90 likes | 200 Views
Adolescent Literacy Rights CASE Conference, 2009 Diane Lauer, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Thompson Schools Angela Zehner, A.P., Prairie Middle School, Cherry Creek Schools Suzanne Plaut, V.P. of Ed, Public Education & Business Coalition. ESSENTIAL QUESTION:.
E N D
Adolescent Literacy Rights CASE Conference, 2009 Diane Lauer, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Thompson Schools Angela Zehner, A.P., Prairie Middle School, Cherry Creek Schools Suzanne Plaut, V.P. of Ed, Public Education & Business Coalition
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How can secondary school leaders ignite a whole-school focus on adolescent literacy to foster intellectually stimulating learning environments and to create classroom cultures where thinking is valued, modeled, and refined across all content areas?
OUTCOMES • Be inspired with an expanded definition & compelling vision of adolescent literacy • 2. Identify roadblocks for igniting a school-wide focus on adolescent literacy • 3. Understand essential instructional frameworks to use with teachers across all content areas • 4. Understand the unique role literacy plays in core content areas, and implications for differentiated professional development • 5. Learn from administrators how to launch and sustain this work
THE CHANGE EQUATION (Gleicher, 1987) Why adolescent literacy initiatives founder: D x V x F > R Which means that a faculty’s . . . D = Shared dissatisfaction with current state V = Shared vision of what’s desired F = First steps and tools to get there Must be greater than a faculty’s . . . R = Resistance to change If D or V or F are zero, change won’t happen.
CATALYZING CHANGE • D = Shared Dissatisfaction: • Students aren’t understanding text • Students aren’t developing independence • Teachers are working harder than students • V = Shared Vision: • The role of the thinking strategies • The value of metacognition • How to use literacy now, not just for college • F = First steps: • Full faculty: Common frameworks • By content area: differentiated literacy and • differentiated professional development
CASE STUDIES AND FIRST STEPS Thompson School District (Diane Lauer) - Former principal, Conrad Ball M.S. Start with one interdisciplinary team Spread vision & practice building-wide Impact on student achievement - Now taking literacy work to district level Cherry Creek Schools (Angela Zehner) - Former math teacher, Prairie M.S. Literacy as a means to my ends How to get content teachers on board - Now assistant principal, Prairie M.S. Use teacher observations as “coaching” Other strategies to spread impact
LITERACY IS A CIVIL RIGHT • “Gateway right” – crucial for accessing all other rights • The right to . . . • Think • Engage • Understand • Develop independence • Gain access • Exercise power
REFLECTION • What insights are you left with? • At your site, what assets can you build • on in terms of teachers’ dissatisfaction • (with students’ current literacy skills), • vision (for what’s necessary & possible), • and skill with getting students there? • What next steps might you take to • challenge and support teachers, teams, • full faculties, or your district to ensure • students’ literacy rights?