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…Integrating the Best of BEST into Teaching and Learning

Christine.Sullivan@ct.gov860-713-6828

THE BEGINNING EDUCATOR SUPPORT AND TRAINING PROGRAM

Italia A. Negroni

inegroni@hartfordschools.org

860-695-8457

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Purpose of this session… To learn how the criteria for the CT

BEST portfolio are the foundation for effective teaching and learning….

…and should be integrated into the planning, instructing, assessing and reflecting of every lesson, every day

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Agenda for this session…

Quick overview of BEST

A careful look at elements of a BEST portfolio

A look into a BEST classroom with an focus on meaningful discourse

Q&A/Evaluations

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Opening brainstorm/quick write… On one side of an index card…

Do a quick-write on your perceptions of the BEST portfolio

Take 2 minutes to share your reflection in your groups…

Share out highlights

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Mission of the BEST Program

““Every Every

student is student is

taught by a taught by a

qualified and qualified and

skilled teacher”skilled teacher”

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Who participates in BEST

Initial educator certificate Interim initial educator certificate Temporary 90 day certificate DSAP* (support only) Non-renewable interim charter school*

BEST Portfolio Content Areas

Bilingual, Elem Ed, ELA, Math, Music, PE, Science, Social Studies, Sp Ed, Visual Arts, World Languages

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What to expect in terms of BEST support Year One:

District/school-based mentor/mentor team support

State Seminar one (Spring) State Online seminars (ctbest.org) Local district seminars

Year Two: Portfolio due in May District/school-based mentor/mentor team

support State Seminar Two and Three State Online seminars Local district seminars Exemplars (Online, at RESCs, in local districts)

Year Three (if necessary) Portfolio in Feb.

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Why a Portfolio? Teacher choice - time and topic

Explain conditions

Capitalize on strengths

Integrates complex process of teaching

More reasons why a portfolio:

To develop reflective practices

To improve classroom instruction

To maximize student learning

To nurture a sense of belonging to the climate and culture of the school and district

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Remember the Driving Questions… What do you want your students to learn?

What understanding do you want your students to gain?

Why do you want your students to learn that particular skill or understanding?

How will you know your students learned what you wanted them to learn? How will you know they understand the concept you taught?

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What is a Teaching Portfolio? Your portfolio is a collection of teaching documentation over time that focuses on the following elements of good teaching:

Instructional Design Instructional

Implementation

Assessment of Student Learning

Analysis of

Learning &

Teaching

StudentLearning

(The Plan Based on Data)

(The Outcome Based on Data)

(Teaching & Learning)

(The How Come Based on Data)

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Instructional Design

Expect learning not just doing from students

Explain choices and concepts

Choose the familiar and focus on the “so what”

•Your Learning Community•Lesson Design & Development•Video Boot Camp

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Instructional Implementation

What happenED (students and teacher)

Why?

Inquiry and discourse

Videotape of students thinking

Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse

Clear and High

Expectations

Academic Rigor

Conceptual Understanding

for Transfer

Meaningful Discourse

Data onStudent Work

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Assessment of Student Learning

-Assessing and Adjusting Monitoring

Assessment: assignmentcriteriahow did students know?

Student work samples WITH your comments

Check our rubric!



Formative/SummativeNot all assessment tasks are created equal

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Reflecting Interaction of

teacher behavior and student performance

Useful adjustments – NOW – not always next year

Reflecting on Commentaries

“The reflective practitioner consistently approaches

the problems of teaching in a thoughtful, curious manner

and believes that one of teaching’s main outcomes

is a greater understanding of the teaching and learning act.”

John Dewey, 1933

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What’s Quality

Student learning and progress

Big ideas or concepts

Lessons build on each other

Student inquiry

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Let’s Take a Closer Look at…

Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse

Clear and High

Expectations

Academic Rigor

Conceptual Understanding

for Transfer

Meaningful Discourse

Data onStudent Work

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Meaningful Discourse is NOT…

Merely getting students to talk!

Carefully orchestrated student talk can result in higher levels of student achievement when… Carried out within a thinking curriculum In the service of rigorous and coherent

instructional tasks

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What is meaningful discourse?

-aka Accountable Talk Accountable to the Learning Community Student Centered Student Focused

Accountable to Knowledge Clear Academic Focus

Accountable to Rigorous Thinking Coherent and Rigorous Instructional Tasks

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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words… Using your Meaningful Discourse task sheet..

Review the components of Meaningful Discourse on your task sheet

View the video

Record on your task sheet evidence of Meaningful Discourse that you see in the right hand column

Discuss in small groups

Share out highlights

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Formative/SummativeNot all assessment tasks are created equal

The session in review…

•Lesson Design & Development•Your Learning Community•Video Boot Camp

Aligning Expectations, Rigor, Discourse

Clear and High

Expectations

Academic Rigor

Conceptual Understandin

g for Transfer

Meaningful Discourse

Data onStudent Work

StudentLearning

Reflecting on Commentaries

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Some Talk Formats…

Lecture Recitation Teacher/Student Conference Student-Led Small Group Student Led Small Group with Peer

Conferencing Whole Group Discussion Stop and Talk Partner Talk

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Summary of Teacher Talk Moves…Marking That’s an important point!

Challenging Students What do you think?

Modeling Here’s what good readers do.

Recapping What have we discovered?

Keeping Channels Open What di she just say?

Keeping Everyone Together Who can repeat that?

Linking Contributions Who wants to add to that?

Verifying and Clarifying So are you saying…

Pressing for Accuracy Where can we find that?

Building Prior Knowledge How does this connect?

Pressing for Reasoning Why do you think that?

Expanding Reasoning Take your time. Say more…

Establishing Norms of Equitable Respect

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Closing reflection…

On the other side of your index card…

Do a quick-write about whether or not your perceptions of the BEST portfolio changed and why

Take 2 minutes to share your reflection in your groups…

Share out to large group…

Discussion, Q&A

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What to Expect as a New TeacherWhat to Expect as a New TeacherDevelopmental Phases of Beginning TeachersDevelopmental Phases of Beginning Teachers

  

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On the District Level Most school districts in Connecticut offer a district

orientation for all beginning teachers before school starts. This often includes meetings and/or workshops which address the following:• district coordinators’ roles;• special education topics/procedures;• classroom management;• contract issues;• time to work with mentors;• access to and use of instructional technology;• tips for the first month of school;• tour of schools, town or city;• in-classroom time; and• overview of BEST Program requirements for beginning teachers in year one and year two

While this orientation is extremely helpful, building-level orientation is also critical to a new teacher’s success. It offers an opportunity for a principal to set a tone that lets the beginning teacher see that she or he is an important resource person who supports student and teacher learning.

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On a School-Based Level Building-level orientations often include some or all of the

following:• touring the building and supplying materials;• discussing building culture/expectations;• answering beginning teachers’ questions;• meeting with mentors and beginning teachers to discuss mutual expectations/responsibilities;• offering to coordinate mentor/beginning teacher schedules so they can meet/observe each other;• setting up a schedule of times for beginning teachers to meet with the principal throughout the year (perhaps breakfast meetings or afternoon “teas”);• offering tips on how to be successful in the first month of school; and• helping beginning teachers understand how they will document their good teaching in their BEST portfolio.

(Some principals now observe beginning teachers two days in a row to help them begin to reflect on how lessons build on one another.)

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Examples of Exemplary Induction Practices Beginning teachers have at least biweekly meetings or other forms of contact with mentors or support

team members. (Required by state regulation.) District provides release time on at least eight occasions to allow beginning teachers to observe or be

observed by their mentors or support team members or for professional development-related activities. (Required by state regulation.)

All administrators attend in-district BEST Portfolio Support Training. District facilitator/master mentor coordinates monthly workshops/meetings for year one beginning

teachers and a separate series for year two teachers. Workshops are divided by elementary and middle/secondary levels.

Schools hold monthly sessions for teachers which promote reflective practice. Recognition events are held for beginning teachers/mentors. Departments or grade levels have a morning coffee club where experienced teachers share strategies

with novices. Mentors are paid for mentoring. This also provides a vehicle for accountability/quality control. Working on a BEST portfolio or assisting a teacher with development of a portfolio becomes the

teacher’s professional goal for the year. Beginning teachers not submitting BEST portfolios complete reflective journals and meet with principals. District or school-level workshops are planned around the BEST online, content-specific seminars. Conversation Points from Support Teacher Training are used to guide “mini action research projects.” Specialized training where mentors and beginning teachers work together is planned throughout the

year. Portfolio scorers provide workshops for beginning teachers and mentors on topics such as

understanding and using portfolio feedback rubrics and analyzing portfolio exemplars. Principal integrates BEST and district observations by having ongoing conversations that focus on

common expectations. Principal observes twice during one unit of instruction. Student work is used to focus on student learning

over time.  Connections are then made to portfolio expectations.

What to Expect as a New Teacher

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Why be a teacher? by Rick DuFourIf you believe it is important to help children and young men and women

acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositionsessential to productive and satisfying lives,

then be a teacher.

If you burst with passion for your subjectand want to share that passion with others,

then be a teacher.

If you appreciate a calling in which each yearoffers a fresh start, new beginnings,

and the opportunity to impact lives in a positive way,then be a teacher.

If you truly enjoy kids, if you are able to see the best in each of them,if you are willing to persist

when confronted by their recalcitrance or indifference,then be a teacher.

If you believe that an educated citizenry is critical to the well being of the nation, then be a teacher.

If you feel joy in seeing students learn to believe in themselvesbecause you helped them achieve what they felt was beyond their grasp,

then be a teacher.

If, like Henry Adams, you understand that, as a teacher,you can affect eternity

because it is impossible to tell where your influence stops,then be a teacher.

If you recognize that giving of yourself to others and developing othersCan be one of the most significant and fulfilling ways

In which to live your life,Then be a teacher.

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Whom to contact?

Check ctbest.org for your content area

Handbook lists

Teachers-in-Residence

District Facilitator and mentors