PARCC TESTING.

Recently I received a form from a parent declaring they were opting out of PARCC testing for their child. As undesirable as PARCC testing is for parents, the Arkansas Department of Education does not recognize opting out forms. All students who attend Arkansas Public Schools are required by law to take PARCC testing. Because of all the dissatisfaction of parents about Common Core and PARCC Testing, I would like to address some of the issues I have heard.

1) Testing on computer- this is not going to be an unfamiliar format for students. At Leslie Intermediate School our students work on computers often. We are a Google school. All of our students have the capability to work on homework electronically and send it to their teachers. The format in Google Drive for creating documents is very similar to the way students will answer long answers on the PARCC test. We also currently test our students' TLI utilizing computer testing. Answering multiple choice questions electronically is familiar to them. We also provide instruction in keyboarding so students have the opportunity to learn to type correctly and speedily for their age. Another way we have prepared the students is to work on the PARCC tutorials and watch videos on how to work within the test. Testing on the computer will not be a problem for the students.

2) It's more testing. Yes, we will be testing twice not once, but the actual minutes spent in testing will not be considerably more. In the past we tested students four and five days for three hours each day. ( give or take a few minutes). This year we will test three days for PBA -no longer than 180 minutes each day (lower grade levels will be less and one day it will only be 90 minutes) and two days for EOY. The fifth and seventh grade will test two extra days for Arkansas Benchmark in Science but that has nothing to do with PARCC.

3) I'm against Common Core Standards. The fact of the matter is we change standards frequently in education. In the past there was not much publicity of when we changed by the Education Department. Changing to Common Core was just publicized in greater fashion. Changing standards is not a new thing. Also, if you are a student who moves frequently, Common Core assures you have been taught the same standards across schools and states. In the past, when we got students from other states, they would not have had the same instruction. Oftentimes they would be far behind. Common Core ensures what is taught in fourth grade in Arkansas is taught in fourth grade in other states. It provides for easy transition.

4) Common Core is dumbing down our students. No, in fact the reading level is much more rigorous with Common Core. If we start early on with higher expectations of our students to read this more difficult text, students will come to us able to read at a higher level. If your child is currently being successful in school, BE PROUD! These standards and expectations are very difficult, but they are preparing these kids for a better future.

5)Common Core requires students to read more non-fiction. Nothing new. Kids in school have always read a lot of non-fiction. What is science, social studies, history, current events? They are non-fiction. Kids have always been required to read non-fiction. It's just now a percentage has been placed on the amount. If I remember correctly from my public education, I spent one hour in reading or literature class which may or may not have been non-fiction and the rest of my school day in history, math, science - all of which are non-fiction.

6) Common Core leaves out basic addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division. Not at all. If you go back and read the standards, different grade levels have standards of expectations of students knowing their basic math facts. The problem is we have students who were not held accountable to learn their basic math facts and now we are having to build that back into them.

7) These math problems I see on Facebook are crazy. You have to take them for what they are actually meant to teach. Sometimes what looks like a multiplication problem is actually a number sense problem. In the old days we worked through a problem knowing the steps but not the why. I don't know how many times I've been asked why we add a zero when multiplying by two digit numbers. Students know why now. Common Core adds number sense of math.

8) My child is suppose to have modifications. We are going to abide by each student's 504 plan and IEP. In fact, there are more modifications we can provide ALL students in the PARCC test. I'm excited about that!

9) I don't want my child tested on Common Core. Why? It's what we've been teaching. Yes, we expect to drop a little in our scores because we have grade levels that have missed some Common Core standards, but we will improve. The very same thing happened when we changed from SAT testing to ACTAAP testing. Just expect it.

10) I can't help my child. Believe me I feel your pain. When helping students in afterschool, I've had to go back to their teacher to get a little explanation of how to do some work. That's a luxury I have. You have that same luxury with email, YouTube, the student's notebooks etc. Learn to use those tools. I realize that your home time is precious and you may not want to spend your family time doing this. I remember I had to have help when I was a student. That might have been my parents looking back over the text book to reintroduce themselves to what I was working on- not much different then watching videos on YouTube or emailing. We also provide afterschool at our campus as well as a lot of our teachers get to school early and are willing to help. If students get on that first shuttle bus, there is some time in the morning they can get help. They just need to communicate they are there early for help. We will do our best if they do their part. That doesn't mean leaving everything for the teacher to help them understand. Also, paying attention in class may need to increase. There is always the buddy system. I remember talking on the phone doing homework with a friend- talking through each problem. Smartphones take pictures. Send a picture to a friend telling them your stuck. They can send back how to get unstuck. It's a resource available to several. The kids know who can help.

To look at PARCC testing you can search PARCC testing on YouTube. You can also view PARCC sample items at parcc.pearson.com.

Look for part 2 of this blog. I'm sure this conversation will generate more questions and concerns.

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Hour of Code

The hour of Code came and went back in December and where were we?  We were home on our first snow break.  Not wanting to pass the opportunity to expose the students to coding, we came back the second week of January, (not the first because we were home in our second snow break) and let the kids experiment with coding.  We started out with Crunchzilla.com.  The students learned about javascript and making rectangles and about the functions rect, fill, and line. One of our students was able to recreate the American Flag just by coding.   From there we went to code.org.  The students worked on the javascript program developed by the Kahn Academy.  It helped them become more familiar with what was going on with the numbers inside the parenthesis and have a better understanding of the canvas.  Many of them were able to make some cool designs based on using the various shapes and functions.   The javascript program also reiterated the x an y axis. This just fit in perfectly with what was going on with graphing in their classrooms.  From there we let them experiment with lightbot on the code.org site as well as the angry birds on code.org.  All of this has led some of them to exploring on their on.  Many of them have learned a lot and have been able to better understand the Scratch coding that MIT developed and a few of them have delved into the language of python. 


Coding is really not something I am going to sit down and work on every night.  It was a little bit of struggle for me personally.  I have to admit I had a real good team mate in facilitating this plan.  Our technology master for our campus, who by his own admission struggles with teaching the kids, would come in and teach me just enough that I could share. He would also hang around for class time to be able to ask those questions I just couldn't.    From there, the kids let us know just how much they wanted to learn.  Their questions led us on a journey.  Whatever they wanted to know, we helped them explore.  Coding gave the kids the responsibility of being in charge of their own learning-their own problem solving.  From this experience we developed a culture of collaboration.  Watching the kids work together to solve problems was one of the greatest benefits. 

School Culture vs School Climate

 

Though many see school climate and school culture has one in the same it appears that one is actually strengthened by the other. 

 The school climate is the attitude of the organization.  It is the collective mood or morale of the school -both its staff and students.  School climate is based on the feeling that goes on within the school.   A basic principle of school culture is “a happy teacher is considered a better teacher and this attitude influences the quality of instruction.”  (Gruenert, Steve:  Principal, 2008)  School climate is the feeling that is present by the staff and the students.  How do you create a school climate free of tension?  How do you create a school where all are happy to be there? 

 Any individual can be happy if everything is going just as they have planned.  A happy teacher can be one that is happy because everything is going right for them.  But is this kind of happy teacher going to really have an impact on the culture of the school?  Are they going to be able to influence the overall culture of the school based on their own happiness in their own personal lives?   Are they going to have a positive impact on student learning?   A happy teacher that has an impact on the culture of the school is going to be one that is happy because of what is going on in the business of school.  That what is going on in the school is the school culture. 

The culture is the personality of the organization.  Culture is the vision, values, and the commitment that each individual has for the school.  It is the seriousness of the business of what is going on day to day.  Through collaboration, commitment, and working together a school establishes a positive self image.  The culture is what has been built over time through the feelings, thoughts, and actions of the staff.  The school culture is the expectations that are present within the school.  By having high expectations for both the staff and the students and meeting those expectations, the culture of the school has an impact on the climate of the school.  A positive school climate can be created with the building blocks of the culture. 

Let’s look at the school climate as the roof of the building.  The school climate is what is covering everything underneath it.  The pillars under that roof, holding it up, determine the climate.  The pillars are the culture.  Those pillars can work together and brace one another to hold the roof (school) or they can stand alone.  Collaboration, shared vision, shared values, commitment to performance, effective leadership and high expectations work together to strengthen the school.   When teachers and staff share in the achievements of the school and are recognized for their efforts, a positive school climate evolves.  The roof that covers is held strong.  When each individual pillar is not braced and is standing all alone, the roof is not as strong and soon the pillars began to break and fall.  Standing alone without any support or recognition, teachers began to fall as well. 

School climate is the feeling one gets when they walk into the school.  It is the moral of the staff.  It is the song of the students.  It is important that in a school that each person is valued.  They are recognized and encouraged.  It is important that the school climate is not an individualized process but is a group working together to hold one another.  The school climate is determined by the culture of the school.  The school culture strengthens the climate. 

 

 

 

Gruenert, Steve (2008)  School Climate, School Culture:  They are not the Same: Principal (March/April 2008)  pgs 56-59. Retrieved March 3, 2014.

Look Jane Look. See Spot.  See Spot Run.  I do, Dick.  I see Spot Run.


These are the words I learned to read by.  I followed Dick and Jane all over their little community.  I read as they chased Spot all around the town and threw a ball for Spot to chase.  When I looked at Spot run, I was soon able to read the words book, took, shook, and many others that ended -ook.  Dick soon taught me to read stick, pick, and lick.  If I could see, I could soon see a tree, or see a bee, or hurt my knee.  If Dick threw the ball, it taught me the words wall, hall, fall, and tall. When it was time for Spot to run, I could have fun in the sun.

  I learned to be intrigued by the words that flew off the page - The words that I could make sense of-the words that  made me into  a reader.  I watched as Sally joined Dick and Jane on their adventures.  I longed for a dog like Spot. I wanted to  throw a ball  for Spot to chase.  I wanted to go with Dick and Jane as they called for one another to come.  Come see.  Come see Spot run.  I wanted to ride in the family's blue car to the farm to pick apples.  I wanted to go on all of the adventures that Dick and Jane were going on in their car.

Yes, I realize the books were not "politically correct."  I went to school with African American children.  I do not remember any of them ever standing up and saying "I will not read anymore about only Caucasian people."  I think they were excited as I was just to be reading.  It seemed that all of us were learning to read.  There were no children left behind. 

I wasn't bored with the words I was reading either.  I was excited that I could read.  I was excited that one word could lead to another word.  I wasn't bored even though new research says I was.  I was learning to read.  (That's the thing about research. The researchers can make it say what they want it to.)

Now we are trying to implement Common Core.  Part of the foundation of that is that students aren't reading complex text. "The text students have been reading over the last 50 years have trended down in difficulty. In other words there's been a dumbing down of the material..." (1)   I realize Dick and Jane may not be considered to be  complex text, but they did give me a foundation to read. This is the text I learned to read with 50 years ago.    Not wanting to brag, but I feel like I am a pretty good reader.  I feel like I have always been a good reader.  I got my start with Dick and Jane.    Learning to read with Dick and Jane now leaves me with an "I wonder."  I wonder if kids were taught with that old boring stuff like Dick and Jane, the kind of reading I cut my teeth on,  would they be able to read more complex text? 

Common Core tells us we need to change the way we are teaching kids to read.  "What we will see as we move into the Common Core State Standards is that we can no longer merely fix the problem by throwing a new reading strategy at it. We must now change the way we teach." (1)  Maybe we need to change back to the way we taught 50 years ago.  The way so many of us learned to read. 

Tonight I sat and visited with three other ladies.  Three ladies who are well educated and have my utmost respect.  Three ladies who also learned to read with Dick and Jane.  As we sat having our professional conversations, I began to think what the four of us have accomplished.  We had to be excellent readers to do the things we have been able to do.   I have to wonder if Dick and Jane are really that bad of people?  Is Spot chasing a ball really that bad of a thing?  Maybe if we went and saw what Dick and Jane saw, we wouldn't have this problem of students not being able to read the difficult text.  Maybe students today need to Come see.  Come see how to learn to read.

In the end what matters is that we get a good start and we learn to love the words and love the fact we can read the words.  When we are able to make kids fall in love with that, we will have hooked them on reading  and they too will become readers who can read the text that is set before them.   Maybe we need to set before them a little Dick and Jane and let kids fall in love with success in reading simple words leading them to love reading overall.

(1)http://www.definingthecore.com/training/introCommonCore/html/1_6.html

Athletic Dreamer

It's the weekend, right?  Not for my mind.  I think about school with every stroke of the mop, broom, or dust rag, and right now, I'm thinking about my athletic students who have goals to someday be in the NFL or NBA- goals that include a college scholarship, but not as a scholar but as an athlete.

These students concern me.  Yes, they are amazing to watch in any capacity but, as good of students as they are, I'm afraid we are losing them to their dreams.  Dreams of someone saying "come play for me." 

I think  dreams are a great thing.  We would be no where without our dreams, but I wonder with these dreams, do they understand the importance of their education.  The importance of the education they receive now in fifth and sixth grade.  How that education is important to their future.  How they need to learn what we are teaching now to make the next grade level go smoother.  How becoming a great student and an individual of good character is important to college recruiters.

Sure, scholarships are 6 to 7 years away, but if you let your education slip away now, what coach is going to want that athlete?  Aren't college coaches looking for students who can make the grades as well as an athlete?  Isn't a college coach looking at the character of these individuals and if they have learned how to behave as well as how to treat others.

I would love to hear a college coach direct a mini press conference to these kids.  These kids with these dreams of playing ball.  I'd love to hear them say "work hard both on the field and off the field, on the court and off the court.  Keep your record clean and make friends and not enemies.  Apply yourself as a student and as the army says, 'Be all you can be.' Then, maybe I will come knocking on your door to be part of my team."   Wouldn't that be nice to hear from these individuals who these young kids look up to?  These individuals-who they someday hope-Come knocking on their door.

Leslie Intermediate-Advancing against age

I am very proud to work with a group of people who see the importance of moving forward and grasping the age of technology.  As I look at the age of our staff, there are many reasons we should fail at implementing web 2.0, submitting assignments digitally, using I-pads, and other technological gadgets.  I mean let's face it.  We are not young!  We have not grown up with these gadgets!  But that is not hindering us.  I see my teachers daily implementing new methods of teaching.  No longer are the students sitting in rows just listening.  They are doing and they are doing it together.  These not so young teachers are grabbing technology by the horns and moving forward.  They understand the importance of the change we must embrace.  They see that for kids to be successful, we can't do things the same old way. 

I am very excited that our students are learning to collaborate using Google docs and learning to present projects using WeVideo, I-movie, and Prezi.  These students are ready to take these activities and put them to work.     I see Interwrite boards in action as well as netbooks for not only submitting assignments but "flipping" the classroom.    I look forward to next week when we start blogging with the fifth grade and hopefully move on to the sixth grade.  Our students are gaining knowledge that other schools dream about their students learning.

With all the new pressures teachers face today, TESS, Common Core Standards, embracing technology, tons of paperwork, it is difficult to be a passionate teacher.  But passion is what I see thrive at our school.  Parents may not understand the lack of a textbook or the grading of a project by a rubric  but we are moving forward.  We are striving to make our students College and Career Ready.

Being Better

At Leslie Intermediate School we know it is important for our students to learn to use technology. We know exposure to digital knowledge is necessary for the students to become prepared for the next step in their education. Not being digital natives ourselves provides a great struggle for our staff. This vast knowledge of ipads, iphones, itunes, netbooks, internet, etc. has always been a part of our students' world. They have limited knowledge of 3 channels, landlines, partylines, overhead projectors, 8 mm film and 8 track tapes. Just how can we as educators "teach" these students what they need to know to use this digital world? We attend various PD sessions, we read about different aps and 2.0 websites, but is that going to make us capable of teaching these students to use this information? The answer is probably not. To become better educators of this digital generation we are going to have to become digital immigrants. We are going to have to move to this land and immerse ourselves into this world. Just like an immigrant comes to a new country and learns to survive we are going to have to learn to survive so that we can be the educators we need to be.

 How can we make our travel as digital immigrants a success? The easiest way is to become involved and practice. One of the best ways to grow as an educator is to use Twitter. Learning to follow the people who are on the forefront of education makes for great research and learning. An educator can build their on Personal Learning Network of individuals with the same interest and desires as they have.   Even more valuable is learning the correct hashtags to search.. #edchat, #satchat, #edtech, #CommonCore are great examples.

 Another tool is to practice using blogs and wikis. These are great tools for collaboration and communication that teachers can use with their students and also allow  parents to see what their children are doing and what they are learning.  If you do not want to practice with your students, gather a group of teachers to become a mock classroom.  Set up a blog and/or a wiki with assignments for your colleagues to contribute to.  You can set the settings for private so that only the people you want to see what you are practicing can see.

 Pick an app. We are blessed to have at least one ipad per classroom and have more coming. Teachers need to become familiar with the apps that are out there for their curricular area and become an expert in the ones they find valuable. Teachers sometimes get sidetracked by downloading several apps and then never learn to use them properly. Good apps to have in general are Evernote, a whiteboard app like ShowMe, and Google Drive as that is supported by our school e-mail.

 Explore and become an expert in at least one 2.0 website every nine weeks. We don't need to overwhelm ourselves with all that is out there. With just a little exploration, teachers will soon learn the transfer of skills from one website to another.

 The best tool we probably have is our students. Let us be the communicator of the content and let the students teach us the how to present the information. They are far more familiar and far more skilled in this area then we can hope.

 Trying to teach this world of digital natives is going to be a challenge for us digital immigrants but with commitment to practice it is something we can do.