Literacy Improvement Plan for Literacy Improvement Plan for 6th Grade Math/Science6th Grade Math/Science

Presented by Packy Flynn

Parkrose Middle SchoolParkrose Middle School

813 Students281 Sixth Grade Students8 Sixth Grade Teachers4 Math/Science TeachersAverage Class Size – 35 studentsProjected Number of Incoming 5th

grade students – 275 *

Teacher QuoteTeacher Quote

One good thing about this year is that you can have confidence that it will get worse before it gets better.

DemographicsDemographics

Parkrose Middle School Ethnicity

White 37.5%

Hispanic 22%

Asian/Pacific Islander 18.6%

Black 14.5%

Multi-Racial 6.3%

American Indian 0.9%

Other 0.2%White 37.5%

Hispanic 22%

Asian/Pacific Islander 18.6%

Black 14.5%

Multi-Racial 6.3%

American Indian 0.9%

Other 0.2%

Demographics cont.Demographics cont.

Student Program EnrollmentFree and Reduced Lunch – 68.8%English Language Learner – 14.9%Special Education – 13.8%Talented and Gifted – 5.8%

Faculty InformationFaculty Information Teachers’ average years of experience - 10.7 Teachers with master’s degree - 70% Teachers meeting Highly Qualified status - 100%

1 full and 1 ½ time ELL teacher– Pull out students for one to two periods a day

3 Special Education teachers– Pull out students for one to two periods a day

1 Instruction/Literacy Coach– Job description and responsibilities to be determined

School Report CardSchool Report Card

Attendance Rate - OutstandingParticipation Rate - OutstandingAchievement Index - Satisfactory Overall School Rating - SatisfactoryAYP Status - NOT MET

School Report Card cont.School Report Card cont.

Academic Status

All Students NOT MET

Economically Disadvantaged NOT MET

Limited English Proficient NOT MET

Students with disabilities NOT MET

Asian/Pacific Islander MET

Black NOT MET

Hispanic NOT MET

American Indian/AK Native NA

White MET

Multi-Racial MET

Current Test Scores Current Test Scores for 6for 6thth Grade Reading Grade Reading

Does Nearly Not Meet Meeting Meeting Exceeding

Overall 10% 21% 53% 16%Black 24% 34% 37% 5%Multi-Racial 11% 22% 57% 10%White 3% 14% 55% 28%Special Ed. 23% 49% 23% 5%LEP 35% 35% 29% 0%

Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander data not available from OAKS

IssuesIssues

Large class sizesLack of time for planning with other

teachersHigh stress levelsNeed to implement reading and

writing strategies throughout the curriculum

Quotes from teachersQuotes from teachers

If I teach them what’s in the book and they pay attention, they’ll have no problem learning.

We need to hold students accountable for bad writing. If we set a high standard and they know that we’ll hold them to it they will improve.

As long as I don’t have to spend any extra time preparing it.

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment

HELP !!!

Current resourcesCurrent resources•Science textbook, condensed version on tape in both English and Spanish, and accompanying activities and materials on cd

•Online materials researched by teacher

•Class set of 30 Netbooks for use 1 day per week

•Supplemental book room with leveled reading materials on a variety of topics

Professional Development MenuProfessional Development Menu

2011-2012 Professional Development Menu

Cornell Notes Scaffolding Summarizing

Formative Assessments Creating

Reading Strategies Marking the Text Frayer Diagram Content area AVID strategies

Data Analysis Organizing Using to identify interventions Using to identify effective strategies

Writing

• Content area strategies

• Chunk paragraph

• District Writing Expectations

Inquiry

• Implementing Costa’s levels of questioning

• Philosophical chairs

• Socratic Seminar

Collaboration

• Think-Pair-Share

• Jigsaw

• Reading Work Samples

Technology

• Google apps

More Quotes from TeachersMore Quotes from Teachers

We’re not reading teachers. We need to have a few proven strategies spelled out for us.

We need scaffolded lessons prepared for us. Can we please just stick with the same focus for

awhile? This year I’ve become the Sheriff of Shut Up. How do we get our students to turn on their brains?

They are unwilling to think. I would like them to be able to work in pairs or in small

groups. This year they are not able to do that without getting off task.

Quotes from PrincipalQuotes from Principal

I’m not going to say worse. This year has been hard. Next year may be even harder.

We have a strong staff that can accomplish amazing things.

66thth Math Science recommendation Math Science recommendation

Endorsed by our principal and our instructional coach.

Cornell Notes – ScaffoldingCornell Notes – Summarizing

Inquiry – Levels of Questioning

Collaboration – Think/Pair/Share

66thth Math Science plan cont. Math Science plan cont.

“I don’t need her to come in and teach a lesson. I know how to teach. I want the materials that provide support for students that need it.” 6th Grade Teacher

I beg to differ!

Schedule instructional coach to co-teach a lesson at least two times this year, once in the first trimester.

Teachers will participate in 2- ½-day trainings on implementing classroom AVID/Differentiated Instruction strategies and 2- ½-day trainings on SIOP.

66thth Math Science recommendation cont. Math Science recommendation cont.

Schedule at least one class session in the library to make use of leveled reading material in the first trimester

Students learn and remember new information best when it is linked to relevant prior knowledge. (Beyer, 1991)

Begin discussions about community outreach with administrators, instruction coach and ELL teachers

Research indicates that family involvement in schools increases student achievement (Henderson & Berla, 1994; Ballen & Moles, 1994; Epstein, 1995).

Post Mortem CommentsPost Mortem Comments