randolph high school presentation - harvard agirandolph high school presentation the achievement gap...
TRANSCRIPT
Randolph High School Presentation
The Achievement Gap Initiative
Harvard University
April 29, 2010
Dr. William Conard, PrincipalMs. Laura Sullivan, Teacher, Math Department ChairMr. Stephen LeClair, Teacher, Union Representative
Each Randolph High School student will demonstrate high levels of achievement in a safe and
respectful environment that honors our diversity.
Randolph High School
Randolph MA…
Located 16 miles south of Boston
Approximately 31,000 people (general population)
Median age is 38 years
61.5% White, 21% Black, 10% Asian (2007)
Voted for the first school override in 2008
Randolph High School…
750 students in grades 9—12
78 teachers/staff
28 different languages spoken
Profile of Students
LOW INCOMEPRIMARY LANGUAGE (AT HOME)
NOT ENGLISH ELL SPED
50.7% 52% 9% 18%
Diversity of Student Body-1998-2010
0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%
1998-1999 29.0% 52.0% 11.8% 6.6%
2003-2004 41.8% 37.4% 13.2% 7.2%
2008-2009 51.2% 22.1% 15.6% 8.6%
2009-2010 57.7% 16.8% 16.7% 8.4%
African American White Asian Hispanic
MCAS Data—Math
MATH PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED ADVANCED AND PROFICIENT
50%
52%
54%
56%
58%
60%
62%
64%
66%
MATH 54% 52% 56% 63% 65%
YR 2005 YR 2006 YR 2007 YR 2008 YR 2009
MCAS Data—ELA
ELA PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED ADVANCED AND PROFICIENT
50%52%54%56%58%60%62%64%66%68%70%72%
ELA 59% 62% 62% 64% 70%
YR 2005 YR 2006 YR 2007 YR 2008 YR 2009
AYP
It all began with four “simple” ideas…
We realized we needed to:
Teach students and subjects
Create school-wide change, not isolated change
Foster a professional learning community that would allow our teachers the opportunity to meet, discuss, implement and review data and best practices
Foster smaller learning communities to involve all of our teachers and students in opportunities for rigorous academic, social, and personal growth
Relationships
Teacher Student
Knowledge
Overview: How we have increased student achievement
Our framework for thinking about our professional learning community
Practices, resources and routines we have implemented to foster our teachers’ professional learning community
Professional Learning Community
A Vision focused on student achievement and high expectations
A School Improvement Plan focused on improving the teaching and learning process
Staff Development focused on teacher needs and opportunities
Supportive Accountability focused on personalization to insure that each teacher and student succeeds
School Wide Professional DevelopmentSustained Professional Development
3 years of professional development on all ½ days
Studying Successful Teaching—Research for Better Teaching (focus on instruction)
Administrators participated in complementary course to help monitor and mentor teachers
English Language Learner Category training for all teachers
School Wide Professional Development
Focused on Teaching & Learning
Faculty meetings – 1 hour once a month
Department meetings – 1 ½ hours once a month
Curriculum duty – 5 periods every other week
Curriculum Duty
Monday Self-directed PD
Tuesday through Thursday common planning with common course teachers
Friday Administratively Led Professional Development
Faculty divided into two interdisciplinary groups
Examples of Friday PD Meetings
Oct. 23/30 Peer Walk ThroughsNov. 6/13 Electronic Referrals Nov. 20/Dec. 4 Instructional Improvement PlanDec. 11/18 Inclusion-Differentiated Instruction Jan. 8/15 Peer Walk Throughs Jan. 22/29 Self-DirectedFeb. 5/12 Instructional Improvement PlanFeb. 26/Mar. 5 Parent Engagement
School Wide Professional Development Instructional Improvement Plan led by Assistant
Principal for Teaching & Learning, Curriculum Directors and Department Chairs
Classroom Instruction that Works(Marzano, et.al.)
Questioning Strategies
Cooperative Learning
Instructional Improvement PlanFriday Professional Development
Introduce teaching strategy (questioning)
Department & Common Planning Time
Check-in—two successes and one challenge
Peer Walk-Throughs Focus on instructional strategy
Department & Common Planning Time
Check-in—Look at student work
Faculty Meeting Debrief about strategy
School Wide Practices
Peer Walk-Throughs
Teachers observe colleagues as they teach
Walk-throughs occur four times a year
Visiting teachers debrief on observations with a focus on the strategy in the instructional improvement plan
Feedback is provided to the visited teacher
School-Wide: Peer Walk-Throughs
2008/2009 2009/2010
Number Two teachers visited per session-12 minutes each
One teacher visited per session-25 minutes each
Focus Best Practices Instructional Improvement Plan
Feedback No Yes
School-Wide: Peer Walk-Throughs
What did you observe regarding the instructional strategies of cooperative learning/grouping?
What positive impact did this instructional strategy have on student learning?
From what you observed on this peer walkthrough, what would you use in your own classroom?
What suggestions, questions, or feedback do you have for your colleague about this instructional strategy?
Department PracticesDepartmental Common planning (school-wide)
Common course teachers work together one to three periods every two weeks on curriculum maps, pacing, revision of curriculum, etc
Over 50 hours of CPT during regular school year
Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe)
Use of data to drive planning and instruction
Department Practices—Data Analysis
Department Practices—Data Analysis
Department Practices
Curriculum development– Standards based– Common lesson plans– Common assessments– Looking at student work
Ownership of work– What are we teaching? (standards)– How are we assessing student learning?– How are we going to teach?
9th & 10th Grade Small Learning Communities (SLC)
One English, math, science, social studies, and inclusion teacher for each SLC
Same group of approximately 100 students who take classes together
One counselor
Common planning time for team
9th & 10th Grade SLC Practices
Common planning time
Four meetings every two weeks
Meeting agendas focused on program implementation, student achievement, student development and/or parent engagement
Development of protocols for looking at student work
9th & 10th Grade SLC PracticesOpportunity for teacher leadership
Teacher autonomy to:
Choose lead facilitator (team leader)
Move students according to needs, interests, etc.
Loop w/students from 9th to 10th grade
Design five-hour planning meetings at the end of each semester (compensated)
Inclusion
Majority of students scheduled in inclusive classrooms
Support given through inclusion teacher and/or paraprofessional
Common planning time provided for co-teachers
Other Change Catalysts: NEASC
Visit in March 2007Visitation Report in October 2007
– Approximately 56 recommendations– Majority in expectations, curriculum,
instruction and assessment
Other Change Catalysts:Supervision & Evaluation Administrative walk-throughs with written feedback to
teachers
Evaluation process fully implemented for all teachers
Teacher improvement plans
Mentoring of all new teachers
Administrative team took a full-year course for observing and analyzing teaching (RBT)
Bi-weekly meetings with Randolph Educational Association
Other Change Catalysts: Teacher LeadershipDepartment Chairs, Instructional Coaches and Lead
Facilitators work directly with classroom teachers
Provide second tier of school-based leadership
Meet together weekly with Assistant Principal for Teacher and Learning
Observe and model lessons
Conference with teachers on a regular basis
Other Change Catalysts: AP Grant
Teachers collaborate with common course teachers
Teachers collaborate with teachers from other high school districts
Teachers observe other teachers’ instruction during Saturday prep sessions
Summer & school-year training– 5 days during the summer– 4 days during school year
Professional Development Books
Studying Successful Teaching (RBT), John Saphier, et.al.
The First Days of School, Harry & Rosemary Wong
Understanding by Design (UBD), Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe
Classroom Instruction That Works, Robert Marzano, et.al.
Student Motivation (TBD)
Challenges
1. Building trust and shared understandings – new administration, coaching model, looking at classroom data, peer walkthroughs, inclusion, etc…
2. Evaluating classroom instruction, programs, initiatives, etc.
3. Making data accessible to teachers
4. Relying on data in addition to MCAS to measure school effectiveness
Challenges
5. Introducing new teachers to previously held professional development
6. Providing exemplars, i.e., differentiated instruction, co-taught classroom, etc.
7. Involving all departments especially those without curriculum directors, instructional coaches and/or department chairs
8. Sustainability, i.e. funding, town government, etc.
Challenge and Expectation: RHS College Academy
Massasoit Community CollegeAssociate Degree with high school diploma
Bridgewater State CollegePartner with RHS and MCC