6-12 Focus Strategic Instruction Model developed by Kansas University

1
6-12 Focus Strategic Instruction Modeldeveloped
by Kansas University

• Alameda Unified School District
• Board Meeting
• June 10, 2008

2
Strategic Instruction Model

• District-wide implementation in 07-08
• 90 teachers participated in formal training
• Content Enhancement
• FUSION Reading
• Strategic Tutoring
• Encinal Presentation

3
Jets SIM taking off

• Teacher and Student Survey results about
  Strategic Instruction Model implementation at EHS

4
ACRONYMS we love to use

• SIM Strategic Instructional Model (the overall
  system of instruction)
• CER Content Enhancement Routine (the specific
  routines that we use in the classroom)
• PDer Professional Developer

5
The SIM story at Encinal

• Our story began in summer 2006
• We felt there was a need for instruction
  improvement
• Willing and interested faculty members trained in
  SIM
• We began working to become PDers to sustain the
  program and share our vision
• Through this survey, we wanted to answer 2
  questions
• How are SIM/CERs impacting students?
• What is the SIM/CERs impact on teaching?

6
Teacher Survey Results Which CERs we used most
7
How teachers chose Content Enhancement Routines
(CERs)
8
Teachers perspective on the impact on Student
Learning at EHS
9
Impact on Teacher practices
10
Impact on Teachers

• Aids teacher planning and organization of
  critical content
• Fosters collegiality and professional discussion
  as well as consistency of curriculum
• Makes difficult cognitive tasks easier to teach
  and leads to deeper discussions.
• CERs allow teacher to reflect on cognitive
  challenges and chose the best strategies to help
  students master that difficult content.

11
Students reported use of CER in other classes
12
Where students would like to see CERs used
13
Where Students see themselves using CERs in the
future
14
Student Voices

• Where else can you use these tools to help you
  learn?

I can use them to break down and understand any
complex idea from Math, Science, History to
English. - 11th grade AP English 3 White student
I can use FRAMES to help me organize my thoughts
in an essay so I dont get mixed up. - 11th
grade AP English 3 Filipina student
I think these tools work in every class. - 11th
grade Sheltered English 4 Chinese student
I think this could help anyone to learn these
tools in any classes that will help us get a
deeper meaning of things and ideas. - 11th grade
AP English 3 Vietnamese student
15
Students responses to how CERs aided their
learning
16
Impact on Students

• Students internalize and have ownership of the
  CERs.
• Students are more focused and organized.
• Students understanding of critical concepts
  improved.
• Students see the value of applying this thinking
  and learning in other areas.

17
Student Voices

• Why do you think that the teacher gave you this
  tool? How does it help you learn?

I think the teacher gave us this tool because it
keeps our thoughts organized and simple. I helps
us learn because it makes us go deeper into the
thing we were learning about. understandable.
- 12 grade Government Bosnian student
We used it to analyze and better understand the
text. It helps us understand the bigger
picture. - 10 grade French 3 Mexican student
I think that the teacher gave me this tool
because its more organized and understandable.
It helps me summarize he main idea of the work
we did in class. - 12 grade Sheltered Government
Chinese student
18
Are we interested in learning more CERs?
19
Teachers needs for the future expressed in the
survey

• Teachers are interested in deepening their
  understanding of the CERs already presented.
• Teachers are interested in learning more CERs.
• Teachers feel that support is crucial to success.
  Time, money, training, prioritization in Staff
  Development.

20
The next steps at EHS

• Movement to a critical mass of teachers using SIM
• Collection of objective data
• EHS professional developers train other staff
  members in CERs in workshops during the year

21
What we need from the district and our
administration

• Continued district support of SIM program and
  training of new teachers
• Continued district and administration support for
  common planning time (discretionary and flexible)
• SIM becoming the focus of our Single School Plan
• SIM is part of school philosophy and new teacher
  training/hiring
• Support of in-house Professional Developers

22
SO WHAT?

• Those of us who use SIM routines recognize they
  are an effective tool for both teachers
  students that require informed support ongoing
  follow up from all stakeholders. SIM routines are
  effective teaching learning tools.

23
Strategic Instruction Model

• Content Enhancement
• Interactive tools and routines that focus
  teaching and learning
• Examples
• Course Organizer
• Unit Organizer
• Frames

24
CE Feedback

• Positives
• Coaches help build fidelity and continuity
• Students start to be meta-cognitive in their
  approach to class-work
• Helps teachers to be strategic and identify
  critical content, makes them more organized and
  prepared for classes
• Strategic students are participating in class

25
CE Feedback

• To work on
• On going coaching, keep the momentum
• Build district capacity for internal coaching
• More structured time to calibrate student work
  derived from SIM tools
• Share testing strategy learned in Fusion with all
  students

26
CE 2008-2009

• District Reform Coach
• Summer Institute
• Individual sites moving along on Content Literacy
  Continuum
• Embedded Strategies - Chipman
• Developing SIM Leadership Teams
• On-going communication about progress to public

27
Strategic Instruction Model

• Fusion Reading (Year 1)
• Specific reading strategies to build students
  ability to
• predict
• decode
• comprehend
• read fluently with confidence
• Master strategies using low level, high interest
  text.

28
TPS Cumulative Scores at AUSD
29
Fusion Feedback

• Positives
• Thoughtful ongoing professional development
  including coaching
• Effective reading strategies
• Engaging novels to practice the strategies
• Student testimony

30
Fusion Feedback

• To work on
• Clarifying the link to standards
• Clarifying the assessments
• Understanding the whole picture vs. individual
  strategies
• Fidelity

31
FUSION 08-09

• Fusion II Use strategies learned to tackle
  non-fiction, grade level text
• New Fusion I teachers
• Ongoing professional development and coaching
  differentiated for new and continuing teachers
• Push in assistance by RSP staff
• Ongoing feedback to public

32
Strategic Instruction Model

• Strategic Tutoring
• Afterschool support of strategic students through
  tutors knowledge and understanding of SIM tools,
  routines, and strategies.
• Alameda County visit to RISE program indicates
  developing model of coordination between the
  school day and after school program!

33
Strategic Tutoring

• Positives
• Implementation went well
• Easy to teach to students
• Needs Work
• More collaboration with teachers
• Future Plans
• Deepen implementation
• Keep students engaged

34
Strategic Instruction Model

• New for 08-09
• Potential Professional Developers
• 10 AUSD teachers
• Rigorous application process
• Summer Institute and ongoing coaching
• 1-2 year internship and training
• Multiple benefits to district to sustain the
  project

35
Strategic Instruction Model

• AUSD honored
• 2008 SIM IMPACT AWARD
• for
• District Implementation