ILASCD Fall 2021 Journal by ILASCDpublishing

Impact • Service • Advocacy

Quarterly Journal - FALL 2021

Are We There Yet? Let the Data Speak

Do you know someone who might be a candidate for IL ASCD membership? Please share this digital journal with them. We are always looking to reach additional Illinois educators who would enjoy more information about learning, curriculum, Common Core, PERA and education in general.

If you are reading this and are not yet a member, please join!

Our Membership Form

GET INVOLVED WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA!

Quick Links

A Letter from the President

Trending: Hard Stop 8 on “Learning Loss”

Whole Child: eBooks

Whole Child: Pandemic

Book Review 32

Resource Corner

Harnessing the Power 42

Belinda Veillon, President bveillon@nsd2.com

of the Skill-Will Matrix Improving Equity 48 and Mathematics Instruction

There are so many words, and so few words to describe the events and non-events over the last couple of years. The effects, both known and unknown, continue to invade our spaces...homes, businesses, workplaces, community spaces, and definitely not the least of which, our schools. The 2021-22 school year has begun with such excitement. Floors shining. Name tags decorating every classroom. Anticipation of student footsteps and voices enlivening the hallways.

Students

Lessons

Did

Super

Children

Empowered through Tech Club Learned from Pandemic Pre-K the Students Learn? Bowl Play of Assessments on the

Throne

I was invited to do a presentation in one of our District’s elementary schools on a teacher in-service day prior to the first day of school. There were so many familiar sights and sounds; the atmosphere was tangibly refreshing and invigorating. And, then I was struck by something in the hallway, something that 3

Reimagining

Math

Acceleration Upcoming Events 94

A Letter from the President (cont.)

ILASCD Leaders

resonated within me, with its odd and metaphorical significance... Lost and Found.

Belinda Veillon, President bveillon@nsd2.com Akemi Sessler, Past President asessler@sd25.org

There it was, the Lost and Found Station. I have been affiliated with this school for decades; the Lost and Found has evolved over the years taking on many different forms: boxes, tables, shelves, all of the above. Perhaps each derivation had been more effective and efficient, and perhaps not. Currently, it is a beautiful rack (as beautiful as a rack might be) with hangers and colored bins with labels.

Scott England, President-elect escottengland@gmail.com Amy Warke, Treasurer amy.warke@Maywood89.org Debbie Poffinbarger, Media Director debkpoff@gmail.com Amy MacCrindle, Secretary amaccrindle@district158.org Ryan Nevius, Executive Director rcneviu@me.com

The metaphorical beauty of this overtook me. Lost and Found. Here we were, returning to what we hoped would be a more regular school year. Perhaps, we were all lost. There were so many things we had missed. So many things that have taken tolls on every aspect of our beings. And, at that moment, on that day prior to the start of school, the rack was empty. Never ever is the Lost and Found empty. Perhaps, prior to that day, the first day of our return, we were all a little empty having missed out on so much of what we love, mostly the students, each and every one.

Bill Dodds, Associate Director dwdodds1@me.com Task Force Leaders: Membership & Partnerships Denise Makowski, Andrew Lobdell Communications & Publications Scott England, Jeff Prickett Advocacy & Influence Richard Lange, Brenda Mendoza Program Development Bev Taylor, Terry Mootz, Sarah Cacciatore, Dee Ann Schnautz, Doug Wood

And, there was just one more day, one more day until the Lost and Found would not be empty. It was just going to take one day—maybe less than a day—when 4

the Lost and Found would begin to populate, echoing the normalcy of an active school building: shoes, jackets, Trapper Keepers, you name it.

ECRA Curriculum Leadership 360° Appraisal

As a member of the Illinois Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, you are invited to take part in a special offer to participate in the ECRA Curriculum Leadership 360° Appraisal.

ECRA Leade

I believe that like the Lost and Found, it would take one day, maybe less than one day, to be Found. Our inner Learn more about how this powerful tool can beings would populate with all the help strengthen your school leadership and things as educators we love about improve organizational outcomes. The appraisal is being launched in partnership being educators: the sights and with the IASCD. sounds that fill our bodies, minds, For more information, or to register, please and spirits on a daily basis. There is log on to www.ecragroup.com/360 or call no denying that, like the Lost and 847Ͳ318Ͳ0072. Found over the school year, we will get a little messy at times, erupting For IASCD Members with a hodge podge of stuff. And, like the Lost and Found, there will be someone to put us back in order, ECRA Curriculum bolster our being, give a perspective that will help us to remember our Leadership 360° Appraisal For IASCD Members purpose and passion. As a member of the Illinois Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, you are invited to take part in a special offer to participate in the ECRA Curriculum Leadership 360° Appraisal.

My wishes for continued successes for the 2021-22 school year.

Learn more about how this powerful tool can help strengthen your school leadership and improve organizational outcomes. The appraisal is being launched in partnership with the IASCD. For more information, or to register, please log on to www.ecragroup.com/360 or call 847Ͳ318Ͳ0072.

For IASCD Members

As a Sup you to p Lea

Lea help imp app with

For log 847

A Letter from the Executive Director Hello and Happy Fall, Illinois ASCD Members:

Ryan Nevius IL ASCD Executive Director rcneviu@me.com

How do you determine a successful school year? High test scores? Effective teaching? Successful student learning? Organized classroom management? A healthy balance of student/ educator well-being? A day or week without COVID contact tracing? Regardless of your answer, IL ASCD is here to help as you embark on this school year that will challenge you in different ways every day. Illinois ASCD membership gives access to resources in several different focus areas including publications, an In-district Speaker cadre, Advocacy/ influence, the Whole Child and discounted rates at our 50+ days of Professional Development. We are proud to offer a wide variety of triage topics presented by national leaders in education. During the 2021-22 school year, we welcome top names such as Zaretta Hammond, Jennifer Serravallo, Anthony Muhammad, Erik Francis, James Nottingham, Michael Fullan, Dominque Smith, Steve Oertle, and more! If you don’t see a workshop that fits the needs of your learning community, please let us know and we can design a program that will work for you. Our staff and Board are in “in the trenches” daily making us experts on teaching and learning. IL ASCD is uniquely positioned to be used as a resource as you advocate for sound educational policy, moving Illinois education into the 21st century. We ask that you use IL ASCD as a resource to share your thinking, answer your questions and work together to better the whole child who deserves a learning environment that is healthy, safe, engaging, 6

Thank you so much for being so committed to education and your students despite adverse circumstances. We look forward to working with you and your staff.

supportive, and challenging. Let us know how we can help you. We are here to establish a partnership for the continued improvement of Illinois learners. Please feel free to contact me at 618203-3993 or rcneviu@me.com.

Sincerely, Ryan Nevius IL ASCD Executive Director

Click HERE for more information!

Trending Hard Stop on “Learning Loss”

Anyone that knows me understands that I believe in the power of language and rhetoric. How we speak to PJ Caposey

each other and label things matters. The emphasis on language has manifested itself in schools in many ways and is supported by sociological studies, but the clearest example may be in the very common-sense approach we take to referring to “students with disabilities” as opposed to “disabled students”. That simple shift in language detailed above matters, and as an educator, it should serve as a constant reminder that language matters—ALWAYS.

...I fear that districts and schools may be rushing into solving a problem that we are not entirely sure exists at this point. This is why I am so bothered by the term “learning loss”. First, an examination of the data shows that it is factually inaccurate. Very few students regressed during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This means that learning did occur. Now, to be transparent, learning may not have occurred at the levels we are accustomed to seeing—but learning was not lost. If anything, perhaps it was delayed. 8

At the beginning of each year, we use a variety of data points to ascertain the level of each student’s learning. Once we believe we have a solid view of the student”s mastery of designated content and skills, we adapt our practices to best serve each child.

Still, the sensationalized term has been propagated in the media and has led to vendors and potential partners with seemingly insatiable appetites to seize upon this “new” market. This has been amplified by the influx of Federal dollars through ESSER grants and has become something that is increasingly problematic in my opinion. With heightened community and vendor pressure and with increased revenue, I fear that districts and schools may be rushing into solving a problem that we are not entirely sure exists at this point.

In some cases, this looks like differentiated reading groups, in others, it may mean access to interventions to support learning, and in other cases, it just means that the teacher intentionally attempts to mitigate any potential learning gaps for students within their typical classroom environment. While I know many schools have slightly different protocols, I can assure you that most (if not all) schools assess student learning and adapt instruction to meet their students’ needs. This is already what we do. This is what we have been doing for many, many years.

I find this reaction problematic for three key reasons. First, I believe that reacting prematurely with new solutions to initial data sets ignores that we have quite literally met students where they are, ahead or behind, in their learning for years. Next and as mentioned above, we may be trying to solve a problem that does not even exist. Lastly, we need to more holistically examine the partners we are counting on to solve our problems, both when initially partnering and after we have already worked together for years, particularly if we are using grant dollars to fund this expenditure.

So, this begs the question “why are we reacting to this situation differently?” This fall we benchmarked or assessed kids the way we have always done. Based on that data, we have determined what we are going to attempt to do to best serve each kid. The same as we have done for years!

This Is What We Do I have worked in a unit school district for nearly a decade and during this time we have operated under the same premise and conditions at the elementary level.

My thought process on the concept of “learning loss” is best defined by asking some critical questions of the entire narrative behind “learning loss” and the 9

Trending (cont.) have never worked through a pandemic in public schools during the data and accountability era. For instance, both intuitively and through initial data analysis, it seems clear that students who were 100 percent virtual last year have larger learning gaps. Likewise, this pandemic has seemed to disproportionately impact students who traditionally struggle in school, exacerbating already existing learning gaps.

reactionary measures being taken to try and “fix” this problem: 1. Why should the circumstances of last year impact how we react to student data we have always collected and protocols already in place to address potential learning and achievement gaps? 2. How do we know this situation is worse or requires more resources and energy than our typical data which may have identified achievement gaps or other troublesome data?

However, we have no idea what the data will show next year. The issue is

I suggest that we give it everything we have for a year and if the gaps persist at the end of this year, then we go into problem-solving mode. that we have students that largely did not master concepts and skills they were NOT exposed to. Given a year of (hopefully) in-person instruction, the data may dramatically change. As Marzano argued so compellingly decades ago, a curriculum must be guaranteed and viable to produce consistent results. Our students were exposed to a curriculum that was anything but guaranteed and reliable last year, and thus their results, at best, are seemingly incomplete.

3. Assuming that “learning loss” is real, why have we waited for a situation such as this to give our students a new or better way to close achievement gaps and accelerate learning? 4. What if this is an opportunity for our staff to finally collaborate cross-grade level and cross-curricular to ensure their meeting students where they are, even if it is slightly delayed? Solving The Wrong Problem There is absolutely no way to know what will happen in schools this year since we

My argument is not to ignore the problem. In fact, it is the exact opposite. 10

outreach from potential partners, I am not sure that many of them would be choosing to attack “learning loss” in the manner some are right now.

Let’s be exceedingly mindful that students’ growth may have been impacted and let’s use that to tighten up every protocol we have and to ensure

The bottom line is that this situation will be nuanced and contextual like nearly everything in education. We should take time to analyze this and create approaches that work for us and not be pressured into quick action... An example I have used when illustrating this idea is to consider what a school or district would do if they learned an incoming group of first graders was significantly lower than the traditional group of students arriving at their school. I assume that they would ensure they enacted their standard protocols as well as possible. I doubt that they would adopt new policies, procedures, and enter into new partnerships as an immediate course of action.

that every intervention provided is done so with fidelity. I suggest that we give it everything we have for a year and if the gaps persist at the end of this year, then we go into problem-solving mode. I hypothesize, however, that simply upon exposure to face-to-face instruction of the content and skills necessary for success that many students will rebound without significant delay, cost, or intervention. Why Are We Buying Right Now? I have never done anything as a superintendent that I have felt great about afterward when I have been bullied into doing so by the media or pressured into doing so by a vendor. My purpose in asserting this point is that when schools consider their current situation without outside influences of the media, ESSER money, or the incessant

The solution is not that we do nothing; it is that we do what we already have expertise in and execute at the highest level possible. If we are unsuccessful, then we need to take a different approach and attempt to problem solve the situation. The bottom line is that this situation will be nuanced and contextual 11

Trending (cont.) instructional strategies possible. It is time for leaders to support their instructional growth more than supporting the implementation of the next best thing.

like nearly everything in education. We should take time to analyze this and create approaches that work for us and not be pressured into quick action that may include partnering with a great company that may just not be great for you to work with collaboratively.

2) Analyze and evaluate every system and process within the school We already have processes and procedures in place for students who are struggling or for groups where gaps may exist. This is not the time to change those protocols. Instead, it is time to put every protocol into action and under scrutiny. Now is not the time to rush into change. Instead, it is the time to dive deep into analysis and determine what you are and have been doing well and what areas need work.

Simply put, we must first identify the problems which we are currently facing within our districts. Then, and only then, can we understand the needs that are present and adequately evaluate what a potential vendor partner can bring in supporting our students. We were already oversold and underdelivered by many vendors pre-pandemic and we simply don’t have the time to do that now. In this way, we must be steadfast in finding vendors and leveraging our current vendors as partners in solving our nuanced local problems.

3) Analyze data with clarity and openmindedness throughout the year The impact of this pandemic on academic outcomes may be broad-reaching and long-lasting OR may be short-lived and have relatively little impact. The bottom line is that we simply do not know at this time. As such, we must analyze all available data with intensity and an open mind. The data may clearly show at this time next year, after a year of face-to-face instruction, that the gaps created by this pandemic still exist. If that is the case, then we need to consider dramatically changing what we do. However, there is also the chance that the intervention and instructional

A Path Forward 1) Double down on what we do well We know and have known for decades, that the greatest indicator of student success is strong classroom instruction. Now is not the time to dramatically change this through the implementation of new technology, new programs, and new processes. Now is the time to support our teachers in doing what they have done for years: meet students where they are with the best 12

What happens in many districts is that once a partner is “in,” they tend to stay in whether or not the service is being used or showing results. In the age of ESSER money (temporary money) getting into a potential “forever” partnership without a clear mechanism to measure success could cause a challenge for districts.

processes already in place begin to or even fully close gaps or at least bring them to pre-2020 levels. 4) Use the same vendor acquisition process you always have When deciding who and how to partner with outside third parties, districts should have a relatively well-articulated process.

...we need to go slow to go fast this school year. 5) Consider the bandwidth of your teachers I know that our teachers are struggling right now. It is not that they are struggling to produce a great product for kids. They are struggling emotionally. They are fatigued, feel underappreciated, and the cumulative toll of this pandemic is impacting them greatly. This is not the time to create new systems to attack a problem that may well not exist (or exist to a much lesser degree) twelve months from now.

When an expenditure (particularly a revolving expenditure or one that occurs year after year) is added to the budget, it should be scrutinized. To explain: when partnering with a third party (usually an ed-tech company) an extremely well-vetted and researched recommendation should be brought forward. When a new partner is added, districts need to make a clear delineation of how we are going to hold ourselves accountable in determining whether the partner is viable. This may look as simple as committing to working with this partner for three years, looking at performance indicators A, B, and C, and surveying staff to see their impressions on the viability of the resource. At that time, if the company is not providing additional value for the cost, we will move on from that partner.

Whenever starting something new within a school, the capacity to withstand the change should be considered. Now, I am one that traditionally believes that we are capable of much more than we imagine and prefer to continually push forward than ever let the status quo prevail. Given that, I still think we need to go slow to go fast this school year. 13

Trending (cont.) Tackling the concept of “learning loss” with wholesale shifts in practice, protocol, and the scheme would most likely have an extreme impact on your staff this year more than most. Now is

Additionally, as schools consider how to spend their ESSER dollars in a manner that addresses the academic aspect of learning but that does not consider the whole child is foolhardy. As schools, we must realize

I also have an extreme fear that an overconcentration of resources to tackle “learning loss” would further amplify the social-emotional toll this pandemic has taken on our kids. the time to stay consistent and firm and allow teachers to do what they do best— serve kids at the individual level. Now is the time for leaders to do the same thing we ask our teachers to do—meet adults where they are and provide them the support and resources they need to be successful. Just like our kids deserve wins every day, we need to work to find wins for our staff.

that every aspect of our students’ lives was impacted by the pandemic and work hard to heal the social-emotional wounds, as well as the academic delays that may have been caused. Finally, we cannot forget the socialemotional impact that hearing the term “learning loss” has on teachers. As they’ve worked to change the way they instruct students dozens of times over the past year, many working harder than they ever have, they’re constantly bombarded with the narrative of “learning loss”—hearing that the work they’ve done wasn”t enough. If we want a path forward and don”t want to see the teacher shortage expand for years to come, this narrative must change.

6) Do not forget about the socialemotional impact of this pandemic I also have an extreme fear that an overconcentration of resources to tackle “learning loss” would further amplify the social-emotional toll this pandemic has taken on our kids. Students who have been without normal interaction for a year being “intervention-ed” constantly will lose much of the peer interaction in less structured formats that they so desperately need right now.

Conclusion I sincerely believe that this pandemic has changed nearly every aspect of 14

our society. It has, therefore, also had a profound impact on the education system. This article is not meant to assert anything contrary to that.

quo, but also to honor the systems that have brought us results in the past. Change for the sake of change— particularly in this environment—is not something that our schools nor our educators need.

However, this crisis has changed so much of what we do that many schools, leaders, and educators are stuck in a reactionary mode. What schools need now more than ever is patience and protocols. Work the concepts that have worked for you in the past and scrutinize the results like crazy and be prepared to adjust.

PJ Caposey is an award-winning educator, author (Teach Smart and Building a Culture of Support), and sought-after speaker and consultant specializing in school culture, principal coaching, effective evaluation practices, and student-centered instruction. PJ serves as the Superintendent of Schools for Meridian CUSD 223 in Northwest Illinois and can be reached via Twitter @MCUSDSupe.

We need to trust our system but be ready to adapt. I encourage all educators to embrace change and reject the status

Whole Child Using Ebooks to Support Reading in Early Childhood: What Does the Data Suggest

Annette VanAken The current emphasis on technology’s role to support teaching and learning stems from the understanding that young children are growing up as digital citizens. Young children including preschoolers increasingly use mobile devices, iPads, smartphones, and other digital devices (Holloway et al., 2013; Chaudron, 2015; Common Sense Media 2017) and within the public schools in the United States, one in every five students use mobile technology (Herold, 2016). This information amplifies the need to understand its place within the learning environment and in particular, how it affects learning outcomes. In addition, with future academic success linked to the dependence on reading skill developmental gains during the early childhood years, (NAEYC, 1998; Levine, et al. 2000) reflecting on digital technology’s use to support reading is timely and important. Research on the use of ebooks with young children (prek-2nd grade) to support reading development, while limited (Eutsler et al, 2020) offers encouraging results for educators. However, using ebooks, educators have an opportunity to provide learning experiences that may close the gap between the young digital citizens 16

& Shamir, 2007; Korat & Falk, 2019) confuse the conversation and may prevent educators from developing the efficacy to implement ebooks within their instructional practices. This leads educators to consider how to implement ebooks. Evidence would suggest stories designed with special attention to multimedia learning theory (Mayer & Monreno) aimed to provide a strong match between the verbal and nonverbal information in stories (Takacs et al. 2015) is critical to support readers. In addition, avoiding extra gaming features

and current classroom practices while supporting reading development, influencing reading outcomes. Closing the gap between how young children interact with technology in their daily lives and how technology is utilized for instructional purposes in the classroom environment requires evidence-based decisions. In addition, when educators consider the evidence, it is imperative to conceptualize how the practice will support the whole child, providing environments and experiences that are safe, promote healthy beginnings, and

...ebooks with narrative features, a storytelling model, in a shared reading format can provide equal support for children’s reading development when compared to an oral storytelling experience. (DeJong & Bus, 2004; Korat & Falk, 2019) and other hotspot features that are not related to the story do not support literacy (Korat & Falk, 2019).

engage, support, and challenge reading development in young children. Ebooks to Support Reading Skills For decades, researchers have identified that the inclusion of multimedia, interactive effects could have the potential to support acquisition-reading skills such as phonological awareness (Shamir & Korat, 2007; Shamir et al., 2008). However, counter-effects of ebook use, such as distracting features and quality of ebooks (Korat

Storytelling is a practice early educators have engaged in to support reading skill development and stimulate children’s imagination (Phillips, 2013). As an approach to engaging young children in meaningful experiences, Maureen et. al., (2018; Maureen et al. 2020) provide evidence suggesting that through the 17

Whole Child (cont.) utilization of ebooks with narrative features, a storytelling model, in a shared reading format can provide equal support for children’s reading development when compared to an oral storytelling experience. In addition, positive gain in children’s phonological awareness, alphabet recognition, recall, and print awareness can be achieved while also supporting their social and emotional development (Maureen et. al. 2018).

(Rvachew et al., 2020). However, during independent story engagement experiences, both genders spent significantly more time on-task when reading an ebook (Deasley, 2020). Finally, results would indicate the relevance of the synchronized interaction between an adult, child, and technological features play a role in the teaching and learning experience for the young child (Rvachew et al. 2020).

Reading Skills Based on Gender and Ebook Instruction Ebooks might offer new opportunities to address questions educators have been seeking regarding the gender gap in reading skills (Daly, & Corcoran, 2019; Reilly et al., 2019). Examining the differences in emergent literacy development between boys and girls, researchers in two different studies sought to understand how ebooks might support motivation and self-regulation as a precursor of literacy outcomes (Rvachew et al., 2020; Deasley, 2018) and literacy behaviors (Deasley, 2018). Although results are for the ways ebooks might support boys and girls differently, neither of the study’s results indicated ebooks produced negative outcomes for either gender. In fact, lessons to be learned would include that girls continued to outperform boys on tests of emergent literacy (Deasley, 2020) and boys need to be frequently redirected

Training and Professional Development Opportunities Studies reflecting educators’ perceptions concerning the integration of technology, in general within the early learning environment demonstrate a positive view for the potential of its use within the early learning classroom (Ogegbo, & Aina, 2020; Altun, 2019). Yet, early childhood educators struggle with adapting to pedagogical approaches that are modern and innovative because of their inherent convictions and selfefficacy (Peterson et al. 2018). It is argued that when educators consider the integration of technologies into the learning experience as not supportive of teaching, learning and/or play in early childhood classrooms, they are reluctant or unable to meaningfully use instructional technologies, such as ebooks, for effective learning and play (Nikolopoulou & Gialamas 2015). This would lead to a recommendation 18

that training, support, and pedagogical orientation should be provided for early childhood educators to tackle these limiting factors Ogegbo, & Aina, 2020) and support the integration of ebooks in the early learning environment.

Application to the Whole Child Tenets Continued investigations for the implementation and inclusion of ebooks to support reading development of young children is necessary. However, evidence suggests that the utilization of ebooks cannot only provide opportunities to enhance these skills, but provide a safe and challenging reading environment for young children. Through intentional planning, educators have the opportunity to select ebooks meeting the learner’s needs, similarly to traditional books (Takacs et al. 2015). High-quality ebooks created to support book text and reduces distractibility features are available to educators. These types of ebooks are provided in multiple genres, reading levels, and published in various languages to address the varied needs of the students within the early learning environment. In addition, publishers often provide opportunities for educators to limit access to content keeping young readers safe when reading independently.

Training should also move beyond the classroom and consider how to include parents of young readers. Evidence suggested that when parents are provided training for how to engage with children during shared reading experiences and selecting appropriate ebooks that meet the reading development of the child; parents from lower socioeconomic status talked three times more with children using the ebooks than parents without training or intentional ebook designs (Troseth, 2018). It is understood that interactions within the learning environment can build on prior knowledge and support context for the learner, through scaffolding content information. These varied conversations during shared reading experiences provide opportunities to elicit critical information from young children and with the inclusion of ebooks the importance of these conversation does not change (Guernsey & Levine, 2015). Therefore, special attention to support parents’ understanding of how to utilize ebooks in a shared reading experience as key stakeholders should not go unnoted.

During the planning process, ebook experiences with their interactive features create engaging connections to support meaning which support reading development (Shamir et al., 2008). While educators need to be present during instruction and intentional in selecting the right materials for student access and there are times when 19

Whole Child (cont.)

The key is to develop educators’ pedagogical understanding and self-efficacy while connecting to a solid foundation of developmentally appropriate practices. students might participate independent reading activities. It is possible that these features will offer a scaffold for students for challenging content. In addition, through ebook storytelling experiences it is possible to engage young children in ways that connect them with the boarder community.

task during reading supporting a healthy lifestyle as a potential lifelong reader. Conclusion and Next Steps Ebooks provide one opportunity to support the connection between young digital citizen and the classroom-learning environment. How young children are entering school using technology in their daily lives in not going to change. The key is to develop educators’ pedagogical understanding and self-efficacy while connecting to a solid foundation of developmentally appropriate practices. Often educators’ core pedagogical beliefs focus on constructivism in which learning and meaning is constructed in and out of social interaction with humans (Cicconi, 2013). However, to meet the needs of our growing young digital citizen, this perception needs to be altered. Discovering how to infuse technology, such as ebooks into daily learning and play experiences within the early childhood classroom in a balanced effective way is necessary.

Preparing young children for the global world is directly connected to their ability to utilize technology with ease. Utilizing ebooks is part of the experience of diversifying the technology tools young children are comfortable using for learning To meet this challenge, educators understanding of pedagogical relevance of ebooks for young children and the sharing of this information with other key stakeholders is imperative (Johnson et al., 2018). Without these changes, young digital citizen enter school with skillsets that are different than educators are asking them to utilizing in and out of the classroom. In addition, research would suggests that ebooks have the potential to support reading development skills and time on 20

Daly, M., & Corcoran, R. P. (2019). Kindergarten self-control mediates the gender reading achievement gap: A population-based cohort study. Journal of Research in Personality, 83, 103881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jrp.2019.103881

References ASCD. (2021). What is the whole child approach. https://www.ascd.org/ whole-child Altun, D. (2019). Investigating pre-service early childhood education teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) competencies regarding digital literacy skills and their technology attitudes and usage. Journal of Education and Learning, 8(1), 249–263. https://doi. org/10.5539/jel.v8n1p249

Eutsler, L., Mitchell, C., Stamm, B., & Kogut, A. (2020). The influence of mobile technologies on preschool and elementary children’s literacy achievement: A systematic review spanning 2007–2019. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(4), 1739-1768. https://doi. org/10.1007/s11423-020-09786-1

Cicconi, M. (2013). Vygotsky meets technology: A reinvention of collaboration in the early childhood mathematics classroom. Springer Science+Business Media.

Herold, B. (2016). Technology in education: An overview. Education Week, February 5. https://www. edweek.org/ew/issues/technologyin-education/index.html

Chaudron, S. (2015). Young children (0-8) and digital technology: A qualitative exploratory study across seven countries. http://publications.jrc. ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/ JRC93239

Levine, A., Ferenzo, O., & Reves, T. (2000). EFL academic reading and modern technology: How can we turn our students into independent critical readers? TESLEJ, 4(4), 75-91.

Common Sense Media. (2017). The common sense census: Media use by kids age zero to eight. http://www. commonsensemedia.org/sites/ default/files/uploads/research/ csm_zerotoeight_fullreport_ release_2.pdf

Korat, O., & Falk, Y. (2019). Ten years after: Revisiting the question of e-book quality as early language and literacy support. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 19(2), 206-223. https://doi. org/10.1177/1468798417712105 21

Whole Child (cont.) Korat, O., & Shamir, A. (2007). Electronic books versus adults readers: Effects on children’s emergent literacy as a function of social class. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 23, 248–259.

285–301. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10639-013-9281-9 NAEYC. (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. Young Children, 53(4), 30–46.

Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1207/ S15326985EP3801_6

NAEYC, & Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media. (2012). [Position Statement] Technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. https:// www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/ technology-and-media

Maureen, I. Y., van der Meij, H., & Ton, d. J. (2018). Supporting literacy and digital literacy development in early childhood education using storytelling activities. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(3), 371389. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/ s13158-018-0230-z

Ogegbo, A. A., & Aina, A. (2020). Early childhood development teachers’ perceptions on the use of technology in teaching young children. South African Journal of Childhood Education (SAJCE), 10(1)http://dx.doi. org/10.4102/sajce.v10i1.880

Maureen, I. Y., van der, M. H., & de, J. T. (2020). Enhancing storytelling activities to support early (Digital) literacy development in early Childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 52(1), 55-76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/ s13158-020-00263-7

Peterson, A., Dumont, H., Lafuente, M. & Law, N. (2018). Understanding innovative pedagogies: Key themes to analyse new approaches to teaching and learning. OECD Education Working Papers, 172, pp. 1–134. https://doi. org/10.1787/9f843a6e-en

Nikolopoulou, K. & Gialamas, V. (2015). Barriers to the integration of computers in early childhood settings: Teachers’ perceptions. Education and Information Technologies 20(2),

Phillips, L. (2013). Storytelling as pedagogy. Literacy learning: The middle years, 21(2), ii–iv. 22

Zucker, T. A., Moody, A. K., & McKenna, M. C. (2009). The effects of electronic books on pre- kindergarten-to-grade 5 students’ literacy and language outcomes: A research synthesis. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 40, 47–87. https ://doi. org/10.2190/ec.40.1.c.,

Reilly, D., Neumann, D. L., & Andrews, G. (2019). Gender differences in reading and writing achievement: Evidence from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). American Psychologist, 74, 445–458. Shamir, A., & Korat, O. (2007). Developing an educational e-book for fostering kindergarten children’s emergent literacy. Computers in the Schools, 24, 125–145.

Dr. Annette VanAken is assistant professor of literacy and early childhood education in the College of Education at Concordia University Chicago. Prior to joining Concordia, Dr. VanAken spent 19+ years in the classroom as an elementary educator, teaching grades Pre-K through 8th grade before earning her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. Her interests include assistive technology to enhance early learning experiences, early mathematics, and project-based learning. Email: Annette.Vanaken@cuchicago.edu

Shamir, A., Korat, O., & Barbi, N. (2008). The effects of CD-ROM storybook reading on low SES kindergarteners’ emergent literacy as a function of activity context: Paired peer tutoring versus individual use of the e-storybook. Computers & Education, 51, 354–367. Smith, S., Burrow, L., Fite, K., & Guerra, L. (2016). Considering instructional appropriateness of technology integration into early childhood education. International Journal of the Whole Child, 1(2), 13–29. Takacs, Z. K., Swart, E. K., & Bus, A. G. (2015). Benefits and pitfalls of multimedia and interactive features in technology-enhanced storybooks: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85(4), 698–739. https://doi. org/10.3102/0034654314566989 23

Whole Child What Have We Learned So Far: The Whole Child Approach and the Pandemic

Kathleen Briseno

Megan Willson

Current Context We begin this article considering the context, directives, and varied experiences of students and educators by reviewing data relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic and align them to the Whole Child tenets. The Illinois Department of Public Health Guidance for Covid-19 referenced the results from a study reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) published on June 29, 2021. Their study covers the timeframe from September 2020 to April 2021, and found that, “The majority of students need full-time in-person access to their teachers and support network at school to stay engaged, to learn effectively, and to maintain social-emotional wellness” (Executive Summary, para. 2). Their study also suggests that remote learning can be challenging for students, which may lead not only to learning loss, but also to mental health issues. Similarly, the Illinois State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Carmen I. Ayala (2021), provided a statement regarding the importance of inperson learning, “The Illinois State Board of Education recognizes and affirms the fundamental importance of in24

Students should feel safe on site and online. why students might not attend school in-person. They noted that some families have elected not to send their children to school since schools are not viewed as safe because of COVID-19, as well as for not being equitable (Oster et. al, 2021). With the return to full-time in-person teaching and learning, for the 2021-21 school year, providing an equitable safe learning environment for both students and staff became a high priority. CDC suggested that a

person learning for the wellbeing of students, families, and communities. We know that children learn best—and educators teach best—when they are physically present together in the same space” (p. 1). Schools in Illinois have recommended using the in-person learning modality for the 2021-2022 school year after the mandated closure of schools in March 2020. It is essential to make a connection of the impact of virtual and hybrid learning on our students while looking at the relationship of the Whole Child tenets and the data that are currently available on loss of learning and socialemotional wellness.

“K-12 operational strategy presents a pathway for schools to safely provide in-person learning through implementing recommended prevention strategies, increasing vaccination rates for teachers and older students with a focus on vaccine equity, and reducing community transmission” (Oster et. al, 2021, p. 953).

Alignment Based on the limited data available and considering the Whole Child tenets, the following data were discussed by Whole Child tenet alignment and relevant to some impact.

Students should feel safe on site and online.

SAFE ~ Each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students and adults.

ENGAGED ~ Each student is actively engaged in learning and is connected to the school and broader community.

Based on a recently published study conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are various reasons

Student engagement includes a student’s cognitive, academic, behavioral, and emotional connection to learning. Many 25

Whole Child (cont.) that will engage their students.

factors affect a student’s engagement in school. Active involvement into learning activities and interactions between students and teachers might not take place if students are not physically in school. Oster et. al (2021) found that “In 43 states, access to full-time in-person learning was higher for non-Hispanic White students compared with students of color” (p. 955). According to Waite (2021),

SUPPORTED ~ Each student has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified, caring adults. A supported classroom environment, whether via in-person or a virtual platform, has embedded strategies that encompass all areas of a child’s development, personal needs, and learning. Students should be supported in a proactive positive milieu as they learn to navigate, understand, and connect with the available instruction. For children not participating in in-person learning, a sense of community and belonging is lost; this is when support from school guidance counselors and school social workers may need to be take the lead. For many students, online learning has increased their retention of information and engagement in academic

“…in March of this year, though the majority of schools reopened for in-person learning, half of Black and Hispanic children, and twothirds of Asian-American children, were still learning remotely, compared with only 20% of White students” (para. 2). Other factors include a student’s readiness, digital skills, time management skills, and intrinsic motivation to be

For many students, online learning has increased their retention of information and engagement in academic tasks. tasks. For students with difficulty focusing, the virtual platform or hybrid model has allowed them to have a more concentrated self-paced educational experience. Li and Lalani (2020) indicated

prepared to learn during current times. Student engagement is influenced by teacher and parental/guardian support, as well as access. Teachers must intentionally begin or continue to provide opportunities 26

utmost importance, while not neglecting to keep standards and expectations high. If students feel they are safe and supported, and teachers are able to engage them in learning, then the opportunity for students to be challenged is presented. The pandemic

that material presented through eLearning increases the retention of material by 25 to 60% compared to only 8 to 10% in a traditional face-to-face classroom. This is because online learning can provide more individualized learning than that in traditional classrooms. It is

Since colleges offer a variety of learning options the exposure to online learning PK-12 students have received during the pandemic will positively improve college readiness to take online and hybrid course offerings. has provided compulsory exposure to online learning for PK-12 students. Wei and Chien (2020) reported that online readiness does affect overall performance. Since colleges offer a variety of learning options the exposure to online learning PK-12 students have received during the pandemic will positively improve college readiness to take online and hybrid course offerings.

important to note that although Covid-19 has forced schools to search for more online learning options there remains a gap in equity due to the variance in available resources and training. Therefore, not all students will receive the same support. CHALLENGED ~ Each student is challenged academically and prepared for success in college or further study and for employment and participation in a global environment.

HEALTHY ~ Each student enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle.

During the pandemic, levels of academic challenge and student progress has been, to say the least, challenging. Using instructional strategies that will set students up to succeed academically, emotionally, and physically is of the

During the pandemic, concerns surrounding mental health and the well-being of children has been on the forefront. Ensuring that a well-rounded curriculum, one enriched with art, 27

Whole Child (cont.) music, physical education, sports, extracurricular activities, has posed a challenge during the pandemic. Restrictions enacted by ISBE may not have allowed for the usual level of mental and physical activities. In December 2020, the Illinois State Board of Education EISEL Universal Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Screening (SEB) Workgroup developed recommendations for best practice. This taskforce was developed in response to the growing mental health needs of youth. Lee (2020) reported that the closure of schools and need for social distancing has exacerbated the needs of children already with mental illness and has increased the number of children that are vulnerable to mental illness. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2021) reported that there was a 30 to 80% increase of reported symptoms of depression, loneliness, worry, panic attacks, and anxiety by youth due to the impact of COVID-19. With the rise of concern, surrounding the mental health of students and staff due to the pandemic, access to support for mental health cannot be ignored.

be aware of the impact that remote learning, whether fully or a hybrid model have on both students and teachers in their districts. Consequently, looking at statewide data may have little value in understanding the total impact remote or hybrid instruction has played in a single school district. Thus, if we are not ‘there yet’ we must consider what data is needed to be able to determine how to keep going in the right direction. While continuing to reassess how to get going in the right direction, each school district will need to analyze their own data since the demographic trend, technology availability for families, and the technological competency of teachers have each played a role in learning outcomes for children during the pandemic. Whether teaching is offered remotely or face-to-face, in order to provide sustainable, high-quality education, administrators need to continue to lead with optimism and teachers need to continue to teach with balance— the balance between building student relationships, instruction, and flexibility. Worldwide 1.5 billion learners have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we are in unprecedented times, this is an opportunity to reexamine how we deliver instruction and to examine how the

Discussion and Conclusion We began this article considering the context, directives, and varied experiences of students and educators given the available data. Accordingly, it is apparent that school districts must 28

Illinois State Board of Education. (2021). Guidance for COVID-prevention in K-12 schools. https://dph.illinois. gov/covid19/community-guidance/ school-guidance.html

integration of online learning can become an integral component of education for all students. As we consider existing research and the need for additional research on this topic, is it possible for traditional faceto-face learning and online learning to go hand-in-hand?

Lee, J. (2020). Mental health effects of school closures during COVID-19. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(6), 421. https://www.thelancet.com/ journals/lanchi/article/PIIS23524642(20)30109-7/fulltext

References ASCD (2013). The whole child approach to education. https://www.ascd.org/ whole-child

Li, C., & Lalani, F. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever: This is how. https://www. weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/ coronavirus-education-globalcovid19-online-digital-learning/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Operational strategy for K-12 schools through phased prevention. https://www. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ community/schools-childcare/ operation-strategy.html

OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19). (2021). Supporting young people’s mental health through the COVID-19 crisis. https://www.oecd. org/coronavirus/policy-responses/ supporting-young-people-smental-health-through-the-covid19-crisis-84e143e5/

Illinois State Board of Education. (2021). Current remote learning options under Illinois law guidance for schools and district. https://www.isbe.net/ Documents/Remote-LearningGuidance-Chart.pdf

Oster, E., Jack, R., Halloran, C., et al. Disparities in learning mode access among K–12 students during the COVID-19 pandemic, by race/ ethnicity, geography, and grade level —United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021; 70:953–958. DOI:

Illinois State Board of Education. (2020). EISEL universal SEB screening workgroup recommendations. https://www.isbe.net/Documents_ SELTaskForce/EISEL-SEB-ScreeningWorkgroup-Recommendations.pdf 29

Whole Child (cont.) Dr. Kathleen Briseno is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Concordia University Chicago and an educational consultant for CCSD180. Dr. Briseno is a board member for many state and local agencies, where she provides guidance to the revisions of policies on educational issues. She is also on the Golden Apple selection committee. Dr. Briseno has been a special education and general education teacher, principal of an alternative high school, and a special education administrator. Her educational focus has included: advocating for the rights of students with disabilities, working with students at risk, improving behavioral and instructional outcomes, mentoring teachers, supporting families in navigating services in Illinois, and working with pre-service teachers.

http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr. mm7026e2 Waite, C. (2021, July 1). A three-tiered strategy for re-engaging students this fall. Christensen Institute. https:// www.christenseninstitute.org/ blog/a-3-tiered-strategy-for-reengaging-students-this-fall/ Wei, H. & Chien, C. (2020). Online learning performance and satisfaction: Do perceptions and readiness matter? Distance Education, 41(1), 48-69.

Dr. Megan Willson is an Adjunct Professor in the Division of Teaching and Learning and the Division of Curriculum, Technology, and Inclusive Education at Concordia University of Chicago. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Teacher Preparation Program at the College of DuPage. Dr. Willson has been a general education teacher and library-media center director. Her research interests include educating the whole child, integrating technology into classroom instruction and teacher professional development as it relates to technology integration.

Book Review So Each May Soar: The Principles and Practices of Learner-Centered Classrooms by Carol Ann Tomlinson

Review by Dr. Craig Gaska Click the cover to view on ASCD.

So Each May Soar: The Principles and Practices of Learner-Centered Classrooms by Carol Ann Tomlinson is her latest book published by ASCD. This book, unlike her other nine books, is not about differentiated instruction, rather she discusses the importance for educators to create classrooms and schools that are truly learner focused. In the preface, she states,

themselves, others, and the world they are inheriting.” Tomlinson does a great job of reminding us of what education should be in light of what decades of research have told us about how classrooms and schools can look and feel.

“In sum, then, the book is about putting students at the center of classrooms where quality practice provides a trustworthy foundation for helping young people grow consistently toward a better understanding of

Before making her argument for learnercentered classrooms, the first chapter discusses reasons why it has been so difficult to create them along with 32

a supporting curriculum. Tomlinson accurately points out that the use of standardized tests has not improved student achievement or created more equitable outcomes for students, but the exact opposite is true. She skillfully argues that this emphasis has,

assessment, habits of mind, professional learning communities, curriculum mapping, growth mindset, visible learning strategies, alternative grading, differentiation, UbD, etc; just to name a few. So Each May Soar revisits these ideas as Tomlinson skillfully synthesizes them into a common theme, which is creating an engaging curriculum that students can relate to and take ownership of; in other words, a learnercentered environment. Tomlinson does an exceptional job encapsulating the mutually supportive research and writing of various experts in a comprehensive package that creates a gestalt moment for the reader. The result is a must-read book that offers practical processes to create learner-centered environments. Hopefully, after decades calling for such change, this

“…encouraged ‘teaching to the tests’ at the cost of creativity and in-depth learning. Mandating standardized tests in certain subjects has diminished attention to the importance of subjects that are not tested (pg.10).” The strength of her arguments can only be appreciated by a personal reading of the first chapter, which sets the stage for

Tomlinson does an exceptional job encapsulating the mutually supportive research and writing of various experts in a comprehensive package that creates a gestalt moment for the reader. the paradigm shift from current practice to learner-centeredness.

will become a reality in American schools. Tomlinson offers this in a way that will motivate the reader to embrace practices “so each may soar.”

Over the decades, educators have been barraged with expert opinions and suggestions that are presented as initiatives in and of themselves: formative

The format of the book needs to be considered when determining how one 33

Book Review (cont.) will approach it. The book is written in such a way that you can imagine being at a Tomlinson workshop and picture Carol Ann speaking in front of the room. It is as if she is with you in person. Hopefully, you have invited several of your colleagues to attend with you.

should be read from beginning to end, making sure to stop and reflect on the points to consider getting the most out of the book. That being said, although an individual reader will greatly benefit from reading and reflecting on what Tomlinson is saying, using it as a grade-level or school “book club” would be its best use. The rich discussion and implementation of learner-centered classrooms lend themselves to a group study.

This workshop structure quickly becomes apparent as one works through the book. Each section begins with a dialogue that is very reader-friendly with figures that could also be a slide presentation. Several main ideas are presented through interesting personal anecdotes from Tomlinson’s experience, making it easy to relate to the points she is making. Throughout the book, there are several stopping points titled “Points to Consider,” which are a series of questions asking the reader to reflect on his/her practice and the material previously presented. One can almost hear Carol Ann saying, “Now turn to a table partner and discuss…” at these stopping points. On page 134, the reader will want to pay particularly close attention to her story of developing a learner-centered curriculum; it is very inspiring and will motivate you and your colleagues to create your learner-focused classroom(s).

The richest discussion and deepest reflection may result from the last chapter, which consists of three case studies that provide the “big picture.” Whether one reads the book on one’s own, as a grade level or department, school, or district; So Each May Soar is a must-read for educators who will find themselves motivated to revisit and apply what is known to work in schools and motivate students to learn at higher levels. Dr. Craig Gaska has been in the field of education for over 35 years as a teacher, administrator, college professor, and educational consultant. He is currently an independent consultant, presenter, and professional development facilitator. Dr. Gaska holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, masters and educational specialist’s degree in administration, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction.

Many books are written that allow the reader to skip from topic to topic. Not so with So Each May Soar. Because of the logical progression of topics, the book 34

Resource Corner IF YOUNG PEOPLE REMADE LEARNING… The organizers of the Tomorrow campaign asked KnowledgeWorks and SLB Radio Productions to gather youths’ ideas about how they might remake learning for a post-pandemic future. The youth spoke to five key elements they want for the future of learning.

FORGING THE FUTURE OF LEARNING THE KIDS HAVE A LOT TO SAY

RELATIONSHIPS Relationships with and among peers, educators and mentors involved in learning.

PERSONALIZATION OF LEARNING

rni

powe

MORRO

re m a ke

Learning that is oriented around each learner’s needs, interests and goals.

LEARNER SUPPORTS Assistance and interventions that address learners’ needs.

A SIMPLE TOOL TO HELP TEACHERS REGULATE THEIR EMOTIONS

LEARNING LOCATIONS The places and spaces where learning happens and their key features and functions.

LEARNING CULTURES

W ng

rni

REMAKELEARNING.ORG/TOMORROW

MORRO

powe

READ MORE IN “FORGING THE FUTURE OF LEARNING: THE KIDS HAVE A LOT TO SAY.”

The guiding beliefs and values that shape how a learning location operates and what it feels like to be there.

re m a ke

Tomorrow, powered by Remake Learning, wants to make sure that youth have a voice in how education could and should change over the next 10 years. KnowledgeWorks partnered with Remake Learning and SLB Radio Productions to gather youth ideas about how they might remake learning for a post-pandemic future. READ MORE...

HOW TO MAKE STUDENT CHOICE WORK One teacher shares her strategies to address possible student choice pitfalls like accountability and classroom management. READ MORE...

A SIMPLE TOOL TO HELP TEACHERS REGULATE THEIR EMOTIONS In a year that’s bringing a lot of stress, this tool is no cure-all, but it can help teachers keep their emotions in check. READ MORE...

TEACHERS’ ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO GOOGLE CLASSROOM (MAY 2021) What is Google Classroom? And how are teachers using it? READ MORE...

STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING STUDENTS ONLINE AND FACE TO FACE AT THE SAME TIME Classroom Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo READ MORE...

CAROL ANN TOMLINSON - FIVE KEY ASPECTS OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION Watch on VIMEO...

NAVIGATING THE CONCURRENT CLASSROOM The flip-flop is essentially a simplified version of the station-rotation model, with just two stations. It’s important to note that in a socially distant or virtual classroom, we must think of a “station” not as a physical location. READ MORE... 39

Resource Corner (cont.)

10 BOOKS TO HELP YOU COMBAT BURNOUT AND REMEMBER WHY YOU LOVE TEACHING IN THE FIRST PLACE Time to fill your bucket! READ MORE...

Have a little fun & consider math and statistics at the same time!

Click HERE to find the videos!

3 REASONS I’M HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION — IN 2021 AND BEYOND The pandemic has dispelled the myth that student engagement can only be activated in a classroom setting. READ MORE...

DIGITAL LEARNING: WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN? Digital learning is a broad frontier, so I’d like to take some time today to explore a few core allowances that make it so important. READ MORE... 41

Article Letting the Data Motivate and Delegate: Harnessing the Power of the Skill-Will Matrix Brian Hurley

Purpose This article aims to introduce a data tool that can nurture constructive educator conversations, help orchestrate interventions, and ultimately improve student achievement. The Skill-Will Data Tool can be created by any school or district with a digital learning management system (LMS), takes less than 30 minutes per week to update, and is easily disseminated via email. While the Skill-Will Data Tool was first created during the pandemic, it is a powerful tool that can help students anytime. Developing Triggers As a district instructional coach who worked primarily with teachers, I was part of the Multitiered Systems of Support (MTSS) team assigned to one of the schools in the district. I also worked closely with two academic interventionists on the MTSS team who worked primarily with students at the same school. Together, we developed intervention and coaching plans that could best support students and teachers. Once the order 42

from the caseload if they submitted one missing assignment or earned a few more points on an assessment. These students stood in stark contrast to those who had less than 51% in each of their classes while exceeding the trigger-trigger-number of absences. It seemed to us students who were close to passing had the will to succeed but may have required some support to gain the skill, thus the Skill-Will matrix seemed a perfect tool to organize students for interventions. In our SkillWill Data Tool, attendance and percent grade placed students in a quadrant of the tool, and weekly GPA, added during a subsequent iteration of the Skill-Will Data Tool, differentiated students in Quadrant III by those that required counselor or social worker support.

for remote learning was given in March 2020, we knew we would need additional tools to help us design and implement effective interventions remotely. We also knew that the earlier we could identify students who could benefit from interventions, a trigger or triggers that could instantiate interventions, the greater the chance the intervention would be successful (Cotunga, Vickery, & Carpenter-Haefele, 2009). Powerschool generated a weekly report sent to administrators in spreadsheet form with a running sum of absences per student per class, as well as the student’s percent grade in that class. We knew from previous analyses, one absence per week increased the chances of failing the class, so our first trigger was 3 or more absences at week 3, increasing that number by one every week until week 13 when the trigger became “greater than 13 absences.” Since we were concerned with failures, percent grade became our second trigger initially set to “less than 60%.”

The Skill Will Data Tool Students in Quadrant I of the Skill-Will Matrix were passing the class (60% or higher), regardless of attendance. Interventions for Quadrant I students centered around praise and enrichment opportunities. Students in Quadrant II had less than the trigger-trigger-number of absences and greater than 51% but less than a 60% which indicated to us they were trying but needed a little help. Interventions could include additional practice, reteaching, or retaking a test (among others), including strategies that are a part of every teacher’s tool kit.

Finding the “Will” The first test of our trigger system identified students for intervention that exceeded the recommended caseload for our academic interventionists. We realized there were several students identified by the triggers that were on the border of passing, i.e., could probably be removed 43

The Skill-Will Matrix (cont.)

Students in Quadrant IV had greater than

grade, but were also truant, which led

51% but less than 60% with greater than

us to believe they could successfully

the trigger-trigger-number of absences.

complete some classwork despite missing

Quadrant IV students were also students

classes. Examining the data, reflecting

that teachers could help but required

on our own practice, and talking to these

some additional diagnoses. Quadrant IV

students led us to believe Quadrant

students completed some coursework

IV students were “selectively capable”

as evidence by having greater than 51%

meaning they had the skill to perform 44

well academically, but were choosing not to, for some reason. The interventions for these students were slightly more sophisticated, but if the assumption of “selectively capable” was accurate, then teachers could create alternative assignments, motivate students by talking about the value of school and learning, incorporate student choice into assignments and assessments,

than the trigger-amount of absences were categorized as “Intervention C”. All students in Quadrant III were referred to academic interventionists via the MTSS referral system. Academic interventionists, administrators, and teachers worked together to determine root causes of class failures for students in intervention group A since students in intervention group A had a weekly GPA

In a word, it helped coordinate support across the school. incorporate social emotional learning (SEL) lessons into class, include metacognition/ time management skill building, increase rigor, in addition to other options.

above a 1.0 indicating they were passing other classes. Students in intervention group B were referred to social workers and students in intervention group C were referred to school counselors.

Students in Quadrant III were categorized three ways: 1) Students that were failing a class, had greater than the trigger-number of absences, and had a weekly GPA of greater than 1.0 were categorized as “Intervention A” 2) Students that had little to no academic evidence (less than or equal to 51%) and had less than the triggernumber of absences were categorized as “Intervention B” 3) Students that had little to no academic evidence (less than or equal to 51%) and had higher

Impact of the Skill-Will Data Tool The Skill-Matrix was able to do several things. First, it efficiently predicted students that would benefit from interventions which energized administrators, interventionists, and teachers to provide supports to students early enough so they could pass classes before progress reports. Second, it helped teachers separate chronic issues such as truancy which required assistance from administration, 45

The Skill-Will Matrix (cont.) interventionists, counselors, or social workers, from acute learning struggles experienced by students in Quadrants II and IV which teachers could address. In a word, it helped coordinate support across the school. In a district that serves almost exclusively students of color, it is important to remember that COVID-19 is three times more likely to infect people of color and kill twice as many infected with the disease than Whites (Oppel, et al., 2020); and that teachers of students from communities of color dealt with significantly less engagement from their students and faced greater adversity during the pandemic (Kraft, Simon, & Lyon, 2020). Sporadic attendance, virtual classrooms filled with initials and avatars instead of smiling faces of students, added to an already adverse teaching context so having support from professionals throughout the school helped relieve some of the stress on teachers who were worried about the health and welfare of their students.

you are about these students in Quadrant III, but you have called and emailed home several times for several weeks, you have made the MTSS referral, so let’s focus on students in Quadrants II and IV, the students we know you can move.” In the throes of the pandemic, it was easy to lose sight of the good work being done. Administrators using the Skill-Will Data Tool centered the conversation around teaching successes while providing an entry point for troubleshooting learning issues experienced by students in Quadrants II and IV with the teacher. Celebrating successes, serving as a compassionate partner in helping students achieve, and coordinating the workload across professionals in the school was not only motivating for teachers, but also efficient. The Skill-Will Data Tool helped facilitate the kind of communication and coordination that Kraft, Simon, and Lyon (2020) suggest leads to successful schools, whether during a global pandemic or thereafter.

Third, it facilitated constructive, supportive conversations between teachers and administrators. Administrators working with teachers could show the Skill-Will Data Tool and say, “Look at the great work you are doing here for students in Quadrant I. Despite what you may be feeling, you are reaching students, you are helping students in this crisis. I know how worried 46

Brian Hurley has been coaching teachers in various contexts since 2011 where he first worked education graduate students at Northwestern University. Since then, Brian has helped teachers earn their National Board Certification, mentored teachers new to the profession, designed district inductional programs, developed training for more than 14,000 STEM teachers in the Republic of Georgia, and worked as a STEM coach and district instructional coach. He has published research on using disciplinary literacy in high school physics classrooms and has presented locally and internationally on inquiry, STEM topics, data driven instruction, and teacher education.

References Borter, G., O’Brien, B. (2021, March 21). Another danger for kids in the age of COVID: Failing grades. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/ us-health-coronavirus-usastudents-insig/another-danger-forkids-in-the-age-of-covid-failinggrades-idUSKBN2BL1BF Buffum, A. G., Mattos, M. W., & Malone, J. (2018). Taking action: A handbook for RTI at work. Solution Tree Press. Cotunga, N., Vickery, C.E., CarpenterHaefele, K.M. (2009). Evaluation of literacy level of education. Journal of Community Health, 30(3), 213 – 219 Kraft, M. A., Simon, N. S., & Lyon, M. A. (2020, February). Sustaining a Sense of Success: The Importance of Teacher Working Conditions during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Working Paper No. 20-279). https://www. edworkingpapers.com/sites/ default/files/TFH%20February%20 2021.pdf Oppel Jr., R. A., Gebeloff, R., Lai, K. K. R., Wright, W., & Smith, M. (2020, July 5). The fullest look yet at the racial inequity of coronavirus. The New York Times.

Article Improving Equity and Mathematics Instruction in Virtual Settings

Carol Larson

Eric Sinclair

Introduction The onset of the 2020 pandemic was an eye-opening experience for many educators. As curriculum administrators who work for a charter school network that serves traditionally marginalized students, the consequences and the severity of the digital divide were clear to us. Our local assessment data showed that we experienced low growth in mathematics from the spring to fall in 2020. Several testing organizations echoed those observations and reported that students across the nation started the 2020-21 school year further behind in mathematics than previous cohorts and that this gap was greater for marginalized students (Brody & Koh, 2020; Kuhfeld et al., 2020). Throughout the 2020-21 school year, our educators engaged in discussions about how we could address unfinished learning in mathematics. We discussed the need to create a shared understanding of what high quality digital learning in mathematics looks like so that our instructional leaders can promote consistent practices across our network. As a result, we reviewed numerous eLessons, articles, and webinars to synthesize what we learned into a tool that identifies recommended 48

accessing content or engaging with the lesson, such as the onset of computer vision syndrome (Gowrisankaran & Sheedy, 2015) or reading comprehension challenges that may result from longer passages (Singer & Alexander, 2017). For these reasons, the design of visual presentations and web-based interfaces should include the thoughtful use of attentional cues, white space, font size, and media. (The University of Minnesota posted an academic slide design webinar that covers several of these design fundamentals). Lessons should also include high quality and developmentally appropriate media, lighting, and audio; expository, active,

practices for stronger virtual instruction. Although our final document includes additional guidance on community building, workload management, student engagement, and norms and routines; the following four principles can be used as an initial framework for improving mathematics instruction in virtual settings. Principle 1: Design the virtual environment for accessible mathematics instruction. To be effective in virtual environments, math teachers not only have to be knowledgeable about content and pedagogy, but they also need to understand the fundamentals of how

...the design of visual presentations and web-based interfaces should include the thoughtful use of attentional cues, white space, font size, and media. to design e-learning. It has been found that students interact with virtual environments differently than they do with face-to-face environments, so direct translations of lessons from traditional in-person learning to e-learning may not work. For instance, students can experience unique barriers in virtual environments that prevent them from

and interactive activities; assistive technologies; and intuitive course navigation routines that result in having to make the fewest number of transitions or use the fewest number of links. In addition, there should be a balance between onscreen and offscreen activities, while chunking longer lessons into smaller segments at their natural 49

Equity & Mathematics in Virtual Settings (cont.) breaks to provide opportunities for screen breaks and movement.

first and then to choose the tools that will best help students to meet those goals. This process requires teachers to ask two questions: What will students need to be able to do during the lesson? In what ways can the lesson be modified to increase student participation and improve equity and access to the mathematical content?

For virtual environments, math teachers will need to consider how to integrate technology into lessons. One of the problems that we witnessed as administrators is that some teachers appeared to start with technology choices before considering what students need to be able to learn and do in the lesson. A better practice is to begin by considering the learning goals

Here is an example of a kindergarten Eureka math lesson (see figure 1). This lesson requires students to observe the

Figure 1

This is an excerpt taken from Eureka Math kindergarten module 2, lesson 1. To view the full lesson, please visit: www.engageny.org.

properties of shapes and to be able to categorize them accordingly. Using the .pdf copy as a visual for the presentation would not be developmentally appropriate for kindergarten students, because the teacher would only be able to show part of the .pdf at a time or the font size would be small if the entire worksheet were displayed at once. A teacher could write or draw directly onto the .pdf, but that could lead to visual

clutter. A document camera could be used for the teacher to demonstrate the sorting of shapes, but then the students would not be able to actively participate in the lesson unless they had access to their own materials. Many of our students do not have printers at home, so unless the worksheet was made available to them ahead of the lesson, it would be difficult for those students to complete the assignment.

Figure 2

This drag and drop activity was created as a virtual alternative to the downloadable .pdf worksheet included in the kindergarten module 2, lesson 1 activity. There are many online video tutorials on how to create drag and drop activities, including this one.

slides that would enable students to drag and drop shapes into predefined categories (see figure 2). Slides like this can be used to lead classroom discussions in-person or virtually, and copies of slides

One way to address these problems and to promote equity is to create an interactive virtual version of this activity that all students can access. For example, the teacher could create a set of Google 51

Equity & Mathematics in Virtual Settings (cont.) support multilingual students. In an asynchronous environment where some students may not be able to read directions independently, teachers can record them with an audio application like Vocaroo and insert those files into lesson materials or assignment portals. Students can be taught how to use browser extensions that offer text-tospeech and speech-to-text functions, such as Read&Write or translations

can be made for individual students so that they could sort their own shapes online. Finally, a slide like this can be easily revised for new categories, such as asking students to categorize shapes that are triangles and shapes that are not triangles. Aside from considering how to transform activities for virtual spaces, teachers will also need to consider how to improve student access to

...activating closed captions during lesson presentations not only help the hard of hearing, but they also support multilingual students. support, such as Google translate. Some lesson presentation tools, such as Nearpod, provide students with the opportunity to submit drawn, audio, or video responses within a single platform. Additionally, Nearpod integrates with some mathematical applications, such as Desmos and Phet Interactive Simulations. This integration minimizes the number of transitions that students will need to make during a lesson, which improves user experience.

mathematical content and activities in order to improve equity and access. For instance, students who experienced unfinished learning during the pandemic may need to access specific topics in mathematics via concrete experiences and representations, and digital manipulatives could be used to provide multiple representations of a concept. Additionally, the use of assistive technologies can eliminate or minimize barriers to learning. For instance, activating closed captions during lesson presentations not only help the hard of hearing, but they also

Before integrating assistive technologies and digital applications into lessons, it is important to provide students with time to practice them. For instance, 52

kindergarteners may need to practice dragging and dropping items, activating sound files, and using text-to-speech technologies before they can use these tools independently. Because learning how to use new tools can supplant instructional and planning time, it is recommended that school systems adopt and use consistent tools across grade levels and content areas when possible so that students can make seamless transitions between classrooms.

should be designed to optimize student engagement and include active student experiences, such as opportunities for student discussions, Socratic seminars, and collaborative problem-solving. Additionally, teachers may be able to improve engagement by segmenting these sessions into manageable, more digestible interval chunks (see Ringel, Tarallo, & Green, 2020 for an example). Finally, including some open-ended, low floor/high ceiling activities that promote inclusivity and increasing a student’s ability to meaningfully contribute to the discussion may also improve student participation rates, diminish the potential for math anxiety or embarrassment, and increase selfefficacy during synchronous sessions.

Principle 2: Design asynchronous and synchronous instructional plans that maximize time and optimize learning At the beginning of 2020, much of our e-learning in mathematics consisted of live lessons or recordings of lessons that were accompanied by digital copies of worksheets. Observations of these lessons revealed limited student engagement and a significant number of missing assignments.

Quality asynchronous mathematics lessons also require intentional planning with an understanding that students should be able to complete asynchronous work independently or with limited support. In asynchronous-only environments, students will complete a series of self-paced lessons that support learning goals. When used as a support for face-to-face or synchronous lessons, asynchronous activities should be designed to maximize synchronous time and help teachers plan for targeted instruction. For example, asynchronous coursework can be used to activate background knowledge, facilitate

As we learn more about e-learning, we are discovering that long lectures may be an inefficient and ineffective way to teach in virtual environments (Gallagher & Cottingham, 2020). Because time for human interaction can be limited in eLearning, it is important for teachers to strategically prepare synchronous lessons by considering which experiences or tasks would be best suited for realtime interactions. Synchronous sessions 53

Equity & Mathematics in Virtual Settings (cont.) project completion, demonstrate how to solve a problem, collect assessment data, strengthen fluency work, engage in explorations, solve open-ended problems, provide peer feedback, offer student collaborations, or individuate instruction.

who need intervention support ahead of a new topic. The benefit of these types of applications is that they can provide students with immediate feedback and individuate instruction by adapting problem sets to a student’s zone of proximal development.

Designing asynchronous and synchronous sessions to align to the same learning goals and optimize instruction requires teachers to ask, what do digital technologies do best and what do humans do best? Tasks that require greater support and real-time interaction between teachers and peers should be reserved for live sessions whereas tasks

In another example, a teacher may design an asynchronous activity to support a synchronous session. For instance, this video could be used as an asynchronous notice and wonder activity to launch a lesson on parabolas. In this video, students observe the bounce pattern of a tennis ball over time. Students can record three things that they notice and

Designing asynchronous and synchronous sessions to align to the same learning goals and optimize instruction requires teachers to ask, what do digital technologies do best and what do humans do best? three things that they wonder about the bouncing tennis ball into a document or note catcher. This asynchronous activity would provide students time to process the visualization of the bouncing ball internally before they meet with their classmates to discuss it either in small groups or as a class. Because students had an opportunity to become familiar with the video and process their initial

that can be completed independently or more effectively or efficiently with digital technologies may be better suited for asynchronous learning. For instance, some mathematics applications (e.g., Dreambox, Aleks, IXL, etc.) can be used to strengthen fluency work during asynchronous time or can be used to provide “just in time” co-requisite development (Martin, 2020) for students 54

There are many applications that can be used for feedback, such as features that are embedded in Google suite applications, Vocaroo, Jamboard, Padlet, and Flipgrid. Teachers can use these tools to draw, add written or audio anecdotal notes, or post video files that show students how to improve their work (see an example). Some tools, such as Nearpod, Google slides, and Pear Deck, can be used to efficiently collect real-time student response data. Digital mathematics programs, such as Dreambox or IXL, provide students immediate feedback to students and offer teachers student progress reports and analytics.

thoughts, the teacher does not have to spend as much time introducing the video during the synchronous session. Additionally, the teacher can also use the asynchronous student responses to plan for the synchronous lesson, which may be more meaningful to the students. For instance, the teacher may note that some students notice a decrease in the height of the bounce with each bounce or wonder if they would observe similar outcomes with different types of balls. Using that information, the teacher could design the lesson to build concepts and make connections to these notices and wonderings. Principle 3: Integrate effective assessments and feedback practices. Teacher responsiveness is important to learning, and this includes providing direct and indirect student feedback. This feedback should be timely, tied directly to learning goals, and communicate how students can improve performance. Student expectations should be clearly and consistently communicated to students, and when applicable, students should be able to create learning goals for themselves. In a virtual environment, teachers can share exemplars of what meeting and not meeting expectations look like, provide video presentations on expectations, post the criteria that will be used to evaluate student work using checklists or rubrics, and more.

In virtual environments, adjustments may need to be made in how students’ responses are collected for assessment purposes. Although multiple choice problems are a fast and easy way to collect information in digital spaces, they generally do not reveal how students approach and process the mathematics. One way to address these problems is to include assessment items that are designed to reveal student thinking. For instance, the chart in figure 3 on the following page can be posted as an asynchronous pre-assessment. Prior to a lesson on using pictograph data, the teacher can post this chart to observe what students already know by asking them how many more students voted 55

Equity & Mathematics in Virtual Settings (cont.) Figure 3

A pre-assessment item like this could be used in an asynchronous setting to gather information about what students know ahead of a synchronous session.

for chocolate than for strawberry and to explain their thinking. Some students may count the total number of cones on the chart, some may count the number of cones in each flavor category using one-to-one correspondence, some may count each cone as two votes, and some may successfully solve for the “how many more” question. The teacher can use the student responses from the asynchronous pre-assessment to inform instruction and determine a strategic pathway for developing the important ideas of the lesson. For instance, if responses reveal that most students can distinguish between the different levels of flavor but interpret each cone as = 1, then an important objective will be to teach students how to use a pictograph key and skip counting to interpret the graph.

One of the most important teaching practices is to conduct checks for student understanding. Checks for understanding are a type of formative assessment that help teachers gauge the effectiveness of their teaching and to determine whether instructional adjustments need to be made. This information also helps teachers to identify which students require additional support. Prior to the pandemic, the most common forms of checks for understanding among our teachers included scanning student responses on individual dry-erase boards, collecting exit slips, or asking students to provide quick self-assessments. One positive outcome from the transition to e-learning during the pandemic is that teachers now have access to more tools that are better suited for collecting this 56

Conclusion Overall, improving equity and access to mathematics in virtual spaces will require time, resources, and perceptional shifts that ask us to reimagine how to effectively use digital tools to optimize learning in any learning environment. This will require a commitment to integrate technology into the classroom in meaningful ways while engaging in cycles of continuous innovation and improvement. For those who are at the beginning stages of this work, these five principles are one way that we can start addressing the digital divide in mathematics.

information during in-person and digital learning as well. For instance, reverting back to our Kindergarten sorting of shapes activity, the teachers can use the Google slide “grid view” option to observe students simultaneously solving the same problem (see figure 4). This provides the teacher with immediate information about how students are approaching the problem and what misconceptions or errors some may have. Additionally, tools like Nearpod and Pear Deck provide teachers with the ability to access grid view or scrollable student responses during a lesson (see figure 5 on the following page). Some tools also provide opportunities for students to provide peer-to-peer feedback. Figure 4

Some applications, like Google slides, provide teachers with the option of viewing students’ work on one screen in real-time.

Equity & Mathematics in Virtual Settings (cont.) Figure 5

Scrollable student responses like this one in Pear Deck provide real-time student responses that can be used to check for understanding.

References

Ip, G., & Morenne, B. (2020). The $2 trillion question: How to spend on education for the future. The Wall Street Journal.

Brody, L., & Koh, Y. (2020). Student test scores drop in math since COVID-19 pandemic. Wall Street Journal.

Kuhfeld, M., Soland, J., Tarasawa, B., Johnson, A., Ruzek, E., & Liu, J. (2020). Projecting the potential impact of COVID-19 school closures on academic achievement. Educational Researcher, 49(8), 549–565. https://doi. org/10.3102/0013189X20965918

Gallagher, H. A., & Cottingham, B. (2020). Improving the quality of distance and blended learning. Retrieved from https://annenberg.brown. edu/school/categories/studentlearning#929 Gowrisankaran, S., & Sheedy, J. E. (2015, August 3). Computer vision syndrome: A review. Work. IOS Press. https:// doi.org/10.3233/WOR-152162

Martin, C. (2020). Accelerating Unfinished Learning. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, 113(10), 58

774–776. https://doi.org/10.5951/ mtlt.2020.0233

T. Barlow, A., Edwards, C. M., RobichauxDavis, , Rebecca, & Sears, R. (2020). Enhancing and Transforming Virtual Instruction. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, 113(12). https://doi.org/10.5951/ MTLT.2020.0283

Ringel, R., Tarallo, B., & Green, L. (2020). 5 Steps to Stay Focused When Teaching Online: Try Balancing High Intensity Activity with Periods of Recovery. Retrieved January 18, 2021, from https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiringminds/5-steps-to-stay-focusedwhen-teaching-online

When this article was written, Carol Larson was the Head of Academics for Christel House Indianapolis. She is currently the Executive Director for Indiana Connections Academies, which are part of the Pearson Virtual Schools network.

Singer, L. M., & Alexander, P. A. (2017). Reading on Paper and Digitally: What the Past Decades of Empirical Research Reveal. Review of Educational Research, 87(6), 003465431772296. https://doi. org/10.3102/0034654317722961

Eric Sinclair has been a public school educator for ten years and has worked in urban charter schools for four. He earned his Master’s degree in education from Eastern Illinois University in 2013 and his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from Indiana State University in 2017. Eric is the Humanities Director for Christel House Indianapolis.

Stamm, S. (2020). Is a home office actually more productive? Some workers think so. The Wall Street Journal.

Article Students Empowered Through Tech Club

Meg Ormiston

Embracing innovation during difficult times was child’s play for the Lincoln Tech Club team as they embraced innovation throughout the challenging school year of 2020-21. This dedicated team of fourth and fifth graders persevered through remote learning, pivoted during hybrid learning, managed through quarantine, and celebrated masked in-person fun as a student-led Tech Club. Their creativity and can-do spirit serve as an inspiration for all of us. This mighty group tackled every challenge with creative problem solving following a clear vision that their work was helping everyone. Nine- and ten-year-olds are our future leaders for innovation using all types of technology tools from Zoom chats, green screen videos, editing, scriptwriting, virtual interviews, weekly news shows, on-location filming, and much more. As one of the teacher sponsors of this group, I was the behind-the-scenes support and supervisor, but the students were empowered to do the planning, visioning, leading, and organizing. Along this journey, this group taught me so many technology tools and creative solutions to the complicated daily changes from the student perspective. These students are the rock stars, I just made 60

All this work was not for a unit or lesson, a class, or a grade; yet they continue to lead and give up recess one day a week. Imagine the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills these students are developing as they work on their social skills and provide an opportunity for their peers to have fun! This fun was part of the much-needed social-emotional learning (SEL) for everyone involved. Now, what can we learn from this group of student innovators? A lot!

sure they had the technology tools and the resources they needed to shine. The future of the school is empowering students to learn how to learn inside and outside of school seamlessly using all types of technology tools. This Lincoln Tech Club is a model of innovation that can be replicated in any school online or blended, and these students crafted an expansion plan all on their own by selecting leaders and getting to work.

What we witnessed was empowering, and the need to get out of the way of students doing work that is important to them and can service of the rest of the school.

The leadership team worked throughout the summer to create a new website and to archive past projects, to create the agendas for the first few meetings, to create a commercial and to recruit new members. They created a sign-up form and launched year three of Tech Club

Creating First and foremost, these students are creating, producing, and publishing their

Imagine the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills these students are developing... This fun was part of the much-needed socialemotional learning (SEL) for everyone involved. 2021-style. These students did all this work on their own, collaborating and powering right through the pandemic. Periodically we would have Zoom calls to check on progress, or they would chat with me on Zoom; but these student leaders planned and organized everything.

original work using all types of technology and other resources, even paper and pencil. As a group, they agreed that their best video work needs a team and always a script. If a student did not want to be the on-camera reporter there were other roles in the school newsgroup. 61

Tech Club (cont.) from other groups. The groups moved at their own pace and the teacher was available to work individually with “checkin” groups.

Everyone is welcome to join, having a voice and choice in what role or task they want to try. Students are free to move around and try something new or even suggest new ideas. The students give up recess once a week to participate, and there is no pressure if it is a nice day, go out and play. Often, we found that students continued to create long after the school day has ended, because their project was meaningful to them.

Critical Thinking Problem-solving and thinking critically inside and outside of the classroom empowered these students. They switched gears from passive consuming of lessons to active learning in the classroom

These students learned how to collaborate without a teacher micro-managing the process. Collaboration These students learned how to collaborate without a teacher micromanaging the process. This online and offline collaboration boosted confidence in the Tech Club leadership and membership, as teachers saw this confidence carry over into the classroom where the collaboration continued.

or in the library where Tech Club was held. Because of the pandemic, critical thinking was needed in all learning sessions, from remote learning to a return to the masked socially distancing learning space. The Tech Club used the outdoor classroom when they returned to school in the Spring of 2021 because there was a limit to the size of indoor gatherings. Critically thinking about activities that could be completed outside with their iPads; accessing Wi-Fi, lighting, noise, and of course being dependent on the weather, these students continued their learning and they continued to thrive.

In a brief pre-pandemic study of test scores, we found the students made significant gains, particularly in math when they worked in groups to clarify and solve problems. Like the Tech Club, the math groups were open to all students regardless of their math level. Through coaching, we limited direct instruction, so the math students had time to work together, make mistakes, and seek help

Communication Technology was the lifeline for these students inside and outside the classroom 62

and they created all types of systems. Many used the chat feature in Zoom to stay connected while others used email and Google Classroom. I set up Google Classroom, but the Tech Club leadership took it from there to make announcements, sharing resources, and collecting projects.

This type of Tech Club can be replicated in any school—please reach out if I can help you get started. This continues to be successful because the students take ownship, thriving as they create, communicate, collaborate, and think critically. Their creativity and can-do spirit should inspire all of us.

This group had personal devices since third grade, but our initial observations had students using iPads to consume information from websites or apps. Tech Club brought about change, and began creating and publishing projects so the whole school could see their work. The school news quickly became a weekly hit with the student body with student groups doing everything from planning to editing using their iPads.

Meg Ormiston is often called “The Teacher of Teachers” as she delivers professional development locally, nationally, and internationally. Meg is also an awardwinning author/co-author or 12 books focused on teaching and learning using digital tools. Meg has been teaching in the classroom, in auditoriums, at tech camp, and online for many years and her upbeat presentation style will have you laughing and learning practical skills you can start using immediately.

Click to view Meg’s Bookshelf on Amazon.

Article Lessons Learned from Pandemic Pre-K

Kristen Poisson

When education as the world knew it was turned upside down in the spring of 2020, educators around the world had to act fast to creatively provide access to learning for students of all ages. In the world of early childhood education, the pandemic posed obstacles that challenged the basic fundamentals of how students learn and develop. There were many changes instituted in elementary and secondary schools across the country that simply would not work in the early childhood setting. Our young students need to move and play, often in close proximity to one another, in order to learn in a developmentally appropriate way. The perseverance and dedication of early childhood educators made the seemingly impossible possible and young children across the country continued their education in less orthodox ways. During a normal school year, the Bright Beginnings Center in Hopedale, Massachusetts looks like many other early childhood buildings across our nation. Typically, around 100 preschoolers between the ages of 2.9 to 5.5 years fill eight classes across the school day. As the early childhood program for the public school district, special education services, and evaluations are provided throughout the school year. Staff members know the importance of learning through play and using hands-on learning opportunities to promote a child’s development. 64

On March 13, 2020, like students across the country, Hopedale’s preschoolers unknowingly left the physical school building for the school year. In the months that followed, early childhood education took on changes many never would have expected and provided us, as educators, lessons to learn from.

keep young minds engaged during larger group activities, much as they do in the physical classroom environment. Teachers continued to connect with students and build relationships, even through the difficulties. Virtual learning also helped forge relationships between teachers and the caregivers supporting young students at home with online learning.

As students around the world turned to computer and tablet screens to connect with their teachers and classmates, this mode of learning proved to be difficult for the youngest of children. In addition to the known health concerns linked with

During the spring of 2020 and the subsequent school year, parents were given a front row seat to the daily learning going on in their child’s virtual classroom and in some cases,

Virtual learning helped forge relationships between teachers and the caregivers supporting young students at home with online learning. too much screen time, preschoolers and kindergarteners often lack the attention span to attend to virtual lessons for extended amounts of time. Virtual learning for preschoolers could not look the same as it did for elementary and secondary learners. As educators worked through the challenges of navigating virtual learning, they were also able to find the strategies that worked best for the age group. Small group and one-onone opportunities to connect virtually with a teacher gave children more opportunities for interaction and less wait time. Music and movement helped

this presented more opportunities for communication. Virtual meetings between teachers and caregivers allowed for flexibility that in person meetings sometimes do not provide. In addition, rather than focus on live virtual learning opportunities, many early childhood educators focused on supporting families to provide more enriching at home learning experiences. “For remote learning activities that were directed to families, ECE and ECSE teachers reported sharing learning activities with 65

Lessons Learned from Pandemic Pre-K (cont.) within the home environment; where people wear masks and the learning of facial expressions, communication, and language is restricted; and where demonstrating affection is discouraged by many — there is a tendency towards limitations in the formation of certain areas of the brain, including the social brain, with consequent impairment in the acquisition of cognitive, behavioral, social, and communication skills” (de Araujo, 2021).

families, checking in with families over email, sending families links to websites, and giving families suggestions to support parent-child relationships” (Steed, 2021). No matter how teachers were interacting with students and families, throughout the process of distance learning in early childhood education, engagement was key. Like in the physical classroom, young children require versatile teaching to remain invested in lessons and activities. One strategy for achieving high engagement is focusing on the interests of the students. Doing this virtually gave teachers an opportunity to learn more about their students, their interests, and their learning styles.

Teachers are now made to rethink their approach to social-emotional learning as students enter school for the first time. When a cohort of children begins preschool, considerable time is spent on teaching routines, expectations, and school readiness skills. However, with the limited social exposure, many children have faced in the last year, even more, time needs to be spent on basic cooperative play skills and how to function at school in a group of peers. In addition, the physical endurance of making it through a school day is another concern since most children have been at home and not in a daycare setting before starting preschool. Using children’s literature focused on social-emotional skills such as friendships, emotional literacy, self-control, and problem-

Perhaps the greatest impact of the pandemic on young children has been the social-emotional repercussion. Children have had fewer opportunities to learn social-emotional skills first hand because of the shutdown and the implications on social situations. Many children who are now beginning preschool have little to no experience with children outside their immediate families when in the past families may have frequented parks or playgroups before starting school. “In an environment with social restrictions — where play and leisure activities are only possible 66

Steed, E.A., Leech, N. Shifting to Remote Learning During COVID-19: Differences for Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education Teachers. Early Childhood Educ J 49, 789–798 (2021). https://doi. org/10.1007/s10643-021-01218-w

solving, can help to foster thinking and discussions about these skills in an age appropriate manner. Teacherdirected opportunities for small group cooperative play and friendship skills can also be helpful for the age group. The school years spanning 2020 and 2021 have been unlike anything seen in recent times. Educators and families have both made considerable changes, sacrifices, and modifications to early childhood learning to help students best develop and grow. As we continue to move forward during a global pandemic, one thing is certain—the relationship between home and school is of the utmost importance for student success. Both educators and parents working together for the common goal of student success breeds excellence from even the earliest ages.

Kristen Poisson, M.Ed., is the Principal of the Bright Beginnings Center, the early childhood education program for the Hopedale Public School in Hopedale, Massachusetts. The Bright Beginnings Center focuses on providing a strong social emotional foundation for early student success in all learning areas. Formerly a first grade classroom teacher and reading specialist, this is Kristen’s fourth year as a building administrator in Hopedale. When not at school, Kristen enjoys spending time with her three children, husband, and dogs.

References de Araújo, Liubiana Arantes, Cássio Frederico Veloso, Matheus de Campos Souza, João Marcos Coelho de Azevedo, Giulio Tarro. The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child growth and development: a systematic review. Jornal de Pediatria. Vol. 97, Issue 4, 369-377 (2021). https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jped.2020.08.008. 67

Article Did the Students Learn? A Dual-Language Story During the Pandemic

James Robinette

Teaching during the pandemic offered many different challenges. Teaching in a dual language school offered even more challenges. As a two-way dual language school, teaching and planning for the success of the students and staff doubled the number of challenges. The questions then raised is “Did students enrolled in the dual-language program fail to learn during the pandemic?” Or “What does the data tell us about the effectiveness of the dual-language program?” To answer this question, one must identify why there was a need to deviate from a traditional model of teaching in the dual language program in our district. The Problem Identifying how the students were going to get a proper dual language education in alignment with the program model was the task at hand. As a two-way dual language school with a 50/50 model, the students learn half their day in English and the other half in Spanish. English Language Arts and Spanish Language Arts are taught daily, math instruction in the program is taught daily in Spanish in grades K-2 and English in third grade. Throw in the fact that the district offered a remote learning model as well as a half-day hybrid model, tripled the difficulty 68

level for students and staff by adding interchangeable time constraints. It became very evident that we were not going to be able to teach with fidelity using our program model.

that stayed somewhat aligned with our English and Spanish language allocations, we created a huge concern. Dual language students would not be receiving math instruction daily! This was not ideal and did not align with the district’s plan for pandemic learning yet had to be done to keep the fidelity of the dual-language program.

Creating a half-day hybrid model for a 50/50 dual language model doesn’t necessarily add up. As we worked through many different schedules, offering students the same language allocation each day was not possible. However, having the students receive the same amount of English and Spanish over a portion of time could be a possible solution. This was accomplished by combining both hybrid and remote models over two weeks to achieve the

The End of Year Data With the knowledge of the situation described, the results can be discussed. During the pandemic, the district utilized a standard-based local math assessment for grades K-6 to determine the effectiveness of math instruction,

Students in grades K-2 who were enrolled in the dual-language program outperformed many of the students not enrolled in the dual-language program in many different mathematical standards... Fountas and Pinnel assessment for reading, as well as the 2021 IAR assessment for students in grades 3-8. The school’s dual-language program is currently operating in third grade which meant that the students would be taking the IAR assessment for the first time. Taking the IAR assessment is a big task in a normal year but turned into a massive task during a pandemic.

language allocations necessary. After many, many different schedule drafts and hours playing Tetris with the duallanguage classes, a sufficient schedule was created. Just like creating any schedule, when one attribute is changed, many other attributes change as well. Even though we were able to identify a way that we could create a schedule 69

Did the Students Learn? (cont.) The End of Year Realization A concern going into the year was the lack of math minutes because of the program model and the need to utilize a half-day remote/hybrid dual language program model. This concern was justified since the students not enrolled in the dual-language programs would be getting twice the math compared to the non-dual language students. The data for students enrolled in the dual-language program does not lie when compared to students in traditional classrooms.

Third grade IAR is where we will begin. Out of all the students in third grade that met or exceeded expectations based on the preliminary IAR math assessment scores, 62% of the students were enrolled in the dual-language program, and 78% of the students in third grade that met or exceeded ELA expectations were enrolled in the duallanguage program. Students in grades K-2 who were enrolled in the dual-language program outperformed many of the students not enrolled in the dual-language program in many different mathematical standards on the standards-based math assessment. The third grade students enrolled in the dual-language program outperformed the students in the traditional classroom on every standard!!

According to the 2021 IAR preliminary math scores, the students in third grade were very successful. State averages from 2019 must be used to make a comparison since the IAR assessment was not given in 2020 due to the pandemic. Sixty-two percent of the students in third grade that met or exceeded expectations on the math assessment were enrolled in the dual-language program. That number is above the state average of 41% of third grade students meeting or exceeding the math expectations for third grade students statewide (ISBE, 2019). The preliminary reading scores on the 2021 IAR reading assessment demonstrated similar results as 78% of the students in third grade that met or exceeded expectations were enrolled in the dual-language program compared to the state average of 37% (ISBE, 2019).

The Fountas and Pinnel (2021) reading assessment was given to students in grades K-3 to identify if the students were making progress in reading during the pandemic. This assessment was done in English for all students. Amongst students that were reading at or above grade level in kindergarten, over half (55%) of the students were enrolled in the kindergarten dual language program. Similar trends were identified in first grade (86%), second grade (83%), and third grade (56%). 70

The previously identified local math data demonstrated that the students in grades K-2 enrolled in the dual-language program were very successful on some of the standards assessed when compared to students not enrolled in the duallanguage program. Whereas by the time the dual language students reached third grade, many outperformed their nondual counterparts in every math standard assessed. The Fountas and Pinnell (2012) reading data identified that over half of the students enrolled in the dual-language from grades K-3 were reading at or above grade level at the end of the year.

or above grade level mean RIT score. Similar results were demonstrated in third grade with 63% and 50% of fourth grade students were at or above grade level mean RIT score. These scores demonstrated that the dual language program was very successful in teaching the students reading during a pandemic. Utilizing the NWEA MAP math assessment, 56% of dual language students in the second grade were at or above grade level mean RIT score. Results for third grade demonstrated some positive results with 43% of dual language students at or above grade level mean RIT score. The fourth-grade dual language students rebounded with 50% of students at or above grade level mean RIT score. The scores on this assessment demonstrated once again that there were definitive successes within the dual language program while also identifying areas for growth.

A New Beginning Another school year begins with the opportunity to truly see if the dual language program benefited students. The end-of-year data demonstrated that students in the dual-language program were typically successful during the pandemic. The NWEA MAP assessment is administered as a baseline for students in grades 2-8 at the beginning and end of each school year and to demonstrate growth. This year, there was a new level of anticipation and heightened anxiety for the scores.

The realization is that this school’s duallanguage program was able to support the students and keep learning going. Some students thrived in many areas! Thomas & Collier (2002) indicated that students in dual language programs will be performing better or as well as nondual language learners by fifth grade. This theory is on pace to be holding true for this dual-language program even during the pandemic.

The data was in! Would we be proud of what we saw? Let’s take a look beginning with the reading scores. Sixtyone percent of students in the second grade dual-language program were at 71

Did the Students Learn? (cont.) References James E. Robinette, Ed.D, pHCLE has served as the principal of Congress Park Elementary School since 2018. Before that, he was a principal at Barbour Two-Way Language Immersion K-8 for 3 years. He has presented at several Illinois conferences including Kane County ROE institute Day (2020), ESSA Conference (2019), IPA Conference (2018), as well as the Statewide Conference on Bilingual Education in 2017, 2018 and 2019. He has also worked with CORWIN on DEEP Equity within District 102. James is the recipient of the John Ourth and Fred Singleton IPA professional development scholarship 2021.

Fountas and Pinnell. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.fountasandpinnell.com/ resourcelibrary/resource?id=270 Illinois State Report Card. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www. illinoisreportcard.com/State.aspx Thomas, W., & Collier, V. (2002). A national study of school effectiveness for language minority students’ long-term academic achievement. Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence. https:// www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ A-National-Study-of-SchoolEffectiveness-for-Thomas-Collier/ e5069e7e93ee95848ff07de62fe 74b26bb4416e8

Article The Super Bowl Play of Assessments

Angie Ryg

It is coming up in our school—another “Data Day”—the Super Bowl of Response to Intervention. It is a day where teachers, specialists, interventionists, and administration all will gather to go through the assessment data of students who fall below the 25% threshold with their MAP scores. As easy as it may seem to just grab a graph and make a call, the “calls” on each child sometimes need a challenge flag to be thrown for a review: • “This student scored 24%, but it is an outlier score. The rest of their prior assessments were above 40%.” • “Well, this student falls rights at the 25%, but they continue to struggle in class.” • “This student, who scored a 65%, should have scored a 15% - they don’t know their letters at all!” Statements like these will go back and forth, each teacher wanting to do what is best for students while knowing what might be perfect may not always be feasible. Limited staff, limited resources, and even limited space to take a small group all tie into what is made available for these students who need intervention. As informative as summative assessments can be, teachers have started to adapt assessment processes to get a deeper look at student growth (Zimmerman, 2018). 73

Assessments (cont.) Formative assessments are becoming the assessment used to track students more consistently, as they provide for more fluid interactions between teachers and students. These short snapshots of individual student performance can allow teachers to adjust their teaching as the student grows. Using the acronym of DAILY, this article describes how daily data can empower more schools to choose formative assessments versus summative assessments in five major ways:

Academic and student rigor are present

While summative assessments evaluate a compilation of what a child may have learned, formative goals can strengthen the rigor of the curriculum and allow students to be challenged on a dayto-day basis. How often has someone breezed through a course only to have to cram for the test at the end of it? (Or is that just me?) If students know they are being assessed in their daily work, they begin to hold themselves to a higher standard of learning. A student once asked me if we could meet every day for reader’s conferences because he wanted to see how he was doing on inferencing. That type of insight into a student’s growth cannot come from a single multiple-question test.

Defined goals are established

Using daily formative assessment allows for defined goals for each student, allowing the teacher to know each student, defining and tailoring instruction for each student in a diagnostic-prescriptive fashion. For example, a goal in writing may be as specific as “the student will use correct punctuation in their writing,” or as general as “the student will develop voice in their writing; making your personality come through your words.” Students feel a sense of self-worth and confidence as they progress at their own speed with teacher direction when needed. Furthermore, by limiting attention to a few goals at a time, the student is better able to concentrate goal while the teacher does not have to spend an inordinate amount of time on nonessential evaluating (Beaven, pg. 148).

Innovative learning experiences are

the norm With formative assessments, there are fewer instances where a teacher will feel he or she is “teaching to the test.” The assessments come directly from the learning experiences. Because of this, there can be more variety in both the way the teacher shares the information as well as how the students go about gathering the information. Using formative assessments, students are more likely to display more problemsolving skills. “The concept development lessons are intended to build an

With formative assessments, you can personalize student learning by giving choice, having each learning experience focused on a student’s strengths or weaknesses. standards tested will remain consistent between students.

understanding of concepts and content, while the problem-solving lessons draw out student thinking and require students to apply concepts that they have previously learned.” (Holzer, 2015)

You are actively looking for student

growth As a teacher looks for growth over perfection, he or she allows the child to see their growth as important. Formative assessments allow the teacher to not just see one letter grade and evaluate a child, but the educator can form educated decisions on the next steps for a student’s educational journey because of the consistent feedback and assessments they have been collecting. Furthermore, the teacher is involved in the whole process of the learning experience rather than an “assign and test” kind of attitude.

Learning is focused on individuals’

strengths or weaknesses Formative assessments are just one part of a larger learning initiative known as adaptive learning. Adaptive learning encourages teachers and students to approach education from a flexible perspective, expanding the curriculum based on specific assessments that highlight students’ progress throughout the year (Zimmerman, 2018). Giving students choices in the classroom can “boost their engagement and motivation, allow them to capitalize on their strengths, and enable them to meet their individual learning needs’’ (Parker, 2017). With formative assessments, you can personalize student learning by giving choice, having each learning experience focused on a student’s strengths or weaknesses. Formative assessments can be adapted depending on what the child chooses to explore, yet the

In Conclusion, Monitor Student Growth There are a variety of ways you can implement formative assessments into your DAILY educational plan. Some areas are easy—having the children hold up a “Yes, I understand” card or a “No, I am unclear” in a quick survey check. A teacher can use Google forms for exit tickets to evaluate understanding or they can have the students doodle their answer rather than writing it. Another 75

Silver Linings (cont.) Parker, F., Novak, J, & Bartell, T. (2017). To engage students, give them meaningful choices in the classroom. Phi Delta Kappan 99 (2), 37-41.

idea is to use whiteboards to see what the children have learned without having to answer out loud. Class discussions or one on one conferences are important ways to gather information about the metacognitive process that a student uses while they are learning.

Zimmerman, E. (2018, October 18). Data Driven Instruction: How Student Data Guides Formative Assessments. EdTech. https://edtechmagazine.com/ k12/article/2018/10/data-driveninstruction-how-student-dataguides-formative-assessmentsperfcon

In all these examples, the important aspect is the DAILY use of the assessment. With daily assessment, you can use the data to define goals which allow the teacher to start the whole process over, which is exactly what a teacher needs to do, ensuring the data obtain is relevant and usable for creating a personalized educational plan for each student. Using the DAILY plan is better than any isolated, single Superbowl play for students.

Angie Ryg is an international speaker who desires to encourage and inspire teachers with the truth that little lives are depending on them. With her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, she loves to find out how students learn. She is a contributor to several books and best known in the educational world for her timely essay, “I Will Know How to Teach” printed in the Chicago Tribune during the pandemic. When she is not creating, connecting, or being curious (she loves alliteration), Angie can be found hanging out with her husband, four amazing kids, and one sweet Shihpoo named Maddie for movie night. You can connect with Angie on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

References Beaven, M. (1977) Evaluation writing: Describing, measuring, judging. NCTE. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ ED143020.pdf#page=142 Holzer, T. (2015, February 3) Great Activities for Formative Assessment and Problem-Solving in Math.CollectEdNY. http://www.collectedny. org/2015/02/great-activitiesfor-formative-assessment-andproblem-solving-in-math/ 76

IL ASCD, in partnership with North Central College, is proud to offer the 2021-2022

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Beginning Fall 2021

Learn from these experts in leadership:

CLIFTON TAULBERT

ANTHONY MUHAMMAD

MELINDA BIER

MARVIN BERKOWITZ

MICHAEL FULLAN

October 21, 2021

December 9, 2021

January 20, 2022

March 3, 2022

Four virtual training days offering:

Academy At A Glance

• Support for and cultivation of school leaders who utilize character

4 Leadership Days: Full-day sessions

virtues and practical wisdom in their professional roles. • Research-based professional learning and development tools. • Distinctive integrated coaching embedded throughout an academy experience.

with professional speakers followed by guided reflective and application sessions. 4 Connection Days: Mentoring provided by professional coaches. Grant Project Planning: Assimilate material learned into a grant

proposal to fund the implementation of a Culture of Character project into your school setting.

To learn more about North Central’s Leadership Academy, visit northcentralcollege.edu/program/leadership-academy

Article Children on the Throne

Dr. Genevra A. Walters

Introduction Many educators worried that this global crisis would negatively affect school-age children. In fact, the overarching belief was that children would come out of the pandemic a year behind. Kankakee School District 111 found that (as we already know) in traditional schooling: some students did well and some did not. The idea of “one size does NOT fit all” was truly evident during the pandemic. Some students improved educational outcomes during the pandemic while some students struggled academically and/or emotionally. The pandemic showed us the importance of Personalized Learning Plans that include flexibility in time, location, educational experiences, and opportunities. When describing the model we are using, I use the throne as an analogy for who should be at the center of our decisions. If our decisions are driven by traditional methods of schooling then “Tradition” is on the throne. If our decisions are driven by finances, adults, or politics, then these are the issues that are at the center of how we make decisions. Therefore, these issues are sitting on the educational throne. We have also found in this pandemic the “curse of knowledge” is a major barrier to change at a time when we had no other options. 78

“The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias that occurs when an individual, communicating with other individuals, unknowingly assumes that the others have the background to understand.” (user testing, 2019).

advances in technology and the skills of generation z and the new generation alpha, what was once impossible is a reasonable expectation for education. A Task Analysis of a Successful School Experience During the onset of the pandemic, Kankakee used a task analysis of a successful school experience to determine how “school” needed to happen during a pandemic. We implemented a plan that separated the process of school into six components: Attendance, work completion, social interaction, instruction, interventions, and quality of work/grades.

Every career field suffers from the curse of knowledge. The educational system suffers because everyone has experienced “school” at some level even if only as a student. This prior knowledge of “school” drives decision-making rather than the needs of the children, the current societal conditions, or the essential skills needed in the future workforce.

When children are on the throne, schools bring the individual student experiences, interests, knowledge, skills, and hopes for the future into the decision-making for learning. When children are on the throne, schools bring the individual student experiences, interests, knowledge, skills, and hopes for the future into the decision-making for learning. Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs) become necessary. PLPs help students set goals based on personal, academic, and career interests (U.S. Department of Education, 2017). In the past, personalizing learning in public school would be near impossible. With

We could not measure attendance by time in seats within the four walls of a classroom, in front of a teacher. We determined attendance by students checking in on a computer, interacting virtually/in person with the teacher, or completing assignments. Staff members contacted families through phone calls and home visits if the school did not have any contact with the student or family after a week. KSD reported students 79

Children on the Throne (cont.) truant after several attempts to contact the family that included phone calls and home visits.

Social interaction is an important part of the school experience. We created structured social time through opportunities for students to interact within supervised, common areas located in the school building. We also provided activities that were safe and organized through the school district. For example, the school district enhanced our Race Car program and partnered with a local organization around a Bike Riding program because of the ability for students to safely interact and socially distance themselves.

In collaboration with the union, we defined completion of assignments as levels of engagement (LOE). Teachers reported to parents how students were performing on work completion through a percentage of assignments completed using a scale of 0-3: 0 40%; 1 41-60% 2 61-80%;

Teachers provided instruction and interventions in smaller groups than normal. Kankakee extended the school

3 81-100%.

It was important for everyone to understand that a failing grade because of poor work completion is very different from a failing grade because of the need for academic interventions. day to provide more opportunities for students to receive instructional support and interventions. We also added Saturday school to extend additional opportunities and time for students to receive face-toface instruction/interventions individually or in small groups.

Students who did not participate received a rating of NP (No Participation). The goal of the LOE rating was to communicate to parents whether or not a failing grade is based on the behavior of “assignment completion” or the need for academic support. 80

and intervention led to increased performance in all areas. In a traditional education setting, all exist at the same time in a classroom of 28-30 students

The actual quality of work translated into grades. The high school teachers and parents struggled the most with the separation of work completion and

I was impressed with the 21st-century skills that Milana gained by having the flexibility to manage her own time. grades. It was important for everyone to understand that a failing grade because of poor work completion is very different from a failing grade because of the need for academic interventions. During the pandemic, we realized how important it is to separate the two issues to provide the appropriate support.

with limited support for the teacher. During the pandemic, Larry attended class for instruction, Saturday school for interventions, and was also able to participate in Covid safe activities. KSD 111 found it necessary to provide additional time for work completion during the winter break.

Pandemic Story of Larry and Milana Two students, who were able to find their niche during the pandemic, are Larry, and Milan (real students using pseudo names). Larry is a student labeled with a mild learning disability. Larry is very participatory in school activities. He loves the social aspect of school but has anxiety when required to participate in math and writing instruction. During the pandemic, he was successful academically with targeted interventions in work completion in the areas of math and writing.

Milana was a student who chose fully remote as an option during the pandemic. After talking to Milana, I was amazed at her organizational and planning skills as well as her work ethic and entrepreneurship demonstrated and developed because of the pandemic. Milana explained that she chose fully remote to help her mother. Milana supervised her two younger brothers while her mother worked three jobs outside of the home. She described a well thought out plan that included using a personal calendar to keep up with her Zoom classes as well as her younger brothers’ classes. Milana found that after completing all of her work

For Larry, the separation of work completion, social time, instruction, 81

Children on the Throne (cont.) Opportunity Gap Equity issues became more apparent during the pandemic. Although the school had previously provided one:one technology, provided hotspots when needed, and had developed a plan for overcoming barriers, many students struggled in the area of work completion. Kankakee began working with an equity coach who coined the phrase “be true to what’s on paper” (Fisher, 2021). We found that many adults focused on trying to “survive” the pandemic and the details of how to implement the plan were not consistent across staff members. This perpetuated the already present equity issues related to accessing learning opportunities in a time where learning truly needed to happen “anywhere, at any time”.

and supporting her brothers, she had additional time to start her own business. I was impressed with the 21st-century skills that Milana gained by having the flexibility to manage her own time. Barriers We have learned through the pandemic that the achievement gap has numerous variables that affect achievement in a traditional educational system. The variables include opportunity, homework, and parental access. Schools struggle with closing these gaps because the traditional educational system does not consider ways to identify the gaps present in each individual family, determining the support needed, and allocating the necessary resources. Equity is also at the root of the gaps that exist in the educational system. Even in a diverse community, we continue to struggle with inclusion (every voice is heard and valued) and equity (every student and family receives what they need to fully access learning to increase postsecondary opportunities). Barriers to change are further complicated by the voices (people) driving decisions about education coming from educators and educated parents who likely suffer from the curse of knowledge and fail to see that many families do not experience “school” in the same way they do.

Homework/Parental Access Gap As much as we learned during the pandemic, we still have much to learn and improve. Schools are still extremely dependent on parental support. Although our system does not require parents to sit with their children and complete assignments in a quiet space at home—which can be a major barrier for many families—it does require parents to get their student onto a technology device for remote learning, physically into the school for in-person learning, or attend Saturday school for interventions. 82

...the voices that are speaking the loudest are those who understand how to access learning through the traditional system and cannot imagine or truly understand the barriers embedded in the system for many other students and families. Children on the Throne versus Curse of Knowledge The curse of knowledge is often in direct conflict with keeping students at the center of our decision-making. This bias occurs to the detriment of families who have been marginalized for generations by the education system and those educators and families who have historically benefited from it. The bias inhibits creating an educational system that supports equity because the voices that are speaking the loudest are those who understand how to access learning through the traditional system and cannot imagine or truly understand the barriers embedded in the system for many other students and families. To place children on the throne, the school experience must begin to structure educational experiences and opportunities that consider the knowledge and privileges of some families while creating a plan for the lack of experiences and challenges of others.

References Fisher, Annice. (2021). Kankakee School District 111 Equity Coaching, Kankakee, IL. United States Department of Education (2017), Issue Brief; Personalized Learning Plans Usertesting (2019) https://www. usertesting.com/blog/curse-ofknowledge Dr. Genevra Walters is committed to the growth and development of life-long learners. She attended the University of Illinois at Chicago for both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work. She completed an educational doctorate at Illinois State University with an emphasis on teacher education and research. Dr. Walters worked as a social worker and administrator in Kankakee School District 111 and became the new Superintendent on May 30, 2014. She is honored to be the Educational Leader for the Kankakee Community. 83

Article Reimagining Math Acceleration Tawana Stiff

David Wartowski

Jennifer Webber Likhite

Where We Were The harmful impacts our former system of math acceleration had on children were clear well before the pandemic. Students were stressed, racially segregated, and often lost their intrinsic motivation as mathematicians. The system implied that some students are good at math while others are not. Academic risktaking was not encouraged and speed was valued over deep learning. Over a decade ago, only a small percentage of students would take Geometry in 8th grade. It was a space only for the truly exceptional. Yet by 2019 nearly 20% of our students were moving at this pace—rushing through five years of standards in three years of middle school. A space that once had been intended for the truly exceptional had become normalized for part of the Evanston community. By 2019, nearly 1 in 3 White students were taking Geometry in 8th grade. Meanwhile, the number of students of color being extended this invitation was roughly 1 in 50. This system was not only excluding and stigmatizing students of color from what was perceived as the “smart track.” It was also harming mostly White and Asian

Julia Woodard

students in that very track, implicitly sending them false messages. While unintentional, our former system of acceleration seemed to be implying that students who made the cut were innately academically superior and that being good at math means learning more topics more quickly.

would often become too much. The joy of math would vanish, and, ironically, many of our students considered to be “highfliers” would conclude that they weren’t that good at math after all. Yet parents fought hard to get their children to pass these tests and make this

The decision was made most typically in 5th grade, based on just two scores, and the resulting pathway stayed relatively permanent. This system drew a high-stakes line in the sand: you either made it into the advanced track or you didn’t. The decision was made most typically in 5th grade, based on just two scores, and the resulting pathway stayed relatively permanent. Those who made the track stayed there for at least 4-8 years, and those who didn’t, if ever, had a chance for more. Our system had created haves and have nots.

placement. If there was an opportunity for their children, they wanted to seize it. And our system made it so the opportunity came from test scores and alternate placement. We knew this wasn’t the best for anyone—whether you made the cut or not. Years of our own experience and general expertise in the field of mathematics education agreed: our system needed to change. Opportunity needed to increase for more students, and it had to come in a way that would mitigate the unintended and devastating consequences of our old system.

Yet even those who made the cut were losing out in some cases, as evidenced in conversations with families and high school educators. While some students cried or felt dejected for not making the cut, families, and educators would tell us about the tears and anxiety that would often come years later for those that accelerated. The speed and intensity

How We Changed There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. Yet the reality was that there were barriers that would likely result in 85

Reimagining Math Acceleration (cont.) an ongoing and uphill battle between change agents and laggards who had not yet embraced the direction in which the district would inevitably head.

lots of educator support, and a mind shift within the community. And, if implemented with fidelity, it could result in inequitable outcomes for all students—regardless of a student’s NWEA RIT quartile.

Fortunately, most teachers had already been chipping away at the antiquated methods of challenging students. Just four years prior, they banded together to inform the Board that they wanted to remove the lower level Algebra class that existed at the time. Then, in a survey, we saw that 87% were in favor of revamping the system entirely, stopping the practice of using placement as a means of accelerating learning; 10% remained undecided; and 3% were opposed.

The other option was to cobble together an imitation of an already-broken system and place students into different courses based on unreliable proxy data, continuing well-intentioned but harmful effects on our children. The decision became obvious. With some hesitance still in existence among some key stakeholders, the commitment was to discontinue tracking for one year due to the circumstances and meanwhile to monitor the impact.

And when schools closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were, along with many other districts, without our typical data. We did not have access to Spring MAP scores and there was no way to reliably administer the internally created Qualifying Exam remotely which was used to place students for the fall.

This was our shot to show that a reimagined system of acceleration—one that relied on high-quality curriculum and instruction—rather than alternate placement, was not just theoretical. It was actually possible.

Without our typical data used for placement, we had only two options.

Results The first year, despite a typical implementation dip, showed incredible promise. Student surveys, student interviews, and educators’ stories indicated that students generally felt engaged, challenged, and had a sense of enjoyment in the learning. Moreover,

One was to re-imagine entirely what it means to accelerate students’ learning. Rather than relying on alternate placement, we could address needs through a single pathway for all students. This would require updated materials, 86

the achievement scores showed eradication of racial predictability among our growth scores. In addition, students’ comments about their experience indicated that we were making strides in building a learning culture of student empowerment, centered on our core values around student’s voice, agency, and self-directed learning. Students’ comments indicated that they were valuing the process of math over getting a

Reimagining Math Acceleration (cont.)

correct answer. Students valued mistakes as an opportunity to learn. Further, students explained that they felt heard and had opportunities to work at an individualized pace.

above and beyond what was already being offered. Already since that time, we have revised our materials to address the needs of this 1% of students as well. Accounting for the Impact

One concern during this change was that some students would not be adequately challenged. However, only 5.3% of surveyed students disagreed that they had opportunities to engage in challenging work in their math class. And of the 5.3%, three-quarters also reported that they were not choosing to do the most challenging tasks when given the choice. This indicated that just roughly 1% of the total students surveyed were looking for more challenging material

The success of year one relied essentially on two aspects: 1. Using a new set of instructional materials that provided the type of problems and learning structure needed for a highly differentiated environment. 2. Creating classroom environments that supported student choice and selfdirected learning. 88

For the curriculum, the math department landed on Desmos’ new instructional materials, units crafted from Illustrative Math, but with further tweaks and Desmos-ifed lessons that provided impactful learning methods, including immediate feedback, visual interplay, student-to-student dialogue, and public displays of anonymous student thinking. Teachers went through professional development and readied themselves for fall implementation.

regardless of scores. On the adaptive side, a critical mass of teachers chose to engage in a demanding summer course led by Larry Geni, an expert in self-directed learning. During the course, teachers explored philosophical and practical thinking that would create classroom environments where students had a strong understanding not only of what they were expected to learn, but where they were in that learning process, and their ability to make independent and strong decisions regarding how to advance their learning.

For self-directed learning, teachers worked on both technical and adaptive change. On the technical side, twenty teachers joined a summer project to create a Task Library—tiered by levels of challenge for each lesson. This would empower students to engage in metacognitive processes and then complete tasks that aligned with their current level of understanding, comfort, and accessibility. The tiered task ranged from pause and build, to more practice and ultimately to extension problems. There was a personalized option for all students,

All in all, nearly 80% of the math department took part in summer work during the summer of 2020 - a clear sign of the overall commitment of educators to make the change happen. And a reminder that lasting and authentically positive impact is never top-down, but something that grows roots from those who are on the ground. At a high level, the system is simple. It looks like this:

Reimagining Math Acceleration (cont.) What happens within the course, however, is where the opportunities exist. In our new structure, each day follows a structure that has two major components: a daily lesson and choice time.

Students have a daily choice to seek additional challenges. No scores are required. And the lessons are built to honor students’ perspectives, creativity, and voice, regardless of background knowledge, offering various points of entry.

development every day, accelerating their learning beyond the norm. Overall, we point to these key ingredients that got us positive results in these early stages of implementation: • A coalition of teacher leaders supported the change and garnered increasing support along the way

At a time where our community wants challenges for their children and needs support with the unfinished learning that is inevitably tied to a year of remote learning, these methods are especially necessary. Yet the techniques transcend the pandemic and offer an avenue where every single student can access learning at the high end of the zone of proximal

• A superintendent who believed in and deeply supported the vision. • High-quality instructional materials for the daily lesson, along with strong instructional competence among teachers 90

...this is not a case of “Robinhood”, where assets were taken from some to benefit the rest, but rather a rising tide for all ships, a way of learning that is in the best interest of all children. teacher conferences fighting with him to get up to a C to have a real conversation with his 8th-grade math teacher about being on target to do an AP math class by senior year.”

• An expansive library of tiered tasks aligned to the learning expectations, allowing space for individual student choices within each math course • Ongoing monitoring and revision adjusting practices and structures to work more and more toward our vision

Another wrote an email out of the blue that read:

Looking Ahead While the early results are positive, we are working for the system to grow deeper roots. After knowing only a scarcitybased model of providing acceleration, it can be difficult for some to imagine a model-driven more by moxi and the collective spirit of inclusion, rather than gatekeeping via test scores. It can feel like opportunities were taken away, even when the opportunities have expanded.

“For far too long there has been this push to go faster rather than deeper in math education. ... I have seen too many bright students who were excited about math placed in an accelerated program and become discouraged over time. I have also seen too many bright students who were excited about math feel bad about themselves because they weren’t placed in the accelerated program. I am so glad that District 65 recognizes that it is better to go deeper and is taking steps to make sure all students do that. ...this is an important change to make.”

Many in the community embraced the change early on. One parent wrote “Both of my children are obsessed with the curriculum, and my 8th grader’s math grades have never been stronger. We went from 91

Reimagining Math Acceleration (cont.) Tawana Stiff attended University of IL in Chicago to earn her Bachelor Degree in Education (2005). In 2008, she received her Masters in Math Education. And inevitably, went on to earn her Ed. S in Educational Technology (2012)—both of the latter degrees were accredited via Walden University. She is also a Desmos Fellow and has 10 years of teacher experience in North Chicago, IL and has been with District 65 since 2015. During her time with District 65, Mrs. Stiff served on the Algebra for All committee that was instrumental in detracking math courses with the end goal of cultivating a learning climate without racially predictable outcomes. The SelfDirected Learning model is something Mrs. Stiff has been integrating into her algebra classes since the 2016-2017 school year to provide accessible entry points to grade appropriate learning goals for all students while simultaneously elevating the onus all students have over their learning trajectory.

Others in the community are mourning a sense of loss and still seeking to learn how their students will keep access to opportunities. Often these are families with an older child that went through the old system, or with a friend whose children did. It can be difficult to understand how the new system is better for all students, not just those who would not have been alternatively placed, but also those who would have been. Yet for the system to last over time, there must not only be a positive impact for students in the classroom, but there must also be adult understanding that this is genuinely good for all; that this is not a case of “Robinhood”, where assets were taken from some to benefit the rest, but rather a rising tide for all ships, a way of learning that is in the best interest of all children. While our surveys have not yet been distributed this year, and there are no testing data to which we can refer, already we see the work taking further and further hold. After just three weeks of school this fall, three students came to their teacher at the end of class. “Thank you,” they said. “You kept working with us. We understand this now.” To which the teacher responded, “That’s my job.” And note to herself at that moment that the system designed to accelerate the learning of all students is working.

David Wartowski is going on his 21st year as an educator, the past 18 having been spent across three districts serving the Evanston-Skokie community as both a teacher and administrator. David’s primary professional passion is mathematics education, seeing the work as an act of social justice. His work has elevated teacher collaboration, improved student performance, and eliminated racial predictability of growth scores. David currently serves as the Director of STEM 92

to focus on elevating the voices of women and historically marginalized groups within her classroom.

for Evanston/Skokie School District 65, overseeing math and science curriculum and education for about 7,700 students, grades PreK to 8.

Julia Woodard has been teaching middle school math for 16 years. She attended The Ohio State University to earn her Bachelors and Masters degree in Math Education (2005). She began her teaching career in Chicago Public Schools then worked at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School before joining the Evanston-Skokie School District in 2011. Julia achieved National Board Certified in middle school math instruction in 2010. Julia has served as a curriculum trainer for the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP). She believes in the mission of self-directed learning and works each day to help students push their learning forward.

Jennifer Webber Likhite currently teaches Algebra to middle school students in Evanston, IL where she has been with the district for the past 19 years. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Barat College, and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Northeastern University. Jennifer has led her school’s math department for over ten years, participated on the committee for Algebra for All, and dedicated time to engage in numerous summer projects that have had a direct impact on her students’ learning. She is also an active member in the community and utilizes her involvement More on Desmos.

Upcoming Events

FOSTERING COLLECTIVE TEACHER EFFICACY with JENNI DONOHOO December 2nd | 8:00am - 3:30pm Medinah Shrine Banquets, Addison Collective efficacy - The belief that through collective actions, educators can influence student outcomes and improve student learning - is changing the educational ecosystem! Join bestselling author and professional learning facilitator, Jenni Donohoo to learn why and how!

Intelligence is the Ability to Adapt to Change with Judy Kmak January 11th - February 15th, 2022 4:30pm - 6:30pm Online The friendly GPS voice doesn’t judge, but just says, “Recalculating.” This workshop series will help you review the route you’ve taken during the first months of your teaching career. When necessary, you will be guided to “recalculate” the skills you use to make your classroom the destination you hoped it would be for you and your students.

MORE INFORMATION

COACHING IN THE CLASSROOM: Helping Students Reflect, Refine, and Reframe with Robin Bruebach December 6th - December 7th | 4:00pm 6:00pm Live Online Coaching creates a positive classroom culture and supports student reflection. In this 4-hour professional development workshop, we will explore the fundamentals of coaching, how they connect with best practices and improve student performance, behavior and engagement.

Teaching for Deeper Learning with Harvey Silver and Jay McTighe January 12th - January 19th, 2022 9:00 am - 3:00pm Live Online In this two-day online institute, Jay McTighe and Harvey Silver, authors of ASCD’s bestselling member book Teaching for Deeper Learning, will guide you through the what, why, and how of deep learning: What it is, why it’s so critical to student success, and how to make it work in your classroom, school, or district.

MORE INFORMATION

t c O 1

#FULLYCHARGED: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Leaders Featuring Julie Adams January 20th, 2022 | 8:30am - 3:00pm Medinah Shrine Banquets, Addison Come join us as we deepen our understanding of the impact that current stressors have on the brain and become #FULLYCHARGED with immediately applicable strategies and resources to increase both SEL and instructional success in our schools.

MORE INFORMATION

13 20

14 21 95

15 22

IL ASCD Area Representatives In 2014 when IL ASCD reorganized our leadership team, the role of Area Representative was created. Our “Area Reps” as we call them are a link to and from the various regions of our state. IL ASCD follows the same areas established by the Regional Offices of Education. Our Area Reps are led by two members of our IL ASCD Board of Directors, Scott Estes and Andrew Lobdell. Scott and Andrew are the Co-Leaders of our Membership and Partnerships Focus Area.

Denise Makowski Cyrus H. McCormick Elementary School 773.535.7252 dmakowski@cps.edu

Andrew Lobdell

Principal of the Junior High School in the Lena - Winslow School District # 202 815.369.3116 lobdella@le-win.net

Current Area Reps AREA AREA AREA AREA AREA AREA

1: (Green)

2: 3: 4: 5: 6:

Chicago North Cook South Cook (Dark Blue) (Yellow) (Pink) (Light Blue) (Gold)

April Jordan Jennie Winters Josh Barron Chad Dougherty Heather Bowman Kelly Glennon Annette Hartlieb Clarence Gross

Contact information for them can be found HERE.

The roles of the IL ASCD Area Representatives are: • Encouraging IL ASCD membership to educators in their local areas; • Assisting with professional development; • Attend board meetings and the annual leadership retreat, when possible; • Disseminating information from IL ASCD board meetings or other sanctioned IL ASCD activities to local school districts or other regional members • Being a two-way communication vehicle between the local IL ASCD members regarding IL ASCD or any educational issues. • Keeping IL ASCD Board of Directors apprised of pertinent information regarding personnel issues (e.g., job vacancies, job promotions) and district program awards/recognition within the local area. • Communicating regularly with IL ASCD Executive Director and the Co-Leaders of the Membership and Partnerships Focus Area.

OUR MISSION “To build the capacity of educational leaders to enhance the quality of teaching and learning” EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President—Belinda Veillon (Nippersink 2 & Richmond Burton CHSD 157) President-Elect—Scott England (Fairfield PSD #112) Past-President—Akemi Sessler (Arlington Heights SD 25) Treasurer—Amy Warke (Maywood #89) Media Director—Debbie Poffinbarger (North Mac CUSD #34) Secretary—Amy MacCrindle (Huntley 158)

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY!

FOCUS AREA LEADERS

Get involved with our social media:

Membership and Partnerships Denise Makowski (CPS) Andrew Lobdell (Lena-Winslow SD 202) Communications and Publications E. Scott England (Fairfield PSD 112) Jeff Prickett (McHenry High School District 156) Advocacy and Influence Richard Lange (National Louis University) Brenda Mendoza (West Aurora SD 129) Program Development Bev Taylor (Oak Brook) Terry Mootz (Consultant) Sarah Cacciatore (Oak Grove #68) Dee Ann Schnautz (SIU Carbondale) Doug Wood (Ball-Chatham CUSD #5)