Summary
A review of the research literature showed that confounding definitions related to elementary school instructional organization, limited research, and contradictory and inconclusive findings contribute to the difficulty of determining the impact of departmentalization on elementary school students. Also problematic are stakeholders’ influences on instructional organization decisions and how these decisions are viewed in terms of institutional factors such as rules, structures, and social and professional norms.
Confounding definitions and misrepresentations make choices difficult, and force many school districts to create their own definitions of terms. The failure to establish static definitions continues to complicate the debate. Those that support the benefits of the self- contained classroom site optimized individualization, time flexibility, and coordination across content areas. The advocates of departmentalization focus on the need for the teachers ' specialized knowledge for increased student engagement and content mastery. They claim it is unrealistic to expect elementary teachers to have the specialized knowledge that is required to facilitate instruction.
Research indicates that departmentalized instruction helps students transition to the middle-school format, and that grade-level instructional teams promote teacher retention. Teacher retention is associated with departmentalization was shown to have a positive impact on student achievement. The
Education. A successful example of the adoption of an online curriculum planning tool should provide key features of the adoption phase including the district-wide support for attendance at professional development meetings. It should include teacher involvement in the design of the online tool and buy-in at multiple levels. These tools need to align with the teachers’ existing practices. Even experienced teachers will need support and additional time to develop student-centered uses of technology in the
The differences were connected with a teacher’s original preparation for the teaching profession, licensing in the particular subject area to be taught, strength of the educational experience, and the degree of experience in teaching along with the demonstration of abilities through the National Board Certification, in which all of these facets can be addressed through policy (Darling-Hammond, 2010).America has not produced a national method containing supports and reasons to guarantee that teachers’ are adequately prepared and equipped to teach all children effectively when they first enter into the career of teaching. America also does not have a vast collection of methods available that will maintain the evaluation and continuing development of a teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom, or support decisions about entry into the field of teaching and the continuance in the profession of teaching (Darling-Hammond, 2010). n order to reach the belief that all students will be taught and learn to high standards calls for a makeover in the methods our system of education in order to be a magnet for, train, support or uphold, and cultivate effective teachers in more efficient ways. A makeover that is contingent in a certain degree of how the abilities or skills are comprehended (Darling-Hammond, 2010).In the last few years there has been increasing
Teaching is moving from an individual to a collective activity. The level of agreement and alignment across classrooms around powerful practices are increasing. The school is aligning its organizational resources around support for instructional improvement.
Taking what happened in the interactions and decided what category of class management was being utilized out of our possibilities. Also, how Junie B. reacted to each style of teaching whether is was a positive or negative interactions and whether it had a positive or negative reaction correlating with it. After deciding what our topic was going to deal with we decided to pull examples from real life that also illustrated our main ideas, so, the group also pulled examples of classroom management from bulletin boards seen in classrooms at the schools Raymond F Brandes and Creston that included clip system of disciplinary action, expectations of reading comprehension in grade levels, and a smiley to frown face disciplinary system.
The purpose of this research is to understand the perceptions and experiences of professionals on collaboration in the educational environment. Data collection will occur within the Virginia Beach City Public School (VBCPS) system. Specifically targeted will be three elementary schools that I work in being Ocean Lakes Elementary School, Princess Anne Elementary School and Red Mill Elementary School. The people that volunteer to take part will include VBCPS staff involved with the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for special needs students in any one of the above identified schools, and has been part of an initial eligibility, new IEP, current IEP, or consulted on as part of the IEP process.
The Washington County School District organizational strategies that are in place for teachers has increased academic student growth in my classes. Throughout year, I participate in professional development activities that enhance my teaching skills and increase student learning. During the summer, I collaborate with district data analysis and colleagues to disaggregate student data, correctly identify the lowest benchmarks that students scored based on FSA performance and Washington County School District Progress Monitoring Program (three assessments from the previous year). After which, we develop an "Order of Instruction” for content areas based on data from various student measures that have been assimilated throughout the school year.
Section II. Teaching Practice Question 1: The Washington County School District organizational strategies in place for teachers has increased academic student growth in my classes. Throughout the year, I participate in professional development activities that enhance my teaching skills and increase student learning. I collaborate with data analysis and colleagues to disaggregate student data, correctly identify the lowest benchmarks that students scored based on FSA performance and Washington County School District Progress Monitoring Program (three assessments from the previous year). For this reason, we develop an "Order of Instruction" for content areas based on data from various student measures that have been assimilated throughout the school year. In like manner, I meet with vertical/grade level teams during preplanning to gather resources and organize materials by units, critique online resources to incorporate new technology into daily lesson objectives. Prior to students entering my classroom on the first day, I locate my class roster in FOCUS, print out all student IEP 's and 504 's and incorporate that information into my data notebook. As a team, we meet weekly to design lesson plans, create informal/formal assessments, and collaborate with another to ensure that standards-based instruction is being implemented in our classroom. After students start the new school year and complete their baseline assessments, I meet with colleagues, data analysis and Washington
The Framework for Teaching by Charlotte Danielson has been developed through research as a guideline for current and future teacher’s professional responsibilities in and out of the classroom. Districts throughout the country are using this framework to assess and guide their teachers to build successful methods of planning and preparations, setting up the classroom environment, instruction and professional responsibilities. Each of these domains builds off of each other to form a successful learning environment. Domain 3 focuses more specifically on instruction using communication, discussions, engagement, assessments and flexibility.
Love, N., Stiles, K., Mundry, S., & DiRanna, K. (2008). The data coach’s guide to improving
We were able to present an Instructional Technology Plan that guide major adoptions in technology for the schools with special emphasis on the integration of technology to teaching and learning. Once implementation began we were able to see Interactive Whiteboards in every classroom in the High School and most core content area classrooms in the middle school. Elementary was reserved to a second year and every classroom and School Library was included in the initiative. The plan was owned by the stakeholders and they were engaged in professional development to take full advantage of the technologies.
The district needs to create more time in the schedule for the students to work collaboratively on projects and activities. Grade level teams of teachers need to be created. These teams will have a common schedule and common planning times which will allow for greater flexibility when creating lessons and activities. The team will also have the ability to meet regularly to deal with common issues, planning, and creating learning that differentiated to individual student needs (Brown & Knowles p. 77).
Quite a few of our teachers were not interested in being in a grade level academy setting. We needed the teachers to want to be in the Sophomore Academy; however, we did not get a 100 percent buy in. Most of the teachers wanted to keep our traditional school setting (grades 9-12). The Sophomore Academy would be located in a specific location in our building and our school bell schedule would use a traditional scheduling with a two-day block schedule. Prior to our change to the Academy system, teachers were accustomed to planning with their curriculum team weekly, but in our academy system, teachers would have to meet weekly with their grade level team and meet with their curriculum team once every three weeks. Our principal had already received approval from the Texas Education Agency and there was no going back to the traditional school setting or bell schedule for the next two years. As a result, teachers did not feel as if they had a voice, they made negative remarks about the academy system and morale was low. As the Assistant Principal, it was my job to get the teachers on board as well as to lead our Sophomore Academy to a successful year for our
The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study is to identify the impact small group instruction has on academic achievement, attendance, and behavioral problems in a middle school. Phase one will incorporate teacher insight and perspective into students perceived academic skill set and usefulness of small group instruction. This will indicate and provide indicators that regardless of the group instruction implemented, strategies to engage the students not currently participating in the small groupsettings are necessary. On the other hand, an overtaxed, stressed-out teacher with too many small-group or individual learning activities may not be emotionally available to sensitively respond to the diverse needs of all children (Reutzal,
In today’s educational field I plan to apply my knowledge of everything that I have learned at Georgia State University. In my time at Georgia State, I have developed a way of teaching that is equally focused—as much as possible—on children, faculty and staff, up and coming curriculum, classroom management skills, and continued learning and educational growth. I will expand upon each of these focuses throughout this paper.
classroom has its own likes, dislikes, niches if you will. This is defined clearly and explicitly as a