Journal of the Effective Schools Project, Volume 18, 2011 Page: 19
79 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The enrichment program is based
off of student choice in which the
students are given the opportunity
to select which of the enrichment
classes they would like to attend
by ranking their choices. Each
enrichment area is an exciting ad-
venture for students and allows for
academic time in a fresh fun way
students can enjoy outside the rou-
tine class time with their regular
teachers while still reinforcing
grade level content.
Teacher Focused Improvement
Instructional leadership is one key
correlate of creating an effective
school. This goal is accomplished
by creating multiple opportunities
for teachers and administrators to
collaborate and discuss instruction-
al goals, progress, and to drive in-
struction. Frequent monitoring of
student progress and data driven
decision making is crucial as well
(Lezotte, 2005). Both instructional
leadership and monitoring student
progress can be combined and ad-
dressed in similar ways. Commit-
tees were established to address
and monitor each of the seven cor-
relates with teachers and various
administrators as members of each
committee. These committees also
experience and promote a feeling
of high expectations for all by lo-
cating and addressing weaknesses
and accomplishments of the cam-
pus.
Meetings are conducted each six
weeks for each grade level to re-
view common assessment scores
and classroom assessment data. In
order to collaborate effectively,
teachers should discuss what they
want students to learn, how stu-
dents will be assessed and what
intervention/remediation strategies
will occur should students not
meet expectations (Dufour, 2005).These discussions are accom-
plished during meetings where
teachers, reading and math special-
ists, instructional specialists, and
administrators work together to
identify strengths, weaknesses, and
deficits in learning and instruction.
Grade level teachers meet weekly
to discuss the district scope and
sequence and to plan collabora-
tively. It is through these meetings
that teachers are able to uncover
specific areas of strength and
weakness for each student and cre-
ate a plan to approach the needs of
those students. The goal in collab-
orative planning is also to ensure
teachers recognize their imperative
role in the learning process for
their students in order to overcome
as feeling of having no control or
influence on the ultimate result.
This feeling is what Sparks (2005)
calls "resignation" and leads to a
negative impact on student
achievement and overall morale.
Teachers often feel a sense of iso-
lation in conducting daily opera-
tions of their classrooms. Though
some of this can be overcome with
collaborative teaming, frequent
feedback, and experiencing other
teachers' classrooms by conduct-
ing walk-through's (Schmoker,
2005). Through walk-through's,
or campus named "wonder walks,"
teachers select other teachers'
classrooms to visit during each six
weeks and blog according to a pre-
determined focus. For example,
the first blog of the 2010 school
year was to discuss a specific
"wow" moment found in the class-
room that was specific to proce-
dures and classroom management
and the second blog focused on a
"wow" moment found regarding
small group instruction.
Lezotte (2005) lists "opportunityThe goal in collaborative
planning is also to ensure
teachers recognize their
imperative role in the
learning process for
their students in order
to overcome as feeling
of having no control or
influence on the
ultimate result.19
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Tarleton State University. Effective Schools Project. Journal of the Effective Schools Project, Volume 18, 2011, periodical, 2011; Stephenville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201694/m1/23/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.