Language Usage - a Great Integrator!

Now that many of my students have moved beyond a focus on Language Conventions and into Language Usage, I'm finding the content to be more integration friendly.

Today, I finished developing a unit part about figurative language, primarily simile and metaphor. I've always enjoyed teaching students this content. Perhaps one reason is that it highlights the connections between reading, writing, and language usage.

The first portion of the unit part focused on the nuts and bolts of simile and metaphor, but it was the latter portion of that unit part that brought the content to life. Students tend to enjoy describing emotions using figurative language and the Emotion Poem activity will allow them the chance to do just that. Allowing students to choose an emotion to describe figuratively has a powerful motivational effect. I often get a kick out of students who choose dark, unpleasant emotions (to match their temporary demeanors) only to wind up bringing smiles of satisfaction to us all after they use language effectively.

At this point, students are usually ready to dig into some short poems loaded with simile and metaphor. It seems to help students engage with poetry if the task at hand is not just about what a poem "means" but to also seek out uses of familiar figurative language. The task becomes more of a scavenger hunt. The bonus is that embedded within these similes and metaphors are hints at any number of interpretations students might claim as their own.

In this way reading, writing, and language usage work together as they always have.

Smarter Balanced Serenity

God grant me the serenity 
to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

                          -Reinhold Niebuhr

This is my approach to this year's Smarter Balanced Testing. I could rail about the unfairness, the unreliability, the lack of validity, the political motivations and other aspects of the standardized tests and their connections with Common Core and NCLB. However, I'm not going to because I'm following the Serenity Prayer approach to Smarter Balanced survival.

The prayer is about being able to identify what can be reasonably done, and letting go of everything else. That's just what I'm doing with Smarter Balanced (and its good buddies Common Core and No Child Left Behind). I'm doing what I can (which is quite a lot), and not accepting the burden of what I can't do.

So just what am I doing?

Well, for one thing, I'm not freaking out. It's amazing how much power educators give to all the silver bullet mandates that are foisted upon us. We empower these initiatives when we freak out about them. It doesn't help anyone for me to get upset that some or all of my students may not meet the standards set by some secret pass panel that meets in a dark, educational bunker. It is far more helpful to be as effective a teacher as I can, and ignore those who claim I am otherwise (usually those who have never really spent time in my classroom).

Though I refuse to run around the school like my hair is on fire, I'm also not putting my head in the sand. There are several items that I have already put in place to support my student's progress toward meeting the Common Core standards. Others will be added over time. Here are a few:

• I'm focusing instruction on Common Core content. This is of course nothing new, as any reasonable teacher would make sure students are learning what they need to learn.

• I'm meeting kids where they are at. Students are in many different places when it comes to literacy knowledge and skills. Skipping content is not a wise strategy, nor is spending vast amounts of time on content that students already know. One instructional step ahead of each student's current skill/knowledge level is the most fertile of learning locales. The independent aspects of the customized approach allow students to be in a more constant state of growth while avoiding the pitfalls of excessive frustration (from the over pursuit of standards growth) and boredom (from the under pursuit of standards).

• I'm engaging all students with "grade level" content. While this seems to be in conflict with the prior point, it is not. Too often, instruction is seen as either grade level or not. Instead of an either...or scenario, instruction can instead be one of ...and. The independent aspects of customized approach allow for engaging students in content within their instructional range, and as a blessed side effect, instructional opportunities arise to meet with groups of students for grade level instruction. Of course, even the grade level instruction is customized, with varying levels of scaffolding in place to help students become familiar with the required content of Common Core.

With all of the above and more in place, and the reality that I'm working very hard to help my students learn, just what is there to freak out about? I've heard, "We have to worry because we'll be judged by the scores!"

I say, "So what?" My school earned an "F" from the Maine Department of Education last year, and guess what? The sky did not fall! Most people see right through the perpetual (and often fraudulent) crises that are proclaimed from the educational ivory towers of Augusta and Washington. And if you read the surveys, you'll find that most parents think their kids' teachers are great. I care a lot more about what parents and students think about my work than I do about the opinions of some overpriced government suit with a political agenda.

So, instead of worrying about how underprepared my students might be for this spring's Smarter Balanced assessments, I'm calmly adding to the list of ways I'm reaching out to kids, teaching them what they need to know. That, after all, is what teaching is. I'll leave the freaking out to the federal, state, and local politicians. It appears to be what they are best at.

Progress - One Step at a Time (..or in this case Two)

My students and I have taken a couple steps forward these past few weeks. The two biggest changes for us this year have been the use of tasks embedded within Educate and the use of a new Writing Workshop approach. Here are some highlights.

Embedded Tasks: This has been a huge plus this fall. In the past, students have been able to log into Educate to find out what is due and when.  This year, students can click on live links in the assignment descriptions, links that connect students to actual activities and resources. So far, this new feature has been a big hit. The only trouble has been a temporary internet speed hiccup that is being resolved.

Writing Workshop: I wasn't thrilled with my students' writing progress last year, and I knew I was mostly to blame. So this year, I made some changes. I set up a Writing Workshop approach similar to that being used by MPCL (Maine Partnership for Comprehensive Literacy), and it has worked much better than its predecessor. Writing seemed to need more direct instruction than I was providing students last year. This is still not a slow death by large group lecture fest, but in the structure of the Workshop, I am providing students with more direction. The work of Laura Robb has been quite helpful in this regard.

And so, we're taking more steps forward. We don't need to figure it all out at once, nor do we need to get it right the first time. Over time, however, we are making progress, and that is what matters.

One Stop Shopping (Almost)

I hate shopping malls. Despite the allure of one stop shopping, there are too many people and too many things I don't need, making it harder for me to get what I want.

That being said, I love the concept of one stop shopping. Perhaps that's the allure of online purchasing; it's all right there at your fingertips.

My goal this summer has been to move my customized program in more of a one stop shopping direction. I'm getting there. This  year, students will be able to access most of their independent learning through Educate (the learning management software purchased by the district). Each student will be able to look at his/her calendar and see what needs attention and then click on those tasks to receive step by step instructions, note sheets, video lessons, assessments, and more.

This is a big step up from last year, when students were informed of the major tasks that needed tackling but were not provided with links and other resources. This forced students to sort through Moodle, Google, and other locations to find their way to the checklists and other resources housed there. In short, my students were having to shop in a mall. Everything was there, but there were too many things in the way, too much sorting to do.

I think most students will be pleased with this latest progress as many of them spoke of the lack of logic in multistop shopping. Once again, the students have provided the next steps for me.

Small Group Update

The implementation of scheduled, small group instruction amidst the customized program has been successful in all three ranges so far despite some ups and downs. Here's the latest...

• As described in a previous post, my initial Readers' Meeting work with my weakest readers proved to be beneficial. Work with reading strategies gave way to a comparison and contrast of literature and informational text. These meetings are clearly having the desired effect.  Here's a recent example. In our meetings I often use a small, dry erase marker board in support of students who require a more visual approach to learning. Due to student absences (serendipity strikes again!), I turned the marker over to students to review prior meeting content. Wow! I expected that they had taken much of the content in, but even I was surprised with the detail with which they again and again explained the ins and outs of literature and informational text both verbally and visually!

• My next reading groups were of the Comprehension Focus variety. Group members were each given different readings around a common issue. Since I knew terrorism was an issue of interest to members of the 7th grade focus group, I made that the focus. This has proven to be more successful than I could have imagined with students having serious, thought provoking conversations about their readings and the issue. Readings have included excerpts from the U.S. counterterrorism strategy, an exploration of the evolving definition of the term terrorism, and a report from the inside of Al Qaeda. For my convenience, I tried the same issue and readings with my 8th grade focus group but with very different results. These students could care less about the issue of terrorism and were just politely putting up with my demands on them. Big mistake on my part! After having a frank conversation with the group, I've decided to take this group in a different direction. They each quickly identified an issue that was of importance to them . We'll see how our meeting changes when they are reading and talking about issues that are more important to them. (How quickly I forget!)

• As explained in my prior post, I left the middle group for last as they are the group that seems to be served the best without regularly scheduled reading meetings. The focus for their meetings has been a review of the content they have tackled this year, much of it linked with literary analysis. This proved to be worthwhile as in many cases much of the learning had become a bit foggy from spending too much time on students' mental storage shelves. It didn't take long for the learning to come roaring back to the front of students' minds. The content simply needed to be activated. I'm not sure how this will work on a regular basis next year, but I'm glad that I've included it in the latter stages of this school year.

The work with small group meetings over the last few months leaves me eager to implement the next evolution of our customized approach, a version that will hopefully be even more responsive to the needs and interests of students.

Grouping and Regrouping

I've heard quite a bit from (customized learning advocate) Bea McGarvey and friends about the value of grouping and regrouping students. As I mentioned in my prior post, organized small group instruction has not played a major role in my classroom in recent years. There has been more of a focus on individual instruction complemented by small group instruction based on immediate need. This was likely a mistake along the way for me.

While situations calling for whole class instruction remain few and far between, I've been making greater use of planned, small group reading instruction of late. I like what I've seen so far.

My initial emphasis has been on my weakest readers. Remember, these students were already receiving reading instruction at their level via video lessons, choices of readings, constructed response assessments, and Learning Target Projects. This approach was complemented by individual instruction on an as needed basis. However, I was missing an opportunity to push the learning to a higher degree. That is why I began a new series of Readers' Meetings. For these students, the initial focus has been on reading strategies, first in literature and soon in informational text. This has proven to be an effective approach as subsequent meetings are revealing that the learning is in fact taking place. Best of all, the structure of our customized approach allows these meetings to fit comfortably into the classroom framework.

Next in my sites will be my strongest readers. They will also participate in Readers' Meetings, though their meetings will be more of the Comprehension Focus Groups variety. My initial thinking is that these meetings will bring students together having read different pieces, of varying genres, all sharing a common theme or issue. The discussion will require students to consider how their readings and the readings of others fit together to form a greater understanding.

Once this second set of Readers' Meeting groups are underway, I'll shift my focus to the middle. I've left this subset of my class for last because data clearly shows that they are the group best served by my customized approach. (Please don't misunderstand this! All students are being well served by this approach. It's just that the middle group seems to be served quite a bit more than their peers at the extremes, not a unique occurrence in classrooms.)

And so, the journey continues with this new venture of grouping and regrouping students.

Seeking Common Ground

It seems us education folks always have a million plates spinning. Standards Based teaching and learning, the Common Core, and a host of other initiatives (sometimes at odds with each other) can make it hard for teachers to form consensus and work together. My school district is no different than many as there are currently three initiatives simultaneously in the forefront.

• Standards Based Education: Like other Maine school districts, mine has been working to make the required shift to a standards based diploma. While the requirement seems to be more of a high school matter, it has trickled down to K-8, particularly the middle level where most of the adjustments seem to be taking place.

• Customized Learning: Likely due to the upcoming standards based requirement deadlines, my district joined the Maine Cohort for Customized Learning (MCCL). As a cohort member, the district gained access to the cohort's progression-based, standards driven curriculum. The district also gained a seat at the table in the effort to promote and support a more personalized (i.e.- customized) approach to teaching and learning that has been the norm.

• Comprehensive Literacy Framework: While linked to literacy in its implementation this is really an instructional model/structure (hence, framework) intended to improve classroom instruction, particularly literacy instruction.

My efforts have focused almost exclusively on the first two initiatives while many of my colleagues have been exploring the third with the support of a literacy specialist who is versed in both the framework and literacy instruction.

However, of late, I have wondered why the three initiatives can't be intertwined to a greater degree. For example, if the framework consists of research supported approaches that represent good teaching, and customized learning represents a logical means to engage students in learning, why can't the two work together?

If only it were that easy!

From what I have seen, the framework is a valid approach to teaching and learning in general. However, there is a key component missing in this largely whole class and small group approach to teaching and learning - the two part reality of learning rates (the appropriate pace of learning for individual students) and  learning waves (the ebbs and flows individual students go through as they learn)  Students simply don't all learn at the same pace; I know of no teachers who dispute that fact. Also, ask teachers and they will tell you that sometimes individual students learn slower (the ebbs), and sometimes those same students learn faster (the flows). Individual and small group pace variation is a key component of standards based education. The framework, with an emphasis on what the whole class is learning within a common lesson, fails to address these issues adequately. Making this issue even more significant is the overwhelming level of customization young learners expect in their 21st century lives.

No problem! Just implement customized learning and toss the framework on the 20th century scrap heap, right?

Not so fast!

Yes, customized learning with its focus on the individual is an excellent way to address both the waves and pace of student learning. It is also possible to give students far more power over their personal education experience than is allowed by the framework which is more teacher driven. However, the instructional practices of the framework can't be simply ignored. For example, establishing and clearly explaining a goal for a particular learning session is very good educational practice. It's also in the framework, by the way. So is small group learning that I, in my zeal to individualize my students' experience, have given the short end of the stick. It makes sense to incorporate the effective teaching strategies of the framework within a customized approach. Customized learning should be an "all hands on deck" approach to teaching and learning, and to ignore the benefits of an instructional framework would be provincial and foolish.

I'm increasingly convinced that there is a middle ground and that this middle ground embeds a variety of instructional approaches within a customized structure. Sound vague? It is, but I'm working to make it more clear in my own mind and will share the result. Like this entire effort, it's a bold adventure and a work in progress.

A Customized Classroom Glimpse

From time to time, I am asked how to do this "customized" or "standards based" thing. Well, I happen to have this document updated and handy for my upcoming observation/evaluation preconference. Perhaps, it will offer a glimpse into the nuts and bolts of the approach.

2013-2014 LASS Information (Mr. Davis)

Last year, our LASS class underwent a major transformation from a program linked to grade level content standards to a more customized learning program that was more standards based.  That transformation continues in the 2013-2014 school year.

Features of this year’s Customized, Standards Based Approach:

• Students work through units of study that are grounded in the district approved curriculum.
• Students don’t move on to the next Learning Target in a unit until they have met or exceeded  the previous Learning Target.  There are unlimited opportunities to meet or  exceed each Learning Target, though interventions are put in place if a student lags behind.
• Students are typically required to demonstrate proficiency of a Learning Target more than once before moving on to the next LT.
• Students use iPads, apps, Moodle, Google Docs, textbooks, and other classroom materials to work independently, with peers, and/or with one-to-one teacher guidance..
• LASS Learning Targets are scored using a 4-1 scale with 3 being the target and 4 being the highest.

Language Arts Units of Study

Reading: All students are placed within a reading progression based on their estimated reading levels. The progression is based in part on the LT sequencing of RSU57, among the leaders in the Maine Cohort for Customized Learning.

• Informational Text
• Literature

Writing: All students produce written drafts that are used as targeted teaching tools.

• Informational Explanatory
• Narrative
• Opinion/Persuasive

Language: All students learn basic language skills both independent of and within their written drafts.

• Conventions (Grammar)
• Acquisition (Vocabulary and Use of Language)

Social Studies: All students begin with a common progression of Learning Targets from the “US Government: Civics and Legal System” Measurement Topic, eventually determining for themselves their personal sequences of Measurement Topics to study.

• US Government
• Civics and the Legal System (currently available)
• Rights and Responsibilities (currently available)
• US/World Geography
• Maps and Tools (currently available)
• US Regions (in development)
• US/World History (to be developed)
• Economics (to be developed)

Learning Target Projects

Periodically, students are asked to create reflective projects. Students revisit what they have learned and create projects of their choice, demonstrating that learning.

Needs Based Tasks

Occasionally, a team, class, small group, or individual students are presented with brief learning tasks based on a specific need. For example, if several students appear to have difficulty with using context clues, those students are presented with learning tasks to help them improve that skill and certify their proficiency with the related Learning Target.

Class Routine

Typically, students enter the classroom and receive initial instructions via a smart board message without a cumbersome, start of period meeting. The message might look like this:

LASS-S:

1. Sit in TREE groups.

2. Complete your Plan for 10/28/13 in Moodle.

3. Work on your LTs for reading, writing, language, and/or social studies.

Students then engage in their learning wherever they happen to have left off. Most students use Educate as a means to check what is overdue and/or upcoming. Sometimes students are working on the same LTs, but other times they are working on completely different ones. Students have the option of getting assistance from each other or the teacher as needed. As students complete assessments, they write them on the clipboard sheet by the teacher’s desk. Assessments are scored as soon as possible, and students are notified, allowing them the opportunity to improve their work should it be required and/or should they choose. At the end of the period, students are generally thanked for their work and dismiss independently without a cumbersome, end of period meeting.

Class Guidelines

The three underlying principles guiding our classroom are as follows:

• Respect yourself.
• Respect others.
• Respect property.

Specific classroom expectations flow from our guiding principles. For example:

• Students are allowed to talk during class, but conversations should be whispered and brief.
• Students are sometimes assigned to tables, but they are usually allowed to self select isolated seating to avoid distractions.
• Students are not allowed to sit on tables as it leads to damage.

Exceptions to classroom expectations are made in an attempt to help students develop self discipline or to meet their individual needs. For example:

• Students who earn Wall of Fame status for their on pace work in both ELA and SS are allowed to work in the hallway.
• Sometimes an entire class of students may be granted the freedom to sit where they choose in the classroom as long as sufficient progress is being made.
• Some students simply work best in a separate environment and are quietly granted permission to work in the hall, the special ed. classroom, or another environment as long as they continue to make progress.

While rare, the most common consequence a student might receive for misbehavior is a “behavior practice” break detention. Also, if needed, a student may be asked to sit near the teacher desk or be moved to a nearby teacher’s classroom to settle.

Reward Systems

Wall of Fame: As mentioned above, students who earn Wall of Fame status (updated each Monday morning) receive hallway work privileges and greater flexibility. For example, a student who is on the weekly Wall of Fame may be granted permission to work on a project for another class or go to the music room to practice.

Pride Points: Students who are seen doing something positive may receive a Pride Point slip with their name on it. The student places the slip in a drawing bin. Once or twice a week, the team gathers and draws a few Pride Points from the bin. Those students get to select a treat from the reward box.

Assessment Tallies: As students submit assessments, a daily tally is posted for each class. Currently, this doesn’t lead to a reward, though it is proving to be quite motivating for some students.

Passes

Initially, students were not required to use a pass to visit the restroom or printer. However, this led to some wandering and other hallway misbehaviors. As a result, a pass system was put into place. While a pass is not required to visit one’s locker, a pass is required for visit anywhere outside of the locker area. Typically, only one or two students are allowed passes at any one time, depending on the circumstance.

Homework

During the 1st trimester, student are required to complete a Practice Paragraph assignment each week. During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, students are encouraged to spend time working on their Learning Targets on a schedule that makes sense for them. It is recommended that students try to complete one task from an LT checklist each evening.

Communication

Periodically, parents are notified by phone or email if their child is lagging too far behind the expected pace. This notification is usually accompanied by an offer of after school assistance. More frequent communication is provided at a parent’s request.

Ontaskedness

At some point, us education folks became way too enamored with the idea of students being on task. My guess is that this is a throwback to the industrial era, during which workers were pushed to throw the machine lever again and again and again, without thinking, without looking about, without talking with friends, and without pausing except at predetermined times...or else! While that may be good 20th century factory policy, it simply doesn't make sense in the modern classroom.

I've been trying something new this year - I've taken off my Factory Supervisor hat and am no longer holding my students' feet to the fire of perpetual ontaskedness.

The result? A more positive classroom climate for one thing. I'm no longer the on task enforcer of the classroom. Instead, I've taken on these other roles:

• Classroom Attendant: My new favorite thing to ask students as I occasionally circulate about the room is, "Do you have everything you need? Are you comfortable? Do you know what is up next? Do you need to take a break?"

• Reminder in Chief: What a difference it makes to hand a student a sticky note with a gentle, "Just wanted to make sure you knew these assignments need some attention..." as opposed to a stern, "Do this now without any stopping, or you're in big trouble!"

• Praise Monitor: I always keep a stack of Pride Points on my desk and often in my shirt pocket. Pride Points are a quick, piece of paper way of saying, "Good job! Keep it up!" Sometimes kids just need their feel good tank refilled.

• Energy Booster: We all need a fire lit under us sometimes, and there are countless ways to light it. One positive approach I used the other day was to silently note on the board the number of assessments that had been submitted by each class so far that day. Many eyes were on me as I updated the number following each assessment submission, and to my satisfaction, the rate of submissions increased.

Are there limits? Of course!

Students need to refrain from distracting others from their work. (Just because one student is taking a quick breather doesn't mean the rest of the class needs to join in.) To deal with this, we have a classroom guideline stating that it's okay to whisper briefly. Keeping conversation to a whisper keeps the classroom from becoming an anticoncentration environment. Keeping the conversations brief limit student to student distractions. However, a quick, "Man! That was tough!  Did you do the pronouns activity yet?" is just fine.

Another limit is progress (another classroom guideline). Students need to make progress over time. If not, I can always intervene with assistance like solo seating or a phone call home.

So far, the results have been adequate enough to continue this trial on a general, whole class basis. However, it is becoming obvious that I need to do a better job of collecting and reviewing individual progress data to see if there are individuals who are benefitting more (or less) from this approach.

We'll see what that data shows in the coming weeks!