U-STARS~PLUS Using Science, Talents, and Abilities to Recognize Students~ Promoting Learning for Underrepresented Students

© 2011 CEC

Mary Ruth Coleman, Ph.D., and Sneha Shah-Coltrane, M.A.

Overview of U-STARS~PLUS

Level 1: Introduction

Module 1

(Time estimate 4-5 hours)

Level 1: Introduction

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Science for the 21st CenturyPassionate educators with issue expertise can make all the difference, enabling hands-on learning that truly engages students — including girls and underrepresented minorities — and preparing them to tackle the grand challenges of the 21st century such as increasing energy independence, improving people’s health, protecting the environment, and strengthening national security.

-President Barack Obama, January 6, 2010

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is to support teachers in the early recognition and nurturing of potential in children from economically disadvantaged and/or culturally/linguistically diverse families and in children with disabilities in order to provide them with access to advanced educational opportunities and to improve their academic achievement.

The purpose of U-STARS~PLUS

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U-STARS~PLUS Goals

1. Provide environments which nurture the intellectual and emotional well-being of young children (Grades K–3).

2. Recognize children with outstanding potential who may be overlooked due to poverty, cultural/linguistic differences, and/or disabilities.

3. Engage families in meaningful ways that support their child’s academic success.

4. Support the use of high-quality science instruction for young children (Grades K–3) as a platform to recognize and respond to their potential.

5. Respond to children’s strengths by providing appropriately challenging and advanced educational experiences (high-end learning).

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To appropriately recognize potential in students, these three things must be in place:

1. A teacher must know what to look for.

2. Classroom responses should support high-end learning.

3. The classroom climate should be emotionally supportive, so children will show us their best.

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The Heart of U-STARS~PLUSBringing Out the Best in Student Potential

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A Nurturing Classroom Environment supports students intellectually and emotionally

An emotionally nurturing environment is:

• Challenge (high expectations, appropriate complexity)

• Choice (child’s interests, self-determination)• Changes (novelty, flexibility)

• Safe (respectful, understanding, validating, caring)• Supportive (helpful, promotes positive “risk-taking”)• Secure (child can be at ease)

An intellectually nurturing environment provides:

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U-STARS~PLUS “The Big Star”

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The nation must ensure that all children, especially economically disadvantaged and minority children, have access to an early childhood education that develops potential.

U.S. Department of Education. (1993). National excellence: A case for developing America’s talent. Washington, DC: Author.

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1. All children deserve access to challenging and enriching learning opportunities.

2. All children deserve to be viewed as “at potential” versus “at risk.”

3. Science is a naturally interesting and engaging subject that captivates young children’s learning.

4. Family involvement is key to sustained support for children.

5. The support we provide to a child’s teacher is critical to the success of the child.

U-STARS~PLUS Core Beliefs

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U-STARS~PLUS Core Belief

All children deserve access to challenging and enriching learning opportunities.

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What is a “High-End Learning Environment”?

Curriculum differentiation

Dynamic assessment to inform classroom instruction

Flexible grouping

Classroom support materials

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High-End Learning Environment Toolkit

Curriculum compacting

Tiered activities

Learning centers/stations

Independent/small group contracts and projects

Effective questioning, higher order thinking

(Strategies for differentiation in the general education classroom)

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U-STARS~PLUS Core Belief

All children deserve to be viewed as “at potential” versus “at risk.”

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Systematic Teacher ObservationTOPS

(Teacher’s Observation of Potential in Students)

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“Be careful how you view the world: It is that way.”

(Johannes Kepler, 1571-1630)

= You get what you look for

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1. Learns easily2. Shows advanced skills3. Displays curiosity and creativity4. Has strong interests5. Shows advanced reasoning and problem solving6. Displays spatial abilities7. Shows motivation8. Shows social perceptiveness9. Displays leadership

TOPSNine Principal Domains

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TOPS helps teachers to …Recognize students with

outstanding potential

Child’s characteristics that manifest over time in multiple settings; variety of behaviors

“At potential” versus “at risk” opens eyes to all students

Teacher-pleasing and non-teacher-pleasing behaviors

Whole class to individual observations

Involves all children

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U-STARS~PLUS Core Belief

Science is a naturally interesting and engaging subject that captivates young children’s learning.

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Hands-On/Inquiry-Based Science

Promotes thinking,

achievement, and language development

Captivates students’

interest through real-world setting and

content integration

Focuses on exploration and

problem solving; not

solely based on traditional expository

methods/verbal skills

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Need for math and science education is clear and growing due to:Rapid pace of technology/global cultureEveryday decision makingNational securityIntrinsic value of math and science in understanding our world

Key Ideas:Science is not being taught in early gradesTeachers are not well prepared to teach science Science is becoming an “assessment” areaScience education must start early

Before it’s too late:A Report to the Nation from the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching in the 21st Century - The Glenn Commission, September 2000

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Is inquiry-based and hands-on, focuses on exploration and problem solving, and is not overly dependent on traditional expository (reading/writing) methods.

Promotes higher-level thinking, creativity, and persistence.

Is easy to integrate with other subject areas, such as reading, writing, math, and the arts.

Facilitates language development and communication skills.

Promotes student observation in an authentic setting, using a variety of assessments and activities.

Speaks to the natural curiosity and interest of students; involves the real world.

Is not based on pre-learned experiences or access to privileged experiences.

Why Science?Science is an ideal platform to recognize and nurture outstanding potential in young children from underserved populations. The content area of science...

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A student who is not taught that potential, meaning, and magic of mathematics and science is a student who is denied the opportunity of broader learning and exploration, whose dreams go unfulfilled, and whose future success is limited.

-U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley (2000)

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Best Practices in Science EducationWhen we walk into a classroom, we see …

Inquiry-based learning. Students are asking questions and answering them.

Conversation and reflection. Teachers facilitate learning.

Hands-on, open-ended activities. Teachers design problems to be solved and engaging student work. (Start where the students are!)

Rich science content and process skills. Study supports students’ curiosity and wonder, leading them to scientific reality.

Real-world and authentic setting for learning. Students are engaged with their natural environment and a variety of materials.

Science is integrated with other curriculum. This allows for better understanding, creates curricular efficiency, and provides more time for learning.

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Science & Literature ConnectionsChildren’s books reflecting outstanding literature that connects with science themes and content

Family Science Packets:Science-in-a-bag “take-home” activities that children complete with their parents

U-STARS~PLUSScience Resource Materials(Based on National Science Education Standards)

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Book summaries (Grades K–3)

Concept maps

Discussion questions and activities based on Bloom’s Taxonomy

Provides specific plans for using popular children’s literature (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Come On, Rain!, Make Way for Ducklings, and over 25 others!)

U-STARS~PLUS Science & Literature Connections

Bringing the interest of science to literacy studies

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U-STARS~PLUS Core Belief

Family involvement is key to sustained support for children.

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Family involvement programs

Effective parent conferences and communication

Family Science Packets

Cultural understanding (impact of poverty, diversity, and social emotional needs)

Family and School Partnerships

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Teacher information includes:Curriculum objectivesProcess skill objectivesMaterials neededPre- and follow-up activities

Student information, sent home in a 1-gallon-size plastic bag:Needed materialsFamily information and guideObservation record

U-STARS~PLUS Family Science PacketsHands-on science activities intended to be used in conjunction with a unit of study

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U-STARS~PLUS Core Belief

The support we provide to a child’s teacher is critical to the success of the child.

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Systemic Change

Building leadership capacity at state, district, and school levels (professional development and policy)

Fidelity of implementation (district, school, classroom)

Accountability (district, school, classroom, child)

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is the extent to which an intervention or approach is implemented as it was intended or designed.

In our case, how U-STARS~PLUS is being implemented in a class/school/district.

Fidelity of implementation

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Explore current needs.

Plan for future support.

Appropriately interpret research findings.

What is the purpose of measuring fidelity of implementation?

By establishing the level of implementation, you can:

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Classroom – expand the capacity of the teacher.

School – support teachers as they work to meet children’s needs.

District – support schools through resources, policies, and permission as they work to reach excellence.

Fidelity of Implementation Guidelines/Rubrics

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TOPS forms

Classroom differentiation

Hands-on, inquiry-based science

Family involvement

Classroom Fidelity Critical Components

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TOPS Fidelity IndicatorsSupports “at-potential” view of all studentsRecognizes students with outstanding potential, particularly those from underserved populationsInforms teachers about student behaviors/profileInforms classroom instruction and academic service optionsUsed in a variety of settings, over timeUsed in conferencing with teachers, parents, and studentsInforms placement of students for the following yearSupports sharing of student’s profile with othersMay lead to referrals for gifted and talented servicesIntegrated with school policies and gifted and talented program

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Classroom Differentiation Fidelity Indicators

Responds to needs of studentsOngoing assessment to inform instruction, including self-assessmentDifferentiation strategies in the general education classroom: compacting, tiered activities, learning centers/stations, independent studies/group projects, questioning/higher order thinking skills

Activities vary based on readiness, interest, and profileStudent-centered, open-ended, product choiceVariety of materials and resources for student useFlexible groupingUse of U-STARS~PLUS materials

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Hands-On, Inquiry-Based Science Fidelity Indicators

Hands-on activities and explorationsInquiry-rich: students follow own questions and experimentIntegration with other subject areasAuthentic learning, using natural environmentsVariety of materials and resources availableResponse to students’ curiosity and interestsLeads to scientific understanding and realityLong-term projects; data collections and analysesStudent-centered/teacher-guided

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Family Involvement Fidelity Indicators

Consideration of diversity of family backgrounds (race/ethnicity, socioeconomic, cultural/linguistic, and others) in all aspects, including communication, events, and academic issues

Regular and varied forms of communication

Variety of ways to involve families in the classroom, including academic, policy, social/emotional

Opportunities for family-led initiatives

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Many children continue to have limited access to high-end nurturing opportunities in their schools.

Often the very children who need these opportunities the most receive the fewest.

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The U-STARS~PLUS approach reduces disproportionality

while increasing access and opportunity for all.

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We believe that address should not drive access.

All children deserve the opportunity to learn at the highest level possible.

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Failure to help gifted children reach their potential is a societal tragedy, the extent of which is difficult to measure but is surely great.

How can we measure the loss of the sonata unwritten, the curative drug undiscovered, the absence of political insight?

They are the difference between what we are and what we could be as a society.

-Gallagher, J. (2006). Driving changes in special education. Baltimore, MD: Brookes

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To make and sustain improvements, we must be:

Purposeful and Intentional

In our schoolsIn our classroomsWith our studentsWith our familiesIn our overall programming

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Using Fidelity of Implementation to Become More Purposeful and Intentional

Self assessment: “Where am I (are we) now?”

Target areas of strength: “What do I (we) need to improve?”

Set goals for improvement: “What do I (we) do well?”

Map out a plan for improvement: “How will I (we) move toward improvement?”

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Fidelity of Implementation

Next Steps

Clarify goals

Guide implementation and planning

Review classrooms/schools/districts/for data purposes – end of the year

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Using Fidelity of Implementation to Document Success

Establish baseline: “Where are we at the starting point?”

Identify goals: “What do we want to accomplish?”

Establish whether improvement plan was carried out: “Were we able to do the things we needed to do to support improvement?”

Document outcomes: “Did we accomplish what we had hoped?”

Identify unintended outcomes: “What were the positive outcomes (or negative ripple effects) of our efforts?”

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Things to Remember When Using Fidelity of Implementation Rubrics

Rubrics are guidelines, not mandates.

Things happen—both positive and negative—that impact our plans, so we need both intentionality and adaptability as we move forward.

The most important thing is to focus on the needs of our children and how we can best help them learn!

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Can we create synergy between District-level initiatives and U-STARS~PLUS core beliefs?

The more synergy we create, the more systemic and sustainable we will

become!