Concepts to Concrete: The Practitioner’s Guide to Transforming a High School

1. Concepts to Concrete: The Practitioner’s Guide to Transforming a High School What is a grade? Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach, Florida

2. Paradigm A PARADIGM is a basic beliefor assumption; something you believe to be true. A PARADIGMSHIFT is a newway about how we approach problems; a new way of thinking.

3. “The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.” Albert Einstein

4. ACHS Vision The Academy Model Graduation Continuing Education Meaningful Employment Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach FL

5. Philosophical UnderpinningsTheory - Reality Dr. Daggett • Rigor • Relevance • Relationships • Reflection Operational Reality Atlantic HS • Stiggins– Assessments of and for learning • Dufour – Small Learning Communities • Howard– Data Feedback Strategy/Efficacy Single School Culture Dr. Allison Adler, Safe School Institute Palm Beach County Schools Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach FL

6. Building Blocks for Success • A, B, C, I, F • I Contracts • Honors Contract • Proficiency vs. Seat Time • Homework • Tutorials Values Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach FL

7. What is a grade? • How confident are you that the grades the students receive in your classroom are: • Consistent? • An accurate measure of student proficiency? • Meaningful to both students and parents? • Supportive of the learning environment?

8. What is a grade and what does it mean? • I got a “C”, what does that mean? • Does it mean: • I am smart but just lazy? • I am a little slow but worked real hard? • I am smart, worked hard, but did not have all the skills I needed to achieve mastery? • I was quiet, cute, or not a trouble maker? • I think a “C” is good enough !

9. Why do we want to change current grading practices? • Grades do not effectively communicate student proficiency in subject matter to parents or students. • Grades are an inconsistent measure of student knowledge and understanding. • Grades do not often foster a supportive learning environment

10. Defining terminology • Mark/score - the number or letter given to any student test or performance. • Grade - the number or letter reported at the end of the nine weeks period of time as a summary statement of student performance and proficiency in the subject matter.

11. Defining A - B - C - I - F • A - B - C - I - F only applies to the grades assigned to student performance at the end of a nine weeks marking period. • Students earning 70% - 100 % or less than 60% will receive the grade earned as reflected in the Palm Beach County Grading Scale.

12. What is an “I”? • Grade assigned to students at the end of the nine weeks marking period if their cumulative average falls between 60-69%. • Students are given task(s) to demonstrate their understanding of the skills taught within the marking period. • If the student demonstrates proficiency of the skills taught through the task(s), then the student earns an appropriate grade as determined by the teacher ( A - B - C).

13. “I” Contract Tasks • Are organized and graded by concept. • Serve as the last retest opportunity for skills/concepts not yet mastered. • determine the student’s level of proficiency as reflected in the score/mark and are used by the teacher to determine the grade earned for the nine weeks period.

14. Defining Proficiency • The student demonstrates mastery of the essential skills and key concepts. • Mastery of skills; not mastery of content.

15. Proficiency is not…… • Extra work in a packet • Missed work in a packet • Extra seat time • Grades for homework completion • Grades for class work completion

16. Defining Content Content is the vehicle used to teach curricular skills.

17. Where do you find skills? • SSS • Aims and objectives for subject area.

18. Products for Today • A consistent “I” policy for subject and grade level. - Block 2 • A consistent “I” contract that defines skills for subject and grade level. -Block 3