Chps. 2, 3, & 8 - mjc - Part III

Chapter 8 – Strengthening the Home-School Bond

“In spite of the difficulties that family-school partnerships may entail, working together is critically important for students.” –

·         Good teachers and administrators must assume a greater professional responsibility by actively enlisting parental involvement at every grade level by….

·         Maintaining a positive attitude

·         Making the first contact positive

·         Be consistently positive

·         Advocate for more parent education classes in your school or district

·         Plan a family fun night at your school

·         Involving the community, role models, and mentors

Chps. 2, 3, & 8 - mjc - Part II

Chapter 3 – Institutional Barriers to Student Achievement

“Unfortunately, many…teachers…share the general belief of educators and the public that racial differences in intelligence were innate, real, and fixed.” – Diane Ravitch

·          Examples of Institutional Barriers – institutional racism, socially unacceptable norms, and reflect on Table 3.1 – page 55

From Rage to Hope

Strategies for Reclaiming Black & Hispanic Students

Author – Crystal Kuykendall

Chapter 1: Dealing with Differences

·         An historical overview of many of the polarization and racial animus that existed in America targeting Blacks, Hispanics, Mexican, and Japanese people. The atrocities continue to plague this country because of ineffective practices that lead to injustice, inequality, and sometime death.

·         Despite the rapid increase of cultural diversity, many Americans still refuse to accept and embrace people that are different from themselves. The author suggests that people have been conditioned which often causes them to draw conclusions about others based on limited cultural perspective.

·         Dealing with differences in a school or classroom can be dangerous, especially when educators may not have a cultural awareness of their students. Therefore, the author challenges all

“Merchants of Hope- anyone who enriches the life of another” to step outside of their own cultural orientation and develop an appreciation for people of diverse cultures.

·         Teachers must embrace and use a variety of strategies that celebrate and show appreciation for cultural diversity and learning style differences.

·         Inequality in the classroom is a result of ineffective instructional practices and teacher behavior, especially for Black and Hispanic students. They receive the message that they must adopt the mainstream cultural standards and behaviors to succeed in school.

·         Many educators negatively respond to students that are different by:

o   Isolating them

o   Expelling them

o   Ignoring them

o   Failing to love them

Unfortunately, this type of relationship negatively impacts student attitudes about their teachers and students’ classroom performance in school.

Teacher attitudes are affected by the following student differences:

o   Prior achievement

o   Prior behavior

o   Prior placement

o   Socioeconomic status

o   Language ability

o   Physical attributes

o   Gender

o   Race/ethnicity

o  

Dealing With Differences- Provide supportive feedback to ALL students

·         Make direct, sincere, loving and encouraging eye contact

·         Provide adjusting feedback on a specific behavior in private

·         Provide descriptive rather than evaluative feedback

·         Provide feedback that reflect care and concern for a student’s needs

·         Provide feedback in a timely manner

·         Develop relational capacity with ALL students (check in with students to better understand their comments and feelings

Promote Lifelong Success in Students:

·         Self-assess how you’re dealing with student differences (answer 8 questions on page 28-29)

·         If you answer “yes” to these questions, you have the capacity to augment, strengthen, motivate

and enhance the self-image of all students.

Chapter 4: School-Related Obstacles to Student Achievement

Black & Hispanic Students

·         Lack of pluralistic curricula – deficiencies exist in knowledge of their history and literature, curriculum must be inclusive and emphasize positive aspects of their life experiences, lifestyles and social and behavioral norms ,students’ cognitive development. shapes a

o   What is taught?

o   Why is it being taught?

o   Who is educating our Black and Hispanic children:

o   How is instruction being provided?

·         Incongruent teaching and learning styles

o   Black and Hispanic students become less motivated and begin to question their self-worth. Culture plays a crucial role in shaping student learning styles, cognitive development and approach to academic achievement. Therefore, teachers must become eclectic; expand their repertoire of instructional strategies that include a variety of approaches that children use to learn.

o   Research indicates many of our Black and Hispanic children ad field-dependent learners (f-d learners attend to the social and personal relevance of learning experiences). They prefer more personal environments which are student-centered, and they prefer small-group activities, think-pair-share, where they can have opportunities to exchange information with peers. (accountable talk)

·         Academic tracking and ability grouping

·         Test bias

·         Negative labeling

Chapter 7: Creating a Positive School and Classroom Climate

·         Generates enthusiasm, clarifies values, builds self-confidence and strengthens relationships

·         Students who are pleased with the physical structure of a school are more comfortable about being in school.

·         Students should feel pride in the physical condition of the school

·         Use student artwork to enhance the school’s appearance, and give students ownership of the beautification of the school

Internal Climate of the School

·         Safe and orderly

·         Appropriate standards of behavior

·         Recognition of diverse gifts & talents in students

·         Positive commitment of all staff to student achievement (food service staff, custodians, engineers, secretaries, bus drivers, nurses, crossing guards and other support staff)

·         Display of student work on bulletin boards, murals, walls of fame, school slogan, school song and other school-spirit activities

Recognition of Diverse Gifts and Talents in Students

·         Create clubs and programs that reflect appreciation of diverse gifts and talents in all students

o   Rappers Forum

o   Artists’ Alley

o   Music Makers

o   Leaders Forum

o   Current –Issues Debate Team

o   Comedy Club

Classroom Climate- To enhance the academic self-image of all students.

·         Physical Setting

·         Teacher Behavior

Foster a Climate of Acceptance and Understanding

Chps. 2, 3, & 8 - mjc

From Rage to Hope: Strategies for Reclaiming Black and Hispanic Students

By Dr. Crystal Kuykendall

Chapter 2 – The Impact of Self-Image on Achievement and Motivation

“We cannot possibly bring out the best in our children unless we’re willing to give the best of ourselves.” – C. Kuykendall

·         Some believe self-image is enhanced by increasing student achievement.

·         Evidence to show that there is a correlation between student performance and how the student sees him/herself in comparison to others.

·         For many minority students, self-image not only affects academic performance, but also affects how they respond in social settings.

·         Social self-image is developed through home/family connection, peer groups, and other social systems.

·         Low Academic Self-Image and High Social Self-Image comparison table (page 41)

Motivating the Unmotivated

I begin this chapter overview with a question and three choices.  Why do you feel many students lack motivation when it comes to formal learning?

a. They do not see their strength as valid strengths.
b. At times they fear failing.
c. They do not benefit from strong home school relationships.

In chapter 5 of "From Rage to Hope", the author Crystal Kuykendall offers 10 explicit strategies we as educators can use to rekindle student motivation and achievement.

Lets talk about the imperative:  Why is it important to motivate and inspire learners?  What can and often happens when we fail to do so?

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/video_derrion_albert

Jim Collins the author of Good to Great and Built to Last expressed a thought that we in education have come to accept as an operational truth.  He said "When you start with an honest and diligent effort to determine the truth of the situation, the right decisions often become self-evident . . .  you absolutely cannot make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts.

Kuykendall opens the chapter by laying out the "cold hard facts".  She shares:

"Since 1999, one out of every four U.S. High School students dropped out of school before graduation.
-this data however does not include the huge number of students who are "pushed out of school when they turn 16.

According to the Schott Foundation for Public education the states of Georgia and New York represent 2 of the 10 lowest graduation rates for Black males in the country.  With Georgia Black males at 43% (White Males 62%) and New York State Males at 25% (White Males 68%).

Kuykendall asserts that students have become alienaited from the learning process.
Actionable Suggestion:  As educators we shou target strengthening our student's desire to be in school and to work to "turn them on to learning".
Actionable Suggestion: We must do more to teach children how to "learn" and "research".  We must successfully prepare them for the "real world".

Evertthing begins for us (relative to meeting our goals) with the setting of Expectations
Kuykendall shares: "Some teachers may be unable to give hope to children of color because they do not really believe these children can succeed academically".

What do you believe and does your rhetoric match/align with the reality of your practices? Let's see!

Task: Below are for ideological descriptions shared by Eaker and DuFour in their publication of "Whatever It Takes".  Your task is to review the four, reflect on your practice and select the one that closest aligns with your actions (not what you say you believe).

1.  The Charles Darwin School: "I believe all kkids can learn based on their ability".
2.  The Pontius Pilate School:  "I believe all kids can learn if they take advantage of the opportunity we give them to learn".
3.  The Chicago Cub Fan School: " We believe all kids can learn something, and we will help all students experience academic growth in a warm and nurturing environment".
4.  The Henry Higgins School" "We believe all kids can learn and we will work to help all students achieve high standards of learning.

Kuykendall then goes on to share her 10 strategies for rekindling and or establishing higher levels of student motivation/achievement.

1. Develop strong bonds with diverse students
2. Identify and build on the strengths of all students.
3. Help students overcome their fear of failure
4. Help students overcome their rejection of success
5. Set short and long-term goals with and for your students
6. Develop appropriate teaching styles that are more congruent with the learning style preferences of Black and Hispanic students.
7. Use homework and television to your advantage
8. Communicate to ensure your real intentions are understood.
9. Establish a good school and classroom climate where children receive the ongoing support and encouragement they need to succeed.
10. Strengthen relations between the home and school.

mjc's takeaways of B.H.T.M.

Good afternoon Gittens' Group members...

I just wanted to provide a few takeaways from my experience with the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother...

*  After reading the book, I have found it interesting to read the various reviews of reporters and parents across the globe. I have found that while western mothers seem to praise their children for every little thing or accomplishment (however small it may be), Chua learned from her parents to accept nothing less than the best. "Chinese parents demand perfect grades because they believe that their child can get them. If their child does not get them, the Chinese parent assumes it's because the child didn't work hard enough."

What are your thoughts about this? Do you think there is any merit to these beliefs? Do you share them? Why or why not?

*  I wonder is it cruel to be kind. Being cruel is not fun, but many view it as hard work. Should parents view their child has tearing them down to build them up? Does this demonstrate a parent's respect for their child's toughness and potential? Do you think if you are tougher on your child or student, they will come out ahead of the class? Why or why not?

*  We all love our children...our students. Yet, do we over-schedule our children so that every waking moment is devoted to "perfecting them" or deciphering their talents? Or is this just another example of parents competing with one another through their children?

Just a few takeways from Atlanta...

Thanks for allowing the feedback,
Melissa :-)

Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mom (High Expectations + . . . ???)

Chinese parenting is one of the most difficult things I can think of.  You have to be hated sometimes by someone you love and who hopefully loves you, and there's just no letting up, no point at which it suddenly becomes easy.  Just the opposite, Chinese parenting-at least if you're trying to do it in America, where all odds are against you-is a never-ending uphill battle, requiring a 24-7 time commitment, resilience, and guile."

                                                                                                                         -Amy Chua


This month we are reading Amy Chua's account of how she elected to educate and raise her children in a manner that she felt would empower her daughters with the appropriate skills and tools to excel as adults. The clip below provides you with a little more insight (in addition to the Time magazine article on the home page) into her thinking.  While at times contravercial and the topic of great debate, the overarching question I pose to you as we discuss the content of this book is:

Question: How can we as stakeholders (administrators, teachers and of course parents) steadily raise expectations, increase levels of rigor and build relational capacity to equip our scholars with the ability to engage in higher order, confident, self-directed learning? Our hope is that reading and discussing this book will enable us to wrestle with some of our thoughts and ideas.

Rigor is Not a Four Letter Word: Assessment and Grading (Ch.8)

The Power of Formative Assessment

How do Formative and Summative Assessments differ?

Formative assessment can also be defined as "Assessment for learning".  This practice is to serve the purpose of promoting our scholar's learning. It differs from Summative assessment which is primarily designed to serve for .accountability, ranking and the certification of competency purposes.   According to the Black report of 2004, formative assessment is most desired as it provides information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and their scholars in assessing themselves and each other in  order to plan, modify teaching and learning.

Blackburn differentiates between the two as such:

Formative Assessment

1. Students are aware of the questions throughout the assessment process
2. Timing is flexible
3. Teacher's feedback is commentary and/or letter or number grade
4. Evaluation is used to guide future learning
5. Considers the students zone of proximal development http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm
6. Test or task may be flexible
7. Student is involved in self-assessment
8. Sets reachable targets for future learning
9. Results are not used as a report card grade

Summative Assessment

1. Questions on a test are surprises to the student
2. Student must perform within time limits
3. Teacher's feedback is a letter or number grade
4. Evaluation is used to rand and sort students
5. Does not consider the student as an individual learner
6. Test or task is not flexible
7. Assessment by teacher or outside agency only
8. No direct follow-up; when it's over, it's over
9. Results figure in to the report card grade

When invoking the "formative assessment process" the facilitator must consider at the very least three significant steps to ensure student development.

• Look at your students (to learn about them)              
• Watch your student's progress
• Help them G-R-O-W

L:  Observe- One manner of observing students is to take an assessment of what they already know
W: Track- devise a system/structure that will enable you to record, code and measure the degree of mastery
H:  Apply-  use your accrued data to help your students become better readers, writers, thinkers, etc.

What specifically can I do to help my students to G-R-O-W?

G uage where your student are
R ecognize their strengths and weaknesses
O ne step at a time, provide instruction to help them grow
W atch them rise to higher levels.

* * *

Grading Practices
Mindset connection: http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/ 
"one teacher recently said to me, the only thing my students and their parents care about is an A".

In chapter 2:  "Inside The Mindsets" of the book Mindset Dweck reminds us that learning is about stretching onself rembemering formative assessment has to do with us (facilitators) identifing and appropriately working with students in their personal zone of proximal development.

Why do we grade students and what are the frequently expressed perceptions about "grading"?

When we grade we (Guskey and Bailey):

• communicate the achievement status of our scholars
• provide information they can use for self-evaluation;
• select, identify, and group students;
• provide incentives for students to learn
• evaluate effectiveness of instructional programs/practices
• provide evidence of students' lack of effort, responsibility

Blackburn shares her early challenges with assessment and cites her shift of "grading to justify grades" to evaluating student performance and communicating with students and parents to better impress upon them the need to intensify learning.

In order to decrease the phobias and hesitation that exists around grading and assessing student performance we can:

• recognize the value of grading to students, parents and others (value chart p. 136)

understand why a student or parent is concerned about grading. This will enable teachers and administrators to more effectively communicate the impetus behind your criteria.

• shift the emphasis to learning

de-emphasize the degree of weight placed on letters and numbers: seek to establish an understanding/culture "growth mindsets as opposed to that of the fixed"

• provide clear guidelines

provide scholars with rubrics that will enable them to have a clear understanding as to what you want them to know and or be able to do.  Offer examples of what success looks like (use student samples or even your own. Rigor is not simply making the work harder but in raising the bar it is our responsibility to set clear and concise scaffold assessments that would make achievement more plausible and probable. Revisit: Chapter 5 pgs. 84-89.

• require quality work

EXPECT THEM TO DO AND THEY WILL DO! INCREASED EXPECTATION LEADS TO INCREASED RIGOR! Set the standard and put the supports, systems, structures in place that will empower students to meet or exceed the height of the preset bar.
On page 139 a sample rubric provides the scholar with a clear overview of what he/she is expected to do.  The areas are defined as performance elements and each are weighted and defined by 3 modifiers (Outstanding, Great and Not Yet).  With such a tool, learners can regularly monitor their progress and ensure that they are filfilling all of the requirements as stated by the facilitator.

• communicate clearly

be clear and clearly articulate your policy about grades (classwork, homework, missing assignments, participation, etc.)

Considerations of a grading policy should include:

1. description of types of assessments (tests, projects, homework)
2. description of weight of assessments (percentage of grade)
3. overall expectations for completion (completion/not yet project policy)
4. procedures for making up work (student absenteeism)
5. opportunities for extra help (regularly scheduled days, times, periods)

• be patient

challenges with grading/assessing students are ongoing and we must therefore consistently monitor our practice and work under 5 Principles for Evaluation and Grading as posted below.

1. use a variety of assessments
2. make sure the type of assessment matches your purpose
3. clearly explain what you are evaluating and the purpose of the evaluation
4. create and provide explicit guidelines for grading
5. build in opportunities for students to succeed

Rigor is Not a Four Letter Word: Chapter 6: Open Your Focus

This chapter stresses the importance of opening our focus by creating a variety of learning experiences to enhance rigor in the classroom.

5 INSTRUCTIONAL WAYS TO OPEN FOCUS

1. Open-Ended Questioning
2. Open-Ended Vocabulary Instruction
3. Open Ended Projects
4. Open-Ended Choices for Students
5. Open-Ended from the Beginning

• Open-Ended Questioning: Promotes analytical thinking and teaches students to reflect on their own thinking.  Barbara R. Blackburn, author, provides a Questions Matrix which addresses all levels of questioning (see page 96).  This tool can help students learn content information; learn about their own learning abilities; and create their own questions.  Using this instructional tool can provide an opportunity to shift ownership of learning to the student, and students will learn how to craft their own high-level questions.
• Open-Ended Vocabulary Instruction:  Using poetry to challenge students to condense information and then use their own creativity to present it in a diferent format.  For example, Haikus, Fibonacci Sequence
• Open-Ended Projects:  The author discussed an activity that required students to take different perspectives and/or sides of an issue or situation.  Students can then discuss the different points of view and/or create sample comments from different perspectives. B.R. Blackburn provides a Sample Points of View grid for 6 topics (see pages 103, 104)
• Open-Ended Choices:

            -Let students choose how they demonstrate understanding of content

           - Provide a list of activities and encourage students to make a choice based on their preference

            -Design activities using a contract or Tic-Tac-Toe grid offering learning experiences targeting
              the multiple intelligences. (see page 108).

Open-Ended from the Beginning:  Start instruction by engaging students in problem solving principles, instead of presenting information followed by application.  Students will be more engaged and will experience a greater depth of understanding.

Rigor is not a four-letter word

by Barbara r. Blackburn

chp. 9 --- opportunities and challenges

“You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind.” 

-- Darwin P. Kingsley

The five questions ---

1.     Where should I begin?

2.   How do I handle resistance from students?

3.   What do I say to parents?

4.   How should I respond when other teachers aren’t supportive?

5.   How can I gauge progress?

Where should I begin?

·         Must have a vision for your classroom (i.e. – write a vision letter – chp. 1)

·        Decide on three specific steps you will take to increase rigor in your classroom.

·        Take time to reflect and make any adaptations.

How do I handle resistance from students?

·        Recognize the source of the resistance. The value and success aspects of motivation impact students in more ways than you may realize.

·        Ask yourself “What will I say to a student who says “What’s in it for me?”

·        Give your students time. Real change does not happen overnight.

·        Finally, although you need to be clear about what you are doing, do not give rigor too much of the spotlight.

·        *** Expect the best from your students, create the best lessons to ensure learning, provide appropriate support for every student, and do not apologize for your high standards. ***

What do I say to parents?

·        Provide a clear description of what you expect from their children.

·        Focus on the rationale and benefits of rigor.

·        Formula for communication -> Value + Success = Understanding

·        KEY POINTS – Parents need to see value in what you are doing, and they need to feel they and their sons or daughters will be successful.

How should I respond when other teachers aren’t supportive?

·        Try to keep a lower profile. (?) --- Interested in hearing your perspective about this Gittens’ Group.

·        Seek out other teachers with similar beliefs.

·        Remember your focus… ”High performance often leads to jealousy in the workplace…In teaching, it should be about the students.”

·        When you center your effort and attention on what is best for your students, it helps you balance the criticism from others. (profound and true)

How can I gauge progress?

·        It’s important to remember that creating a classroom culture that is rigorous will take time, and you may experience plateaus.

·        Rubrics can assist us assess our progress (see pp. 154-159)

·        Remember the African proverb -> “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.”

How Do We Improve Teaching and Learning in Our Schools? Have We Considered . . . Rigor, Relevance and Relationships?

Willard Daggett makes the point that if we are to prepare our learners to successfully perform in an uncertain world of the future, we must consider our practice as educational practitioners. He encourages us to be innovative and to rethink our current practices which all to often effectively prepares our students to live and work  in a world that no longer exists. In Barbara Blackburn's book "Rigor is Not a Four Letter Word" she explicitly describes strategies, techniques and policies we as school leaders can implement to improve the level of instruction and prepare our students to become the critical, reflective thinkers they will need to become as contributing citizens of this or any society.

How do we equip students with "Habit of Mind" to equate Effort with Ability? The Growth Mindset Offers An Empowering Strategy.

Throughout our NYC schools, a major goal is to assist our students with adopting the mindset that their success, intellectual growth and social development are predicated upon their degree of effort applied towards learning, practicing and taking calculated risks. Carol Dweck shares her thinking and ideology concerning the considerations educational leaders must make in establishing and maintaining school cultures where an emphasis is placed on the dynamic improvement of student practice and not on empty compliments that all too often prove static and unfruitful.