Final+Course+Reflection+-+5333

 EDLD 5333: Leadership for Accountability

There is no ignoring that it required use of both the Texas Projection Measure (TPM) and the Exceptions Provision in science to “gate up” from Recognized to Exemplary in 2010. To our district and our campus, this is not an acceptable outcome. As a fifth grade science and math teacher, I found our outcomes to be particularly frustrating. In terms of accountability, our Economically Disadvantaged subpopulation is the only one that is an accountability qualifier in fifth grade, although all subgroups are indicated for the campus at large. As a result, fifth grade science required an exception for their ED subgroup with a passing rate of 89% calculated with the Texas Projection Measure. Our raw passing percentage in science was 85% in 2010, up from 84% in 2009, but still not in line with our goal to receive an Exemplary rating “straight up”. Although our 2011 TAKS data shows some improvement in science scores overall, the increased rigor expected qualifies science as an ongoing target area for intervention and goal-planning. I compared our intervention strategies to determine what made the most difference for this subpopulation. As a result, I developed the following long-term SMART Goal: "By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, 100% of fifth grade students at Wilshire Elementary will be proficient in all fifth grade Science TEKS as measured by student performance on the state assessment (STAAR)." For more immediate tracking, my SMART Objective states: "At the conclusion of the 2011-2012 school year, 90% of fifth grade students in all subpopulations will be proficient in all fifth grade Science TEKS as measured by student performance on the state assessment (STAAR)."

One of the pillars of my campus’ 2011-2012 plan involves the development of more varied forms of formative assessment. In addition, my campus and district are moving back to a more “Walk to Read” style of differentiation (classic term: ability grouping or leveling) based on benchmark assessment and classroom assessments. While I believe that both of these strategies will likely yield positive outcomes, I am concerned at the learning focus of this plan rather than more of a teaching focus, where the assessments guide instructional strategies rather than simply student groups. While research soundly supports formative assessment as a means of increasing student achievement, the meaning of the term does not extend to benchmark assessment, which is not recognized as a mechanism for adjusting instructional strategies (Wiliam, 2007). This means that assessment must happen in extremely short-cycle and that instructional adjustment will be required at the same pace. The presence of a community of peers with the same goals makes for both a robust support group and a resource for innovation. My action plan calls for a professional learning community (PLC) as a mechanism for introducing a new instructional strategy, Socratic questioning, into science classrooms, and ongoing assessment and adjustment of the technique and its applications will be a critical objective of the group. We do not find ourselves in a situation where we need to completely rethink all of our instructional programs and strategies; rather, we need to allow for the time necessary for all faculty members to develop expertise in those programs we know to be effective (Elmore & City, 2007). To that end, I have called upon my research and discussions from this course as I determined the intermediary goals for the Socratic questioning walk-to groups and worked with grade level teachers to select specific activities and formats to monitor as part of our data collection (Thomas, 2006).

S.M.A.R.T. Goal (long range,3-5 years) : By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, 100% of fifth grade students at Wilshire Elementary will be proficient in all fifth grade Science TEKS as measured by student performance on the state assessment (STAAR).

At the conclusion of the 2011-2012 school year, 90% of fifth grade students in all subpopulations will be proficient in all fifth grade Science TEKS as measured by student performance on the state assessment (STAAR). || Materials – $1,000 Staff - 6 teachers @ $21.00 per hour for three hours per event: $756 total || Level of parent participation, science MAP scores throughout the year for attending families vs. non-attending families (Benchmark: student scores will increase as per MAP data.) || (Pogrow, 2009) || Julia Wilson fifth grade teacher; Melissa Hall, fourth grade teacher; Leisl James, instructional specialist; Karen Pollock, Title I Reading Specialist || PLC: Sept. 2011- May 2012 Professional Development: October 2011 || Title II Part D – Teacher Training: PD facilitator - $1600 for 4-hour session Session materials - $300 PLC materials - $250 || Increase in student scores in all content areas, particularly in math objective 6, reading objective 4, and science objective 1 (nature of science/ scientific investigation and reasoning) || (Barak & Shakhman, 2008) || Carma Schellhorn – campus principal; Julia Wilson fifth grade teacher; Melissa Hall, fourth grade teacher; Leisl James, instructional specialist || Nov. 2011 – April 2012 || SCE Funds: Materials – $600 .277 FTE’s - $1,512 || Increase in science MAP scores among participating students throughout the course of the school year (Benchmark: 90% passing on mock TAKS test) || In creating a professional development course, I looked to lessons learned regarding professional development and adult learning theory, which reminded me that teachers utilize new resources and strategies when they have a tangible work product ready to incorporate into classroom learning (National Staff Development Council, as cited in Williamson and Redish, p. 107). Topic: Socratic Discussion Training Workshop 3-6 || Facilitator: Kelly Jackson || Location: Wilshire Library || Start Time: 9:00 AM || End Time: 1:00 PM || 2. collect ticket for door prizes 3. introduction of facilitator || 9:00 AM (5 min) || 2. invite input from attendees regarding objectives and/or scheduling 3. Make adjustments if necessary || 9:05 AM (5 min) || 2. Facilitator will lead attendees through an actual Socratic discussion session || 9:10 AM (40 min) || (30 min) || 10:20 AM (10 min) || 2. Groups will share ideas and collaborate to select one of the four texts as a basis for a discussion || 10:30 AM <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(20 min) || 2. Groups will share developed questions and collaborate to form one guiding question to accompany the group text || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">10:50 AM <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(20 min) || 2. That person will act as the “leader” of the Socratic discussion on his or her original group’s text. 3. “Participants” will read their new text “assigned” by the new discussion leader || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11:10 AM <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(20 min) || <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;">11:30 PM <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;">(10 min) || 2. Participants will adhere to group norms and participant roles as defined in the elements discussion 3. All members will make notes and reflections for a debrief following || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11:40 AM <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(45 min) || 2. Members will share their notes and reflections, focusing on the process of Socratic discussion 3. Group members will brainstorm how this technique could be utilized in their classrooms – brainstorming sheets will be collected by the campus team for transcription and sharing with the entire campus || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">12:25 PM <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(25 min) || 2. Attendees complete a plus/delta survey as their “tickets out the door” || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">12:50 PM <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(10 min) || <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This professional development session would act as the initial springboard for the professional learning community (PLC) and tutoring supplements also mentioned in the campus plan. All Socratic tutors, plus a member from each grade level who attended the session, will comprise the community, which will meet monthly to share team level progress, refine goals, and plan for future activities. The community will further refine the lesson strategies database begun in the brainstorming session of the professional development. Each grade level will be expected to develop one lesson plan each six weeks utilizing the Socratic discussion techniques: these lessons will then be analyzed by the grade level team and reported back to the PLC, who will provide data for the plan analysis conducted after benchmarks throughout the year.
 * S.M.A.R.T. Objective (What we can accomplish in one school year) :
 * Target Group(s): Students of all subpopulation with a particular focus on students of the Economically Disadvantaged and African American subgroups ||
 * Activity/ Strategy (Include 3) || Person(s) Responsible || Timeline || Resources/Estimated Cost || Formative Evaluation ||
 * 1. Develop mechanisms for equipping parents with resources and information on how to support science achievement at home; science teachers will host one workshop each semester to provide parents and students with this support. (Kaya & Rice, 2010) || Celina Goss, Designated Science Leader || October, 2011; March 2012 || Title I funds – Parent Involvement:
 * 2. Offer professional development session (Socratic Discussion Workshop) and create ongoing professional learning community (PLC) to integrate higher order thinking skills into all areas of content instruction. (Higher Order Thinking Skills, n.d.)
 * 3. Implementation of HOTS strategies and Socratic discussions as a component of after school tutoring schedule for economically disadvantaged subpopulation/ at-risk students
 * Subtopics (if applicable): ||
 * Grade Level:
 * Strategy/ Activity || Purpose || Description || Steps || Estimated Time ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Introduc-tions || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Familiarize group members with each other and with facilitator || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Check in and welcome || 1. sign in on Smart Board
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Statement of goals/ agenda || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Clarify session learning goals and adjust agenda if necessary to specific needs || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Review session agenda with attendees || 1. Review agenda and highlight specific learning goals
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Socratic discussion group investiga-tion || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Introduce attendees to the Socratic discussion method through simulation || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Group discussion: Sandra Cisneros, "Salvador, Late or Early" || 1. Attendees will read the text of “Salvador, Late or Early” to familiarize themselves with the content
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Overview of elements: Socratic discussion || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Familiarize attendees with terms and concepts related to Socratic discussion || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Utilize multimedia presentation to present overview of terms and roles in Socratic discussion (PowerPoint with embedded video) || * Text selection
 * Opening question
 * Discussion leader
 * Participants’ roles || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">9:50 AM
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;">Personal Break
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Focus: selection of text || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Use elements knowledge to guide selection of a discussion text || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Attendees will work in teams to select one of four available texts to utilize for further activities || 1. Attendees will skim text options using selection criteria gleaned from elements discussion
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Focus: develop-ment of guiding question || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Use elements knowledge to guide development of a guiding question for the selected text || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Attendees will continue to work in teams to develop an initial guiding question for the group-selected text || 1. Attendees will utilize criteria gleaned from elements discussion to create a guiding question
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Regroup || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Use cooperative learning techniques to facilitate content acquisition || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Attendees will carousel in order to work with a second text || 1. The person in the group with the birthday closest to January first will rotate to a group that worked with a different text
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;">Personal Break – pick up working lunch
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Focus: roles of leader and partici-pants || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Engage in Socratic discussion || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Groups will work in roles as defined by the elements to complete a Socratic discourse || 1. Group leader will begin the discussion using group norms outlined in the elements discussion and the guiding question created by his or her original group
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sharing of findings || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Debrief attendees and allow for exchange of ideas || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Discussion leaders will return to their original groups, “jigsaw” style for debriefing of discussions || 1. Discussion leaders will return to their original groups
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Final thoughts and survey || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Allow for final Q&A and survey of attendees || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Facilitator will lead final Q&A session and provide contact information for follow up; surveys || 1. Q&A session

<span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">References:

<span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barak, M., & Shakhman, L. (2008). Fostering higher-order thinking in science class: Teachers’ reflections. //Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice// //, 14// (3), 191-208. <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Higher Order Thinking Skills. (n.d.). //HOTS program costs//. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from HOTS: [] <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elmore, R., & City, E. (2007, May/June). The road to school improvement. //Harvard Education Letter//, //23// (3), pp. 1-3. <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kuhn, M., & Stahl, S. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. //Journal of Developmental Psychology// //, 95// (1), 1, 3-21. <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kaya, S., & Rice, D. (2010). Multilevel effects of student and classroom factors on elementary science achievement in five countries. //International Journal of Science Education// //, 32// (10), 1337-1363. <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pogrow, S. (2009). Accelerate the learning of 4th and 5th graders born into poverty. //Phi Delta Kappan// //, 90// (6), 408-412 <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thomas, R. (2006). How to survive data overload. //Principal Leadership, 7//(2), 37-42. <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wiliam, D. (2007, December). Changing classroom practice. //Educational leadership//, pp. 36-42. <span style="color: #0f380f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). //ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and Be Able to Do.// Washington: International Society for Technology in Education.