What We Teach, How We Teach

(Focus--Chapters 1 and 2)

Where Schools FailWhere Schools Fail

Failure linked to 3 things:A. Failure to implement a Common Curriculum

B. Failure to implement sound lessons

C. Failure to utilize Authentic Literacy

Simplicity, Clarity, Priority

Jim Collins—“the key is not innovation, it is ‘simplicity and diligence’ applied with fierce devotion to our highest priorities.”

Not Jim Collins

What we TeachWhat we Teach

Coherent Curriculum: A. # of power standards should not exceed ½ of totalB. Are the standards meaningful?

Structurally sound lessonsA. Appealing?B. Provide for re-teaching?C. Standards-based?

Authentic Literacy:A. Purposeful and argumentative—reading, writing and

speaking

Power of Simplicity, Clarity and Priority Power of Simplicity, Clarity and Priority

a.k.a. The Hedgehog Testa.k.a. The Hedgehog Test

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and Hedgehogs writes:

“To succeed…we must ‘attain a piercing clarity about how to produce the best long-term results, and then exercise the relentless discipline to say, ‘No thank you’ to opportunities that fail the Hedgehog test.” –Jim Collins

The Hedgehog principle in real life:The Hedgehog principle in real life:

Football team wins with simplicity

Hospital stays healthy by washing hands?

ClarityClarity

“If you can do nothing else…be clear”

o Best Buy—reduced product line to 50%o Whole class lessons focused on a clear

learning objective in short instructional chunks

Guided practice and formative assessment

What We TeachWhat We Teach

Adequate amount of essential subject are content, concepts and topics.

Intellectual/Thinking Skills

Authentic Literacy

A Truly Universal A Truly Universal EducationEducation

ACT study—90% overlap between needs of workers and those who attend college.

Prepare all students for a successful life—College vs. No-College debate doesn’t concern us.

Develop skills for meaningful life—reading, writing, thinking, speaking.

Education Demands:Education Demands:

“The 21st century demands that all students can ‘read, write and cipher…think, solve problems…draw upon a rich vocabulary based on deep understanding of language and the human condition.”

Timeless skillsTimeless skills

Are students asked to read and resolve “conflicting views” to exercise judgment?

Are we producing problem solvers?

Teach content before we critique

“The ability to analyze and think critically requires extensive factual knowledge…facts must be taught, ideally in context…” – Willingham

Literacy is crucial!Literacy is crucial!

According to Vince Ferrandino and Gerald Tirozzi: “Under-developed literacy skills are the number one reason why students are retained, assigned to special education, given long-term remedial services and why they fail to graduate from high school.”

Marc Tucker, author and founder of the Carnegie Task Force On Teaching as a Profession, “recommends a broad liberal arts curriculum that includes ‘a very high level of preparation in reading, writing, and speaking.’”

Textbooks!? Asking penetrating questions

Questions and Texts:Questions and Texts:

A good text and a questionA good text and a question

Teach them to read deeply through well-formed Teach them to read deeply through well-formed questionsquestions

““Literacy is integral to what and how we teach; Literacy is integral to what and how we teach; it’s the spine that holds everything together and it’s the spine that holds everything together and ties content together in every subject.” ties content together in every subject.” (Schmoker, 37).(Schmoker, 37).

Best teaching = good question(s) and good Best teaching = good question(s) and good text(s)text(s)

Conley’s Conley’s 5ish “Standards for 5ish “Standards for

Success”Success”

1.1. Read to infer/interpret/draw Read to infer/interpret/draw conclusionsconclusions

2.2. Support arguments with evidenceSupport arguments with evidence

3.3. Resolve conflicting views encountered Resolve conflicting views encountered in source documentsin source documents

4.4. Solve complex problems with no Solve complex problems with no obvious answerobvious answer

5.5. Prepare students to write 3-5 page Prepare students to write 3-5 page paperspapers

Success in the Success in the Language Arts:Language Arts:

Reduce standards by 50%A. “highest achieving countries teach

fewer than half of the standards that we teach” (44).

Tempe Prep AcademyA. Charter in Phoenix, AZB. Close, analytic reading; monthly

formal writing assignments; and daily Socratic discussions where students debate, resolve conflicting view points and draw their own conclusions.

C. Scores skyrocketed!

Guide to selecting Guide to selecting standards:standards:

Decide on a reduction target

Criteria for deciding—A. ENDURANCE—will standard provide students with

knowledge beyond test date?

B. LEVERAGE—will the standard provide knowledge and skills that are of value in multiple disciplines?

C. READINESS FOE NEXT LEVEL—will the standard provide knowledge and skills necessary in next level of education?