13 Student Engagement Walkthrough Checklist OBSERVATIONS Very High High Medium Low Very Low Positive Body Language Students exhibit body postures that indicate they are paying attention to the teacher and/or other students. Consistent Focus All students are focused on the learning activity with minimum disruptions. Verbal Participation Students express thoughtful ideas, reflective answers, and questions relevant or appropriate to learning. Student Confidence Students exhibit confidence and can initiate and complete a task with limited coaching and can work in a group. Fun and Excitement Students exhibit interest and enthusiasm and use positive humor. PERCEPTIONS Very High High Medium Low Very Low Individual Attention Students feel comfortable seeking help and asking questions. Question to Ask: What do you do in this class if you need extra help? Clarity of Learning Students can describe the purpose of the lesson or unit. This is not the same as being able to describe the activity being done during class. Questions to Ask: What are you working on? What are you learning from this work? Meaningfulness of Work Students find the work interesting, challenging, and connected to learning. Questions to Ask: What are you learning? Is this work interesting to you? Do you know why you are learning this? Rigorous Thinking Students work on complex problems, create original solutions, and reflect on the quality of their work. Questions to Ask: How challenging is this work? In what ways do you have the opportunity to be creative? Performance Orientation Students understand what quality work is and how it will be assessed. They also can describe the criteria by which their work will be evaluated. Questions to Ask: How do you know you have done good work? What are some elements of quality work? Overall Level of Student Engagement International Center for Leadership in Education
14 Improving Student Support for Learning Supportive Behaviors ways teachers act and interact with students to positive learning support and good relationships. Showing Respect Being There Active Listening Frequent Contact Encouragement Avoiding Put Downs Displaying Student's Work Writing Encouraging Notes Identifying Unique Talents and Strengths Celebrating Accomplishments Serving as a Role Model Using One-on-One Communication Encouraging Students to Express Opinions Ideas Creating Inviting Classroom Climate Exhibiting Enthusiasm Using Positive Humor Students Praising Peers Supportive Initiatives school initiatives that contribute to positive learning support and good relationships. Character Education Beginning of the Year Student Social Activities Team Building Mentoring Rewards, Recognition, Incentives Student Advocacy Advisement Program Peer Mediation Students as Teachers Family, Community, Business Partnerships Service Learning Extra and Co-curricular Activities Sports Programs Supportive Structures major organizational changes that contribute to learning support and good relationships. Small Learning Communities Alternative Scheduling Team Teaching Teacher Continuity ( multi-age, looping) School-based Enterprises Professional Learning Communities International Center for Leadership in Education
15 REFLECTING ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Purpose The following ten checklists are useful for staff and school leaders to reflect on the characteristics necessary for high levels of student engagement. These checklists cover many areas of school culture and teacher practice. Reflecting on the checklists will be useful in conversations on how to improve student engagement and in identifying areas of strength and areas in need of improvement. Procedure The checklists may be used individually to review one aspect of engagement, or they may be used as a group to complete a more comprehensive reflection on school culture and student engagement. The lists are designed for teacher leader teams to reflect on school characteristics. They are best used by a group. The group should read each items and reach consensus as to the rating. After reviewing the entire list, the group can then focus on those characteristics that are lowest rated and begin conversations on how school improvement practices can address each characteristic. The checklists should be reviewed periodically to measure progress. Relationships Checklist Definitely Partially No 1. The teachers exhibit behaviors that indicate care and concern about students. 2. The teachers call students by name. 3. The teachers are familiar with the school community and surrounding neighborhood. 4. The teachers take an interest in students education plans and future goals. International Center for Leadership in Education
16 Definitely Partially No 5. Students have opportunities to ask teachers questions about what they are learning. 6. The teachers talk with parents regularly, including providing positive feedback on student work. 7. The teachers are willing to provide extra help. 8. The teachers treat students with respect. 9. The teachers pay attention to all students, not just to the top students. 10. The teachers make students feel that they belong (are accepted and liked) at school. 11. The teachers talk with his or her students in settings outside of class. 12. Students feel comfortable enough to ask their teachers questions. 13. The teachers trust students. 14. Students work well in groups. 15. Students treat other students with respect. 16. The teachers expect students to do their best at all times. 17. Students feel supported by their teachers. 18. Classroom interactions reflect collaborative working relationships among students and between teacher and students. 19. The teachers frequently talk to other students outside of class. International Center for Leadership in Education
17 AERIE Academy Two Week Suspended Curriculum Social Studies English Math Science Common Assessment Common Assessment Common Assessment Common Assessment Student Handbook Managing Emotions Decision Making Goal Setting FCAT Explorer Positive Communication Maximizing Life / Minimizing Stress Bonding & Relationships Assertiveness Respect for Self Addiction Drug Free Study Skills Success Profiles Team Building Study Skills Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach FL Building Blocks for Success A, B, C, I, F I Contracts Honors Contract Proficiency vs. Seat Time Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach FL
18 Improving Student Engagement Habits Habits are the practices routines and procedures that teachers create for students to provide effective and efficient instruction. Directions: Reflect and brainstorm on school practices that would improve student engagement. In the Have Now column, list any current initiatives that relate to the category of habits. In the Need column, brainstorm any new initiatives that would enhance students acquiring habits. In the How column list how this need might be met, where and when it could be taught and who is responsible. Have Now Need How Arriving and Leaving School - including tardiness During School Movements - lunch, passing classes Events - pep rallies, assemblies, sporting events and other group events Classroom Practices
19 Improving Student Engagement Fundamental Skills Skills such as study habits, group discussion or even social skills need to be addressed before students can be fully engaged in classroom instruction. Directions: Reflect and brainstorm on school practices that would improve student engagement. In the Have Now column, list any current initiatives that relate to the category of fundamental skills. In the Need column, brainstorm any new initiatives that would enhance students acquiring fundamental skills. In the How column list how this need might be met, where and when it could be taught and who is responsible. Have Now Need How Personal Skills - self management, goal setting, handling stress, decision making, addictions Social Skills - social awareness, social facility, respect, relationship building Teamwork Skills - team building, working in groups, group communication Study Skills - note taking, memorization, keeping to-do lists, organizing and planning
20 Creating a Grading Scheme for High Rigor/High Relevance Part 1. Read the following grading practices. Check five of the following that you believe should be used as part of a grading scheme to move toward high rigor/high relevance instruction. Have a minimum grade, such as 50 Drop the lowest quiz grade for a marking period Allow students to raise grades by retesting Give bonus points for difficult questions Quadrant D projects should be at least 50% of grade Include a grade for a performance task each grading period Give grades for good behavior Use contracts for requirements for students to earn an A grade. Use incomplete or I for student work that does not meet minimum expectations Place at least one Quadrant B or C test question on every test Grade daily work habits Base a student grade on the highest and best work, rather than an average of all work Count all grades equally Require all students to pass Quadrant A work before allowing them to do Quadrant D work Give students optional ways to show proficiency Give separate grades for knowledge (quizzes) and performance (projects) Have students contract for the grades they which receive Grade on a curve with average performance a grade of C or B Use narrative feedback rather than letter or numerical grades Grade routine homework Use a four point scale (1=below proficiency, 2=approaching proficiency, 3=proficient and 4= exceeds proficiency Give extra points for Quadrant B,C or D work Have students grade each others work Part 2. Discuss with your group the grading practices above and agree on which grading practices should be used to create a grading scheme consistent with raising student learning to high rigor/high relevance International Center for Leadership in Education
21 Rigor and Relevance Influence Grades State Standards Building Blocks for Success A,B,C,I,F KNOWLEDGE A, B, C, I, F I Contracts Honors Contract Proficiency vs. Seat Time A,B,C,I,F Homework Tutorials Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach FL Values Defining A - B - C - I - F A - B - C - I - F only applies to the grades assigned to student performance at the end of a nine weeks marking period. Students earning 70% - 100 % or less than 60% will receive the grade earned as reflected in the Palm Beach County Grading Scale. What is an I? Grade assigned to students at the end of the nine weeks marking period if their cumulative average falls between 60-69%. Students are given task(s) to demonstrate their understanding of the skills taught within the marking period. If the student demonstrates proficiency of the skills taught through the task(s), then the student earns an appropriate grade as determined by the teacher ( A - B - C). Practices that inhibit learning Grading first efforts Inconsistent grading scales Inconsistent grading criteria Zero grades without further makeup opportunities Preconceptions about student abilities Grade based on behavior, attendance and effort Using grades for rewards or punishment Seat time vs. proficiency Dr. Robert Lynn Canady Good Grading Practices Grades should be based on individual proficiency not group work Use separate systems for grading behavior Use incomplete rather than zeros Use systems that reflect the highest level of learning Move toward more performance assessments Use a proficiency scale rather than percentages
22 SAMPLE I CONTRACT To the parent/guardian of : As a student in the Atlantic Community High School in 11 th /12 th Intensive Reading, your child,, is expected to perform at a level which merits a grade of C or better on the report card in each course. This letter is to inform you that your child has failed to meet the requirements for achieving such a grade in one or more of his/her classes. He/she has received a grade of I, which stands for Incomplete. It is important to note that I s will automatically become F s if the student does not complete all make-up requirements within a certain period of time. There is a specific procedure associated with removing grades of I from the student s record; see the checklist below for the requirements. Please recognize that the responsibility for completing this checklist belongs to the student and his/her parent or guardian. Thank you for your support. Feel free to contact your child s teachers at (561) 243-1500. Sincerely, 11 th /12 th Intensive Reading Teachers 1. Parent letter returned and signed. Complete Date/time: 2. After-school tutoring in media center Tues/Wed. Complete (Requires signed check-in sheet.) 3. Completed ALL work assigned by teacher(s). Complete 4. Completed within appropriate timeframe. Complete (1 I 2 weeks; 2 I s 3 weeks; 3 or more I s 4 weeks) Please return a copy of this letter signed to indicate that you understand the process. Signature Date
23 I Contract Make up Work Intensive Reading- 11th/12th grade Due date: All requirements must be met by the due date for a grade change to occur. REQUIREMENTS: Proficiency must be met in the following areas: o Main idea/identifying relevant details o Author s purpose/author s point of view o Context clues how to use the clues to find meaning of unknown words o Distinguishing between figurative and literal language o Cause and effect relationships o Compare/Contrast relationships o Reading informational text (graphs, charts, maps) o Search and Destroy test taking techniques (PREVIEW, MARKING TEXT, CHUNKING, and MARGINAL NOTE-TAKING) o Test taking strategies (Eliminating, paragraph labels, identifying question types) o Drawing conclusions/inferences o Vocabulary strategies (How to break a word apart) o Reference and research skills (evaluating and analyzing information) o Writing skills responding to literature o Endurance in a passage Possible Assignments: o Portfolio o Create a video to demonstrate proficiency o Create an assessment test with an answer key o Utilize NHS tutoring o Newspaper activity Use the newspaper to practice skills o Practice skills in a reading passage o Create a game utilizing your weaknesses o Create your own newspaper o Oral demonstration of proficiency o Reading logs o Utilizing Q-cards to create questions o Utilize technology programs providing documentation (Princeton Review, FCAT explorer)
16 How People Learn Best Best Practices For Learning (Brandt, 1998) 1. What students learn must be personally meaningful. What ideas do you have for making this happen in your classroom? 2. What students learn is challenging, and they accept the challenge. 3. What students learn is appropriate to their developmental level. 4. Students can learn in their own way, have choices, and feel in control. 5. Students use what they know to construct new knowledge. 6. Students have opportunities for social interaction. 7. Students get helpful feedback 8. Students acquire and use strategies. 9. Students experience a positive emotional Climate. 10. The environment supports the intended learning. Other Thoughts: Adapted from: Brandt, R. (1998) Powerful Learning Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
24 Sustaining Rigor, Relevance and Rela<onships by Focusing on Learner Engagement Sharing Student Engagement Prac<ces: Here is an opportunity to share best prac1ces. Think of a highly engaging instruc1onal ac1vity you have recently seen or done. Answer the following ques1ons. What Subject? What Grade Level? What made this so engaging? Check all that apply. High Relevance High Rigor Students Well Prepared Personaliza<on Posi<ve Rewards Ac<ve Learning Rehearsed Student Habits Unique Classroom Describe the work students were doing? Describe specific teacher performance that contributed to high engagement? Describe procedures that specifically benefit special needs students or English Language Learners? Contact for addi<onal informa<on (Name, School, Email, Phone)
Chapter 9 Personal Portfolio Action Planning Form Identified Objective: What do you plan to accomplish? Actions to be Taken: What do you plan to do? Who will do this? By When? Data to Measure Effectiveness: What will be different and how will you know? INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION 445