Lead Conference 2012 “Closing the Gap” Strategies and Best Practices

1. Lead Conference 2012“Closing the Gap”Strategies and Best Practices Presenters Ronnie Scudder, Principal Jennifer Ankney, 5-6 Special Education Hollie Farmer, 7-8 Special Education boe.smithcounty.com/SCMS

2. All faculty members • All teachers fill out "Performance Evaluation Sheets" for each student in every class. They are hand written to help aid memory. • This helps identify bubble students and watch list students • Bubble students – students within +/-3 • Watch list – students that fall within 1 or more “gap” categories (SpEd, Ethnic, Economically Disadvantaged) • Prior to school year sources of information include: • TVAAS – Projections, gains • Pearson – cut score, bubble students, subgroups

3. Performance Evaluation Chart “GAP” ID

4. PEARSON

5. During School Year Data/Testing • Star student – RTI, GE reading score • Study Island – exposure to more questions • Discovery education – discover weaknesses, School Literacy Leader or teacher creates probes specific to student(s) or classes needs as determined by reports, most especially the 3rd test.

6. DATA CHARTING • This chart is created in color for teachers to have a quick reference guide to student performance and is added to as the year progresses.

7. Mrs. Ankney’s Strategies and Practices • High Expectations • Index Card Goals • Charting Data • Extra Practice • Computer Lab • TCAP Bootcamp • Grade Level Materials

8. High Expectations • I set high expectations for my students at the beginning of the school year and keep those expectations high all year.  • High Level Tasks

9. Index Card Goals • I gave each student index cards, one each for subject from the previous year with achievement level, and their number score.  I put what they needed to achieve for that year, with achievement level and how many questions they needed to get correct.  • We kept these cards and pulled them out at least once a week to discuss our goals and make sure we were on track to achieve them.

10. Charts and Data Usage • Charting previous years scores using TVAAS data.  • I kept these scores on my desk within reach all year and looked at them often to remind myself where my students need to be.

11. Extra Practice • Identified students that hit us multiple times. (i.e. ED and SpEd) • I pulled those students into my classroom from 7:45 until 8:10 to get extra practice on reading and math skills using the TCAP Coach Workout Workbook.

12. Computer Lab • Our Literacy Leader created probes for me in Discovery Education. • Daily, we would work on Standards Based Assessments. • I printed out daily reports, found individual student weaknesses and used TCAP Coach books and workout books to target these specific areas.

13. TCAP Bootcamp • Motivation with PowerPoint and a TCAP boot camp song.  • TCAP Bootcamp teams of 4, using interwrite technology and practice questions, we drilled daily.  • The students got a point when their team answered correctly.  • Motivated by competition.  • The winning team got rewarded over the summer. 

14. Use of Grade Level Materials • I put the students in grade level books, modified, and supplemented when possible.  (If students are expected to take a grade level test, they need to be using the grade level materials.)

15. Mrs. Hollie Farmer’s Strategies and Practices • I focused on the way I taught the standards. I want my students to be able to succeed on their own. The curriculum is very student led which fits in perfectly with Common Core and Constructed Response. • Students are given immediate feedback on their progress. At the end of each lesson, students know what they did or did not do well on. I then pulled those who needed extra instruction or help. • Technology made my job easier. The use of the Interwrite Pad and computers made teaching difficult topics more engaging for the students.

17. Who is it for? • A student who: • Can understand basic logical operations • Can draw conclusions from evidence • Has reasonable basic vocabulary • Will continue to have skill deficencies

18. What is taught?

19. What is taught? • Independent application of learning skills. • Leads to the students having the ability to analyze arguments and respond appropriately. • Common Core and Constructed Response encourages students to take control of their own learning.

20. What is taught? • Basic Tools – • Sources of information - includes comprehension passages, deductions, maps, pics, graphs, and supporting evidence. • Information for directions - includes writing directions, filing out forms, identifying contradictory directions. • Communication information - includes definitions, combining sentences, editing, and using context clues for word meaning.

21. What is taught? • Operating on Information • Deductions • Basic evidence • Argument rules • Contradictions

22. What is taught? • Organizing information • Main idea • Outlining • Specific-general • Morals • Visual-spatial organization • Higher order skills

23. What is taught? • Outcome behavior • Proficient in analyzing arguments • Understand intent of argument • Skeptical about author’s purpose • Infer word meaning in context • Understand purpose of reference material • Apply basic procedures for editing