Curriculum Corner

This year, collecting data about where our students are, what they are ready to learn, and where any learning gaps may exist will be critical to recover potential learning loss due to spring school closures. When MAP Growth data is combined with frequent formative assessment data, we gain the most up-to-date information to inform instruction. MAP Growth data is one valuable way teachers can gain a snapshot of where students are in their learning. Below are descriptions of some useful reports to identify what students have learned, determine how to modify instruction to meet needs, and plan for what learning comes next.

• Student Profile: Set and track learning paths and growth goals with an easy to use snapshot of student performance
• Class Report: Analyze student needs by looking at class performance compared to national norms
• Achievement Status and Growth Report: Identify who may need intervention and enrichment by looking at three pictures of growth (projections, summary, and quadrant chart)
• Class Breakdown by RIT: Support instructional decision making by viewing student performance by subject in a class
• Class Breakdown by Goal: Analyze a detailed view of student performance by subject in a class
• Class Breakdown by Projected Proficiency: Predict proficiency on state standards and help identify students for intervention
• Learning Continuum: Plan scaffolding and differentiated instruction by looking at learning statements corresponding to RIT scores
• Student Goal Setting Worksheet: Engage students in the process of setting and tracking learning goals for themselves
• Family Report: Collaborate with families by providing this easy-to- understand explanation of the assessment, RIT scores, and individual student progress

Check out the NWEA Teacher Toolkit for more information and resources to further help use NWEA data to support student growth and learning.

"The surest path to positive self-esteem is to succeed at something which one perceived would be difficult. Each time we steal a student's struggle we steal the opportunity to build self-confidence. The must learn to do hard things to feel good about themselves." Sylvia Rimm

In these times when everything feels like a struggle, teachers may find it even more difficult to watch students struggle and fight the urge to swoop in and provide assistance. Neuroscience research continues to find that brain structure changes as the result of productive learning struggle. Last year, the Core Instruction PD highlighted the value of productive struggle in the classroom. Essentially, when students struggle and overcome the struggle in the classroom they develop their own understanding and also develop new skills and strategies for overcoming new challenges inside and outside of school.

Teachers can encourage persistence through struggle by focusing on and praising the process as well as correct answers. Ways to modify current tasks to promote productive struggle may include the following:

• Asking students to create multiple representations ( For vocabulary words provide multiple representations: visual, verbal, symbolic, contextual, physical)
• Ask students to generalize procedures (Does this always work? Sally said 3+5 is the same as 5+3)
• Reverse the problem (Make a pattern that begins at 22 and counts by fives, tens, and hundreds)
• Ask students to take both sides of an argument and justify from each view point
  
• Ask open questions with multiple correct answers and have students justify their solutions
• Ask students to compare and contrast or find a pattern
• Ask students to put their understanding in writing
• Ask before students are taught - let them explore the task before telling them how to do it

Want to know more? Check out the following articles, sites, and books.

"The Neuroscience Behind Productive Struggle"

"Productive Struggle: What Is It? Why Is It Important?"

"Mistakes 'Grow' Your Brain"

www.youcubed.org

Limitless Mind by Jo Boaler

Productive Math Struggle by John J Sangiovanni, Susie Katt, and Kevin Dykema

Google Jamboard is a great way to increase collaboration, opportunities to respond, and student engagement. Learning is visible to all that are collaboratively interacting with the slide on the jam session. Students can access the slides in the classroom, remotely, or in groups to share their ideas with the writing tools, virtual sticky notes, and images from a Google search. Teachers can have students work collaboratively on a Jamboard shared through Google Classroom or can opt to create a copy of pre created Jamboards for each student to check for individual understanding. Caution: There is no revision history. As a result, you may want to begin by having a conversation about being a good digital citizen if you are using the boards in a collaborative way.

Want to learn more? Check out the video below.

Want to learn even more? Check out a longer PD Video with example activities here.

• The IDOE "Teaching in a Digital World" series hosts their last webinar, Episode 10: STEM/PBL, on November 10th. To register or view previously recorded webinars, follow the link Teaching in a Digital World.
  
• High Ability 101 PD - Look for information from your principal about this half day opportunity for K-8 teachers on December 2, 2020.
• CKLA Grade Level Collaboration Meetings - Elementary teachers, please see the email from your principal regarding days, times, and locations. Remember these collaborative meetings are capped at 20 people. Be sure to sign up in ERO soon! (3rd and 4th grade were held at the end of October)
  
• NCTM Webinars - Check the link below for upcoming and recorded webinars from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. There are relevant webinars for all grade levels. NCTM Professional Development
  

Thank you for reading our November newsletter. After reading, fill out the form below for your chance to win a special treat delivered to you at school!

Click Here to Enter!

Email: estallings@warrick.k12.in.us
Website: www.warrick.k12.in.us
Location: 300 East Gum Street, Boonville, IN, USA
Phone: 812-897-6037