Teacher Learner Critical Pathway
This is an action research project to increase student learning in an eight week period.
-Focus is an achievable and measurable goal
-We have expertise here at CCH!!
- Last year we had 8 teachers work on a TLCP
-Results were great, goal was to increase Thinking by 1 full level
-Averaged .5 level increase and class average increase by 5%
-Chart where students currently achieve, pick a goal of where they should
be in 8 weeks and chart where they actually achieve
-Charted results at front of class
-Students became excited, wanted to beat own score
-Teachers could see end result more quickly
-Team effort students helped each other
eg. Strand
Thinking
Goal
-increase Thinking mark by 5%
Strategies
-awareness
--rubrics
-exemplars
-think alouds
Evidence of Outcome
-individual progress
-group progress
Sample Strategies of How to Get from 1 level to the next
This list is not exhaustive, you are the experts, tell us what you did or what we can
do to get the students moving in the right direction. The subject experts
working together are the best judge of how to improve.
Moving from Level R to 1
-conference with student(s)
-go over student exemplars to show them example of level 1 work
-go over rubric to show them an example of level 1 work
-could be attendance issue, let student success know of issue
-does student have an I.P.R.C.
-does student have all notes-pair them up with someone
Moving from Level 1 to 2
-conference with student
-show exemplars of Level 2 work
-get student to log how much work they are putting into assignment
-offer non-optional homework help
-meet with student who does level 2 work to discuss strategies
Moving from Level 2 to 3
-student knows some of the work but doesn’t quite get it
-show exemplars of Level 3 work
-offer non-optional homework help
-give exit card after lesson, do they understand?
-meet with stunt who does level 3 work to discuss strategies
Moving from a Level 3 to a 4
-make parents aware of goal, get them excited/involved
-student understands work, needs to be more precise
-meet with student who does level 4 work to discuss strategies
-show student exemplars and rubrics
-have student hand in work, give suggestions of how to get a level 4
-outside help such as www.ilc.org
-have student read outside websites, sources to increase knowledge
OTHER WAYS TO GET THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK:
Share evidence of student learning.
We found this step to be the most informative in terms of improving our own
teaching practices. We created a “Students to watch” list and participated in
moderated marking. We analyzed student data and created the criteria and/or
rubric to evaluate students’ work based on the need identified.
What is our current practice in relation to our students’ area of greatest need?
With our students, based on the data, our area of greatest
need were making connections and students’ abilities to make inferences or draw
conclusions effectively.
What supports have you selected in choosing areas of greatest need?
Based on our evidence of student achievement, what does the data tell us?
How can the data inform instruction and evaluation?
What is the difference that is making the difference?
• Bring evidence of student work
• Choose and share evidence of learning from student to what list.
• Use rubrics as a learning lens
• Share teacher practice
Exemplars are a phenomenal resource for students. Instead of "guessing" what the teacher wants, they can see for themselves.
Activity - After students have gone through one exemplar, give them the rubric they will be assessed with along with a different exemplar. Have them, in partners or individually, assess the piece. You would be surprised at how hard they mark other students! Follow this up with discussion of the levels and choices they made. Reveal the mark after the discussion with the criteria to support the mark.
There are two benefits to this - they become aware of how they will be assessed and the rubric becomes a tool "for" learning. In addition, they see concrete evidence of the levels.
Part of DI is choice. Let the students pick the novel, short story, non-fiction, etc. for one of your units. Although working with the same end in mind, they have chosen their focus. Many students prefer this, rather than being issued a piece of literature/etc. they have no interest in.
