We will continue to do on-demand narrative writing this year. You may remember we began this practice last year, but our EOY assessments were suspended. This year, we will add informational writing at the start of your informational unit.
See directions for on-demand writing here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HL9GDB1tl-QtTROVU1_FYiE2dCVS3SqMX3lw_snuTDY/edit?usp=sharing
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Curriculum
All curriculum including Objective Guides, Scope and Sequence, and Year at a Glance is posted to the Curriculum Website. Scroll down and log in to access staff pages. If you cannot log in, please contact your CIT. Assessments See the district Literacy Assessment Guide. New mCLASS training will be sent to all K-2 teachers. The mCLASS window will not open until after Sept. 8th. Informal assessment for individual students can begin at any time. On-Demand Writing You may remember the district began on-demand writing at the beginning of the year last year. This year we will do two sets of on-demand writing: narrative and informational. On-demand writing will happen once students return after Sept. 8th and more information will be sent soon. Book Distribution See the district plan for Book Distribution as well as a K-2 Parent Letter, 3-8 Parent Letter, and Library Guidelines. Remember, there are also digital resources such as Tumblebooks, Epic, MackinVia, and Overdrive to use. The plan, letters, and guidelines are meant to be customized by campuses to work within their overall campus plan to distribute materials. Back in August we went over our new curriculum for ELA, based on our TEKS changing this year. You may remember we have new documents on the curriculum website that include: Objective Guides Scope and Sequence Year at a Glance Curriculum Website: https://www.hpisd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1570216&type=d&pREC_ID=1698840 Click on the bottom left to log in as a staff member. I mentioned, accordance with our district Curriculum Management Plan, we would be revising these documents this year. Please take time, individually or as a team, to complete the feedback forms below (one per grade level). A small curriculum team will come together at the end of the year to revise and edit, which will take us through year 4, technically. We hope to have revisions ready by the beginning of summer so teachers have new documents ready to go when planning. Please understand that we will take into account each suggestion. If individuals or teams have differing opinions, not everyone will be able to get exactly what they want. The curriculum team will have the final decision. Remember, our adopted instructional materials are not considered curriculum. The documents on our new curriculum website are our district curriculum, which include the TEKS, Scope and Sequence, Objective Guides, and Year at a Glance. Also remember, curriculum is at a higher level than individual lesson plans, which leaves room for your professional instructional decisions based on student need. Please complete the forms by March 31. Kinder: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelAKUMIeWUnIchbBOEm9wfithrPB0TR_iLu4pSJU5hEXprTA/viewform First: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYu3tcNQEXpSZPSYOpzPWX3apBOntmFJJy0TlosGRwurk2tQ/viewform Second: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZl5DTUcc_yqZU6vZew8lOO7JyvJliRsSoanEqi3nk40HcJg/viewform Third: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc07knWXOo-sBzl1_ecHBU1kWeKKV6tx1gT8N9Vzh3EdoV3hw/viewform Fourth: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSednM-gYm5gJ1_yN9SvjkpLrUYTjnvQz6FegOGgoElGhAZ2ig/viewform Fifth: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjywfHHZauD-h8EAPYS8aEfl90DeuSb8QAPs3ICREFivsA0w/viewform Sixth: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZh1DzM77EclUDfEMAXJKo6NscPqrtZ7YsFTN377bFVGkOMg/viewform Seventh: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8vU6S_l3bfZrC_gACnl8aVpk4Z3tPxX_zMzDKsOaQsM0PUg/viewform Eighth: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIXcc2E4XQfc4IgC3_nvAc9YBISPM-4potCgNCkRrCY68RlA/viewform As you know, we are in the first year of the new TEKS (2017 adoption) implementation. There will be some changes on parts of the STAAR test this year as well as years to come. Please see below and let me know if you have questions. As noted, there is still information that has not yet been released by TEA, and new information released just over a week ago.
Reading (3-8): This year the reading tests in 3-8 will contain only crossover TEKS (the TEKS addressed in the old AND new TEKS). Many of these are what we would typically expect, such as all of the comprehension strand, parts of author’s purpose (new strand, but old SE), etc. See this page for grade specific resources such as assessed curriculum (crossover TEKS), blueprint (this has NOT changed), and performance descriptors: https://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Testing/State_of_Texas_Assessments_of_Academic_Readiness/STAAR_Reading_Resources As you read through the TEA documents, notice the dates to help sort through what is new and what has not changed. In addition to covering the crossover TEKS, we’ve been told the reading test in each grade level may contain Revising & Editing FIELD TEST questions. We assume these will be similar to the current 4th and 7th grade writing test. All reading tests will also contain reading field test questions that cover the NEW TEKS, rather than just the crossover. TEA just released the documents below to show what field tests COULD be in each grade level. Like field tests in the past, different forms of the test will contain different questions. Notice the word OR in the field test section. Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Writing (4 & 7): The writing portion of the STAAR test will be phased out completely in 2 years. We know the writing test will consist of Informational/Expository Composition and Revising & Editing multiple choice (see test design schematic, updated 1/2020). We have been told the change in title is to get teachers used to any type of Informational writing, but the next 2 years will ONLY be EXPOSITORY. You can see that TEA has “Coming Soon!” next to the assessed curriculum. We have been told that will be updated by the end of the month. You may notice the blueprints and rubrics have not been updated. Again, as with reading, notice the dates to help you navigate. https://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Testing/State_of_Texas_Assessments_of_Academic_Readiness/STAAR_Writing_and_English_I%2C_II%2C_III_Resources We recognize there are lots of new things on the table which happens with every state proclamation: new TEKS, new curriculum, new scope and sequence, new materials. It can be overwhelming!
Here are some goals to think about for year 1 of implementation District ELA Goals
What support do you need in the above? Do you have other goals for yourself or your team? Reach out with questions! Guest blogger: Liz Arras Richard Allington suggests that there are three essentials in learning to read: students must have time to read, expert instruction, and access to fascinating books. A student’s book bin (or bag) is one of the best places to look to see if students have daily exposure to a variety of high-interest, accessible books! The most important guideline for the books in individual book bins is that the books support the reading lives and development of the student. That is, we want students to have highly engaging books that they both want to read (something that is interesting to them!) and can read with a high level of accuracy, fluency and comprehension. (Note: this does not necessarily mean that students must choose books on their independent level or out of a particular bin, however, we want students to be reading books with appropriate text complexities. If the books in their bins are consistently too difficult or far too easy, the student may not get the differentiated practice they need to become a better reader). Another important point to consider is that the books in individual book bins allow students to practice the work of the unit you are in. Most units of study are genre based, with the exception of the foundational units in K-2. If students are studying characters and theme, they likely need fiction books that have dynamic characters and a theme to talk about. If they are studying main idea and supporting details, they need nonfiction books that have different text structures and features in them. We can still hold firm to the belief that students should choose the books they want to read, while also encouraging them to stay within the genre we are studying. It is important for our readers to read a variety of texts and genres and we want to give them opportunities to do so. One thing to consider is how students can carry on reading another genre outside of reader’s workshop so that they can continue to read things that interest them (say, for example, students read nonfiction in school during a nonfiction unit and continue their fiction chapter books at home). Book Shopping In book shopping, the goal is for readers to choose enough books to last through the week for both home and school reading. (Yes! Our classroom library books should be going home each night!) Consider staggering the days that students “shop” for books outside of your designated reader’s workshop block, so that four or five students are choosing books from your classroom library each day without interrupting their independent reading time. Remember, we want students to be able to read these books with and without your support, so expect that students will have some books that you’ve introduced to them or guided them to choose during shopping or in small group work, and others that they have chosen on their own. What books go in a student’s book bin? **Reading levels play a role in the number of books per bin. It only takes a few minutes to read A-I books, so children reading at this level need many more books in their book bin to keep them engaged during reading time, as opposed to those at level L-M.
What other things might go in a student’s book bin?
Research and Reflect It can be helpful to do some “research” into your students’ book bins, both on your own or alongside a student. Below are some reflection questions to think about as you peek inside their bins.
Below are some reflection questions you can ask students while in a reading conference.
One of the ways we want to support teachers and students across the district is to implement learning walks. This may sound scary at first, but we hope it will lead to continuous improvement and success for teachers and students.
First things first. Learning walks are NOT observations or walk throughs tied to evaluation, personnel files, salary or anything of the kind. They are opportunities to collect data across a campus or district for continuous improvement. The point is to analyze the data to find trends. It’s formative assessment. As data is collected, names of teachers and students will be left off and only grade levels and campuses will be recorded. FAQ Who will conduct the learning walks? It depends. Instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, principals, and teachers will make up the teams, but they will vary each time. At some point in the future, employees of other districts may take part. Usually 2-3 people will be in your room at one time. While we are in training ourselves, we may have more people in a room at one time to calibrate. What should you do if we come in? Keep doing what you are doing! Don’t switch gears. We might not even be looking at you! It could be that we are collecting data on books, furniture, or notebooks. Perhaps we are each going to ask 3 students a common question. We will be out of your room within 5 minutes. This will feel more normal over time. *If it is just not the day to come in, let us know and we will leave- no questions asked. What will happen with the data? At first, the data will be used simply to get a pulse of the district. Think of it like conference data when you pull up to a student and ask, “How’s it going?” In a similar fashion, we will use our learning walk notes to think strategically about ways to support teachers in the future. We’ll look at overall trends by grade level and/or campus. We’ll analyze the data to support teachers, rather than evaluate. Later, we might share the data with campuses to help determine a specific grade level or campus goal. Data could also be used to plan future professional learning. Sometimes data can be used when making purchase requests (bookshelves, furniture, white boards, document cameras) or time requests (planning time, prep time, master schedule, etc.). How often will this occur? We hope to have learning walks regularly. We certainly won’t get to every grade and every campus each time, but we will cover ground each week. Will you notify me if you are coming to my room? At first, we will let your campus or grade level know ahead of time. Again, we won’t get to every classroom. After a while, we will probably not send notifications. Is this voluntary? In short, no. The point of a learning walk is to learn about the district universally. We are not evaluating individual teachers and students. Are there any consequences to this? Truly, this is just data collection. You will not be penalized (unless students are being harmed). We are so excited to have classroom libraries as part of our district adoption. They allow for student choice, interest, engagement, and ability while serving as mirrors and windows into their own lives and beyond. Classroom libraries are a crucial component of reading workshop.
Let's look at the beliefs and commitments that support classroom libraries in the district Balanced Literacy Framework.
In addition, our new TEKS say: Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking --self-sustained reading. The student reads grade-appropriate texts independently. The student is expected to self-select text and read independently for a sustained period of time. The classroom libraries for each room have been curated by the authors of the Units of Study at Teachers College, Columbia University. Visit http://www.unitsofstudy.com/classroomlibraries/ for more information, including video explanations. FAQs: What is a reading level? In HPISD we use Fountas and Pinnell reading levels rather than Lexile, Accelerated Reader, or other systems. The F&P leveling is thought to be more about the content of the book, rather than an algorithm of words and sentences. Teachers should use the text complexity as a basis of the work of the level or bands of levels. For example, books within K, L, M levels are closely related in complexity. The characters, setting, plot, etc. are sort of "one way", as opposed to books in the next band N, O, P, Q. Do all of my books need to be labeled with a level? While we know we would never label a student as they grow and progress, it is nice to label books. This gives a general awareness to teachers and students, based on the complexity of the book. Your new Heinemann libraries came with stickers for levels. It’s nice to put these on the back cover. Do I need to report levels to parents? Parents do not necessarily need to know their child's text level. One, they should be progressing through levels quickly- perhaps at a rate faster than you can dialogue with parents. Two, it is more of a formative assessment. When talking to parents it is nice to show them the kinds of books their child should be reading, along with some characteristics of those texts. For example, "Sarah is reading books like Horrible Harry. They have three chapters that seem to be exclusive of one another. There is one main character who acts the same way and contains the same traits throughout. There are some secondary characters to keep track of, and they mostly act the same way as well and work to show more about the main character. There is a major conflict and resolution, but it is overt and resolved in an obvious way. There are examples of dialogue that move the plot. The main thing to know is this is a series. If Sarah reads lots of books in the series she'll start to connect how Harry acts and reacts within the plot. She can fly through many of the books and really focus on volume and stamina. This will help her move to more complex books soon." Another example might be, "I noticed Jackson really loves non-fiction books. He tends to gravitate toward books that give lots of detailed explanation when it comes to topics like space, technology, and other scientific facts. It's like he just gets lost in the book and immersed in all of the information. He's reading books where the format and structure can be varied, and don't always depend on the topic, but rather the author's craft moves. This is really sophisticated work for him to notice, beyond the content of the book. What's more, he can use these books that he loves as mentor texts for his own writing. He can try some of the craft moves out when he writes information non-fiction as well. This is something you could ask him at home. Not only what he notices, but what he's practiced lately and transferred to his writing." In both examples it was less appropriate to say Sarah is reading a level L and she can only read level L books until I've deemed she is ready for M, or Jackson is reading level S books in non-fiction. What does that mean to a parent? Instead, having some nice verbiage about the strategies needed for the types of books and the connection between reading and writing is more appropriate and helpful. What should my classroom library look like? A book store. Your favorite one. Organized where you can find what you want, but also keeps you lingering and searching, thumbing through old favorites and discovering new ones. Instead of bins with A, B, C levels, what about bins that categorize books by:
How do I do this and when will I have time?
A few years ago I remember TCRWP suggesting classroom libraries should be organized by level, now you're saying that isn't so? Yes! The beauty of the work done at TCRWP is that they are constantly revising their work through research. While they used to have more of an emphasis on reading levels, they have revised their thinking according to the above, based on impact. They still feel it is important for individual books to be leveled so that teachers have an understanding of the comprehension skills and strategies behind the book. It is an instructional tool for teachers. Should the campus library have levels? No. The campus library should be a place of wonder. The campus library also serves to take on the goals of the Balanced Literacy Framework:
I need more books for a particular unit and I was hoping my kids could check these out during library time. Can I have them check out one "fun" book and another class book? Instead, meet with your campus librarian. Tell them about the unit. What are the goals? What types of books do you already have? Where are the gaps? Then make a plan with the librarian to check these out as a class or team, rather than having individual students check out a specific book inside a unit. Be sure to tell your kids about this and that the books from the library were selected specifically for them! Everyone, K-4Optional Assessments, K-2Please note, although F&P names these "optional", the assessments chosen from the variety of optional assessments for HPISD are mandatory, as dictated by the state.
Kinder Kinder Reporting Form First Grade First Grade Reporting Form Second Grade Second Grade Reporting Form |
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