English Department Chairs October 14, 2014 Sara Overby, Coordinating Teacher for Secondary Literacy

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Department Chair Page

Application Period closed 6 English I (middle schools) 3 English II 3 English III

CDM Next Steps: Create English I, English III exams Work out plan for CDM Phase 1 Exam window March--Give Phase 1 Exams- at schools Score Phase 1 Exams—district (score 94%) April-- Give Phase 2 Exams – at schools Score Phase 2 Exams- school scoring teams >> Enloe, Green Hope (2 courses), Millbrook

Benchmarks

21 st Century Testing Conditions Selected Response Technology Enhanced Response Constructed Response Performance Tasks

Project-based learning structures increased long-term retention and improved problem- solving ability while improving students’ attitudes towards learning. Strobel one study of PBL implementation showed a positive effect on low-ability students, who increased their use of critical-thinking skills including synthesizing, evaluating, predicting, and reflecting by 446% while high- ability students improved by 76%. (Horan, et al., 1996)

Geier, R., Blumenfeld, P. C., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Fishman, B., Soloway, E., & Clay-Chambers, J. (2008). …the use of standards-based, inquiry-science curriculum can lead to standardized achievement test gains in historically underserved urban students. Secondary students using PBL structures in American studies did as well on multiple-choice tests as students who received a traditional model of instruction-- and they showed a deeper understanding of content. Gallegher and Stepien,1996

Performance Tasks as Benchmarks for English II  Authentic, deep, transferrable  Aligned to CCSS and NC EOC  Spiraled learning throughout semester  Integrated Reading, Writing, Language

Reminder Study Island for Course Support

Implementation Phase One- Fall Semester  Department Chairs  Align standards  Plan implementation  PLT Leaders  Plan for details  Train PLT  Conduct Rater Reliability Norming  Both Teacher Leaders  Gather data at school level  Interpret data  Assess effectiveness and efficiency at school level Phase Two- Spring Semester  Department Chairs  Adjust implementation plan  PLT Leaders  Adjust details  Revise teaching and learning interrelationships  Conduct Rater Reliability Norming  Both Teacher Leaders  Report data to district level  Interpret data  Respond to district plans for next steps

Standards Alignment

English II PLT Leaders Meeting September 24 Why Performance Tasks as Benchmarks Standards Alignment Close Reading of Sample Benchmark Table Discussion and Responses Next Meeting : Nov. 6 3:30-5:00, place TBD Experiences, Rater Reliability, Next Steps

Next Decisions by PLT Leaders How much? When? How? Feedback? Data Reporting

Rater Reliability Scoring 10 th grade Performance Task Benchmarks

Focus: Writing District Rubrics Performance Tasks

What do you notice? What will students need? What needs to be clarified? What will your teachers need?

Instructional Leaders Peer Coaching in Your Department

Teachers who have not prepared themselves to be in a constant state of flux need to reevaluate their choice of profession. A teacher who is inflexible will not survive very long without burning out. Melissa Kelly, Learn to be Flexible, 2013 Learning to be flexible!

Change Our Thinking Teachers need accessible opportunities and models Jean M. Becker “Peer Coaching for Improvement of Teaching and Learning” Improve Professional Practice Improve Student Learning for collaboration, sharing of ideas, feedback and assistance with their practice

What is Peer Coaching? a confidential process two or more professional colleagues work together reflect on current practices expand, refine, and build new skills share ideas and provide feedback teach one another conduct classroom research or solve problems in the workplace Pam Robbins, A Definition of Peer Coaching, What would you want your peer coaching to look like, act like, sound like, feel like in your department? As a Teacher? As a Coach?

Identify Learn Practice Refine Reflect Coaching Cycle

WCPSS Observation Tool How can I get students to talk more with each other and not to me?

The Crux of the Matter

Coaching Conversations Which are surprises?

Give it a Whirl!

Most conversations are delivered in the presence of a witness. ~Margaret Millar simply monologues

Try It Out! How can you help your teachers make strategic instructional changes that support student learning? What plan for peer coaching can help with the changes teachers are making?

Send a Team of Teachers/AP Opportunity Knocks Nov. 5 Disciplinary Literacy Talk with your API

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Department Chair Page

Prior Approval for Texts

Take-Aways Your role as Instructional Leader and Peer Coach Your role for English II Performance Task implementation Your role for CDM implementation Hot Topics– New Communication System Argument Writing Nov. 5 English II PLT Leaders Benchmarks Meeting Nov. 6