2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School Solving Problems SIP Goal, Rationale, and Strategies Solve Problems Improvement Goal: ​
By May of 2020, West Lawn Elementary students will be proficient at solving authentic problems through the application of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking at or above grade level as supported by research and best practice. Rationale and Supporting Data ​
(3 sources used to select the goal): Improving all students’ understanding of problem solving and mathematical concepts is a current focus at West Lawn Elementary. We did an analysis of the ‘14­’15 data and found that the results are below targeted results in all 3 direct evidence categories. ● NeSA Math Target: Meets or Exceeds ­ Actual was 61% / 3rd: 57%; 4th: 52%; 5th: 73% ● MAP Target: Students at or above 50th percentile ­ Actual was 31st percentile / 3rd: 28th percentile; 4th: 31st percentile; 5th: 35th percentile ● West Lawn Clarity Data Target: ​
1000 to 1099 ­ Actual was 1069 Improvement Strategies and Interventions: 1. Develop key vocabulary to build background knowledge for multiple problem solving strategies using the 4Cs. 2. Develop math fact fluency instruction. 3. Build problem solving strategies by modeling and using appropriate tools strategically using the 4Cs. 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School Solving Problems Research Research/Best Practice Supporting Strategies and Interventions Strategy 1: Connecting students’ experiences to a text, developing background knowledge, and teaching key vocabulary are all effective ways to increase comprehension and achievement. Research shows there is great impact from connecting students’ background knowledge and learning experiences to the content being taught. Explicitly teaching academic vocabulary is also impactful. Linking a lesson’s key content and language concepts to students’ background knowledge and experiences enables them to forge connections between what they know and what they are learning. Connecting past content and language learning to a new lesson’s content and language concepts assists students in understanding that previous learning connects to current learning. This information is taken from ​
Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners, The SIOP Model​
Jana Echevarria, Mary Ellen Vogt and Deborah J. Short: 2013 In effective instruction, concrete content objectives and language objectives that identify what students should know and be able to do must guide teaching and learning. Content and language objectives need to be written in terms of what students will learn or do; they should be stated simply, orally and in writing, and tied to specific grade­level content standards. Language objectives should be planned to meet learning goals and prepare students for the type of academic language they need to understand the content objective and perform the activities of the lesson. Language objectives are directly correlated to content objectives. Each objective is what we want the students to learn, and each needs explicit attention. An objective is not a by­product of an activity but the foundation of one. Writing an agenda or list of activities on the board is not the same as writing the content and language objective! This information is taken from ​
Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners, The SIOP Model Jana Echevarria​
, Mary Ellen Vogt and Deborah J. Short: 2013 Strategy 2: Research suggests that fact fluency is an important component of problem solving. When students know math facts at an acceptable level of automaticity, they are better able to solve problems at a higher­level order of thinking. Fact fluency allows students to free up their working memory in order to work on more difficult tasks. This information is taken from ​
Math Fluency​
Grover Whitehurst: 2003. Strategy 3: Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life. They are able to identify important quantities in a practical situation in order to analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions. Students can interpret their results and reflect on whether the results make sense. Students are also able to consider the available tools when solving a mathematical problem. Students need to be familiar with appropriate tools and make sound decisions about when each of these tools might be helpful. Finally, they are able to use models and tools to explore and deepen their understanding of concepts. This information is taken from Common Core State Standards Initiative. Students must have rich and ample opportunities to use modern technology for important purposes in schools, outside of classroom walls and beyond the school day, just as individuals in high­ performance workplaces and other real­life settings do. Technology enables people to communicate, learn, share, collaborate and create, to think and solve problems, to manage their work, to take ownership of their lives. This information was taken from ​
Maximizing the Impact: the pivotal role of technology in a 21st Century education system​
, Martha Vockley: 2007. 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School Solving Problems: Indicators of Improved Learning Norm­Referenced and Non Norm­Referenced Assessments 2014­2015 Results 2015­2016 Results 2016­2017 Results 2017­2018 Results 2018­2019 Results Baseline: 62% 3rd ­ 44% 4th ­ 74% 5th ­ 69% Baseline: 61% 3rd­57% 4th­52% 5th­73% Baseline: Baseline: Baseline: Post: 61% 3rd­57% 4th­52% 5th­73% Post: Post: Post: Post: Baseline: (Started 2014) Baseline: 31st percentile 3rd: 28th percentile 4th: 31st percentile 5th: 35th percentile Baseline: Baseline: Baseline: Post: 31st percentile 3rd: 28th percentile 4th: 31st percentile 5th: 35th percentile Post: Post: Post: Post: Baseline: 1046 Baseline: 1069 Baseline: Baseline: Baseline: Post: 1069 Post: Post: Post: Post: NeSA MAP Clarity Data 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School 2014­15 Solving Problems Implementation Plan Activities to Implement Strategies/Interventions Person (s) Accountable Timeline: Beginning Timeline: End Resources Desired Effect Differentiated Groups WL Team August 2014 May 2015 RtI Data Monthly Reflections WL Team August 2014 May 2015 Monthly discussions Deepen the connections among the formative assessment process, SIOP, RtI SIP Team, Toni Palmer, Deb Harder, LF, Math Coach August 2014 May 2015 Monthly discussions, SIP and Team meetings, West Lawn Data Develop key vocabulary WL Team August 2014 May 2015 Vocabulary visuals 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School 2015­16 Solving Problems Implementation Plan Activities to Implement Strategies/Interventions Person (s) Accountable Timeline: Beginning Timeline: End Resources Desired Effect Build background knowledge and key vocabulary across curriculum Teachers, LF, Principal, SPED, ELL, Music, PE, Media August 2015 May 2016 SIOP Model Content and Language Targets Clarity Survey Background knowledge will be used to develop problem solving strategies across curricular areas. Key vocabulary will drive posting relevant and age appropriate content and language targets. Students will communicate, collaborate, create, and use critical thinking skills. Develop math fact fluency instruction Teachers, LF, Principal, SPED August 2015 May 2016 Kim Sutton Students will accurately and efficiently recall grade­level appropriate math facts. Build problem solving strategies by modeling and using appropriate tools strategically Teachers, LF, Principal, SPED, ELL, Music, PE, Media August 2015 May 2016 CCSS Math Practices 4 & 5 Polya’s Problem Solving Technique CPAA/MAP Practice NeSA Student Progress Graphs RtI Checks for Understanding Effective Feedback Differentiated Groups Clarity Survey Problem solving strategies, including modeling and using appropriate tools, will be used across curricular areas. Students will communicate, collaborate, create, and use critical thinking skills. 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School 2016­17 Solving Problems Implementation Plan Activities to Implement Strategies/Interventions Person (s) Accountable Timeline: Beginning Timeline: End Resources Desired Effect 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School 2017­18 Solving Problems Implementation Plan Activities to Implement Strategies/Interventions Person (s) Accountable Timeline: Beginning Timeline: End Resources Desired Effect 2014­2019 School Improvement Action Plan ­ West Lawn Elementary School 2018­19 Solving Problems Implementation Plan Activities to Implement Strategies/Interventions Person (s) Accountable Timeline: Beginning Timeline: End Resources Desired Effect