Notes from November 21, 2007

Notes from Principal Study Group Meeting on November 21, 2007

Reflections from the shared quote- “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”-Harold Zinn

Sending the letter to parents about the TC units of study and how they can help their children at home followed by workshops led by teachers has enabled parents to participate more fully in supporting their children.

Planning our school’s first annual Thanksgiving day feast has brought the community into the life of our school.

Conducting our first conversations with parents by inviting them into the school for coffee and talk with the principal.

Choosing to spend my time in classrooms talking with the students and getting to know them not as level 1,2,3or 4 but getting a “window into their souls”.

Implementing the translation plan for parents quickly and with a sense of urgency.

Identifying models of best practice and giving the teachers recognition and special thanks in the weekly notes.

Launching our school’s Thanksgiving dinner for parents and staff.

Sharing Our Strategies for Communicating With Parents

A personal letter from the principal outlining all the things that matter most in the school community and letting them know all the positives. Making sure the letter from the principal is on top of all the other communications coming from the Chancellor’s office.

Creating a prominent place during Open School Night where the principal engages in constant conversations with the parents explaining the progress report and letting them know what matters most. Ending each conversation by asking parents who attended to share the news with 5 other parents who were not there.

Providing parents with a video slideshow of all the wonderful things happening in the school. Creating a piechart which clearly shows in easily understood visuals(color coded) the data of improvements as interpreted by the principal.

Making available copies of newspaper articles and OP-ED comments for parents which reflect the story principals want to tell about the progress reports from their school. Sharing these artifacts during Open School Night and PTA meetings.

Communicating the positive feedback to larger venues such as community meetings and bring articulate parent representatives from the school so that they can share their perception of the school as satisfied consumers.

Using the feedback to push the accountability of parents and teachers and focus their energy on helping to improve the data.

The Story of PS 214- Wendy Goldberg-“We try to do our best every day.”

It takes a lot of hard work, patience, energy and commitment. We recognize that we still have much work to do and although we have many pieces in place, we still have a long journey ahead. Much of what we are doing, members of the study group are also doing.
We decided to enjoy our 15 minutes of fame while also recognizing that the circumstances which allowed us to get an A may not be in place next year-(different students, different targets).
*This is the 3rd year with TC and the 5th year of Wendy’s leadership.
*Decisions are made based on the needs of the students which requires courage.
*Longer chunks for instruction with a focus on small group instruction and differentiation of instruction.
*Since so many students are English Language Learners, ESL strategies are integrated into all areas of instruction and aligned with TC strategies so that all members of the community have a common language.
*The question around data is always now we have the data, so what is the implication for teaching and learning.
*Teachers are supported based on their needs and strengths and decisions are made concerning who will need more support and who will need to be encouraged to leave the profession. Documentation is time consuming but necessary.
*Teachers are encouraged to collaboratively plan units of study during the school day and through per session funding after school. June planning helps build consistency and coherence from grade to grade.
*Teachers are supported with time to experiment, encouragement to try new practices, and ongoing conversations about their craft.
*The principal, assistant principal, literacy coach form a strong supportive team to move the school to higher performance.

A Summary of the Lessons Observed in the Classroom Visits
(Thank you Mr. Lam and Ms. Bena for inspiring us with your exemplary teaching and wonderful students)
*Mr. Lam demonstrated how reading logs can be used to focus an inquiry about how many pages are read in 30 minutes keeping in mind the research which states that readers at their level can read approx. 150 words (l page) per minute or 30 pages in 30 minutes. The two students in the small group were then asked to self assess their logs to see how many pages they have been reading in 30 minutes. They both concluded that they had been reading less than the research said they could. Mr. Lam then demonstrated how he set goals for his own reading by using a post-it note as a mark for the goal and counted ahead 30 pages to show his expectation for himself each night. The students then set their own reading goals using his goal marking system. Mr. Lam concluded the small group lesson by saying, “Reading logs are like a mirror into our life as readers and we can use them to assess our progress and set new goals”.
*Ms. Bena demonstrated during a minilesson how she used her own reading log to notice her reading patterns and set higher expectations for herself to grow as a reader. Students then worked with their partners to examine their own reading logs, notice patterns and set new goals. A reading log self-assessment sheet was used to help students document their noticings and keep track of their progress in meeting the new goals. Partners were responsible for helping each other by providing feedback and adding to the assessment.

Rave Reviews

*Students were articulate about their process and able to use language like,”I am going to push myself as a reader by reading for longer periods of time each day.”
*There was evidence of student engagement(even with the distraction of so many visitors), independence and ownership.
*The teaching was well planned, explicit, and abundant in demonstration.
*Teachers showed a great respect for students, honored what they said, and showed high expectations for them.
*Teachers modeled their own reading life and used research to back their teaching points.
*Structures, systems, and routines were in place allowing smooth transitions and rigorous use of time.
*Mr. Lam and Ms. Bena demonstrated their collaboration in the creation of the lessons and the systems for tracking progress.
*Hallway bulletin boards focused on the units of study and celebrated volume and quality writing.
*There was a palpable sense of community and shared ownership of the TC work.

Work We Are Doing To Focus on Reading Logs in Our Schools

*Reading logs were collected(what principals inspect, teachers respect) and the principal ranked them in quality from high to low. The data of the reading logs was shared with the teachers and conversations followed. Questions focused on why there was such a huge difference between the reading of the gifted students and other students in the school in the speed of reading and the amount of books completed. Then the principal interviewed some students who were already reading well and pushed them to read longer(from 45 minutes to an hour). Surprisingly, that conversation with the students was all it took to extend their daily reading time. The conversation about the expectations, the amount of daily reading time, and the power of conferences continue.
*Another principal collected the reading logs from the strongest teachers and the weakest ones and then compared them. Teachers then worked with the principal to address findings during grade meetings and professional development.
*One school used their reading logs to determine the criteria for the high, medium and low logs and then to set goals for improving them.
*Collecting the reading logs can lead to shocking discoveries for the principal and then for the teachers when they see the data for themselves. The principal can then use this wake-up call to help teachers understand the purpose of the logs and the possibilities for using them to build reading habits of mind.
*One school connected the reading logs to the assessment binder to allow parents to see their responsibility for insuring student success.
*A principal used the reading log inquiry to test her theory about the 3rd grade which was that they are not spending enough time in school for independent reading instead using the time for test prep. When she was able to prove her theory was true, she convened a grade conference to discuss her findings and help teachers understand why time in school reading is so essential. Parent workshops were also planned.
*Principals visited classrooms during reading time as a co-reader and sit side by side with students to talk about reading. In this way, they are able to assess the engagement of students, book choices, and time for reading.
*Many schools have decided that more time is needed for independent reading and are thinking about how to provide it. They are thinking about which tasks might be weeded out such as too much time spent on writing about reading instead of reading.
*A school wide investigation of reading logs yielded important information about how different they are in each class and grade. Teachers were then guided in conversations about what matters most, and what could be taken away to build consistency. They also were given support in understanding all the different kinds of logs, their purposes and how they could best meet the needs of the students in each grade. This investigation allowed teachers to notice trends in the school, and make decisions based on the goals they set for their students during different times of the year and from grade to grade.
*Principals discussed the need to balance their role as supervisors and their role as learners to support teachers in getting smarter about reading logs. Because reading logs have been used in different ways for many years and are now seen in a new light, we need to help teachers revise their thinking about them. We need to help teachers see reading logs a tool for accountability but also as a tool for teaching strategies for making reading a life long habit, making students reflective, independent and responsible. Clearly, this requires ongoing focus, conversations and professional development. We need to make the examination of reading logs a vital part of each day’s instruction as well as building structures for looking at reading logs throughout the time teachers meet together.