Small Group Instruction The Why, the When, and the How

1. Small Group InstructionThe Why, the When, and the How Brandi Hendrix Language Arts Teacher MMS bhendrix@misd.org

2. Purpose of this training To give an overview of the laws that are changing schools nationwide To explain when small group instruction should occur in a regular ed classroom To outline the structure that is needed in a classroom to do small group instruction Think Pair Share: What do you know about Response to Intervention. Think about it and then share with your partner. Try to come up with a informal definition to share with the group.Think Pair Share: What do you know about Response to Intervention. Think about it and then share with your partner. Try to come up with a informal definition to share with the group.

3. Jim Walsh’s 4 Quadrant Analysis NCLB Legislation passed to reduce the number of students in special education. The belief is that there are students in special ed that do not have learning disability. Overrepresented with minorities. Q4 state average is 8.5%/ Montgomery is just over 11% so we are in the red zone.NCLB Legislation passed to reduce the number of students in special education. The belief is that there are students in special ed that do not have learning disability. Overrepresented with minorities. Q4 state average is 8.5%/ Montgomery is just over 11% so we are in the red zone.

4. Components of RtI Universal Screening (Academics and Behavior) Tier System Research based interventions Progress Monitoring Student Support Team (Pass Team) Fidelity Monitoring

5. Positives of RtI No discrepancy between IQ and performance is required to receive interventions Teachers are given research based interventions to improve student learning Schools really can be a place where ALL students learn!

6. What does this mean for me????? Students come to us with gaps (for whatever reason) and we must be prepared to handle those gaps within our classrooms Whole group instruction does not always fit the needs of our high achievers or our low achievers Differentiated instruction needs to occur in all classrooms AYP, or adequate yearly progress, applies to all but 2% of our school population (this is basically our Life Skills students) Frayer model activity: Participants will make a frayer model using auditory directionsFrayer model activity: Participants will make a frayer model using auditory directions

7. What does this mean for me????? Clear connections need to be made between what we are teaching and what we are assessing We need to have a plan in place to reteach skills not mastered We are going to have to be master record keepers By the year 2013, all students are to be reading on grade level How many of you think that that is impossible? How amazing would it be? What would our schools be like if all students could read and we just got to teach what we are supposed to teach?**********Do The Frayer Model activity hereHow many of you think that that is impossible? How amazing would it be? What would our schools be like if all students could read and we just got to teach what we are supposed to teach?**********Do The Frayer Model activity here

8. Things to think about… Only 8-12% of the population are auditory learners; however 90% of teaching is auditory It takes 14-20 practice times before the brain learns a new skill 90% of Kindergartners think they can read, write, and draw; by second grade it drops to 18% In order to reach more of our learners, we need to Verbally - tell them what they need to know Visually – show them with pictures or examples Kinesthetic – provide hands on activities (Randi Whitney, The Writing Academy) This is all straight from The Writing Academy and you will all get a chance to hear it, but I just thought that the facts were fascinating and that it lent itself to small group instruction so I wanted to include itThis is all straight from The Writing Academy and you will all get a chance to hear it, but I just thought that the facts were fascinating and that it lent itself to small group instruction so I wanted to include it

9. You should pull a small group when… Students are not successful in the whole group setting OR when students are bored with what the rest of the students are doing Students have basic skill deficits that negatively impact their new learning English Language Learners lack vocabulary needed to be successful Students need extra help before they become successful independently Small group instruction is not just for low students. We are also neglecting our high students when we use a one size fits all approach to teaching. Sometimes students just need extra handholding because of learned helplessness and giving them that allows them to build confidence so that they can be successful on their own laterSmall group instruction is not just for low students. We are also neglecting our high students when we use a one size fits all approach to teaching. Sometimes students just need extra handholding because of learned helplessness and giving them that allows them to build confidence so that they can be successful on their own later

10. When to pull small groups Following a mini lesson During independent practice Silent reading time Basically any time that you are not teaching to the whole class

11. Things to remember when planning for small group instruction There needs to be a clear learning goal for small group instruction Small groups need to be flexible and change based on students’ needs Small groups work best with 3 to 4 students Small group time must be sacred in your class Allow for 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted time Don’t pull small groups just for the sake of pulling them or you end up wasting your time and theirs. Remember that just because a student struggles in one area does not mean that they struggle in all areas. Make sure that you let your data build your small groupsDon’t pull small groups just for the sake of pulling them or you end up wasting your time and theirs. Remember that just because a student struggles in one area does not mean that they struggle in all areas. Make sure that you let your data build your small groups

12. Procedures are the most important component of small group instruction Procedures need to be posted in the room Procedures need to be practiced and perfected before you pull your first real group Students need to know what to do if they have a question Students need to know what to do if they finish early Transition routines are crucial This may sound ridiculous, but it goes back to the practicing something 14-20 times before the brain learns it. How many of you still have students asking to go to the bathroom without filling out their planners the last week of school? If they are posted, all you have to do is point at them and the students will get the message. With time being so valuable, we cannot lose time transitioning. Post your schedules so students know what is expected next and use your timer. You should only spend 2 minutes transitioning from one activity to the next. It takes practice, but if you set your expectations and stick to them, students will adapt.This may sound ridiculous, but it goes back to the practicing something 14-20 times before the brain learns it. How many of you still have students asking to go to the bathroom without filling out their planners the last week of school? If they are posted, all you have to do is point at them and the students will get the message. With time being so valuable, we cannot lose time transitioning. Post your schedules so students know what is expected next and use your timer. You should only spend 2 minutes transitioning from one activity to the next. It takes practice, but if you set your expectations and stick to them, students will adapt.

13. What to do if you have a question Try to figure it out on your own Quietly ask a classmate Write your name on the board Skip what you do not understand and continue working Read your AR book until your question is answered These are just examples—you need to make them fit your classroom but these really help in my room when I am working with small groupsThese are just examples—you need to make them fit your classroom but these really help in my room when I am working with small groups

14. What to do if you finish early Make sure that you have done your best work by checking your answers Read your AR book Respond in topic journals Complete a grammar brick Work on homework Make sure that what you put on this poster is really acceptable to you—if you do not want them to do homework from other rooms, don’t put it on your chart. I usually tell them that if they read in class other than scheduled reading time they may count those pages as pages read at home and usually they read---but sometimes they just don’t want to read, so I give them options. If it becomes an issue, you can always mark it out!!!!!Make sure that what you put on this poster is really acceptable to you—if you do not want them to do homework from other rooms, don’t put it on your chart. I usually tell them that if they read in class other than scheduled reading time they may count those pages as pages read at home and usually they read---but sometimes they just don’t want to read, so I give them options. If it becomes an issue, you can always mark it out!!!!!

15. Class Expectations Everyone must work Do not disturb others Always do your best Don’t interrupt the small group Try to keep your expectations small and really focus on those. If you need to add more, it usually helps to get input from your students on what they think should be expected of themTry to keep your expectations small and really focus on those. If you need to add more, it usually helps to get input from your students on what they think should be expected of them

16. Organization Always have your daily schedule posted, noting when you are going to pull your group Students should know who is going to the group and what they need for group work before you call the group Small groups should be recorded in lesson plan so that you have documentation of tier 1 interventions Knowing what comes next really does help students stay focused. Knowing what they need to bring helps you conserve time and is a great way to teach students responsibility. I usually give them a couple of weeks to get in the swing of things and then start moving sticks if students come to group unprepared. Including small group members in your plans is the easiest way to document interventions. Last year, teachers had to refer students to GIST before they had to show documentation. With Universal screening, students will automatically be put into tiers so you will have to document your interventions on those students.Knowing what comes next really does help students stay focused. Knowing what they need to bring helps you conserve time and is a great way to teach students responsibility. I usually give them a couple of weeks to get in the swing of things and then start moving sticks if students come to group unprepared. Including small group members in your plans is the easiest way to document interventions. Last year, teachers had to refer students to GIST before they had to show documentation. With Universal screening, students will automatically be put into tiers so you will have to document your interventions on those students.

17. Obstacles Grades Time for planning Time for instruction Behavior Management Change is probably the biggest obstacle in all of this. We are comfortable with the way things are so it is hard to go out on a limb and try something new but it is time. We are one of the top districts in the state and we need to leaders in this change rather than followers. We ask our students to do new things all of the time----it is time for us to join them and take the plunge!Change is probably the biggest obstacle in all of this. We are comfortable with the way things are so it is hard to go out on a limb and try something new but it is time. We are one of the top districts in the state and we need to leaders in this change rather than followers. We ask our students to do new things all of the time----it is time for us to join them and take the plunge!

18. Grades Grades should drive our instruction not punish students Diversity does have a negative effect on grades There is no set expectation for the number of grades that you have to take

19. Grades Esembler lets you exempt students from assignments so that you can grade different assignments for different students You have the option of taking several grades on an assignment to show failure and mastery grades Have students grade themselves—they are usually harder on themselves than we are

20. Time for planning Collaboration is key to successful planning Find at least 1 person that you can plan with Use data in your planning Break it up---have one person plan the lesson for whole group and the other plan for small group Be flexible; there is not a one size fits all plan for small groups Have a Six Week Plan Lesson plan template

21. Time for instruction Mini Lessons really help with finding time Remember the “I do, we do, you do” format; it is during the “you do” step that it is easiest to pull a small group Try to have set days that you do things, like do reading skills on MTW and writing on THF or something like that Make sure activities measure what has been taught Use cooperative Learning groups *(grouping technique) Start small; only pull one group per day in the beginning

22. Behavior Students usually misbehave for 2 reasons They do not understand how to do something They want attention Small group instruction solves both of these because students receive instruction and attention without having to disrupt the whole class

23. Behavior Remind class of expectations before you pull your group When working with group, jot down students who are not meeting expectations Meet with those students independently after group is over and address behavior Use positive peer pressure to keep students on task (give reward to whole class if everyone stays on task)

24. Management Warm up at the beginning (5-10 min max) Timer needs to be your best friend Students need to know what to do with work that they finish Always allow time at the end of group to sum up what skill they worked on (this is helpful at the end of class as well) Spreadsheet of skills to be mastered so you know what to cover in small groups We try to follow Harry Wong and have warm ups at the beginning of class, but often our warm ups eat up critical instruction time. They need to be very short and to the point. They are not really meant to be instructional---their purpose is to get students settled in and ready to learn. I have a horrible habit of taking some things up from my students, having them keep things in their folders, having them put things on my desk, or having them turn them in to the tray---no set procedure confuses the kids and gives them the opportunity to interrupt my group because they do not know what to do with their work. Try to be consistent or at least write on the board what you want them to do with their work when they finish. I hate when my kids do not know what they have learned on a previous day, but if we do not put it into words, they often do not know. It is very important for them to KNOW what they learned each day so that they can build their confidence and build on their prior knowledge. *********Show examples of mastery listsWe try to follow Harry Wong and have warm ups at the beginning of class, but often our warm ups eat up critical instruction time. They need to be very short and to the point. They are not really meant to be instructional---their purpose is to get students settled in and ready to learn. I have a horrible habit of taking some things up from my students, having them keep things in their folders, having them put things on my desk, or having them turn them in to the tray---no set procedure confuses the kids and gives them the opportunity to interrupt my group because they do not know what to do with their work. Try to be consistent or at least write on the board what you want them to do with their work when they finish. I hate when my kids do not know what they have learned on a previous day, but if we do not put it into words, they often do not know. It is very important for them to KNOW what they learned each day so that they can build their confidence and build on their prior knowledge. *********Show examples of mastery lists

25. What I have learned Even though you are not standing in front of your class ALL of your students are still learning Your class is not always going to be quiet Students will try to get away with stuff while you are working with your group You will feel out of control in the beginning You will have less time at your desk Students will want to be in your small group

26. What I have learned Your low students will gain more confidence You will have less failures Attitudes will be better My timer is my best friend Planning is harder, but teaching is so much easier

27. Groundhog Day The groundhog is the only critter with his own holiday, a day based on the tale that he can forecast the start of spring. When he wakes from his long winter sleep, the groundhog crawls out from his warm burrow. It is said that if the sun is out, he will see his shadow, startle, and scurry back down his hole. This means winter will last six more weeks. But if clouds cover the sky, and he sees no shadow, he will trot off to search for food. This means that winter is at an end, and a warm spring will soon begin. A groundhog named Punxsutawny Phil is the most famous furry forecaster. On February 2nd of each year, crowds gather early in the morning on a wooded hill in Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania. Men of the Groundhog Club, dressed in tuxedos and top hats, stand next to a tree stump with a small door in it----Phil’s man-made home. One of the men knocks on Phil’s door with a cane to wake him, opens it up, and pulls him out. The man holds Phil up to his ear. Phil’s nose quivers as he “tells” the man if he saw his shadow or not, and the man shouts the news for all to hear.