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Year-End Review of PLC S

English Department 2013-2014. Year-End Review of PLC S. Reflection of Norm Setting. Norms Meet from 2:00-3:00 Wait for teachers to finish before adding comments to the conversation Maintain confidentiality Work through conflicts to form consensus

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Year-End Review of PLC S

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  1. English Department 2013-2014 Year-End Review of PLCS

  2. Reflection of Norm Setting Norms • Meet from 2:00-3:00 • Wait for teachers to finish before adding comments to the conversation • Maintain confidentiality • Work through conflicts to form consensus • Participate and “be present” in conversations How did this work? How did this impact conversations? We were following these norms prior, but having in writing helped to reinforce them.

  3. Odell Unit 1 Reading Closely: Synopsis September: Unpacked Reading Closely of Odell October: • Developed CFAs tied to reading passages • Found students able to analyze details

  4. Odell Unit 1 Reading Closely: Reflection Bright Spots: • Developed CFAs together • Analyzed writing using same rubrics Areas of Challenge: • Extending units beyond 3 weeks. • Texts didn’t connect with other literature • Not all texts age appropriate

  5. Odell Unit 1 Reading Closely: Reflection Ideas Moving Forward: • Use Odell framework with teacher-chosen texts if possible • Texts would work better as suggestions, but not required

  6. Odell Unit 2 EBC: Synopsis Late Fall: • Began EBC unit • Meaningful CFAs impossible • Units more extensive than RC unit • Requirement to teach both EBC units • Scaffolding took more time • Both units took up all of quarter 2 • Second unit easier to get through than the first • Feedback in department meetings

  7. Odell Unit 2 Evidence-Based Claims: Reflection Bright Spots: • Stories for 9th and 12th grade-enjoyable • Units a healthy challenge • Teachers validated-skills teachers already addressing

  8. Odell Unit 2 Evidence-Based Claims: Reflection Areas of Challenge: • Texts not included (teachers had to find or purchase) • Delivering texts took a long time • Different versions of texts referenced in Odell than ordered. • Pacing difficult • preparing mini-lessons or background information time consuming • 10th grade poetry content not age appropriate and depressing in tone

  9. Odell Unit 2 Evidence-Based Claims: Reflection Ideas Moving Forward: • Teacher choice for content • More literature needs to be embedded

  10. Odell Unit 3 Inquiry: Synopsis Feedback • Clear understanding of how RC and EBC scaffold to research • Professional development in February and March (Tuesdays) beneficial • Time needed to sort through activities and worksheets important • Understanding of how research units unfold • Grade levels worked on same topics • Students further investigate interests within topics • Direction for final assessments late in the quarter • Instruction difficult without knowing final product • Appreciation for backward design.

  11. Odell Unit 3 Inquiry: Reflection Bright Spots: • Student reflections demonstrated skills they learned useful. • Students gained a sense of what inquiry is and how to approach it. • Process taught in a thorough way. • Students forced to go beyond Google and consider credibility . • Student reflections proved to be a valuable piece of the process. • The challenge helped the students step up and create a valuable product.

  12. Odell Unit 3 Inquiry: Reflection • Requiring more than the reflection encouraged students to reflect beyond process and on product-what did they learn? • Library blocking out time was helpful! • Work in other areas (CIA) helped prepare students for inquiry process/project.

  13. Odell Unit 3 Inquiry: Reflection Areas of Challenge: • Accessing technology that worked (laptops, printers) • Getting library time • Pre-chosen topics a challenge-”design” especially • Trying to organize students, amount of handouts, etc.

  14. Odell Unit 3 Inquiry: Reflection Ideas Moving Forward: • Can be done in a shorter period • Stagger teachers in library/with technology • Clearly define end products at the beginning

  15. Odell Unit 4 Evidence-Based Arguments: Synopsis We are in the throes of our last Odell unit. Again, we had very little time to digest the information before teaching it to our students (posted March), but we are struggling through. In the coming weeks, we’ll gather feedback and assess how all four of these units fared this year.

  16. Odell Unit 4 Evidence-Based Arguments: Synopsis We have struggled with using a Common Core curriculum while still giving the traditional Regents exam. This curriculum is meant to take 15-20 weeks, yet for most of us the entire year was devoted to Odell. Odell left little time for teaching novels and plays, which will create a burden for the 11th grade teachers next year.

  17. Moving Forward/Ideas for Next Year We would like to maintain more of a balance between fiction and nonfiction, and perhaps next year we can collaborate to incorporate more literature while still remaining faithful to the CCSS Odell curriculum.

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