equity skills dr. kathryn mckenziedr. linda skrla texas a&m university
TRANSCRIPT
Equity Skills
Dr. Kathryn McKenzieDr. Linda Skrla
Texas A&M University
Outcomes• At the end of this session you should:
• be able to define the 3 components that comprise excellent and equitable schools
• be able to describe Equity Consciousness and High Quality Teaching Skills
• be able to define Active Cognitive Engagement
• have an understanding of Teaching and Learning Tours as a Professional Development strategy to ratchet-up classroom practices to ensure the success of all students.
The Goal
Equitable and Excellent Schools
Teacher QualityProgrammatic
EquityAchievement
Equity
Skrla, McKenzie, Scheurich (2008,2009)
Focus of Our Work
Teacher Quality
Equity Consciousness + High Quality Teaching Skills
• Equity Consciousness• High-Quality Teaching Skills• Two things to look for in assessing equity
consciousness and high quality teaching: Active, Cognitive Engagement (ACE) and Zone of Self-Efficacy
Successful Teachers Have
Equity Consciousness
High Quality Teaching
Skills
Teacher in a Traditional School
Teacher
Skill
SkillSkill
Teacher in a Culturally Responsive High Achieving School
Teacher
Skill
Skill
Skill
SkillSkill
Skill
Skill
Tenets of Equity Consciousness
Tenet One
A belief that all children (except only a small percentage with profound disabilities) are capable of high levels of academic success
Tenets of Equity Consciousness
Tenet Two
A belief that academic success is possible regardless of students’ race, class, gender, culture, or religion
(McKenzie, Skrla, Scheurich, 2006)
Tenets of Equity Consciousness
Tenet Three
A belief that the adults in schools are primarily responsible for seeing that all children reach success
(McKenzie, Skrla, Scheurich, 2006)
Tenets of Equity Consciousness
Tenet Four
An understanding that traditional school practices have resulted in inequity for individuals and groups of students and that these practices must change to ensure the success of all students
(McKenzie, Skrla, Scheurich, 2006)
High Quality Teaching Skills1. Putting in place consistent and reliable classroom procedures and routines
2. Clearly communicating classroom expectations for learning3. Challenging students with high-level and complex tasks, a rigorous
curriculum4. Engaging all students, all the time, in learning activities that are active
instead of passive5. Extending student learning through teacher-to-student and student-to-
student discussions6. Frequently assessing individual student learning7. Differentiating instruction to meet individual student needs and capitalize
on individual assets8. Embedding cultural connections in instructions9. Demonstrating respect and care in all interactions with all students and
their families
(McKenzie, Skrla, Scheurich, 2006)
ACE
• Active Cognitive Engagement
• Define together
Zone of Self-Efficacy
• Discussed in previous session
Teaching and Learning Tour
• What is it?– A professional development strategy– A strategy focused on
• continual improvement• reflective practice• collaboration
Teaching and Learning Tours• Focus: Active Cognitive Engagement; Zone of Self-Efficacy
• Reminder: This is NOT about the person being observed. It IS about using your colleague’s classroom as a lab for you to engage in reflective practice—that is thinking about your practice.
• If this was your classroom, what would you be proud of? What is positive in this classroom?
• What is the objective being taught?
• Based on this objective, what is the percentage of children who are actively cognitively engaged?
• Are there any students out of the zone? If so, why do you think this is the case?
• If this was your classroom, what could you do to “ratchet up” the active cognitive engagement or ensure that all students are in the “zone”?
• ___________________________________________________________________________________
• Your observer will give you feedback on the strategies you want to try in classroom. • Which strategy or strategies do you want feedback on?
• Teacher name:___________________________________________
Copyrighted: Do not copy or distribute without written permission from the authors.
Skrla, McKenzie, & Scheurich (2009)
Let’s take a Tour
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pre+algebra+tamara&aq=f
Example of Strategies to Increase Active Cognitive Engagement• Teacher guided small groups instead of teacher moving from individual student to
individual student• Use of white boards for student responses• Use of timer to move students through transitions and guide individual, small group,
and whole class responses• Assign cooperative jobs for small groups• Use instruction cards for centers• Utilize co-teachers for guiding groups• Individual student response cards (for example A, B, C, D or yes/no or
agree/disagree)• Use butcher paper in corners of room and have students respond on the paper• Use butcher paper on the floor and have students respond on the paper• Use sponge activities when waiting on restroom etc to maximize learning time• Games that require individual response, then small group, then whole class• Wait time• Think, Pair, Share• Flexible grouping by student need• Preteach• Use of timer or watch for teacher to check ACE and Zone• Keep it calm, neat and organized• Use of manipulative and graphic organizers