Teacher Value-Added Evaluation…and how it works

with Tenure

Bettina HarrisSeptember2014 -2015

Professional Development

Start with the “foundation…”The state has named the changes to our evaluation process…”AchieveNJ”

• Primary goal is to help all New Jersey students achieve their highest potential.

• Teacher and principal effectiveness is directly linked to student success

• The new system provides educators the tools they need to achieve – multiple measures of effectiveness, several sources of input into their own evaluations, and direct connections to meaningful professional development.

After researching several models, the committee determined that the

Charlotte Danielson model was the best fit.

• Met all State criteria

• Most widely used model in NJ

• Excellent rubrics, for other staff positions as well as teachers

• Best technical support from Princeton based company

DISCLAIMER: District needed to choice a model for evaluation that fits specific needs…

* Team identified models that fit criteria* Books Team members conducted independent research on various states’ evaluation models

* Team members were sent for out-of-district workshops

And the winner is…..

What does a full teacher value- added evaluation look like? What will your

summation consist of?

Three main components;

• Teacher Practice- Evaluation

• SGO- student achievement

• SGP- student achievement

NOW…To briefly breakdown the components of our “score”

1.Teacher Practice: is measured by performance on a teacher practice instrument (Danielson)which is used to gather

evidence primarily through classroom observations.

What areas are being evaluated during an observation?

The State requires that any model that a district adopts address the following four areas:

Danielson calls these the “FOUR DOMAINS”

In a nutshell….

1. Planning and preparation

2. Classroom environment

3. Instruction

4. Professional Responsibilities

• Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) measure achievement gains within 4th through 8th grade Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics, referred to as the “tested grades and subjects.” Using the NJ ASK

• SGPs compare the change in a student’s achievement from one year to the next to that of all other students in the state who had similar historical results (the student’s “academic peers”).

• For teachers of tested grades and subjects, SGP counts for 30 percent of the overall evaluation rating.

2. Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs)

• In addition, Teachers set Student Growth Objectives (SGOs) for their students at the start of the year and are assessed on whether those objectives are met at the end of the year. National, state, or district-developed assessments should be used where available to identify the measurable goals for each objective. Teachers also may use collaboratively developed assessments for SGOs, including portfolios of student work.

• Teachers of non-tested grades and subjects are required to set at least two SGOs; a teacher’s ability to meet or exceed his or her SGOs counts for 15 percent of the overall evaluation.

• Teachers of tested grades and subjects are required to set at least one SGO; a teacher’s ability to meet or exceed his or her SGO(s) counts for 15 percent of the overall evaluation.

3. Student Growth Objectives (SGOs)

• All New Jersey teachers earn one of four ratings:

• Highly Effective

• Effective

• Partially Effective

• Ineffective.

• Teachers rated Ineffective or Partially- Corrective Action Plan

• To maintain tenure, all teachers (regardless of hire date) have to continue to earn a rating of Effective or Highly Effective….

Summative Rating

Tenure Reform…• LINKS: TEACHER TO EFFECTIVENESS

• Hired after the August 6, 2012

• There is no longer board discretion for earlier tenure.

• 4 years

• First year- does not count towards

• Must be deemed effective or highly effective for the next 2/3 years• Tenure granted

• Hired prior to August 6, 2012

• Keeping Tenure is something that needs to be worked for…

• Non-tenured teachers will have three required observations each year.

• This includes two long observations and one short observation in the first two years of employment and one long and two short observations in the third and fourth years of employment.

• Multiple observers are required.

• Tenured teachers will have three required observations each year.

• This includes three short observations, and while it is not required that short observations be announced, at least one of the three observations must have a pre-conference.

• Multiple observers are recommended.

Observation

ALARMING statistics…

“Forty-four percent of American 4th grade students cannot read fluently, even when they read grade-level stories aloud under supportive testing conditions.”

-National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Pinnell et al., 1995

“21 million Americans can't read at all, 45 million are marginally illiterate and one-fifth of high school graduates can't read their diplomas.”

-Department of Justice, 1993

“37 percent of fourth graders and 26 percent of eighth graders cannot read at the basic level; 26 percent of twelfth graders cannot read at the basic level. That is, when

reading grade appropriate text these students cannot extract the general meaning or make obvious connections between the text and their own experiences or make

simple inferences from the text. In other words, they cannot understand what they have read. “

-National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003

Essentials of Reading Instruction• Learners need teachers who demonstrate what it means to

live literate lives

• Stretches of time to read

• Opportunities to read high- interest, accessible books of their own choosing

• Talk in response to texts

• Instruction that is tailored to their specific strengths and needs, as well as extra time and help

Previously Implemented Instructional ApproachesDEAR time (Drop Everything and Read)

Whole Group Instruction

Literacy Centers

Work Stations

Guided Reading

Reading Groups

Questions I Pondered… When can I individualize instruction or work with

small groups without interruptions?

How do I allow more opportunities for student-selected reading at their independent reading level?

How to create my reading instruction to allow more student talk?

How to engage my students with reading in a way that keeps them motivated?

Journey begins at Balanced Literacy… What is it…or what will it be from now on?

Balanced Literacy

Readers Workshop

Writer’s Workshop

Read Aloud

Word Study

What is Readers’ Workshop?• A learner-center approach to teaching

• The workshop format emphasizes the importance of student engagement, interaction, connection and allows for authentic learning to occur.

• Organized and managed system of implementing authentic learning opportunities.

• Allows time for read-alouds, mini-lessons, real reading, student choice, social interactions, and reader’s response opportunities

PURPOSE: Readers’ Workshop fosters independence among all readers while effectively utilizing reading strategies.

Reader's Workshop

Read Aloud

+MINI

Lesson

Independent Reading Time and Small Group Meeting

Time

CLOSINGPartner/ Group Share

Teacher Read-Aloud• Approximately 10-15 minutes

• Teacher or student can select the text ( mentor texts)

• Teacher models reading strategies

• Teacher scaffolds fluency (accuracy, prosody, and automaticity)

• Numerous “Turn and Talk” opportunities throughout the reading

Purpose: Helps promote a community of readers and allows modeling opportunities

• Mini-Lessons are brief teaching opportunities (approximately 10 minutes or less)

• Types of Mini-Lessons: strategy and skill

Organization of Mini-Lessons:

a) Connection (mini-lesson makes a connection with ongoing units, students, experiences, etc.)

b) Teaching Point (model or verbally present lesson focus)

c) Active Engagement (Children have an active role in understanding teaching point)- Anchor Chart

Mini Lesson

Reading IDR and Responses• READING:

Is the focus of Readers’ Workshop

Establishes the reading block as valued and quiet reading time

Self selected texts to practice mini lesson strategies

Should include independent reading time which can transform into partner reading

Teacher will be leading groups and/or conferencing

• RESPONSE:

You may want your students to keep a readers’ response journal to reflect on the story’s setting, characters, synthesize questions, and make connections with the text.

Conferencing• Teachers are conferring with individuals, partners, or

small groups during independent reading and response time.

• Conferences allow time for the teacher to clarify the text for students, encourage connections with the text, assess student comprehension, and individualize instruction.

• Teachers perform on-going assessments during the reading block.

• Approximately 5 minutes

• Classmates get the opportunity to hear what others are reading.

• Students verbalize connections with the text, make recommendations and talk about parts of a story that they enjoyed, disliked, found interesting, or confusing.

• Teacher closes the session with reinforcement

• PURPOSE: helps beginning readers feel a sense of belonging in a community of readers

Share and Closing

Video Clip• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgN2WUMW6zM

Lucy Calkins is the Founding Director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia

University’s Teachers College

Guiding Principles/ Big Ideas

Teach Reader NOT the book

Growing readers that are expected to choose their own books in which are considered “just-right books.”

Readers create a READING LIFE

Readers have daily opportunities to talk about their books

Readers don’t just read the words they also understand.

Readers’ work in the independent reading workshop is replicable outside the classroom

Collins, K. (2004). Growing Readers: Units of Study in the Primary Classroom. Stenhouse Publishers.

How will this benefit your practices? Research says…

• “Children can read their just-right books with fluency, comprehension, and at least 90-95 percent accuracy” (Calkins 2010).

• “Readers’ Workshop is one example of a structure used in classroom literacy instruction that builds on connections made between students’ backgrounds and experiences” (Taylor 2000).

• “Makes time for quality interaction with all students; addresses the needs of all students, and gives students the chance to voice opinions” (Bryan 1999).

• Flexible format for the teacher

• Reading becomes valued, meaningful, achievable, and fun for students of all ability levels

• Students have time for real reading

• Teaches students how to be lifelong readers

How does Readers’ Workshop meet the needs of all learners?

• “When children read independently during independent reading workshop, they read just-right books, which are books that match their independent reading levels” (Collins 2004).

• Texts are student-selected

• Student talk and reading responses are authentic

• Readers’ Workshop allows for opportunities for individualized instruction with the teacher

READERS’ WORKSHOPo Implementation will occur in the Fall of 2014

o Remember we are changing the WHOLE school; creating a culture…this WILL TAKE TIME!

o We will begin attending professional development opportunities monthly within our grade level teams

Materials Needed…• Leveled and diverse classroom library, easily accessible to

students

• Storage bins or baskets for leveled texts

• Tote bags, tubs, gallon-size baggies, or magazine files for each student’s “just-right” books

• Furniture to create a comfortable “reading corner”

Classroom Context• Should be an inviting, warm, and welcoming environment

• Classroom context should be safe, consistent, and non-threatening

• Print-rich classroom, easy-access to materials, group meeting area, and a talk-rich classroom

• Ideas: carpet squares, bean bags, stuffed animals, couches, rocking chairs, and ambient lighting

ConclusionI hope you have Enjoyed Session 1!

Get excited and ready to embark…we have hit the ground running with readers workshop!

THANK YOU!Homework:

1. Begin thinking about personal goals

2. Begin thinking about classroom arrangement

References• Bryan, J.W. (1999) Readers Workshop in a Kindergarten Classroom. The Reading Teacher, 52(5),

538-540.

• Calkins, L., Tolan, K., Ehrenworth, M., & Heinemann (Firm : Portsmouth, N.H.). (2010). Units of study for teaching reading, grades 3-5: A curriculum for the reading workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

• Collins, K. (2004). Growing Readers: Units of Study in the Primary Classroom. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.

• Taylor, S.V. and Nesheim, D.W. (2000) Making Literacy Real for “High-Risk” Adolescent Emerging Readers: An Innovative Application of Reader’s Workshop. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(4), 308-318.

Statistics

• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Pinnell et al., 1995

• Department of Justice, 1993

• -National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003