[eMINTS] rephrasing question

[Julie Fessenden]

Perhaps my words "deal with" are not the ones I should use, but right
now I can't think of the ones I want to use. And to piggy back on Josh's
comment--how do you work with the parents and students who are of this
opinion and stay true to your philosophy.

Julie (who is home with a sick child and probably thinking too much!) 

Julie Fessenden
5th Grade
Oakwood Elementary
>>> "Josh Bennett" <JBennett at sparta.k12.mo.us> 01/30/08 10:12 AM >>>
It's interesting that you bring this up. I have noticed, as well, that
my students want to be spoon-fed the information so they can
"regurgitate" it later onto a test. I have met a lot of resistance from
some of my kids when we do projects or open-ended writing. I've noticed
that some parents are in this mind set as well... "Just tell me what my
kid needs to know...".

I'd be interested in hearing other people's takes on this. I am in my
first year and have many of the same questions. :)

Josh

Josh Bennett
4th Grade Teacher
Sparta Elementary School
jbennett at sparta.k12.mo.us

>>> jfessenden at hannibal.k12.mo.us 1/30/2008 10:10 AM >>>
We too are in our third year of PLC and have just been looking at
90-90-90 schools.  I'm not saying there is a philosophical conflict
between the two.

In some of the research it states that parents of low-income children
want their children taught through direct instruction.  I have noticed
this in my teaching.  I have taught in areas of high poverty and others
of affluence.  In the schools with higher numbers of low-income
families, parents expect and favor direct instruction.  In communities
with more affluent children parents favor the inquiry learning.  This is
what the research says and what my experience has found.

My question is--how do you deal with the parents who want direct
instruction and are accustomed to direct instruction?
Julie

Julie Fessenden
5th Grade
Oakwood Elementary
>>> "Liscombe, Eleanna L." <eleanna.liscombe at fhsdschools.org> 01/30/08
9:31 AM >>>
I believe 90-90-90 schools are schools that have 90% minority, 90% Free
and reduced lunch, yet are in the top 90% in achievement.  Here's a link
to read more...
http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/online/leadershipacademy/high%20performance%2090%2090%2090%20and%20beyond.pdf

I've often heard 90-90-90 schools cited in PLC (professional learning
community) conferences.  PLC models refer to the use of a philosophy
(Rick and Rebecca DuFour and Robert Eaker) , which does not have much at
all to do with the type of instruction...rather how we view teaching vs.
learning, teacher collaboration, and students who struggle in schools. 
Here's a link to a file on PLCs you can copy and paste into your
browser.
www.ritap.org/ritap/content/plc_presentation-nov_2005-john_golden.ppt -
Apparently many of the 90-90-90 schools use the PLC model.  
My school is in our 3rd year of PLC training and this is my 3rd year as
an eMINTs teacher.  I've not had problems with the philosophies clashing
with each other.   Hope it helps!

-----Original Message-----
From: emints-bounces at lists.emints.org 
[mailto:emints-bounces at lists.emints.org] On Behalf Of Julie Fessenden
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 7:19 AM
To: emints at lists.emints.org; prlowe at myway.com 
Subject: Re: [eMINTS] MAP Prep Book Discussion

Pam,
Thank you so much for posting this!  The testing pressure is
unbelievable and your voice of reason is just what I needed to hear! 
I've always believed your philosphy.  Right now it seems inquiry is not
popular, but direct instruction is.

Have any of you read about 90-90-90 schools?  Some of the research I've
been given shows that low-income parents want direct instruction for
their students.  I've found this to be true.  How do you overcome this
thought pattern?
Julie

Julie Fessenden
5th Grade
Oakwood Elementary
>>> "Pam Lowe" <prlowe at myway.com> 01/29/08 11:25 PM >>>
 
The following are my thoughts about preparing for the MAP, adding to the
discussion of MAP Prep Books. If you donÆt agree with me, thatÆs fine. 
WeÆre all indivand weÆre all busy people.  So, treat the following like a buffet, take
the thoughts you like or agree with and discard the rest or delete the
whole message.  J   
 
First, let me say that I dislike the fact that publishers are scrambling
to make big bucks by capitalizing on teachersÆ and schoolsÆ fear of not
doing well on the test.  They know that schools are between a rock and a
hard place trying to meet the standards of NCLB.  Every state has a
booklet geared toward their state expectations.  I would hate to see
teachers make these books their main focus for MAP preparation.  IÆm
guilty of having done that in pastà running off numerous copies of
problems for practice.  I recently thumbed through a popular MAP Prep
Book the other day and noticed that most of the DOK levels were geared
at 1 and 2.  IÆm not saying that we donÆt need to mock test, or that it
would be inappropriate to use an occasional problem from one of these
books as an example, IÆm just saying that if I teach the content and
also teach my students hlearning opportunities in order to flex their
thinking abilities that
they 
 
should be able to tackle any problem armed with strategies and
confidence.  I truly believe and have experienced that if teachers do
both these things throughout the school year, it eliminates last minute
cramming of material and skills before the test that stresses everyone
involved.  
 
Sure, there are going to be good testing years and years that are not so
good, simply because there are some factors that are out of our control.
 The key thing is to look at where your students started from the year
before.  If you can raise them an achievement level, youÆve done well. 
I always make a bar graph at the beginning of the year of my studentsÆ
scores from the previous year by achievement levels.  I make a poster
and label it, ôIf We Had Been a Class Last Year.ö  It shows the whole
class where we are beginning.  We circle the Proficient and Advanced
categories and write, ôOur Goal.ö  I talk to each individual child
privately and discuss their scores so they know what their individual
goal is for the current year.  It encourages a team atmosphere and each
child knows his/her goal.  We keep the poster up all year as
encouragement and refer to it often. 
 
Occasionally I have a teacher say to me, ôI donÆt think itÆs fair that
we donÆt know whatÆs on the test so that we can prepare for it.ö  That
would defeat the whole purpose.  WeÆre supposed to be about trying to
encourage autonomous thinkers.  Knowing whatÆs on the test so that we
can prepare is, first, teaching to the test and second, taking a step
back to the days of the old study guide, where you know whatÆs going to
be on the test and you memorize (DOK Level 1).  Once it clicked with me
that part of the test is about content and the other part is about how
well students can think, it changed everything.  My focus changed and it
alleviated the stress for me and for my students.  
I tell my students on the first day of school that one of my primary
goals is to guide them in such a way that they could be presented any
problem or assignment and be able to problem-solve and reason out an
answer(s) on their own, as well as, justify or explain their answer,
implement a plan or perform an investigation.  ThatÆs my job, to teach
them to think so that they can learn for a lifetime.   
 Pam LoweSTARR TeacherSoutheast Missouri State University1 University
Plaza, Mailstop 5500Cape Girardeau, MO
63701-4799800-401-6680573-651-5956http://www4.semo.edu/rpdc/STARR/STARR.htmhttp://schoolweb.missouri.edu/poplarbluff.k12.mo.us/lowe/

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