Topics for 2012

Click on the link below in order to listen to the following:
In a special video edition of Commissioner’s Comments, Education Commissioner Terry Holliday welcomes Kentucky educators back to school after winter break, and offers a preview of  “what’s hot and what’s coming in 2012.” Among the topics highlighted are the Unbridled Learning: College/Career Readiness for All assessment and accountability system; student growth; Kentucky Core Academic Standards; new professional development resources; and the upcoming legislative session.
http://www.kentuckyteacher.org/commissioners-comments/2012/01/exciting-changes-improvements-for-kentucky-schools-in-2012/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+KentuckyTeacher+%28Kentucky+Teacher%29

K-Prep Released Items/Thinkfinity

Kentucky Department of Education recently released sample assessment items for the 2011-2012 Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (K-PREP) test. The new assessment for grades 3-8 is a blended model built with norm-referenced test (NRT) and criterion-referenced test (CRT) items which consist of multiple-choice, extended response and short answer items.

I have included a link to the sample items that have been develped for each part of the assessment (CRT and NRT). As more items become availiable, I will send you updates! Be sure to look at the K-PREP blueprint and items and times.
http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Administrative+Resources/Testing+and+Reporting+/District+Support/Link+to+Released+Items/Sample+Assessment+Items+for+K-PREP.htm

While gathering this information, I came across a site that I have seen used in many classroom but wanted to remind everyone what a wonderful resource that you have for free! If you click on the "in my classroom" tab, you will be directed to many standards based lessons and ideas!
http://www.thinkfinity.org/

Another Formative Assessment Idea

In the links that Ms. Kelli sent for data analysis, there was a brochure on how to use the weekly selection test in our reading series as a teaching tool and formative assessment. Last year we discussed how to count the selection test into the overall grade since we were giving common summative assessments at the end of each unit. We are only giving grades for summative assessments so the selection tests can still be a great tool to use when monitoring student progress of the learning targets. Instead of looking at it as comprehension of the story, you can look at the skill the students must apply to answer the question and determine if they are mastering that skill. If you give a selection test weekly, you would have the data along the way to see what you needed to go back and re-teach as a whole group or with a smaller group of students before they apply those skills on the summative assessment.

I placed this brochure in your mailbox and it includes: how to use the weekly selection test, which students take the test, how to use the data to inform instruction, and a description of constructed response questions.

Follow-up on Data Analysis

Last week at our staff meeting, you received an example of how to analyze individual and whole group summative test results on one sheet. This is very helpful because it provides a visual of what learning targets you need to go back and work on with individual students and it allows you to see what types of questions the majority of your class is missing. Ms. Kelli mentioned how she documented results for her students with reading. I have included the links she sent me and a brief description of each.

http://meswiki.wikispaces.com/First+Grade
This site provides unit benchmark analysis that correlates with Reading Street. You can select your grade level on the left turquoise column and you will find the analysis and other instructional resources for that reading unit.

http://www.falmouth.k12.ma.us/index.php/home/academics/english-language-arts/reading-street-documents
This page contains detailed information about the Reading Street curriculum by grade level. You can access how they format their ELA block, what small group and guided reading looks like with this reading series, how each week is organized, pacing guides, etc...

Upcoming Resources/Formative Assessment Lessons

Ms. Becky and Ms. Kelli are representing our school in the state Leadership Network this year. Each month they receive information and teaching strategies for English Language Arts and Math. The topics for this month included The Literacy Design Collaborative(LDC) and the Math Design Collaborative (MDC) which brings the standards into the classroom through the use of Formative Assessment Lessons (FALs). Several districts in the state are taking part in this pilot program which is supported by a Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Here is a link from Kentucky Teacher that explains the process of each.  http://www.kentuckyteacher.org/news/2011/03/grants-push-state-forward-with-next-generation-mathematics-literacy/

We will be discussing this in more detail at future staff meetings. The ideas that they bring back each month from the network, will be communicated to everyone via staff meetings or this blog. Below, I have included how Kenton County schools have structured a Formative Assessment Lesson which is part of the Math Design Collaborative.

The structure of a Formative Assessment Lesson:

• Students complete a pre-assessment which is given a day or two before the lesson and is used to gather data on students' current level of understanding and misconceptions. The teacher provides descriptive feedback to students to aid in moving the learner forward.
• Students participate in a collaborative activity to exchange constructive feedback with thier peers and resolve misconceptions through discussion.
• Students then have the opportunity to share thier findings and learn from other groups in a whole-class discussion whcih is student led, but carefully engineered by the teacher.
• Finally, students have the opportunity to return to the pre-assessment and revise their individual work to proficiency.

FALs switch around the usual classroom hierarchy. Students who figure out an answer first find themselves as "not the only ones with the right answers." As a result, everyone is engaged and challenged, even if each student's final destination is not identical. Students enjoy breaking out of the repetitiveness of formal lessons, and appear to value "the chance to approach a math probelm without the front loading of ideas and skills." It stops being math, and instead becomes an interesting question!

Behavior RTI Plan

                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Tier 1

All Students

Classroom consequences, detention, parent/student conferences

Tier 1 refers to the explicit teaching of school-wide behavior expectations

in the classroom and in non–structured areas as outlined in the Student Handbook (p. 8

School-Wide Discipline Code)

Panther Partners

Tier 2

Panther Partners is a mentoring program at Cumberland County Elementary School. This program pairs staff members with students who show one or more factors for not succeeding or completing their education. Our purpose is to help these students develop a relationship with a staff member in the building. These students will not be made aware of their identification into this program.

How students are identified: Students who have one or more of the following characteristics:

o   several in-school and/or afterschool detentions;

o   poor attendance;

o   poor achievement in school;

o     poor attitude towards peers and/or faculty and staff.

Commitment from staff: Staff members commit to:

o   brief daily conversations with their assigned student;

o   be a positive influence in their life;

o     ensure student has eaten and is adequately prepared for his/her day, including   classroom supplies.

Tier 2 consists of strategically pairing students with teachers to have a positive interaction with each morning before the 1^st bell (morning assembly, lunchroom, hallway, etc.).

Panther Partners Plus

Tier 3

Panther Partners Plus is beyond a simple mentoring program. Students who are enrolled in Panther Partners Plus will be assigned a staff member (this may or may not be their partner from the Tier 2 program) to meet with on a regular basis and develop a deep meaningful relationship. Students will be made aware of their enrollment into this program and it is our hope that we can have an initial meeting including the parents and student.

How students are identified: Students who have one or more of the following characteristics:

o   several in-school and /or afterschool detentions;

o   poor attendance;

o   poor achievement in school;

o   poor attitude towards peers and/or faculty and staff;

o   demonstrates behaviors that are serious in nature and could result in suspension.

Commitment from staff: Staff members commit to:

o   brief daily conversations with their assigned student;

o   be a positive influence in their life; “connect” with the students each week for at least 5-10 minutes;

o   email student’s teacher each week to get update on behavior and academic progress;

o   contact parents every two-three weeks;

o   give praise and /or small rewards for student successes;

o   attend extracurricular activities or outside school events that student is involved in; when possible.

Tier 3 meetings will occur monthly and consist of a variation of the following members: Principal, Instructional Specialist, teacher, student, parent/guardian, Guidance Counselor, FRYSC, DPP, etc.  This committee will ensure basic needs are met for the family and offer every available resource to the student and his/her family to change problem behavior.

Monthly TweetFest for Teachers

The Kentucky Department of Education will begin hosting a monthly TweetFEST to invite teachers and administrators to share resources they’re using to teach the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards (KCAS) in the 2011-12 school year. The first TweetFEST was Oct. 25, and each subsequent TweetFEST will be on the fourth Tuesday of each month during the 2011-12 school year (except in December). KDE encourages teachers and administrators who use Twitter to tweet links to resources they are using to implement the KCAS in the classroom and add the #teachkcas hashtag to each tweet.

I created a Twitter account last night and became a follower of: KyDeptofEd and prichardcom
Both of these are great resources and it is an easy way to share and get ideas from Kentucky teachers!

Please check out the following site: http://prichblog.blogspot.com/

This site lets you in on conversations dealing with Kentucky education issues. They share fresh news, ideas, and data daily! On the left side of the site, you will see a list of topics to narrow down your search. This is worth the time to keep up with!