Final Report on NCS Upper Elementary Developmental Activity

8/2/2019 Final Report on NCS Upper Elementary Developmental Activity

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Upper Elementary

Developmental Activity

Northampton County Schools

Upper Elementary Developmental Activity

By

Mark Barfield

Mark Longand

Gonzalo Pitpit

Course Information: ELP 651A (604) Spring 2011:

Internship In Educational Leadership And Program Evaluation

For

Dr. Bonnie Fusarelli&

Dr. Matthew Militello

Professors

May 10, 2011

North Carolina State UniversityMaster Degree in School AdministrationNortheast Leadership Academy

Spring 2011
http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/user/view.php?id=22479&course=1http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/user/view.php?id=6559&course=1http://www.northampton.k12.nc.us/http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/user/view.php?id=22479&course=1http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/user/view.php?id=6559&course=1


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Upper Elementary


I. District Context

II. DistrictProgramming

InformationA. Programs

B. Vocabulary

C. Parents

D. Community Connections

E. Curricular Scope and Sequence


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Upper Elementary


A. Programs:

In an interview with Mrs. Myrna Goldberg, the districts instructional coach for the

elementary department, she stated that the district follows different programs depending on

what grade level the students are on. With third grade reading, Northampton uses theImagine

Itseries. She averred that the district is involved in a research project with McGraw-Hill. She

said that this is unique in this area because we are probably the only school system that uses

this program, and added that the closest school system that uses this program is Nash County

in Rocky Mount.

For fourth grade through fifth grade, the district uses Scott ForesmansReading Street

series. The difference between the two, Mrs. Goldberg added, is that Reading Street is a

traditional guided reading program with a phonics component while Imagine It is not.

Imagine Itis based on the same foundation asReading First phonemic awareness, phonics,

vocabulary development, comprehension, and fluency.

The whole district in all grade levels is involved with the Reading 3-D assessments.

Mrs. Goldberg indicated that this new program originally was designed to replace K-2 reading

assessment. Because the district has been involved with Reading Firstand because of the

states initiative, we have taken the 3D assessments up through fifth grade; the bottom 20% of

fourth and fifth graders is involved in this program. The purpose of this program is to assess

students fluency and comprehension. Teachers use the results as bases in working with those

students using intervention strategies, and then reassess to measure any growth.

Mrs. Goldberg also mentioned about Writing from the Beginning, a writing program

for all grade levels, but she is not sure if theres still a school that implements it. In terms of


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Upper Elementary


some computer programs, she said that some schools implement Education City and

SuccessMaker. Schools are also using the technology component ofImagine It.

For math, the district is using the enVision math series from K through 5th grade.

Teachers are also encouraged to use the strategies and indicators from the North Carolina

Department of Public Instruction website. 3rd through 5th grade levels do not do the math

assessments. These grade levels use the benchmarks, which are administered three times a

year, and are created by Eduware. It is hoped that teachers use the benchmark outcomes as

tools to analyze the progress of students both in reading and math. Some schools in the district

also use ClassScape, a math program that helps assess students mastery of concepts.

B. Vocabulary

Mrs. Goldberg stated that with theImagine-Itprogram, we have strategies that were

trying to get students to use into reading summarizing, visualizing, making connections,

asking questions, predicting, monitoring and adjusting reading speed, and clarifying. She

clarified that the district is trying to make students learn these strategies, not skills. Teachers

model these strategies when they are teaching, and try to get students to apply them when

reading in the content subject areas such as science and social studies. Mrs. Goldberg added

that research has proven that using those strategies with students help them (the students)

better in understanding and comprehending what they are reading.

In math, we teach the EOG (end-of-grade) vocabulary. For example, we have a fifth

grade teacher in Conway Middle School who teaches both math and science. She has actually

gone through the ClassScape data base and pulled out science specific words that are not in

their science textbooks, but that she knows will be used in the EOGs. The same teacher uses

these words anywhere in the playground, and talk about clouds - making students use those


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Upper Elementary


words not only memorizing them but also internalizing them and using them in writing.

Students may also use a math journal and use the vocabulary in their writing - while they

become familiar with the words, each word also becomes part of them.

C. Parents

D. Community Connections

E. Curricular Scope & Sequence

Mrs. Goldberg stated that two years ago, the district revised 3 rd through fifth grade

pacing guides for science, social studies, math, and language arts. They are aligned with the

standard course of study. She added that she has not heard any complaints from teachers, and

4th Graders Attend Animal Ag Day

Family Fun Day


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Upper Elementary


we always have the option to revise it as needed. Third grade wanted some revisions on their

math last year, and those were made. In addition, a fifth grade teacher asked her if they could

move patterns after division because a lot of our patterns include division pattern problems,

and they did. A pacing guide is not something that is set in stone; we dont make it and keep

it that way for five years. As teachers teach is, they need to jot down notes, make

recommendations at the end of the year to revise them. The curriculum guides are posted on

the webpage under the elementary education webpage. Each grade level has its own webpage.

In 2012, the state is going to implement the common core standards. Its the first time

in the history of North Carolina that every single curriculum area is getting a new standard

course of study. The district will begin the process this summer of training the trainors, and

the trainors will begin the process of training the teachers to go back in and look at what we

are doing, how were doing it, and how were going to change. By June of 2012, we will have

to go back and rewrite the pacing guides and the curriculum maps for every subject area.


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III. Child

Development (Grades3-6)

A. Physical DevelopmentB. Cognitive DevelopmentC. Language & Literacy DevelopmentD. Self-Concept, Identity, &Motivation

E. Peer Relations & Moral Development


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A. Physical Development during upper elementary school

B. Cognitive Development during upper elementary school

Meece & Daniels (2008) explains that cognitive development focuses on how students

construct their understandings of their environment. In my interview with two third grade

students - Hunter, 8 years old and Emily, 9 years old, construct meanings quite similarly

particularly in math. When asked to describe some solid figures, Emily picked out a sphere,

and Hunter picked out a cylinder, both described their own respective solid figure using

attributes such as number of faces, corners (vertices), and edges. Somehow, I would like to

attribute this similarity to the fact that during the interview, these students were learning solid

figures in their math class. To determine the possibility that children differ in their cognitive

development, I have decided to use a reading selection.


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In reading, Hunter and Emily showed differences in their cognitive development. With

Hunter, it was very evident in his response that he could construct meanings from written

texts more meaningfully than Emily, who struggled in terms of fluency; thus, affecting her

comprehension of the text. To illustrate, when asked about what the story, How the Chipmunk

Got His Stripes, is all about, Emily started by saying, It was about the bear and a chipmunk;

the bear couldnt keep the sun down Hunter, on the other hand, said, I think is a story

about that thought he could do anything.

To find out if this is the same that children differ in their cognitive development - in

a higher grade level, I have interviewed two 12-year-old sixth grade students Jamunta and

Halley. When asked what the selection was all about, the two might not have given me the

same words, but they both meant order or sequence, which was actually the answer to my

question. Although I noticed that during the application part, Jamunta was able to sequence

the events correctly while with Halley, she struggled a little bit particularly with identifying

the second sentence in sequence.

To gather more data, I observed a third grade class and a fourth grade class. In the

third grade class, students were so eager to participate and show their work to the whole class.

Wood (2007) explained that with 8-year-old children, you would hear from them, I have a

great idea! which could describe them as energetic, imaginative, and sensible students. On

the other hand, as Wood (2007) pointed out, it was also evident that these students could

easily get bored especially when they were given not-so-challenging and fun activities. (I

should know that because I am a third grade teacher.) After I observed the fourth grade class,

Mrs. White, the teacher, mentioned that although her students would obviously show that they

do not like some of their classmates, they would always try their best to learn the concepts


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being taught to them. She said that they also love doing the food pyramid project in science as

they do not only show the different food groups, but also get to cut pictures from magazines,

flyers from grocery stores, and old newspapers. Wood (2007) stated that this behavior is

typical among 10-year old children particularly in math and science.

C. Language and Literacy Development during upper elementary school

D. Self-concept, Identity, and Motivation during upper elementary school

E. Peer Relations & Moral Development during upper elementary school


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In our lower elementary developmental activity, we tried to answer the question,

How would you explain Amys behavior? Meece and Daniels (2008) asked this question to

initiate the discussion on peer relations and moral development. Amy displayed negative peer

relations might be because she experienced rejection in her early years which resulted to

aggressive, hostile and disruptive behaviors in later years. Wood (2007) added that this

behavior is observable among twelve through thirteen-year olds, particularly thirteen year olds

because life for them seem to be very confusing, and thats how they appear to their parents

and teachers.

Peer relations and moral development are essential elements in a childs development.

Meece and Daniels (2008) explained that middle childhood students (between 6-10 years old)

prefer small and selective peer groups while early adolescence (between 10-14 years old) start

forming cliques of 6 to 9 peers.

Daniels, Beaumont, & Doolin (2008) explained that the kind of relationships that

students have with their peers and friends play an important but critical roles in their

development. These three authors added that students more likely to show positive behaviors

in school when they are accepted by their peers and at the same time shown positive

behaviors, too. It is very interesting to note that in my interviews before for the lower

elementary developmental project with Caleb, a 2nd grade student and Sarah, a kindergarten

student at Willis Hare Elementary School, and now for the upper elementary developmental

project with Dequesia, a fourth grade student at Willis Hare, and Jamunta and Halley, sixth

grade students at Conway Middle School all five children pointed out that people treat you

the way you treat them. All of them expressed that friends respect them when they also show

respect; they also said that if you treat them nicely, they would also treat you nicely.


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IV . Data

Collection

A. Interviews

B. Classroom Observations

C. Reflections

IV. Data Collection

A. Each Fellow will conduct two observations: One period in a third grade

classroom and another in a grade 4-6 setting. You may choose to conduct

additional observations if you want or need to.

B. Use an observation guide your group decides on or develops. Make sure you

incorporate into your observation notes what milestones children should have

reached at this age and corresponding, developmentally appropriate teaching

strategies and activities - if what you observed matched what you learned in

compiling part III. Include the completed observation guides from each Fellow

in this section of the report. You may also include copies of any additional field

notes.


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C. Each Fellow will conduct an interview with a grade 3-6 student (parental

consent required) with a specific tie to one of the developmental aspects in part

III.

D. The Superintendent really wants to know more about Literacy at this age, but

welcomes learning more and about any of the developmental areas in part III.

Fellows may choose to conduct additional interviews with:

a. Teachers of upper elementary grades (grades 3-6)

b. Elementary Principals and Assistant Principals

c. District Officials

d. Parents of upper elementary school aged children

e. Community Organization/Child Advocates

E. Individual Reflection: Each Fellow will individually write a short reflection on

the observation/interview experience(s). What did you learn about child

development at this age? Include the written reflections in this section of the

final report. OPTIONAL: As an alternative to the written self-reflection, your

group may choose to create a short digital story that describes both individual

and collective (group) learning. If you choose to create a digital story, please

upload it to the NELA channel on the NCSU College of Education video Web

site and include in the bound report a page that provides the link to the video.

V. Putting it Together


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Did what you saw and heard in part IV match what you learned in Part III? Pull together a

narrative that links these two sections. Reflect on: Is what should be happening for children at

this developmental age happening for students in your district? Can you identify any resources

that are missing/needed in your district? Use evidence from your field experiences and from

the readings to support your response.

LINK TO THE DIGITAL STORY:

http://cedvideo.ncsu.edu/video/2280/NCS

VI. Implications for Practice

Given what you now know, add a reflective narrative piece about how you (as an elementary

school principal) might use this knowledge in your leadership practice. This section can be

completed individually (each Fellow completes their own and they are all included in this

section of the report) or collectively as a group.

OPTIONAL: As an alternative to the written implications for practice piece, your group may

choose to create a short digital story. If you choose to create a digital story, please upload it to

the NELA channel on the NCSU College of Education video Web site and include in the

bound report a page that provides the link to the video.

VII. Resources and Citations
http://cedvideo.ncsu.edu/video/2280/NCShttp://cedvideo.ncsu.edu/video/2280/NCS


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References

Covey, S.R. (2004). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.New York: Free Press

Interaction Associates. (1997).Facilitative Leadership: Tapping the Power of Participation.

Return on Involvement. USA: Interaction Associates, Inc.

Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2002) Crucial Conversations.

USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies

Scope and Sequence

Any additional Resources or Toolkits

VIII. Product: Executive Summary

The Superintendent is eager to read your full report (Sections I-VII) and she wants to share

your learning with the school board and with new elementary school teachers. However, she

wants the information you submitted in the full report condensed into a "user friendly" format

that is helpful and informative, but is not too cumbersome to read. She wants you to create an

executive summary that "gives back" to the district/community/schools by sharing/showing

what you learned about upper elementary child development. This final product must be

helpful and informative to your target audience (school board members and new elementary

school teachers). You may for example want to create a color brochure or a pamphlet.

Documents

Final Report on NCS Upper Elementary Developmental Activity