Welcome! March 2013 ELA Network

Your Facilitators for Today Carole Mullins KDE/KVEC English/LA Content Specialist Mary McCloud KVEC Literacy Consultant Linda Holbrook KDE Literacy Consultant Jennifer Carroll Intervention Specialist, Wolfe County Schools Stacy Noah KDE, Effectiveness Coach

AGENDA BREAKOUT SESSIONS LUNCH TEACHER STRATEGY SHARATHON RESOURCE: Assignments That Matter “LEAVING YOUR MARK” Connecting TPGES and LDC

Revisiting Group Norms: 1.Be present and be engaged in the work 2.We are all equal partners in this work 3.Complete assignments before coming to next meeting 4.Use the law of “Two Feet” 5.Be courteous, respectful and positive 6.Keep side conversations to a minimum 7.Phones on Silent and No Text Messaging!

Through-out the Day, please complete the: Evaluation Plan/Do/Review Gather evidence about what you are learning today. Plan how you could share what you learned today: in your school in your district

Teacher Leader Network Target I can use careful planning to improve instruction in order to become an effective teacher and leader.

Small Group Sessions TOPICS Close Reading Strategies Why Text Dependent Questions? PARCC and Smarter Balanced Jurying LDC Modules

12:15 – 1:00 p.m.

Plan-Do-Review Take a moment and add notes to your P-D-R Guiding Questions 1.What information will you share? 2.How will you share the information? 3.What concerns do you still have?

Each teacher will be given 3 minutes to share. Make notes. Choose 1 “Best Strategy” from your table to share with the whole group.

2:20-2:30 p.m. Please sit in district level teams after the break!

By Eleanor Dougherty Assignments Matter: Making the Connections That Help Students Meet Standards ISBN: This book explains the critical differences between “assignments,” “activities,” and “assessments” and thoroughly describes the key elements of an assignment: prompts, rubrics, products and instructional plans. (LDC is referenced throughout the book)

Overarching Questions Addressed by Assignments Matter What exactly is an "assignment" and why does it matter? How can educators ensure that their teaching meets the rigorous demands of the Common Core State Standards, so that all students are well prepared for college or careers?

Readers will learn how to: Follow a seven-step process for crafting effective assignments; Link assignments into units and courses; Devise "Anchor" assignments for collaboration and consistency across grades; Tap into instructional "touchstones" that can enrich any assignment; Create classroom and school environments that support assignment-making; and Use assignments as a source of data about teaching and learning.

Sound familiar?? Dougherty’s 7 Steps to Create an Assignment 1. Define standards, goals, content 2. Determine a product 3. Identify demands and qualities 4. Write a prompt 5. Write a rubric 6. Do the assignment 7. Develop an instructional plan

Preview Read Page 7 Do you agree with Mitchell”s statement that “students can do no better than the assignments they are given?”

Preview Read p ( the section titled “The Importance of Explicit Teaching”) How does LDC help teachers with “tasks predict performance?”

Preview Read p. 19 Read the first paragraph. Do assignments matter in your classroom? In your school?

Preview Skim p “Assignment, Activity, or Assessment?” How do assignments, assessments, and activities differ in an instructional cycle? Assignment – a taught task with a prompt, product, rubric Activity – not scored; a strategy, event, practice Assessment – not taught; a test, quiz

Assignments Matter: Book Study Guide Available on our website OR Professional Book Study

What is the implementation level of the ELA KCAS in my district?

Implementation Rubric Instructions Review the rubric independently. With your district’s team, discuss each indicator (such as “Knowledge of Standards”). Think about specific accomplishments your district has made. Agree on a rating for each indicator. Circle the group’s rating decision on your individual rubric so that all team members will have a record of your decisions. Each district team will complete a rubric (color copy) to submit to me TODAY. District TL Teams that do not submit a completed rubric: Your district office contact will be contacted by a Frankfort based consultant and requested to have the team complete a rubric.

Plus / Delta +/∆ Plus / Delta +/∆ The Plus/Delta Chart enables a group to examine a process or system for strengths ad opportunities for improvement.Plus/Delta Chart It provides a foundation for identifying “next steps.” ∆Plus/Delta is used to identify strengths (+) of a particular process as well as opportunities for improvement. The Delta (∆) is the symbol of change. Remember, Plus/Delta works best when: –Teacher and students are clear about the purpose and expected outcomes of the lesson or activity. –The focus is on improving the learning system--not on fixing people. –The deltas are acted upon, not ignored.

Create A Plus / Delta +/∆ Create A Plus / Delta +/∆ INSTRUCTIONS Note the (+) positives you have gained as a result of your participation in the ELA Network. ∆Note the (∆) changes you have witnessed in yourself, your school and/or district as a result of the ELA network.

Turn in your Evaluation and Impact Log before you leave! Remember to…