Achievement Gap Work Session

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Achievement Gap Work Session

• WABSE Conference
• Facilitator Erin Jones
• Director, Center for the Improvement of Student
  Learning

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Overview of the session

• Section I
• Develop a goal statement
• Write goal narrative
• Condense goal narrative to an elevator pitch
• Section II
• Review 5 Key Areas Qualities That Matter
• Begin working through the plan for your school,
  section by section
• Share out draft plans
• Debrief

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Developing Goal Statement

• Purpose One sentence that describes what you
  would like to accomplish this year personally to
  chip away at the achievement gap at your school.
• Example 1 This year 5 more of my students of
  color will achieve at or above standard on the
  math WASL.
• Example 2 This year I will learn and employ 2
  new techniques for working more effectively with
  my African American students.

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Share goal statements with the group
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Writing a goal narrative

• Why a narrative?
• Begin to craft your own narrative do not worry
  about grammar/perfection (this should be a very
  rough draft)
• Ask for several participants to share their
  narratives with the group

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Elevator Pitch

• Blend your goal statement and your narrative into
  a short elevator pitch you could give in about 30
  seconds if anyone asks you what you plan to do at
  your school to eliminate the achievement gap.
• 2 3 participants share their elevator pitches
  with the group (remember, you only have 30
  seconds to make an impression)

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Transition

• Take a 5-minute break to stretch and use the
  restroom
• We will begin really developing the Plan from
  this point on

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Leadership

• Make a list of the current leaders in your
  community 1) administrators 2) teachers 3)
  parents 4) community members
• Make a list of potential leaders what would it
  take for them (and others) to begin to see
  themselves as leaders?

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Leadership

• Who do you think could buy into your goal right
  now? What could they do to support this goal?
• What would it take to get the other people on
  board?
• On your Planning Sheet write down the 5 critical
  leaders in your school community (could be
  current or potential leaders) and write 1 2
  sentences about how you plan to get them
  involved.

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Teacher Quality

• At your tables, come up with a definition for
  teacher quality and share with the group.
• When you think about yourself, do you believe you
  have been prepared to deal with the diversity of
  needs in the student population with whom you
  work?
• What about the other teachers in your building?

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Teacher Quality

• What are some of the professional development
  opportunities related to the achievement gap that
  are already being offered in your district(s)?
• What professional development do you think is
  still missing?
• On your Planning Sheet, write down a short
  definition for Teacher Quality, write down 2 3
  professional development opportunities that you
  would like to see continue and 1 2 that you
  would like to see added in your district.

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Curriculum

• Consider the curriculum you are using in your
  classroom. Look through that curriculum now
  through the lenses of someone who lives on the
  Reservation. How appropriate do you think this
  material would be for this student? If you are
  unsure, how could you use students, parents or
  community members to help you think about this
  issue? Discuss with those at your table.

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Curriculum

• How could you find outside material that would be
  more appropriate? How could you adapt the
  material you already have?
• On your Planning Sheet, write 1 2 sentences
  about what culturally appropriate curriculum
  would look like in your school. What is the next
  step you and your school need to take to make
  sure the curriculum is more appropriate in the
  future?

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Family and Community Involvement

• What is your school currently doing to involve
  families and the community? Share with those at
  your table.
• Share some ideas from CISL website
• On your Planning Sheet, write down 1 2 things
  you would like to try personally in your
  classroom and 1 2 things you believe your
  school should try.
• What more would you need to learn/know to make
  these things happen?

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Student Support

• Make a list of all the ways you think your
  students need support in and outside the
  classroom (do NOT limit your list to what is
  already happening at your school). Talk about
  your list with the people at your table.
• What supports are already in place for your
  students?

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Student Support

• Share student support options from African
  American Achievement Gap plan and CISL website.
• Which areas of support do you think are most
  critical for your students RIGHT NOW as you work
  to eliminate the achievement gap?

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Student Support

• On your Planning Sheet, write down the student
  supports that already exist and need to be
  continued. Add 2 3 other student supports that
  need to be created/added.
• What resources will you need to make these
  supports a reality for your building?

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Wrap-up

• Take 3 minutes to review what you have written on
  your Planning Sheet. Measure your plan against
  the 7 Things You can Do to Eliminate the
  Achievement Gap document.
• Share your Planning Sheet with an elbow partner
  and get feedback
• What makes sense/is realistic?
• What is unrealistic?
• What is missing?

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Wrap-up

• Have each person share the following
• goal statement
• elevator pitch
• one critical element of the plan

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Debrief

• What was helpful about this session?
• What would you like to see added/taken out?
• Could you see yourself doing this workshop at
  your school for your staff?
• What resources would you need to make this a
  reality?

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For more information or to ask questions, contact
Erin Jones at The Center for the Improvement of
Student Learning Yourlearningcenter.org cisl_at_k12.w
a.us