Vicki


 * Professional Learning Plan**


 * Target**: Students will articulate what they are learning.

1. Can students articulate the big ideas? 2. Can students answer guiding questions and relate content to these? 3. Can students recognize an dmake connections to deeper understandings?
 * Essential Questions**:

1. //Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding// by Design Tomlinson and McTighe. 2. //Fair Isn't Always Equal// by Wormeli. 3. Attend Wormeli conference January 19 and 20, 2010 Saskatoon. 4. "Beginning with Kids in Mind" by Armstrong and Mielke 5. Professional Development in school Armstrong and Mielke - UnWrapping by Design. 6. Ongoing communication with Dean Armstrong - (see above) re UnWrapping
 * Background Reading and Research**:

Students will be able to articulate the answer guiding questions by unit end. Students will be able to recognize essential understandings gained. Test or relevant product at unit I end Retest or re-evaluate by end of unit II.
 * Smart Goal**
 * By end of unit 2 semester 1 at least 80%of students will be able to do above.

Communicate with Dean Armstrong during unwrapping process. Read about, practice and do unwrappijng. Experiment with templates Post big ideas and guiding questions. Charge students with maintaining connections to big ideas. Formative assessment Meet with Ruth to collaborate re unwrapping and DI ing
 * Action Plan**


 * __March 6, 2010 ASCD Annual Conference - Critical Transformations__**.

Tomlinson's session this morning was better than I expected. Each aspect was framed through Essential Question. Lots of theory and research to back it up. The section on The Ethics of Differentiation was really moving. Handouts are not available, but the entire presentation can be found on the ASCD website. Awesome.

High Impact Learning: Transforming PD into Student Results

Doug Reeves is an engaging presenter with an inspiring message. It was timely as we prepare for the best way to share our DI knowledge. the frustration comes from the understanding that it's a bigger picture than that. He points out that to create high impact pd we must: 1. recognize that all PD should Focus on Student Learning. 2. expect rigorous measurement of ADULT decisions 3. focus on people and practices, not programs.- programs come and go, but people and practices endure.

Another key element of his high-impact PD is to start with a **not to do** list. Too many initiatives cause fatigue, burnout and stress. They are also time-suckers and money suckers. As a teacher, I know that if DO staff acknowledged the overload on teachers, were clear about what is NO Longer important, then applied focus to the pd, there would be more buy in. With less than 90% buy in by faculty, no PD will be effective enough.

I think it is so crucial that the implementation of UbD and DI be done properly. These practices are here to stay, but will be only words if we don't get this right!!!!!!!

The beauty of Reeves is that all of his assertions are backed with research. that reflects the US and Canada.

I attended a panel discussion by McTighe, Tomlinson, Wiggins and Marzano. They discussed the principles of UbD and DI; how they work together and why they matter. It was interesting listening to all those experts share and encourage and validate each other.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Robyn Jackson's presentation based on her book, //**Never Work Harder than Your Students**//, was valuable and inspiring. the title is a little misleading. There are 7 principles to follow. The last is the title of the book. What she really talks about is knowing whose job is what and teaching kids to take ownership. A teacher's work should occur before and after the lesson, mostly. The child should be exerting her or himself during the lesson. She pointed out a number of things we do that are actually laughable such as restating children's questions and answering our own. She reminds us that we do no favours to children by taking away the struggle of learning.

March 23, 2010

Quality Curriculum is the crux of the matter. Once we identify and put our stock into what we want students to learn, we can properly plan, differentiate and fairly assess.

The freedom gained by paring down and truly understanding our desired student outcomes is exciting. It allows us to differentiate to meet student needs. Using one of the many templates is fine, but it would be great to have common knowledge so communication and understanding is common. However, learning by practising a variety of approaches and templates builds understanding. //**Learning isn't something that happens to us, it's something that happens IN us.**// This applies to students and teachers. ..

As a junior and senior high teacher I am surrounded by teachers who have a course of study that they teach. By using one of the many templates, we can break this down. Communicating these desired results to students also adds accountability - teacher and student. When you tell students these are the things you will learn and you will show me that you have learned them, the onus is put back on the student to show these understandings. I think this is something that teachers will really buy into. It's not always your teaching, it's THEIR learning.

** DI Action Research ** //Formative Assessment//

Participation in DI Supportive Learning Environment research and theory Reflections on your class and your own teaching values and beliefs
 * Coming to the Question **


 * //Question:// **


 * // Will formative assessment strategies change my students’ achievement and alter my pace and methods of instruction? //**

Activating personal knowledge and experiences Conversations with others Collecting information from books and online sources
 * Reconnaissance **


 * Reflection on how I learn and require feedback as I learn in the DI group and learning about UbD. Aside from the group and its required reading, I have attended a Wormeli conference on Assessment. I was also fortunate enough to attend the ASCD annual conference where I was exposed to a number of speakers who are leaders in these fields. I have read Fair Isn’t Always Equal (Wormeli) and Never Work Harder than your Students (Jackson). All of these experiences are tempered with reflection – alone and with my teacher/coach husband and very supportive administration as well as other teachers on staff. **


 * I have tried to incorporate different formative assessments (formal and informal) to give a deeper exposure to and understanding of the limitlessness of formative assessment. **


 * Action and Data Collection **

Describe something that you did differently- what, when, who
 * What do I experiment with? What action will I take? **

When doing guided questioning in a large group in grade 11 and 12, I began asking for every student who knew the answer to raise his or her hand. In my teacher planner, I kept track of student response with check, check+, check-. For clarification purposes, I would ask one of the last hand-raisers to explain to the class and have others add to or respond. Through student-led discussion the group shows understanding. For bigger concepts, I’d ask students to make a list or show with a graphic organizer what they were claiming to know or understand. To double check, I’d quickly walk around to see that what they had was correct. I would record in my book, using the same system, those who were “not yet”. When the majority was clear and ready to practice their knowledge, I gathered the small group and retaught or changed their practice to suit their needs.

After studying traditional and non-traditional fairytales in ELA 20, I assigned a compare/contrast paragraph. Using a clear checklist of elements, they worked through the process of writing. I returned them with checks to show strengths and redo on about 1/3. There was no mark. I explained that it was formative and that each student needed to show understanding and ability to perform the skill. Those who needed to redo just did. A few took a number of attempts and in the end I asked them to compare their drafts to show their understanding of the differences. I only retaught in the learning lab environment, not in class. All students required to redo came to me for clarification. It was student directed.

After a short quiz on the opening elements of Hamlet, I could see that a number were not understanding the basics. I consulted my special services teacher who guided me to a number of valuable resources of various levels that could reach my students. They took these, and when I retested had made progress in their understanding.

Choose your before and after data collection tools – survey, questionnaire, interview, etc.
 * How will I collect data? **


 * I use a check, check plus and check minus in my dayplanner. After a number of types of formative assessment I can see a pattern and make more serious adjustments to one of the 3 areas (content, process or product). **


 * Reflection **

Collate and organize the data
 * What does my data say? (analysis) **


 * Formative assessment guides practice and puts accountability on teachers and students. **
 * (T)What do I expect them to learn? **


 * AND **


 * (S)What do I need to learn? **

What does the data tell you?
 * What does it mean? (interpretation) **

Formative assessment is crucial to instruction and inherent in learning.


 * AHA! **

Insights into your students, the strategy experimented with, and your own practice Reflect on assumptions you made, surprises and roadblocks encountered Apply insights and reflections to changes you will make to your practice
 * What does this mean for my practice? **

Students want to learn. I thought formative assessments were important, but would be more work. It isn’t more work and the results are inspiring.


 * I BELIEVE. . .**

DI is a respectful,principled and people-centred approach to teaching and learning.


 * //"Treat others as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of being." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe//**

** DI Action Research ** Participation in DI Supportive Learning Environment research and theory Reflections on your class and your own teaching values and beliefs
 * Flexible Grouping**
 * Coming to the Question **
 * //Question:// **
 * how does flexible grouping alter my instruction? **

Activating personal knowledge and experiences Conversations with others Collecting information from books and online sources
 * Reconnaissance **


 * Action and Data Collection **

Describe something that you did differently- what, when, who
 * What do I experiment with? What action will I take? **
 * organize groups and activities according to experience, apparent readiness, and task commitment. **
 * meet with each group to clarify assignment and expectations. **

Choose your before and after data collection tools – survey, questionnaire, interview, etc.
 * How will I collect data? **
 * Interview, questionnaire, product rubric, effort and participation rubric. **

Collate and organize the data Students who are moderately ready enjoy working with those who are committed to learn. They are frustrated by detractors. ** Low readiness kids couldn't focus on the skill-building expectation, they were worried they were behind or were missing out. Their reliance level on the high-end kids was evident. Their accountability went up!
 * Reflection **
 * What does my data say? (analysis) **
 * Students with high readiness and high task-commitment enjoy working together, but most would still prefer working alone (competetive spirit!)

What does the data tell you?
 * What does it mean? (interpretation) **
 * I need to know more about devising respectful tasks and appropriate activities. **


 * AHA! **

Insights into your students, the strategy experimented with, and your own practice Reflect on assumptions you made, surprises and roadblocks encountered Apply insights and reflections to changes you will make to your practice
 * What does this mean for my practice? **

low-readiness students are not always "relieved" to be working together. High - readiness aren't either.

**May 4th, 2010**
//__Reflection on Classroom Practices

L__**earning, reading**// and experimenting with DI has sometimes felt 2 steps forward and one step back. I sometimes feel very conflicted regarding doing what's best for students. We are a little "at sea" when it comes to being a teacher. I have always felt very comfortable allowing students to use their strengths to show their understanding, but the more I teach, the more I feel the need to do so while sticking to the curriculum as much as possible. Although DI is student centred, the basic tenet of quality curriculum cannot be ignored. In fact, the more I experiment, the more I feel that without committing to quality curriculum, tempered with teacher autonomy, we are not really doing our jobs.

"Fair isn't equal" can be used as a guidepost in DI, but to be fair to our students, they see fair and equal quite differently. I also fear we may short-change students whom we may believe "aren't ready for . . .". but how do we know if they don't try? I feel very uncomfortable setting the bar too low. None of us knows all there is to know about our students and I don't care how many tests, assessments and learning inventories you use. Also, when it comes to varied resources, unless you can really pare down that curriculum to a skeleton, it's difficult to say that different resources will meet the same outcomes. I don't feel our curriculum is there yet, or at least my understanding of it!

Students love group work, but it needs to be used more for the learning and less for the assessing. It's difficult to talk kids out of group work for marks. They think it's fun. The older and more competetive kids, however have caught on long ago that they do the work - and so do their coattails!

The more I play and learn and discover, the more I think we need to agree on quality curriculum and introduce these concepts at the youngest levels of public education - otherwise the kids aren't ready, so many teachers of higher grades will beat their heads against the wall.

__**Reflection on the Non-Negotiables of DI**

Supportive Learning Environment__

A supportive learning environment is the most basic of all in the world of teaching and learning. I honestly can't understand how any teacher would argue with the need for this. Relationships are at the heart of being human. It is the humanity of education that makes it so powerful. I have always felt confident in providing a supportive learning environment as a teacher; naming it thus doesn't change it for me. Reflecting on those relationships is never a bad thing. Reflecting on ANY relationships for that matter. We all work and play and learn best when we feel valued and respected. It is what leadership is all about; and good teachers are good leaders!

__Quality Curriculum__

This is the most important aspect in my mind and frankly, it all comes back to this over and over again. We must know what we are expecting students to learn so we can tell them! Nothing should be a surprise or hidden. Outcomes should be meaningful and students should see the value in them. Our curricula will continue to be on a cycle of renewal for as long as time. Getting caught up on waiting for "quality curricula" from the ministry is foolish. We should never relinquish teacher autonomy which will allow us to be respectful and fair to our ever-changing target audience. **Teachers must learn to make meaning of whatever curriculum they are faced with. So, the skills of backwards design, no matter what jargon is used, are crucial to impart to teachers in order to empower them to feel confident in what they are expecting students to learn. This should be priority #1 in professional development. Whatever you are faced with as a teacher, here are the tools to make sense of it!**

__Flexible Grouping__

This, I think, I am least confident with. I suppose you can use whatever learner profiles and screens you like, I just feel that "who am I to say what you are capable of?" "Aren't we still just labelling?" Perhaps it is the target audience in my mindset. It may be easier to pinpoint readiness in elementary school where skills or lack there of are more evident. I like to comfortably challenge all of my senior high students to participate and engage. Even though I don't feel confident, I use grouping often in the process of learning and never in summative evaluation situations. However, I strongly believe that whatever groups are used, the students should NEVER be choosing their own groups. It is the teacher's responsibility to have groups with purpose and to learn something in each situation.

__Continuous Assessment__ This makes learning and teaching easier on all of us. Little things make a big difference and kids love knowing they know or don't what you expect. Summative assessments are less stressful for us all as well. I still suck at preassessment, but will try to do more next year.