2018-2019 Goals

Rubric

Goal Setting

In 2017-2018 school year we were asked to add Massachusetts' standards, elements, and indicators to our evidence list. This was a new requirement and one that prompted me to look again at the MA Evaluation Rubric. To prep for this next year, I added those standards, elements, and indicators under my proposed goals as I think about next year's efforts. This will make it easier to make sure I include all the indicators in my practice in explicit ways.

Overarching Goals

• collaborating with colleagues, families, and students to develop a dynamic classroom/grade-level community with a focus on developing students' social-emotional learning, emotional intelligence, and learning-to-learn behaviors and attitudes. (Specific Action: Better scheduling, review of students' reports, data, informal assessments, attn to time/focus at early year meetings to target, focus, map services for students)
• effectively teaching physical science standards and STEAM with meaningful, engaging, empowering, hands-on, standards-based learning experiences. (Specific Action: Review science curriculum, standards, website, and teaching/learning plans during summer)
• effectively teaching mathematics with a focus on the standards, assessment and analysis, hands-on learning experiences, project/problem based learning, the math writing process, worthy tech-integration, and continued professional learning so that the teaching and learning relates to both tried-and-true techniques as well as new research and understanding of how students learn and apply mathematics. (Specific Actions: Read Boalers Grade Five book, analyze students' assessment data, review and revise curriculum map, embed more project/problem based learning, math writing process, and math reflection journals.)
• Supporting reading/writing instruction as led by my colleagues and with efforts related to RTI and signature projects such as the Global Changemakers project. (Good attention to assessment and other student information and apt scheduling for this effort.)

Student Learning Goal

Post that begins to lead this work and more details and even more details

From Fall of 2017 to Spring of 2018: Increase regularity, specificity/personalization, feedback, and analysis related to students' at-home/in-school practice in an effort to help all students reach mastery with the math standards.

Rationale: My assessment of my past performance, student learning, and student scores demonstrate to me that greater attention to student practice efforts will result in better teaching and learning.

Action Plan/Resulting Actions

1. We started with a journal, but there were simply too many papers. A folder/draw works better.
2. I had hoped to respond to all homework, but there simply isn't the time to do this so I check in when I can including lots of personal check-ins during class time and periodic check-ins related to homework. Here is my reflection related to that.
3. Assessing students' knowledge regularly in multiple ways including system-wide/state tests, performance assessments, project work, and class/unit assessments and using those assessments to inform the reflection journal and other program efforts. Tracking student performance on a class data sheet. Using the data sheet to analyze and improve efforts. This works well and is effective as a way to encourage students and inform practice.
4. Working with families and students to help them improve their ability to successfully practice skills, concept, and knowledge as they work towards mastery. Frequent notes to families, personal emails and meetings have been helpful.

• IA3: Rigorous Standards-Based Unit Design: Rubric for Standards-Based Math Writing Process and Student Example of growth over time demonstrating higher order thinking skills. (IB1: Variety of Assessment Methods: rubric, self assessment)
  1. Fostering student skill via a summer study packet that's introduced during move-up day.Reading Boaler's book (see below) and matching her research to current curriculum efforts/design. Assess this effort--how many children completed it? What was their work like? Did it make a difference with early year efforts related to number sense.
  2. Reviewing scope-and-sequence timeline, lessons and making time for richer teaching/learning. Ongoing throughout the year.
  3. Integrating early-year community building efforts with first math unit of the year. Match learning key vocabulary with SEL-related math activities. Set the stage for apt math learning one, two, and three.
  4. Update online tests and practice tests with respect to systemwide changes. Split tests up w/multiple choice and open response questions--use writing process to coach open response to accurate, well-written, and presented answers using the math writing/presentation process.
  5. Create meaningful and helpful online learning menus that match students' expected learning goals, needs, and preferences.
  6. Continue to read and research about these efforts:
     1. Present at and attend 10/27/18 ATMIM Conference
• IA4: Well Structured Lessons: Project/Problem Based Learning that exemplifies well structured lesson, challenging measurable objectives, appropriate student engagement strategies, pacing, sequence, activities, materials, resources, technologies, and grouping.
  • Focus on a number of specific learning experiences (lessons) with regard to improved design and results with regard to engagement, empowerment, and learning - looking deeply at those lessons. Look for ways to assess and improve specific standards-based lessons. Use a "prove-it" structure that includes mini-projects/problems, inclusion of math vocabulary, models, numbers, and explanations. Demonstrate lesson, images of students exploring, solving, completion, edits, revision, and presentation videos. Continue to read Boaler's Mindset Mathematics for Grade Five and embed her project-based activities into related units throughout the year. Embed this unit by unit beginning with decimals and whole number computation units.
  • Use a predictable routine of response and assessment to continually assess the program efforts and result. Revise as needed in response to the assessments. Do this in conjunction with assessments and reflection/That Quiz homework routine.
  • Focus on active learning w/a maximum of about 10-15 minutes of teacher direction in the lesson, with most time in lessons devoted to students active learning: conversation, debate, presentation, project work, problem solving, creating. . . . .
• IC1-2: Analysis and Conclusions of 2018 MCAS and adjustments made related to this analysis. Sharing this information with colleagues.
  • Looking deeply at specific learning events and analysis from the improved learning experiences. Build in more short and targeted assessments to use as an important part of improving the teaching/learning.
    • Developed a new learning menu approach that includes introductory videos w/questions, related practice and projects, self-assessment, and enrichment options. This was designed to create more opportunities for active learning.
  • Assess teaching/learning efforts from last year via MCAS data, EWIS list, and other formal and informal metrics. When assessing, use the following questions:
    • Did students perform as expected given district and classroom observations, teaching, and regular assessments?
    • When students did not perform as expected, analyze what happened? Was the material taught well to that student? Was the student available for the learning in real time or with respect to his/her readiness to learn? Were there good supports to support the child's learning? What does the data tell about this digression from expected results?
    • Did I teach the expected curriculum with enough depth, repetition, and right focus? First by simply looking at the released questions, one can tell if he/she taught the material with good depth or focus. Then when looking at how students responded to the questions as a group, one can determine if the material was taught well.
    • How can I change this year's program to better teach areas where individual students or students in general were not able to accurately apply that knowledge?
• IB2: Adjustment to Practice: Utilizing student data as one resource for designing and/or identifying and implementing differentiated and responsive standards-based problem/project based learning experiences.
  • Analyzing 2017-2018 MCAS scores of incoming students and outgoing students - summer 2018
  • Analyzing specific learning experiences in a number of ways to assess and develop. Embed a number of efficient assessment strategies to note progress, effect of lesson.
  • Scaffold the curriculum to give every child a just right entry point to successful learning. At times last year, there were not apt entry points for learning for some activities and this made it difficult for support personnel to rightly support a child's learning in those endeavors. This year I want to more clearly denote levels of entry including review, grade-level, and enrichment. Then when educators coach students ahead, we can know which level to begin our deep coaching with. I will use Boaler's floor-to-ceiling approach in conjunction with this, and I will match these efforts with simple, easy-to-administer formal and informal assessments to assess a child's independent skill with specific skills, knowledge, and concepts embedded in the project/problem based explorations.
• IIA2: Student Engagement: Utilizing a hands-on teamwork approach to project/problem based learning that is highly engaging and motivating. Demonstrate evidence of collaborative efforts and engagement.
• IIA3: Meeting Diverse Needs: Scaffolds project/problem based learning to accommodate differences in learning styles, needs, interests, levels of readiness, languages. Utilization of choice, menus, student-led design/leadership. Demonstrate use of this and student reaction, result.
• IID2 - High Expectations -
  • Demonstrate what high expectations are with regard to problem/project based learning --discuss this with students, make explicit. Discuss this question with students prior to their work: What do you think good work/learning will look like?
• IIB2: Collaborative Learning Environment :
  • Create the co-lab, a learning environment that supports project/problem based learning.
  • Work to schedule therapists, special educators, and assistants to support both individual student and program goals with fidelity and depth. Scaffold lessons to provide every child with an opportunity for rich learning and standards-based success.
• IC3: Sharing Conclusions with Students: Use a weekly home-study reflection/journal assignment and That Quiz practice sets that is predictable and that I respond to on a regular basis. (Example)

Professional Learning Goal

To work with grade-level team to embed science and SEL standards into environmental education efforts as part of our local watershed/river studies with Drumlin Farm educators/naturalists.

Rationale:

• Research shows that when students learning is meaningful, relevant, and hands-on, the learning is better. By embedding science standards into hands-on, local, and relevant study will make the learning meaningful and positive.
• https://www.amazon.com/Integrating-SEL-into-Your-Curriculum/dp/1138632066
• https://sites.google.com/view/learningmindsetbehaviors/home
• https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html

Action Plan

1. Create a guiding website for environmental education.
2. Attend training with Drumlin Farm educators - 9/21/2018
3. Review and assess the effects of the effort in multiple ways including quizzes, tests, reflection, observation, and MCAS results.
4. Attend a mid-year review of project.
5. Learn from naturalist coach who will be teaching students six times throughout the year and assisting the team with classroom efforts.
6. Support students' service-learning (community action/advocacy projects).

• IA1: Subject Matter Knowledge: To create, enrich, and modify lab reports that review main vocabulary, project/experiment steps for science, knowledge/skills, and student explanations for science, STEAM, and environmental education learning experiences. Provide feedback via students' completed lab sheets regularly.
• IID3 - Access to knowledge - create a website to support students' standards-based environmental exploration and learning.
• IA3: Rigorous Standards-Based Unit Design: Develop efforts to produce a meaningful, engaging, rigorous science learning adventure in fifth grade. Work with colleagues, Drumlin Farm, and SUASCO in this effort.

To embed SEL activities into the academic program.

• IA1: Subject Matter Knowledge: Evidence of SEL Activities (preferably student examples)
  • Read the SEL book below and embed many lessons into the year's standards-based science, STEAM and environmental education teaching and learning.
  • Assess these efforts with student portfolio efforts. Pay more attention to portfolio creation at the start of the year.
  • Review all related standards, practices, and curriculum materials. Review related summer work to support prioritization.
  • Explicitly introduce science/STEAM practices, processes with specific activities and classroom signage.
  • Enrich the program with expert visitors, special events, and field studies
  • Review expected standards prior to MCAS tests via online Google Form assessments.
  • Continue to read and research about these efforts.

IC3: Sharing Conclusions with Students: Family-Student-Educator Conferences and Showcase Portfolio/Student Data/Reflections discussion and goal setting.

• Review and re-organize all student portolio efforts particularly related to SEL.
• Revise related lab sheets to guide independent exploration and investigation. Respond to lab sheets for each significant science/STEAM exploration. Chart science/STEAM performance via lab sheet rubric, students' reflections, and images of learning experiences.

IIB2: Collaborative Learning Environment

• Create the co-lab.
• Decide with colleagues how we will determine the science and STEAM teaching leadership and scheduling.
• Start year with team building STEAM and related SEL activities to build a strong mindset and abilities to do rigorous, rich science and STEAM work.

IID3 - Access to knowledge

• Encourage students at-home continued exploration and creativity related to the concepts, knowledge, and skill introduced.
• Work with Drumlin Farm in conjunction with a grant they received to develop greater environmental science education and stewardship with students.

Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment

To further develop student showcase portfolio efforts by incorporating more regular and meaningful student reflection, goal setting, and action plan (learning path) efforts. To restructure student-teacher-parent conferences so that students present their work and goals at both the fall and winter conference. Also to organize the physical science/STEAM rotations.

IA2: Child and Adolescent Development: Evidence of Differentiation and Accommodations for students with specific learning needs.

• Look at ways that we can better integrate accommodations for math teaching/learning w/students at risk. . .think about how this might happen. Listen for ideas from broader staff and specialists. Perhaps entertain RTI as number sense thread while core focuses more heavily on scaffolded standards-based activities/events (This idea was shared and forwarded during spring of 2018 with little positive response). Scaffold the learning experiences well to provide a just-right entry point for every child, be more strategic and targeted about prioritizing which goals are most important for each learning, and provide more regular feedback.
• IIB2: Collaborative Learning Environment (related to project/problem based learning) and explicit teaching about what it takes to work well as a team.
  • Integrate this effort with the physical science unit and the use of new furniture, lab report design, and project scaffolding.
  • Engage more effectively with the broader education team with specific strategies to teach all students well.
  • Begin with looking deeply at student IEPs and other data to determine what the priority teaching efforts should include. Chart and discuss those priorities with the broader teaching team.
  • Schedule services strategically with the learning priorities in mind beginning with the most complex and difficult to teach students--when their services are well organized, that leaves room to better teach all students.
  • Embed priorities into the curriculum maps, and continually focus on those priorities with regard to planning and implementation of all learning experiences.
  • Work with the team to better our collective processes and efforts to meet the priorities determined. Assess regularly and revise as needed.
  • Keep the conversations and efforts positively centered on what we can do to meet the identified goals for the students and their families.

Teaching All Students

IIA1: Continued portfolio effort to assess and define high expectations for the quality of student work, perseverance, and effort. Includes exemplars, rubrics, guided practice.

Efforts in this area relate specifically to the student learning goal evidence standards, elements, and indicators.

The Learning Environment

IIB1 - Safe Learning Environment: Review of handbook with student self-assessment of what they do well and what they can do better.

• establish this effort in a more formal way with a thoughtful focus on the student handbook (constitution) and classroom organization (government) at start of the year. Revisit throughout the year.
• focus on character attributes - one day focused on each attribute, work with colleagues on this.

IIB3: Student motivation: use of student-interest driven study by providing choice and enlisting student in learning design, reflection, and implementation.

• Global cardboard challenge

IIC1: Respects Differences: History of People Discussion, Selfie Project, Passion Pages

• focus on history of people discussion, anti-racism beginning of the year
• wonder how we might include a similar lesson to dispel prejudice/myths against people's choices about how they live, who they are. Utilizing the Ellen DeGeneres fictional interview written by a fifth grader as a point of discussion.

IIC2 - Maintains Respectful Environment - Create class climate protocols and policies discussion, creation and revisit often. Focus on Character.

• Early year efforts to teach character elements explicitly - match with literature. Using this page as a guide. Work with colleagues on this , result in clear expectations. Also introduce CASELs social emotional learning competencies in a meaningful way.

IIB1 - Safe Learning Environment: - Creation of protocols, policies list with students. as a class constitution.

IID3 - Access to knowledge - updated website that works as a current resource for students, families, and colleagues.

• Use this website as a vehicle to inform students about expectations, good character, SEL, emotional intelligence: https://sites.google.com/view/learningmindsetbehaviors/home

Family/Community Engagement

IIIA1: Family curriculum night, curriculum presentation, and website that invites regular family participation in the class/school community. Update and include on website.

IIIB1-2 - Learning Expectations and Curriculum Support - explicitly relayed via website including homework list, copies of homework assignments online.

IIIC1: Two-way Communication - invitation for regular family share of ideas, questions, and thoughts with ready educator response. Finding the best ways to communicate with every family such as using translators, finding comfortable places/times to meet/talk, and sensitivity to families' languages, culture, and values. Build our student-led student-educator-family member conference effort.

Professional Culture

IVA1 - Reflective Practice - continued reading, research, and blogging

IVA2 - Goal Setting - updating this list with specific actions, efforts.

IVB1 - Professional Learning and Growth - using 2018 reading list as a guide, reflecting on reading/research and embedding that learning into the teaching program.

IVC1 - Professional Collaboration - continued collaboration with grade-level colleagues and others to develop the program in ways that improve our collective efforts to teach well. Broadening our efforts to work with the entire team of educators and others who serve students in fifth grade.

IVD1 - Decision making - spending a full day in the summer to assess, revise, and enrich the curriculum map for the year ahead.

IVE1 - Shared Responsibility - look for ways to work with colleagues to support students with regard to school-wide behavior and learning expectations. (K-5 buddy program)

IVF1 - Judgement - respectful and thoughtful efforts during family-student-collegial work especially related to tough-to-teach students.

IVF2 - Reliability and Responsibility - Focusing on main priorities of being there, teaching well, and fulfilling the main responsiblities of the job.

Resources: These are resources and professional learning events I plan to use to meet my goals:

• Reading List 2018
• Growing the Program
• 2018-2019 School Year Planning and Prep