Study Group Proposal

Group Description: Content Area Comprehension

Contact For Group: Stephanie Kent, Renee Hendrickson & Kathy Biss

Date Proposal was submitted: Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Study Group Members:

1.  See attached list at the end of the session

Topic of Study:

The focus of the group will be to offer teachers tools and teaching strategies to weave comprehension strategies into content area teaching.

Rationale:

At the start of each new school year, we all step into our classrooms knowing that the 18 to 25 students facing us are a mixture of those who read below grade level, on grade level, and above.  We’ve got to reach every one of these learners.  Research says that we need to rethink the way that we teach specific subjects and content-area reading. 

This study group provides a real road map for teachers for how to get started, involve students actively in the process, and how to address those “roadblocks” that often seem to daunt our progress.  This comes at an important time with our high-stakes testing and content standards, students are expected to learn and be able to use a great deal of information.  Even large scale reading tests now reflect a broad range of reading tasks that include informational reading, using multiple texts, and manipulating graphic data. 

                        Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math

                        Laura Robb

Supportive Data:

     Our numbers of AIS students

     The distribution of some of the state assessment data – maintaining our current scores, as well as moving our 1’s and 2’s to  more 3’s and 4’s

     The 2006-2007 Literacy Survey indicated a need for more professional development in the content areas

     The 2006-2007 Literacy Survey indicated a need for professional development in how to incorporate the content areas into the 90-minute literacy block

     Input from inclusion teams expressing the need for more effective ways to accommodate inclusion students’ instructional needs

     Input from regular education teachers expressing the need for more effective ways to accommodate the more able learners’ instructional needs

     State assessment data showing a need for working with students with special needs in order to improve their test scores to meet the New York State Standards.

Current Understandings/Skills:

     All participants have participated in curriculum mapping in Science, Math, and Social Studies.

     RTI model & AIS services

     All participants have participated in some form of Strategies That Work

      professional development.

Work Plan: 

1.      Establishing an understanding of practical ways to weave comprehension strategies into the content areas. 

.        Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math

2. All participants will complete 12 hours of credit in Winter 2007-2008 school year.

3. Participants will prepare and present given sections from Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math.

4. An attached agenda breaks down each day’s expectations.

Evaluation:

Binder of Activities Shared:

·        Each participant will share a copy of what they presented to the binder

·        Each participant will write a brief reflection of how they will implement at least one new strategy into their classroom.

·        Each participant will sign in daily.

SMART 2006 Team Reports

Mathematic Strategies

Rationale:

It is time to acknowledge that unless we begin to focus on learning, rather than one-size-fits-all teaching, we stand to lose a great deal. We must learn how to develop and support academically responsive classrooms that recognize and then capitalize on the differences our learners bring to us. While there is no “magic recipe” for teaching, there are certainly more effective and efficient ways to proceed. It is the goal of this study group to make a coherent effort towards creating the conditions necessary for the implementation and support of more academically responsive schools and classrooms.

Our students come to us today with a very wide range of capabilities, experiences, and needs. It follows then that crafting effective learning experiences will require more diverse set of methods of instruction based on what we know about how we learn.

Teaching mathematics well calls for increasing our understanding of the math we teach, seeking greater insight into how children learn mathematics, and refining lessons to best promote children’s learning.  This study group is designed to help teachers achieve these goals.  

                        About Teaching Mathematics Second Edition:  A K-8 Resource

                        Marilyn Burns

Supportive Data:

     Our numbers of AIS Math students

     The distribution of some of the state assessment data – maintaining our current scores, as well as moving our 2’s to  more 3’s and 4’s

     Input from inclusion teams expressing the need for more effective ways to accommodate inclusion students’ instructional needs

     Input from regular education teachers expressing the need for more effective ways to accommodate the more able learners’ instructional needs

     Input from teachers within our building expressing the need for professional development in the area of mathematics

     State assessment data showing a need for working with students with special needs in order to improve their test scores to meet the New York State Standards.

Current Understandings/Skills:

     All participants have an understanding of the current content strands.

     All participants have an understanding of the current process strands.

     RTI model & AIS services

Work Plan: 

1.      Establishing an understanding of problem solving activities within all six content strands of mathematics, as well as how to best approach teaching these areas. 

·        About Teaching Mathematics Second Edition:  A K-8 Resource

2. All participants will complete 12 hours of credit in Spring 2008..

3. Participants will prepare and present given sections from About Teaching Mathematics.

4. An attached agenda breaks down each day’s expectations.

Evaluation:

Binder of Activities Shared:

·        Each participant will share a copy of what they presented to the binder

·        Each participant will write a brief reflection of how they will implement at least one new strategy into their classroom.

·        Each participant will sign in daily.

Action Research

Study Group Proposal

Group Description: School, Family, and Community Partnerships

Contact For Group: Stephanie Kent, Renee Hendrickson & Kathy Biss

Date Proposal was submitted: Thursday, October 25, 2007

Action Plan/Study Group Members:

1.  See attached list at the end of the session.

Topic of Study:

The focus of the group will be to offer teachers tools in order to improve school, family and community partnerships.

Rationale:

There is no topic in education on which there is greater agreement than the need for parent involvement.  Teachers and administrators want to know how to work with families in positive ways and how to involve the community to increase student success.  Families want to know if their child is receiving a high-quality education, how they can help their children do their best, and how to communicate with and support teachers. 

This action research/study group will translate the lessons learned in research and fieldwork into practical approaches for program development.  It includes a research-based framework with  field-tested tools to help leaders understand the six types of family and community involvement, create an action team for partnerships, and plan and implement family and community involvement activities to reach school goals for student success, mobilize community resources, encourage progress, evaluate results, and continue to improve plans, practices, and programs. 

                        School, Family, and Community Partnerships:  Your Handbook for Action

                        Joyce L. Epstein, et al.  

Supportive Data:

     Parent involvement was identified as a need and a goal on the school improvement plan for the 2006-2007 school year.

     Parent involvement was identified as a need and a goal on the school improvement plan for the 2007-2008 school year.

     Parent involvement has been identified as a District Initiative for the 2007-2008 school year.

Current Understandings/Skills:

     Teachers recognize this as an area that needs improvement:  Teachers and parents need to work together with this.

     Various activities to include parents in school:  Concerts, Parent Conferences, The Community Room, Earth Day, Volney Parent Group, and Open House.

Work Plan: 

1.      Establishing an understanding of practical ways to involve parents and community members in our school. 

·        School, Family, and Community Partnerships

2. All participants will complete 12 hours of credit in the Fall 2007-2008 school year, and be given opportunities to work outside the schedule sessions to implement learned practices.

3. Participants will prepare and present given sections from School, Family, and Community Partnerships.

4. An attached agenda breaks down each day’s expectations.

Evaluation:

·        Each participant will help write a pre and post survey to give to all stakeholders in the Volney Community (parents, teachers, etc.).

·        Together, participants will develop a three-year action plan to improve school, family, and community partnerships. 

·        Each participant will take part in at least one one-hour outside activity, whether through coordinating, attending, preparing, or organizing for an event. 

·        Each participant will sign in daily.

·        All the above will be gathered and documented in a binder to hand in.

A

All Action Research/Study Group Sessions will take place in the Volney Library, from 7:00 to 8:30 AM. 

Participants will take part in at least one one-hour outside activity, whether through coordinating, attending, preparing, or organizing for an event.  

Page Numbers for Each Type of Involvement

1)   Type I:  Parenting –Pages 13-17, 33, 41-42, 44-46, 158-159, 166, 172, 184, 194,  221-222, 236, and 246.

2)   Type II:  Communicating—Pages 13-14, 16, 33, 42, 47, 50, 158-159, 167, 185, 195, 222-223, 236, and 246.

3)   Type III:  Volunteering—14, 16-17, 33, 42, 51-52, 158-159, 168, 186, 196, 223-225, 228, 236, and 246.

4)   Type IV:  Learning at Home—13-14, 16-17, 33, 55, 42, 158-159, 169, 187, 197, 225-226, 236, and 246.

5)   Type V:  Decision-Making—13-14, 16, 33, 42, 59-62, 116-117, 158-159, 170, 188, 198, 226-227, 236, and 246.

6)   Type VI:  Collaborating with the Community—14, 17, 33, 42, 63-66, 158-159, 171, 177, 199, 227-228, 236, and 246.