West Virginia Achieves Professional Development Series

1. West Virginia Achieves Professional Development Series Volume XVI Adjustment of Instructional Time to Meet Varied Needs of Learners

2. West Virginia Department of Education Mission The West Virginia Department of Education, in conjunction with the Regional Education Service Agencies and the Office of Performance Audits, will create systemic conditions, processes and structures within the West Virginia public school system that result in (1) all students achieving mastery and beyond and (2) closing the achievement gap among sub-groups of the student population.

3. Robert HutchinsThe Conflict in Education in a Democratic Society “Perhaps the greatest idea that America has given the world is education for all. The world is entitled to know whether this idea means that everybody can be educated or simply that everyone must go to school.”

4. What We Know… • An emerging body of research identifies characteristics of high performing school systems. • These school systems have made significant progress in bringing all students to mastery and in closing the achievement gap. • These systems share characteristics described in The West Virginia Framework for High Performing Schools.

5. HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEM SYSTEMIC CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS CURRICULLUM MANAGEMENT STUDENT/PARENT SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS CULTURE OF COMMON BELIEFS & VALUES Dedicated to “Learning for ALL…Whatever It Takes”

6. ESSENTIAL QUESTION How might our schools and classrooms use, adjust, restructure time or add time to meet the needs of varied learners and thereby improve learning and achievement and how might our school system support that effort?

7. The Bad News Is Time Flies. The Good News Is You're the Pilot. --Michael Althsuler

8. Barriers Solutions Time As A Variable In Instruction Slide 20

9. Prisoners of Time • National Commission on Time and Learning • Published in 1994 • Issued eight recommendations • Framework and Report are correlated • “The key to liberating learning lies in unlocking time.”

10. I. Reinvent Schools Around Learning, Not Time • Focus on academic core • School-day time can be described as • Allocated time • Instructional time • Engaged time • Academic learning time • Different strategies for elementary, middle, high school settings

11. I. Reinvent Schools Around Learning, Not Time (continued) • Implement instructional pacing • Teach content to a depth to ensure mastery • Assess individual student learning needs • Effectively manage time spent on instruction

12. II. Fix the Design Flaw: Use Time in New and Better Ways • Fixing the flaw means • Time supports learning • Does not limit learning • Engaged academic learning = increased student learning • Teachers can protect academic learning time

13. III. Establish an Academic Day • Use the time for academics • Greek root for “school” = “leisure” • Educators can structure, schedule, and use time to maximize student learning • Various methods exist to change the pace of school

14. IV. Keep Schools Open Longer to meet the Needs of Children and Communities • Extended use of facilities through collaboration with others • Collaboration = academic achievement • “Social capital” extends our reach • The community helps maximize academic learning time

15. V. Give Teachers the Time They Need • “Teacher Time” is essential • Strategies for finding time • Freed-up Time • Restructured/Rescheduled Time • Common Time • Better-used Time • Purchased Time • Opportunities for personal growth • Observe other classrooms • Library of professional materials • Attendance at professional conferences

16. VI. Invest in Technology • Technology enhances student achievement and expands learning time. • Good practice…. • Encourages Effective Contact Between Students and Faculty • Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students • Uses Active Learning Techniques • Gives Prompt Feedback • Emphasizes Quality Time on Task • Respects Diverse Talents and Modalities of Learning • Uses Appropriate Tools

17. VII. Develop Local Action Plans to Transform Schools • Convene local leaders • develop action plans that offer different school options • encourage parents, students and teachers to choose • Identify the rationale for changing school calendar • Research current practices in other districts • Use altered time to enhance instruction • Consider local issues before changing calendars

18. VIII. Share the Responsibility: Finger Pointing and Evasion Must End • ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child” • The Construction of Time • Technical-rational time • Phenomenological time • Cyclical time • Time as a variable in learning and teaching • Learning time • Curricular or Instructional time • Time as a political variable Slide 9

19. Time for Reflection

20. The Bad News Is Time Flies. The Good News Is You're the Pilot. --Michael Althsuler