TISD Vertical Learning in Action

I Here is a quick run-down of all the adult learning that took place yesterday.  Thank you to all of our leaders and teachers for your hard work in learning from one another in vertical teams.

Reading PK - 2

TPS teachers (below left & right) had some awesome collaborative discussions about guided reading.  They identified where they felt confident in their abilities and identified a campus learning goal.  Their plan is to work and learn together for the 3rd 6 weeks to become more effective at using this best practice in their daily instruction.

Science and Social Studies

• Social Studies teachers collaborated on the STAAR and EOC standards and developed plans to prepare all kids in every class for STAAR concepts that are aligned to non-STAAR tested courses.
• Science teachers in 6-12 collaborated about the Biology EOC and 8th grade STAAR standards and how non-tested STAAR courses could provide a more solid foundation for concepts that students need for STAAR.
• Science teachers in 3 and 5 reflected on their formative assessment data and made plans to reteach and intervene for students who are failing to learn.

CTE

 CTE teachers (right) worked together to identify the prerequisite skills that students need to possess as they decide what courses to choose this spring.  The teachers also worked to determine the best ways to align their courses toward certifications, dual credit courses and entry into the work force or a post-secondary school.  

HS Math, PE and Fine Arts

• HS math teachers learned about Accelerated Math and how to use it to create prescriptive interventions for kids. 
• Fine Arts teachers began the process of creating a vertically aligned curriculum that will prepare every student to walk into each  campus at grades 3, 6, and 9 with the music and art fundamentals needed to ultimately prepare them to be highly competitive in high school.
• PE Teachers worked together to make a schedule and design physical education activities to prepare every kid to make gains and be successful on the Fitnessgram this spring.

Reading 3-5 & Math 3-8

TES Reading teachers at the right worked together to deepen their knowledge and expertise at small group instruction, while TES and TMS math teachers (below left and right) used their data from the 2nd 6 weeks formative assessment to drive their plans for instruction, intervention and extension in the 3rd 6 weeks. 

ELA (6-12)

Secondary ELA teachers had some great discussions as they deepened their knowledge about reading and writing.  6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th grade reading teachers (right) found commonalities in the fact that students lacked background knowledge to help them with inferencing, and they collaborated about strategies to integrate student discussion and technology tools such as Padlet, Today's Meet and Google Drive into their instruction.  Writing teachers at 4, 7, 9 and 10 (below) reflected on their students' writing on the 2nd 6 weeks assessments and developed targeted plans to address instructional and student deficits in the 3rd 6 weeks.

Counselors and Special Education

• Counselors continued their work in developing a district wide RtI system and had discussions about how to communicate all of the changes for STAAR, STAAR-A and new accommodations to teachers.  
• Special Education teachers reviewed the latest updates to STAAR A and the accommodations. They also looked at the needs of students receiving special education and 504 services to determine how they could begin to incorporate these new supports into their daily instruction.