Closing the Achievement Gap: Its Attitude not Aptitude

1
Closing the Achievement Gap Its Attitude not
Aptitude

• Using MSDE Web tools and the principles of
  Assessment for Learning to reduce the achievement
  gap

Dr. Bruce Katz Regional Assistant
Superintendent PGCPS
2
The typical child in the typical school-
especially the poor child of color in the urban
school- lives in an educational environment of
deep and pathological incoherence and
ineffectiveness.
Richard F. Elmore
3
Why the gap?

• Inability to diagnose and prescribe
• Mistaken beliefs
• Unable to engage students in the curriculum
• Do not fully recognize the significance of the
  statement - Teachers make a difference

4
What to do?

• Create a classroom environment that shows ALL
  students have the capability to achieve
• FULLY align curriculum standards with assessment
  and instruction
• Implement a balanced assessment system
• Change the philosophy toward assessment, which
  will change the philosophy and techniques of
  instruction
• Provide teachers with a new set of tools

5
How to do it?

• Change the paradigm associated with
• Instructional Planning
• Classroom Assessment
• Instruction

6
Its Attitude not Aptitude
Objective

• Preserve
• Self Esteem
• Self Image
• Transmit
• Ability to succeed
• Positive relationship based on mutual goals and
  success

7
Paradigm Shift
Objective
Planning Assessment Instruction
8
Instructional Planning Collaborative

• Management
• Regularly scheduled
• Chaired by faculty
• Attended (participation required) by
  administration
• Required agenda and outcomes
• Rules of participation

• Process
• Defined to deal with instructional issues in a
  prescribed way
• Planning based on standards
• Assessment design
• Review of student work
• Data analysis for modifying instruction
• Instructional planning
• Learning walks/Surgical Theatre

9
Planning

• Begin with a review of standards, objectives,
  indicators, and assessment limits
• Identify the indicators to be taught and assessed
• Design two assessments
• Review instructional strategies and data points

10
Assessments

• Design two assessments with questions aligned in
  rigor and content to the indicators
• Make the questions in the format of the HSA
• Share indicators and questions with students
• Prepare a chart/table to record student
  performance

11
Indicator

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.
• 6.
• 7.

Indicator
12
MSA Scale Scores
13
(No Transcript)
14
Instruction

• Share outcomes, objectives, with students
• Give pretest and have students score and record
  performance (not for grade)
• Describe how students can master the material and
  achieve proficiency
• Lesson format should include warm-up, objective
  check, whole class instruction (pacing), grouping
  (differentiated instruction based on student
  needs), heterogeneous grouping, lesson
  assessment, closure

15
Extended Learning

• Tied directly to student needs
• Small group and focused
• Changed nature of teacher work to a professional
  model
• Changed nature of teacher/parent interaction

16
Continued Planning

• Review of student data
• Regrouping of students
• Planning of extended learning
• Review and comment- leading to descriptive
  feedback on student work
• Review of instructional strategies
• Scheduling learning walks and surgical theatre

17
Educational Professionalism

• Expectation
• Teacher knows his/her content standards
• Teacher works collaboratively
• Teacher can communicate standards to students
  parents
• Teacher knows how to use assessment to promote
  student learning

18
If you want to make minor, incremental changes
and improvement, work on practices, behavior or
attitude. But if you want to make significant,
quantum improvement, work on paradigms.
Stephen R. Covey The 8th Habit From
Effectiveness to Greatness
19
Learning Team Management Options
Learning Team Management Options
High Involvement
Plan and manage every meeting
Assist team leaders they manage meetings
Present workshops (preplanned) in support of teams
Help teams past roadblocks as needed by request
Help teams form teams run independently
Low Involvement
Source ATI
20
Impact of Teacher Effectiveness on Student
Achievement
Source Marzano, Classroom Management that Works,
ASCD, 2003.
21
Impact of Schools
Source Marzano, Classroom Management that Works,
ASCD, 2003.
22
Control of Learning

• It is a mistaken belief to think that adults are
  in control of student learning.
• Students control student learning.
• Students control student learning.
• Students control student learning and, if
  necessary, will prove it to adults in most
  unexpected and sometimes disappointing ways

23
Session Summative Assessment

• Its Attitude not Aptitude
• The teacher is the most important factor
• Support effective Collaborative Instructional
  Planning
• Use valid formative assessments to increase
  learning

24
Sources

• Chappuis, Stiggins, et. al., Assessment FOR
  Learning An Action Guide for School Leaders,
  2004
• Covey, The 8th Habit From Effectiveness to
  Greatness, Free Press, 2004
• Maryland State Department of Education,
  www.mdreportcard.org/index.aspx , www.mdk12.org
  
• Marzano, Classroom Management that Works, ASCD,
  2003
• Marzano, Waters, and McNulty, School Leadership
  that Works From Research to Results, ASCD, 2005
• Stiggins, Arter, et. al., Classroom Assessment
  for Student Learning Doing it Right- Using It
  Well, 2004
• Classroom Assessment for Student Learning,
  Measured Progress, Assessment Training Institute,
  2005