1. Standards-Based Classrooms
What are they?
How do you build one?
West Georgia RESA School Improvement Toolbox Series

2. Group Norms & Housekeeping
Ask questions
Parking Lot
Phone calls
Restrooms
Breaks
Lunch

3. Outcome / Learning Goal
Knowledge of “look-fors” associated with standards-based classrooms.

4. Essential Questions
What artifacts and instructional practices are present in a standards-based classroom?
Principals
How do you determine where your school is in implementing standards-based instruction?
How do school leaders support teachers who are not “there yet”?
Teachers
What instructional processes have to be in place to develop the artifacts associated with a standards-based classroom?
How does a teacher implement the instructional processes needed for a standards-based classroom?

5. Think about the differences between the two lessons
Activating Strategy
Watch the video
Think about the differences between the two lessons

6. In order to practice what we preach…
Assess, Assess, Assess!
In order to practice what we preach…
Pre-Assessment-
4 Corners
Purpose
Pre-Assessment – Does not have to be pencil and paper, usually done after the activating strategy, critical to guide instruction.

7. As a group, make a list of elements of a standards-based classroom
Elements of SBC’s
As a group, make a list of elements of a standards-based classroom
Record your list on chart paper
Share responses

8. “My definition of a good teacher has changed from one who explains things so well that students understand to one who gets students to explain so well that they can be understood.”
Steven C. Reinhart
“Never Say Anything a Kid Can Say!”
Mathematics Teaching in The Middle School, April 2000

9. What does it mean???
In a standards-based classroom, learning outcomes aligned to content standards are held constant, and all students are expected to attain proficiency in them. Flexibility is provided in the time and support each student needs to meet the standard. Teachers follow a cycle of instruction— assessment, planning, instruction, assessment, and re-teaching---so all students meet specific, clearly stated and understood, high academic standards in each content area.
Read and identify three words that excite and/ or concern you. (Remove the “stressing of words”.)

10. Academic Content Standards
Instructional Cycle
Academic Content Standards
Academic
Content
Standards
plan
teach
revise
reteach
Assessing
Academic standards are at the heart / center
Assessment is on going and continuous
Cycle occurs around the core standards and continuous assessment.

11. Decreasing numbers of students
GEORGIA STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PYRAMID OF INTERVENTIONS
TIER 4
SPECIALLY DESIGNED LEARNING
Targeted students participate in learning that includes:
Specialized programs
Adapted content, methodology, or instructional delivery
GPS access/extension
Increasing Intensity of Intervention
TIER 3
SST DRIVEN LEARNING
Targeted students participate in learning that is in addition to Tier 1 and Tier 2 and different by including:
Individualized assessments
Interventions tailored to individual needs
Referral for specially designed instruction if needed
Decreasing numbers of students
TIER 2
NEEDS BASED LEARNING:
Targeted students participate in learning that is in addition to
Tier 1 and different by including:
Formalized processes of intervention
Greater frequency of progress monitoring
Give me a “thumb up” if you have heard the terms “Pyramid of Interventions.” At the base of the pyramid, called Tier 1, is standards-based learning. EVERY child should be provided with Tier 1. Tiers 2, 3, and 4 describe interventions that should be made for those students who don’t “get it” the first time.
TIER 1
STANDARDS-BASED CLASSROOM LEARNING:
All students participate in general education learning that includes:
Implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards through research-based practices
Use of flexible groups for differentiation of instruction
Frequent progress monitoring
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools April 12, All Rights Reserved

12. STANDARDS-BASED CLASSROOM LEARNING
TIER 1
All students participate in general education learning that includes:
Implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards through research-based practices
Use of flexible groups for differentiation of instruction
Frequent progress monitoring
Defining Standards-Based Classroom Learning: A classroom where teachers and students have a clear understanding of the expectations (standards) for every content area. They know what they are teaching/learning each day, why the day’s learning is an important thing to know or know how to do, and how to do it. They also know that they are working toward meeting standards throughout the year…that standards-based learning is a process not an event.
Students must produce evidence of learning
Task based
Feedback is essential
Defining Flexible Groups for Differentiation of Instruction: based on readiness, interest, and learning profiles
Frequent Progress Monitoring: Formative, both formal and informal assessments that measure student progress. Frequent progress monitoring is utilized to drive instruction and serves as an indicator for needed interventions.
Example: Small group instruction, peer tutoring, teacher conferences,
Tier 1 is a place for initial intervention. Eighty percent of students should succeed at the Tier 1 level. When Dufour - Formalized
All Students

13. Standards-based Classrooms
Building a Bedrock of High Expectations for ALL Students.

14. Classroom Visit
Visit model classrooms appropriate for your grade level
Take 5 – 10 minutes to look around
Concentrate on the artifacts
Return to the Georgia Room for further group discussion

15. Standards-Based Artifacts
Develop a T chart on chart paper
In the left column, make a list of the artifacts you saw in the model classroom

16. Artifacts of SBC’s Room Arrangement
Classroom Rules and Procedure Charts
Instructional Bulletin Boards
Teacher and Student Use of Bulletin Boards
Behavior Management System
Analyzed Student Data
Test Utilization Plans

17. Artifacts of SBC’s Standards (GPS) Unit Plans Essential Question
Teacher and Student Discussion of Standards
Students can identify where they are on meeting the standard.
Unit Plans
Essential Question
Collaborative Planning
Pretests

18. Artifacts of SBC’s Classroom Lesson Framework
Whole group vs. small group learning
Word Walls ; Vocabulary Displays
Graphic Organizers
Menus of Choices for Students
Learning Centers
Materials Table / Resource Bins
Students Utilizing Instructional Aids

19. Artifacts of SBC’s Student Work with Teacher Commentary
Teacher Feedback
Revised Student Work
Formative and Summative Assessments
Rubrics
Student Self Assessment
Culminating Assessment Activities
Peer Assessment / Feedback

20. Classroom Visit #2 Return to your model classroom
Utilize your checklist and look again for artifacts
Observe a model lesson
Visit the other two model classrooms to look for artifacts

21. Instructional Practices
Return to your charts
Revise your artifact list
In the right-hand column, list the instructional processes of standards-based classrooms

22. “I am convinced that my children learn in more ways than I know how to teach. By listening to them, I not only give them the opportunity to develop deep understanding but also am able to develop true insights into what they know and how they think.”
Steven C. Reinhart
“Never Say Anything a Kid Can Say!”
Mathematics Teaching in The Middle School, April 2000

23. Word Sort Sort the cards into one of seven categories.
Classroom procedures and structures
Standards
Lesson Structure
Grouping of Students
Differentiation
Student Work
Assessment

24. Classroom Procedures and Structures
Rules are posted, positively stated, and there is a consistent system for behavior management.
Teachers use individual student data to plan for instruction.
Student is the worker and the teacher facilitates learning activities.
Students know when they need instructional supports and automatically go get them
Room is organized for collaborative work.
Bulletin boards are instructional, current, and used by teacher and students.

25. Standards
Standards & EQ’s are posted, aligned, and referenced throughout the lesson.
Students can talk about the standard they are learning and explain where they are in learning the standard.

26. Instructional Framework
The unit planning process is cyclical (pre-test, planning for differentiation, instruction, assessment, and reteaching).
Unit / lesson planning starts with determination of what students should know and be able to do.
Lesson Framework (Activating, Instructional lesson, and summarizing) is of the highest quality and occurs in a seamless manner in order to maximize instructional time.
Content vocabulary is previewed, integrated into the context of the lesson, and becomes part of the classroom dialogue.
Rigor is pervasive – Higher order questioning, thinking skills, assignments, activities.
Assignments are authentic and connect to real life
Students are interested and engaged in the learning process.

27. Grouping of Students
Group work is prevalent, students are responsible for their learning and understand the procedures for working in groups.
Flexible groups are developed based on pre-assessment, formative / summative assessment, and may change within the unit.

28. Differentiation
Teachers use a collection of student data to plan differentiated assignments based on student ability and level of knowledge.
Differentiation of instruction is prevalent (tiered assignments, guided reading groups, flexible grouping, acceleration)

29. Student Work
Student work is posted with commentary that includes strengths, areas of weakness, and next steps.

30. Looking at Student Work
“The goal is to bring teachers together to examine their students’ work and, in the process, their own: What am I teaching? Why am I teaching it? How am I teaching it? Why am I teaching it this way? How do I know my students are getting it? How do my students know they are getting it? What did I learn in the process?”
Debra Williams
Learning to Teach Better by Examining Student Work
Community Renewal Society, 2003

31. Looking at Student Work
"My teachers are burying their teachers’ guide and have become more comfortable developing lessons around the curriculum and standards that promote higher-order thinking from students. And you know what? Our kids’ [test] scores have been trending up for the last five years. Our teachers are giving assignments that affect long-term learning, not just to fill up a grade book.”
Debra Williams
Learning to Teach Better by Examining Student Work
Community Renewal Society, 2003

32. Assessment
Rubrics are developed by teachers and students based on standards and instruction.
Formative assessments are used throughout the lesson to determine student progress, design and redesign instruction.
Students are given opportunities to revise their work according to feedback
Students use peer feedback and self-assessment to gain proficiency of the standard.
Specific, instructional feedback is given in a timely manner to guide student learning towards proficiency of the standard.

33. Standards-based assessment practices “de-emphasize traditional grades, demystify the entire grading process, and focus on the process of learning and the progress of the individual student. All these desirable characteristics occur because the prime purpose of grades is recognized as communication, not competition, and determining student grades is based on pedagogy that views the teacher’s role as supporting learning and encouraging student success.”
Ken O’Conner
How to Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards
Corwin Press, 2002

34. Standards-based Lesson
Watch the videos
Think about the instructional elements that make these lessons different from a traditional lesson.
Apply the rubric
Discuss your observations with your group

35. Where are we?
Use the rubric to determine where you or your school is in the standards-based process.
Prioritize areas of weakness
Develop an action plan to address these areas

36. Action Plans
Administrators
Teachers
Use the templates provided to create an action plan for implementation standards-based classrooms.

37. Providing Support for the Standards-based Classroom
What should leaders do?
Provide opportunities for collaboration
Ensure that professional learning opportunities are based on identified needs
Systematically monitor implementation of curriculum, assessment and instruction
Attend teacher meetings, study groups and other professional learning opportunities
Work with teachers to analyze student work based on standards
Ensure that all students receive immediate intervention if they are not meeting standards
Ensure that the focus of faculty meetings, leadership team meetings is student learning
Regularly analyze data with regards to meeting School Improvement Goals and Annual Measurable Objectives
Model the characteristics of a lifelong learner

38. Summarizing Activity
Using what we have learned, create an acrostic of “standards - based”
Share acrostics

39. “No matter how lucidly and patiently teachers explain to their students, they cannot understand for their students.”
Deborah Schifter& Cathy Fosnot
Reconstructing Mathematics Education:
Stories of Teachers Meeting the Challenge of Reform
Teachers College Press, 1993

41. Room Arrangement Room is arranged in a manner to support:
Student grouping
Use of manipulatives
Small group instruction
Independent learning
Utilization of technology
Student rows are not the norm

42. Classroom Rules / Procedure Charts
Behavior rules are posted and positively stated.
Procedural charts are visible
Instructional charts – writing procedures, research processes, problem solving steps, etc.
Organizational charts - getting materials, visiting centers, etc.

47. Instructional Bulletin Boards
Change frequently
Show student work
Display information to guide student learning (concept maps, preview word wall, EQ’s, graphic organizers, etc.)
Are used by student and teacher throughout the unit

52. Behavior Management System
The teacher maximizes instructional time by:
Coordinating- The teacher has determined the necessary procedures, scheduling, materials, routines, and developed transitional activities.
Checking- Monitor learners in all school settings
Coaching - Varies instructional techniques and praise learners whenever possible. Creates an atmosphere that reaps success instead of failures.  Provide an opportunity for learners to be actively involved in the learning process.

53. Behavior Management System
The teacher maximizes instructional time by:
Demonstrating Consistency- Provides learners the security of consistency. Makes actions and consequences clear.  Displays and requires consistency in behavior. 

54. Analyzing Student Data
Student data (CRCT, Dibels, GHSGT, benchmark tests, classroom assessments) provides valuable information about the student’s level of learning.
Analyzing student data will provide an opportunity to obtain information on each student’s knowledge and skills.

55. Analyzing Student Data
Data should be analyzed for:
Students that did not pass / do well
Students near the passing score (Bubble students)
Students that fall into multiple subgroups (High Impact)
Individual student strengths and weaknesses by domains

56. Analyzing Student Data
CRCT SCORE
Measurement
Geometry
Algebra
John
Mary
Sue
Mark

57. Annual plan for improvement based on analysis of test data
Test Utilization Plan
Annual plan for improvement based on analysis of test data
Completed by individual teacher or grade level group of teachers.

58. Test Utilization Plan Example
Sample Elementary School
Ms. Jones 4th Grade
Areas for Improvement
Goals / Objectives
Strategies
Benchmarks

59. Standards (GPS)
Standard is posted in language the child can understand
EQ is connected to the standard
Guides the lesson/unit
Can be explained by student, if asked
Student understands where he/ she is in relationship to the standard
Teacher continually connects learning to the standard

61. Unit Plans
Developed as a guide for teaching the standards over a period of time (2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, etc.)
Begins with the “end in mind”
Includes:
Student learning outcomes
Performance Tasks / Culminating Activity
EQs
Lesson Plans

62. Essential Question
“Open-ended provocative questions that are designed to guide student inquiry and focus instruction for uncovering the important ideas of the standard.”

63. Essential Question
Have no simple “right” answer; they are meant to be discussed.
Are designed to provoke and sustain student inquiry, while focusing learning and final performances
Raise other important questions
Stimulate vital, ongoing rethinking of big ideas, assumptions, and prior lessons.
May have several EQ’s per unit

64. Essential Question Examples
How and why do things in nature fly? (4th grade)
How is intelligence measured? (11th grade)
Where will I ever use multiplication? (3rd grade)
How do publishing houses make decisions about submitted manuscripts? (8th grade)

65. Collaborative Planning
Teachers meet weekly to:
plan units
examine student work
coordinate learning activities
analyze data and student progress
study research
conduct professional learning

67. Pretests Student assessments given prior to a unit of study.
Provides initial information on the student’s level of knowledge, which can be used to:
Plan instruction
Differentiate learning
Develop flexible groups

68. Pretests
Pretests, combined with post-tests, allow for measurement of student learning.
Various formats can be utilized for pretests. Pretests are not always a formal pencil / paper assessment (e.g.- 4 Corners)

69. Classroom Lesson Framework
Lesson Format that includes: EQ
Activating Strategy
Teaching / learning segment
Summarizing of lesson
Assessment of learning

70. Whole vs. Small Group Learning
Whole group instruction –
Teacher conducts the lesson
Students receive the same information or participate in the same activity
Little interaction between student and teacher
Acceptable for activating, summarizing, and giving directions.
The key is to use it appropriately!

71. Whole vs. Small Group Learning
Small group instruction-
Teacher is facilitator
Small groups of students work on different levels (differentiation) or different assignments.
Classroom encourages students to collaborate and discuss learning process.
Students understand their individual roles within the group.
Procedures for collaboration have been well established.

73. Word Walls / Vocabulary Displays
A word wall is a systematically organized collection of words displayed on a wall or other large display place in the classroom
List is dynamic, ever-changing
Used by teachers and students to:
Support current learning units
Preview upcoming learning units
Review lessons/ units/ previously learned vocabulary
Used as cue during classroom discussion, writing, etc.

76. Graphic Organizer
Instructional tool used to help students understand, retain, and apply new learning.
Examples include:
Venn diagrams
T-charts
Word Webs
K-W-L

78. Menus of Choices
Options of activities, performance assessments, class assignments, etc.
Increases student interest, motivation, and involvement
Menu options are connected to the standard, but provide different opportunities to demonstrate the learning of the standard.

79. Menu of Choices Example
Choose 1 of the following to complete:
You are a member of the Confederate army that survived the battle of Gettysburg. Write a letter to your family describing the battle and your current circumstances.
If you had been able to observe the battle of Gettysburg from a helicopter, what would the battle have looked like. Draw a map of the battle that depicts the location of the troops.

80. Student Learning Centers
Learning centers can be used as a way to rotate groups of students through different activities. Like cooperative groups, this is also a good technique to use when there are a limited number of computers available.
Each group takes a turn working at a different activity or learning center. Groups can rotate through the centers during the course of one class or over a period of time.

83. Materials Center / Resource Bins
Manipulatives, books, supplies, materials are available for students in an easily accessible location.
Students know where materials are located and feel comfortable obtaining learning resources as they need them.

87. Teacher Commentary
Feedback to students that tells the student how to improve.
Opens communication between teacher and student
Teacher Commentary provides opportunities to:
Correct knowledge gaps or skills deficits
Provide specific and helpful information for improvement
Encourage the student to keep trying

88. Teacher Commentary Usually includes:
A positive statement about the student work and the student’s progress toward meeting the standard(s)
An identified area for improvement
Specific information on how to “grow” toward meeting the standard.
Opportunities for the student to revise the work

89. Teacher Commentary Example:
“ Maria, You did a great job on drawing the right triangle, labeling the hypotenuse, and remembering the Pythagorean theorem. However, the answer was incorrect because you forgot to correctly complete the formula. Remember that to ‘square a number’ you multiple the number by itself, not by 2. “

91. Formative Assessment On-going assessments
Monitors / measures student progress
Reviews what students have learned and can apply
Evaluates instruction.
Diagnoses skill or knowledge gaps
Allows for reteaching, enrichment, revised teaching methods, and student feedback

92. Formative Assessments
In daily use, teachers apply formative assessment to:
- determine what concepts require more teaching
- what teaching techniques require modification.

93. Formative Assessment Examples
Teacher observation shows some students do not grasp a concept, so she designs a review activity or uses a different instructional strategy for that group.
Examples:
- Ticket out the door, periodic quizzes, 3-2-1, Open-ended response, performance tasks, Think-pair-share.

94. Rubrics
A rubric is an assessment guide
Rubrics describe what are the expected elements / criteria of student work.
Displays levels/scores on the chosen scale.
Identifies what is important, defines what work meets a standard, and enables a teacher / student to distinguish between different levels of performance.

95. Rubrics
With a rubric, the student and teacher share a common understanding of what constitutes quality work.
Both student and teacher can compare the student's performance to the standards.

96. Rubrics - Example Criteria Beginning Progressing Proficient Research
Two or fewer of the five areas are covered OR the information in three or more of the five is not thorough
Three or more interesting facts are given on: habitat, food, physical description, reproduction.
Five research facts with sources provided on each of the five areas.
Presentation
Some information given, pacing was too fast or slow, words were mispronounced.
Information read in a satisfactory manner (most words pronounced correctly, pace OK), loud enough to be heard.
Information presented well (words pronounced correctly with an appropriate pace-not too fast/slow), loud enough to be heard

98. Culminating Assessment / Activities
Assessment conducted at the end of a unit to determine level of student learning
Activity requires students to apply and demonstrate learning in formats other than pencil / paper tests.
Assessments should utilize higher order processes and connect the learning to real life.

99. Peer Assessment / Feedback
Students utilize a common procedure, understood process, or rubric to review a peer’s work and provide feedback for improvement.
Very effective if used to support the writing process.
Can be applied to all content areas.