Studies
show that students will have greater interest and engagement in the
learning process when they are aware of the learning expectations
prior to the assigned activities. Conversely, the student will have
a higher level of information retention and achievement when the
teacher and student assessment of their work is related to the
previously identified goals.
To provide the Roane
County learning community (teachers, students, parents) with an
effective procedure for teaching and learning, RCS members have
developed an identifiable series of actions that will define
materials and procedures for learning:
Standard
1—Base Information.
This information
presented to students consists of two curricula: 1) The Formal
Curriculum and 2) The Informal Curriculum. The Formal
Curriculum consists of the identified material of the West Virginia
Department of Education, the West Virginia Content Standards and
Objectives and data taken from summative examinations such as
WESTEST2, DIBELS, ACT testing, etc. The Informal Curriculum includes
students and staff expectations for behavior and appearance, as well
as the culture and climate of the school facilities and
environments.
Standard 2—Delivery of Information
Teaching
is an intricate series of communications that when done correctly,
create personal growth opportunities for the receiver. It is both an
art and science. It is in Part Two-Delivery of Information—that
artistry takes place.
As
in Part 1, this section includes two components, one more formal, but
not more important, than the other. The first section is, the
informal portion, includes the personal communication methods of the
teacher. Personal communication methods include personal professional
standards such as punctuality, appearance, tone of voice, and the
interaction of the teacher to the students and the material. In this
section we will also incorporate a method of measuring student
engagement.
It must be
noted, that this section of the standard is one of the most critical
areas of successful teaching. This is where the teacher displays the
proper behaviors that promotes positive role model behaviors and
build the crucial relationships with students that allow learning to
become more than meaningful, but memorable.
The
second section, the formal section, is the strategies implemented to
give meaning and interest to the student. Strategies include the
methods used to communicate the material and tools used. It is in
this stage where communication skills--reading comprehension,
writing, numeracy and public speaking--are incorporated across the
curriculum; where the implementation of these skills and CSOs are
developed in conjunction with 21st Century Learning
concepts, Depth of Knowledge, character education, technology usage,
Standard 3—The Teaching and Retention of
Information
There are nine
identified steps in the process that takes the student through the
process of information retention and mastery. The prescribed methods
of Part Three are a pathway and guide, the scientific part of the
communication. This begins with the teacher developing lessons,
introducing the material and processing through a summative
evaluation by both the teacher and student. These steps are not
created for the purpose of teacher evaluation, but to provide a model
of expected behaviors of student and teacher that should create a
standard process for learning.
Introduction of
Purpose—The first three steps of this approach deal with
the introduction of learning objectives and personalization of the
objectives to students’ previous activities, current interests or
future career paths.
Step
1—Teachers design lessons that focus on specific information
and identified
CSOs.
Step
2—Students are given clear and specific introductions to the
information
that include meaningful applications and past experiences
with the
material.
Step
3—Teacher defines the CSO ( learning objective) usages and
explains the
activities that will be used to explore the information (including
evaluation procedures). Students give examples of previous (positive
and
negative) experiences with the learning objective.
Interaction with
Learning Materials—The next three steps of the approach
provide the students with opportunities to delve into the learning
materials in a variety of meaningful experiences.
Step
4—Students use a variety of learning materials to explore the
CSOs and set
performance goals.
Step
5—Students complete a variety of meaningful assessment
activities to
enhance learning activities from Step 4. In this step, students will
receive
positive and negative examples of work to understand what are the
expectations for their performance.
.
Step
6-- Students and teachers create meaningful formative assessment
through
specific and precise feedback of performance from Step 5.
Assessment of
Information Mastery--The final three steps provide the
teacher and student opportunities to measure the depth of information
mastery and retention.
Step
7—Using the feedback from Step 6, students revise learning
products to
display mastery.
Step
8—Previously described summative evaluations are completed by
teacher
and students.
Step
9—Students record, reflect and share on the activities of the
previous steps,
including personal strengths and weaknesses working with the CSOs.
It
is imperative that both students and teachers understand this process
and its steps. An in-depth understanding of how to approach
information and the methods of assessment will give the student a
greater role in learning process.
The
completion of these steps does not ensure all students will master
content at the same pace or level of mastery. Information mastery
is entirely dependent upon teacher delivery and levels of student
engagement. It is the successful Roane County teacher who can assess
these details while involved in the teaching process. It is also
important to note that individual CSOs are never to be taught
independent of other information, but within a meaningful context of
previously mastered information and skills in an atmosphere of
respect for the learning material and for the rights of others.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, the successful Roane County teacher is one who has the
ability to interconnect all three parts of teaching into a seamless
whole. One must understand that these three sections are not
individually independent, but three interdependent components of a
complete unit. These are not behaviors that can be instantly
achieved, but an approach that evolves through numerous attempts over
a period of time. To assist you in this, RCS administrators and
staff will spend this summer developing trainings and reflection
modules for professional development using these standards.
The
use of West Virginia Content Standards, the application of a specific
series of steps for teaching, the use of high interest strategies,
and the constant display of proper professional conduct is the
expectation for all employees of Roane County Schools. This will be
the template for all actions throughout the school year, and will be
the process we use to guide student achievement and expectations for
staff. Everything we do will be related to the development and
maintenance of these three standards. It will be monitored throughout
the year in formal and informal observations and educators who
display successful applications of the standards will be given
opportunities for reward and recognition. In our trainings, the
process will be evaluated, scrutinized and modified where necessary.
This is a living, breathing document, not a stone table of carved
instructions; modifications are to be expected through the input of
students and staff.
Glossary
21st Century
Learning-A new approach to student learning that focuses on
concept and skill acquisition using new tools and ideas.
Assessment-The
method of measuring the acquisition of skills and learning.
Formative
Assessment—assessments used during the learning process.
Summative
Assessment—Assessments used at the end of the learning
process. Ex.—Benchmarks, WESTEST
School Culture
and Climate—The overall “feel” of the school as reflected
in actions, words, activities of the students and staff.
Student
engagement—The level of student participation in leaning
activities.
Urgency-The
approach you take before, during and after to any activity.
Rigor-The
level of any undertaken activity.
Relevance-The
ability of teachers to create personal relationships between the
students and the learning concepts and activities.
Focus—The
amount of importance an educator gives concerning any activity or
idea.
Strategic
Outlook—Viewing concepts in a manner that examines worth,
value and effectiveness.
Operative
Outlook—Viewing concepts in a manner that emphasizes functions
and activities.
Digital
natives—People who have grown up and are comfortable with
“newer” information/communication technologies.
Digital
Immigrants—People who are new and uncomfortable to these
technologies.
You can Download Roane Right Now! as either a powerpoint document or a word document, just click the link below.
