Where We Ve Been & Where We Are Now (Just ASK Publications, ASK Inc)

Writing a Learning Experience

Reference Packet

Contact Information: Pat Loncto

Where We’ve Been & Where We Are Now

(Just ASK Publications, ASK inc)

THEN CURRICULUM NOW

What is taught

What is learned

Chapters covered and workbooks completed

Identification of what student should know and be able to do

Academic context

Life context

Textbook as resource

Multiple resources

Individual subjects

Integrated subjects

Basics emphasized for all: thinking skills emphasized for gifted

Basics and thinking skills emphasized for all

THEN INSTRUCTION NOW

Teacher centered

Learner centered

Organized around time

Organized for results

Single teaching strategy

Multiple teaching strategies

Teach once

Reteaching and enrichment

Fixed groups

Flexible groups

Whole group instruction

Differentiated instruction

Passive learning

Active learning

THEN ASSESSMENT NOW

Bell Curve

Public and precise criteria

One opportunity

Multiple opportunities

After instruction

Integrated with instruction

Paper and pencil based

Performance based

Grades averaged

Standard met or not met

Proving and accountability

Diagnose and prescribe

Focus on product

Focus on product and process

A Standards-Based Education System. http://www.am.dodea.edu/ddessasc/aboutddess/standards/standardsbased.html

Standards-based education is a process for planning, delivering, monitoring and improving academic programs in which clearly defined academic content standards provide the basis for content in instruction and assessment.

·  Standards help ensure students learn what is important, rather than allowing textbooks to dictate classroom practice.

·  Student learning is the focus - aiming for a high and deep level of student understanding that goes beyond traditional textbook-based or lesson-based instruction.

A standards-based system:

·  measures its success based on student learning (the achievement of standards) rather than compliance with rules and regulations.

·  aligns policies, initiatives, curriculum, instruction, and assessments with clearly defined academic standards.

·  consistently communicates and uses standards to focus on ways to ensure success for all students.

·  uses assessment to inform instruction.

Standards-based systems increase student achievement

Students generally learn better in a standards-based environment because everybody's working towards the same goal.

·  Teachers know what the standards are and choose classroom activities and teaching strategies that enable students to achieve the standards.

·  Students know the standards, too, and can see scoring guides that embody them. The students can use them to complete their work.

·  Parents know them and can help students by seeing that their homework aligns with the standards.

·  Administrators know what is necessary to attain the standards and provide professional development, resources and materials to ensure that students are able to reach the prescribed standards.

“The standards come alive when teachers study student work, collaborate with other teachers to improve their understanding of subjects and students’ thinking, and develop new approaches to teaching that are relevant and useful for them and their students”

- Linda Darling-Hammond, 1997

Curriculum Building

Activity or Lesson

Learning Experience

Unit

Course

Curriculum Building

Course

Unit

Learning Experience

Activity or Lesson

NYS Learning Standards

Breakdown of Instructional Levels by Standard Area as of 2010

Note National Core Standards are in progress and available at NYSED website for ELA and Math

Sample MY Performance Indicator Vocabulary List

Name: Jennifer P. Molfese NYS Standards Area: MST Standard 4 Science (Living Environment)

Grade Level: 4 Title of Learning Experience: Living Environment

Brief description of the related series of lessons (LE):

In September there are two lessons covering Living Environment PI 1, 2 and 5, and then one lesson taught using the interactive Living Environment word wall.

NYS Standards and Performance Indicators:

MST Standard 4: The Living Environment: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Key Idea 1: Living things are both similar to and different from each other and other living things.

1.1  Describe the characteristics of and variations between living and nonliving things.

1.1a Animals need sir, water, and food in order to live and thrive.

1.1d Nonliving things can be human created or naturally occurring

Key Idea 2: Organisms inherit genetic information in a variety of ways that result in continuity of structure and function between parents and offspring.

2.1 Recognize that traits of living things are both inherited and acquired or learned.

2.1a Some traits of living things have been inherited (e.g., color of flowers and number of limbs of animals).

Key Idea 5: Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.

5.2 Describe some survival behaviors of common living specimens.

5.2b Animals respond to change in their environment, (e.g., perspiration, heart rate, breathing rate, eye blinking,

shivering, and salivating).

5.2e Particular animal characteristics are influenced by changing environmental conditions including; fat storage

in winter, camouflage, shedding of fur.

ELA Grade 4 Reading Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

RD 4.1.12 Use graphic organizers to record significant details from informational texts

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1/31/2011 Writing a Learning Experience REFERENCE packet

SAMPLE Sketch PEC LESSON SKETCH TEMPLATE

*The Content component was added post-completion by the course instructor to align the sketch with the District curriculum mapping format.

SAMPLE MS LESSON SKETCH TEMPLATE

*The Content component was added, the Skills and Reflection components were clarified post-completion by the course instructor to align the sketch with the District curriculum mapping format.