An Assessment of Okemos using MTSS and UDL
Okemos Public Schools is an innovative district that is home to approximately four thousand students. Located in an affluent community near Michigan State University as well as boasting parent-groups associated with each school as well as Okemos Community Foundation. The parent-groups and the foundation work cooperatively with Okemos to promote initiatives, give feedback, and provide funding. Teachers are valued as stakeholders. From the Superintendent, down, the mantra is, “do what’s best for kids”. It infrastructure includes components focused on supporting its achievement.
Multi-Tier Support Systems(MTSS) is the vehicle that Okemos Public Schools utilizes to create and sustain an effective organization.
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It promotes district-wide cooperation. The model for delivery facilitates implementation of teaching, learning, and curriculum delivery directly tied to school practices. Ornstein, Pajak, & Ornstein (2015) assert that educational community must embrace this amalgamation to stimulate and sustain school-wide buy-in. (p. 8) Additionally, per Hattie (2012), we see that “schools must create the structures and cultures that foster effective educator collaboration” (p. 80). MTSS is a three-tiered framework that offers uniformity and responsiveness that supports academic and behavior achievement. Universal Design for Learning(UDL) is layered into it, disseminating reliance on best practices for all students. It combines three principles; representation, engagement, and expression. UDL compels instructors to be deliberate when design lessons. Lessons should be devised in a way that allow the understand the learner objective, connect to it, then demonstrate true skill acquisition and understanding. (CAST Tremaine foundation, 2012). It is infused into the way Okemos does, “what’s best for kids”. Curriculum development and implementation is an extension of that approach. Choosing curriculum that is focused on student success begins with its ability to align, federal, state, and local needs and marry it to an appropriate framework fueled by best practices. Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, & Boshee (2016), define curriculum as a set of plans made for guiding and learning in schools, usually represented in retrievable documents of several levels of generality, and the actualization of those ideas in the classroom, as experienced by the learners and as recorded by an observer; those experiences take place in a learning environment that also influences what is learned. (p.4) Okemos Public Schools acknowledges these curriculum dynamics.
Curriculum committees are a district staple. They are implemented as District-wide, building-specific, subject, and behavior for evaluation and revision of current curriculum and accompany resources. Feedback is solicited from Parent-groups, maintaining responsiveness to community priorities. Textbooks are adopted as tools to support concept application and generalization. However, they are not considered thee source of knowledge. Instructors are empowered to create and differentiate multi-faceted lessons. Cross-curricular collaboration aids this objective as well as promotes critical-thinking and creativity for students. Joint planning periods as well as on going and embedded profession development are also essential elements. Curriculum development and execution cannot be separated from professional training. They are interlocked facets of …show more content…
instruction. Professional training is inclusive of all instructional staff and administrators in Okemos. The “Okemos way” is to garner buy-in and excellence from all stakeholders. Per Glatthorn et al. (2016) “students do not learn in a vacuum…nor is high knowledge built on prior knowledge” (p. 221). Moreover, schools are only effective if the individuals within them are adequately equipped. Stakeholders need to participate in targeted, “sustained training on adopted…. practices tied to the needs of students” (Duke, 2010). Additionally, teachers must be provided opportunities to fine tune their craft through program and practice exploration, shared experiences, as well as reflection. (Duke, 2010) Okemos has provided embedded chances throughout the year to participate in best practice, designed professional development. PLCs have been formally added to the district calendar once per month. Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, & Boschee, (2015) describe PLCs as community-based learning models. They offer a “framework that includes service learning, experiential learning, school to work, youth apprenticeship, lifelong learning, and other types of learning experiences that are beneficial to the local community” (p.210). Teacher Learning Together, an additional growth and reflection training model is being piloted in each building. Instructional staff and Administrators are encouraged to seek out additional relevant training; often with monetary support. Meaningful professional development in Okemos must connect to instructional staff’s capacity to deliver representative, engaging and authentic instruction. Training relevance and practicallity is examined for correlation to student achievement, growth, teacher evaluations, and feedback. Like professional development and curriculum, assessment is and extension of doing “what’s best for kids”. Establishing a student profile from which instructional decisions will be derived is good teacher. Formative and summative assessments are tools to creating that baseline for understanding. When used properly, they inform teachers on the depth and breadth of student skills. (Glatthorn, 2016) Okemos utilizes formative and summative assessments. Beyond curriculum-based tests, quizzes and projects; academic screeners are used three times a year to determine students program as well as identify areas of needs. Specialists progress monitor higher needs students in combination with intensive interventions. Data days at the building and district level review assessments results at regularly scheduled intervals. This information drives, building, classroom, or student specific adjustments to improve or sustain achievement. Student achievement data is also used to steer PLC agendas to facilitate better constituent services. It is not insulated from concerns of fidelity or teacher frustration over proctoring another test. Moreover, shifting away from content assessment to critical thinking and applications examinations is not fine-tuned. But, both areas of concern are a part of the discourse. Resolving them is an objective. In general Okemos does an outstanding job with assessment and data usage. The information gathered at the building and classroom level are directly tied to classroom instruction.
When UDL is infused with fidelity, assessment can be instruments for enhancing motivation. Motivation is the product of Exception and Value. Analysis of student skills and interests, equips instructors with students’ zone of proximal development, as well as what they value. Increasing either or both factors corresponds to student engagement. It is not enough to provide information in hopes that learners will attain the objective. They must be engaged in authentic learning experiences. Okemos is responsive to this monumental task. The continuum of service that it provides makes a significant attempt to address the varying needs of the student body. In the middle school, there are co-taught classes, skills labs, standard classrooms, Montessori classrooms, Honors, as well as Special education, in addition to the arts and tactile opportunities. Each student has a school-provided one to one devices. All classrooms are equipped with Neos, Smartboards and microphone-equipped sound systems. Despite these amenities and a host of fantastic personnel, instructional practice that is truly twenty-first century minded and engaging is in progress. Students in Okemos receive an outstanding education, AND it is still
evolving. Evolution is not easy. But, it is possible. Okemos has an excellent MTSS framework, embedded UDL practices, community support and administrator vision. Thus, all stakeholders are invested partners, moving the district forward to support greater student achievement. The District-wide, building-level, departmental, and committees at large facilitate a unified vision and positive steps toward advancement. Okemos demonstrates model practices for aligning the emotional and rationale man with a plan for sustaining and responding to the needs of twenty-first century students.
Connecting people to the success of the district is one matter, but asking them to support it financially is another. The district is growing in size and is in need of new facilities and internal academic structures to support the growth. As the district continues to grow she is challenged with ensuring that the schools continue to interact with each other and do not return to the independent silos they were when she arrived. Ms. Hall realizes that she is the internal and external face of the district. She takes that very seriously and therefore, tires to view challenges as opportunities and successes as building blocks and
Connected to this theme is the development of a shared, lived experience, where students and teacher are involved in an ongoing negotiation of curriculum. In the first 13 chapters, Paley’s central focus is to develop a learning community within the safety of the classroom. In the second half of her book, Paley illustrates how the combination of these two themes in turn offers an opportunity for what we call an opening up of the definition of curriculum. This review is an analysis of these three themes within the organizational framework of Paley’s book. The theme of children and teachers as co-creators of curriculum is established in the first chapter when Paley says, “Each year I wait to be reawakened by a Reeny … something to ponder deeply and expand upon extravagantly” (p.10). Reeny responds to this call by asserting herself early on as a curriculum leader in Paley’s classroom. Because children themselves are curriculum makers and leaders, curriculum cannot be imposed upon the learner. Ultimately, this opening up of the discussion of what curriculum means is established by Reeny in the last lines of the book when she announces: “But I’m thinking, why don’t you stay and we’ll talk about it. Don’t fly away. See we can keep talking about it, okay?” (p. 99). It is in Reeny’s utterance that we understand—the curriculum conversation must necessarily begin with students’
Thomas Jefferson was a man who believed that all American citizens need to be educated so that they may exercise their rights. He saw public education as essential to a democracy. One proposal he made for public education would guarantee that all children could attend public schools for three years. However, much like other early school reforms, this proposal received much rejection and was never brought into being. Despite this rejection, Jefferson still believed that America needed public education. Eventually, he opened the University of Virginia. Even though his bills and proposals to benefit public education never saw the light of day, he still made many contributions to public education by providing the foundation on how a democracy should handle educating its
Stakeholder loyalty is a key element to a school organization. Having strong partnerships with stakeholders is a valuable resource. According to Pam Robbins and Harvey B. Alvy, “Studies confirm that when families are involved, more students earn higher grades in English and Math, improve their reading and writing skills, complete more course credit, set higher aspirations, have better attendance, come to class more prepared to learn, and have fewer behavior problems” (2009, p.178). If EMES or WCSD 6 loses stakeholder loyalty, it will have a big impact on student achievement. Another area that would be affected is legislation. WCSD 6 is in need of community support if they want bond issues to pass. According to John Smith, Florida public school districts started to reach out to stakeholders that do not have children in the school district. They were having difficulty passing important school legislation (1998). He goes on to state, “…responsibility that all stakeholders share for the quality of their local schools” (1998, p. 52). With more funding WCSD 6 could buy better programs that could have an impact on student performance. Mr. Ungeheuer (U), EMES principal stated, “I...
E.D. Hirsch and John Dewey present two defined approaches to curriculum and pedagogy. In this essay, I will critically compare these two educational approaches by examining the strengths and weaknesses of Dewey’s applied learning curriculum and Hirsh’s core knowledge curriculum. I will also evaluate Hirsh’s more traditional, teacher-centred pedagogy in relation to Dewey’s more hands on approach to education. It will be shown that Dewey’s ideas are more educationally and socially valuable because they aim to enable collaboration, communal inquiry and coordination of interests. I will begin by explaining and critically evaluating Hirsch’s ideas, before explaining and defending Dewey’s alternative ideas.
Making high schools a “center of excellence” for all students even if that means breaking down extremely large schools through the concept of “schools within schools”;
Achievement First is a charter management organization (CMO) that operates 17 schools from the elementary to the high school level in New York and Connecticut. Achievement First works to close the black-white student achievement gap by providing a high quality education to students in low-performing urban districts, having started initially with Amistad Academy in New Haven and moved into Hartford and Bridgeport, Connecticut, and New York City. Achievement First has been recognized for its impressive results – with two K-8 schools reaching the top four percent among New York City schools on the Department of Education’s Progress Reports in 2008 and with Achievement First’s flagship middle school scoring at the top of the region in reading and writing. They do this by setting high expectations and ambitious goals with a challenging curriculum, developing teachers and school leaders, focusing on data, increasing the length of the school day, and creating a strong school culture. Like other CMOs, a huge challenge for Achievement First is scalability – specifically, recruiting and developing effective leaders and teachers.
Moreover, instructional and learning experience subsystem would have a positive effect once the proposed plans take into effect. The instructional subsystem are the teachers along with the administrators that gather their input and lead the students. The learning experience subsystem are the learners that process the information that the other 2 subsystem give out (Reighluth, 1995). There are a total of 4 subsystems, however the governance is like the head leaders of everything. The administrative subsystem is the most important one that needs the change, this division is like an engine to a vehicle. The stakeholders are responsible for are 4 subsystems, and changes also applies to them as
Curriculum mapping within a professional learning community is a procedure for collecting and documenting what is taught in the classrooms. The focus on mapping is on units, content, skills, strategies, assessments, and resources that can be used to improve student learning and performance. According to Perkins interview with Jacobs, the key to curriculum mapping is that colleagues can share electronic data immediately so that everyone knows what is being taught in other classrooms today, last year, and in the future (2003). Technology makes mapping easier because educators can share and revise instantly. There are many ways that schools can make and use a curriculum map. Schools within a district can all participate in the creating and using of the curriculum map or one school in a district can write a map and then share it with other schools in the district depending on the size and needs of a district. Technology is helpful in both approaches and allows work to be done without the need for everyone to be in the same location at the same time. The process of curriculum mapping requires collaboration of knowledgeable teachers and administrators and is an ongoing process where all stakeholders reflect and revise constantly. The professional learning community (PLC) is an important part of the process because many can work together to create a better curriculum with a collective set of goals and reflective practice. According to Vdellhofen, reflective practice, collective focus of student learning, collaboration of clear and focused learning goals are all attributes to using PLC’s to map curriculum (2011). Schools are constantly trying to find ways to improve student learning and performance. Vdellhofen states that...
At Eastampton Community School, our assistant principal is also the director of curriculum. Working along the superintendent/principal, she is taking on his philosophy of seeking teachers input on new curriculum implementations. Each year, I meet with the curriculum director to discuss my goals for the upcoming year, how I am going to obtain them, discuss curriculum changes and ordering. This is also the time to review students’ data and any new programs or state mandates. By having the teachers put their import, they are more inclined to put forth more effort when implementing change since they have more ownership in the
Since then, Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction has been a standard reference for anyone working with curriculum development. Although not a strict how-to guide, the book shows how educators can critically approach curriculum planning, studying progress and retooling when needed. Its four sections focus on setting objectives, selecting learning experiences, organizing instruction, and evaluating progress. Readers will come away with a firm understanding of how to formulate educational objectives and how to analyze and adjust their plans so that students meet the objectives. Tyler also explains that curriculum planning is a continuous, cyclical process, an instrument of education that needs to be fine-tuned.
The need to evaluate curriculum arises because it is necessary for both teachers and students to determine the extent to which their current curricular program and its implementation have produced positive and curricularly suitable outcomes for students. To evaluate curricular effectiveness we must identify and describe the curriculum and its objectives first and then check its contents for accuracy, comprehensiveness, depth, timeliness, depth and quality.
One of my most influential experiences took place with my very first class, ED 523 taught by Dr. Howe. In this course, I learned about the Understanding by Design (UbD) Framework created by Wiggins and McTighe. This framework focuses on a backward design approach that uses big ideas, essential questions, and authentic assessments to create and guide curriculum (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005). The design encourages educators to “start with the end in mind.” Along with UbD, I also learned about a calendar-based curriculum mapping process created by Heidi Hayes Jacobs. The curriculum map allows for educators to examine curriculum both horizontally in a course and also vertically over the student’s K-12 academic career (Jacobs, 1997).
Going to school and getting a great education is important for a successful future in today’s world. Years ago, many children did not go to school and many young adults opted to work instead of attending college. In today’s society, gaining a high level of education is almost always mandatory for many jobs. There are many changes being done to the education system along with new items and ways of teaching in the classroom. There is a growing amount of changes in the classroom such as technology, teaching time, teaching styles, and freedom of space.
Often time’s curriculum is thought of as a set of rules and standards given to teachers to follow. However, more goes into a curriculum than just what meets perceived. Teachers are not just the vehicles from which a curriculum flows but in a sense, they embody it. There are four main different avenues in which curriculum is constructed. It’s constructed through government agencies, publishers, school systems, and teachers. It can be defined as “content, a set of specific educational plans, a changing series of planned learning experiences, or as everything that learners experience in school” (Van Brummelen, 20). A curriculum is strongly built behind a worldview. “A worldview is a comprehensive framework of basic convictions about life. Worldviews