Session 1B: Building a Staircase of Complexity

Sequence of SessionsOverarching Objectives of this July 2013 Network Team Institute I can describe how the 3-8 modules increase in complexity over time. I can describe the impact of student engaged assessment practices on student achievement. I can describe the strategy of close reading. I can describe EL’s approach to developing high-quality common core aligned writing from the students in the module lessons. I can analyze a classroom a lesson for the shifts in instruction and required changes of teachers and leaders. I can determine how the ELA module performance assessments can play a role within my school’s larger assessment system. I can apply the concerns-based adoption model to support myself and others’ adoption of the Common Core State Standards. I can foster a growth mindset through feedback that promotes positive change. I can explain the components of a high-quality, yearlong implementation and professional development plan to support teachers in their

implementation of the ELA curriculum modules.

High-Level Purpose of this Session To give participants: 1. A process for analyzing the curriculum map and module level materials to see how the ELA modules

increase in complexity over time (within a grade and across a grade level band) 2. The experience of engaging in such a process so they may apply their understanding to their own school settings.

Related Learning ExperiencesPrevious NTI trainings and/or other module professional development experiences

Key Points Analyzing the curriculum map reveals key aspects of the curriculum design “logic” that undergirds the modules. To implement the modules well, it is critical to read the standards closely and know what mastery of a specific standard looks like. To implement the modules well, it is critical to analyze how a standard is assessed, and how students are scaffolded toward success.

Session Outcomes

What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of this session?

How will we know that they are able to do this?

I can reflect upon my growth as a professional and share insights with colleagues

I can analyze how the ELA modules increase in complexity over time (within a grade level and across a grade level band).

Active participation in protocols Completed Written Conversation note catcher Completed Case Study of Standard note catcher

Session OverviewSection Time Overview Prepared Resources Facilitator Preparation

Membership Activity and Norms

20 minReview 2-day agenda and set norms for collaboration.

PPT Building a Staircase of Complexity_1B_NTI 07131.Norms for Collaboration_NTI 0713.doc

Introduction to Session 1B

5 minIntroduction to the session agenda and learning targets.

Preview all documents and resources.

Preview the PPT slides and note their alignment to the Facilitator’s Guide below.

Reflection: Key Learning from Year 1

20 minParticipants synthesize and share key learning from Year 1 implementation.

2.Written Conversation Protocol_NTI 0713.doc3.Written conversation protocol notecatcher_NTI 0713

Staircase of Complexity, Part 1 (across a year)

20 minIn triads, participants use a modified 4-As protocol to examine and discuss Curriculum Map (for one grade level)

4.4As Protocol_NTI 0713

Staircase of Complexity, Part 2: Case Study of a Standard (across a grade band)

45 min In same triads, participants do a “case study” of RI/RL.1 across three grade levels

5.Case Study of a Standard Task Card and Note Catcher_NTI 0713NYS Grade 3 ELA Curriculum Map June 2013NYS Grade 4 ELA Curriculum Map June 2013

NYS Grade 5 ELA Curriculum Map June 2013NYS Grade 6 ELA Curriculum Map June 2013NYS Grade 7 ELA Curriculum Map June 2013NYS Grade 8 ELA Curriculum Map June 2013

Synthesis 5 minParticipants consider this question “The standard is not the standard;the assessment is the standard.”

Debrief and Reflection

10 min Participants consider implications for Year 2

6. Participant Reflection Form 1B_NTI0713

Session RoadmapSection: Building a Staircase of Complexity Time: 130 minutes

[130 minutes] In this section, you will guide participants will dive deeply into the module and updated 3-8 curriculum maps to examine the staircase of complexity (standards, texts, and assessments) across individual grade levels and grade level bands to collaboratively develop a holistic view of the modules as a sequenced curriculum.

Materials used include:PPT Building a Staircase of Complexity_1B_NTI 07131.Norms for Collaboration_NTI 0713.doc2.Written Conversation Protocol_NTI 0713.doc3.Written conversation protocol notecatcher_NTI 07134.4As Protocol_NTI 07135.Case Study of a Standard Task Card and Note Catcher_NTI 07136. Participant Reflection Form 1B_NTI0713

Time Slide #/ Pic of Slide Script/ Activity directions GROUP

3 min Facilitators introduce themselves to the group and who Expeditionary Learning is through the content on the Powerpoint slides:

Expeditionary Learning (EL) is a non-profit network of practitioners, with 165 schools in 30 states, 4,000 teachers, and 40,000 students.

We have been working with schools and teachers for 20 years to create rigorous classrooms in which develop strong literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills.

We have a proud history of working in New York State and have engaged teams of teachers from high-performing classrooms throughout the state to help develop our curriculum modules.

In the elementary grades, the average percentage point difference between an EL mentor school and its local district was 16 percentage points in Reading/English Language Arts.

Table groups

We have always viewed every teacher - regardless of subject area, grade or specialization - as a teacher of readers, writers, and content. This was a natural connection for us.

Via intensive collaboration with Student Achievement Partners (SAP) and with the input of teachers from across the country, we have created a curriculum that engages students and supports teachers in building students’ capacity to read, think, talk, and write about complex texts.

7 min Explain to participants that EL’s professional development is intentionally collaborative, and they will be asked to be engaged in discussion and activities with one another the majority of the time. In order for everyone to feel safe and to create a learning environment of high expectations, we will establish some norms that will use and revisit throughout our two days together.

Ask participants to review the Norms for Collaboration in the participant notebook. Give them 5 minutes to read and reflection on the prompts, letting them know that they will introduce themselves to one other through sharing their responses to these prompts in order to help us establish a culture of collaboration:

Please Read The Norms for Collaboration Think about which of these norms is really

important to you – which do you need most to be in effect for you to feel “safe” as a learner and collaborator? – Pick your top

Think about which you personally struggle to uphold. Why is that?

Would that be a good personal goal for the next two days?

10 min

Before having participants introduce themselves, please model the prompt below with brevity. They only get 10 minutes for the table of 10 – that is ONE minute per person!Have participants introduce themselves:

Your Name Your Role and Work Location Your top 2 norms that feel really important Your personal “norm” goal for the next 2 days

Then please share the slide: a word about technology with the graphic. Please recognize that we are all very busy people, but we are asking them to do their best to avoid “technology drift” and to be active listeners for one another while engaged in conversation and in general, to be respectful about the use of technology.

3 min Facilitator reviews session agenda and learning targets, stressing that participants are now focusing in on the concept of “staircase of complexity” in the second target:

I can reflect upon my growth as a professional and share insights with colleagues.

I can analyze how the ELA modules increase in complexity over time (within a grade level and across a grade level band).

Emphasize that complexity has to do with more than just texts or Lexile levels. It has to do with the standards themselves, how the rigor increases from grade to grade.

Table groups

4 min

Facilitator frames the purpose of the Reflection: to synthesize and share key learning from Year 1 implementation and shares the learning targets:

I can reflect upon my growth as a professional and share insights with colleagues

I can analyze how the ELA modules increase in complexity over time (within a grade level and across a grade level band).

Facilitator orients participants to materials: written conversation protocol and note-catcher.

Facilitator briefly reviews the Written Conversation Protocol, which some participants may have used previously (February 2013 NTI) – check for understanding- the note catcher needs explanation!

Table groups

13 min

Participants follow the written conversation protocol.Facilitator circulates to clarify the task as needed, and to observe and notice patterns in colleagues’ written conversations.

Partners

3 min

Facilitator displays the synthesis discussion prompt on PowerPoint and explains that the task if for participants to be able to fill in the blanks based on their experience over the course of the last year:

We could tell educators who are new to implementing the modules ____, but they have to actually experience implementing the modules in order to truly understand____.

Invite participants to share in partners (1.5 min each).

Partner

5 min Facilitator focuses participants on the curriculum map for their grade level which is in their folder)

Facilitator explains the purpose of this document: to provide a high level overview of the work students and teachers do across the year.

Facilitator briefly reviews the structure of the document:COLUMNS (from left to right): show the six modules across a yearFacilitator focuses participants on the top row (M1, M2A, M2B….)

Remind participants of the “A/B” choices for Modules 2 and 3 – address the same standards, but with different topics and with a different approach:The standards might be combined in different ways, the types of writing might be ordered differently – It’s like two different meals, but combined differently: standards are the same, but combined differently.

Remind participants that teachers should start the year with Module 1, which includes instructional routines for teachers and students.ROWS (left-hand margin, from top to bottom): key components of each module

Facilitator focuses participants on the second row, titled “Focus” (e.g. “Becoming a Close Reader and Writing to Learn”)The “focus” describes the meta-structure of the modules across the year, which is the same across grade levels.

Facilitator invites participants to read across the year, from M1 to M4, with this question in mind:

“How would you explain the “deep logic” of the

Large group, then pairs

curriculum modules to a savvy colleague?”

Participants discuss in pairs for 2-3 minutes.

Facilitator refocuses participants whole group to briefly emphasize how these headings (i.e. “becoming a close reader and writing to learn”) align with the CCSS instructional shifts.

5 min Facilitator frames purpose for next portion of the agenda: Staircase of Complexity, Part 1: Reflection on Year 1, looking across one grade/year.

Purpose: This discussion is designed for teachers and leaders across schools and districts to analyze how the ELA modules increase in complexity over time (within a grade level).

The goal is to “crack the code,” i.e., see the design logic of one grade level and see the forest instead of just trees.

Facilitator guides participants to form triads at their table: three people who are interested in focusing on the same grade level band (either elementary or middle school).

Each triad chooses just one grade level to focus on, and gets that grade level curriculum map in front of them.

Facilitator briefly reviews the modified 4 A’s protocol (which participants have used before), which they will use to examine and discuss Curriculum Maps.

It is critical to help participants follow the protocol by preparing them well. Ask them to identify Roles: Timekeeper, facilitator. (1 min)

Large group, then triads

You might ask timekeepers and facilitators to raise their hands to ensure that someone has taken on the role in each group.

In the 4 A’s protocol, participants will look at how the standards, texts, and assessments for a particular grade level become increasingly complex across the year.

The slides moving forward will help keep time, but timekeepers can assist at tables by giving the group a warning prior to the whole group moving forward.

20 min

Participants will follow the 4 A’s protocolAchieve (5 min)Look at STANDARDS

What do you notice about which standards are met when during the year?

What “bundles” of standards do you notice (e.g. which reading standards are packaged together in a module; which reading standards packages with which writing standards in a module)?

What can you infer about the logic in that yearlong design?

Aspire (5 min)Look at TEXTS

What do you notice about central texts across the year?

What design logic do you see (balance of fiction/info texts, increase in complexity, etc.)

Assess (5 min)Look at ASSESSMENTS

What do you notice about assessments across one grade level/year?

Over the course of last year, what information did

Triads within table groups

you capture about your students’ learning?

Adjustment (5 min)Consider the map overall

What changes to instruction did this yearlong map most push you on last year?

How and why?Facilitator circulates to listen in, redirect, support as needed.

5 min Facilitator frames purpose for next portion of the agenda: Staircase of Complexity, Part 2: Case Study of a Standard-looking across a grade band (either 3-5 or 6-8)

Purpose: This discussion is designed for teachers and leaders across schools and districts to analyze how the ELA modules increase in complexity over time (within a grade level and across a grade level band).

It will help to emphasize that the concept of “staircase of complexity” is not just about how difficult the texts are that students read. “Complexity” is built in to the standards themselves; how a given standard gets more challenging as you move up the grade levels.

Large group

Facilitator orients participants to 5.Case Study of a Standard Task Card and Note Catcher_NTI 0713.

It is critical to help participants follow the protocol by preparing them well. Ask them to identify Roles: Timekeeper, facilitator. (2 min)

You might ask timekeepers and facilitators to raise their hands to ensure that someone has taken on the role in each group.Be sure participants have requisite materials and have designated roles.

40 min

Please have participants locate the Case Study of a Standard Task Card and Note Catcher, and select a facilitator and a timekeeper. The facilitator should review the task the group and then begin working.

Same triads within table groups

5 min

Facilitator refocuses participants whole group.Participants will synthesize. Direct them to the synthesis prompt on the PowerPoint:

Consider this statement: “The standard is not the standard. The assessment is the standard.” What does this mean? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Participants journal silently.

Solo

5 min

Facilitator recaps the session: We just examined the year-long curriculum map, focusing on the “staircase of complexity” across the year and across a grade band.

Facilitator invites participants to think and then discuss at tables:

Given your role, what are the implications for your work in regards to module implementation?

As participants discuss at tables, facilitator circulates to listen in and identify a few pre-selected volunteers who are willing to share out whole group.

triads

3 min

Facilitator refocuses participants whole group and invite volunteers to share key insights.

Facilitator thanks participants and gives specific positive praise for evidence noted of following the norms of collaboration.

Whole group

2 min

Facilitator frames transition for the next session – make sure participants know where they are going next. Orient them to the session descriptions in their participant notebook before they leave the session.

*There will not be much time for reflective writing in this session – just let them know the sheet is there – it is more important to make sure they get to the correct session/location on the morning of day 1, and they have done a lot of reflective discussion so be okay letting this part go.

solo

Use the following icons in the script to indicate different learning modes.Video Reflect on a prompt Active learning Turn and talk

Turnkey Materials ProvidedFac Guide 1B Building a Staircase of Complexity_NTI 0713.docx

PPT Building a Staircase of Complexity_1B_NTI 0713

1.Norms for Collaboration_NTI 0713.doc

2.Written Conversation Protocol_NTI 0713.doc

3.Written conversation protocol notecatcher_NTI 0713

4.4As Protocol_NTI 0713

5.Case Study of a Standard Task Card and Note Catcher_NTI 0713

6. Participant Reflection Form 1B_NTI0713

Additional Suggested Resources