Believe it or not I started writing this blog last month…. We are really moving along….this past month and a half we have been so very busy. Larry Brown from the CT Science and Math Academy met with the elementary team leaders in science. We reviewed the grade level expectations for grades 3 and 4 and the resources available to meet this expectations. We really delineated how to use the Foss water kit for grades 3 and 4. Larry is coming back on December 8th to help us fine tune our formative assessments. In January, we will have our first vertical team meeting in the area of science. The science department chairs and science team leaders are on the team and they will be looking for a classroom teacher to join them.
Professional development prek-12 has focused on the needs of teachers and how to support them in meeting the learning needs of the students. Across the district we have become more focused on how we can better improve our practice. The PD plan is in draft form and is waiting for the link to teacher evaluation. The State Department of Education is forming a teacher evaluation committee that will focus on a structure and the elements needed for teacher evaluation. Dr. Tony Rigazio- Digilio and I will be on this state committee. The goal will be to have a document to the districts by June 2009. Our goal will be to use this document to build our own teacher evaluation plan that we can link to professional development. In fact we want the teacher evaluation process to be a professional development opportunity for all involved.
Curriculum development is in process for Language Arts, Math and Social Studies. All three committees have met, brainstormed, broken up into three teams (elementary, middle and high school). Our first task is to have committee members work with their colleagues to map out what we are already doing to meet the state standards. Thank you goes to all the chairpeople and members ...this is a daunting task.
The RTI or SRBI (scientific research based intervention) committee is working hard to develop our own manual for the process. Ten teachers representing regular ed, and special ed from grades K-5 are on this committee. We have divided into three working groups. One group will focus on the basic process, group two is working on interventions and progress monitoring and group three is working on standardizing the forms we can use across the district. Our goal is to make the process simple, clear and supportive of the needs of our students.
Two District wide math nights have been held for K-4 parents to help them learn more about our Investigations math program. Dr. Diamantis, professor of mathematics from SCSU and Adrienne David, Andrea Snedegar and Mary Kallmeyer facilitated these very successful evenings. Our next district wide math night will be held on January 27, 2009.
Our administrators are reading the Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner. If you really want a great understanding of what 21st century skills are and why we need to develop these skills for our students read this book.
Other great books are : Made to Stick by Heath; Powerful Learning – What we know about teaching for understanding by L. Darling Hammond; Brain Rules by Medina.
I just want to share that we have so many very talented educators in Branford....Congratulations goes to Brook D'Alessio for earning National Board Certification and Beth Taylor who was a semifinalist for the State Teacher of the Year. If you know of anyone else we can honor ...please share.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Updates on Curriculum and Implementation
Education is truly evolutionary. Data, accountability, data driven decision-making, standards, formative assessments, benchmark assessments, RTI, SRBI, secondary school reform, 21st Century Skills, rigor…….so much more to learn and to assimilate into our daily practice. Learning collaboratively is really the only way we will be able to digest, sort and put into practice all that we want to do for our students.
Curriculum Update
The State Department of Education has rolled out the model math curriculum for PreK-5 and 6-8. This documents what’s different? The 2007 PK-5 Model Math curriculum for CT was organized around three themes which combined grade level expectations from the standards: number, data and relations. The 2008 Prek-5 Model for Mathematics Curriculum is organized by the standards for better alignment to the 2008 6-8 Model for Mathematics. The Model features correlated GLE’s, sequenced GLE’s, Goals 2000 connections and the curriculum format. It also has a glossary, references, and live links to cross referenced GLE’s. Soon this document will be online at the state website. We will be using this document as our basis for Branford’s prek-8 curriculum in Math.
Social Studies:
Well, the State Frameworks – draft of course will be out in November. This draft will be presented at the Social Studies Conference. The curriculum frameworks are organized around three interrelated standards: content knowledge, History/social studies literacy skills and application. Within each standard stands will identify important understandings and GLE’s.
Science:
The new updated science frameworks are now on line at the SDE website. They show the correlation to the CMT’s and GLE's.
Language Arts frameworks are also up on the state website. Again, you can see the GLE's and correlation to the CMT’s.
We will be using the state frameworks as a basis for the development of our curriculum. I am in the process of going to all the schools and sharing with all staff our draft of the curriculum writing process. (See wiki page). In addition you will see that the SDE has also provided us with a guide in our curriculum development process. WANTED: teachers to serve on our Math, Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum committees. We are limiting each committee to 12 people representing prek-12. They will serve as liaisons to the schools as we go through the curriculum writing process. We will be building on what we are already teaching. We cannot do it without your input and support so consider being part of the curriculum writing committee.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPTS SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM PROPOSALS: At its October 2, 2008 meeting the Connecticut State Board of Education adopted secondary school reform proposals presented by Commissioner Mark McQuillan and members of the Boards Ad Hoc Committee. This proposal will effect prek-12 education and so we need to become aware of its expectations. I will include a copy of this draft on my wiki page.
ELL:
We have over 100 ELL students in our district this year. We have contracted with the State of CT to provide a comprehensive job embedded professional development program for our ELL support staff in Branford to develop and implement the best model for our ELL students. This year is the first year we are putting our “new” ELL delivery model in place. Rosario Frumento is our district ELL coordinator and Monica Briggs oversees the ELL program. Each school has a certified ELL support staff member to work with our ELL students.
The ELL support staff will be providing their services IN the classroom – this is a “push in” collaborative model. Teachers will be teaming with regular education teachers in the classrooms. These teachers can work with all or any students while in the classrooms. This model will not only benefit our ELL population but all of our students. This will present some challenges as we move forward. It is important for us to remember that this transformation is a work in progress. Our ELL support team will be meeting monthly. We will be sharing our progress with this new model: what is working and what is not and how we can improve. It is important for you to support your ELL support staff as we transition to this model. This “best practice” of sheltered instruction “is a means for making grade-level content, such as science, social studies and math more accessible for English language learners while also promoting English development. Sheltered instruction is said to be the most influential instructional innovation… because it addresses the needs of the students.” Our ELL staff will be reading SHELTERED CONTENT INSTRUCTION by Jana Echevarria and Anne Graves. This will help us promote a consistent delivery model and understanding of the model throughout the district. You are always welcome to attend any of our ELL workshops.
There is so much to write about that we are working on in our school system. Every teacher is working hard to meet the learning needs of our students. Yes we are in the 21st century and we have to prepare our students for a different world. A group of administrators have started a book club and we will be reading THE GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP by Tony Wagner. In this book we hear about the 21st century skills that are necessary in the work place. CEO’s from across the country have been interviewed and shared their perceptions about what students need to know and be able to do. There is an excerpt of this book in this month ED LEADERSHIP. Your input and ideas are valued so please share.
Curriculum Update
The State Department of Education has rolled out the model math curriculum for PreK-5 and 6-8. This documents what’s different? The 2007 PK-5 Model Math curriculum for CT was organized around three themes which combined grade level expectations from the standards: number, data and relations. The 2008 Prek-5 Model for Mathematics Curriculum is organized by the standards for better alignment to the 2008 6-8 Model for Mathematics. The Model features correlated GLE’s, sequenced GLE’s, Goals 2000 connections and the curriculum format. It also has a glossary, references, and live links to cross referenced GLE’s. Soon this document will be online at the state website. We will be using this document as our basis for Branford’s prek-8 curriculum in Math.
Social Studies:
Well, the State Frameworks – draft of course will be out in November. This draft will be presented at the Social Studies Conference. The curriculum frameworks are organized around three interrelated standards: content knowledge, History/social studies literacy skills and application. Within each standard stands will identify important understandings and GLE’s.
Science:
The new updated science frameworks are now on line at the SDE website. They show the correlation to the CMT’s and GLE's.
Language Arts frameworks are also up on the state website. Again, you can see the GLE's and correlation to the CMT’s.
We will be using the state frameworks as a basis for the development of our curriculum. I am in the process of going to all the schools and sharing with all staff our draft of the curriculum writing process. (See wiki page). In addition you will see that the SDE has also provided us with a guide in our curriculum development process. WANTED: teachers to serve on our Math, Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum committees. We are limiting each committee to 12 people representing prek-12. They will serve as liaisons to the schools as we go through the curriculum writing process. We will be building on what we are already teaching. We cannot do it without your input and support so consider being part of the curriculum writing committee.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPTS SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM PROPOSALS: At its October 2, 2008 meeting the Connecticut State Board of Education adopted secondary school reform proposals presented by Commissioner Mark McQuillan and members of the Boards Ad Hoc Committee. This proposal will effect prek-12 education and so we need to become aware of its expectations. I will include a copy of this draft on my wiki page.
ELL:
We have over 100 ELL students in our district this year. We have contracted with the State of CT to provide a comprehensive job embedded professional development program for our ELL support staff in Branford to develop and implement the best model for our ELL students. This year is the first year we are putting our “new” ELL delivery model in place. Rosario Frumento is our district ELL coordinator and Monica Briggs oversees the ELL program. Each school has a certified ELL support staff member to work with our ELL students.
The ELL support staff will be providing their services IN the classroom – this is a “push in” collaborative model. Teachers will be teaming with regular education teachers in the classrooms. These teachers can work with all or any students while in the classrooms. This model will not only benefit our ELL population but all of our students. This will present some challenges as we move forward. It is important for us to remember that this transformation is a work in progress. Our ELL support team will be meeting monthly. We will be sharing our progress with this new model: what is working and what is not and how we can improve. It is important for you to support your ELL support staff as we transition to this model. This “best practice” of sheltered instruction “is a means for making grade-level content, such as science, social studies and math more accessible for English language learners while also promoting English development. Sheltered instruction is said to be the most influential instructional innovation… because it addresses the needs of the students.” Our ELL staff will be reading SHELTERED CONTENT INSTRUCTION by Jana Echevarria and Anne Graves. This will help us promote a consistent delivery model and understanding of the model throughout the district. You are always welcome to attend any of our ELL workshops.
There is so much to write about that we are working on in our school system. Every teacher is working hard to meet the learning needs of our students. Yes we are in the 21st century and we have to prepare our students for a different world. A group of administrators have started a book club and we will be reading THE GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP by Tony Wagner. In this book we hear about the 21st century skills that are necessary in the work place. CEO’s from across the country have been interviewed and shared their perceptions about what students need to know and be able to do. There is an excerpt of this book in this month ED LEADERSHIP. Your input and ideas are valued so please share.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
Thanks to all of you this year for your support, your willingness to learn,to explore,to question and search for new ways to improve student learning. I appreciate and value all your efforts.
Curriculum work in language arts, math and social studies will not begin until the fall. The word from the State Dept of Education is that the model curricula will be ( hopefully) completed by the end of the summer. There is a possibility that social studies will be completed by July 1st. If that happens I will email all of you with a link on this blog.
If you need a great book to read - look at the list the high school has on line for our students. They have some interesting, great reads on the list. In the education field :Doug Reeves has a new book out entitled Reframing Teacher Leadership A book by W. James Popham- Tranformative Assessment and Elaine Granan's book Smart Answers to Tough Questions.
Please share your summer reading experiences on the blog, I would love to learn what you are learning. Just click on comment and write away.
Have a restful, enjoyable summer.
Curriculum work in language arts, math and social studies will not begin until the fall. The word from the State Dept of Education is that the model curricula will be ( hopefully) completed by the end of the summer. There is a possibility that social studies will be completed by July 1st. If that happens I will email all of you with a link on this blog.
If you need a great book to read - look at the list the high school has on line for our students. They have some interesting, great reads on the list. In the education field :Doug Reeves has a new book out entitled Reframing Teacher Leadership A book by W. James Popham- Tranformative Assessment and Elaine Granan's book Smart Answers to Tough Questions.
Please share your summer reading experiences on the blog, I would love to learn what you are learning. Just click on comment and write away.
Have a restful, enjoyable summer.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Professional Development
How can we deliver effective professional development for all staff members? We are searching for the best answer. The creation of Professional learning communities was a structure that was going to help us in our quest for new learning. Stephanie Hirsch and Joellen Killion in their commentary in Education Week, talk about making us all learning educators. They say that “A 2007 American Institutes for Research study of successful schools that ‘beat the odds’ in student achievement shed more light on the issue. The study showed that teachers in school schools, when compared with those in low-performing schools, were to a greater degree, deliberately engaged in collaboration, were supported by instructional coaches, received regular classroom visits by principals and benefited from peer observations and coaching as well as mentoring. … Effective professional learning is like a time-release capsule; its contents cannot be absorbed in a single day or week, but must be infused into a system over time to get desired results in student achievement.” I bring this up because the leadership team members have been working on a draft of a professional development plan for the school system. We are all realizing that as we begin to put this plan together it is integrated with teacher evaluation and curriculum. As soon as we go through the first draft I will give you a link for your review and comments.
It is almost May of 2008. This year has gone by so quickly and we have accomplished so much this past year. Visiting classrooms and looking at all of the student work clearly demonstrates how hard our teachers have worked. Hopefully, we will be able to begin working on curriculum this summer. All depends on our budget. If all goes well I hope three committees will begin the discussion on math, language arts and social studies curriculum.
It is almost May of 2008. This year has gone by so quickly and we have accomplished so much this past year. Visiting classrooms and looking at all of the student work clearly demonstrates how hard our teachers have worked. Hopefully, we will be able to begin working on curriculum this summer. All depends on our budget. If all goes well I hope three committees will begin the discussion on math, language arts and social studies curriculum.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
MATH IN THE NEWS
Math is all over the news these past couple of weeks. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel just came out with their report. Their findings should not be a surprise to us. We know that we have had some difficulties in our math program and changes needed to occur to remedy the difficulties our students are having with Algebra. I have talked with a representative from TIMSS who is also on the board of NCTM, as well as our state math consultant, and the University of Connecticut math professor to get their input on math programs. All have shared with me the importance of a conceptual based program. We also know that there is not one perfect math program and any program needs to be supplemented. But through research we also know that students need to understand concepts in order to be successful in high level math. The full panel report can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/index.html
Here are some of the findings…
“A focused, coherent progression of mathematics learning, with an emphasis on proficiency with key topics, should become the norm in elementary and middle school mathematics curricula. Any approach that continually revisits topics year after year without closure is to be avoided.
By the term focused, the Panel means that curriculum must include (and engage with adequate depth) the most important topics underlying success in school algebra. By the term coherent, the Panel means that the curriculum is marked by effective, logical progressions from earlier, less sophisticated topics into later, more sophisticated ones. Improvements like those suggested in this report promise immediate positive results with minimal additional cost.
By the term proficiency, the Panel means that students should understand key concepts, achieve automaticity as appropriate (e.g., with addition and related subtraction facts), develop flexible, accurate, and automatic execution of the standard algorithms, and use these competencies to solve problems.
To clarify instructional needs in Grades PreK–8 and to sharpen future discussion about the role of school algebra in the overall mathematics curriculum, the Panel developed a clear concept of school algebra via its list of Major Topics of School Algebra (listed in the report,).
The Major Topics of School Algebra ( listed in the report) should be the focus for school algebra standards in curriculum frameworks, algebra courses, textbooks for algebra, and in end-of-course assessments.
A major goal for K–8 mathematics education should be proficiency with fractions (including decimals, percents, and negative fractions), for such proficiency is foundational for algebra and, at the present time, seems to be severely underdeveloped. Proficiency with whole numbers is a necessary precursor for the study of fractions, as are aspects of measurement and geometry. These three areas—whole numbers, fractions, and particular aspects of geometry and measurement—are the Critical Foundations of Algebra.
BLOGS
On another note, I want to thank Mr. Miller for a list of his sites for developing blogs. These can be great sources for anyone who wishes to use blogging and wikis as a tool for student learning.
The March 2008 edition of The Reading Teacher has an article on collaborative literacy: Blogs and internet projects. It talks about how teachers can capitalize on suthentic writing, the writing process and the engagement of collaborative writing using these new technologies such as blogs.
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/index.html
Here are some of the findings…
“A focused, coherent progression of mathematics learning, with an emphasis on proficiency with key topics, should become the norm in elementary and middle school mathematics curricula. Any approach that continually revisits topics year after year without closure is to be avoided.
By the term focused, the Panel means that curriculum must include (and engage with adequate depth) the most important topics underlying success in school algebra. By the term coherent, the Panel means that the curriculum is marked by effective, logical progressions from earlier, less sophisticated topics into later, more sophisticated ones. Improvements like those suggested in this report promise immediate positive results with minimal additional cost.
By the term proficiency, the Panel means that students should understand key concepts, achieve automaticity as appropriate (e.g., with addition and related subtraction facts), develop flexible, accurate, and automatic execution of the standard algorithms, and use these competencies to solve problems.
To clarify instructional needs in Grades PreK–8 and to sharpen future discussion about the role of school algebra in the overall mathematics curriculum, the Panel developed a clear concept of school algebra via its list of Major Topics of School Algebra (listed in the report,).
The Major Topics of School Algebra ( listed in the report) should be the focus for school algebra standards in curriculum frameworks, algebra courses, textbooks for algebra, and in end-of-course assessments.
A major goal for K–8 mathematics education should be proficiency with fractions (including decimals, percents, and negative fractions), for such proficiency is foundational for algebra and, at the present time, seems to be severely underdeveloped. Proficiency with whole numbers is a necessary precursor for the study of fractions, as are aspects of measurement and geometry. These three areas—whole numbers, fractions, and particular aspects of geometry and measurement—are the Critical Foundations of Algebra.
BLOGS
On another note, I want to thank Mr. Miller for a list of his sites for developing blogs. These can be great sources for anyone who wishes to use blogging and wikis as a tool for student learning.
The March 2008 edition of The Reading Teacher has an article on collaborative literacy: Blogs and internet projects. It talks about how teachers can capitalize on suthentic writing, the writing process and the engagement of collaborative writing using these new technologies such as blogs.
Monday, March 10, 2008
TO UNDERSTAND
Saturday morning I decided to empty and organize the infamous BAG OF WORK that comes and goes with me to and from work. I divided the information into 6 stacks, literacy, math, technology, RTI, leadership and books to read. In each stack I then sorted the information into “information to be shared” and “information to file.” It is always amazing to me how much there is to read and learn and how little time we have. In my book pile I picked the book To Understand by Ellin Keene. It was recommended in one of the comments from a teacher. All I can say is that this book is one that all teachers K-12 could relate to and learn from. Ellin’s book asks us as teachers to focus on four key questions in teaching our students: 1. What does it mean to understand? 2. How do we define and teach toward high expectations and high levels of understanding? 3. What matters most in literacy learning? And 4. In what ways can we live our adult lives as intellectually curious models for our students and our colleagues? WOW! Her book addresses these questions and does make you think. So as you begin your week of teaching ask yourself when you are planning your lessons…what does it mean to understand and how am I going to bring this to my students? I need to keep reading but if anyone is presently reading this book please share your reflections
Saturday, March 1, 2008
BLOGS AND WIKIS
I picked up a book entitled Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. It is certainly a book that provided me with more than just learning about how to improve the use of blog or a wiki but provided with insight with how powerful these tools are for student learning. We talk about making authentic learning connections for students, and improving their critical thinking and writing skills. Well, blogging is truly a great tool for teachers to use in their classrooms. Since most districts have as a goal, the integration of 21st Century Skills, the use of blogging, wikis and podcasts as collaborative learning tools is the way to go. I know I have so much to learn but I am fascinated by the number of students and teachers who are using blogs to improve critical reading and writing skills. As a cruise through many of these blogs, I am impressed with student’s reflective thinking. In the planning stage at this time, it is my hope to work with a third grade teacher and her students and begin this collaborative experience with them.
On another note, we are beginning our discussion on summer reading lists for students. The town librarian met with the reading department and shared some information on what their summer theme would be and gave us some insight into parent requests. We will be asking our library media staff to provide us with suggestions and ideas to help us promote reading over the summer. We would love to have students have the ability to log into a site and list books they have finished reading. We are also thinking of an interactive way to have students work on math over the summer. Maybe a math blog per grade would work. It would be an interactive collaborative way for students to share their thinking and learning in the problem solving process.
On another note, we are beginning our discussion on summer reading lists for students. The town librarian met with the reading department and shared some information on what their summer theme would be and gave us some insight into parent requests. We will be asking our library media staff to provide us with suggestions and ideas to help us promote reading over the summer. We would love to have students have the ability to log into a site and list books they have finished reading. We are also thinking of an interactive way to have students work on math over the summer. Maybe a math blog per grade would work. It would be an interactive collaborative way for students to share their thinking and learning in the problem solving process.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
NEW CT PRE K -8 LA CURRICULUM STANDARDS
CURRICULUM RESOURCES
New! The draft of PreK- 8 English Language Arts Curriculum Standards is now up on the CT State website. This 2008 document represents the original 2006 framework with more comprehensive grade-level expectations and Connecticut Mastery Test correlations as a further delineation of standards. This document is also enhanced by sample lesson plans. Expectations in the components of balanced litercy are clearly delineated and correlate to what we have put into place. We will be reviewing this document over the summer and working on curriculum revision in Language Arts. If you are interested in working over the summer in developing new curriculum( Math,LA and Social Studies), please email me.
Model curricula in the areas of science and social studies will be forthcoming from the state. You will clearly notice the link between LA and content area curricula. We will have to determine how we will use Techpaths, our curriculum development software, to meet the needs of all teachers in not only revising our curricula but implementing the curricula.
New! The draft of PreK- 8 English Language Arts Curriculum Standards is now up on the CT State website. This 2008 document represents the original 2006 framework with more comprehensive grade-level expectations and Connecticut Mastery Test correlations as a further delineation of standards. This document is also enhanced by sample lesson plans. Expectations in the components of balanced litercy are clearly delineated and correlate to what we have put into place. We will be reviewing this document over the summer and working on curriculum revision in Language Arts. If you are interested in working over the summer in developing new curriculum( Math,LA and Social Studies), please email me.
Model curricula in the areas of science and social studies will be forthcoming from the state. You will clearly notice the link between LA and content area curricula. We will have to determine how we will use Techpaths, our curriculum development software, to meet the needs of all teachers in not only revising our curricula but implementing the curricula.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Learning Centers
In the olden days when I was teaching first grade, I had 4 reading groups and three different reading series. I had to be very creative in providing interactive learning for all students while I was working with each group. Now, with the implementation RTI and differentiation of learning, the need to be creative in providing independent interactive learning opportunities for students is expected. Today, we have many more resources available for teachers. First and foremost is each other. Collaborating and brainstorming ideas on creating interactive learning centers in your classroom is your first source. There are also some excellent books on this subject: Making the Most of Small Groups - Differentiaition for All by Diller; Literacy Work Stations by Diller;What Are The Other Kids Doing While You Teach Small Groups by Marriot and Learning Centers by Opitz. Of course Nancy Atwell and Lucy Calkins have many books on readers and writers workshop that can be utilized. Anyone with resources and ideas for teachers -- please share.
Friday, February 8, 2008
NEW STATE MATH CURRICULUM
The State Department of Education has just released a new draft of the curriculum standards. The following can be found on the state website. ( the link is on this blog) You will be able to download:
Draft PreK- 8 Mathematics Curriculum Standards This new document represents the original framework, but includes grade-level expectations and CMT correlations as a further delineation of standards.A Model for Mathematics Curriculum Grades PreK-8 This links you to several documents to help support curriculum development and instruction at this level. PreK-5 will be available soon.
Several towns in the state are presently piloting new benchmark assessment tests for grades 3-8. These tests are done on line by the students and are given in the fall and the spring. The assessments correlate to the standards. These assessments may become available for our use next fall. Plans are also in the works to develop a bank of these assessments for all of us to share statewide.
Our new Investigations program for our elementary schools correlates to these new standards. You should also note that skills in algebra are present in all grade levels.
It is my hope that this summer a group of teachers can work on creating Branford's Math Curriculum from these resources.
Draft PreK- 8 Mathematics Curriculum Standards This new document represents the original framework, but includes grade-level expectations and CMT correlations as a further delineation of standards.A Model for Mathematics Curriculum Grades PreK-8 This links you to several documents to help support curriculum development and instruction at this level. PreK-5 will be available soon.
Several towns in the state are presently piloting new benchmark assessment tests for grades 3-8. These tests are done on line by the students and are given in the fall and the spring. The assessments correlate to the standards. These assessments may become available for our use next fall. Plans are also in the works to develop a bank of these assessments for all of us to share statewide.
Our new Investigations program for our elementary schools correlates to these new standards. You should also note that skills in algebra are present in all grade levels.
It is my hope that this summer a group of teachers can work on creating Branford's Math Curriculum from these resources.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
WELCOME
Welcome to my new blog. This is my first attempt at a blog and my goal is to promote active communication and shared learning throughout the district and to be as transparent as possible so all constituents know what is new and what is going on not only in the district but in the state. My special thanks to Bing (BHS) for my lesson in blogging.
When I looked up transparency I found that transparency is a means to another end: a trusting environment. Increased transparency helps develop a culture in which trust abounds, an environment that eventually creates an association that is satisfying and enjoyable to join and participate in. I learned that one of the prerequisites of a culture of trust is open access to common information.
Hopefully this will serve as one vehicle to keep the information flowing.
When I looked up transparency I found that transparency is a means to another end: a trusting environment. Increased transparency helps develop a culture in which trust abounds, an environment that eventually creates an association that is satisfying and enjoyable to join and participate in. I learned that one of the prerequisites of a culture of trust is open access to common information.
Hopefully this will serve as one vehicle to keep the information flowing.
RTI NEWS
The State Dept of Education just sent me information on the Early Intervening services and response to intervention (RTI). We have registered a team to go to one of the ½ sessions to learn about the state requirements. We do not know if we have been accepted. Information from the state on RTI is as follows:
“What is RTI? Response to Intervention is the practice of providing high-quality instruction/intervention matched to student needs and using learning rate over time and level of performance to make important educational decisions (NASDSE, 2005). CT schools must have appropriate alternative programs and interventions that provide a continuum of educational opportunities to students as part of the regular education program (C.G.S.sec.10-76d-7, P.A.98-243).
The 2004 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) address two new concepts designed to support state and local efforts to prevent inappropriate referrals to special education. The regulations allow a local education agency (LEA) to consider a child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention (SRBI) as part of the determination process for a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). This process is commonly referred to as Response to Intervention (RTI). In a separate section of the law, the regulations also permit an LEA to use not more than 15% of its IDEA Part B funds to develop and implement Early Intervening Services (EIS) for children in grades K-12 who are not currently identified as needing special education or related services including professional development, personnel to provide the services, and instructional materials. Generally, the use of funds is discretionary, except when a LEA has significant disproportionality in special education based on race or ethnicity.
Critical features in RTI include:
UNIVERSAL SCREENING (a.k.a. common district assessments): a type of assessment that is characterized by providing quick, low cost, repeatable screening of age-appropriate skills to all students. Screening data are organized in formats that allow for the analysis of both group and individual performance on specific skills over time. They should be provided at lease three times a year and utilized to validate and informal instructional decisions that will results in improved student performance.
CONTINUUM OF SUPPORT (a.k.a. “the triangle”): a multi-tiered model of service delivery characterized by instruction that is differentiated to meet learners’ needs at various tiers. Data-based decision making is essential in determining the intensity and nature of intervention needed. Each tier represents increasingly intense services that are associated with increasing levels of student supports, whether for enrichment or reinforcement.
PROGRESS MONITORING (a.k.a. data management system): an ongoing, systematic process for gathering academic and behavioral data. Mini curriculum-based assessments are utilized to directly ensure concepts and skills; they are formative in nature and sensitive to small increments of growth. Data should be utilized to examine student performance frequently over time, evaluate effectiveness of interventions, and inform instructional decisions in order to accelerate student growth.”
More information can be found at: http://www.ctserc.org/ and http://www.ct.gov/
“What is RTI? Response to Intervention is the practice of providing high-quality instruction/intervention matched to student needs and using learning rate over time and level of performance to make important educational decisions (NASDSE, 2005). CT schools must have appropriate alternative programs and interventions that provide a continuum of educational opportunities to students as part of the regular education program (C.G.S.sec.10-76d-7, P.A.98-243).
The 2004 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) address two new concepts designed to support state and local efforts to prevent inappropriate referrals to special education. The regulations allow a local education agency (LEA) to consider a child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention (SRBI) as part of the determination process for a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). This process is commonly referred to as Response to Intervention (RTI). In a separate section of the law, the regulations also permit an LEA to use not more than 15% of its IDEA Part B funds to develop and implement Early Intervening Services (EIS) for children in grades K-12 who are not currently identified as needing special education or related services including professional development, personnel to provide the services, and instructional materials. Generally, the use of funds is discretionary, except when a LEA has significant disproportionality in special education based on race or ethnicity.
Critical features in RTI include:
UNIVERSAL SCREENING (a.k.a. common district assessments): a type of assessment that is characterized by providing quick, low cost, repeatable screening of age-appropriate skills to all students. Screening data are organized in formats that allow for the analysis of both group and individual performance on specific skills over time. They should be provided at lease three times a year and utilized to validate and informal instructional decisions that will results in improved student performance.
CONTINUUM OF SUPPORT (a.k.a. “the triangle”): a multi-tiered model of service delivery characterized by instruction that is differentiated to meet learners’ needs at various tiers. Data-based decision making is essential in determining the intensity and nature of intervention needed. Each tier represents increasingly intense services that are associated with increasing levels of student supports, whether for enrichment or reinforcement.
PROGRESS MONITORING (a.k.a. data management system): an ongoing, systematic process for gathering academic and behavioral data. Mini curriculum-based assessments are utilized to directly ensure concepts and skills; they are formative in nature and sensitive to small increments of growth. Data should be utilized to examine student performance frequently over time, evaluate effectiveness of interventions, and inform instructional decisions in order to accelerate student growth.”
More information can be found at: http://www.ctserc.org/ and http://www.ct.gov/
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