Presentation for February 18, 2011 Keynote

1. Assumptions and Best Practices in Urban Lutheran Schools Urban Teachers Conference Keynote February 17th, 2011

3. Participants Dr. Carol Leli Dr. Nancy Gibson Prof. Richard Richter Dr. Lorinda Sankey Mary Hamrick

4. Evidenced-basedAssumptions and Best PracticesDr. Carol Leli Best Practices… Promotes high rates of achievement and have been documented. The International Reading Association (2002) explains that evidence-based best practices promote high rates of achievement. An evidence-based best practice often refers to an instructional practice that has a record of success that is both trustworthy and valid. Classroom teachers are expected to do more than just teach students to decode words and answer literal levels of text.

5. Gambrell (2007) Best Practices include: Balanced approach to literacy…skills, genre, and response to literacy. Incorporates evidenced-based best practices through the aforementioned. Builds on the knowledge (schema) that students bring to school. Acknowledges that reading and writing are reciprocal processes.

6. Gambrell (2007) Best Practices include: (Con’t.) Recognizes that comprehension is the ultimate goal of literacy instruction. Emphasizes meaning construction through literacy tasks and activities that require critical thinking. Offers opportunities for students to apply literacy strategies in the context of meaningful tasks. Provides for differentiated instruction in accordance with the diverse strengths and needs of students (i.e. struggling readers, second-language learners).

7. References Gambrell, L., Morrow, L. M. & Pressley, M. ( Eds.). (2007). Best practices in literacy instruction. New York: The Guilford Press. International Reading Association (2002). Evidence-based reading instruction: Putting the National Reading Panel report into practice. Newark, DE: Author.

9. Assumptions and Best Practices Nancy P. Gibson, Associate Professor, Concordia University Chicago Response to Intervention(RTI)

10. False Assumptions It is not a program, curriculum, strategy or an intervention. It is not a Special Education initiative. It is not NEW! You can’t do it unless you have a lot of money, training and extra support personnel.

11. RTI Best Practices Ongoing student assessment Tiered Instruction High-quality, scientifically based classroom instruction/interventions Parent Involvement

12. RTI best practices 5. Seamless unitary educational system that is proactive , preventative and enables “success for all” system. 6. High Quality instruction/intervention matched to student needs. 7. Uses learning rate over time and level of performance to make important instructional and educational decisions. 8. Does not assume “that one size fits all”

13. RTI: How to make it work for you Breakout sessions will focus on how to create professional learning communities in schools that map and align their curriculum, develop formative local assessments that are curriculum based and encourage a professional dialogue that asks “How is this student doing”?

15. Technology Assumptions Technology access is ubiquitous Using technology is expensive If something is new, I have to use it Technology is hard to use, I’ll break something All kids are experts at using technology

16. Trends The Horizon Report (Published Annually by EDUCAUSE) The abundance of resources and relationships made easily accessible via the Internet is increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators in sense-making, coaching, and credentialing. People expect to be able to work, learn, and study whenever and wherever they want.

17. Trends The world of work is increasingly collaborative, giving rise to reflection about the way student projects are structured. The technologies we use are increasingly cloud-based, and our notions of IT support are decentralized.

18. The Challenge Digital media literacy continues its rise in importance as a key skill in every discipline and profession.

19. References Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

21. Positive Classroom Climate The affective environment demonstrating that each student (and family) is cared for and valued.

22. My Classroom Do I (teacher) care for and value each student and family?

23. Aesthetic Care or Authentic Care?Valenzuela (1999) Do I value each student (family) simply because they are in my classroom?

24. What does Authentic Care look like? Sustained Trusting Respectful Reciprocal relationships between teachers and students (Gay, 2010)

25. What does Authentic Care look like? Teacher behaviors: Name Please/Thank you Smile (Wong, 2010)

26. What does Authentic Care look like? Reserved (assigned) seat/place Known, consistent, predictable routine Schedule, rules, etc. posted throughout room Speak well of student Know student’s business

27. What does Authentic care look like? Student opportunities: Use of prior knowledge Use of cultural background Voice in decision making

28. What does Authentic care look like? Student opportunities: Choice Meaningful assessment Performance assessment Student work has a purpose

29. References Gay, Geneva (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice(2nd ed.). NY: Teachers College Press. Valenzuela, A. (1999). Subtractive schooling: U.S.- Mexican youth and the politics of caring. Albany: State University of New York Press. Wong, H. K. & Wong, R. T., (2009).The First Days of School (4th ed.). Harry K. Wong Publications.