How do we meet the needs of all students based on their readiness - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

How do we meet the needs of all students based on their readiness levels, interests and learning styles?

Vision Statement The Clarkstown Central School District is where students become well-rounded critical thinkers able to communicate effectively and become responsible, ethical contributing members of a global society. As life-long learners, students will use their respective talents and skills to collaborate, innovate and positively change their community and the world. Mission Statement The Clarkstown Central School District, in partnership with the community, will meet the individual academic and social emotional needs of all students within a safe environment while empowering them to reach their full potential in a complex society. Goals Goal 1 - Academic : Advance Learning for All Students Goal 2 - Social-Emotional & Ethical : Support the Social-Emotional and Ethical Development of All Students Goal 3 - Capacity-Building : Invest in the Skills, Knowledge and Expertise of the Community Goal 4 - Safety : Maintain and Promote Safe and Respectful Environments

Finding the Right Balance to our Pace

Professional Development Plan Midyear Review Lynn Rafalik Susan Yom

At the core, what matters? Three ways to improve student learning at scale: ● Increase the level of knowledge and skill the teacher brings to the ○ instructional process. Increase the level and complexity of the content that students are asked ○ to do by providing cognitively demanding tasks. Ensure that students are actively developing their habits of learning and ○ increasing the level of students’ active learning (engagement) of the content. City, E. A., Elmore, R. F., Fiarman, S. E., & Teitel, L. (2009). Instructional rounds in education: A network approach to improving teaching and learning . Student Content Teacher

Professional Development Plan Goals GOAL #1: WRITING: Re-envision Writing instruction across K-12 Classrooms and Content Classrooms GOAL #2: CO-TEACHING: Reexamining our beliefs and practices around teacher collaboration in a shared classroom GOAL #3: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: Meeting the needs of all learners These goals work in concert to develop a coherent culture of instructional practice throughout the district.

Goal Area Action Steps Accomplished In Progress In Design Meet bi monthly with entire district PD Committee Writing Move all K- 8 schools to become Teacher’s College Project Schools Writing Provide ongoing, onsite pd for teachers Writing Provide instructional leadership PD for principals Writing Conduct surveys to evaluate effectiveness Co-Teaching Conduct a needs assessment Co-Teaching Identify and observe current Co-Teaching models and practices Co-Teaching Provide Co-Teaching workshops and coaching K-8 Co-Teaching Provide instructional leadership PD for principals Co-Teaching Conduct surveys to evaluate effectiveness Identify current strengths and challenges regarding differentiated Diff. Inst. instruction Diff. Inst. Develop a common understanding of differentiated instructional practices Select appropriate professional development consultant and offer training Diff. Inst. to principals and department chairs Continue to support ongoing professional development in technology and Diff. Inst. the Learner-Active Technology Infused Classroom approaches Create and deliver PD opportunities for Reading, Math, and ENL specialists Diff. Inst. in diff. inst. Diff. Inst. Conduct surveys to evaluate effectiveness Diff. Inst. Conduct instructional walkthroughs with consultant Math Establish SubCommittee of PD committee for math Math Learn about the most recent research on how to design PD in math Math Design draft goal and action steps for district PD committee

Co-Teaching Year 1 Implementation As of late October, nine elementary schools and Felix Festa Middle School are ● participating in this work We have established two elementary cohort groups and one middle school cohort ● = 87 teachers (general ed, special ed, ENL) Each cohort has participated in workshops and coaching/walkthrough ● opportunities Baseline surveys and workshop surveys provide data and needs from our teachers ● ● Special Education Advisory Group discusses implementation, data and observations

Co-Teaching Workshop Focus ● Learning and utilizing the six models of Co-teaching Planning, lesson design, adaptive materials, goal setting, task analysis in designing ● instruction in inclusive settings for struggling learners Opportunities for teams to work together to problem solve and plan ● Future workshops this year will continue work in the models of teaching, student ● engagement and behavior. Co-Teaching Walkthroughs/Coaching Focus Observed over 40+ teachers with Consultant providing formal and informal feedback ● Some teachers are beginning to utilize the six models of teaching in their planning and ● instruction ● Debrief sessions have been beneficial and powerful ● Further opportunities with walkthrough/coaching sessions for the remainder of the year Proud of teachers who are making these changes in their teaching to move towards ● instruction of smaller groups of students to target instruction

Next Steps Further observation and consultation with G and R Consulting Group for ● future planning, workshops and coaching Will conduct teacher survey at end of May to compare with baseline ● needs assessment Build upon work with present teachers but expand opportunities for ● middle school and high school co-teaching teams for 2018-19 Review data and results with Special Education Advisory Group ● Work with Principals to ensure more common planning time in co- ● teachers schedules for next year Celebrate our successes! ●

Leadership Matters Lucy West

Developing a Common Understanding ● Instructional Leadership workshops – 5 days with Lucy West from Metamorphosis, LLC. All grades 6-12 department chairs, building administrators, and central administration are participating. Through these workshops, we will discuss what matters in teaching and learning. ● Teacher’s College Leadership Series ● Partnering with Rockland County districts to build curriculum and strengthen teaching and learning initiatives together in foreign language with Dr. Eddy, Greg Tang in math, home and careers, health, art, and more.

Technology and LATIC ● Ongoing professional development tech offerings during and after school in Google Suite, Google Expeditions, Coding, See Saw, Discovery Education, and assistive technology workshops by Greg Montague and Christina Amendola, instructional specialists. ● There are four cohorts of teachers learning how to infuse learner active technology strategies in the middle school. 45 teachers are at various stages of implementation.

Intervention and ENL ● Principals will spend one day with Jim Wright to discuss RTI practices in the district and provide half day sessions at schools for teams and specialists. ● Elementary Math AIS specialists are currently working with a consultant for 5 onsite workshop days to deepen mathematical content knowledge, increase talk moves, and to develop the five practices of orchestrating mathematical discussions. Also, they attended Greg Tang and Sherry Parrish workshops. ● Reading Specialists will continue in March for Orton-Gillingham Training II. ● ENL Teachers attended a workshop at TC for ENL specialists as well as have attended workshops through RSE-TASC.

Teachers leading Professional Development ● At the middle and high school, there were nearly 50 presentations and 40 presenters. There were a range of topics (see appendix). ● A note of thanks from teachers to the presenters, “Jenn and Danielle's session on notebooking/coteaching today and it was AMAZING. Their perspectives on what GOOD teaching looks like is something that every teacher needs to hear, in addition to their brilliant interactive notebook! It was innovative, helpful, and interactive. I think that the entire department (and all departments, to be honest) would benefit from this session.”

Work in Progress ● Currently, the districtwide PD Committee has a subcommittee reviewing the Board of Education’s request to consider adopting a fourth goal in the area of K-12 mathematics. ● The PD committee will continually review the current goals and action steps to provide recommendations and feedback for next year’s goals.

Next: Teacher’s College Writing and Reading Initiative in K-8 schools

Appendix