Using Web-based Resources to

Support School Improvement

December 18, 2013

Presenter: Kathleen Smith Director Office of School Improvement

Purpose:

To provide information regarding Web-based resources available to assist schools with improvement efforts

VIRGINIA VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONEDUCATION

Web-based Resources for Specific Content Areas:

The Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) website provides a wealth of information that may be used as a component of a school’s professional development program. Links to resources from Standards of Learning (SOL) institutes may be accessed at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/english/index.shtml

Sample English SOL Institutes Resources

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/index.shtml

Sample Mathematics SOL Institutes Resources

DIFFERENTIATED DIFFERENTIATED TECHNICAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCEASSISTANCE

Web-based Courses:

Differentiated Technical Assistance

In an effort to assist the OSI contractors and division leadership teams with providing technical assistance, the Office of School Improvement has created a Differentiated Technical Assistance webpage containing pre-recorded webinars and Web-based courses.

Topics include:• Instructional preparation• Instructional delivery• Formative assessment• Differentiated instruction• Student engagement• Leadership • Scheduling• Co-teaching/Inclusive Practices

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/school_improvement/training/index.shtml

Sample Differentiated Technical Assistance Web-based Course

Web-based courses include the following components:• Video recording• Presentation Slides• Video Series Guide• Related Handouts

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - OF EDUCATION - THINKFINITYTHINKFINITY

Web-based Resources Associated with the Revised Standards of Learning:

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/resource_partners/thinkfinity/index.shtml

Thinkfinity is a Web portal to professional development materials and standards-based content and resources including K-12 lesson plans, in-class activities and videos, interactive programs, free webinars and online resources from 10 leading educational organization content providers and the Verizon Foundation.

WHAT WORKS WHAT WORKS CLEARINGHOUSECLEARINGHOUSE

Web-based Resources:

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is a resource for informed education decision making by providing credible and reliable evidence of the effectiveness of a given practice, program, or policy (referred to as “interventions”), and disseminates summary information and reports on the WWC website.

Sample WWC Practice Guide

A T AND T GRANT A T AND T GRANT OPPORTUNITYOPPORTUNITY

Web-based Courses Associated with Rapid Improvement School Indicators:

INDICATORS IN INDICATORS IN ACTIONACTION

Web-based Courses Associated with Rapid Improvement School Indicators:

See http://www.aspirerfp.com/rfp-requirements/

INDICATORS IN INDICATORS IN ACTIONACTION

Web-based Courses Associated with Rapid Improvement School Indicators:

http://www.indistar.org/

The Academic Development Institute (ADI) has developed Indicators in Action™ to provide an explanation of indicators of effective practice. These indicators are commonly referred to as rapid improvement school indicators and form the basis of the Indistar® Web-based planning tool.

Indicators in Action™ is organized into three courses:• Leadership• Instruction• School Community

Each course contains modules regarding specific rapid improvement school indicators. In addition, presentation resources are included such as workbooks and a facilitator’s guide.

INDISTAR® CONNECTINDISTAR® CONNECTWeb-based Communication Tool:

Indistar® Connect gives users a chance to "talk" with others who use Indistar® in their states, districts, and schools. Great opportunity to share ideas, stories of success, ask questions, and meet others who are using Indistar® to change the way school and district improvement is done.

Andrew DavisRolling Ridge—Loudoun

I received an email today from a colleague that went something like this. . . “What is the one thing that works at Rolling Ridge that has helped turn the school around? Or what AHA moment did teachers have that has helped Rolling Ridge move forward?”  As I sit here and write this post I have to say that I have yet to respond to his email.  It got me thinking, what is the one thing . . . the AHA moment?  . . .   I think it has to be staff buy-in.  After the initial shock, my leadership team and I joined together and made a commitment to the process.  Our meetings were positive and efficient and every member of the team shared in the development of the instructional practices that would become the heart of our Indistar school improvement plan.  If I can make one suggestion to you it would be to choose your leadership team carefully.  Your team should be made up of your game changers.  People who keep you on your toes, not because they are complainers or slackers, but because they challenge you to be a better instructional leader.  Your game changers are the ones who don't waste time resisting, but rather spend their time figuring out how they can incorporate research based strategies into their practices to get better results.  They are the ones who know exactly what their kids know at any point and can prove it to you based on data.  

 

Let me guess, you all have those teachers that tell you, "I know exactly what 'Jose' can do."  Yet when you ask him or her to show you what math standards Jose didn't master last month, how he or she provided second teaching, and the results of that teaching, they can't.  Actually a lot of teachers would look at you like you were crazy. . .   So that brings me to my next point. . . your teachers must use data to help them differentiate their core instruction.  If they rely solely on whole group instruction it will be very difficult for them to provide the differentiated instruction that students need to succeed at all levels.  Taking consistent data using simple ongoing formative assessments will help them to differentiate their lessons in order to provide targeted instruction based on each students' individual need.  I know. . . we all know that our teachers should be differentiating and we read all about it in EL magazine and The Principal magazine, but are your teachers really doing it every day?  Especially in reading and math?  If not, you have to start there.  You all have a great teacher who is very effective at differentiation.   Video lesson segments on your iPhone or iPad and show your staff.  Have him or her share their lesson plans or have him or her work together with others to identify simple ways to incorporate differentiation strategies into every lesson.  

Get your staff talking about the right stuff.  Stop talking about why Jose didn't do his homework and start talking about how the team will work together to build a remediation rotation into their math block so that Jose can get more explicit instruction and guided practice.  As you get your staff talking and working together, their collective efficacy will grow.So what is the theme here?  People. . . . team. . . . working together to establish consistent research based strategies, moving in the same direction. . . . My close friend and colleague likes to say, "there are lots of buses moving in every direction, so if you aren't going to move with us on our bus, then its time to find another one moving in a different direction."    Get the right people on the bus and then move together!!  Going it alone just doesn't cut it anymore. . .  

CENTER ON SCHOOL CENTER ON SCHOOL TURNAROUNDTURNAROUND

Web-based Resources:

http://centeronschoolturnaround.org/#2

CENTER ON CENTER ON INNOVATION IN INNOVATION IN LEARNINGLEARNING

Web-based Resources:

http://www.centeril.org/

APPALACHIA REGIONAL APPALACHIA REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE CENTER (ARCC)CENTER (ARCC)

Web-based Resources:

https://www.arccta.org/

REGIONAL REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORY (REL)LABORATORY (REL)

Web-based Resources:

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/appalachia/index.asp

Suggestions for Using Web-based Resources

with Teachers

• Organize teachers into professional learning communities based on identified areas of need:

- Administrator could conduct focused observations and identify teachers who share common needs.- Teacher groups could be assigned to specific Web-based courses (i.e., Transformative Classroom Management, Differentiated Instruction)

• Include the resources as a component of grade-level or content-area team meetings:

- The chairperson could serve as the facilitator, and use the resources (i.e., facilitator’s guide, workbooks) to focus on an identified topic.

• Use the resources to explore a problem of practice (i.e., rigor in mathematics lessons)• Use the resources to provide staff members with additional information regarding improvement planning action steps (i.e., development of instructional teams, unit planning based on data)