EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
· How can we draw upon our understanding of diversity to make our classrooms, and our classroom practice, more equitable?
· How can we work together with colleagues to create equitable learning environments?
· How can we draw upon our understanding of diversity to make our classrooms, and our classroom practice, more equitable?
· How can we work together with colleagues to create equitable learning environments?
Something I’ve tried…
Brief History
I have taught fourth grade for the past eight years. One of the subjects that I’ve struggled with both as a teacher and formerly as a student is Mathematics. Growing up Math just didn’t make sense to me. I was taught in the traditional way, loads of worksheets and timed drills, with the teacher at the front of the class explaining the lesson, one way and then the students would work independently on a set of problems.
My first few years of teaching, I used a program that used a lot of manipulatives and drawing to work out problems and teach concepts. I really enjoyed it and it seemed my students did too. Unfortunately, the next year my district adopted a new program that was textbook driven and it was back to the way I learned Math as a kid. Since I struggled with how to teach many of the concepts, I would often fall back on what I experienced as a student. I was afraid to experiment with any new strategies and I kept pushing forward, even when students hadn’t mastered the concept. It was a race to finish line. Clearly this was not an example of equitable teaching.
Current Instructional Practice:
I use Envision Math, which has an online component. I teach daily lessons then have students take an online quiz, which generates homework based on the results. For learning multiplication facts to automaticity, I use a web- based program called Math Facts in a Flash. In Encinitas, we have a Math Acceleration program that allows students, who are able and ready, to work through the Math curriculum of the next grade level. Such students go to the next grade level teacher for their Math instruction.
Over the past three years, I have tried many different strategies to improve my Math instruction. I have found that a combination of hands on learning, direct instruction, small group work, independent work and “sharing our thinking” has made for a more effective and more equitable Math program. However, I still felt there was a piece missing. I still had students, many students, who would say my four most dreaded words as a teacher: “I don’t get it”. With 31 students, I was being pulled in several directions during independent work time.
Adaptation to Address Equity:
Thankfully, after starting the GSE program I had an “aha!” moment and decided to ask for student input on how they feel they learn and work best during independent work time. During one of our daily Class Meetings, I posed the question, and the overwhelming answer was that students preferred to work with a Math Buddy. That afternoon after school I studied my class list and looked at proficiency level in Math, English language ability and how outgoing the students were socially in the classroom environment.
The next day, I told the students their input had been very valuable and each of them would be assigned a Math Buddy to work with during independent work time. Before revealing their Math Buddies, we created a T-Chart to brainstorm what it would look like and sound like when working together. As part of our International Baccalaureate program we focus on IB Attitudes. The IB Attitude we are focusing on currently is: Cooperation.
Reflection:
I started this project two days before my school’s Fall Break, so I haven’t been had the opportunity to have a Class Meeting to get student feedback. However, they really seemed to enjoy working with their Math Buddies. They were focused and completed their assignments in a timely manner. I observed students waiting for their partners and checking each other’s work to compare answers. I heard comments, like: “Are you getting it?” “Do you need to work this one out?” The day after I had them work with their Math Buddies, several students asked if they could work with their partner again.
I am anxious to create an “Exit Card” for what worked well and what could be improved as they work together with their Math Buddy. I foresee this type of work becoming a permanent part of my Math program.
Something I’m working on…
What is being done currently:
One of the things I'm working on at my site and in my practice, is to implement a protocol for teachers across grade levels to discuss concerns about students. We have some things in place now that seem to address this issue, but end up leaving out a group of students who fall through the cracks. We do have a traditional SST procedure that has been evolving into something slightly more specific than when I started teaching at my school four years ago. There is a checklist of things to do before scheduling an SST, which is part of our RTI (Response to Intervention) program. This is still being defined and is a big focus of our principal. We are currently establishing a list of common assessments and things to try in our classrooms. What's missing are conversations amongst teachers about our current concerns.
What I've noticed:
I'm surprised that it's taken me this long to realize we need a plan for these types of conversations to take place. I've been teaching for ten years and my typical response to a puzzling student was to work hard to figure out what is wrong, on my own usually, occasionally conferring with my teaching partner and sometimes have an informal, very brief, chat with the former teacher in the staff lounge at recess. Needless to say, this has not been extremely effective.
What I plan to do:
My plan is to research effective protocols that other schools have used with success and bring them to our school. An idea that I'm considering is to have team meetings with the grade directly below and directly above the grade being taught. When we make class lists for the following school year, it's done in isolation. For example, my teaching partner and I will sort our classes into two "equal" groups based on what we've seen and experienced over the past school year. We then pass the list on to the next years' teachers with their present levels noted. My hope is to create a system for discussing the students that are moving up to the next grade level and any concerns we have as their previous teachers. The discussion would include strategies that were effective, social-emotional concerns and possible home life issues. I'm still forming the idea, so I'm not sure what else it will include.
What I hope to achieve:
I know that having a specific, detailed protocol with times for each step will be essential, especially for the staff at my school. Our staff meetings do not always follow best practices and are in need of improvement. I am hopeful that setting up a system for discussions that are structured and produce effective results, will then help us reform other meetings. In the end, my goal is to have a much clearer understanding of my students needs and have the greatest possibility of helping them succeed.
Something I would like to try…
What is being done currently:
One of the things I'm working on at my site and in my practice, is to implement a protocol for teachers across grade levels to discuss concerns about students. We have some things in place now that seem to address this issue, but end up leaving out a group of students who fall through the cracks. We do have a traditional SST procedure that has been evolving into something slightly more specific than when I started teaching at my school four years ago. There is a checklist of things to do before scheduling an SST, which is part of our RTI (Response to Intervention) program. This is still being defined and is a big focus of our principal. We are currently establishing a list of common assessments and things to try in our classrooms. What's missing are conversations amongst teachers about our current concerns.
What I've noticed:
I'm surprised that it's taken me this long to realize we need a plan for these types of conversations to take place. I've been teaching for ten years and my typical response to a puzzling student was to work hard to figure out what is wrong, on my own usually, occasionally conferring with my teaching partner and sometimes have an informal, very brief, chat with the former teacher in the staff lounge at recess. Needless to say, this has not been extremely effective.
What I plan to do:
My plan is to research effective protocols that other schools have used with success and bring them to our school. An idea that I'm considering is to have team meetings with the grade directly below and directly above the grade being taught. When we make class lists for the following school year, it's done in isolation. For example, my teaching partner and I will sort our classes into two "equal" groups based on what we've seen and experienced over the past school year. We then pass the list on to the next years' teachers with their present levels noted. My hope is to create a system for discussing the students that are moving up to the next grade level and any concerns we have as their previous teachers. The discussion would include strategies that were effective, social-emotional concerns and possible home life issues. I'm still forming the idea, so I'm not sure what else it will include.
What I hope to achieve:
I know that having a specific, detailed protocol with times for each step will be essential, especially for the staff at my school. Our staff meetings do not always follow best practices and are in need of improvement. I am hopeful that setting up a system for discussions that are structured and produce effective results, will then help us reform other meetings. In the end, my goal is to have a much clearer understanding of my students needs and have the greatest possibility of helping them succeed.
Brief History
I have taught fourth grade for the past eight years. One of the subjects that I’ve struggled with both as a teacher and formerly as a student is Mathematics. Growing up Math just didn’t make sense to me. I was taught in the traditional way, loads of worksheets and timed drills, with the teacher at the front of the class explaining the lesson, one way and then the students would work independently on a set of problems.
My first few years of teaching, I used a program that used a lot of manipulatives and drawing to work out problems and teach concepts. I really enjoyed it and it seemed my students did too. Unfortunately, the next year my district adopted a new program that was textbook driven and it was back to the way I learned Math as a kid. Since I struggled with how to teach many of the concepts, I would often fall back on what I experienced as a student. I was afraid to experiment with any new strategies and I kept pushing forward, even when students hadn’t mastered the concept. It was a race to finish line. Clearly this was not an example of equitable teaching.
Current Instructional Practice:
I use Envision Math, which has an online component. I teach daily lessons then have students take an online quiz, which generates homework based on the results. For learning multiplication facts to automaticity, I use a web- based program called Math Facts in a Flash. In Encinitas, we have a Math Acceleration program that allows students, who are able and ready, to work through the Math curriculum of the next grade level. Such students go to the next grade level teacher for their Math instruction.
Over the past three years, I have tried many different strategies to improve my Math instruction. I have found that a combination of hands on learning, direct instruction, small group work, independent work and “sharing our thinking” has made for a more effective and more equitable Math program. However, I still felt there was a piece missing. I still had students, many students, who would say my four most dreaded words as a teacher: “I don’t get it”. With 31 students, I was being pulled in several directions during independent work time.
Adaptation to Address Equity:
Thankfully, after starting the GSE program I had an “aha!” moment and decided to ask for student input on how they feel they learn and work best during independent work time. During one of our daily Class Meetings, I posed the question, and the overwhelming answer was that students preferred to work with a Math Buddy. That afternoon after school I studied my class list and looked at proficiency level in Math, English language ability and how outgoing the students were socially in the classroom environment.
The next day, I told the students their input had been very valuable and each of them would be assigned a Math Buddy to work with during independent work time. Before revealing their Math Buddies, we created a T-Chart to brainstorm what it would look like and sound like when working together. As part of our International Baccalaureate program we focus on IB Attitudes. The IB Attitude we are focusing on currently is: Cooperation.
Reflection:
I started this project two days before my school’s Fall Break, so I haven’t been had the opportunity to have a Class Meeting to get student feedback. However, they really seemed to enjoy working with their Math Buddies. They were focused and completed their assignments in a timely manner. I observed students waiting for their partners and checking each other’s work to compare answers. I heard comments, like: “Are you getting it?” “Do you need to work this one out?” The day after I had them work with their Math Buddies, several students asked if they could work with their partner again.
I am anxious to create an “Exit Card” for what worked well and what could be improved as they work together with their Math Buddy. I foresee this type of work becoming a permanent part of my Math program.
Something I’m working on…
What is being done currently:
One of the things I'm working on at my site and in my practice, is to implement a protocol for teachers across grade levels to discuss concerns about students. We have some things in place now that seem to address this issue, but end up leaving out a group of students who fall through the cracks. We do have a traditional SST procedure that has been evolving into something slightly more specific than when I started teaching at my school four years ago. There is a checklist of things to do before scheduling an SST, which is part of our RTI (Response to Intervention) program. This is still being defined and is a big focus of our principal. We are currently establishing a list of common assessments and things to try in our classrooms. What's missing are conversations amongst teachers about our current concerns.
What I've noticed:
I'm surprised that it's taken me this long to realize we need a plan for these types of conversations to take place. I've been teaching for ten years and my typical response to a puzzling student was to work hard to figure out what is wrong, on my own usually, occasionally conferring with my teaching partner and sometimes have an informal, very brief, chat with the former teacher in the staff lounge at recess. Needless to say, this has not been extremely effective.
What I plan to do:
My plan is to research effective protocols that other schools have used with success and bring them to our school. An idea that I'm considering is to have team meetings with the grade directly below and directly above the grade being taught. When we make class lists for the following school year, it's done in isolation. For example, my teaching partner and I will sort our classes into two "equal" groups based on what we've seen and experienced over the past school year. We then pass the list on to the next years' teachers with their present levels noted. My hope is to create a system for discussing the students that are moving up to the next grade level and any concerns we have as their previous teachers. The discussion would include strategies that were effective, social-emotional concerns and possible home life issues. I'm still forming the idea, so I'm not sure what else it will include.
What I hope to achieve:
I know that having a specific, detailed protocol with times for each step will be essential, especially for the staff at my school. Our staff meetings do not always follow best practices and are in need of improvement. I am hopeful that setting up a system for discussions that are structured and produce effective results, will then help us reform other meetings. In the end, my goal is to have a much clearer understanding of my students needs and have the greatest possibility of helping them succeed.
Something I would like to try…
What is being done currently:
One of the things I'm working on at my site and in my practice, is to implement a protocol for teachers across grade levels to discuss concerns about students. We have some things in place now that seem to address this issue, but end up leaving out a group of students who fall through the cracks. We do have a traditional SST procedure that has been evolving into something slightly more specific than when I started teaching at my school four years ago. There is a checklist of things to do before scheduling an SST, which is part of our RTI (Response to Intervention) program. This is still being defined and is a big focus of our principal. We are currently establishing a list of common assessments and things to try in our classrooms. What's missing are conversations amongst teachers about our current concerns.
What I've noticed:
I'm surprised that it's taken me this long to realize we need a plan for these types of conversations to take place. I've been teaching for ten years and my typical response to a puzzling student was to work hard to figure out what is wrong, on my own usually, occasionally conferring with my teaching partner and sometimes have an informal, very brief, chat with the former teacher in the staff lounge at recess. Needless to say, this has not been extremely effective.
What I plan to do:
My plan is to research effective protocols that other schools have used with success and bring them to our school. An idea that I'm considering is to have team meetings with the grade directly below and directly above the grade being taught. When we make class lists for the following school year, it's done in isolation. For example, my teaching partner and I will sort our classes into two "equal" groups based on what we've seen and experienced over the past school year. We then pass the list on to the next years' teachers with their present levels noted. My hope is to create a system for discussing the students that are moving up to the next grade level and any concerns we have as their previous teachers. The discussion would include strategies that were effective, social-emotional concerns and possible home life issues. I'm still forming the idea, so I'm not sure what else it will include.
What I hope to achieve:
I know that having a specific, detailed protocol with times for each step will be essential, especially for the staff at my school. Our staff meetings do not always follow best practices and are in need of improvement. I am hopeful that setting up a system for discussions that are structured and produce effective results, will then help us reform other meetings. In the end, my goal is to have a much clearer understanding of my students needs and have the greatest possibility of helping them succeed.