Alternate Block Scheduling with Great Source Reading 9-12

1
Alternate Block Scheduling with Great Source
Reading 9-12

• Claire Flynn
• Nicole Lacza
• Petra Wilkes-Edwards

2
Outcomes

• To understand the advantages of alternate block
  scheduling for both teachers and students
• To be aware of various tools for teaching in the
  block
• To understand how to implement student data
  collection to drive instruction and promote
  student accountability
• To be aware of the ways TeenBiz supports data
  collection

3
Block Scheduling is supported by research in
that...

• 80 of students are more positive about the
  block schedule--Would not return to non-block
  (Huff, 1995)
• Increased student achievement---Can be
  "dramatic" (Queen, Algozzine, and Watson,
  2008)
• Grades and Grade point averages increase (Zepeda
  and Smith, 2006)
• 72 of Secondary Schools in the US have some sort
  of Block Schedule. (Queen, 2009)

4
Advantages of the Alternate Block System for
teachers

• Teachers have more time to develop Key Concepts
  (Huff-1995)
• Teachers report more time for differentiated
  Instruction (Bryant and Claxton, 1996)
• Allows for Improved Interaction with students
  (Adams and Salvaterra, 1998)
• Teachers can have students apply new concepts
  immediately (Huff,1995)
• Increased opportunity to use varying
  instructional strategies (Queen, Algozzine, and
  Eady, 1996)

5
Advantages of the Alternate Block System cont.

• Less out of class transition time, thus more time
  on task
• Students have more opportunity to earn and
  retrieve high school credit
• Block scheduling allows for a more well rounded
  educational experience

6
Why make the change Systematically?
7
Congratulations!!!!!!

• Lee County an A School District
• 47 A schools ? 60 A schools
• Improved from 34th state student achievement
  ranking to 22nd in the state

8
Essential Support Systems for Block Scheduling
(Queen, 2009)

• Curriculum Alignments which identify the scope
  and sequence of what is to be taught (Academic
  Plans)
• Pacing Guides for each course for daily, weekly,
  and semester use (Academic Plans and Essential
  Concept Instructional Guides-ECIG)
• Incorporation of Essential Concepts into the
  Pacing Guide with time management defined (ECIG)
• Changing the classroom structure/tasks a minimum
  of every 20 to 25 minutes (ECIG)

9
Intensive Reading W, X, Y, Z Period
Week 1 Week 2
Min. A Day 1 B Day 1 A Day 2 B Day 2 A Day 3 B Day 3 A Day 4 B Day 4 A Day 5 B Day 5
10 TeenBiz Readers Handbook Readers Handbook TeenBiz Readers Handbook
20
30
40
50 VTM VTM
60 Read Aloud Read Aloud Read Aloud
70 SSR VTM SSR
80 Read Aloud Read Aloud

• TeenBiz 80 minutes 20 of time
• Vocabulary Through Morphemes (Word Study) and
  Vocabulary for Comprehension 80 minutes 20 of
  time
• Teacher Read Aloud 50 minutes 12.5 of time
• Readers Handbook Unit/Lessons (includes
  vocabulary, pre-reading, during reading, after
  reading strategies, writing, and assessment)
  150 minutes 37.5 of time
• SSR with accountability (teacher also conferences
  and does diagnostic assessment with individual
  targeted instruction) 40 minutes 10 of time

10
Tools for Teaching in the Block
WE DO
YOU DO
I DO
Teaching to Learning
Responsibility for Learning
Monitoring
TEACHER
STUDENT
Plan - Do - Study - Act
Entice, Enlighten, Engage, Extend, Enact
Higher Order Thinking
11
Essential Support Systems for Block Scheduling
(Queen, 2009)-cont.

• Teachers should have a minimum of five strategies
  for student activities (Cadre resources)
• Students practice the skill or concept under the
  teacher's direction (ECIG)
• Direct Instruction for all---Especially critical
  for at-risk students (Also Klesius and
  Searls,1990) (ECIG)
• Formative and Summative Student Assessments (FORF
  MAZE, FAIR, FCAT, CBA, etc.)
• Entire classroom time needs to be used for
  instruction (ECIG)

12
Tools for Teaching in the Block-by Roberta L.
Sejnost

• The four pronged lesson format includes these
  four phases of learning Entice,
  Enlighten, Engage, Extend,
• Phase I Entice the Learner 10-25 min. Purpose
  is to prepare students for what they are to
  learn. This is the I DO Phase of the (ECIG)
  Direct Instruction
• Example Think-Pair-Share Give one, get one.

13
Tools for Teaching in the Block

• Phase II Enlighten the learner 15-20 min.
• Focus on Instruction to prepare for the next
  Phase. This is the I DO Phase of the (ECIG)
• Example Interactive lectures, modeling, think
  aloud(s), jigsaw, guest speaker.
• Phase III Engage the learner 20-30 min.
• Students become active learners by connecting
  prior knowledge to new information. This is the
  We DO Phase of the (ECIG)
• Example K-W-L organizer, 5 Ws and 1 H, guided
  notes

14
Tools for Teaching in the Block

• Phase IV Extend the Learner 20-25 min.
• Students reflect on learning experiences to
  increase retention and act upon what they have
  learned. This is the You DO Phase of the (ECIG)
  
• Example Students answer
• What did I learn? How well did I use/apply what I
  learned? What did I do with what I learned?

15
Tools for Teaching in the Block

• Culmination of the Phases
• Enact the Learning
• The book presents ideas and strategies that could
  be utilized across the content areas.

16
Data is Driving Instruction

• Another tool for teaching in the block is data
  collection for the purpose of driving instruction
  and promoting student accountability
• The responsibility for collection and upkeep
  should be balanced between teacher and student

17
Data is Driving Instruction

• All students must have a folder, held by the
  teacher, containing a minimum of the following
  previous FCAT scores/FAIR data, Student
  Goal/Action Plan/Reflection, TeenBiz 3000
  Portfolio, TeenBiz Standards Chart for each
  Quarter
• Quarterly Conferences will be held with students
  individually

18
Intensive Reading W, X, Y, or Z Data
Folder Table of Contents
Title Date Assigned Date Completed Grade/Check Off
FCAT Data/FAIR Data Fall
FCAT Data/FAIR Data Winter
FCAT Data/FAIR Data Spring
Student Goal, Action Plan, Reflection Quarter 1
Student Goal, Action Plan, Reflection Quarter 2
Student Goal, Action Plan, Reflection Quarter 3
Student Goal, Action Plan, Reflection Quarter 4
TeenBiz 3000 Portfolio Quarter 1
TeenBiz 3000 Portfolio Quarter 2
TeenBiz 3000 Portfolio Quarter 3
TeenBiz 3000 Portfolio Quarter 4
TeenBiz 3000 Standards Chart Quarter 1
TeenBiz 3000 Standards Chart Quarter 2
TeenBiz 3000 Standards Chart Quarter 3
TeenBiz 3000 Standards Chart Quarter 4
19
Data is Driving Instruction

• Goal setting should be based on the SMART goal
  technique and should be measurable.
• A great goal should be specific, measurable, and
  time sensitive.
• Example I will increase my activity scores on
  TeenBiz from 75 to 88 over the next 9 weeks. I
  will measure this through tracking in my data
  folder and charts based on my TeenBiz portfolio
• NON-Example I will increase my activity scores
  on TeenBiz by doing more of em when I get time
  and just coming to the lab and makin the best
  score I can

20
Data is Driving Instruction

• Students are to individually transfer FCAT scores
  and calculate percentages of the sub categories
  to the forms in the data folder

21
FCAT Data
My FCAT Reading Level ______________ My FCAT Reading Level ______________ My FCAT Reading Level ______________ My FCAT Reading Level ______________
9th Grade 10th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade
Level 3 1972 Level 3 2068 Level 3 1972 Level 3 2068 Level 3 1972 Level 3 2068 Level 3 1972 Level 3 2068
My DSS __ My DSS __ ________ ________ My DSS __ My DSS __ ________ ________ My DSS __ My DSS __ ________ ________ My DSS __ My DSS __ ________ ________
Points Points needed ________ needed ________ Points Points needed ________ needed ________ Points Points needed ________ needed ________ Points Points needed ________ needed ________
to be on to be on grade level grade level to be on to be on grade level grade level to be on to be on grade level grade level to be on to be on grade level grade level
My Area of Strength My Area of Strength My Area of Strength My Area of Strength
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
My Area of Focus My Area of Focus My Area of Focus My Area of Focus
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

Words/ Phrases Main Idea/ Purpose Comparisons Reference/ Research
____/____ ____/____ ____/____ ____/____
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Percentage Words/ Phrases Main Idea/ Purpose Comparisons Reference/ Research
22
Student Goal and Action Plan

• Goals for the following quarter are also to be
  set by the student.
• After analyzing my FCAT data, my reading goal for
  the year is
• My reading goal for 1st Quarter is
• To achieve this goal, I will
• End of Quarter Reflection
• End of Year Reflection
• Learning Styles Inventory
• Multiple Intelligences

23
Data is Driving Instruction

• Once the individual has completed at least the
  1st FAIR assessment and at the end of each
  quarter during the conference the TeenBiz and
  FAIR data will be shared with the student to be
  recorded and discussed

24
Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading
(FAIR) Data

• Assessed Fall, Winter Spring
• FCAT Success Probability _____
  (Circle One)
• Words/ Phrases Low / Medium / High
  Not Enough Information
• Main Idea/ Purpose Low / Medium / High
• Not Enough Information
• Comparisons Low / Medium / High
  Not Enough Information
• Reference/Research Low / Medium / High
  Not Enough Information

25
Lets Get Busy with

• LA.910.1.6.10 determine meanings of words,
  pronunciation, parts of speech, etymologies, and
  alternate word choices by using a dictionary,
  thesaurus, and digital tools and
• Quarter 1 Level _____ at which they are working
  when report is generated
• _____ of mastery

26
Lets Get Busy with

• Other Recommendations Include
• Students can individually track their scores on
  notebook paper following the TeenBiz
  recommendations
• Teachers/Students should also be recording only
  first scores which will be used to demonstrate
  mastery of the standards and are aligned to the
  TeenBiz reports

27
Lets Get Busy with

• The scores that are recorded can also be graphed
  to raise student awareness and accountability. It
  also offers a visual for students.

28
Lets Get Busy with

• Log can include the following
• Name
• Date
• Article Title
• Did you read the article?
• Multiple Choice Activity Score
• Did you vote in the Poll?
• Math Activity Score
• Thought Question completed?
• Did you like this article?
• Why or why not?
• Students can use their portfolio to fill in the
  information on their own TeenBiz

29
Conclusion

• This presentation has summarized the four pronged
  format for the block schedule and several
  strategies that can be used to support it.
• These strategies can be used across the content
  area disciplines including the fine arts.

30
Parting Thoughts

• More important than the curriculum is the
  question of the methods of teaching and the
  spirit in which teaching is given. Bertrand
  Russell
• Only the curious will learn and only the resolute
  overcome the obstacles to learning. Eugene S.
  Wilson
• Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember.
  Involve me and I understand. Chinese Proverb
• One must learn by doing the thing for though you
  think you know it, you have no certainty, until
  you try.-Sophocles
• No matter how good teaching may be, each student
  must take the responsibility for his own
  education. John Carolus, SJ