March 2013 ELA Network
Welcome!
www.kvecelatln.weebly.com
Your Facilitators for Today
Carole Mullins
KDE/KVEC English/LA Content Specialist
Mary McCloud
KVEC Literacy Consultant
Linda Holbrook
KDE Literacy Consultant
Jennifer Carroll
Intervention Specialist, Wolfe County Schools
Stacy Noah
KDE, Effectiveness Coach
AGENDA
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
LUNCH
Connecting TPGES and LDC
TEACHER STRATEGY SHARATHON
RESOURCE: Assignments That Matter
“LEAVING YOUR MARK”
Revisiting Group Norms:
1. Be present and be engaged in the work
2. We are all equal partners in this work
3. Complete assignments before coming to
next meeting
4. Use the law of “Two Feet”
5. Be courteous, respectful and positive
6. Keep side conversations to a minimum
7. Phones on Silent and No Text Messaging!
Through-out the Day,
please complete the:
Evaluation
• Gather evidence about
what you are learning
today.
Plan/Do/Review
Plan how you could
share what you learned
today:
 in your school
 in your district
2012-13 Teacher
Leader Network
Target
I can use careful planning to
improve instruction in order
to become an effective
teacher and leader.
TOPICS
Small Group Sessions
Close Reading Strategies
Why Text Dependent Questions?
PARCC and Smarter Balanced
Jurying LDC Modules
12:15 – 1:00 p.m.
Plan-Do-Review
Take a moment and add notes to your P-D-R
Guiding Questions
1. What information will
you share?
2. How will you share the
information?
3. What concerns do
you still have?
• Each teacher will be
given 3 minutes to
share. Make notes.
• Choose 1 “Best
Strategy” from your
table to share with
the whole group.
2:20-2:30 p.m.
Assignments Matter:
Making the Connections That Help
Students Meet Standards
By Eleanor Dougherty
This book explains the critical
differences between
“assignments,” “activities,” and
“assessments” and thoroughly
describes the key elements of an
assignment: prompts, rubrics,
products and instructional plans.
(LDC is referenced throughout the book)
ISBN: 978-1-4177-1440-1
Overarching Questions
Addressed by
Assignments Matter
• What exactly is an
"assignment" and why
does it matter? How can
educators ensure that their
teaching meets the
rigorous demands of the
Common Core State
Standards, so that all
students are well prepared
for college or careers?
Readers will learn how to:
• Follow a seven-step process for
crafting effective assignments;
• Link assignments into units and
courses;
• Devise "Anchor" assignments for
collaboration and consistency
across grades;
• Tap into instructional "touchstones"
that can enrich any assignment;
• Create classroom and school
environments that support
assignment-making; and
• Use assignments as a source of
data about teaching and learning.
Sound familiar??
Dougherty’s 7 Steps to Create an
Assignment
1. Define standards,
goals, content
2. Determine a product
3. Identify demands and
qualities
4. Write a prompt
5. Write a rubric
6. Do the assignment
7. Develop an
instructional plan
Preview
• Read Page 7
• Do you agree with
Mitchell”s statement
that “students can do
no better than the
assignments they are
given?”
Preview
• Read p. 9-10 ( the
section titled “The
Importance of Explicit
Teaching”)
• How does LDC help
teachers with “tasks
predict performance?”
Preview
• Read p. 19 Read the
first paragraph.
• Do assignments
matter in your
classroom? In your
school?
Preview
• Skim p. 22-28
“Assignment,
Activity, or
Assessment?”
• How do
assignments,
assessments, and
activities differ in
an instructional
cycle?
• Assignment – a
taught task with a
prompt, product,
rubric
• Activity – not scored;
a strategy, event,
practice
• Assessment – not
taught; a test, quiz
Assignments Matter:
Book Study Guide
Available on our website
OR
www.ascd.com
What is the implementation level of
the ELA KCAS in my district?
Implementation Rubric Instructions
• Review the rubric independently.
• With your district’s team, discuss each indicator (such as
“Knowledge of Standards”). Think about specific
accomplishments your district has made.
• Agree on a rating for each indicator.
• Circle the group’s rating decision on your individual rubric so that
all team members will have a record of your decisions.
• Each district team will complete a rubric (color copy) to submit to
me TODAY.
• District TL Teams that do not submit a completed rubric:
Your district office contact will be contacted by a Frankfort
based consultant and requested to have the team complete
a rubric.
Plus / Delta +/∆
The Plus/Delta Chart enables a group to examine a process or system
for strengths ad opportunities for improvement.
• It provides a foundation for identifying “next steps.”
• Plus/Delta is used to identify strengths (+) of a particular
process as well as opportunities for improvement. The
Delta (∆) is the symbol of change.
Remember, Plus/Delta works best when:
– Teacher and students are clear about the purpose and
expected outcomes of the lesson or activity.
– The focus is on improving the learning system--not on
fixing people.
– The deltas are acted upon, not ignored.
Create A Plus / Delta +/∆
INSTRUCTIONS
• Note the (+) positives you have gained as a
result of your participation in the ELA
Network.
• Note the (∆) changes you have witnessed in
yourself, your school and/or
district as a result of the
ELA network.
Remember to…
Turn in your Evaluation and
Impact Log before you leave!