SAM Project: Principles of Learning #3
Continuing our series on the School Administration Manager (SAM) Project’s instructional coaching program based on the Rutherford Learning Group (RLG), principle #3 states that learning-centered teachers begin instruction based on a diagnosis of prior learning.
Diagnosis is determining what a student already knows and can apply to a learning goal (target) and answers the question, “Where do I begin teaching this content?” RLG identifies three methods of diagnosing student readiness for learning content. Each requires different levels of time and effort, with each yielding different results.
The first is formal assessment (diagnosis), which involves the use of standardized assessments (e.g., CATS, GRADE, DIBELS) to acquire information about a student’s level of achievement. These tests gather various informational items of data and are usually given once or twice a year.
The second type of diagnosis is inferential assessment (diagnosis). This is sometimes called “informal guessing” or “educated guess.” The teacher predicts what the student knows or should know and begins teaching from that point. For example, a 5th-grade teacher may say, “It’s March. The students should know the process for division of whole numbers. I’ll begin here.” This type of assessment (diagnosis) is the least accurate and should be avoided.
Type three, informal assessment (diagnosis), gathers information quickly and accurately. Informal assessment (diagnosis) asks a few questions during instruction to “check the pulse” of the learning. Asking the right amount of questions at the right time can gather valuable and useful information about learning. These questions should be asked before, during and after a lesson to provide the most accurate diagnosis in the shortest amount of time.
Note: The terminology used by RLG to define different types of assessment is specific to this method; however, the important piece to take away from this article is that assessment (diagnosis) of prior learning provides teachers with critical information needed to design and deliver high quality instruction.
CTE Aims to Make Math “Real” #2
The Division of Career and Technical Education has developed new interdisciplinary academic/ career technical courses to teach required mathematical content standards in the Program of Studies. An example of one of the new courses is construction/geometry. These courses are designed to integrate the mathematics standards within the context of career and technical education so that students see the relevance of the content while maintaining the rigor of the content with the goal of improving student achievement. These interdisciplinary courses are high-level academic courses that hold students accountable to the same content required for postsecondary preparation.
The course lessons, provided free to districts, come in a DVD format and are indexed so teachers can use them with their lesson plans. In order to offer this course, a district must have a construction technology/ carpentry program at a high school or Area Technology Center. The articles, Rising to the Challenge of Rigor, Relevance and Relationships: CTE Aims to Make Math “Real”, Part 1 and 2, provide more information on the relevance of CTE courses to mathematic instruction and information relating to teaching mathematics using applied strategies.
School Culture Research
As Kentucky schools continue their efforts to improve the academic achievement of all students, many teachers and principals are recognizing the relationship between their school’s culture and the results of their work. Research has increasingly shown that environment has a measurable impact on how well students learn. This attention to creating a positive culture focuses on such elements as high expectations for all students, a caring atmosphere, a safe environment, communicating with families and a commitment to equity and diversity.
In response to the question of what a positive school culture can accomplish, the Partnership for Successful Schools commissioned a review of four elementary schools that have been remarkably successful in helping low-income students achieve at high levels.
Not surprisingly, several components of successful school culture were found in each of the schools:
· school personnel of high quality, dedication and a strong work ethic
· personal connections within the schools and with students’ families
· high expectations reflected in a strong focus on instruction and student achievement
· specific and deliberate strategies that included aligning curriculum, analyzing data and teamwork
To view the entire study, go to Creating an Environment for Student Success: The Elements of a Strong School Culture.
Quotable Quotes
“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”
Mark Van Doren, poet and writer