Prepared for the

1
Learning in the 21st Century THINKING GOES TO
SCHOOL
"For as long as assessment is viewed as something
we do after teaching and learning are over, we
will fail to greatly improve student performance,
regardless of how well or how poorly students are
currently taught or motivated." Grant Wiggins,
1998
Thinking is an engagement of the mind that
changes the mind. M. Heiddegar

• Prepared for the
• Teaching and Learning Conference Participants of
• Gaston County Public Schools
  
  by Dan
  Mulligan, August 2009
• www.e4ae.com

2
Seven Survival Skills for the New EconomyTony
Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap

• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
• Collaboration across Networks and Leading by
  Influence
• Agility and Adaptability
• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
• Effective Oral and Written Communication
• Accessing and Analyzing Information
• Curiosity and Imagination
• Rigor is using academic knowledge to create new
  knowledge/content and to solve real problems.
• Engagement begins with the MIND, not with the
  HANDS (that is a very loose paraphrase)
  activities action do not equal rigor

3
Self-Assessment Tool
4
(No Transcript)
5
WHO AM I?

• Clues
• I am a three-digit number.
• Each digit is an odd number.
• My hundreds place is the number of sides in a
  triangle.
• My ones place is four more than my hundreds
  place.
• The sum of my digits is 15.
• Who am I

357
6
North Carolina Department of Education Language
Arts Standard Course of Study Grades 9 12
The high school English Language Arts
curriculum also strives to involve itself as
deeply as possible in the world beyond the
classroom. It provides a solid foundation for
communicating effectively in diverse contexts for
multiple purposes and roles in life-as a
life-long learner, a responsible citizen, a
concerned parent, and a productive worker.
7
(No Transcript)
8
Moving BEYONDthe correct answer
TO ALL STUDENTS THINKING
My only skill is taking tests.
9
Main Myth about Learning

• Some part of the learners anatomy must be in
  contact with the chair in order for learning to
  take place!

10
Give One Get One
The words of a mission statement are not worth
the paper they are written on unless people begin
to do differently.

• Think of one action you, your grade-level/departme
  nt, or school has taken that resulted in
  increased student achievement. Think and be
  creative.
• When signaled, turn to a person (NOT YOUR FRIEND)
  to meet a new colleague. Share with him/her your
  answer and get their answer. Caution Be aware
  that no one is left out.
• You need a total of 2 answers (your answer and a
  colleagues). When you have completed your task,
  return to your seat.
• Enjoy!

11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
High-Yield Instructional Strategies
14
Identifying Similarities and Differences
15
Grade 1
Comparison
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Grade 6
Analogies
19
Similarities and DifferencesAnalogies
putter is to a set of golf clubs
as
2 is to the set of primes
2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13,
What is the common relationship?
putter
20
High-Yield Instructional Strategies
21
Grade 4
Generating and Testing Hypotheses
22
a. The number of cavities the sixth graders
have? b. The number of people in the sixth
graders families? c. The ages of the sixth
graders mothers? d. The heights of the sixth
graders in inches?
23
Learning from Explaining
Does It Matter if Mom is Listening

• Learning improves dramatically among young
  children who take the time to explain academic
  concepts to their mothers or who explain their
  logic aloud to themselves.
• On a test of reasoning to 4 and 5 year olds
• Children who explained concepts to their mothers
  before taking a test scored correctly on 75 of
  questions
• Children who explained concepts aloud to
  themselves before taking a test scored correctly
  on 72 of questions
• Children who did not explain concepts at all
  prior to a test scored correctly on only 42 of
  questions
• The study examined youngsters ability to place
  toy insects in a certain pattern based on color
  and type.
• Breaden Research study completed in 2007

24
If you dont know where you are and you dont
know where you are going, anything you do will
get you there
25
HUNT for SOLUTIONS
26
HUNT for SOLUTIONS
In Gaston County Schools

• 1. The percent of WHITE students scoring AT OR
  ABOVE GRADE LEVEL on Reading Grade 3 through
  8 in 2007 2008.
• 2. According to the Silent Epidemic, the percent
  of U.S. dropouts who leave due to boredom.
• 3. According to the Silent Epidemic, the percent
  of U.S. dropouts who would have stayed in
  school if learning was more interesting and
  real-world.
• 4. According to the Silent Epidemic, the percent
  of U.S. dropouts who felt they were
  too far behind by the end of elementary school.
• The percent of BLACK students scoring AT OR ABOVE
  GRADE LEVEL on Reading Grade 3 through 8 in
  2007 2008.
• The percent of WHITE students GRADUATING ON-TIME
  in the Class of 2008.
• The percent of BLACK students GRADUATING ON-TIME
  in the Class of 2008.
• 8. The percent of DISADVANTAGED students
  GRADUATING ON-TIME in the
  Class of 2008.

74
47
80
51
45
71
66
60
SOLUTIONS 45, 47, 51, 60, 66, 71,
74, 80
27
Gaston County Public Schools
28
Minority Student Achievement in Suburban
SchoolsToward Excellence with Equity, Ronald
Ferguson, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
University, 2007

• Survey of all students in 15 middle and upper
  income school districts in 10 states
• Examined family characteristics, opinions about
  quality of instruction, achievement motivation,
  course-taking, effort, comprehension, GPA and
  other factors

When I work hard, it is because my teacher tells
me I can do well. (Yes, instead of Maybe or
No) (Grades 1 6)
29
(No Transcript)
30
The average student talks 35 seconds a day. The
student who is talking is growing dendrites.
31
Organizing Theme Things someone would say
SPECIAL ELECTION 2008 EDITION
Barak Obama
200 POINTS
Sarah Palin
Kay Hagan
100 POINTS 100 POINTS
Cindy McCain
Bill Clinton
George Bush
50 POINTS 50 POINTS 50 POINTS
32
Organizing Theme English Grade 3
parts of a story
200 POINTS
transition words
parts of a letter
100 POINTS 100 POINTS
noun
verb
adjective
50 POINTS 50 POINTS 50 POINTS
33
Grades K 4 Math
200 POINTS
100 POINTS 100 POINTS
50 POINTS 50 POINTS 50 POINTS
34
Commitment
If you dont make a total commitment to whatever
youre doing, then you start looking to bail out
the first time the boat starts leaking. Its
tough enough getting that boat to shore with
everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up
and starts putting his life jacket on. Lou
Holtz
35
Thank you for all you do, for all the children,
of all the people of North
Carolina! Dan