AT THE HEART OF IT ALL –

 

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

 

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Office of Curriculum and Instruction

Professional Development

Student Support

Family and Community Engagement

Assessment

 

 

 

 

Office of Curriculum and Instruction

Assistant Superintendent

Mary E. Kelley

Rid23523@ride.ri.net

     The Office of Assistant Superintendent focuses on researching, planning, and designing curriculum, implementing programs that support the highest quality teaching and learning, and evaluating our work to determine its effectiveness.

 

The Office of Assistant Superintendent is responsible for:

Ø     Curriculum development and evaluation

Ø     Instructional support

Ø     Professional development

Ø     Literacy

Ø     District testing

Ø     District school improvement

Ø     Title I

Ø     State and federal grants

Ø     Home schooling

Ø     Assisting the Superintendent in district supervision

 

 

Curriculum refers to the blueprint for learning.  Specifically, it takes content and shapes it into a plan for effective teaching and learning (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998).  Curriculum in South Kingstown is under revision.  English language arts has been completed and math will be completed by the fall of 2004.  To see our completed English language arts curriculum, click here.

 

Five Year Plan for Curriculum Review:  Click here to view the Curriculum Guide and Five Year Plan. 

 

In addition to our specific K – 12 grade level expectations in English language arts, we have also provided links to general content standards in other subject areas.  These content standards provide a framework for teachers as they begin the process of designing a K through 12 district curriculum.

 

A Family Guide to South Kingstown’s K – 5 Curriculum:  Click here to access our parent guide, which provides an overview of K-5 objectives for reading, writing, math, and science.

 

Ø      K – 12 English Language Arts Curriculum (click here for district document)

http://www.ridoe.net/standards/gle/default.htm

Ø      Science Standards:       http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=2

Ø      Mathematics Standards: 

http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=1

http://www.ridoe.net/standards/gle/default.htm

Ø      K – 4 History Standards:

 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=4

Ø      US History Standards:

  http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=5

Ø      World History Standards:

 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=6

Ø      Geography Standards: 

                  http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=8

Ø      Foreign Language Standards:    http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=16

Ø      Technology Standards:

http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=19

Ø      Physical Education Standards:

http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=18

Ø      Music Standards:

 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/standard.asp?SubjectID=11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

”It is no failure to fall short of realizing all that we might dream.  The failure is to fall short of dreaming all that we might realize” (Dee Hock).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


                                                                                   

 

 

 

Focus on learning goals
 
 

 


                                                                                                 

(Sheckley and Keeton, 2001)

 

 

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Professional Development Guidelines

Institute for Learning

Study Groups

Protocols

Resources

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES

 

To insure consistent and ongoing professional development through Article 31, schools are encouraged to design programs that:

Ø      Deepen teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills

Ø      Include opportunities for practice, research, and reflection

Ø      Are embedded in educators’ work

Ø      Are sustained over time

Ø      Are founded on a sense of collegiality and collaboration among teachers and between teachers and principals in solving important problems related to teaching and learning.

(Sparks, Designing Powerful Professional Development for Teachers and Principals, 2002).

 

 

 

 

INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING

 

The Institute for Learning, through the University of Pittsburgh, has  designed an instructional leadership program to help school systems create high performance learning environments in which district leaders, school leaders and teacher leaders enable students to meet or exceed high academic standards.  South Kingstown is now in its first year of work with the IFL. 

Our work is characterized by:

o       The Principles of Learning

o       The New Standards

o       Professional Development

 

The Principles of Learning:

o       Challenge the assumption that inherited ability places a ceiling on what a student can learn

o       Provide schools with an organizing framework for teaching and learning

o       Guide schools in establishing the kinds of curriculum and instruction that will ensure achievement of rigorous academic standards by all students

o       Serve as a foundation on which to build teaching capacity for the future.

 

     New Standards:

o       Indicate what students need to know and be able to do in literacy and math

 

    Professional Development:

o        Provides tools and protocols to support instructional leadership

o        Provides a clear and consistent focus on core areas

 

 

    For additional information on the Institute for Learning, visit the web site at:

    http://www.instituteforlearning.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STUDY GROUPS

“We effect change by engaging in robust conversations…”

(Dennis Sparks)

 

 

A Study Group is a structure through which teachers on a faculty meet in small groups for serious conversation about student needs and classroom instruction.  The study groups focus on the primary goal of the school, student learning.  It is a professional development process that allows individual teachers to design their own learning and to implement what they learn in their classrooms for the benefit of their students.

 

An Initial Assumption:

Ø      The faculty participates in reviewing student data that will guide all decisions about how the study group will be organized and what the study group will do.

 

The Function of a Study Group:

Study Groups can serve as many as five functions.  It should be up to the group to determine whether they wish to include all five as its purpose or only one, two, three, or four:

Ø      To support the implementation of curricular and instructional innovations

Ø      To integrate and give coherence to the school’s instructional strategies and programs

Ø      To target a school wide need

Ø      To study the research and latest developments on teaching and learning; or

Ø      To monitor the impact of innovations on students and changes in the workplace.

 

Teacher collaboration is a byproduct of the Study Group process.  To increase student learning is the primary purpose of Study Groups and teacher collaboration is a means to that end.

 

 

Process Guidelines for Study Groups:

The following guidelines provide the structure the process needs to ensure the intended results.

Ø      Keep the size of each group to no more than six

Ø      Don’t worry about the composition of the groups

Ø      Establish and keep a regular schedule, letting no more than two weeks pass between meetings

Ø      Establish group norms at the first meeting of the study group

Ø      Agree on a written Study Group Action Plan that is shared with the whole faculty by the end of the second meeting

Ø      Complete a Study Group Log after each Study Group meeting that is shared with the rest of the faculty on a regular basis

Ø      Encourage members to keep an Individual Reflection Log that is for their own personal and private reflection

Ø      Establish a pattern of rotating group leadership

Ø      Give all Study Group members equal status

Ø      Have a curriculum focus

Ø      Plan ahead for transitions

Ø      Make a comprehensive list of learning resources, both material and human

Ø      Include training in the Study Group’s agenda, and

Ø      Evaluate the effectiveness of the Study Group, using the intended results in the Study Group Action Plan.

 

In summary, the question that guides all decision making in the Study Group process is: “What is happening differently in the classroom as a result of what teachers are learning and doing in study groups?”

 

(based on research of Carlene Murphy, Barry Sheckley, Morris Keeton, and Thomas Guskey).

 

 

 

 

PROTOCOLS

 

(Structures to make looking at student work more focused and comfortable - could be used at grade level meetings, faculty meetings, or in study groups)

 

Tuning Protocol: (adapted form MacDonald, 1996).

Purpose:  This protocol is designed to provide feedback on either a teacher’s assignment or on student work.

Time:  approximately 60 minutes

 

  1. Introduction (up to 3 minutes)

Ø      The facilitator introduces the protocol, the time frame and the norms.

  1. Presentation  (7 minutes)

Ø      The presenting teacher explains a context and background for the work

Ø      The presenting teacher shares what (s)he would like addressed by asking the group a focus question

Ø      Responders listen and take notes

  1. Clarifying questions (7 minutes)

Ø      Responders ask questions to clarify their understanding

Ø      Clarifying questions are factual, straightforward, and nonjudgmental

Ø      The presenting teacher answers clarifying questions without going into great detail

Ø      Respondents take notes

 

  1. Examination of student work samples (5 minutes)

Ø      The presenting teacher brings a copy of the student sample for every group member.

Ø      Responders silently read the work while keeping in mind the presenting teacher’s earlier question.

 

  1. Feedback (18-20 minutes)

Ø      The presenting teacher remains silent while the responders generate comments.  They address issues such as the strengths and weaknesses of the work

Ø      The presenting teacher takes notes.

 

6.      Reflection (5 minutes)

Ø      The presenting teacher rejoins the discussion and shares what (s) he learned from the feedback, focusing on what was learned rather than defending the work.

Ø      Responders are silent

 

  1. Debrief  (5 minutes)

Ø      The facilitator leads an open discussion of the process.

Ø      The process observer shares what he or she noticed about the way the group functioned.

 

 

 

Standards Protocol: (adapted from a protocol developed by the Center for Collaborative Education)

Purpose:  To analyze student work against a specific standard, criteria, or scoring rubric.

Time:  approximately 45 minutes.

 

1.  Describe the assignment and the standards that apply (5 minutes)

Ø      The presenting teacher describes the assignment, discusses which standards the assignment addresses, and outlines the assessment process, rubric, or criteria

2.  Clarifying questions (5 minutes)

Ø      Responders ask questions to clarify their understanding.

Ø      Clarifying questions are factual, straightforward, and nonjudgmental.

Ø      The presenting teacher answers clarifying questions without going into great detail.

Ø      Responders take notes

3.   Score the work (5 minutes)

Ø      Responders individually score the work sample, using the presenting teacher’s criteria or rubric.

Ø      If the presenting teacher failed to bring a rubric, the group can develop one together

Ø      The goal is to develop a common idea about the quality of the work

 

4.   Look at the work (10 minutes)

Ø      The group discusses discrepancies in the responders’ scores while considering questions the work raises in relationship to the standards.

 

5.   Analyze the work (15 minutes)

Ø      The facilitator asks the presenting teacher to restate the question to confirm the group’s focus

Ø      The presenting teacher listens as the responders discuss the work and offer feedback

Ø      The group is careful to connect their comments to the standards.

 

6.   Reflection (10 minutes)

Ø      The presenting teacher rejoins the discussion and shares what (s) he learned from the feedback, focusing on what was learned rather than defending the work.

Ø      Responders are silent.

 

7.   Discuss the implications (10 minutes)

Ø      Both the presenting teacher and responders share new thoughts they have about their teaching practices.

Ø      The group may develop an action plan to further address the issues generated by the discussion

 

8.   Debrief (5 minutes)

Ø      Open discussion of the process, led by the facilitator

Ø      The process observer shares what he or she noticed about the way the group functioned.

 

 

Consultancy Protocol (adapted form a protocol developed by the Coalition of Essential Schools (www.essentialschools.org )

Purpose:  This protocol is used to allow a group to explore a problem or dilemma.

Time:  approximately 60 minutes

 

1.  The presenting teacher gives an overview of the issue or dilemma and then poses a

focus question, (5 minutes)

  1. Responders ask clarifying questions, keeping in mind that they are primarily aimed at helping responders understand the questions and context.

The presenter responds to the clarifying questions (5 minutes)

  1. The group asks the presenter probing questions. Probing questions are primarily open-ended and are for the responders.  These questions should be about the issue (s) he has presented.  The presenter responds to the probing questions, but there is no discussion by the larger group (10-15 minutes)
  2. Responders discuss the issue or dilemma while the presenting teacher silently takes notes.  What did we hear?  What didn’t we hear that we needed to know more about?  What do we think about the question or issue presented? (10-15 minutes)
  3. The presenting teacher responds by sharing what (s) he is thinking and the next steps (s) he might take.  During this time, the responders listen. (10 minutes)
  4. The facilitator opens up the discussion to the whole group. (10 minutes).
  5. The process observer leads an open discussion about the process (5 minutes).

 

 

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING

 

These links are provided as a resource for teachers and families.  They do not take the place of standards-based classroom materials already in use, but rather, they are intended to offer suggestions and strategies to support instruction.  This site will be updated frequently.  Comments on these sites and suggestions for new ones are appreciated.

 

 

TEACHER RESOURCES

Ø      Assessment and Rubrics

Ø      Classroom Tools

Ø      Electronic Portfolios

Ø      Lesson Plans

Ø      Early Learning

Ø      Copyright Resources

 

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

Learn more about the NBPTS, what it has to offer online, as well as updates on its latest news.

http://www.nbpts.org/

 

Assessment and Rubrics

 

Kathy Schrock: Assessment and Rubric Information

http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

 

Multi-media Project Scoring Rubric – Scoring Guidelines

http://pblmm.k12.ca.us/PBLGuide/MMrubric.htm

 

Involving Students in Checklist Creation

http://www.4teachers.org/projectbased/students.shtml

 

Classroom Tools

 

www.atomiclearning.com

A web site that provides tutorials in Inspiration, Kidspiration, HyperStudio and PowerPoint among many others. Short Quick Time movies cover topics quickly and clearly.

 

Certificate Creator

It’s the end of the school year and time to pass out some class wards.  See which original ones your students can come up with.  You can also access premade certificates at this site and simply print them out; click on “category” and then “awards.”

http://www.certificatecreator.com/main.asp

 

EdHelper

http://www.edhelper.com/

 

Armadillo’s K-12 WWW

http://chico.rice.edu/armadillo/Rice/Resources/reshome.html

 

AskEric – Educator’s Reference Desk

http://www.eduref.org

 

Cyberbee

http://www.cyberbee.com/

 

Education Index

A guide to education related web sites.

http://www.educationindex.com

 

Education World – Where Educators Go to Learn

http://www.education-world.com/

 

INFOMINE:  Scholarly Internet Resource Collections

http://infomine.ucr.edu/Main.html

 

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators

http://www.discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/

 

Best Practices in Technology Integration

http://www.remcll.k12.mi.us/bstpract/

 

Building Integrated Technology Projects

From designing a framework to outcomes and evaluation tolls, use this technology – specific guide and template to help you design your own integrated projects.

http://essdack.org/building/

 

A to Z Calendar Printouts

No matter what unit you are currently studying, chances are this Enchanted Learning site has a printable calendar for it.  Choose the butterfly and moth calendar, endangered animals, solar system, mammals, transportation – even create your own.

http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/calendar/

 

Early Learning

 

Early Literacy – A Resource for Teachers

http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/ela/e_literacy/index.html

 

Lesson Plans

 

Online Writing Workshop

This workshop is for teachers and addresses storytelling and teaching writing in the classroom.  Several online articles pursue background reading, while teaching materials are organized around all aspects of the writing process.  Student handouts include worksheets on editing and revision, character response, and the writing process.

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/irish/share/storytelling/workshop/artsedge.html

 

 

Electronic Portfolios

 

Using Technology to Support Alternative Assessment and Electronic Portfolios

http://electronicportfolios.org/portfolios.html

 

Creating Online Portfolios

From preliminary articles to process, scanning, examples, and adding graphics. This site will take you through the steps of getting student work portfolios up and online.

http://www.electricteacher.com/onlineportfolio/index.htm

 

Creating Online Portfolios Can Help Students See “Big Picture”

http://chronicle.com/free/2002/02/2002022101.htm

 

Creating and Using Electronic Portfolios

If you are considering using portfolios in your classroom as a method of student work assembly and teacher assessment, this page will introduce you to the process.

http://www.ash.udel.edu/ash/teacher/protfolio.html

 

Copyright Resources

 

Copyright Issues

http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/online/copy.htm

 

 

REFERENCE

Ø      Calculators/Converters

Ø      Dictionaries

Ø      Directories

Ø      Libraries

Ø      Museums

Ø      Quotations

Ø      Thesaurus

Ø      News

Ø      Ask the Experts

Ø      Encyclopedias

Ø      Online Educational Magazines

 

 

 

The Reference Desk

http://www.refdesk.com/instant.html

 

The Virtual Reference Desk

http://www.vrd.org/

 

Real Time Data site

http://k12science.stevens-tech.edu/askanexpert.html

 

History Channel

www.historychannel.com/

 

Calculators/Converters

 

Dave’s Math Tables

http://www.sisweb.com/math/tables.htm

Algebraic functions, geometry, calculus, and general math equations and formulas and conversion tables

 

Dictionaries

 

Dictionary.com

http://www.dictionary.com/

 

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

http://www.m-w.com/netdict.htm

 

Rhyming Dictionary

http://www.WriteExpress.com/online.html

 

Directories

 

USPS Zip Code Lookup and Address Information

http://www.usps.gov/ncsc/

 

Internet Address Finder

http://www.iaf.net/

 

Libraries

 

Library and Information Science

Citation Guides for Electronic Documents

http://www.ifla.org/II/index.htm

http://www.ifla.org/I/training/citation/citing/htm

 

Library Spot (all reference)

http://www.libraryspot.com

 

Library List

http://www.freeality.com/libraries.htm

 

LibDex

Search for worldwide libraries by keyword

www.libdex.com

 

Libweb

Academic, public, state, and more

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/

 

lib-web-cats

Points to more than 5,000 libraries

http://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breeding/libwebcats.html

 

Publiclibraries.com

Nice directory of public libraries

http://www.publiclibraries.com

 

School libraries

Find K-12 libraries around the world

http://www.sldirectory.com

 

State Libraries

Connect with the 50 state libraries

http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlcl/pld/statelib.html

 

Museums

 

MuseumSpot.com

A free online cultural information center, combines engaging editorial with a high utility collection of the best museum related resources on the Web in one user-friendly spot.

http://www.museumspot.com

 

Structures around the World

The Exploratorium collaborated with museums in France and Italy to build this project.  Students explore structures through a series of hands-on activities, involving straws and pins, bamboo poles, clay beams, and newspaper bridges, etc.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/structures/index.html

 

Smithsonian Institution

http://www.si.edu/

 

Yale Peabody Museum

http://www.peabody.yale.edu

 

Mystic Aquarium/Institute for Exploration

http://www.mysticaquarium.org

 

Museum of Science, Boston

http://www.mos.org

 

Holocaust Museum

www.ushmm.org/education/index.htm

 

MoMA Art Safari

www.artsafari.moma.org/

 

Yellowstone National Park for Kids

www.nps.gov/yell/kidstuff/index.htm

 

The Louvre: Paris

http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm

 

The National Museum of Women in the Arts

Take the online tour with the museum’s founder and visit exhibits from the Renaissance to the late 20th century.  View works from women silversmiths, Native Americans, Mary Cassatt, Camile Claudel, and Frida Kahlo.

http://www.nmwa.org/

The Art Institute of Chicago

View the new, continuing, or even future art exhibits at this online version of the Art Institute of Chicago.  Teacher resources are also available.

http://www.artic.edu/aic/index.html

 

Guggenheim Museum Home Page

Photos of art exhibitions from museums in New York, Germany, Spain, and Italy are available on this site, along with the history of the artists.

http://www.guggenheim.org/

 

 

 

Quotations

 

Quotation Central

http://www.quotations.com

 

Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations

http://www.columbia.edu/acis/bartleby/bartlett//

 

The Quotations Page

Search multiple archives in one spot.

http://www.quotationspage.com/