Transcript Power Standards Introduction

Power Standards
Introduction
Millbury Public Schools
August 26, 2008
Why are we here? Have you
ever…
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been overwhelmed by the
demands of too many standards
and too few classroom hours?
said to yourself, “I just don’t
have the time to teach
everything I am expected to
teach?”
been frustrated with the focus
on breadth over depth?
Beginning with end in mind…
Picture this scenario..
“You pack your family into the car for a
family vacation… you stop at the gas
station and fill up the tank (it costs
$65.00 to fill the tank)… you get on
the Mass Pike to start your trip with
your children already beginning to
ask, “are we there yet?”… You look
at your spouse and the two of you
simultaneously ask, “Where are we
going anyways?” --- Does this make
sense?
“To begin with the end in mind
means to start with a clear
understanding of your destination.
It means to know where you’re
going so that you better
understand where you are now so
that the steps you take are always
in the right direction.”
(Covey, 1994)
Objectives for today…
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To introduce MPS staff to the
concepts of power standards,
benchmarks, and ‘unwrapping’ the
standards
To develop a common vocabulary
and understanding of terms related
to this process
To establish a timeline for developing
district-wide standards and
assessments
How does one go about
determining what is worth
understanding?
Worth being
familiar with
Important to know
and do
“Enduring”
Understanding
Wiggins and McTighe, 2000
Written
Curriculum
Deep Curriculum
Alignment
Taught
Tested
Curriculum
Curriculum
English and Steffy, 2001
POWER STANDARDS
Power standards are… “prioritized
standards that are derived from a
systematic and balanced
approach to distinguishing which
standards are absolutely essential
for student success from those
that are nice to know.”
Ainsworth, 2004
The dilemma of standards…
Marzano (2001) found that…
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Average 200 broad standards;
3093 benchmarks
Feasibility given # of
days/hours/minutes
Necessary to lengthen to grades 2122 prior to college
Increase time or decrease
standards
Source: (Marzano and Kendall;MACREL,
Awash in a Sea of Standards ,1999)
How do Marzano’s findings
compare to Massachusetts
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Mathematics…
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Five strands (Number Sense and
Operations; Patterns, Relations,
and Algebra; Geometry;
Measurement; and Data Analysis,
Statistics, and Probability )
Broad concepts identified at the
beginning according to NCTM
standards
 Learning standards (419 standards
prek-12)
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With all these standards…
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Staff becomes overwhelmed
Focus on breadth over depth
Teachers play the ‘blame’ game
In the end, students lose out as
teachers ‘glaze’ over all the
standards and rush to cover all
the standards
So what’s the answer?
LESS is more!!!!
 Leverage
 Endurance
 Success
in
 School
To begin this process, the
guiding question becomes…
What do your students need for
success – in school this year,
next year, and so on (leverage;
readiness for next levels of
learning), in life (endurance),
and on your state tests?
What is the process?
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Select area to address – (i.e. Math, ELA,
Science/Technology, etc)
Within subject area, select strand to
address
Selection of Power Standards – individual
=> as group
Review selection in alignment with state
testing
Select skills within the standards selected
(individual => as group)
Review selection in alignment with state
testing
Process Continued…
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Examine vertical flow within gradespans
Grade-span sharing
Sequencing of standards
Development of periodic
assessments to identify student
strengths/weaknesses in meeting the
Power Standards
Develop action plan for introducing/
presenting standards to school,
community, etc.
So what might a product look
like?
Let’s take a trip to MSP
Township in Indianapolis,
Indiana… home to a
variety of cultural
events… and of course to
the…
Indy 500!!!!
The timeline…
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August – Staff Professional
development
September/October –
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additional meetings with individual
grade-levels to discuss process /
introduce forms
Grades/department begin process to
identify standards (ELA/math - prek-6;
all subject areas (by department)– 7-12)
November –
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PD day:
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Vertical alignment… cross grade-level
meetings to review identified standards
The Timeline…
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December/January
Refinement of standards in
grade/dept meetings
 Sequencing/mapping of standards
 Develop benchmark assessments
 PD Day – refining/reviewing
benchmark assessments
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The Timeline…
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February/March:
Grades/department begin process
to identify standards (Science/tech
and History - prek-6)
 PD day:
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Vertical alignment… cross gradelevel meetings to review identified
standards
The timeline…
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April-June
Refinement of standards in
grade/dept meetings
 Sequencing/mapping of standards
 Develop benchmark assessments
 Development of brochures/
informational packets for parents
to communicate standards by
grade-level
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As we go through this process, always
remember…
• We are all in this together…
• This process will benefit both
you as the teacher and, more
importantly, your ability to ensure
that our students are able to
surpass the curricular demands
of the Massachusetts
Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education.
Most importantly…
“It is a process, not an event; a
marathon, not a sprint.”
(Larry Ainsworth, 2004)