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Session #9 Using Student Feedback to Inform School-wide Literacy South Middle School

Session #9 Using Student Feedback to Inform School-wide Literacy South Middle School Westfield, Massachusetts Presenter: Ron Rix, Principal http://sms.schoolsofwestfield.org. South Middle School Westfield, Massachusetts. What we look like:. A Gap Closure School. South Middle School

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Session #9 Using Student Feedback to Inform School-wide Literacy South Middle School

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  1. Session #9 Using Student Feedback to Inform School-wide Literacy South Middle School Westfield, Massachusetts Presenter: Ron Rix, Principal http://sms.schoolsofwestfield.org

  2. South Middle SchoolWestfield, Massachusetts What we look like: A Gap Closure School

  3. South Middle School Restructuring through: Relationships - Relevance & Rigor

  4. SMS Literacy Modelour 5-components Intake Processing Output

  5. Lets Get Started! Question # 1 What do these words have in common? Aha moment : bucket list : cloud computing : e-reader : earworm : geocaching : mash-up & sexting

  6. ANSWER These are some of the new words added to the Merrian-Webster’s Dictionary in 2012.

  7. Question # 2 You are a participant in a race. You over take the second person. What position are you in?

  8. ANSWER If you answered that you are first, you are incorrect. If you overtake the second place person, you take his/her place, your are in second place.

  9. Question # 3 Now a Math Problem: NOTE: THIS MUST BE DONE IN YOUR HEAD ONLY. DO NOT USE PAPER AND PENCIL OR A CALCULATOR.. LET’S TRY IT. Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000, now add 30.Add another 1000, then add another 20. Now add another 1000, and then add 10. What is the total?

  10. Question # 3 Did You get 5000?

  11. The correct answer is actually 4100

  12. Now an easy one! MARY'S FATHER HAS FIVE DAUGHTERS: 1. NANA, 2. NENE, 3. NINI, 4.. NONO, AND ??? WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE FIFTH DAUGHTER?

  13. Today’s Agenda • SMS Four Year Restructuring Process for Literacy that included: • Creating a Coherent Vision • Using the DSEI to promote Relationships, Relevance, & Rigor • School-wide Literacy Initiative • Sharing our data & what we learned. Including what we didn’t know we didn’t know.

  14. South Middle SchoolRestructuring Model It Began with our Vision & Mission and focused on: • Relationships through Aspirations • Relevance through Performance Tasks • Rigor through School-wide Literacy

  15. Putting all the pieces of the puzzle together! Mission Statement At South Middle School all students will be provided high quality educational opportunities, in a school climate that fosters positive relationships and mutual respect among students, staff, and families. All learning experiences must be relevant to our students and focus on higher order thinking skills. Building upon these learning experiences, students will be able to generate original ideas, evaluate information, and communicate their thoughts effectively though Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Reasoning.

  16. Our Challenge was to Align our Practices with our Vision & Mission Literacy To achieve our mission we needed to… explicitly teach literacy skills in all subjects.

  17. Making the Vision Come Alive ESL Book on Polygons

  18. To Measure our School’s Climate, We use the We Learn & We Teach Surveys They measure: • Rigor • Relevance • Relationships, and • Leadership

  19. Staff Expectations! 100% - Staff are expected to use a variety of instructional strategies to help student learn. 98% ( +9%) - My day-to-day actions are aligned with the mission of this school. 98%- Staff are expected to provide opportunities for students to discuss and solve open-ended questions and problems. 98% - I encourage students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways (i.e., speaking, writing). 96% - In my class students discuss and solve open-ended questions and problems. 93% - Staff are expected to use information & communication technology (computers, internet) to promote learning. 93% - I want to learn new ways of teaching students. 87% - Staff are expected to give frequent feedback to students about the quality of their work and actions. 2011-12 WE Teach Survey

  20. To Close the Achievement Gap; we needed to eliminate our Participation Gap! An Art Class designing games with Hasbro!

  21. South Middle School Restructuring through: Relationships - Relevance & Rigor

  22. South Middle School Building relationships through Student Aspirations!

  23. Weekly Small Groups Enrichment/Aspirations Period Special Subject Teacher 6th Grade Class

  24. Teambuilding by Focusing on Communication Skills S Listening Skills Speaking Skills

  25. Problem Solving and Leadership Skills Marshmallow Challenge Challenge Course at WSU

  26. What our Students are saying about the changes at SMS! +18% - I can share my academic problems & concerns with my teachers. +22% - Passing the state test is the most important thing I do in school. +17% - My teachers expect me to apply what I learn in school to my life. +15% - This school has high expectations for all students. +15% - My teachers make learning fun. +14% - There is strong communication between teachers & students. +13% - My teachers are always trying new things. We Learn Survey data

  27. A Data Driven Approach • WE Learn (students) & WE Teach (staff) Surveys that measures the Key Elements of Relationships, Relevance, Rigor, and Leadership. • Achievement Data– MCAS- SRI – GMADE - Benchmarks • Grades – Attendance, Tardiness & Participation

  28. Why do we need to focus onLiteracy Skills?

  29. Here’s Why We Needed Literacy Skills

  30. Not Much Better in Math

  31. and Social Studies too!

  32. Why Literacy @ SMS?2008-2010 Cohort Group

  33. SMS Literacy Modelour 5-components Intake Processing Output

  34. School-wide Literacy InitiativeWhat we did! • New Mission & Vision – Focus on Literacy • Established Interdisciplinary Literacy Team • Created a 3-Year Plan (just completed Year 2) • Year-long Roll-out – Involved all Staff! • Staff as Trainers (Tips & Scripts) • Sub groups Created and Piloted Model Lessons • Restructured Monthly Meetings • Semester Long Open Response Schedule • Created Products (Staff Manual, bookmarks, posters) • Constant Feedback (Pilot-Feedback-Revise) • Focused on Learning (Ah-Ha) not getting it right.

  35. Sample 7th Grade Math

  36. MCAS Verbs

  37. Sample 8th Grade Sci/Tech

  38. Listening for a Purpose

  39. Speaking & Listening Hands Behind Your back Traffic Jam

  40. Let’s Try a FewSpeaking Skills Stand up and find a partner.

  41. RCURRA-What’s it look Like?

  42. Used with the posted objective in class!

  43. Open Response Practice Schedule December 5-9 Reading/Foreign Language December 19-23 Mathematics Dec. 26-Jan. 2 Winter Break January 9-13 Unified Life January 23-27ELA February 13-17 Art & Music February 20-24 February Vacation March 12-16 Social Studies March 21-29 RLA MCAS Tests April 9-13 Technology/Writing Lab April 16-20 Spring Break April 30-May 4 Science

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