Issue 52: Jun 22, 2009 Connections Newsletter

Creating Questions

Jennifer Partrick
Jun 22, 2009

One way to help students learn the language of questions is to have them practice creating questions using that language. As you teach reading comprehension strategies, it is important to point out to students the signal words that go along with each strategy. Students need to locate those words in text and use them to practice creating questions. Students should be taught how to create questions.

Imagine that your students are working on sequencing. Some signal words they may be learning are: first, next, last, before, after, in the end, finally, and after that.

Sample questions using the above signal words could be:
What happened first?
What did ........do after........?
Where was......before.........?
How does.......finally end?
Based on.....what do you think would most likely happen next?

Students can be taught to create their own questions, but they need support and guidance when learning. In addition, students can use 'question stems' from which to create their questions.

Refer to Learning to Read K-2 in the Learning-Focused Literacy Collection for more information.

Learning-Focused and the Differentiated Accountability Model

Jim Riedl
Jun 22, 2009

Learning-Focused has consistently been able to address the specific needs of states, districts, schools and teachers as they strive to raise achievement for students in all settings. One thing we have learned over the past five years is that schools across the country must deal with a broad range of state and local mandates regarding student achievement. All of these mandates are based on specific requirements and criteria.

When aware of particular needs of schools, Learning-Focused has a unique ability to address those needs with a specific, customized focus to assist school leaders with the means to raise student achievement and exceed the expectations of state and local requirements. Over the past several years school districts in multiple states have been able to attain unprecedented results using the Learning-Focused Strategies Model for Raising Student Achievement.

The Learning-Focused Strategies Model allows states, districts and schools to customize and personalize the multiple components to address their unique needs. We understand each state, district or school has to deal with their own specific situation, and, therefore, we must be able to develop an appropriate common sense approach for each and every client with whom we work. In Florida, where they have received the Differentiated Accountability Model grant from the US Department of Education, there is an immediate need to address 80 specific elements of the plan. After a careful study of the requirements of the five different levels of schools selected to participate, Learning-Focused was able to identify 56 of those elements where we can support Florida Schools in their efforts to improve learning with this initiative.

As we examined the many elements contained in the plan, it became apparent that Learning-Focused already had in place structures and strategies designed to promote increased student achievement and whole school success to meet the requirements of the Differentiated Accountability Model.

We are currently in the process of looking at the plans for all 900+ schools in the state of Florida and offering them specific solutions for how we can partner with them to reach those levels of student achievement stipulated by the Differentiated Accountability Model.

If you are already dealing with state or local mandates and would like to talk about how you can partner with a proven leader in raising student achievement, please contact us for assistance. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

What are Academic Standards?

Denise Burson
Jun 22, 2009

The standards movement in US Education was driven by two major national concerns in the early 1990s. First, students in the United States would not be able to compete in a global economy if education was allowed to be determined at each local school or district. Second, there was a significant achievement gap between minority and non-minority students. The goal of the standards movement was to assure all students would be provided with the quality education necessary to reach much higher expectations. In fact, it was said, "It was passed to institute a system to define and measure academic quality in education and thus... help the public schools ... achieve high quality and expand the life opportunities and options for all students."

The essential components of the reform movement brought about by the Standards are:

1. Set rigorous academic standards for all students.

2. Measure student progress against those standards.

3. Hold students and educators accountable for meeting them.

Academic standards are clear and precise narrative public statements about what all students should know and be able to do at each grade level throughout their school careers. Standards are designed to promote the highest possible achievement for every student by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level.

The academic standards define the learning outcomes expected for every student, regardless of their situation. The standards do not prescribe how teachers should teach in order to get the students to this level of performance but do specify exactly what students must know and be able to do. Standards provide the focus for reform efforts, and all students must reach them.

Academic content standards have the ability to provide a set of clear and rigorous expectations for student achievement. In order to achieve at the expected levels, all students need to learn more and do more complex work at all grade levels, as they progress through school. The academic content standards provide similar clarity for all teachers of what content and skills must be taught and learned at each grade-level.

Public education is a serious responsibility. The state superintendent, legislature and state departments of education are responsible to ensure all children have equal access to high quality education programs. They are also responsible to make sure all students are learning and succeeding. To do so requires clear and specific statements of what all children in each state must know and be able to do, as well as evidence that shows how well students are meeting these expectations. The academic standards also provide a foundation on which to establish a statewide assessment system.

How can we use the standards?

Students learn better in a standards driven environment because everybody is working towards the same goal.

You can use the standards to develop instruction and assessment. You can also see how well your students are doing by looking at their progress toward reaching the standards. The Learning-Focused Strategies Model is the only standards-driven model for planning w hat students need to learn in every unit, lesson, and activity.

Schools and districts can use the standards and the Learning-Focused Power Curriculum to prioritize the standards and map their local curriculum into standards driven Student Learning Maps, as well as provide related professional development for teachers.

Parents can use the standards to keep track of what their children are learning and to know what their children should be learning at any given point in time. Students can use the standards to monitor their progress towards meeting established expectations for learning. Not using the standards to determine what students are expected to learn has consequences similar to lack of clear and precise goals in any pursuit. Without clear standards, students are far less likely to reach the levels of achievement desired and deserved for everyone.