Effective Instructional Time

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Effective Instructional Time
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Prisoners of Time

• Prisoners of Time. Report of the National
  Education Commission on Time and Learning. The
  Education Commission of the States Education
  Reform Reprint Series. Reprint of the 1994 Report
  of the National Education Commission on Time and
  Learning
• http//www.sevenstaracademy.org/downloads/Resourc
  es/NEC20Time20and20Learning.pdf

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5 Premises Educators Know To Be False

• Students arrive at school ready to learn in the
  same way, on the same schedule, all in rhythm
  with each other.
• Academic time can be used for non academic
  purposes with no effect on learning.
• Yesterdays calendar was good enough for us, it
  should be good enough for our children.

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5 Premises Educators Know To Be False(continued)

• Schools can be transformed without giving
  teachers the time they need to retool themselves
  and reorganize their work.
• It is reasonable to expect world-class academic
  performance from our students within the
  time-bound system that is already failing them.

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Improving Student Achievement by Extending
SchoolIs It Just a Matter of Time?

• 1999 Improving Student Achievement by Extending
  School Is It Just a Matter of Time? Aronson,
  Julie Zimmerman, Joy Carlos, Lisa
• http//www.wested.org/online_pubs/timeandlearning
  /TAL_PV.html

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Defining the Terms

• Improving Student Achievement by Extending
  School Is It Just a Matter of Time?

Allocated Time
Engaged Time
Academic Learning Time
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Is It Just a Matter of Time?

• A large portion of potential learning time is
  typically eaten up by non-instructional
  activities, which have little relationship to
  student learning. (11)
• One study found that students were engaged in
  learning activities only 28 to 56 percent of the
  total time spent in school in a given year. (13)

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Is It Just a Matter of Time?

• Another calculated that only 38 percent of a
  typical school day was devoted to "engaged time"
  in the schools it studied. (14)
• Studies have shown that the proportion of
  allocated school time in which students are
  engaged in learning activities varies by state,
  by district and by classroom. (15)

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Factors That Take Away From Potential Learning
Time

• Inefficient classroom management
• Behavior management activities
• Ineffective instructional techniques
• Inappropriate curriculum
• Student inattention
• Student absence

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Is It Just a Matter of Time?

• The length of a particular school day or year
  says nothing about how much time is devoted to
  learning activities.
• The body of research evidence suggests that
  before simply adding more of it, schools and
  districts should, instead, make better use of
  existing time. (26)

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Three Key Quality Factors That Contribute to
Improved Student Learning
Site level policy makers could reschedule the
school day to include more instructional time,
but how teachers use that time once the classroom
door closes is difficult to regulate.
Classroom Management
There is consistent research evidence that, in
order to enhance student learning, instruction
must be provided at a level of difficulty
appropriate to the individual student.
Appropriate C I
Students themselves play an important role in
determining the extent to which the time they
spend in school will result in learning.
Student Motivation
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Who is responsible?

• The three quality factors, in conjunction with
  time, contribute to improved student learning.

Teacher
Student

• Classroom Management
• Appropriateness of Curriculum and
  Instruction
• Student Motivation

• Student Motivation

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Classroom Management
Transitions Between Activities

• 70 percent of teachers need to improve their
  classroom management skills
• Beyond control of teacher
• Announcements
• Fire Drills
• Taking Roll

Improving teachers time management techniques is
a good place to start to increase ALT
Behavior Management Plans
Routines
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Appropriateness of Instruction and Curriculum
Allocated Time Devoted to Instructional Activities
Instructional Practices that Promote Student
Achievement

• Curriculum is aligned to ability and background
• Students are both challenged and able to
  experience success

Time on Task
There is consistent research evidence that, in
order to enhance student learning, instruction
must be provided at a level of difficulty
appropriate to the individual student.
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Increase Student Motivation

• Intrinsic student motivation is powerful!

Working in cooperative groups encouraging
teamwork
Providing challenging, exciting, and relevant
curriculum
Providing an environment to develop ownership for
learning

• Extrinsic motivations are less powerful in
  student learning

Extrinsically from rewards (or punishments) such
as grades, promotion, jobs and opportunities
Teachers and Students Working Together!
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Some Possible Recommendations for District/Schools

• Time inventory/analysis. A thorough inventory and
  analysis of how time is being used, coupled with
  examination of best-practice models, should form
  the basis for decision making, with a laser focus
  on instruction and learning.
• Professional and curriculum development
  strategies. Focused, cohesive programs of
  professional development for teachers and school
  leaders are imperative for developing the needed
  knowledge and skills for making time matter.

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Groups To Focus On
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Create Awareness

• Possible Products to help create awareness

• Pamphlet for School Employees
• Pamphlet for Community
• Conferences

Pamphlet Conferences

• Paper to Educate Administrators
• Paper to Educate Teachers

White Paper

• Administrators
• Teachers

Professional Development
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Professional Development
Understanding
What does good instruction look like?
PLC
Working together as a team to identify needs and
goals
Model
Show general model for good instruction
Administrators (Principals) Working together
with staff at their schools to increase student
learning.
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Timeline

• Proposed timeline of events

Share Research
Define Issues
Product
Implementation
Fall
Winter
Spring
Fall 07

• Define terms
• Identify Goals
• Standing Committee met Oct 11 (Secondary Issues)

• Research Brief
• Effective School Practice
• Standing Committee meeting Dec 13 (Elementary
  Issues)

• Strategies to Inform
• Curriculum/Instruction PD for Administrators
• Final Product To Be Ready By April

• Self Collected Information
• Accreditation

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Thank You !

• For Engaging Students in Learning