Dip in Data?

I'm about to dive back into the discipline data and I am a little nervous quite honestly.  There was a point at which I felt our discipline framework was the "magic bullet" if you will, but as the school year approached Spring Break, it was evident that tolerance levels might be being "pushed" and student discipline was on the rise.  The reduction in referrals that was observed and a diminished need for administrative response to "walkie" calls was no more.  What is the problem? 

Getting to the bottom of this discipline dilemma is where I am at ...

So ... what does this mean in reflection?  Well, a hypothesis that the incidents of defiance and disrespect have lessened in frequency due to the enhanced relationships.

A concern that we still have is with the number of fights and Physical Aggression that has occurred on campus.  In all honesty, this is one check box on the referral, but if we break the instances down, there are more instances of Physical Aggression than actual fighting. There are very few instances of actual fighting. 

210 Referrals in 2011-2012

85 Referrals to date in 2012-2013 

(There are 7 weeks of school left, final data will encompass the remainder of the year for a true comparative analysis.)

The referral instances on whole with the school show a reduction of 148%. 

So ...while there has been an increase in the frequency since Spring Break, the instances are still down. However, wrapping our head around why is where we need to go.  Is there a reduced tolerance for behavior from the staff or a true increase in episodes OR a combination of both?

My hypothesis is that the teachers and students are presently exhausted.  Many of our staff begins their instructional day (doing morning clubs during their planning time) at 7:45.  They then will move into regular instructional day which runs from 8:30-2:50.  There is planing time built into that day, but the staff is often engaged in voluntarily planning with coaches during their planning periods. Additionally, we have a 30 minute planning period outside the student day from 2:50-3:15.  Many teachers will work this time as it is time for students to work on their homework as well as have their snack before they move into our state mandated EXTENDED HOUR.  The students and staff are then re-engaged in instruction from 3:15-4:15.  At dismissal, half of our student body remains in Supplemental Tutoring Programs from 4:15-6:15.  That's right ...  Many of our students and staff are engaged in instruction from 7:45-6:15 daily.  This can make for an exceptionally exhausted staff and student body.

We are meeting with the paraprofessionals tomorrow, as an administrative team to re-establish expectations and put some strategies into place to help support our high-frequency students with regard to behavior in an effort to get a better handle on the instances of Physical Aggression.  An interesting correlation that I would like to make is that the instances are occurring frequently with the paraprofessionals.  One could draw a correlation between the fact that the paraprofessionals, with the exception of one, have not participated in the PLC: Why Culture Counts: Teaching Children of Poverty.  The final wave of the PLC will be extended to the paraprofessionals this month.   

"How Great I Am"

How Great I Am

This is an incredibly inspirational video.  This time of year can be a struggle for teachers to get the momentum necessary to push through.  There are high-stakes testing looming in the near future, which results in stressed out teachers and stressed out students.  We try to minimize the stress and effects by taking the emphasis off of the test itself.  We say things to the students like "you got this!"  "It's time to show what you know."  We use data to drive our decisions so we can best align resources to instructional need.  We progress monitor our students regularly on both their grade level and their instructional level.  We use this progress monitoring data to create differentiated instructional groups that are not static.  Students are moved in and out of groups based on newly defined needs.  

Additionally, we have support coaches in place to support the staff in almost all disciplines.  The coaching staff is stellar, the most solid I have ever seen.  Uniquely, they are skilled in their discipline but also well-skilled in the analysis and use of data to make instructional decisions. 

We have an MTSS structure in place that allows for routine and frequent analysis of such data.  The monthly CORE MTSS meetings look at the class data as a whole.  We look to identify whether out Tier I instruction is meeting the needs of the whole based on DRA2, Benchmark data, Bi-weekly Progress Monitoring Data, and District data.  

The systems are in place, the students are being wrapped around, the teachers are working so hard ... So what do we do now?  How is it that we take this system of structure and data and breathe life into it?
I would like to begin by reminding the teachers and staff of why they got into this profession.  Most teachers did not become teachers to analyze data  (though it has become an agreed upon "norm" because we know it is "best practice."  

My opinion is that teaching is a job that sits at the heart of all others.  It is exhausting and emotionally "trying" at times and it is also the most rewarding adventure that one will ever take.  To impact the life of a child is the greatest gift of all and it is truly what I believe is a "calling" to serve.  
So when things get hard.  Stress gets high and frustration is rearing its ugly head ... we have to sit back and ask ourselves "why" we began doing this.  

The quote from this movie that I want to leave you with is this ...
"Being perfect is not about the scoreboard out there. It's not about winning. It's about you and your relationship to your self and to your family and your friends.  Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything you could do ...there wasn't one more thing you could have done. Can you live in that moment- as best you can with clear eyes and love in your heart- with joy in your heart? If you can do that [ladies and] gentlemen, then you are perfect."  

Be perfect ... Do EVERYTHING you can.  Keep your focus on the "work."  The important "work," which is making the difference in the life of a child.  My fellow learners ... "WE GOT THIS!!"  Our value is not measured by the district.  It is not measured by a state standardized test.  Our value is in our ability raise these children up to meet potential they never realized they had.  

These kids are great.  They can do anything.  ...and so can YOU!  Believe.  "Have high expectations ...no one rises to low ones." You inspire me.   


How Great I Am is a youtube link.  I have hunted the webmaster and channel operator down to seek permission to include this video in this blog.  The message at the bottom of their webpage indicates one should "use at their own risk."  So, while I am attempting to seek proper permissions, I do want to make this video available to my staff.  I will continue to seek permission.

Just a thought ...

While negotiating some of the norms and commonalities within the highly debatable notion on the culture of poverty (many will argue it is not a "culture" - Dr. Zorka Karanxja is one who comes to mind ...,) we do have to be mindful that though we have data and research to support some outstanding trends within various cultures, we do not want to reinforce stereotypes, especially the negative ones. Stereotype after stereotype is broken down as we gather more information and become skilled at understanding that we can’t be colorblind from a racial or socioeconomic perspective. 

"Our differences matter, but we are more alike than different."                 ~Dr. Leonard Burello

We have to stop having conversations about what deficits the students have and start having conversation about which assets they bring to the table.

Be mindful, we should keep all of this information in mind and apply what works for our collective classes, but we must also recognize that there is no one size fits all program for meeting the needs of any students, including students of poverty. We must take in what we can, sharpen our skill, and seek to understand how to meet the needs of all of our children. 

Weekly Newsletter Post 4

 This week’s information is coming from our book study on Why Culture Counts for Differentiating Content and Product.

• 80% of students who are recommended for special education placement are below grade level in reading.
• 63% of African American fourth grade students are below grade level in reading.
• Seventy-four million Americans read below the eighth grade level.
• 85% of juveniles coming from the courts are functionally illiterate.

~Jawanza Kunjufu

Statistics not provided in the book:

(The link with additional information is attached)

Did you know that several states project their inmate population and build prisons as a result of third grade literacy scores. (http://www.invisiblechildren.org/tag/failed-third-grade-reading-scores/)

Did you know that students who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school WITHOUT a diploma. The combined effect of poverty increases that statistic to eight times more likely. (http://www.aecf.org/Newsroom/NewsReleases/HTML/2011Releases/DoubleJeopardy.aspx)

What does your room look like?

Eric Jensen explains that between 85%-90% of all students in any given classroom are visual learners.  If your primary method of teaching is to lecture, to what percent of the class are you teaching?

What does my room sound like?

Are students expected to sit quietly and work or listen to you?  Do you provide ample opportunities for them to talk, question and discuss?

How much time do you devote to whole group lecture? How much of the time are the students truly engaged?

In your classroom, do students have opportunities to learn from themselves, to explore, to fail, and then try another approach.  Students need fail-safe environments to be successful.

Rigor: Every child deserves a rigorous, quality education. No one deserves a watered down curriculum.  To give students a mediocre education by having low expectations, is to assure them a life of low-paying jobs. 

            The goal to success is learning how to scaffold the curriculum. The idea of scaffolding is to envision a skyscraper going up. Can you walk to the upper floors of the building before the structure is in place? No! Scaffolding allows workers the support they need to move to higher levels of the building. The goal is still to get to the top and the scaffold allows them a platform of support in getting to their ultimate goal. The scaffolding is slowly removed once the foundation is set and is no longer needed. 

By providing scaffolding, we are providing students the support they need to venture to higher learning.

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Weekly Newsletter Post 3

This week’s notes are from Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed.  Paul Tough will be coming to Tampa in April to speak.  If you are interested in more information about seeing him, I will pass it on.  I will be going. 

Paul Tough says what we all believe … “We need to teach kids to work harder, be perseverant, put forth effort, have grit, be conscientious, resilient and have character.”  There is research to support that this is what makes students successful, the problem is that we don’t know exactly how to do this and the degree to which one is successful is not measurable. The problem lies in the fact that there is no set curriculum.  This is not something that can be packaged in a “character ed” program.  So, where do we go from here? 

Ann first introduced me to the concept of KIPP schools. The focus of KIPP is to prepare students for life. The fundamental value is that academics and character are equally important to success in school, college and life.  As I was reading Tough’s book, the concept of KIPP schools came up. My schema provided me a platform and my curiosity on the topic was peaked.

At these KIPP schools, the behavioral expectations are thoroughly taught and practiced and inspected.  They start the school year by implementing a SLANT protocol for all learning (Sit Up and Listen, Ask questions, Nod and Track the speaker with your eyes.)  They teach students specifically about Code Switching (this is the ability to recognize and accurately perform behaviors appropriate to each different cultural setting.) Their understanding is vital to success. It’s okay to be “street” on the “street,” but if they are in a museum or college interview, they are going to miss out on important opportunities if they don’t code switch. We understand this, of course, but it becomes vital that the students also understand this. At KIPP schools, they teach the Professional Code of Behavior and they do this every minute. Now … Ann also explained to me that the teachers and leaders in these KIPP schools are provided with a ton of Professional Development before ever entering a KIPP school, but we can adopt and have already adopted many things that ensure the success of our students.

One thing we can do to drive this culture:

Give kids a voice when they are having struggles or difficulties or become frustrated. A good thing to keep in mind is that when students are angry or anxious and they begin to yell at you as a result of such frustrations. Stop them and say … “I will let you talk. You WILL BE heard, but NOT UNTIL you calm down and find a way to communicate with me in an appropriate manner.”  Then once the conversation has occurred, you can thank them for speaking to you properly. Try to get to the bottom of their incident. Then have a conversation about how you solved the problem. It might look like this “… In the world, when you are angry, overreacting and yelling is not going to solve your problems and it will not make people listen to you.  If you want people to listen to you, you have to be reasonable.”   (This is not because they deserve a voice necessarily and it’s not even about solving the problem at hand.  It is about showing them appropriate ways to communicate to get what they need.)  Let’s face it, many children experience first-hand this method of yelling to solve their problems.  This could be a first step in code switching. Remember, the value is not in solving the problem but their understanding that it takes reasonable and appropriate conversation if you want to be “heard.”

       I would love to encourage you to have discussions amongst each other and as always I love this stuff, so you can talk to me any time. No individual has all the answers, but we can leverage our experiences and talents to conquer the challenges we are faced with every day and begin to look at where we are through the lens of opportunity!! 

Feedback from a Teacher

This was a post from one of my veteran teacher.  Made me smile. This is the second comment from a staff member this week about the weekly posts!!

Hi Brandy,

I love the tips at the end of the weekly message, esp. the ones about stress and learning.  I feel I learn a bunch (or re-learn, I am a social worker first in my heart) of information just from reading that information and that can help ALL the students here at the school, not only my own class.  I believe the little relationships I have with some students (students name's were here) can help them in the long run even if we don't see it today.  Thank you for sharing your knowledge :)  Everyone needs a refresher from time to time...

Weekly Newsletter Post 2

Info From the book: Classroom Instruction That Works by Robert Marzano

***Review from last week:

Remember that Dopamine is needed to move information from our students “working memory” to their long-term memory.  Dopamine is a chemical transmitted in the brain when we are happy and experience joy and success.  Remember, as children, when we live in high stress situations, our brains do not produce the high quantities of dopamine to help our brains function to capacity.  Some of the challenges with limited Dopamine production can be depression, impulse control problems, and attention problems including ADD and ADHD, .

To apply the information from last week, it is imperative that we provide students a framework for moving the information from their “working memory” to their long-term memory.  Robert Marzano (yes, many of us both love and loathe him at the same time) gives us the high yield strategies that can be used in the classroom. Some of his research is scientifically based, some evidence based and some is pulling together other research.  (HOLD That thought …)

Our district is starting to talk a lot about about John Hattie’s work.  John Hattie has done s synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to student achievement.  In his book Visible Learning, (which you will likely see adorning every administrators desk in Manatee County) he looks at the “effect size” of each of the strategies used in the classroom.  We are starting to talk statistics (um …yuck) but an effect size of .5 has the ability to move the children a year with regard to academic growth.  So, what that means is this … any instructional practice or strategy that has an effect size of .5 has been correlated with adequate student growth.  This is amazing research because we, lovers of Title I schools, recognize that growing our students a year is not adequate for their success.  Through this meta-analysis, we can single out the most highly effective instructional strategies that have been proven to grow students more than year.  As a Title I staff member, you have the power and ability to move mountains. 

We started with relationships because we know the effect size of authentic relationships where students live in a “fail safe” and nurturing and most importantly “forgiving” environment makes all the difference in the world. 

I digress … back to Marzano.  I gave you the information about the “effect” size because I wanted you to know how the highest yield instructional practices were selected.  Now that you do, I can move on to explain that EFFECTIVE note taking (yes, note-taking) is pivotal.  Please focus on the word EFFECTIVE.  Effective note-taking is not copying information down verbatim or from the board.  Effective note-taking follows these concepts:

• Deleting Trivial Information that does not help comprehension
• Deleting redundant information
• Substituting superordinate words for lists (ex: flowers for daisies, pansies, roses, etc.)
• Selecting or inventing topic sentences or summary sentences if they do not exist.

Happy Teaching and “just keep swimming.”  You make a difference every day!

Weekly Newsletter Post 1

Info From the book: How Children Succeed by Paul Tough

Working Memory=The ability to keep a bunch of facts in your head at the same time.

Dopamine deficiencies occur when students grow up in stress.  Dopamine is produced by our brains when we are happy and well-adjusted. There is a high correlation between students of poverty and high stress situations and low dopamine levels. Dopamine deficiencies result in many struggles including lack of attention and focus and poor working memory.  Students have to move new information from the “working memory” to their long-term memory to really remember, understand, and synthesize new information.  Many of our students struggle with this.  

            The reason scientists are so excited about these findings is because they know that the Pre-Frontal Cortex is malleable.  Just because students have been affected by the stress in their lives and it manifests academically, doesn’t mean that these adverse responses can’t be reversed.  If students are given positive experiences in school and we have culturally responsive classrooms, we can effect change and have an overall lasting impact.  Think about this when you think about what you can do as a teacher.  You can’t change a student’s previous experiences and you can’t change their experiences at home, but you can change their experiences in school.  Scientists are launching the counter-attack on the effects of poverty through teachers.  You can increase the prospect for success just by improving a child’s environment at school, which you do every day!!