LDC Lessons Learned
The Coaching Perspective
Lessons Learned
• Teachers need to know what supports are available and Rgroup space is a great place to begin the search
• Collaboration is necessary and helps build
teacher/student/parent community
• Module Creator is a good tool – but a good tool is only as
good as the user.
• Modules provide vetted artifacts for substantiating teacher
effectiveness and thus, can be used in observations and
evaluation tools
• Remember: the intent of CCSS is rigor and relevance!
Teaching Task
•
Teaching tasks set the stage for alignment of all module sections
•
Choosing the correct teaching task template is essential. Using exact words is
a must!
•
By using the exact wording provided by the template you are aligning your
work with CCSS as the standards are hard-wired in the template
Reviewing Standards
• When reviewing the standards in your module:
• Look at your standards closely
• Which ones do you actually expect students to know & be
able to do?
• Which ones (once taught) do you not need to include in
your module?
• Standards & GLE’s should be discussed across grade
levels
• Limit the number of standards to align with the time you have
allotted to teach your module
Mini-Tasks - What Instruction?
• Customizing mini-tasks (your lesson plan) targets your
students’ needs. This is one of many entry points towards
differentiation within your module.
Additionally:
• Mini-tasks – Are where grade level skills are taught & where
they can be scored. Scoring guides are included in Module
Creator. Mini-tasks are where instructional strategies are
included.
• Mini-tasks can be used as formative assessments.
Rubrics and Scoring - What Results?
• The LDC is aligned with national assessment rubrics
• While you cannot revise the rubric – you can choose a part(s)
of it to focus on (content teachers please take note). The
rubric is designed to reflect rigor.
• The LDC rubric design concept involves improvement rather
than failure (i.e. the lowest score is framed as “not yet”)
• You can score either holistically or analytically
Rubrics and Scoring
• The LDC rubric has implications for instruction – check the
descriptors in the rubric to define the focal points of the
writing piece
• Rubrics exist for argumentative and
informational/explanatory writings– (narrative rubric on the
way)
• Working with your team on group scoring of writing
products will help you increase your scoring fidelity
• Anchor Assessments will pave the way towards defining
writing exemplars. Collect and save papers!
Best Practices - What Skills?
•
Grade Level Expectations and Ladders of instruction must be addressed.
Module Creator does not provide for this.
•
All selected skills must be taught
• Completed modules that have been vetted provide a step-by-step guide for
grade appropriate instruction.
• Skills are clustered – this helps order your instructional flow.
Best Practices
• Always go back to GLE’s when developing a module
• Teach your first module even if it’s not perfect
• Keep in contact with your teachers by answering
questions and probing. This helps the cohort continue to
succeed.
• When building P/D, ground every session with a text in
which to engage
• Introduce a new instructional strategy at each P/D session
• For each session, build on the last sessions’ instructional
strategy
Best Practices
• The LDC crosswalk with Colorado Academic Standards is
really a valuable tool to show teachers how this will help
with teacher effectiveness
• Being quick with feedback helps keep teachers moving
• Deconstruct the LDC rubrics for teachers and students
• Hold firm on keeping the rigor of the rubrics and not diluting
them into kid friendly versions
• Text selection is critical to LDC success. Know the
elements of TS and spend time on reading & selecting.
Read all text selected.
Best Practices
• Disengaged leaders do exist. To help them move forward,
introduce PARCC/Smarter Balance. Also, providing them
with LDC crosswalks with their Educator Effectiveness
Evaluation tools will help them make the important
connections LDC provides.
• Followed by deconstructing an exemplary module
• Followed by direct, explicit, instruction of ADMIN “look
for’s” for evidence from the exemplar module that can be
used to guide the observations of teachers and guide the
use of the Ed Effectiveness Rubric/Evaluation tool
Best Practices
• Work with administrators - whole group - AND individually
• Connect district and building activities with LDC/data
collection
• Work at the building level as much as possible. Even dropins are good.
• While change is occurring, working 1-1 with building
leadership is a must. Working through TOT's, not to meetbut to exceed expectations around implementation of LDC,
is crucial.
• Develop, develop, develop relationships at all levels