AND
BEYOND
A GUIDE TO
CONTINUOUS LEARNING
In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned
find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer
exists.
FORWARD
Bell-to-Bell and Beyond is produced to aid teachers in achieving
high student performance. The concept of
bell-to-bell instruction comes from Effective Teaching Practices where it is
referred to as time on task. This manual
is a document outlining the District expectations regarding teacher/student
interaction, curriculum alignment, instructional strategies, analysis of test
data, staff development and campus and district planning.
Curriculum and instruction are the heart and soul of
education. Without properly aligned
curriculum, skillful instruction, and in-depth analysis of assessment results
students cannot progress and be academically competitive. Students cannot grow in their social and
academic success unless they are taught in a positive, caring environment that
preserves and builds their dignity. None
of this can be accomplished with high levels of success without continued staff
development and careful planning. To
accomplish these goals requires the diligence, dedication, and motivation for
all staff and students to work bell-to-bell and beyond.
To achieve the goals of aligned curriculum, excellent instruction,
constant analysis of student progress, and the maintenance of a positive,
motivating environment the Cuero ISD promotes excellence in the following
areas:
Student development
Curriculum Alignment
Student performance
Teacher development
School structure and
planning
All information in these areas is given in small “chunks” of
information so teachers can easily retain the information in working
memory. All information is given with
the goal of decreasing complexity and increasing efficiency. To do this requires consistency in the area
listed above.
Variance reduces productivity, consistency enhances productivity.
W. Edwards Deming
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
The
The
Cognitive Domain - The area that embodies what is to be learned
and the thinking/reasoning that accompanies it.
The
Affective Domain - The establishment of a healthy self-esteem
that leads behavior to fit within societal expectations.
The
Learning Environment - The establishment of a learning environment
that promotes rapid progress.
Each of the areas listed above have components that are applied in
the classroom to promote total-quality education. These are summarized as follows:
Cognitive Domain: The levels of Bloom’s taxonomy have been
modified into three areas to parallel the student expectations as listed in the
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
These three areas also parallel the structure of knowledge as proposed
by H. Lynn Erickson. These are:
All TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) have been
“unpacked” into their components and label as knowledge, skills, or
concepts. Each of the levels requires a
distinct teaching scenario that moves a teacher from didactic teaching
(knowledge) to coaching (skills) to being a facilitator (concepts).
Affective Domain: The
Promoting an educational environment in which students experiences
lead to the development of these three perceptions directly impacts 22 of the
Developmental Assets and indirectly impacts seven. Teacher activity and
interaction can either build or block the development of these perceptions.
Mistakes are opportunities to learn.
Jane Nelson
BUILDING
SELF-RELIANT, SELF-DISCIPLINED STUDENTS
STEP
1
The teacher attempts to set the learning environment so that each
day a student sees himself/herself as being:
Capable -
Students having success at a reasonably challenging task, being acknowledged
for performance, and being acknowledged for effort.
Significant - having a positive interaction with a teacher
or administrator, making a contribution in class or to the school, given a
meaningful role, are listened to, and are taken seriously.
Having Influence - Positive or negative
consequences are largely a matter of decision.
The teacher builds a positive relationship with students, allows student
input, and helps students analyze events and consequences.
The three perceptions listed are a result of experience. The perceptions are enhanced through a
reflective process based upon their analysis of an event. When students have
positive experiences in these areas their discipline, confidence, and self-esteem
improve positively.
STEP
2
The teacher avoids actions that are blockers of positive
perceptions and uses actions that are builders.
Being
ignored by a significant person (teacher).
Assuming
- Don’t forget to take your coat
Rescuing
- You forgot your lunch money, so I brought it for you.
Directing
- Pick up your shoes.
Expecting
- Why couldn’t you make an A? Your
sister did.
Adultisms
- You know better than that. What is
wrong with you?
Dialogue
with a significant person (teacher).
Checking - It is cold
outside. What do you need to stay comfortable?
Exploring - I am sorry you
missed your lunch. What could you do so this won’t happen again?
Encouraging/inviting - I
would appreciate any help you could give me in straightening up the room.
Celebrating
- I appreciate the effort you made to learn this.
Respect
- What is your perception of what happened?
STEP
3
Only after positive perceptions are being built can you
effectively teach the following four categories of skills.
Intra-personal
skills - The ability to understand personal emotions, to use that
understanding to develop self-discipline and self-control, and learn from
experiences.
Interpersonal
skills- the ability to work with others and develop friendships through
communicating, negotiating, sharing, empathizing, and listening.
Systemic
skills - The ability to respond to the limits and consequences of
everyday life with responsibility, adaptability, flexibility, and integrity.
Judgmental
skills - The ability to use wisdom and to evaluate situations according
to appropriate values.
Avoiding the blockers listed in step 2 and using the builders
helps the student develop the skills listed here.
Addressing the three perceptions directly impacts twenty-two of
the developmental assets.
The lack of motivation is often mentioned as the primary cause of student failure. Teachers perceive the lack of motivation in their students as one of the major factors interfering with teaching and impeding student progress. Motivation and discipline are closely linked. Unmotivated students usually create most of the discipline problems. Lack of motivation in students is usually a result of exposure to repeated failure or a struggle for power. Teachers can do much to promote motivation in their classes by developing skills and techniques in the following areas:
These elements are closely related to the elements of proactive
discipline. The discipline and
motivation elements listed here are selected because they:
The first line of defense against classroom disruptions and a lack
of motivation is the application of sound teaching strategies to meaningful
learning in a high challenge, high success environment.
Learning Environment: The Cuero Independent School District
acknowledges the learning environment as key to student learning and
success. The emphasis is on the
development of a learning environment that maximizes the students’ capacity to
learn. While many components comprise
the students’ learning environment, particular emphasis will be placed upon the
following areas:
The area of learning environment encompasses a broad range of
information provided by brain research.
Therefore, it is an area requiring continual study and growth by each
teacher and administrator.
The three areas listed above and the components of these areas are
designed to be proactive procedures leading to decreased discipline problems,
increased motivation, and an enhanced learning environment. Continued practice and refinement in the
applications of these methods will be encouraged through the local staff
development process. All teachers new to
the district will receive two days of orientation that will include the
elements of curriculum and instruction.
The curriculum for the Cuero ISD is the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). All courses having TEKS will be aligned to the state curriculum with the TEKS being taught with supplementary content added as needed. The TEKS for the core areas (math, language, social studies, and science) are designed for proper content at each grade level and for vertical articulation. Therefore, teaching the TEKS produces vertical continuity as well as alignment to the tested curriculum, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Teachers are responsible for building instructional units that present the TEKS in a meaningful, coherent sequence.
All new learning must connect to prior knowledge. Without connections there will be no
learning.
Renata and Goefrey Cain
ANALYSIS OF THE TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Teachers are required to study the TEKS and “unpack” them to become familiar with the content of each student expectation. This process requires a rewriting of the TEKS so each component of a student expectation is listed as a separate statement. Each “unpacked” component of a TEKS statement needs to be taught and assessed to determine students’ competencies and progress.
ALIGNMENT TO THE TEXAS ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS (TAKS)
Alignment to the TAKS will be accomplished in two ways. First, the TEKS will be aligned to the
objective tested. Secondly, the
questions of the released test will be aligned to specific components of the
“unpacked” TEKS. An analysis using TAKS
questions aligned with the unpacked TEKS and an item analysis of student
answering patterns will be used to adjust instructional strategies and test
taking strategies.
DEEP ALIGNMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL PARALLELISM
The process proposed here and the complete analysis of student productivity on the TAKS produces 100% alignment with the test. The utilization of item analysis of released tests, as well as the study of the TEA information booklets will provide a means of creating instruction that parallels the expectation of the test. Research results (English, 2001) show this as the means of closing performance gaps between ethnicities and income groups. To parallel the TAKS, students must gain understanding of the content and critical thinking skills related to the subject tested. The instruction must emphasize the building and application of ideas.
Facts do
not lead to thinking. Thought is a
conceptualizing process.
Lee
Hannel
EXTENDING THE CURRICULUM BEYOND THE TEKS
To focus all instruction on the TEKS and TAKS results in depriving some students of their full potential for learning. For those students who have TAKS scores of 85 or higher, additional instruction above the TEKS is needed. These students need higher level of challenge that lead to increased ACT and SAT scores as well as a broader, more in-depth understanding of the subject matter.
The goal of the Cuero ISD is to achieve and maintain exemplary
status. Additionally, we expect to
achieve high performance from all students in state and local assessments of
the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
To accomplish this all teachers must know the TEKS, know the test, know
the students, and know how to teach the knowledge, skills, and understanding
being assessed.
The keys to success are:
Intimate
with what needs to be done
Focused on how to get it
done
Relentless
to make sure it does get done
John A. Hall
KNOW THE TEST
Step 1: The teacher will know the objectives
tested and how they are tested.
All teachers will have copies of the TEKS as published by the
Texas Education Agency and a version of the unpacked TEKS. The unpacked TEKS will be correlated to the
objectives on the TAKS. All teachers
responsible for tested areas will have a copy of the TAKS Information Booklet
pertinent to the subject and grade level tested. After each test is released, all questions
will be aligned to the unpacked TEKS.
All unpacked TEKS will be listed as knowledge, skill, or concepts so
instruction can be aligned.
Step 2: The teacher will know the TEKS.
The TEKS are the scope of the curriculum and must be taught for all core areas. They are the suggested curriculum in all other areas. Although not all TEKS are tested, those that are not may be critical in understanding those that are. To achieve this knowledge, all teachers will have access to all TEKS at their grade level as well as those before and after.
KNOW THE STUDENTS
Step 1:
The teacher will know the overall performance of students.
Teachers will have access to and study the following areas in order to make adjustments in instruction.
Step 2: The teacher will analyze item responses by
group and by individual student.
Analysis of item responses for groups will follow these procedures:
Analysis of item responses for individuals will follow these
procedures:
Step 3:
The teacher will use the Texas Learning Index (TLI) scores to evaluate
student growth and to place students into effective grouping.
TLI scores give teachers a method of looking at student growth
over a period of years. It is a more
accurate indicator of growth than a pass/fail designation. For example, a student could have moved from
a TLI of 12 to 68 (56 point gain) and still fail the TAKS while another student
may have moved from 68 to 70 (2 point gain) and be passing. Obviously the first student made the most progress
during the year. TLI scores can also be
used for instruction groups, tutoring groups, or scheduling for TAKS
remediation classes. Dr. Shirley Crook
suggests the following groups:
Mastery
students (above 85 TLI) - These students are showing mastery of the
material and are successful in the present classroom setting with present
instructional strategies.
System
students (76-84 TLI) - These students will not master all
objectives, but will generally pass the TAKS under the current setting. They should be given additional maintenance
activities and review test-taking strategies.
Bubble
students (60-75 TLI) - These are the students who will pass one year
and then fail the next unless they have additional instruction in the area
tested. These students are the ones who
can be easily moved into the System Student category with practice and proper
instructional strategies. They have the
potential of giving pass rates a quick boost.
The characteristic of these students is that they need help with
elements in a few of the objectives.
Intense remediation should be provided for these elements while
maintenance activities should continue in the others.
Reteach
students (30-59 TLI) - These students have failed to achieve under
the present instructional setting and are not likely to pass without intense
remediation in all areas. They also need
alternative teaching methods such as content mastery routines and structured
direct instruction. Techniques such as
Socratic questioning will also be beneficial.
They have not been successful with initial instruction, and while
intensification of this will move some forward, it is not likely that more of
the same will move them as rapidly.
Foundation
students (Below 30 TLI) - These students have flaws and gaps in their
basic skills. They need instruction in
the fundamental knowledge, skills, and concepts of the subject.
THE STUDENTS KNOW THEMSELVES
Step 1:
The teacher will review objectives mastered and failed with each
student.
Students are given the most recent TAKS results and determine
which objective they failed to master.
Step 2:
The teacher will review item analysis with each student.
Students review individual item analysis with the teacher to
determine the kind of mistakes and misunderstandings that caused the student to
choose a wrong response.
SYSTEMATIC PLAN OF COVERAGE
Step 1:
The teacher will develop an Individual Improvement Plan with each
student.
The teachers produce an individual improvement plan with
each student based upon the disaggregated data present. The teacher and student have the same goals
in their plans and each makes a commitment to attain those goals.
While all objectives of TAKS must be constantly taught, it is
important that all components of objectives have their time in which emphasis
will be concentrated around them. In
order to accomplish this, a “calendar of TEKS taught” is produced so all
objectives are systematically covered in the depth and frequency dictated by
data disaggregation.
Step 2: The teacher will teach TAKS across all
curriculum areas.
Teachers will develop lists of vocabulary, skills, content
knowledge, and concepts that bridge several curriculum areas and reinforce
those as appropriate.
Step 3:
The teacher will periodically assess student progress.
Individual objectives are assessed at the end of the instructional
period indicated on the calendar of instruction. Released forms of previous tests are given
and results are disaggregated so students and teachers can modify the
individual instruction plan as needed.
Scoring and disaggregation is available through Region III ESC and other
agencies. Also, specific district
benchmarks of proficiency will be identified for each grade level and assessed
to determine student progress. These
district benchmarks represent the most crucial knowledge and skills needed for
success at the next grade level.
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
Experience
alone without theory, teaches management nothing about what to do to improve
quality.
W.
Edwards Deming
Foundation staff development (District wide)
Foundation staff development is comprised of those areas
addressing instruction and the instructional setting in general. They build the foundation for instructional
strategies and build continuity of instruction throughout the district. Areas of foundation staff development are:
Teaching
KSC - Differentiation of instruction for knowledge, skills, and
concepts (understanding).
Positive
Discipline/Effects of Poverty - Proactive discipline and
building developmental assets.
Critical
Thinking/Socratic Questioning - Helping students uncover
knowledge and understanding.
Effective
Teaching Practices - Lesson design, motivation, reinforcement,
practice.
Multiple
intelligences - Addresses the varied ways students learn.
Cooperative
learning - Orchestrates groups to be interdependent in learning.
Accelerated
Learning - Brain research applied to learning which sets a climate for
more rapid learning than conventional settings.
Technology
in teaching - Using computer technology to aid instruction and learning.
Instructional
Routines - Highly researched and structured routines in content
presentation to foster greater success in learning disabled and at-risk
students.
All areas listed above are coded to specific areas, teaching
strategies, and skills in the Professional Development Appraisal System (PDAS)
Application staff development (Campus and
department)
Application staff development is designed for subject area,
department, campus, or individual growth plans.
This area of staff development covers information specific to certain
curriculum areas and instructional strategies specific to them, such as:
SCHOOL
PLANNING AND STRUCTURE
SCHOOL PLANNING AND STRUCTURE
There are five components that correlate with all schools
demonstrating effectiveness in promoting high performance in students. These are:
High
Expectations - The
Bell-to-Bell and Beyond document has been designed to be a roadmap to
exemplary status. All students are
expected to achieve high scores on TAKS and to become proficient independent
learners.
Instructional
Leadership - The administration of Cuero ISD has taken the best practices of
the faculty and produced the document Bell-to-Bell
and Beyond to pass information and organizational procedures to all
teachers.
Instructional
focus - Addressed by the following areas:
Cognitive Domain
Learning Environment
Student Performance,
Monitoring/Measurement -
Addressed by the following areas:
Student Performance
Positive
school climate - Addressed by the following areas:
Affective Domain
Learning Environment
All Cuero ISD administrators will be trained in Total Quality
Management. All components of this
document are designed to support the tenets of TQM. The TQM philosophy will be
used to create an environment of Total Quality Education in the Cuero
Independent School District through utilization of the following elements.
Leadership
Leadership is the focal point for addressing how the school’s
senior leaders guide the school in setting directions, seeking future
opportunities, and building and sustaining a learning environment. The purpose of this manual is to establish
and sustain such an environment.
Strategic
Planning
Strategic Planning addresses all aspects of school-level planning
and the deployment of key educational and other mission-related requirements,
taking into account the needs of students and other key stakeholders. Through the campus and district planning
committees, the district develops its view of the future, sets directions, and
translates these directions into a clear basis for communicating, deploying, and
aligning critical requirements.
Student
Stakeholder Focus
Student and Stakeholder Focus examine how the school seeks to
understand the needs of current and future students and of its stakeholders on
an ongoing basis. The goal is to develop
excellence in customer service.
Information
and Analysis
The focus of this element is on the analysis of student
performance in order to optimize school performance. The seventeen steps in the Student
Performance section of this manual address this element in detail.
Faculty
and Staff Focus
The focus of this element is the development of a school
environment with a strong emphasis on students and learning. The Student Development area of this manual
addresses this element.
Educational
and Support Process Management
This element focuses on student and teacher support systems. These range from plant management to
instructional and counseling services.
Each support area is evaluated in terms of effectiveness in student
success and satisfaction as well as meeting the needs of other stakeholders.
School
Performance Results
The focus of this element is on the performance of students on an
overall basis as well as the performance of various student groups. Performance is evaluated and causal
connections are identified to support continuation of modification of
processes. Four areas are
considered. These are:
Student performance results (graduation rates, test score, drop
out rate, etc.)
Student and stakeholder satisfaction results (climate, curriculum,
faculty development, etc.)
Faculty and staff results (safety, absenteeism, turnover, etc.)
School - specific results (compliance, innovations, contributions
to community, etc.)
VERTICAL
TEAMING
Vertical teaming at the campus and district level will be an
integral part of improving student performance.
Vertical teams will be utilized to align all instruction and student
performance expectations to the TEKS and components of curriculum and
instruction listed in this document. The
District provides stipends for sixteen teachers to form a district vertical team. There are four representatives from each
campus with a team member from each campus representing a core curriculum
area. This team (G-16) will produce
district documents to aide teachers with TAKS preparation and align the
curriculum K-12.
CAMPUS
AND DISTRICT PLANNING TEAMS
All campus and district planning teams will utilize the Academic
Excellence Indicator system (AEIS) and compliance data in constructing
plans. All areas of AEIS must be
addressed as well as performance and compliance issues related to each program
offered. Details for campus and district
planning are given in the Campus/District planning guide. For campuses offering Title I school wide
programs the following eight components must be included.
1. Comprehensive needs
assessment of the entire school that is based on information on the performance
of children in relation to state content and student performance standards.
2. School wide reform
strategies that:
Provide opportunities for all children to meet the state’s
proficient and advanced levels of student performance
Are based on effective means of improving children’s achievement
Use effective instructional strategies that:
Increase the amount and quality of learning time, such as extended
year and before, after, and summer programs
Help provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum
Meet the educational needs of historically undeserved populations,
including females
Address the needs of all children, but particularly the needs of
children of target populations of any program that is included in the school
wide program, and address how the school will determine if these needs are
met. These programs may include
counseling and mentoring services, college and career preparation, such as college
and career guidance, services to prepare students for school-to-work
transition, and the incorporation of gender equitable methods and practices.
Are consistent with and designed to implement the state and local
improvement plans, if any, approved under Title III of Goals 2000?
3. Instruction by
highly qualified professional staff.
4. Professional
development for teachers and aides, and where appropriate, pupil services
personnel, parents, principals, and other staff to enable all children in the
school wide program to meet the state’s student performance standards.
5. Strategies to
increase parental involvement, such as family literacy services
6. Strategies for
assisting preschool children in the transition from Early Start and Even Start,
to local elementary school programs
7. Steps to include
teachers in the decisions regarding the use of assessments
8. Activities to
ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering any of the state’s
standards during the school year will be provided with effective, timely
additional assistance. Assistance may
include:
Measures to ensure that students with difficulties are identified
on a timely basis and to provide sufficient information on which to base
effective assistance
Periodic training for teachers in how to identify difficulties and
to provide assistance to individual students to the extent the school
determines it to be feasible using Title I, Part A funds
Teacher-parent conferences for any student who has not met the
standards
P.L. 103-382
All campuses and the District will utilize the Region III ESC
planning software to document the campus and district plans. Procedures for the formation of the campus
and district plans are:
Suggested
Methods
A.