Malden Public Schools
Performance Evaluation Objectives
Professional Goal
Team Goal
Focus Area 1:
Curriculum
Concern: Starting in September 2013, all Content teachers must align their instructional practices and course curriculum with the new Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in Social Studies and Science in preparation for PARCC exams and District Determined Measures.
Goal: By June 2014, all teachers will have high quality professional development and support to design effective and rigorous standards-based units of instruction for college readiness consisting of well-structured lessons with measurable outcomes.
Action Steps:
There are two distinct Cohorts and within the Cohorts teachers are in very different places depending on their voluntary participation in grants, access to district PD, background knowledge of curriculum planning, and teaching experience.
Proposed Professional Development Activities with Tentative Timeline:
Fall/Winter (September 2013 – January 2014)
· Introduction to Understanding by Design Concepts and Key Stages and the relationship between State standards as outlined below:
o Use the Understanding by Design Framework to design district curriculum units in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art, Music, Instructional Technology, and World Languages
o Create pacing/topic guides in non-tested areas
o Identify priority standards for each content area that help shape big ideas and essential questions
o Plan curriculum embedded performance assessments that accurately access students’ strengths and challenges in meeting priority standards
o Personalize instruction to meet the diverse linguistic and academic needs of the student population.
· Cohort I teachers will complete and review Stage One planning for content area curriculum unit
o Peer review and revision of Stage I
o Review district data to determine student needs and inform planning
o Inclusion of academic and content vocabulary (tier 2 & tier 3 words)
o History teachers involved in Model Curriculum Project will conduct a peer review of completed units according to criteria outlined in UbD Professional Development Workbook, revise, and post to 5DP
· Cohort II teachers will have draft of Stage One completed and will conduct a peer review
Winter/Spring (January – June 2014)
· Cohort I teachers will participate in professional development to plan curriculum embedded performance assessments that accurately assess students’ strengths and challenges in meeting priority standards. Teachers will draft Stage II that include:
o Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessments utilizing GRASPS
o Appropriate criterion-based rubric used to evaluate student products and performances
o A variety of appropriate assessments to provide additional evidence of learning
· Cohort I teachers will personalize instruction to meet the diverse linguistic and academic needs of the student population. Teachers will draft Stage III that include . . .
o A learning plan that is effective and engaging
o Follows the WHERETO guidelines
o Tailored and flexible learning plan that address interests and learning styles of all students that includes evidence-based thinking strategies in both oral and written responses
· Build capacity for teachers to analyze and evaluate units for vertical and horizontal articulation of standards across the district by providing the elements of constructive feedback to peers regarding unit design and alignment. Teachers in Cohort 1 will . . .
o Follow clear protocols for sharing student work
o Pose questions for themselves and peers to clarify their work
o Work to reach consensus on key feedback, which leads to revision and improved student performance
· Cohort II teachers will have draft of Stages One and Two completed and will conduct a peer review according to UbD criteria. See Above.
o Peer review and planning for implementation for next school year
Content area Directors will collaborate to deepen knowledge of rigorous standards-based unit design and implementation. Content Directors will . . .
· schedule at least two observations of classrooms to review and provide feedback on UbD implementation and alignment with Common Core Standards. More observations where additional support may be needed.
· schedule quarterly meetings to identify model UbD units that represent exemplars of Stage 1 planning.
· participate in cross-curricular team observations (two observations by June 2014).
Content Directors, Curriculum/Teacher Leaders, and Teachers will work collaboratively to . . .
· Build consensus around district priorities for future units of study to form a district curriculum map for their content.
· Share drafts of units with other district in the 5DP that include Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere, and Everett.
Benchmarks:
· By mid-year content area meeting, all teachers will share models of their use of standards-based essential questions and outcomes for their individual courses (Stage 1) for peer review.
· Teachers will complete self-assessment of understanding of Stage 1 UbD to support learning goals for instructional practice (January 31, 2014 Professional Development meeting).
· By end of year content area meeting, Cohort I teachers will provide samples of students’ work that have emerged from standards based UBD units/lessons design. Samples may be posted on grade level Wikispaces..
· Directors will identify cross content examples of Stage 1 and Stage 2 exemplars for teachers in Cohort I, and Stage I exemplars for teachers in Cohort II.
· Directors will gather evidence of effective use of essential questions in guiding assessment and planning