pbtl at cosa june 2011

Proficiency-

Based

Teaching and

Learning “A proficiency teacher

guarantees every student is

learning and progressing.”

COSA 2011

Steve Boynton Superintendent, Arlington SD

Rinda Montgomery Conwell Asst. Superintendent,

North Central ESD

What is the role of:

The school?

What is the role of:

The administrator?

What is the role of:

The teacher?

What is the role of:

The student?

What is the role of:

The parent?

What if the role of:

The school

was to..

What if the role of:

The administrator

was to..

What if the role of:

The teacher

was to..

What if the role of:

The student

was to..

What if the role of:

The parent

was to..

When you redefine learning,

you redefine teaching.

Which kids are you not

reaching?

What is proficiency?

Skill-based/skill measured

What is proficiency?

Individualized

What is proficiency?

Time is the variable.

What is proficiency?

Student driven

What is proficiency?

Teacher coached

What is proficiency?

Student centered

What is proficiency?

Kids know the WHY for

everything they do.

The Arlington Model

Academically grouped by

ability

The Arlington Model

Socially grouped by age for

music, physical education,

health, and technology

The Arlington Model

Progression is skill-driven

The Arlington Model

Mobile technology is the

main resource.

The Arlington Model

Completely individualized in

pace

The Arlington Model

The RTI process is built in.

The Arlington Model

Special Services is redefined.

The Arlington Model

Standards-based reporting

system

The Arlington Model

Student-led conferences

The Arlington Model

Professional development is

targeted and individualized

for teachers.

The Arlington Model

Progress monitoring software

The Arlington Model

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy is

built in.

The Arlington Model

Flexible to student interests

The Arlington Model

Embedded technology skills

The Arlington Model

Archiving of culminating

activities

The Arlington Model

Rubrics become student

portfolio

The Arlington Model

Seamless transitions

throughout the year

Building the Model in a Year

August

Juggling

Socratic approach

What do we do? Does it make sense?

Challenge the use of grades

Challenge the notion of groups and group teaching

Laminated Lexile test score questions

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Building the Model in a Year

September

Roll out data from previous year to

challenge the assertion that what was done

works.

EasyCBM

Talk about doing things differently

Building the Model in a Year

October

During grading time, as what each grade in

the grade book means in terms of

knowledge or skill.

Ask why the teachers grade all those

papers.

Ask why they write lesson plans.

Building the Model in a Year

November

First professional development training on

proficiency

Challenge teacher-centered activities

Monitor teacher reaction

Building the Model in a Year

December

Second professional development training

Rubric writing

Parsing/unwrapping standards

Ask for feedback

Monitor teacher reaction

Building the Model in a Year

January

Show a completed one-grade block to teachers

One grade

Language Arts/Social Studies block

Ten modules

Twelve activities per module

Standards addressed blended into worksheets

Field questions and concerns

Begin parsing/unwrapping standards as a group

Building the Model in a Year

February

Grade 5 Language Arts/Social Studies block

modules finished

Building the Model in a Year

March

Staff in-service

Parsing/unwrapping standards

Grouping standards

Creating themes of modules

Building the Model in a Year

April

One teacher worked 1.5 days with ESD

staff.

Standards for LA and SS already broken out

Themes already created

Worked on activities

Collected resources

Building the Model in a Year

May

Writing activities for LA & SS Grade 5

Parse standards for Math/Science Grade 6

Writing activities for Math/Science Grade 6

Building the Model in a Year

June

Email all high school staff

Next year all grades must be tied to

standards.

All final exams must be related to standards

and turned in to administrator.

No grades allowed for attendance, behavior,

or event participation.

Building the Model in a Year

Summer

Staff have ten working days

Finish modules

Two grade levels per teacher

Two block classes per grade level

40 Modules

480 Activities

Write rubrics for each standard skill/knowledge addressed

Find resources

Samples for each activity that requires a resource

Block Schedule Grades 1-2 Time Activity

15 Skills, Small Group

15 Full-Group Instruction

15 Modules, Small-Group Check In

5 “App Attack”

15 Mini Lesson

15 Modules, Individual Check Ins

5 “Rave Session”

20 Small-Group Instruction

Block Schedule Grades 3-4 Time Activity

15 Skills, Individual

15 Full-Group Instruction

15 Modules, Small-Group Check In

5 “App Attack”

15 Mini Lesson

15 Modules, Individual Check Ins

5 “Rave Session”

20 Small-Group Instruction

Block Schedule Grades 5-8 Time Activity

15 Skills, Individualized Levels

10 Mini Lesson: Based on student needs or

vocabulary lesson

15 Transition to Modules, Small-Group

Check Ins

15 Modules, Individual Check Ins

5 “Rave Session”

5 “App Attack”

10 Mini Lesson

30 Modules, Individual Check Ins

The State of Education, Part 1

What it is What it

should be Confirmation of

minimum

standards of

completion

(AYP/state report

card)

Systemwide Every student

guaranteed to learn;

targeted outcomes

Segmented/Separ

ate; Linear

Instruction

Instruction Integrated across

curriculum; Cyclical

Instruction

Expert in Learning;

Classroom is

Kingdom

Teachers Facilitator of

Learning; Classroom

as part of a larger

community

List of artificial

tasks; Task oriented

(time filler)

Student Work Expectation of

results; proficiency

oriented (evidence

of learning

The State of Education, Part 2

What it is What it

should be Limited

Application

Technology Integrated within

the system

“Doing” for the

sake of

grades/rewards

Student

Motivation

Learning for the

sake of lifelong

application

Collection of

points

Assessment Demonstration of

Proficiency

Dictated by the

adults; rules based

Community Guided by adults,

owned by students;

incentive based

Comparison

Traditional Standards Proficiency

View of

Learners

Some will excel, some

will do average work, a

portion will fail

All students can achieve at

high standards; failure is not

an option.

Learning

Program

Time based; learning is

a variable. It’s

effective for a portion

of students.

Learning based; time is a

variable. It’s effective for all

students.

Grades Based on various, and

sometimes subjective,

points rather than

proficiencies; may

reflect quantity over

quality (such as extra

credit work); may be

used in part to punish,

reward, or control

student behavior,

subject to inflation.

Grades are sometimes

locked in before a

course ends.

Indicate only what student

has learned (knows and

can do) by demonstration

of proficiency; quality of

work is based on

agreements about

evidence of proficiency.

End-of-course grades

reflect student proficiency

AT the end of course.

Comparison Traditional Standards Proficiency

Assessment Relies heavily on

summative assessment,

including standardized

testing.

Includes summative

assessment, but heavily favors

formative assessment as a

feedback mechanism to

continuously measure and

guide student learning, and to

drive and improve instruction

Nature &

Structure of

Schools

Often adult centered in

practice. Self-contained

education factories in a

management hierarchy

modeled on 20th Century

industry.

Student centered in practice.

Home base for flexible

learning experiences where

students can assume more

initiative, work in teams, and

learn in community settings,

online venues, and other

education institutions as well

as in their own school of

record.

Curriculum Disciplines are

independent of one

another and content is

independent of

standards for

postsecondary success.

Based on recognized

standards. Rigor and

relevance are driving criteria.

Disciplines are often

integrated. Content is keyed

to what students need for

postsecondary studies and

job success.

Comparison Traditional Standards Proficiency

Student

Credentialin

g

Students accumulate

graded units of

instruction to graduate

through “seat time,”

regardless of skill levels

acquired or grades

assigned, and a

standard diploma is

regarded as the end

point of the high school

experience. For students

capable of doing more

and advancing while still

in high school, the senior

year is often spent

coasting to the finish line.

Students are assessed to

ensure they have acquired

high standards of knowledge

and skills defined by minimum

state diploma requirements

matched to state standards.

Students with an interest in

advanced certification and

credits (AP, IB, college credits)

are supported in going

beyond minimum diploma

requirements.

Teachers Dispense knowledge

about subject matter;

lead class discussions,

make assignments,

motivate students, assign

grades.

Do many of the traditional

things, but also are content

experts, mentors, resources,

partners in school

management, partners with

community resource

providers, skilled assessment

practitioners, members of

teaching teams, members of

professional learning

communities.

Comparison Traditional Standards Proficiency

Students Receive or absorb

information passively,

recite when asked,

achieve on tests.

Often don’t know at

the beginning of the

course what

constitutes successful

learning.

Envision and help plan

their education path,

partner in their own

progress, learn by

observation and

application as well as by

reading and taking class

notes, and they develop

both individual and group

skills.

Student

Performan

ce Data

Infrequently

collected and

analyzed, if at all.

Frequently collected and

analyzed (currently and

longitudinally) by

teachers, professional

learning communities,

and curriculum and

instruction administrators

for program

improvement.

Online Resources

Live Binder

PBTL http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_

edit?id=44141

FaceBook Group Proficiency-Based Teaching and

Learning

SlideShare

PBTL at COSA June 2011

Contact Information

Steve Boynton

Superintendent

Arlington School District sboynton@arlington.k12.or.us

Rinda Montgomery Conwell

Assistant Superintendent

North Central ESD rmconwell@ncesd.k12.or.us