Thursday, June 12, 2014

Math Readiness Standard Analysis

I had some great questions from Melanie Fields about the new math supporting standards that don't naturally fit with a math readiness standard.  How do we address those TEKS, and how do we document all of the TEKS in the CIA process.  These are all great questions.

#ThanksMelanie

The purpose of the Readiness Standard Analysis is to ensure that we plan for every Readiness Standard in our math curriculum because they are huge skills that every kid must master this year.  Supporting Standards are TEKS that are introduced in your grade level and will become Readiness Standards in future grade levels.  This means that we want to dedicate time to expose kids to all Supporting StandardsReadiness Standards need more instructional time to get to greater depth and complexity because they will not be taught at this level of depth in future years.  

For our CIA process, we must make sure that:
  • All Readiness Standard are covered through the Readiness Standard Analysis.
  • All Supporting Standards are listed in the Scope and Sequence calendar so you will know when they will be taught.

How do we make sure we teach all of the supporting standards?  

You can bundle supporting standards together and make a unit or you can bundle math supporting standards with a readiness standard from another content area.  Below is an example of bundling math Supporting Standards with a social studies Readiness Standard.   To document this, make sure it is in your Scope and Sequence Calendar.

Let me know if you have question.  John




Cross-Curricular Ways to Address the Math Supporting Standards
Social Studies TEKS

RS K.7.A  identify jobs in the home, school, and 
community
SS K.7.B  explain why people have jobs
SS K.6.B explain the difference between needs
 and wants


Math TEKS  Supporting Standards

K.9(A)  identify ways to earn income 
K.9(B)  differentiate between money received as income and money 
received as gifts 
K.9(C)  list simple skills required for jobs 
K.9(D)  distinguish between wants and needs and identify income
 as a source to meet one’s wants and needs

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Intervention Collection

Good afternoon,

I hope you are finding the summer going extremely well.  We are fast and furious in preparation for the new school year.  Textbooks have been ordered for math and science, and I think you will like the web resources that will come with the new adoption.

If you would like to help out, I would definitely appreciate your input.  I am in the process of auditing what we are currently doing with respect to interventions.

Here is a Google Form (Click Here).  Let us know what interventions you used to offer students additional time and support to learn the material that you taught this year.  This can include small group, intervention software or any other action you took to help kids learn.  If you have any questions, feel free to winkj@tatumisd.org


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Meet our Newest Adobe Certified Associates

We are excited to report that Adobe recently certified 5 THS students.  This is a major accomplishment for our students who will graduate with their feet planted firmly in the graphic design field.
Adobe Certified Associates
From the left, they are Tanner Nesbitt, Victoria Carreon, and Douglas Smith.  Not pictured, we certified Trevor Smith and Dalton Kindred.  Their teacher is Melody Ojeda.

The Adobe Certified Associate certification is a very sought-after certification in any design career, especially anything dealing with graphic design (magazines, ad agencies, websites, etc.).  The agency we use to certify is the industry standard.  

Colleges and prospective employers use their certification databases to recruit potential students, scholarship recipients and employees.  Graduates with degrees in graphic design who go on to be actual graphic designers can make anywhere from $40,000 and up.  If you are in a more metropolitan area, it's likely that they can make $60,000 - $80,000 and up.  Those are jobs that also have a lot of potential for growth and promotion.  With a more and more technologically savvy culture, everything is online, therefore everyone needs an awesome graphic designer.  Adobe is the industry standard for graphic design, therefore, employers want to see someone who is proficient in this software, and seeing that someone has put forth the effort to get certified shows employers that they are looking at someone who is serious about their skills.

Here is a link to the Certiport website, which is the agency we use to certify.  They have testimonials and all kinds of other information you can see. 

This is the link to the AI section.
http://www.certiport.com/Portal/desktopdefault.aspx?page=common/pagelibrary/adobe_AI.html

This is the link to "success stories."
http://www.certiport.com/portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?page=common/pagelibrary/adobe_success-stories.html

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

CIA Curriculum Development Process for the Summer

Below is the curriculum development process that all instructional staff must do this summer.  If you have questions about whether this applies to you, please see your principal.  The process is written in order of the steps that you will need to go through to complete the process and be prepared for our training with Lead4Ward on August 5.  Also, I have embedded hyperlinks for you to find most of the resources you will need.

If you have any questions or need any help, please let me know.  I want this to be a meaningful process for you.
John


Step 1 - Student Expectation Analysis

SE Analysis Instructions (CLICK HERE)  

  • Reading, Writing, Science and Social Studies teachers will complete all steps of the document.
  • HS teachers will complete all steps.
  • Math teachers in grades K-8 will complete all steps EXCEPT steps 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12.  
Note - See your principal if you cannot find last year's SE Analysis for your content area.

Links to assist with Step 1
Final Task - Select your 3 + 1
  • UPDATE JULY 19, 2014 - you will select your 3+1 from your Analyzing Learning Standards Document from above.
  • 3 Readiness Standards to Focus on (these should be RS that were lowest performing).
  • 1 Processing Standard or Figure 19 Skill to Focus on (lowest processing standard)
    • Highly Tested Process Standards - Use this link to see which processing standards were tested the most on STAAR.
    • How to read each cell
      • New Process Standard  -                             Ex. 4.1(A)
      • Number of ?'s on STAAR last 3 years -     (10 / 6 / 7)
      • Old Process Standard                                  Ex. 4.14A

Step 2 - Readiness Standard Analysis for Grade K-8 Math Only (Links are in bullets below)

Step 3 - Evaluate Scope and Sequence (K-8 math will skip this step)

3 + 1 To Do's
  • Highlight in last year's Scope & Sequence where the 3 + 1 is located
  • Discuss & Decide
    • Does the TEKS need to be moved to a different place?
    • Does the TEKS need more time to teach more deeply?
    • Does  the TEKS need to be spiraled or combined with other TEKS?

Step 4 - Make changes for next year.  (Links in bullets below)


  • Write the Scope & sequence for 2014-2015 (Scope & Sequence Folder)
  • Scope & Sequence Guidelines 
  • TPS Calendar
  • TES Calendar
  • TMS Calendar
  • THS Calendar 
  • K-8 Math - Please attach all Readiness Standard Analysis Sheets to your Scope & Sequence
  • All standards must be taught prior to spring break to allow for 3-4 week review.
  • Testing - Schedule 6 weeks assessments and  a “Mock” assessment according to campus administrative guidelines, once all the SE's have been taught and prior to the STAAR/EOC to inform them of skills that need to be re-taught. (SEE YOUR PRINCIPAL FOR EXPECTATIONS ON TESTING.)


Step 5 - Formative Assessment (FA) Evaluation (This task will be completed throughout the year, but you will want to know how effective your benchmarks were last year.)

(K-8 math will locate and/or write formative assessments questions for every math TEKS)

  • Teachers will use Eduphoria to locate formative assessment data from 2013-2014.
  • Teachers will use FA data to evaluate the rigor of last year's formative assessments.
  • Which assessments tested the 3 + 1?
  • How well did our FA's yield data that predicted our STAAR performance?
  • Carry forward assessment items that adequately prepared students & remove or increase rigor of inadequate tests or test items.
  • Short Answer Responses (Open Response) must be included on every FA.

Step 6 - Be prepared to discuss the Focus 3 + 1 on August 5

  • 3 Readiness Standards (Except for Math K-8)
  • 1 Processing / Fig 19
? - What are the critical components for each standard?
? - How are these skills being assessed on STAAR? 
? - How well is our instruction aligned to these standards?
? - How well did our assessments prepare kids for the rigor of STAAR on these standards?