REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Teaching and Learning Report

To: Michael Green

From: Asha Riley

Date: February 16, 2022

Re: Teaching and Learning

K-4 English Language Arts Curriculum Review

In Woodland, we have established a 7-year review cycle where each core subject curriculum is reviewed to ensure resources continue to provide students with high-quality content. 

This marks the 7th year we have used our K-4 ELA curriculum and time for review. 

The review process begins with two important sources of data - a survey of all K-4 teachers and student achievement data from the time we’ve used the curriculum. 

I have included the results of their reflections on our materials below.

If you recommended a change, what is important we consider in the adoption process? 16 responses

• I am always impressed with what people in our building create to supplement or even replace the curriculum we have purchased. I would like to see more of that and less money spent on a curriculum and training for a curriculum. I also think that we have a lot of good things happening, and while we need more intervention now than ever, it is because of Covid’s learning loss not because we need to drastically improve or continually change/replace what we have as a building.

• I would like to see a program that has the science of reading in mind and has everything we need in one set of teacher guides. It is difficult to plan and create slides during contract hours because we are having to take pieces from four different programs/sources. I have spent months working on slides- including the weekends. It would be nice if everything I needed for the slides was just in one book. I think the decodables are good and help students learn how to and practice reading. I think the progression of skills/content is okay as long as we take the time to add slides that cover the sound wall and other skills they need in order to be successful. I would also love to be on the committee! I have already expressed interest in this to Asha.

• Teacher usability and alignment with our current pedagogy in teaching reading. A curriculum that either has engaging texts or the ability to utilize different texts throughout the years to adapt to new students and their interests year to year. A curriculum that helps reduce the time needed to focus on reading and developing foundational skills in order to make more time for other subjects like math, science, and social studies. One that doesn't cycle through reading standards but allows students to delve deeper into essential/foundational ones.

• It must include novels by 4th grade.

• For the younger grades, I'd like it to align better as in introducing the skill or letter. It is difficult to combine the Readygen and enhance core currently.

• I would love a themed ELA curriculum that has a better combination of short chapter books and articles. I think the most important thing though is making sure that the assessments match the instruction because frequently there is a disconnect.

• condensing the amount of curriculum/supplements to incorporate

• easily accessible training

• easy to implement

• someone to help with creating materials

• Focus on one curriculum. Think about ELL students.

• A resource that is engaging for students, reaches the areas of study that we need them to for each grade level and includes most of what you need with one curriculum resource.

• I can only fill in what I use in my Spanish DL classroom.

• I would prefer something that is already put together for us, that we don't have to piece together using multiple resources, make slides, etc. that matches the passages we are reading. I would like to see something that is teacher/student/sub friendly and still helps us meet standards,and I would still like to have access to Storyworks magazines.

• The curriculum-based assessments that I do not find the most value or alignment with are the Ready Gen Tests. The lessons often do not align with the standard that is written in the teacher's guide and need to be redone in order to be a beneficial lesson.

• I feel comfortable continuing to teach the FS instruction that we have because I am used to it and I have invested A LOT of extra time into creating the materials. If you find another FS program that does not require an extensive amount of work to prepare a lesson then I would feel comfortable adopting it.

• Teacher prep time.

• ReadyGen is outdated and meets standards but has many holes. The material we got dealing with foundational skills assessment had spelling errors.

• The time it would take to implement,

• Exposure to standards or learning targets for more than one day at a time.
• materials teachers are expected to create vs what is provided.

National Boards Update: 

We are very excited to announce that Janelle DeGroot and Kyla Keefer just earned their National Board Certification! Their hard work and dedication to their profession have earned them this prestigious certification and we are very proud of their accomplishments. 

One very intentional strategy we’ve used to advance quality teaching in Woodland is to promote and support National Board Certification. 

Recognized as the gold standard in teacher certification, the National Board believes higher standards for teachers produce better learning for students. The founding mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.

In Woodland, we provide a course to support a cohort of teachers working toward achieving National Board Certification. To date, the success rate of participants is extremely high. 

Course Description:  This course is based on the portfolio of teaching practice that is assembled by candidates for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and the research of best practices to prepare for the Assessment Center.  Candidates will examine the National Board standards and criteria for accomplished teaching in their certificate area.  Candidates will work in bi-weekly meetings during the academic year.  The NBPTS cohort will facilitate teachers in the development of their components that will include DVDs, student work samples, and written commentaries that describe, analyze, and reflect on their teaching practice and impact on student learning, and preparation for the assessment center.  In addition, candidates will engage in peer review of written entries.  The National Board process requires approximately 300+ hours of outside reading, writing, and evaluation.

Course Objectives:  

1. Candidates develop a conceptual understanding of NBPTS, including its history, theoretical basis, role within the larger teaching profession, and documented impacts.
2. Candidates become familiar with the National Board Standards for accomplished teaching in their certificate area.
3. Candidates develop a timeline to complete the requirements for certification.
4. Candidates produce and analyze recordings of their teaching practice.
5. Candidates describe, analyze and reflect upon their teaching practice and examine the impact on student learning in written narratives 
6. Candidates complete and submit all of the portfolio entries and assessment center exercises for National Board Certification.
7. Candidates become more intentional in their teaching and learn how to articulate the reasons behind their teaching practice.
8. Candidates increase their skills as reflective teaching practitioners.
9. Candidates analyze colleagues’ practices; which will include giving/receiving critical feedback and suggestions to/from their peers and facilitators.
10. Candidates relate their own teaching practices to the high and rigorous standards established by the NBPTS through written commentaries and group discussions