A much needed AR update

This post is necessary for a few reasons...I need to sort my whole AR out and put it in writing.  It's more for me than anything else.  Crossing my t's and dotting my i's....making sure it all fits into place.
Secondly, I shared my blog with fellow learners at the fall conference.  I said that I would upload some of the things I am doing...so in this blog you will find links to some of the data collection pieces I am using, as well as a link to the 'I Can...' statements I am using with the students in math. 

I am very excited about the changes I see in my classroom.  The implementation of my AR is going well, and I am seeing some very positive development in the students.  It is great to see the learning and academic progress in math, as well as a better overall environment.  I attribute a lot of the growth to the small groups for learning.  It has also been nice having DESCA as a foundation for how our classroom functions.

How will the implementation of guided math stations affect students' academic performance?  

DESCA in Math Groups-

When we work in small groups for math, there is an emphasis on DESCA (Dignity, Energy, Self-management, Community, Awareness) .  These themes blend so well as a building block for how the groups are implemented.

• Dignity
• We promote dignity by showcasing two people each day in math.  At the end of the math block, two kids (they know when it will be their day to be showcased) share one positive thing they accomplished that day in math.  They also share one thing they would like further learning on.  I feel this sharing has helped build the students dignity, for they are proud to share something they accomplished, and comforted to share a struggle because there are often many kids that chime in and agree they need more practice in that area, too. 
• Energy
• The new schedule in math definitely brings a lot of energy to the classroom.  It is a very loud environment, but generally the students are having good discussion about math.  It is great to see kids teaching one another and moving around the room.  I usually try to incorporate some sort of movement activity in the morning before math.  I feel they really need the opportunity to participate in some sort of activity out of their chairs.  
• Self-management
• This is something the students are still working on.  There are two groups that work very diligently the entire time they are working without me.  They accomplish all of the goals, and have time for extra activities.  However, there are two groups that need many reminders to stay on-task.  I am going to try splitting the group into two smaller groups to see if that makes a difference.  I am also going to start introducing more activities to do at stations.  Hopefully the higher engagement activities will keep the students more focused.  When they are with me, they will all come together.  I think dignity in their work and true awareness of the learning targets plays a large role in the students' ability to self-manage.  
• Any ideas how to improve this with students?
• Community
• As a group, we are participating in morning meeting activities at least twice per week.  The students are working together to accomplish goals, and it's neat to see them cooperate.  I'm also trying to incorporate more 'Think-Pair-Shares' into our day, as an opportunity for the students to chat and get to know one another.  Also trying different ways of randomly pairing the kids up.   There is a cool sense of sincerity in many of their actions when they work together. 
• Awareness
• I am using my districts 'I can..' statements as a way of making the students more aware of the learning targets.  As a staff, we have taken all of the MN state math and reading standards and simplified the language so it is 5th grade friendly and put the words 'I can' in front of them.  For example, I can add multiply whole and decimal numbers.  I can solve real world math problems using addition and subtraction.  I was skeptical of these at first, but after showing them to students at the beginning of each lesson, and telling them that is is their goal to be able to say "I can find perimeter of a rectangle" by the end of today, has made a significant difference in their learning.  It is improving their dignity and ability to self-manage when working independently. 
• Link to I can... statements

Math Groups

• Review - 5 minutes 
• multiplication drills
• review mathbox homework from previous day
• Inquiries/Clarifications - 5 or 10 minutes
• Students ask questions/clarifications
• homework review, random thought, real-world math encounter
• Mini-Lesson - 20 minutes
• Announce 'I can" for the day
• All teacher modeling of how to problem solve and work through the day objective.  
• Fast-paced and minimal student interaction
• Groups - Two - 20 minute blocks
• ability grouped based on pre-assessment per unit
• some days, new groups are formed based on previous nights homework
• Group responsibilities include: completing journal pages, game/activity, leveled/targeted practice, helping/teaching one another.
• I see two (of four) groups each day.  

Data Collection

• engagement
• My Observations:  weekly records being kept. 
• link to blank Observation Log  
• Peer Observation:  Janet observed 10.6.  Observing again 11.?
• Students' DESCA evaluation:  Taken 9.30, 10.7, 10.28
• link to blank Student DESCA Evaluation
• homework completion
• using grade book to monitor missing and late work.  (overall HUGE improvement from unit one!)
• end of unit assessments
• "Preview the Year" unit scores and 'I can...' evaluations (student/teacher) completed.
• "Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication" unit assess. will be given on 11.2
• NWEA assessment. 
• Given again in January.
• Can do survey test if needed before then.  

A new goal (in addition to the many others...)

My approach to teaching has changed this school year.  I have been trying many new things, and liking the results I see.  It has been an eye opening experience, watching the changes happen to our environment and ways of learning mature in the students.  The approaches and practices that I was comfortable with before, I now question from time to time.  I am continually reflecting and thinking about how I can make things better.  Although I am excited, it is a bit overwhelming at times.  I feel like I am taking on too many new goals, but it makes it interesting to change things up a bit.

As I read about instructional leadership and goal setting this week, two things really stood out to me.  One being, to do what you say you will do.  And secondly, to frequently evaluate your progress.  This frequent evaluation is going to become a goal of mine.  Both with my own personal goals, and with monitoring my students growth and goals.  

For me, I feel that I am good at setting goals for myself.  Generally I meet them, and then set new goals.  Yet I don't think I check-in on myself as often as I should.  Sometimes this allows me to 'selectively forget' the goal and not follow through on meeting it.  I think more frequent reminders and checking-in will ensure I meet all of my goals.  Perhaps I need to write them down in one place and just glance at it every so often.

As for my students, we just set goals at conferences.  I am going to make it a point to check in on those goals more frequently.  I have been trying some new things with their homework.  It is allowing me to give more immediate feedback, so the students and I can help make the proper steps toward reaching their goals.  Maybe I could start bringing out the goals with the start of each new math unit as a reminder?  

I am also going to attempt to make some smaller goals with the students, that are more short term than the ones we just made.  Those are more or less year end goals.  I think it is important for the students to be able to see results, in order for them to keep up the momentum for reaching the goals.  

  

So Far, So Good

Some data points to share....

The math stations are going well.  I feel that the students are adapting well to the new style of learning.  As I observe the different groups working math workshop, I am very impressed by what I am hearing and witnessing.  For the most part, the students are working with one another.  It is interesting to see how certain groups have naturally divided themselves into smaller groups.  When we discussed why they chose to do so, they stated that it was too loud and hard to concentrate.  The groups they have formed seem to be working well.  I have been encouraging some cooperative work as a larger small group, allowing more perspectives.  They have developed the plan to work in smaller cooperative groups and then have their wrap-up discussion as a bigger group.  We brought up DESCA, specifically self-management, community, and awareness, while having our discussions.  They are demonstrating a good grasp of the concepts, and how they help them achieve their academic goals.  

Data Collection:  They students have completed a DESCA checklist three times, and their comfort and application of the themes seems to be increasing.  

Janet observed the stations and completed the five DESCA questions.

I personally LOVE the small group time with the students.  I am able to see the students work on a closer level.  Multiple times, I have been able to work with 4-5 students on struggling skills.  It is great seeing improvement when I can focus specifically on their struggle.  Meanwhile, I know that the rest of the class is working on math skills.  I have had very little trouble with students not being able to manage themselves and stay on task.  

My personal struggle at this point is not seeing every student each day in a small group.  I only see two groups per day...so two groups go unseen.  Although all students are getting the whole-group mini lesson, I still struggle with it.  After reading about openness, I know that I need to be accepting of the change, and with time, I will feel more comfortable.  I look forward to collecting the academic improvement data at the end of the unit.  In my observations, there is improvement, but I like to see the true comparison from pre to post test.  

I am finding that it is really important that  I am looking at the previous nights homework first thing in the morning, especially for the students who I did not see for group time the day before.  It lets me use their homework as an assessment of learning, but also as learning.  I can then use that to quickly form a new group from that day, and review the homework and necessary skills.  

Sooo, so far-so good.  I think I am on the right track.  The math groups are going well, and having DESCA as our base is going great, too.  I hope that I am collecting enough data...I am still unsure of that.  I look forward to the conference this weekend to hear the ideas and data collection of others.  

I need to keep this forrest growing....

Planning full speed ahead (again)....

Well I am feeling really good about the changes in my plan.  I have been reading a lot of new research on guided math stations and math workshop.  I am excited to implement a new plan of action that really focuses on these ideas.  In all of the new research I have done, I am feeling really good about all the work with DESCA I have been implementing into our daily routine already.  It is going to be a great way of encouraging responsible decisions during math workshop time.  One of the assessments that I had created, and the students have used once, will be very handy.  It is a simple checklist for each of the DESCA themes.
I have collected some pre-test data that will help me to form the groups, and developed a few differentiation packets to use during math workshop time for now.  I feel I have good start and look forward to implementing the groups with my students tomorrow.  As the timing of stations and the flow of the room gets more comfortable, I am excited to introduce new activities/games to math workshop.