Team Formation

I thought I'd keep this blog going beyond our February BT run!

I was working with a great group of literacy leads this week and we started talking about team formation.

Many business people will be able to tell you about the stages of team formation (forming, storming, norming, and performing) - interestingly enough, it's actually based on an educational model!

In essence, "teams" must go through:

1. Forming: building inclusion; each team member trying to figure out their "role"
2. Storming: exactly as it sounds - teams try to work out issues of control (who has it, who doesn't, how can we all have it).
3. Norming: only after storming, can group norms be set (i.e., behaviour contracts - preferably explicitly stated and recorded)
4. Peforming: here's where the team works together successfully!

I find the idea of team formation extremely interesting. We tend to assume that because we are all teachers that we're all really nice people and get along really well. Reality is, this doesn't always happen (awesome when it does though!). I believe that we get stuck on step two - we form teams (i.e., school staffs, grade teams, etc.) and get stuck on the storming phase. We don't set norms in order to succeed and this keeps us from performing (i.e., working on those things that will improve student achievement - remember, at the end of the day, it's all about the students!).

We don't always get along, but what is the harm in setting norms (perhaps even putting them in writing) such as:

• keeping negative/disruptive comments to a minimum so it doesn't sidetrack the purpose of the meeting. There is a difference between playing a devil's advocate in order to benefit the group as opposed to just being negative and resistant
• consider "attacking" an idea and not a person
• instead of saying "yes, but..." try saying "yes, and..."
• let a "quiet" group member speak. I tend to listen a lot as I need time to reflect - it doesn't mean I don't have anything to say, I just need to think it over a bit!

Really, these are just my personal thoughts on this, but I'd be interested to hear about how you've been able to get a team to move beyond "storming" so that you can set norms and perform!

The Last Week? Let's go back to the beginning...

I can't believe that it's been almost a month since I started this blog!

I think that it's important to go back to where we started - with the curriculum. It can be so easy to be overwhelmed with the sheer size and scope of our work with students. I think that it's very cool that we have as much autonomy as we do in the teaching profession - the curriculum documents are our guides to our profession (sadly, we don't have a teaching manual...) so we always need to go back to them.

Consider:

• reading the front matter of all of the curriculum guides
• use the Achievement Chart as the basis for all assessment and evaluation (but remember, it's not a rubric!)
• cluster expectations together - we need to avoid the checklist mentality and so many expectations fit naturally together (even better, cluster expectations with a colleague)

There is no one size fits all model (if there was, then we would have a teaching manual) so please consider how you differentiate instruction and demonstrate equity (remember, fair isn't always equal...).

Do not be afraid to ask for help! Your mentor does not necessarily have to teach the same grade as you and doesn't even have to be in the same building!

Assessment 101

Just a quick review. There are three forms of assessment:

1. Diagnostic - entry points. Where are the students starting from?
2. Formative - ongoing assessment in order to inform teaching practices.
3. Summative - evaluative.

We should spend most of our time with formative assessment. I see it as feedback - are the students being successful? If not, how can I adjust my teaching to ensure that they are learning (think about differentiation!).

TDSB's assessment and evaluation practices are outlined in Fresh AER (hopefully you've all seen it as we're in the midst of report card writing - if not, you need to speak to your administrator about getting access to it).

I just want to highlight Appendix 2 which highlights assessment strategies and tasks - SAY, WRITE, and DO. Please remember that not every assessment should be a pencil and paper task. Think about your students who can provide a beautiful oral response, but not necessarily a written one.

Backwards Planning

OFIP. TLCP. Have to love those acronyms we use! Just in case...OFIP - Ontario Focused Intervention Parternship and TLCP - Teaching Learning Critical Pathway. Who in TDSB has not heard of these yet?

Most schools are involved in pathways, but don't stress! It really shouldn't be an add on, but rather a compliment to what we're already doing in our classrooms. Just a quick review, a TLCP or pathway involves:

• Gather Evidence (EQAO, DRA, CASI, other classroom assessments)
• Determine Area of Greatest Need
• Current Practice (identify and share effective teaching practices)
• Design: Rubrics, Culminating Tasks, Data Walls
• PLC Action (professional learning community - ongoing dialogue about what's working and not, successes and failures, questions, sharing of best practices
• Culminating Task (what teaching is being done in order to ensure that students are able to complete the culminating task successfully?)
• Moderated Marking (building common understandings of what a level 1, 2, 3, and 4 look like)
• Communication (reflection)

Really long and complicated huh? Don't think of this as being in a set order (remember, no one size fits all model exists) - it really is a cyclical process with ongoing reflection and communication happening throughout.

Consider Backwards Planning:

1. What do I want the students to learn? THE BIG PICTURE - at the end of 6, 8, 10 weeks... students will be able to ________
2. How will I know the students are learning? ASSESSMENT - diagnostic, formative, and summative
3. How will I teach the students what they need in order to be able to demonstrate the big picture? INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES - gradual release of responsiblity, use of Marzano's strategies, etc.

The TLCP is a just another model of backwards planning! Please remember that no one size fits all model exists, so, remember to differentiate in terms of instructional strategies and assessment practices.

Please don't lose sight of the bigger picture when doing a pathway - although it's great that there's a culminating task and rubric, the most important part is how the students get to the culminating task - through instructional practices that ensure that students have what they need in order to be successful.

And the Survey Says...

The survey results are in. Of the language strands, the one that appears to be the most troublesome is writing, followed by oral language, and tied for last is reading and media.

I know that we have focused on reading quite a bit the last few years, but with the introduction of media literacy when the language curriculum was updated, TDSB's focus on non-fiction writing, and the difficulty assessing oral language, I'm not surprised that we may struggle with these three.

You know me and freebies, so, here's a link to the Guide to Effective Instruction in Literacy, volume 6: Writing. http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/resources/guides/Guide_Lit_456_Vol_6_Writing.pdf

Pages 11 to 13 provide an outline of different forms of writing and some characteristics of that form. I have to admit that my two favourite have always been procedural and persuasive - it's never too hard to have students engaged in these two forms of writing.

Procedural Writing Suggestion:

1. Have students pair up and put up a barrier between them.
2. Ask each student to take several pattern blocks (5 - 10) and create a picture. Ask students to sketch their diagram on a sheet of paper.The first student then describes to their partner what pattern blocks they will need (2 hexagons, 4 rhombi).
3. The student then proceeds to describe orally how to put the shapes together in order to make the picture.
4. The partners then switch roles and repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. The two students then work together to record their procedures for re-creating their pattern block pictures.

A really simple way to start procedural writing. I have been lucky to have had pen pals on TEL. We had our students draw "monsters" on grid paper and write procedures on how to draw them. We then emailed the procedures to our keypals who followed the instructions to draw the monster. The last step was to share the actual pictures and debrief whether or not the procedures were well written (if not, how could the procedures have been improved).

What are some ways that you've engaged your students in writing?

Graphic Organizer - the Placemat

Last Thursday night for one of my courses, I worked on a group presentation where we had to debrief an article. Although it was a painfully long and boring 20 pages (The Central Role of Discourse in Large Scale Change: A Social Construction Perspective by Barret, Thomas, and Hocevar - 1995) it was right up my alley!

The article talked about how we construct meaning through discourse - the importance of prior knowledge and communicating with others in order to implement change. I decided to try a placemat activity and received positive feedback from several classmates (none of them teachers). I want to share two ideas for using a placemat in your classroom.

Placemats are pretty simple to make - take chart paper, draw a rectangle in the middle and divide the remaining outer part into the number of people in your group (I've found groups of 4 work best).

Each person gets an outer section to construct their own understanding of a text read while the inner rectangle is where the group builds community.

Placemat to summarize (works for fiction and nonfiction):

1. read the text (read/think aloud, shared reading, guiding reading, or independent)
2. ask each student to individually record what they believe are the main ideas in their part of the placemat. This is to be done quietly and independently.
3. each student takes a turn to read their box. The other group members are listening attentively to hear common/similar ideas and put a check mark beside that point.
4. points that two or more people shared go in the middle rectangle.

I always ask the students to double check the centre of the placemat in case anything was missed. Following this, I have asked students to write a summary paragraph or share orally what they have come to consensus on.

Placemat to synthesize: basically the same as summarizing but, there are some variations:

• use several texts from different sources about the same topic. Either allow students to self select the text they want to read or assign them (based on reading level).
• in each outer section of the quad, select a quote or paraphrase the text. Have each student comment on each quote/passage before synthesizing common understandings.

To be honest, this is one of my favourite things to use in the classroom. It allows everyone to have their voice heard, practices attentive listening, and builds community. I have also been able to use the individual quadrants for formative assessment as well as the post activity (i.e., writing a paragraph - organizing ideas).

How have you (or can you) use a placemat in your classroom?

Reading Comprehension Strategies

It's the Friday before a long weekend!

I'm attaching a link to the Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction - Volume 5 which is the reading book.

I want to draw your attention to pages 25 - 27 that outline reading comprehension strategies. It provides a brief description, what the reader thinks, and what we, as teachers do to support the reader.

http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/resources/guides/Guide_Lit_456_Vol_5_Reading.pdf

There's more to reading than making connections and inferring! Even better, this resource is free!

Accountable Talk - Think, Pair, Share

If we think about the first things we learn to do - listen and then speak, that would explain why I'm such a big fan of accountable talk in the classroom!

Model your thinking when you respond to a question for your students.

Example: Making connections - in the story of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears, I think that Goldilocks was self centered. She went into the Bear's house without being invited and began to eat their food and use their things. This reminds me of my younger sisters who used to come into my bedroom and just use and take my things without asking. I understand why the Bears were upset when they got home - I remember coming home and finding my things out of place. Just like Goldilocks, my sisters didn't care about my things because they were only thinking of themselves (I really hope my sisters don't read this...I might be in trouble...).

Think: Pose a similiar question to your students. Example: What other words would you use to describe Goldilocks? Can you think of an example from your own life?

Pair: Share your story with a partner

Share: Summarize and report back to the class what your partner told you.

Think, pair, shares are great for encouraging accountable talk and practice. It's application in the classroom at any age level is limitless - just pose a question!

This is more numeracy, but...

Yesterday I was fortunate to be facilitating a joint literacy/numeracy session with my colleagues Bonnie, Caroline, Anthony, Donna, Judith and James. Somehow we got onto the topic of Sesame Street so I thought I'd share these youtube links with you.

James Blunt - "Triangle" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Z6tDSb6c8

Feist - 1, 2, 3, 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fciD_II7NI

I find these two clips particularly interesting as they teach math concepts - they're not just entertaining. I've always found the use of media in the service of education (i.e., Sesame Street, Baby Einstein, etc. ) pretty interesting especially as my nephews are beginning to watch educational programs and talk about what they have seen/heard.

The Importance of Practice

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
Confucius

When I hear/read this saying, I make a connection to Balanced Literacy and what that looks like in the classroom:

1. Modelled
2. Guided
3. Shared
4. Independent

I think about it in terms of whole class instruction, small group, pairs, and finally independent work - essentially practicing a skill/concept so that it is understood. No too long ago, I moved from an elementary school (K-5) into a middle school (6-8). I modelled a lesson for my grade 7 language class and then said go. Needless to say, all I got was 27 blank stares! I couldn't believe how foolish I was to think that because these students were a little older, they didn't need the opportunity to practice the skill! I had forgotten about the gradual release of responsibility!

Proficiency comes with practice - practicing by doing, something we must give our students an opportunity to do.