Elementary Department Faculty Meeting

January 2014

AGENDA 4:00 Recall from September

January Objective

Clarifying Our Understandings

4:20 Grade Level Break out Sessions:

View curriculum and resources with a lens for critical thinking and problem solving

4:45 Report out on grade level

A Review from September Objective:

We are learning to use our resources efficiently to meet the needs of every learner with

• RTI- Second year, more streamlined

• Curriculum Guides- Aligned to CCSS and new resources

• Assessment- Pre, Progress Monitoring, Formative, and Summative

January Objective:

We will create plans to incorporate more intentional use of

• Tier 1 instruction within RtI model

• Developing critical thinking in students

by clarifying our understandings and synthesizing information across multiple sources.

Response to Intervention

Tier One

Tier Two

Tier Three

Tier 1: Core instruction, district curriculum, Differentiation – ALL students

Tier 2: In addition to Tier 1 instruction students will receive intense, targeted interventions – some students

Tier 3: In addition to Tier 1 instruction students will receive intense, targeted interventions that are more frequent - few students

Tier One Instruction: Meeting the Needs of All Leaners

• Data informed instruction

• Whole/Part/Whole model

• Small group instruction

• Eyes on Text vs. Activity Driven

• Test taking strategies

A steady diet of easy texts/tasks will not prepare students for the challenges they will face

How does the teacher support Tier 2 and Tier 3 students in Tier 1 instruction?

• Continue to provide Tier 1 instruction to all students

• Work with interventionists to create and support the SMART Goal

• Communicate via Intervention Notebook – any information that is pertinent to the SMART Goal

• Provide scaffolds to help students access the curriculum

What is intervention?

• In addition to core instruction

• Not accommodations to core curriculum

• Focused on an area of concern

• Research based

• Systematically delivered

• Monitored

Tier One and Intervention Teacher

• Curriculum with Differentiation

• Seek advice from Interventionists

• Document & collect data on students you are concerned about

Interventionist

• Meet the specific deficits of students using LLI, Do The Math, etc. to be successful with the curriculum

• Available for help and consultation

• Collect data

Together

• Address SMART Goal • Communication (Notebook) • Monitor Progress

Closure: What Stuck?

Tier One

Tier Two

Tier Three

One new thing I’m thinking about is…

Using Curriculum and Resources

to Develop Critical Thinking

and Problem Solving Skills

4e. Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Teaching students the processes needed, requires us to • think aloud and model • give on-going feedback • provide opportunities for

implementation • and monitor progress

4e. Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Across the district, we tend to do really well with these indicators:

4e. Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

In addition, we see many classrooms using Accountable Talk Stems to support student dialogue, and samples of student writing that focus on supporting their ideas with evidence.

4e. Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Consider using Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and/or modalities within our curriculum to support students in using information in a new way (solving a real problem with an open-ended result, designing a habitat for an imaginary animal, transplanting a character into another story, plan a party using math!, etc.)

January Objective:

We will create plans to incorporate more intentional use of

• Tier 1 instruction

• Developing critical thinking in students

by clarifying our understandings and

synthesizing information across multiple sources.

Grade Level Break Out Sessions

Pull up this PPT from http://www.edison.k12.nj.us/domain/1512

on the PB to guide you.

Follow the remaining slides to support your work.

Two classrooms will be used for each grade level. Odd-numbered homeroom section teachers meet in one classroom. Even-numbered in another same grade level classroom.

Each Breakout Session • Work in groups of 2-3 • Use any resource of your choice

– Curriculum guide on line or paper – Teacher Edition of any content – Internet for searching

• Refer to the slide regarding critical thinking and problem solving to review examples (It’s repeated on the next slide)

• Collect or brainstorm possible learning experiences for an upcoming unit or chapter that will support teachers in developing critical thinking and/or problem solving skills in their students. An example is provided two slides down (Planning a party).

4e. Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Consider using Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and/or modalities to support students in using information in a new way (solving a real problem with an open-ended result, designing a habitat for an imaginary animal, transplanting a character into another story, plan a party using math!, etc.)

Example of a Learning Experience to Support Development of Critical Thinking or Problem Solving

STUDENTS: Plan your own themed party! – Small groups can choose their own theme – Budget (maximum money allowance) – Provide grade appropriate parameters

• Venue (no cost to reservations) • Number of guests (affects the math calculations) • Activity at party (basic to many parts organize) • Refreshments (one item to multiple items) • Decorations • Add complexity of choice (see McRel rubric) by providing a price list that

includes “name brand” pizza or “low-cost” pizza; themed paper plates at a higher cost or generic paper plates for less money, etc.

• Decide how the party planning will be reported out (Come to Our Party poster with a journal of reflections about their thinking along the process)

– Teacher can model • Brainstorming • Considering all possibilities and outcomes • Making complex choices • Communicating with group members

– Assessment • Create rubric for process and content

4:45 Grade Level Sharing

• Even-numbered section go to Odd-numbered section classroom

• Report out on your work

• Email the shared work to your CRT.

Have we met our objective? Next slide

January Objective:

We will create plans to incorporate more intentional use of

• Tier 1 instruction

• Developing critical thinking in students

by clarifying our understandings and synthesizing information across multiple sources.

As a result of today’s experience, I plan to…