School Life after PLC Institutes

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Making Middle School Meaningful A journey not a
destination
Ms. Suzanne Cowper, Teacher Ms. Kathy Kelly,
Teacher Dr. Greg Gelderman, Principal Heatherwood
Middle School Everett Public Schools March 29,
2007
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Making Middle School Meaningful

• Purpose Communicate, provide some ideas (not
  programs) to consider.
• Process Share information, provide handouts,
  answer questions.
• Pay-off Leave with some questions and ideas that
  might be useful in working with Middle Level
  Educators.

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The Challenge Making Middle School Meaningful

• Critical Question How can we lead Middle School
  students to become self directed learners,
  taking responsibility for their learning?
• Analyzing data
• Setting goals
• Collecting and reflecting on evidence
• Attending, participating, facilitating conferences

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What do we know?

• What school variables are most strongly related
  to student achievement?

I am Mom and Dads best!
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Remember the Hedgehog Concept

• Hedgehogs see what is essential, and ignore the
  rest
• What is essential to attaining and sustaining
  high levels of student achievement?

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Build Instructional Capacity

• Create and nurture hope by
• Helping teachers realize the importance of
  instructional skill, and allow and expect them to
  teach effectively.
• Focusing on Value-Added versus Numerical
  Quotas.
• Sharing elements of high quality instruction
  Instructional Look-Fors.
• If we are doing the right things instructionally,
  test scores will take care of themselves.

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• Heatherwood Middle School Instructional
  Look-fors
• Guiding Questions
• What do we want each student to learn?
• How will we know if they have learned?
• How do we respond when students dont learn?
• How do we respond if students already know the
  content?
• Setting up the learning
• Entry task relevant to the learning (variety of
  tasks, individual, cooperative)
• Learning goal/purpose for each lesson posted.
  Learning goals for the trimester communicated to
  students to
• write in their Trimester Goal Sheets.
• Engage Preconceptions/Activate Prior Knowledge.
  What do students know, or think they know about
  the
• concept/new learning
• Critical Vocabulary
• 4 Ps (Preview, Purpose, Predict, Activate Prior
  Knowledge/Preconceptions)
• Teaching new material
• Teacher model (show and tell I do.)
  Math-Launch Science-Engage

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Increase Leadership Capacity

• Common Mission
• The purpose of Heatherwood Middle School is to
  provide relevant, rigorous, engaging learning
  experiences for our students in a safe, caring,
  collaborative community.
• (Posted in every classroom and in common areas.)
• Shared leadership and responsibility
• Building Leadership Team
• Site Council
• Literacy and Math Facilitators
• Common Planning Time

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HWMS A suburban school in an urban district

• Enrollment October 2006 840 (936 in 2000)
• Gender October 2005
• Male 52.6 (48.7 in 2000)
• Female 47.4 (51.3 in 2000)
• Ethnicity October 2005
• American Indian/Alaskan Native 1.8 (.7
  in 2000)
• Asian
  16.8 (15 in 2000)
• Black
  3.3 (2.1 in 2000)
• Hispanic
  6.3 (4.3 in 2000)
• White
  70.6 (77.4 in 2000)
• Special Programs
• Free or Reduced-Price Meals 16.1 (7.8
  2001)
• Special Education (May 10.6
• Transitional Bilingual 2.3
• Migrant 0.0

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HWMS 7th WASL
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HWMS Value Added 7th
Math, Reading, Writing
Math
Reading
Writing

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MSLP A Journey

• In 1997, Everett Public Schools began
  re-examining what should each student know and
  be able to do by the time they complete middle
  school?
• Students needed to be actively engaged in
  learning and applying knowledge and skills in
  changing world.
• Students needed to assume responsibility for
  their learning.

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Phase One The Competencies

• When looking at the transition from Elementary to
  High School specific competencies became
  apparent
• Self-directed learner
• Effective communicator
• User of skills and strategies
• Effective problem solver

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Phase Two Evidence of Learning

• Improve academic achievement.
• Set content area goals in all classes, monitor
  progress, collect evidence, and reflect on
  growth.
• Present a public declaration of evidence of
  learning at the end of each school year.
• Introduction of the Student Led Conference

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Phase Three Educational Planning

• Understanding the relationship between success in
  meeting academic requirements and future options.
  
• Setting goals to achieve desired short-term and
  long-term educational options.
• Introduction of trimester goal-setting cycle.

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Phase Four Individualizing

• Streamlined competencies to
• Self-directed learner
• Effective Communicator
• Effective Goal Setter
• Each Middle School develops and aligns program
  with its community.
• Three critical components at each Middle School
• Fall Conferences
• Trimester Goal-setting cycle
• Spring Student Led Conferences
• At Heatherwood fall conferences have evolved into
  Goal-Setting Conferences and the development of
  the Student Learning Plan for each student.

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Middle School Learning Portfolio (MSLP) 

• A framework designed to
• Move students through challenging academic
  activities to develop the skills needed for
  lifelong learning.
• Prepare students for success in High School by
  teaching them to set goals, monitor and reflect
  on progress.
• Assist students in developing a high school and
  beyond plan that will meet state graduation
  requirements and open up post high school
  options.

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MSLP and Lifelong Learning

•  

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MSLP from a students view 

• Students are actively engaged in the Goal Setting
  Cycle
• Students work with components of the MSLP in each
  of their classes.
• Teachers set class content goals, relate class
  content to the competencies, using common
  vocabulary, and allow students to select and
  reflect on their work in class.
• These pieces are placed into a portfolio of
  student work.
• Students attend portfolio classes that meet
  occassionally to collect work, reflect on their
  student learning plan and trimester academic
  achievments, and assemble their portfolios.
• Students collect and analyze assessment data, and
  set year long goals to share with parents at Fall
  Goal-Setting Conferences.  
• Students facilitate a Spring Student-Led
  Conference.

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What is a Portfolio? 

• A binder of evidence that serves as a record of
  learning.
• The focus of the portfolio is on students work
  and their reflection on their achievement.
• The portfolio is kept in Portfolio Class
• A record of academic achievment with test scores,
  trimester records of progress, and a map of
  courses available to them.
• A home for creation of career interests.

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s Name Learning
Portfolio Section One Introduction
Letter Course Map
Assessment Data
What do test scores mean? Section Two

Planning

Achievement


Grades/Transcripts High
School Trajectory


Awards and Honors
Career Goals and Plans
Spring SLC Reflection
Academic Goals and Plans
On-time Graduation Plan
Student Learning Plan
Celebrations Section Three Reading Achiev
ement (Progress Report) Goal Sheet Goal,
monitor, reflect Evidence Section
Four Writing Section
Five Mathematics Section Six
Science Section Seven Other
Classes Health, History, Music, Lifetime Fitness,
Unified Arts
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Everett Public Schools Middle School Course Map
6th Grade WASL Reading _______ Math _______
8th Grade WASL Reading _______ Math _______
Science ____
4th Grade WASL Writing _______ 5th Grade
WASL Reading _______ Math _______ Science
_______
7th Grade WASL Reading _______ Math
_______ Writing _______
Grade 6 Class Grades 1st 2nd 3rd
Mathematics G6 Math ___ ___
___ G6 Challenge Math
___ ___ ___ Reading G6
Reading ___ ___ ___
G6 Challenge ___ ___
___ Language Arts G6 Language Arts ___
___ ___ G6
Challenge ___ ___
___ History G6 History ___ ___
___ G6 Challenge ___
___ ___ Science G6 Science
___ ___ ___ PE/Health G6 PE/Health
___ ___ ___ Unified Arts, Music or
Support Class Trimester 1 _________________
___ Trimester 2 _________________
___ Trimester 3 _________________
___ 1st 2nd 3rd GPA
___ ___ ___
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How does MSLP benefit students? 

• Middle School Learning Portfolio provides
  students with opportunities to 
• Assume responsibility for improvement in their
  academic work.
• Derive a sense of achievement.
• Communicate their strengths and areas of growth
  with others.
• Develop insights into their own learning.

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MSLP Timeline

• Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June

Collect evidence and reflect on progress
Prepare for Student-Led Conferences
Prepare growth portfolio Student-Led Conference
Goal setting cycle Set Goals Collect
evidence
and reflect on Progress
Goal-Setting Conferences
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Middle School Learning Portfolio (MSLP) Three
Critical Components

• Fall Goal-Setting Conferences (GSC) 2005
• Goal Setting 2003
• Spring Student-Led Conferences (SLC)2003

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Portfolio

• Each student has MSLP, kept in ONE class
• Table of Contents
• Curriculum Map

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Goal-Setting Conferences

• Began fall 2005
• Staff initiative
• Less than 50 of parents attending arena
  conferences.
• Grades were on-line so parents knew how students
  were doing.
• Students did not attend traditional arena
  conferences.
• Goal of developing a Student Learning Plan for
  each student.

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Goal-Setting Conferences

• Purpose Review student assessment data, SMART
  goals from each class, initial goals from
  Student-Led Conference previous spring and draft
  a Student Learning Plan for the current year.
• Process EACH student and parent would have a 20
  minute conference with one of the students
  teachers. Teacher would facilitate the
  conference, which is scripted.
• Pay-off Students take an active role in planning
  their learning for the year.

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Goal-Setting Conferences Outcomes

• 92 of parents attended 2005 and 2006.
• Less than 50 requests each year for a conference
  with another teacher.
• Increased staff understanding, commitment to
  building, district and state assessments.
• Fall 2007, Student Learning Plan will be on NCR
  so parents can take a copy home.

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Trimester Goal Setting Cycle

• Purpose Teach students to set, monitor, reflect
  on progress, and set new goals as a tool to
  increase student learning.
• Process Students set SMART goals in each class
  every trimester collect and reflect mid
  trimester and end of trimester.
• Pay-off Increase student learning by teaching
  students to assume responsibility for their
  learning.

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The Goal Achievement Cycle
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Trimester Goal Setting Cycle

• SMART Goal
• Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
  Realistic/Relevant, Time-bound
• Collection/Reflection
• Mid-trimester
• End of trimester
• Monitor, plot progress

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Heatherwood Middle SchoolProjected number of
years to complete High School
Name _______________________________

GPA_____________
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Student-Led Conferences

• Purpose Each student will facilitate a spring
  Student-Led Conference that reviews learning from
  current year and drafts initial learning goals
  for the next year.
• Process Students share annual progress on goals
  and assessments with parents, as well as their
  drafted learning goals for the next year.
• Payoff Students and parents complete reflection
  and set initial goals for the following year.

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What is a Student-Led Conference? 

• A formal conference, facilated by the student,
  with a parent or other important adults in their
  life.
• The student discusses their learning, educational
  goals, and strategies used to meet those goals.
• A presentation before an authentic/high stakes
  audience.
• Having an audience that a student knows and cares
  about gives them a purpose for collecting work
  samples, talking about their learning, and
  showing their skills.

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Why Student-Led Conferences? 

• A forum where students provide evidence (student
  work) that indicates knowledge and skills they
  have acquired.
• An active learning experience/celebration where
  students have opportunities to self-assess and
  evaluate their work, and to accept greater
  responsibility for their learning.
• Research and experience supported benefits such
  as
• Strong sense of accountability/responsibility for
  self-evaluation of progress.
• Increased sense of pride in achievement.
• Development of student leadership skills.
• Productive student-teacher relationships.
• Increased parental participation in conferences.
• Heightened teacher focus on instruction aligned
  with standards and competencies.

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What does a Student-Led Conference look like? 

• Students share their growth portfolio with their
  parents to
• Celebrate learning over the year as they share
  academic progress.
• Discuss how well they have met goals through the
  year.
• Parent and student identify an area for
  improvement/ growth and set a goal to begin at
  the start of the next academic year of how to
  improve or maintain their progress.
• Parents are encouraged to ask questions such as
• What can you tell me about this assignment?
• What skills did you use?
• What would you do next time to improve your
  work?
• How does this portfolio show growth throughout
  the year?
• What goals have you set? Can we set any
  together?
• How can I help you meet your goals for next year?

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What is a parents role during the Student-Led
Conference? 

• Be a good listener.
• Talk and ask questions about the work/evidence.
• Identify ways to support student learning.

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What is a teachers role in the Student-Led
Conference?

•  
• Provide students an opportunity to collect,
  select, and organize student work in the
  portfolio.
• Provide time to practice for the student-led
  conference.
• Arrange private conferences if requested.
• Act as a host and be available for assistance if
  necessary during the conference.
•  

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Student-Led Conferences Outcomes

• All students conference.
• If a parent doesnt come to the conference,
  students conference with another adult, i.e.,
  staff and/or community member.
• Students are doing the work.
• Reflecting on their own progress.
• Setting goals for the coming year.

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Final Reflections/Questions

• Victory is in the classroom, John Stanford.