: Your Network Team

We have too many people to do individual introductions, but I would like us all to get a little sense of who is here this week.

I’m going to read a number of short statements. If it is a statement that you could say, “That’s Me” about, please stand up and say “That’s Me.”

Introductions - You

Four Assurances:1. Adopting internationally-benchmarked standards

and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace

2. Recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and principals

3. Building instructional data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices

4. Turning around the lowest-performing schools

Race to the Top

Adopt Common Core State Standards Align high school graduation requirements

with college and career success. Redesign the NYS Assessment Program, in

alignment with the Common Core Standards, to incorporate formative and interim assessments, more performance-based with increased rigor and assessment of 21st century competencies.

Assurance Area: Standards and Assessments

Adopt the Common Core Learning Standards

Implement new, high-quality assessments as required by the State.

Standards & Assessments: School Commitments

Complete New York’s P-20 longitudinal education data system; build a Data Portal through which educators can access information on student achievement, school climate, and best practices, enabling them to analyze student needs, identify problems, determine interventions, differentiate instruction, and evaluate results.

Create an early warning system to identify and intervene to help students at risk of falling behind and dropping out.

Assurance Area: Data Systems to Support Instruction

Use data to improve instruction, which will entail collecting data as required by the State, providing professional development to staff in how to use the data to improve instruction.

Data Systems to Support Instruction: School Commitments

Redesign teacher and school leader preparation programs.

Implement a comprehensive teacher and principal evaluation system including student achievement measures, which would comprise 40% of teacher and principal evaluations and ratings.

Create incentives for highly effective teachers in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math), teachers of English language learners, and teachers of students with disabilities, to take assignments in our high-need schools.

Assurance Area: Great Teachers and Leaders

Conduct annual evaluations using the new statewide evaluation system, then use the results of these evaluations to inform a variety of decisions.

Use the results of the new annual evaluation system and student performance data to tailor high-quality professional development and other effective supports to teachers and principals.

Great Teachers and Leaders: School Commitments

Standards & Assessments

Great Teachers &

Leaders

Data-Driven Instruction

Everything is Connected

School Year

Implementation

2010-2011

• Student achievement expectations are based on the 2005 ELA and Mathematics Learning Standards and Core Curricula.• Districts begin developing awareness of the NYS Common Core Learning Standard) and “gap analysis” in relation to current curriculum.

2011-2012 •ELA and Mathematics assessments remain

aligned to the 2005 ELA and Mathematics Learning Standards• Districts continue to develop understanding of CCLS, review CCLS exemplar lessons and curriculum, and begin implementing instruction aligned to CCLS. • Each teacher delivers TWO CCLS-aligned units/lessons.

Timeline for Implementation

School Year

Implementation

2012-2013

• Student achievement expectations are based on NYS Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) Districts are expected to base all ELA and Math instruction on CCLS.• CCLS Interim Assessments are administered. • Curriculum models will be available for schools.• Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) field testing will occur.

2013-2014

• Student achievement expectations are based on NYS modified version of CCLS.

2014-2015

• CCLS PARCC assessments are operational.

13

Timeline for Implementation

Shifts in priorities, materials, focus areas

You will hear much about these shifts throughout today’s sessions.

Common Core Learning Standards: ELA and Math

Initial model of “Inquiry Team” – small number of teachers in each building analyze data and make recommendations

Current model of “Data Driven Instruction” with ALL teachers involved in cycles of collecting and analyzing data about their own students’ performance, adjusting instruction, collecting more data….

In the new model, the Inquiry Team members become facilitators and cheerleaders of DDI.

Data – Shift and Shift Again

Use of Teacher Evaluation rubrics focused on:

Cognitive EngagementConstructivist Learning21st Century Skills

Teacher & Principal Effectiveness

Keeps Happening

Click icon to add picture

Educating more/all students

Standards based educationChanges in assessmentsFocus on using data to inform instruction

SHIFTS Keep Happening in Education

Two Ways You Can Respond

Cynicism

Flat Spiral

UPWARD SPIRAL

What makes me hopeful?

FocusCoherenceMathematical Practices

Mathematics Common Core

Focus on increasing students’ independent ability to read increasingly complex texts

Focus on critical reading and thinking

Clarity within and across grade levels

ELA Common Core

A strand called “Literacy in History/Social Studies and Technical Subjects”- Valuing the importance of literacy across content area classes.

ELA Common Core

Assessments that include meaningful performance based tasks, at a high level of rigor, not all of which are “on demand.”

Increased focus on formative assessment

Assessment

Rigor /Relevance Framework(Successful Practices Network)

Focus on students doing the learning, being cognitively engaged, taking ownership.

Teacher Evaluation Rubrics

Focus on engaging ALL educators in reflecting on multiple sources of data to improve learning for ALL students.

Data-Driven Instruction

Turn to a person sitting next to you and talk about one or two things that you see as hopeful in all of the current educational reforms.

What makes you hopeful?

Talk to a partner about two or three of the major challenges you see arising as you implement Race to the Top educational initiatives.

Challenges

Network Team◦ Data Experts◦ Curriculum Experts◦ Instruction Experts

◦ PLUS

School Improvement ServicesSchool Library Services, Cooperative Enrichment

Services, Youth Development

We are here to support you.

Professional Development & Job Embedded Supports for Teachers & Principals

In the areas of Common Core State Standards School Based Inquiry/ Data Driven

Instruction Teacher & Principal Effectiveness

Network Team Provides

District Liaisons : Serve as single point of contact for all your needs. Will assist with planning and record-keeping. ◦ Cheryl Covell – Trumansburg , Dryden & Ithaca◦ Beth Dryer – Candor & South Seneca◦ Jennifer Gondek = Groton & Newfield◦ Heather Sheridan-Thomas = Ithaca & Dryden◦ Allison Sitts = Ithaca & Lansing◦ Lauren Faessler = Lansing

• You still have access to the WHOLE Network Team and all of School Improvement Services.

Network Team Organization

This week is designed to give you information and resources to move forward in implementing inquiry-based learning, with a focus on the CCLS.

It is also designed to give you time to reflect on your current strengths, your support needs and your next steps.

Inquiry Team Training

No consistent building/district experience In your role as facilitators of this process,

looking at material again in a different way is useful.

Some information revisited to develop a common language; some information is new.

Depending on your background with each topic you might adopt different lenses – new learner or facilitator

Why didn’t we differentiate?

Given what you’ve heard this morning, you may want to set a personal goal for the training. It might be a goal to stay hopeful or to gather information to help you address one of the predicted challenges. Take a few minutes to reflect and write a personal goal for your learning this week. This is for you and not shared. Take your “Hopes, Challenges, and Goal” sheet with you, to reflect on as you go through the training.

Your Goal for the Training

Day 1, today, focuses on the Common Core Learning Standards◦ Today - Choice Sessions

Day Two, Tuesday, focuses on Data Driven-Instruction & beginning Implementation Planning

Day Three, Wednesday, focuses on Resources, as well as Implementation Planning and beginning Action Planning

Design and Schedule of the Week

Many sessions “flip-flop” by GROUP, so be sure to note which group you are in.

Planning sessions are in rooms by District. Districts are grouped so that you will have at least 2 Network Team facilitators in each room. At least one of you District’s Network Team liaisons will be in your room with you.

Specific planning will happen by building in those District-based rooms.

Design of the Schedule

Each day will end with an opportunity for you to communicate what you are getting that is helpful, what you still need, and questions you may have.

Any questions that are not immediately answerable will be researched and answers shared with all participants via email.

Got it! Want it! Questions

Please remember to sign up for CHOICE sessions on your way out.

Please arrive at your next session ready to begin by 10:00.

There are signs but also feel free to ask for directions. Circle of Courage is here in Smith Building, at the other end of the building; A-14 is in the Admin Building across the grassy quad.

Go forth and learn!