… Integrating the Best of BEST into Teaching and Learning

…Integrating the Best of BEST into Teaching and Learning THE BEGINNING EDUCATOR SUPPORT AND TRAINING PROGRAM Christine.Sullivan@ct.gov 860-713-6828 Italia A. Negroni inegroni@hartfordschools.org 860-695-8457

Purpose of this session… • To learn how the criteria for the CT BEST portfolio are the foundation for effective teaching and learning…. …and should be integrated into the planning, instructing, assessing and reflecting of every lesson, every day

Agenda for this session… • Quick overview of BEST • A careful look at elements of a BEST portfolio • A look into a BEST classroom with an focus on meaningful discourse • Q&A/Evaluations

Opening brainstorm/quick write… • On one side of an index card… Do a quick-write on your perceptions of the BEST portfolio Take 2 minutes to share your reflection in your groups… Share out highlights

Mission of the BEST Program • “Every • student is • taught by a • qualified and • skilled teacher”

Who participates in BEST • Initial educator certificate • Interim initial educator certificate • Temporary 90 day certificate • DSAP* (support only) • Non-renewable interim charter school* BEST Portfolio Content Areas Bilingual, Elem Ed, ELA, Math, Music, PE, Science, Social Studies, Sp Ed, Visual Arts, World Languages

What to expect in terms of BEST support • Year One: • District/school-based mentor/mentor team support • State Seminar one (Spring) • State Online seminars (ctbest.org) • Local district seminars • Year Two: Portfolio due in May • District/school-based mentor/mentor team support • State Seminar Two and Three • State Online seminars • Local district seminars • Exemplars (Online, at RESCs, in local districts) • Year Three (if necessary) Portfolio in Feb.

Why a Portfolio? • Teacher choice - time and topic • Explain conditions • Capitalize on strengths • Integrates complex process of teaching More reasons why a portfolio: • To develop reflective practices • To improve classroom instruction • To maximize student learning • To nurture a sense of belonging to the climate and culture of the school and district

Remember the Driving Questions… • What do you want your students to learn? What understanding do you want your students to gain? • Why do you want your students to learn that particular skill or understanding? • How will you know your students learned what you wanted them to learn? How will you know they understand the concept you taught?

What is a Teaching Portfolio?Your portfolio is a collection of teaching documentation over time that focuses on the following elements of good teaching: Instructional Design Instructional Implementation Student Learning (The Plan Based on Data) (Teaching & Learning) Analysis of Learning & Teaching Assessment of Student Learning (The Outcome Based on Data) (The How Come Based on Data)

Instructional Design Instructional Design • Your Learning Community • Lesson Design & Development • Video Boot Camp • Expect learning not just doing from students • Explain choices and concepts • Choose the familiar and focus on the “so what”

Instructional Implementation • What happenED (students and teacher) • Why? • Inquiry and discourse • Videotape of students thinking Instructional Implementation Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Data on Student Work Meaningful Discourse Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Design Lesson Design & Development Your Learning Community Video Boot Camp Instructional Implementation Instructional Implementation Instructional Implementation Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Instructional Implementation Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Instructional Implementation Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Instructional Implementation Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Instructional Implementation Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Data on Student Work Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Data on Student Work Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Data on Student Work Data on Student Work Data on Student Work Meaningful Discourse Between and among Data on Student Work Meaningful Discourse Between and among Data on Student Work Meaningful Discourse Between and among Meaningful Discourse Between and among Meaningful Discourse Between and among Meaningful Discourse Between and among Meaningful Discourse Between and among

Assessment of Student Learning -Assessing and Adjusting • Monitoring • Assessment: assignment criteria how did students know? • Student work samples WITH your comments • Check our rubric! Assessment of Student Learning Formative/Summative Not all assessment tasks are created equal

Reflecting Analysis of Teaching & Learning Reflecting on Commentaries • Interaction of teacher behavior and student performance • Useful adjustments – NOW – not always next year “The reflective practitioner consistently approaches the problems of teaching in a thoughtful, curious manner and believes that one of teaching’s main outcomes is a greater understanding of the teaching and learning act.” John Dewey, 1933

What’s Quality • Student learning and progress • Big ideas or concepts • Lessons build on each other • Student inquiry

Let’s Take a Closer Look at… Instructional Implementation Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse Clear and High Expectations Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Data on Student Work Meaningful Discourse

Meaningful Discourse is NOT… • Merely getting students to talk! • Carefully orchestrated student talk can result in higher levels of student achievement when… • Carried out within a thinking curriculum • In the service of rigorous and coherent instructional tasks

What is meaningful discourse? -aka Accountable Talk • Accountable to the Learning Community • Student Centered Student Focused • Accountable to Knowledge • Clear Academic Focus • Accountable to Rigorous Thinking • Coherent and Rigorous Instructional Tasks

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words… • Using your Meaningful Discourse task sheet.. • Review the components of Meaningful Discourse on your task sheet • View the video • Record on your task sheet evidence of Meaningful Discourse that you see in the right hand column • Discuss in small groups • Share out highlights

The session in review… Instructional Implementation Instructional Design Data Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse • Lesson Design & Development • Your Learning Community • Video Boot Camp Academic Rigor Conceptual Understanding for Transfer Clear and High Expectations Data on Student Work Student Learning Meaningful Discourse Data Data Analysis of Teaching & Learning Assessment of Student Learning Reflecting on Commentaries Data Formative/Summative Not all assessment tasks are created equal

Some Talk Formats… • Lecture • Recitation • Teacher/Student Conference • Student-Led Small Group • Student Led Small Group with Peer Conferencing • Whole Group Discussion • Stop and Talk Partner Talk

Summary of Teacher Talk Moves…

Closing reflection… • On the other side of your index card… Do a quick-write about whether or not your perceptions of the BEST portfolio changed and why Take 2 minutes to share your reflection in your groups… Share out to large group… Discussion, Q&A

What to Expect as a New TeacherDevelopmental Phases of Beginning Teachers

On the District Level • Most school districts in Connecticut offer a district orientation for all beginning teachers before school starts. This often includes meetings and/or workshops which address the following:• district coordinators’ roles;• special education topics/procedures;• classroom management;• contract issues;• time to work with mentors;• access to and use of instructional technology;• tips for the first month of school;• tour of schools, town or city;• in-classroom time; and• overview of BEST Program requirements for beginning teachers in year one and year two • While this orientation is extremely helpful, building-level orientation is also critical to a new teacher’s success. It offers an opportunity for a principal to set a tone that lets the beginning teacher see that she or he is an important resource person who supports student and teacher learning.

On a School-Based Level • Building-level orientations often include some or all of the following:• touring the building and supplying materials;• discussing building culture/expectations;• answering beginning teachers’ questions;• meeting with mentors and beginning teachers to discuss mutual expectations/responsibilities;• offering to coordinate mentor/beginning teacher schedules so they can meet/observe each other;• setting up a schedule of times for beginning teachers to meet with the principal throughout the year (perhaps breakfast meetings or afternoon “teas”);• offering tips on how to be successful in the first month of school; and• helping beginning teachers understand how they will document their good teaching in their BEST portfolio. • (Some principals now observe beginning teachers two days in a row to help them begin to reflect on how lessons build on one another.)

What to Expect as a New Teacher Examples of Exemplary Induction Practices • Beginning teachers have at least biweekly meetings or other forms of contact with mentors or support team members. (Required by state regulation.) • District provides release time on at least eight occasions to allow beginning teachers to observe or be observed by their mentors or support team members or for professional development-related activities. (Required by state regulation.) • All administrators attend in-district BEST Portfolio Support Training. • District facilitator/master mentor coordinates monthly workshops/meetings for year one beginning teachers and a separate series for year two teachers. Workshops are divided by elementary and middle/secondary levels. • Schools hold monthly sessions for teachers which promote reflective practice. • Recognition events are held for beginning teachers/mentors. • Departments or grade levels have a morning coffee club where experienced teachers share strategies with novices. • Mentors are paid for mentoring. This also provides a vehicle for accountability/quality control. • Working on a BEST portfolio or assisting a teacher with development of a portfolio becomes the teacher’s professional goal for the year. • Beginning teachers not submitting BEST portfolios complete reflective journals and meet with principals. • District or school-level workshops are planned around the BEST online, content-specific seminars. • Conversation Points from Support Teacher Training are used to guide “mini action research projects.” • Specialized training where mentors and beginning teachers work together is planned throughout the year. • Portfolio scorers provide workshops for beginning teachers and mentors on topics such as understanding and using portfolio feedback rubrics and analyzing portfolio exemplars. • Principal integrates BEST and district observations by having ongoing conversations that focus on common expectations. • Principal observes twice during one unit of instruction. Student work is used to focus on student learning over time. Connections are then made to portfolio expectations.

Why be a teacher? by Rick DuFour If you believe it is important to help children and young men and women acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential to productive and satisfying lives, then be a teacher. If you burst with passion for your subject and want to share that passion with others, then be a teacher. If you appreciate a calling in which each year offers a fresh start, new beginnings, and the opportunity to impact lives in a positive way, then be a teacher. If you truly enjoy kids, if you are able to see the best in each of them, if you are willing to persist when confronted by their recalcitrance or indifference, then be a teacher. If you believe that an educated citizenry is critical to the well being of the nation, then be a teacher. If you feel joy in seeing students learn to believe in themselves because you helped them achieve what they felt was beyond their grasp, then be a teacher. If, like Henry Adams, you understand that, as a teacher, you can affect eternity because it is impossible to tell where your influence stops, then be a teacher. If you recognize that giving of yourself to others and developing others Can be one of the most significant and fulfilling ways In which to live your life, Then be a teacher.

Whom to contact? • Check ctbest.org for your content area • Handbook lists • Teachers-in-Residence • District Facilitator and mentors

… Integrating the Best of BEST into Teaching and Learning