1. Table of Contents Pro Cert IN ACTION:
  2. Section I: Video Clips
      1. Quick List of Clips: CD:STUDENTS – TEACHERS- PRINCIPALS
      2. Teachers Discuss the Shift
      3. List of Clips by teacher, grade, and subject area:
      4. Student Clips:
      5. List of Clips by name, grade, and subject area:
      6. Teachers discuss 1d1, 1d2, 1d3
      7. Purpose: Give deeper understanding of 1d1, 1d2, and 1d3
      8. List of Clips by teacher, grade, and subject area:
      9. Presentation of Evidence
      10. CD: TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN ACTION
      11. Teachers discuss the shift:
      12. List of Clips by teacher, grade, and subject area:
      13. Observation tool #1
      14. “Discussing the shift" video clips
      15. Students discuss their learning
      16. Student Clips:
      17. List of Clips by name, grade, and subject area:
      18. Observation Tool #2
      19. Observation tool #3
      20. Teachers discuss 1d1, 1d2, 1d3
      21. Purpose: Give deeper understanding of 1d1, 1d2, and 1d3
      22. List of Clips by teacher, grade, and subject area:
      23. Observation Tool #4
      24. Presentation of Evidence
      25. Observation Tool #5
      26. Observation Tool #6
      27. Cd: Classrooms IN ACTION
      28. 3 CDs: Elementary, Middle School, High School
      29. Quick Overview of all the clips. LEVELS DIVIDED INTO THREE SEPARATE CDS.
      30. CD - Elementary Classrooms IN ACTION:
      31. Joyce Brown, Poulsbo Elementary, North Kitsap School District
      32. Colleen Fairchild, Vinland Elementary, North Kitsap School District
      33. Christina Carlsen/Cindy Rockholt, Discovery School, Yakima School District
      34. CD - Middle School IN ACTION
      35. Marci Shepard, Sequim Middle School, Sequim School District
      36. CD – High School IN ACTION
      37. Brian Berg, Sequim High School, Sequim School District
      38. Teacher Growth Rubric
      39. Observation Tool #8 For Looking for Evidence of Personalized Learning
      40. Observation Tool #9
      41. Looking for Evidence of Personalized Learning IN ACTION
      42. Reflect:
      43. Observation Tool #10 Learning to make your evidence concise and complete
      44. Joyce Brown, Poulsbo Elementary, North Kitsap School District
      45. 4th grade Math
      46. Colleen Fairchild, Vinland Elementary, North Kitsap School District
    Language &

    Variety

     
    • I don’t interpret or assure that students understand the targets.
    • I am unclear as to how to state targets in student-friendly language.
    • Targets are usually broad learning goals instead of daily targets.
    • Targets are in teacher language and posted for students to refer to.
    • Targets only refer to content knowledge.
    • Targets are clearly written in student-friendly language: “I can . . . " or "We are learning to . . ."
    • Beginning to use more than just content targets.
    • I involve student in determining the daily learning targets.
    • Kinds of targets vary and cover a wide variety of knowledge, process, reflection, procedural, and thinking skills.
    Importance of Target
    • I tell students targets are important to succeed on WASL or because needed to be successful on next assignment.
    • I discuss importance of the targets mostly in relationship to broad career use or how students will use them as adults.
    • I explain the immediate value of the learning the targets represent and make connections to the lives of the students.
    • I regularly ask students to tell me the personal connections they are making to the learning.
    Demonstration of Target
    • I tell students they will be tested or have to give correct responses at some point.
    • Once in a while I explain what their work will look like when they have accomplished the targeted learning.
    • I often use examples and ask students to tell me what their learning will look like when they reach the target.
    • I regularly give students a variety of ways to tell me what will demonstrate they have reached the targets.
    1 D2 . STUDENTS KNOW THE PROGRESSION OF LEARNING TO REACH THE TARGETS
    Progression of Learning

    (Not the directions to complete the assignment- this is about the learning)

    • The specifics of what students need to learn are not clearly indicated.
    • I am unclear how to break my instructional objective into progressions of learning for the students.
    • There are times that I explain the specifics of what the students need to learn in terms of reaching targets.
    • I provide the specifics of what the students need to know and must be able to do to reach the targets and they are listed for the students regularly.
    • I involve the students in creating their own progressions to reach a variety of learning targets.
    Self Assessment Opportunities
    • I do not give the students the opportunity to reflect in terms of meeting specific targets.
    • Once in a while I discuss with the students their performance and we agree on what they need to do better next time.
    • I ask students what they understand, what they do not, and what they need to do differently next time.
    • I encourage students to hand in their “best” work not their only attempt.
    • I regularly make sure students use their “best” work to reflect on their progress and determine the next steps in their own learning process.
    1 D3 . STUDENTS ACCESS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WHEN NECESSARY
    Varied resources related to target
    • I give students the dictionary, thesaurus, and their text to use as resources.
    • I suggest students use other students and me for resources.
    • I make available a variety of resources specific to the learning targets.
    • I engage students in creating a variety of resources to assist them in reaching or exceeding the targets.
    Student use of resources
    • I don’t specifically encourage students to access resources beyond their text.
    • I rarely see students go beyond asking me or other students for help.
    • I sometimes ask students to explain why they accessed one resource instead of another.
    • I regularly ask students to explain how they used the resources in their learning process.


    Observation Tool #8 For Looking for Evidence of Personalized Learning

     

    Before watching the video clip, read through the first column. THINK: How are you providing for these personalized learning processes in your classroom? PAIR. SHARE.

     

    Clip _____Teacher ________________________ Subject __________________________

     
    Personalized Learning Processes
    Evidence you notice in the video clip
    ... make the learning meaningful. It must be clear to the students what the purpose of the learning is and how it is relevant to their lives. 

     

     

     

      

    ... require students to articulate their own understanding. This means they must be taught the skills that enable them to describe and explain their understanding.  

     

     

     

     

      

    ... by definition require students to be actively engaged in the process of self-regulating their own learning. This means they must be given the skills to monitor, adjust and assess their own learning.  

     

     

     

     

     

      

     

     

    Reflect: Share your observations with a partner/small group. Share out with larger group.

     

     

    What questions do you have after watching this clip?

     

     

     

    What's one thing you'll implement after watching this clip?

     

     

     

    What resources will you need?



    Observation Tool #9

    Looking for Evidence of Personalized Learning IN ACTION

     

    Clip _____________ Teacher _______________________ Subject _________________

     

    As you view the video clip, fill out the following table, citing examples from the video that are evidence of the following:

     
    Effective Teacher Practices
    +
    Impacting Learning Processes
    Teacher knows what needs to be taught.
    		Student can articulate the learning target and why it is relevant and meaningful to him or her.

     

     

     

     

    Teacher makes instructional decisions based on strategies that work for the class.
    		Student knows the learning strategies to choose from and can describe his or her learning progress.

     

     

     

     

    Teacher measures performance against set standard for all students.
    		Student measures performance against his or her own progress.

     

     

     

     

    Teacher reports degree of student success or failure to students and parents.
    		Student articulates what s/he did well, what s/he needs to do better, and what s/he will do differently next time.

     

     

     

     

     

    Reflect:

    Compare your observations with a partner.

     

    What did you see in the video that you will implement to move to the next level of performance?

     

     

     

    Make a list of possible resources. Circle one you plan to use.

     

     

     

    Observation Tool #10 Learning to make your evidence concise and complete

     
    Describe what you see happening in the video:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Evidence
    How many Descriptions of Practice are evidenced in this video clip?
    Other than the video, what other form(s) of Student Voice evidence could be used as documentation for this Description of Practice?
     
      
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
       

     

    What have you learned in this video clip that could help you begin to gather credible and convincing evidence that the Descriptions of Practice are occurring in your classroom? The goal is to gather evidence that mirrors your practice and the effect it has on student learning.

    Details of the ELEMENTARY Classrooms IN ACTION:

     

    2nd grade Reading Learning Target: Expression and fluency

    Joyce Brown, Poulsbo Elementary, North Kitsap School District

    Joyce is a master teacher with such professional organization of the students learning. She skillfully guides through using rubrics, practicing them, and using them to do quality work. The students become highly skilled at reflecting on their work.

    Clip Number

    1. Joyce discusses shift (This is repeat of Clip 2 on CD Teachers/Students)

      Joyce talks about how being required to bring in evidence of 1d1, 1d2, and 1d3 to discuss with her peers caused her to change what she did in her instruction. She learned, when she has an activity, there is always needs to be a specific learning target and she always makes sure that the target is clear to herself and her students. She talks about how students can learn to make good choices in their learning and when they do, they are more interested in that learning and more readily take responsibility for what needs to be learned. The students know they are responsible for their learning and she is there to facilitate that process. She talks about how on the WASL students have to write how they figured something out or why they did something in a particular way. It is important that they learn how to articulate that well every day. The oral always comes before the written. If kids have many opportunities to discuss and talk, then when they sit down to write it comes out much easier. She has found that all her kids have made really good gains in their reading scores on the Dibble and other measures.

     

    1. Joyce on 1d1, 1d2, 1d3 (This is repeat of Clip 25 on CD Teachers/Students)

      By setting a clear learning target, students know what they are working on and can articulate it. They know what they need to do to reach the target. She found that if she wasn’t absolutely clear about what she is looking for, the kids can’t possibly know. It is important it is really clear and the kids don’t have to guess what the expectations are. It also helps her to be clear about what she is teaching. She cannot imagine going back to teaching without clear targets. She also found that the targets have to be very specific. If targets are too general (like just having a unit goal) , you can’t know how to hit it, it is too big. The progression of learning makes assessment and instruction more connected than they were. She knows the target and the kinds of assessments she needs to use and is better able to assess her students. It also helps her know what comes next in her teaching because the students can articulate what they understand and what they don’t. What the target, progression, and rubrics really do is allows students to self-evaluate. They know where they are and what they need to do to move to the next level. They can keep track of their own learning. They know how to get help. They are much more independent workers.

     

    1. Modeling of rubric

      Joyce presents a four level rubric for building fluency. She models what each level would sound like and then students model what each level would sound like. Students see what it sounds like when they have reached the target.

     

    1. Choosing best fit poem

      Joyce gives her students as many choices as possible in their learning. In this case she is letting them choose “best fit” poems. She talks about how those choices cause them to have a deeper connection to what they are learning, they are more interested in what they are doing. She wants them to choose a good fit poem to practice the levels of fluency on the rubric. They review together the steps for how to choose a good fit poem. Students then select their poem.

     

    1. Target – why important

      Joyce reviews with the students why it is important that they are practicing their fluency. Students give ideas of what they will gain by that practice. As they give her the ideas, she writes them down.

     

    1. Getting ready to practice poem

      She wants the students to be very conscious of what they need to be doing while they are practicing the poem. This includes their directions: sit in one place, read and re-read, etc. They create the list together so the students are focused on the task and how to be successful doing it. Then they discuss what they can do if they are having trouble doing the things they listed. It isn’t real clear in the clip, but the students are focused in on the reading strategies charts that are posted in the room (resources for them to use).

     

    1. Practicing/Performing poem

     I n the clip, you first see Joyce review what they need to be doing while practicing. Then you see the students practicing individually. Next, the students practice in pairs reading aloud to one another. They give each other suggestions for how to make their performance stronger. After they practice, you see parts of the students’ performance. There are a variety of poems and styles.

     

    1. Student reflections (This is repeat of Clip 16 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      Joyce talks about the value of students doing these reflections. Then you see a student explaining what the process is. Students write out their reflections using the rubrics. Then individual students orally give us their reflections. What makes this be such a great example is that no two students choose the same things to improve upon. It is a great example of how this process personalizes student learning.

     

    4th grade Math

    Colleen Fairchild, Vinland Elementary, North Kitsap School District

    Colleen is a 14 year veteran teacher who is a National Board candidate. She is a certified IN ACTION trainer. Her talents are clearly seen as she guides students into becoming manipulators of the math and not letting the math manipulate them. She gives them the necessary tools and the results are obvious on these clips.

     

    Clip Number

    1. Colleen discusses the shift (This is repeat of Clip 3 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      Colleen wants her students to become confident and competent mathematicians. Even if they haven’t done well the first time they need to believe in themselves and know they can do it if they stick with it. They are to manipulate the math, not let the math manipulate them. The focus is on students understanding their learning and being able to use a learning process that is effective for them. She sees students believing in themselves, along with intentional instruction and guidance, is what makes them successful learners. WASL is not a big deal to her students, they are all successful. Students can easily meet the standards if they have the tools and resources - and own them inside themselves. She makes that happen through learning guided by well written rubrics. Students need a chance to dialogue with each other, debrief, and discuss where they are. Demystifying the student learning process was the hardest part for her to get her head around. To understand the focuses needed to be on the learning process and not the product they were producing took time. Now she understands how different the results are for students when the teacher focuses on students understanding their learning and their learning process not just performing and producing a product.

    1. Colleen 1d1, 1d2, 1d3 (This is repeat of Clip 26 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      Even though Colleen is a master teacher recognized for her excellence in teaching, she realized through the IN ACTION process that she didn’t always know what the learning target was. She had to pull apart that idea to get to what her actual target was each day. She now understands it is about the student learning process – in this case how to solve a math problem. Content is always there but the idea is to make it crystal clear to the students what the essential elements are that they need to know about a problem in order to solve it. She had to think about how to break the problem solving process apart for herself before she could teach the students to gain mastery over that process. She demystified the process so the students could march through the process with success and gain new knowledge each time. She also learned that students needed target specific resources and she had to define them and find a way for students to access them in order to be successful.

    1. Students create rubric

      This is a long clip of 13.5 minutes. She demonstrates the process she uses to engage students in the process of building a class-made rubric that will help them solve more difficult problems. Noteworthy is how she facilitates the process, engages students in dialogue with each other, and engages the student in the process. Also noteworthy is the level of trust in the classroom, to the degree that a student who hadn’t been successful was willing to have the class help him figure out what he needed to do better while the class built the new rubric.

    1. Students learning community

      The students are sitting on the floor with their rubric and a difficult problem they have all worked on individually. You see right away they all have different answers and have no difficulty admitting that. Noteworthy is how Colleen facilitates the student dialogue. She asks questions, focuses them, and then walks away. The students enthusiastically carry on. They listen well to each other and all of them enter into the discussion asking each other for clarification on how they went about solving the problem. It is clear their goal is to understand how their own strategy either helped or prevented them from getting it solved correctly. They take notes on their papers as what they need to change. They self assess themselves on the rubric when they are finished.

    1. Eric reflects (This is repeat of Clip 19 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      Eric speaks of himself as a mathematician. Just the way he speaks about his learning is inspirational. He describes how the rubric helps him solve the problem. He talks about how he recognizes which strategy will be the most effective one for him. He describes how he works out the strategy and discovers he has made an error. He is not the strongest learner, but he feels he is now a standard mathematician and with the help of the rubric he can become a better one. Eric is the kind of learner we wish all our students would become.

    Back to top

    Problem Solving Rubric

    Problem Solving Rubric
      Meets Standard Working towards Standard Exceeds Standard
    Task - I find my task in the question and steal words right from the question

     

    -I take the question and turn it around into a task statement

     

    -I include important facts from the question in my task statement

    		 - I’m not sure what the question is asking me

     

    -I forgot to steal words from the question

     

     

    - I may not have included facts from the question in my task statement

    		-I have everything I need to meet the standard but I am working beyond my grade level and/or

     

    -I consistently use the mathematical language that I learned while working in the unit and/or

     

    -I can prove my thinking in more than one way

    Strategy

    -Decompose numbers (pull them apart) then: add, subtract, multiply or divide

     

    -find a pattern

    -build a table

    -estimate

    -make a picture or diagram

    -make a graph

    -make an organized list

    		- I highlighted important facts from the problem to help me pick an effective strategy

     

    - I chose a strategy or strategies that help me solve this problem.

     

    -I can explain why the strategy I chose will help me solve the problem

     

    -I show what I know

     

    -I add labels to my work to make it clearer

    		 -I may have missed some important facts from the problem that may help me pick an effective strategy

     

    -My strategy may not get me to the correct solution

     

    -I may not be sure why I picked the strategy I did

     

    -I may not have shown all that I know

     

    -I may have made a calculation error in my work or forgotten to label it

    		 
    Solution -I have a sentence that states the solution

     

    -I steal words from the question to put into my solution statement

     

    -I have the correct solution

    		 -My solution is incorrect

     

    -I do not have a solution

     

    -I don’t steal words from the task to answer the question  

    		 

                        Colleen Fairchild 2007

     

    4th-6th grade Science

    Christina Carlsen/Cindy Rockholt, Discovery School, Yakima School District

    Christina and Cindy are both National Board Certified teachers. Their expertise is clearly illlustrated. How skilled their students have become in discussing their learning with each other as well as with their parents is beautifully demonstrated in these clips.

     

    Clip Number

    1. Christina/Cindy discuss the shift (Repeat of Clip 4 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      Cindy and Christina are discussing the ways their involvement in the IN ACTION training helped them. They felt the best part was that it provided an opportunity for them to continually keep the things they were working on in the forefront of their minds. Talking regularly with other professional, while guided by an effective process consisting of specific guiding questions and feedback, was the critical piece for them. Seeing examples from other teachers K-12 gave them ideas of what they could do in their own classroom to increase the personalizing of student learning. It helped to have fresh eyes to see what they were doing and be able to help with next steps. Some times was easier to see in other people’s evidence the great things that were happening or where things were missing, not complete. It helped them more easily acknowledge their own great moments or where they might have missed it.

    1. Christina/Cindy 1a, 1b, 1c (This is repeat of Clip 27 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      They set targets each day but those targets are often renegotiated with the students now they all are so familiar with the process. Students sometimes see the direction that is needed to go, and it might be different from what they thought. Students have become skilled at telling them where their understanding is and what they may have missed. Students see the purpose of their learning every day. They see students being very proud of their work. Students know the progression of learning and can talk about were they are in gaining that understanding. They know what to expect every day. Students like the structure and the boundaries learning targets and progressions provide. Students always know what they need to do next. They always take time as a class to outline the expectations in student language – this gives the students the language to defend their work against the class-made or provided rubrics. Teaching has become so much more concise and cleaner for them. They have learned how to identify and make available more effective resources for their students. Student reflecting on their learning is part of all their learning.

    1. Students give each other feedback (This is repeat of Clip 17 on CD:         Teachers/Students plus teacher introductory lesson for the sharing)

      Students have been working on scientific drawing for a couple weeks. This is their third and final drawing opportunity. First you see Christina and Cindy in the classroom setting up the group feedback sessions. They discuss the forms students will have to help them. Cindy and Christina outline the process very carefully. You see five students from grades 4-6 around a single table. One student presents her work and talks about why she thinks it deserves a particular score on the rubric. She used evidence from her drawing to do that. The other students give her feedback on how successful they feel she is. Noteworthy is how proficient these students are in a high level dialogue about each other’s work. Listen for how they both speak about and reference things others have said. The vocabulary, the manner in which they speak, how comfortable they are with the process are all obvious.

    1. Ojas Student-led conference (This is repeat of Clip 18 on CD: Teachers/Students       plus teacher introduction and conclusion and parents comments on        conference)

      This clip begins with Cindy and Christina talking about why they value their student-led conferences and how they set them up. The conference shows a student who has become very proficient and confident in talking to his parents about his work. His obvious pride as he talks about his writing, reading and social studies project is certainly evident to his parents and teachers. During the reading segment, he asks his father to take the same fluency test he took – it is a great moment for all of them. At the end of the video the mother talks about her son as a learner and how important these conferences are to her. Cindy and Christina also talk about what they learn about the students from the conferencing.

     

    6th grade Block LA/SS

    Marci Shepard, Sequim Middle School, Sequim School District

    Marci is a highly qualified teacher who for many years has focused on project-based learning. She whole-heartedly believes in students having a real and concrete context in which to practice their learning. She participated in the IN ACTION trainings through her district, Sequim. Sequim has implemented this learning focus district-wide and each site is in varying degrees of implementation.

     

    Clip Number

    1. Marci discusses the shift (This is repeat of Clip 5 on CD: Teachers/Students)

    What Marci learned is that it is about student learning. She used to plan projects and emphasized the product students were producing. Her shift was that she now thinks about the learning that needs to occur, what over arching goals and learning targets will help us reach that goal and then what project is conducive in helping students reach those learning targets and goal. She sees students are now able to show what they know better and more purposefully. The students are demonstrating their learning so much better. What has taken her students’ learning to a higher level is that 1d1, 1d2, and 1d3 are embedded in every single thing they do every day. It is the basis of what they do. Student learning has greatly escalated this year from last. What was missing in the kids learning was that 1d1, 1d2, and 1d3 were not embedded in every lesson every day. The learning target was part of every lesson but the progression of learning and kids self-assessing and telling her what their learning needs were, was not a part of every lesson every day.

     

    1. Marci 1d1, 1d2, 1d3 (This is repeat of Clip 28 on CD: Teachers/Students)

    She had been telling the students what the learning target was and writing it on the board. But the shift for her is now she checks to see if the kids understand what the learning target means: state the LT to your neighbor, what do you predict this lesson is about, or find a synonym for a key word in the LT. They know so explicitly what the expectations are to meet the LT. Now they are able to say what they know. They are equipped with the language to communicate their learning needs to her. The progression of learning and formative assessment now happens in every lesson every day. It doesn’t have to be some huge continuum, it may be a simple rubric for just that day’s learning target. Students are able to say I am a 3, 2 or 1 and if they are a 2 or a 1 what resources will they need to access to get to a 3? Students don’t turn in 1 or 2 work, they have a list of available resources and they circle the ones they used. To her, students explicitly discussing resources, which ones they need to access for different purposes and students discussing why that resource was useful was not a part of every lesson every day. Now when they are meeting a learning target the class is practicing that target, but they are also making a resource for the room to help everyone become successful in today’s target. They also have the resource available in the future when they are working on other learning targets. She gives an example of how she does this. When the class is finished they have build a class-made resource.

     

    1. Marci different progressions to reach target –

    Marci is mastering the art of demonstrating the progression of learning in many different forms. In this clip you see three different ways she does this:

        GLE view of large learning goal

       Understanding daily target

        Continuum of learning targets

     

    1. Understanding learning target

    Marci shows the students how today’s LT fits into the grand progression of learning. As an entry task, she has the students create a resource they will need to be successful on the LT. Then she introduces the daily learning target and how the resource they made together will help them meet the learning target. She has the students explain what the learning target means to one another.

     

    1. Developing Ownership and Responsibility

      Here Marci shows how she uses her “Gradual Release of Responsibility” chart with her students. The purpose of the chart is to explicitly show the students how much responsibility they have for the learning that is currently going on. She demonstrates “Explain and Model.” Then students will do it with her. Third step is they will do it with support of peers. Finally students do it alone. On every lesson students can see more and more responsibility being turned over to them. It causes the students to pay closer attention during explain and model because they know it will quickly become do it alone. Students in Marci’s class are well aware that the main responsibility for the learning is theirs. In addition, it is useful for management. If a student doesn’t appear to be paying attention during “teacher explanation and model” or “teacher and students together,” Marci might say to that student, “Look where we are headed. Are you prepared to do this independently?” They then perk up seeing they will be responsible for being independent with the skill/concept eventually, so they really do take advantage of the scaffolding provided.

     

    70. Engaging student dialogue

    An essential element of personalizing student learning is effectively engaging students in the dialogue of learning. In this clip you see students engaging in dialogue in a variety of ways. Marci explain that sometimes she just asks the students to simply state to a partner what the learning target is or it can be as in depth as working through critical thinking. There is such power in those dialogues because their learning goes to a much deeper level. Dialoguing is a two way win. The listener gains ideas from the speaker but the speaker is required to make his/her thinking really concrete. She demonstrates the strategy of “Think – pair – share.”

     

    1. Synthesis note cards

    Marci demonstrates the use of a simple rubric to help students learn how to synthesize information they have gathered from a variety of resources onto a note card. The main activity is creating a sample note card they will use as a resource to correctly make a series of note cards that will become a “ Flip Report.” The Flip Report will be the resource they use to write their compare and contrast essay. Students explain how they created their flip report, how they learned to do correct citations, and how the flip report will be used to write their compare and contrast essay.

    1. Arianna reflects (This is repeat of Clip 21 on CD: Teachers/Students)

    Arianna reflects on her compare and contrast essay. She clearly knows the value of the learning for herself. She states what she did well and cites evidence from her work. She knows what she didn’t do as well as she should have, and cites evidence from her work. She tells us what resources she will access to do better next time.

    1. So what? Why important Part A

      73 and 74 go together. The purpose of this activity is for the students to brainstorm together what value all this learning has for their lives outside this learning activity. You see the students work along, with a group, and then present to the whole class.

    1. (cont)So what? Why important Part B
    2. Students set personal targets Part A

      75 and 76 go together. Here you see Marci set student up to look through their past work and determine what personal learning targets they need to set to improve their learning during their compare and contrast essay writing. She calls this process “Feed Forward.”

    1. (cont)Students set personal targets Part B
    2. Gabriel reflects (This is repeat of Clip 20 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      You see this student going through his work, setting a learning target and talking about how it helped him improve his writing of the compare and contrast essay.

    1. WASL Song

      Marci and her class made up this song to help them do well on the WASL.

     

    Marci very graciously has given you a general outline of her lessons, pictures of wall charts, rubrics, reflections sheets and many other examples that may help you understand and see her strategies. You may want to use these as handouts while you view the video clips one at a time.

     

    Remember, Marci is a pro and we use her as an example because she has mastered some very important elements of how to personalize student learning. It is important to recognize this is one teacher’s way of doing it – it isn’t the only way. Every teacher and every classroom has their own personality, skills, and needs. Hopefully, this will give others ideas that can become a springboard for developing their ways of personalizing student learning for their own classrooms.

     

    Also remember, if you use Marci’s materials in your coursework or classrooms, please give her the credit she deserves for creating them in consideration that she has been so very generous with her ideas.

     
    Project Learning Goal: We are learning to identify similarities and differences between cultures citing text-based evidence. (Reading 3.4.3)

    Context: Compare and contrast Egypt with another ancient civilization

    Form: Flip report and Comparison/Contrast Essay

    Reading Research ¥ I can locate, select and use a variety of library and internet materials that are best for the task or investigating the topic. (3.1.1)   ¥ I understand and apply dictionary and other reference skills. (1.2.1)   ¥ I can select appropriate resources to locate information on a specific topic or for a specific purpose. (2.3.2)   ¥ I can locate information using text features. I use organizational features to access information (headings, key words). (2.2.2)   ¥ I adjust my reading rate to match the difficulty and purpose for reading (skimming and scanning for key words, close and careful reading for understanding). (1.4.3)  ¥ I can create a summary including the main idea and the most important text-based facts, details and/or ideas from the informational text. (2.1.7)   ¥ I can synthesize data from informational text (2.3.2).   Compare and Contrast ¥ I can find similarities/differences within and between texts using text-based evidence. (2.3.1)  ¥ I can find similarities and differences of how an idea or concept is expressed in multiple texts. (2.4.6)  ¥ I can identify how two pieces of information are alike to different. (2.4.6)   ¥ I understand the functions of literary devices. (2.3.3)
    WritingResearch ¥ I write in a variety of forms: Research. (2.3.1)   ¥ I can apply conventional forms for citations. (3.3.8)   ¥ I use research to support my ideas (information is relevant to the topic to support my conclusions in social studies). (3.1.1)   ¥ Using my research notes, I can synthesize data and draft. (1.2.1)   ¥ I can edit and revise my draft. (1.3.1, 1.4.1)   ¥ I use capitalization in appropriate situations. (3.3.4)   ¥ I can publish a neat, final note card. (1.5.1)   Compare and Contrast ¥ Using my research note cards, I plan my writing. (1.1.1)   ¥ I can clearly organize my essay, making point-by-point comparisons. (3.1.2)   ¥ I use transitions to link facts and ideas (transitions that compare and contrast). (3.1.2)  ¥ I revise my draft for sentence fluency and word choice. (1.3.1)   ¥ I use resources to edit my paper for all 5 strands of conventions. (1.4.1)   ¥ I use technology to publish my work. (1.5.1)
    Social Studies Geography ¥ I can explain how the physical environment impacts how and where people live and work. G3.2.21  Economics ¥ I can describe the implications of trade, barter, and money. E3.2.2   Civics ¥ I can explain how various forms of government have different effects on people. (C2.3.2A)  History ¥ I can explain how changing technologies impacted society and culture. (H2.2.2)   ¥ I can compare/contrast elements of culture (society and government, economy, technology, art, ideas, and beliefs). (WH1.2.2)   Skills ¥ I can identify key words, develop search strategies and locate appropriate and varied information from sources. (1.1.2b)   ¥ I can take notes, summarize, and paraphrase. (1.1.2)                       M. Shepard 2007

    This is what our flip report sample resource looked like. We created this to be sure students not only knew how to create the flip report but had a resource to use if they forgot what we practiced.

     

    Although we are working on a project, I work hard to isolate the learning goal and targets from the product. When asked what they are learning about, I would never want students to answer, “We are making a flip report.” That is the activity, not the learning.

     

    Each day I post the context for the learning so it is isolated from the learning target. In the photo below, we were working on making our final note cards. I do not want students to think we are learning to create note cards. In this case, note cards are the vehicle through which the learning target is practiced. The learning target is synthesizing data from multiple sources (our research notes). The learning target drives instruction, practice, and feedback.

     

     

    The project goal is posted for the duration of the project. Here is our learning goal for the project:

     

     

    We also post a learning target chart for the unit so we can track our progress. Students make a colored dot next to the learning target for each day. Green could mean they have reached the target, yellow means they are getting there, and red means they need additional support. This allows the student to track where we are in the progression of the project, self-assess, and communicate their learning needs. Each student has the chart in their learning journal.

     

     

     

     

    Below is the progression of learning for research (Yes, in the form of an Egyptian step pyramid for our Egypt project J ). Just like a pyramid is built – this progression goes from the bottom-up.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     



    Gradual Release of Responsibility Chart:

     

    For each lesson, I take students through the Gradual Release of Responsibility. I actually show them where we are on it. That way when I am explaining and modeling and I ask questions, they do not need to raise their hand, because they know I am thinking aloud. It also supplies us with a common language so students are able to communicate their learning needs to me (both where they are and where they need to be on the progression).

     

    My chart looks like this: (The target is Velcro)

     

     

     

     

     

    Synthesis

     
    ƒ Synthesize Integrates pieces of information to form a new whole
    ‚ On Topic Identifies information on the topic but it may be in random order or a list
    ? Off Topic Includes random information

     

    ¥ I can recognize synthesis.

    Success Criteria:

    “Government”

     

    Score: 3 2 1

     

    I gave it this score because __________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

     

    “Culture”

     

    Score: 3 2 1

     

    I gave it this score because ______________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    “Economics”

     

    Score: 3 2 1

     

    I gave it this score because ______________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

     

     

     

     

    Marci Shepard 2007

     

    Back to top

    Essay: Comparison/Contrast Flip Report

    Essay: Comparison/Contrast Flip Report

     

    Progression

    For Final Note Cards
    Progression:Resources:
    ¥ Using my research notes, I synthesize information and write my DRAFT.

    Success criteria:

    • I integrate information from several sources
    • I include a minimum of 2 data entries and citations
    • I use the synthesis rubric to guide and assess my work
    • Synthesis rubric
    • Citation wall chart
    • Citation handout
    • Class model
    ¥ I EDIT and REVISE my draft.

    Success criteria:

    • I edit for all 5 strands of conventions (use resources!)
    • I revise for word choice and sentence fluency (use resources!)
    • Conventions wall chart
    • Conventions handout
    • Capitalization wall chart
    • Word choice rubric
    • Sentence fluency rubric
    ¥ I can make a neat FINAL copy.

    Success criteria for the lined side of the card:

    • I write the title
    • I carefully copy my writing.

    Success criteria for the plain side of the card:

    • I write the title at the bottom
    • I create a relevant illustration
    • Final note cards handout
    • Class model
    • Computer and books for images

                      Marci Shepard 2007

     

     

    Students now have made their first note card. I said earlier that I don’t have students always write elaborate reflections for every lesson. We do 1d2 in a variety of ways so it is doable and a normal part of each day. Well, THIS is a time I selectively chose for students to reflect at length in writing. They are going to make several note cards for their flip report – one for each social studies strand for Egypt and their other chosen civilization. It was now time to see if we were on the right track, assess our understanding of the learning and expectations, determine progress and areas for improvement, become keenly aware of resources that would help us. At this point, students had the learning opportunities they needed to complete the flip report. Now I wanted them to personalize the learning more, before we got too far into combining the skills and concepts to create the product.

     

    Below is the form students filled out. (This was also my evidence, along with student note cards, for my sharing evidence for our building learning community.)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Please explain the learning target in your own words. (Use one elaboration strategy we have learned.)

    _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
    ƒ Synthesize Integrates pieces of information to form a new whole
    ‚ On Topic Identifies information on the topic but it may be in random order or a list
    ? Off Topic Includes random information

    Choose a note card you created.

    Describe your current level of performance and choose one thing you can do to move to the next level of performance. (Remember, you must support your answer with details from your work!)

    _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

     

    What resources can help you? List all resources you could have used on the chart below and CIRCLE the resources you DID use. (We will add these to our classroom chart!)

     

    Progression of learning for Final Note cards
    ¥ Using my research notes, I can synthesize data and write my DRAFT.

    Success Criteria:

    • I include a minimum of two data entries with citations.
    • I use the synthesis rubric to guide and assess my work.

    RESOURCES to help me:

    		¥ I can REVISE and EDIT my draft.

    Success Criteria:

    • I edit for all 5 strands of conventions, focusing on capitalization.
    • I revise for word choice and sentence fluency.

    RESOURCES to help me:

    		¥ I can make a neat FINAL copy .

    Success Criteria for LINED side:

    • I write the title at the top.
    • I carefully copy my writing.

    Success Criteria for PLAIN side:

    • I write the title at the bottom.
    • I carefully create a relevant illustration.

    RESOURCES to help me:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Marci Shepard 2007

     

    Back to top

    Feed Forward

    Feed Forward

     

    ¥ BEFORE I begin working, I frontload myself with information that informs how I can

    do better based on my previous performance.

     

    Congratulations! You have completed the flip report and now you are ready to communicate your information in a comparison/contrast essay!

     

    First, it is time to Feed Forward!

     

     

     

    My personal learning target for comparison contrast essay is…

    (Remember to begin with “I can…” or “I am learning to… ”)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What evidence from my writing portfolio made me choose that personal learning target?

    (Remember, if you performed well, you need to s t r e t c h yourself to move to the next level of performance!)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Looking at the rubric for the comparison/contrast essay, how do I believe my personal learning target will help me meet an expectation(s) more successfully?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What resources are available to help me reach my personal learning target?

     

     

     

     

     

     

                        Marci Shepard 2007

    Here is the Feed Forward Progression of Learning

     

                       Marci Shepard 2007

     

    Back to top

    Comparison/Contrast Paper Scoring Rubric

    Comparison/Contrast Paper Scoring Rubric

     
     
    …
    ƒ
    ?
    Introduction Paragraph
    • My hook grabs the readers’ attention.
    • I introduce the two civilizations.
    • I reveal the purpose of the paper (to compare and contrast).
    • I include a thesis statement that introduces the main ideas of the paper.
    • My introduction might need to be livelier, but at least it’s there.
    • I implied I am writing about civilizations.
    • I am not clear about the purpose of my writing.
    • In include a thesis statement, but it is missing components.
    • I don’t really have a lead. I just started writing.
    • I did not include the topic or purpose of my paper.
    • I did not include a thesis statement.
    Body Paragraphs
    • I begin with a generalized topic sentence of the main idea of the paragraph.
    • I support my main idea/topic sentence with at least two supporting details from each civilization.
    • I use transition words to compare and contrast.
    • I cite each fact properly with parenthetical citations.
    • I begin with a topic sentence but it was not crafted to encompass all supporting details that will follow.
    • I support my main idea/topic sentence with at least one detail from each civilization.
    • I use transition words, but they are not specifically for comparing and contrasting.
    • Most of my facts are cited properly, but I made some mistakes or missed a few.
    • I don’t inform the reader of the main idea with a topic sentence that covers what the paragraph is about.
    • I don’t support my ideas with details from my research.
    • I did not use transitions to compare/contrast or I misused transition.
    • I did not cite facts or I do not know how to cite them properly.
    Closing Paragraph
    • I include transition words, likely at the beginning of the paragraph.
    • I restated my thesis statement in a creative way.
    • My conclusion satisfies the reader and brings closure, perhaps referring to something from the introduction.
    • I just jump into writing the paragraph. I used some transitions.
    • I restated my thesis statement.
    • My conclusion is OK. It might not be satisfying or make the reader think much, but it’s there.
    • I did not transition into the paragraph or use transition words in it.
    • I did not restate my thesis statement.
    • I don’t really have a conclusion. My paper just ends.
    Sentence Fluency
    • I revised to have plenty of variety in structure, length, and beginnings.
    • I avoided run-ons and choppy writing.
    • I have some variety in structure , length, and beginnings.
    • Although I revised, I missed some run-ons and choppy writing.
    • Many of my sentences have the same structure, length, and beginning.
    • I have run-on sentences or other sentence problems. This needs revision before it reads smoothly.
    Conventions
    • My grammar and usage, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentences, and paragraphing are correct.
    • Although there are some mistakes, most of my grammar and usage, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentences, and paragraphing are correct.
    • I have many errors in grammar and usage, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentences, and paragraphing.
    Presentation
    • Final paper is word processed using Times New Roman, size 12 font, double-spaced, name on top right, and title size 22, bold, and centered.
    • Final paper includes most of the formatting specifications.
    • The final paper includes few, if any, formatting specifications.

                       Marci Shepard 2007

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Why is it important to learn:
    the writing process?

     

     

    traits of quality writing?

     

     

     

     

    Using the scoring rubric and your comparison/contrast essay, reflect on the following questions.
    What did I do well?

     

     

     

    Evidence from my work:

     

     

    What can I do to move to the next level of performance?

     

     

     

    Evidence from my work:

     

     

    What resources can help me?

     

     

     

     

     

                       Marci Shepard 2007



    CD: High School Classrooms IN ACTION:

     

    9th grade Math: Geometry

    Brian Berg, Sequim High School, Sequim School District

    Brian is an excellent veteran teacher who is a National Board candidate. Brian was gracious enough to let us watch him as he deepened his understanding of how to personalize student learning. Here you will see Brian demonstrate what his teaching was like before he began the process – it is typical of many high school classes. Each clip demonstrates his learning process as he increases his ability to engage kids and make the learning more personal. Brian talks about what he is thinking and learning throughout the process. Both his ability and willingness to let us in on that process is a testimony to what an amazing professional educator he is.

     

    Clip Number

    1. Brian discusses shift (This is repeat of Clip 6 on CD: Teachers/Students)

      In this clip you will hear Brian talk about why it is so important to listen to the Student Voice. He has learned so much about how they view his class or lesson, which at times is not the way he views the way it went. It is about having a dialogue instead of a monologue with his students. He has learned that it is important for the students to really know they need to learn something from what they are doing in class, not just go through the motions of school to get a good grade. He wants his students to know that there are reasons the algorithms work. It is important they not just memorize the formula. They need to recognize which parts of the triangle to they have, which are missing, and therefore which strategy they need to use to solve the problem, not just mindlessly apply a formula. Direct instruction leads to right or wrong answers. It is about just show me what I have shown you. If you can do that, then you get a good grade. Going through that process does not mean that the student have really understood the process, it only means they can do what I told them to do. If they have to write down what they understood, I can find out where their understanding actually is. It is much better information than what I get from seeing how many they got right or wrong. The feedback they give themselves is actually the most valuable part of the learning.

    1. Brian 1d1, 1d2, 1d3 (This is repeat of Clip 29 on CD: Teachers/Students)  

      Brian tries to make it explicit that there are things he wants them to learning, not just do. He thought he wanted them to learn how to use the law of sines, but now he wants them to know they aren’t just doing something to turn in homework, there is something they can learn from doing this. There is a progression of learning that is all tied together. Math is built on prior learning. It is important that students see how that understanding is building from lesson to lesson – how what we learning yesterday is needed today. What is happening for the students is that they are getting more and more powerful ways to solve problems. It is important for students to know where they can get resources. Certainly they have each other and they are great resources to each other. However, they also have a long list of other resources besides the teacher. They have their journals with the learning targets, notes, and examples. They have their text with end of chapter summaries. They have on-line resources with support and extra examples to help them.

    1. Where he began

      Brian demonstrates how he has always corrected homework with the students. At the end of the process, he asks them to circle what was difficult for them. He used that to inform himself of areas they may not have clear understanding in and how many of the students this is true for.

    1. Discovery: Law of Sines

      Students discover for themselves what problem the law of sines resolves in solving triangles. He wanted them to discover a method for solving triangles without right angles. He gives them a problem without right angles and gets them to figure out what has to happen to solve the problem. That solution is called the law of sines.

    1. Personalizing homework correction

      Here Brian shows how he has revised his ideas for homework correction. They are in learning buddy groups and within those groups they compare their answers and methods for solving the problems. Brian discovered that the students correcting homework using this method was so much different than him going over the answers. They were helping each other learn, getting deeper learning by explaining what they did, and helping students who were absent learn what they missed. The change in energy with the students was noticeable. Then he asked one person from each group to come up and demonstrate the problem for the class so they knew if their group was correct in their collaborative answers. He could see their thinking and the way they did it, which may have been different than the way he would do it, but still correct. Getting the students to explain their understanding helped him see their misconceptions and see where students stumble. He doesn’t necessarily see that from right and wrong answers – all he sees is if the students can mimic what they saw him do. This method may not be as time efficient in terms of covering the answers to the homework, but the beginning understanding is so much deeper. The students have a deeper foundation of understanding. He recognizes he must find the way to do less better so they have the time.

    1. Success criteria

      First Brian taught, via direct instruction. Then the second day, he asks them to come up with the rules or success criteria for that strategy for solving problems. He could see if they actually understood to the level of applying it, or if they could only mimic the procedures he demonstrated. He wanted them to not just memorize the procedural skills but to understand and recognize different cases so they don’t just mindlessly apply the rule. It isn’ ;t about just getting them to do it how to do it, but they need to understand mathematical reasoning. The only way to get to that is by having them explain their thinking. He could see when they are able to come up with the success criteria to solve the problem if they understood it and so can apply the rule correctly.

    1. Students organize their learning

      Brian asks the students to take all they have learned in the unit and organize their understanding on a reference sheet they can use on the up-coming exam. They discover they should not put the things they totally understand, but include those things they often get confused about. Students explain why this is so valuable to them. What is gained through this process is the students make sense of the learning for themselves.

     

    Back to top

    22