Strand B – In Depth

Strand B Competencies 3, 4, 6, & 7 3. The teacher communicates with and obtains feedback from students in a manner that enhances student learning and understanding. 4. The teacher comprehends the principles of student growth, development and learning, and applies them appropriately. 6. The teacher manages the educational setting in a manner that promotes positive student behavior and a safe and healthy environment. 7. The teacher recognized student diversity and creates an atmosphere conducive to the promotion and positive student involvement and self-concept.

Different from Strand A Strand B Student work is meant to represent differing levels of achievement on the same task in relation to established criteria Student work is a snapshot of achievement at a specific point in time Student work should show how a student is learning over time Student work shows learning over an extended period of time

Different from Strand A Strand B Shows how you meet the needs of all students through one lesson Based on grade level competencies Shows how you individualize your teaching to meet the needs of specific students Does not have to based on grade level competencies

Sections You will tell the story of two students, X and Y. You will provide documentation in the following four areas for each of the two students you have selected. Introduction Explanation of Student Learning Examples of Student work Resources

The instructions/sections are the same for both student X and Y

Selecting your Students To prepare for Strand B, select two students who represent how you work over time with differing learner levels, rates, styles, and needs. Select students who: Are different from the students whose work you use in Strand A (An exception to this is a teacher with 5 or less total students in class). May be in the same class as the one you use for Strand A, or they may be from a different class. Represent diversity in your class Are willing to allow their work to be used in your PDD. You will need many work samples for each student. (Must have parent permission slips).

Selecting your Students Consider the diversity of the students you teach. - Socio Economic status - Mobility rate - Race/ethnicity, gender - Cultural Background - Native language/ELL - Religion - Learning Style - Special Needs - Age -Other

Selecting your Students With these factors in mind - consider using students who represent how you work with differing learner levels, rates of growth, styles, or other features. You will have to be able to show academic growth, so goals that are not directly observable in class work are difficult to tackle (behavior, shyness, etc…)

Selecting your Students In addition, when choosing your students, consider their response to teaching strategies - different grouping (peer tutoring, partners, cooperative large and small groups, one on one - modifications, adaptations - hands on activities - use of a variety of modalities in student learning - other ELL strategies - other activities that you might use

Selecting your Students Consider information about student learning that can be used to explain why these two students were selected: - Student’s strengths - Student’s needs - Academic progress over time - Social interaction - Physical ability improvement - Language development - Other

Planning for Students X and Y Strategies should be different for each student. Remember you have selected Student X and Y for their diversity. What you do for this student should go beyond what is normally done for everyone else in the class. Keep notes about the interventions that you use. The explanation of how Student X and Y learn should reflect diverse ways of teaching and learning.

Section I - Introduction This section introduces your two students (Student X and Student Y). A. Age: B. Grade Level: C. Subject(s) or discipline area(s): D. Number of students in his/her class: E. Names of all concepts, understandings, skills illustrated in this strand for Student X/Y: F. How the student’s level of work compares to others in his/her class:

Writing goals for Student X/Y Section I, E: Names of all concepts, understandings, skills illustrated in this strand for Student X/Y: To determine the answer to this question you should come up with an academic goal for each student. When writing your goals for Students X/Y, be sure that they are: Specific Measurable Standards based Use information gained from common assessments, classroom assessments, etc. Can be an IEP or SAT goal.

Begin working with your Student Once you have identified your Students X and Y, begin working with them (can be done at the same time or at different times) - Begin collecting data to document student’s development of the goal that you have chosen.

Collect your data In documenting students’ work be sure to date it, organize it chronologically, and label it with a description or copy of the assignment that generated each piece of work. You may use paper documents, pictures or videotapes of student’s performance. Be ready to explain how the concepts, understandings, or skills developed as you worked with the student.

Collect your data Consider possible sources of data that illustrate the learning process and progress of these students Standardized test data Pre and post test Student self assessment Anecdotal records Checklists Portfolios Use of media resources Video/Audio recording Performances Presentations Other

Collect your data Note your interventions and interactions with each student and your observations of the student’s response to them. Note and keep copies of any resources and materials used by either you or your students. Pictures are appropriate. Periodically discuss the student’s work with the student and his/her parents. Involve the parents in the students learning.

When to Start and Stop As you work with Student X/Y, closely follow their progress for an extended period of time. You will start working with Student X/Y anytime after you have determined a goal, and will stop once progress can be clearly documented and is evident in student work samples. Hopefully, this will coincide with your student meeting his/her goal that you set for them.

Section 2 Explanation of Student Learning This section explains how Student X/Y learned the concepts, understandings, and/or skills that you identified in Section I. Why you selected this student to represent how you work with diversity in your class. How these pieces of student work were produced. What these pieces of student work show you about his/her learning during this time frame. How you helped the student understand his/her own learning. How you communicated with and involved the student’s parents.

Section 2 Section 2 is critical for Strand B. This is the only section where you explain student learning to the reviewer. You must be very thorough in this section. This is also the only place in Strand B where you show the relationship between the work samples that you submit and your role in helping the student learn.

Learning Patterns in Student Work Identify details, changes and patterns in student’s work. Discuss these in the written section (Section 2, C). What do these pieces of work tell you? Past and present levels of performance Academic progress over time Strengths and needs Socialization skills and behavior patterns How students apply learning What needs to be reviewed and re-taught

Learning Patterns in Student Work Student progress should be evident through the detail that you identify for the reviewer. Work samples should show a variety of instructional and assessment strategies that were used while working with the student.

Communicating with the Student How you helped the student understand his/her own learning (Section 2, D). You must be able to demonstrate to reviewers that you communicated with students about their learning through multiple means such as: Grades, evaluation criteria, rubrics, informal feedback and notes, student-teacher conferences, formal feedback, school/team conferences, etc...

Communicating with and involving parents Section 2, E You have said that this student is diverse. You will need to show that not only you communicated this diversity with his/her parents; but; if appropriate, also that you involved them in moving the student from point A to B. Choose students whose parent will be willing to cooperate. Communicating with student’s parents about their progress might involve: Grades and progress reports, notes home, phone call and email, class newsletters, class web page, parent teacher conferences, school/team parent conferences, etc...

Section 3 Examples of Student work This section of your documentation provides concrete evidence of what you explain in Section II. Select 3 to 5 examples of work for each student to illustrate how she/he is learning the skills, concepts, or understandings that you identified in Section I. These examples should exemplify learning growth and should be related. Learning may be seen in dramatic, large-scale change, or more likely, as subtle incremental change.

Section 3 Examples of Student work Dibels and other such tests should not be the only examples submitted for student work. Date and chronologically organize all of Student X/Y’s work that is produced to meet the goal that you have set. Describe how and why each piece of work was generated. Remove any identifying information from all student work.

Tips for selecting student work Must illustrate that student is learning Must be directly related to the goal(s) you have identified for each student Quizzes, tests Independent work, projects Social development and interaction with others Product/project completion Skills performance

Section 4 - Resources This section of your documentation presents the influential resources and material that you and Student X/Y used to support learning. Collect an example of up to 4 resources for each student that were influential in the student’s learning. Choose resources specifically for each student to illustrate how you meet their individual needs. You may include any handouts; worksheets; reading; listening or viewing material, written instruction; representations of relevant room displays; criteria; or examples of other student’s work. Clearly label each resource at the top of each page as instructed in the manual.

Section 4 - Resources Your resources should also be varied for each student. Your resources should be appropriate for each student based on the diverse learning needs that you identified.

General Labeling of Resources Clearly label each resource at the top of the page as instructed in the guidelines. Title each resource if not already titled. Arrange the resources in the order in which you discussed them in Section II. Number each resource consecutively. Go back to Section II and make sure to refer to each resource by it’s number. Place the number in parentheses after each reference in your Explanation of Student Learning.

Labeling Reading Selections For shorter selections, provide 3-5 pages (copied/scanned) from the original document. OR For longer selections you may provide a 350 word written summary. Your label should include: Title Resource Number Author Source Date of Publication

Labeling Viewing/Listening Selections Written Summary (350 word maximum) OR Audio/video excerpts (3 minute maximum) Your label should include: Title Resource number Author/producer Source Date of release

Labeling Room Displays Relevent room displays include: Overhead projections Bulletin Boards Writing on the blackboard/whiteboard Student work Any other visual representations that supported student learning Displays may be photocopies, photographed, sketched, retyped, scanned, or otherwise reproduced in electronic format.

Helpful Hints Strand B must discuss the two students independently of each other. There should be no comparison of the work in progress. The learning goals, subject areas, and work samples need not be the same for the two students. Remember to include clear labeling to distinguish between Student X and Y

Helpful Hints Focus on a few concepts, understandings or skills in one concept area and be specific in identifying features of the student work that show how each student learned. Do not put in work and assume that the reviewer will automatically see the progress.

Criteria for Success Failure to meet any of the Criteria for Success may result in a rating of “Does Not Meet.” A rating of “Exceeds” will be assigned to dossier submissions that go beyond the criteria.