1. RSW Year 1 Results

2. What we saw 132 classroom observations 185 reading strategies 61 Socratic Seminars or Fishbowls 146 examples of argumentative or informational writing

3. Survey Says… N=88Average Number of Times Assigned Spring Semester Assigned non-textbook readings to your students aligned to content standards. 9.13 Assigned before reading strategies to prepare students for non-textbook readings 6.29 Assigned during reading strategies to prepare students for non-textbook readings 6.98 Assigned after reading strategies to help students synthesize what they have read. 7.36

4. Survey Says… N=88Average Number of Times Assigned Spring Semester Conducted Socratic Seminars over content related topics. 3.55 Conducted Fish bowl or other types of teacher facilitated class discussions over content related topics 4.69 Assigned a piece of argumentative writing over a content related topic 4.82 Assigned a piece of informational writing over a content related topic 6.2

5. Use of Before, During, and After Strategies 42% 2% 12% 17% 14% 12% I have to make a conscious effort, but it works when I do it. Now part of my teaching practice Other Done occasionally, when I remember. Trying, but no success. Just can’t, so not going to try.

6. Comments – Reading Strategies I do it when it is appropriate and needed I have to make a conscious effort to do it. It works less than 1/4 of the time I DO IT. HOWEVER, IT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT TAKES UP A LOT OF VALUABLE TEACHING TIME I really like it and enjoy using the methods. I really need to have the time to integrate it into my lessons

7. Use of Socratic Seminar or Fishbowl 31% 9% 32% 15% 3% 10% I have to make a conscious effort, but it works when I do it. Now part of my teaching practice Done occasionally, when I remember. Trying, but no success. Other Just can’t, so not going to try.

8. Comments Discussion Classroom discussion occurs every day - it is called teaching I have to make a conscious effort to do it - the discussion works this has been difficult for my 6th grade students. I have tried it several times, but I do not see great gains from it. I do not feel confident attempting when students refuse to complete the before, during, and after reading strategies My Special Ed small group classes have trouble with the higher order thinking and have become frustrated with the seminar and fish bowl. They are doing okay with the reading and anticipation log. The writing a summary have had to modify to writing a few sentences There are other better ways to have class discussions than Socratic Seminars with groups of 35 apathetic students. Harder to complete in the first year of RSW, but see it could be easier later Fishbowl works much better. With 35 students, and a small room, it is logistically impossible for me to arrange the classroom in a circle. When we have Socratic Discussions, they do not happen in a circle formation.

9. Use of argumentative writings aligned with readings and seminar discussions 27% 16% 1% 14% 26% I have to make a conscious effort, but it works when I do it. Now part of my teaching practice Done occasionally, when I remember. Trying, but no success. Other Just can’t, so not going to try.

10. Use of Informational Writing aligned with readings and seminar discussions 36% 27% 10% 1% 15% I have to make a conscious effort, but it works when I do it. Now part of my teaching practice Done occasionally, when I remember. Trying, but no success. Other Just can’t, so not going to try.

11. Comments Writing Works well in conjunction with ELA teacher I have to make a conscious effort to do it - the writing is a disaster. Many students either refuse to do it at all or the writing is so pitiful it is incomprehensible I did this less, but it was successful It really works with those students who bought in to it. Plus they enjoyed reading or hearing their writings read to the class. I want to more fully integrate it into my classes.

12. Major Challenges 70% 44% 19% 16% 42% 22% 24% Grading writing assignments Time to get it all done. Classroom management Printing / Copying readings Process not necessary Other Finding readings

13. Comments – Major Challenges student apathy getting students comfortable with putting their thoughts on paper. They prefer discussion to writing. Too much new stuff all at once Too Demanding when non-textbook reading is assigned. There should not be a set number that has to be done each unit. Filing the work in their folders. Right now I only have about 90 students, next year when I have twice the number of students it will be even harder! The differing levels of readers and writers and the time it takes for them to complete the task have had plenty of time to do/respond to readings, but the seminars take more effort and time than I have to make these meaningful, content related, experiences. Keeping a filing/evidence system children cannot read and comprehend the material. Therefore taking a long time to complete.

14. Student Response 50% 22% 2% 8% 7% 11% Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Other Very Satisfied Satisfied

15. How did you teach content literacy before RSW 62% 4% 9% 27% 21% 45% We had informal class discussions. Students read articles without reading strategies. Only informational writing Only argumentative writing Other I did none of the RSW components.

16. Comments – Content Literacy Before RSW I did it my way and EOCT scores improved We would read current articles and use online forums to host discussions. Students were exposed to the real world application, would carry on legitimate discussions in a way that was easy for even the quietest to get their point across, and I had paperless completion grades (the intention was engagement in the presented information, not an assessment of knowledge). I can no longer fit this in with the county mandated RSW instructions, and have therefore lost some passion for including content literacy. I have used non-textbook articles for years and facilitated classroom discussion over it. Now I have to document it for the powers that be which is another use of my time unrelated to students. I gave outside of text material and a variety of writing assignments but never pigeon holed what the students got or turned in other than having it all be aligned with the standards Content literacy is an integral part of AP instruction, and fundamental to the goals of the course, so I have always done it. I have always used primary sources in non-AP instruction as well, but was not limited by having to document every time I did it, so it happened more organically. The filing and documentation process takes some of the joy out of teaching using primary sources.

17. What do you think?

18. RSW Summer Collaboration 6-12 Science and Social Studies Teachers Wednesday, May 29 – Thursday, May 30, 2013 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Social Studies – Rutland High School Media Center Science – Hutchings Career Center Stipends will be paid Sign-up on PD Express

19. Collaboration Priorities?