Americas Choice News
Design Coach -- Larry Buck  Larry.buck@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3048
Literacy Coach -- Brenda Bankston Brenda.bankston@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3098
Math Coach -- Lana Hughes Lana.hughes@lrsd.org Phone: 501-447-3032

Back Issues

UPDATED 12/03/07

This installment will continue to point out the background of our moving from Content Standards to Performance Standards.  The staff this week has been meeting during Prep/Team time to learn more about this movement.

We recognize that academic standards are public statements that represent what students should know and be able to do.  We also recognize that in America standards are not “standardized.”  There are some published sets of national and state standards—and some cities and local cities have created their own. 

Standards describe the goals of schooling, the destinations at which students should arrive.  Standards do not describe how to get the students to that destination.  That is the function of curriculum.  Standards are the WHAT of education, while Curriculum and Instruction is the HOW.  As a parent in Boston said, “Standards are the destination, curriculum is the road map, and teachers are the drivers on the road.”

There are two kinds of standards—content standards and performance standards.  Content standards indicate what students should be able to do.  For example a student should be able to write and speak for a variety of purposes n for diverse audiences, using conventional grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling.  The performance standard measures how well a student’s work meets the content standard.  A performance standard has levels and frequently examples of student work are provided for each level. 

Performance standards can be used as rubrics.  Rubrics describe what student work must consist of to get a certain score.  Rubrics or performance standards list one of the characteristics of the student work—for example, problem-solving in mathematics or persuasive writing in English/language arts.  All examples of problem-solving or persuasive writing, no matter what the topic, should contain these characteristics.

Design Coach -- Larry Buck  Larry.buck@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3048
Literacy Coach -- Brenda Bankston Brenda.bankston@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3098
Math Coach -- Lana Hughes Lana.hughes@lrsd.org Phone: 501-447-3032

Updated 11/09/07

Our last installment from Americas Choice concerned with the change in teachers referencing Performance Standards as opposed to Content Standards.  Performance Standards differ in the sense that they are specific about” how good is good enough?”  Using Performance Standards teachers will know what it is that they want students to know and be able to do, how well they want students to know and do those things, and teachers will know that the students know and can do those things well.  

You might ask, “How will that differ from what they are doing now?”  Well let’s take a look…

 The Content Standard for a Narrative writing piece is:  Create narrative writings. 
The Performance Standard for the same piece is:  Produces a narrative account that:
            Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a point of view and otherwise developing reader interest;
            Establishes a situation, plot, point of view, setting and conflict;
            Creates an organizing structure;
            Includes sensory details and concrete language to develop plot and character;
            Excludes extraneous details and inconsistencies;
            Develops complex characters;
            Uses a range of appropriate strategies, such as dialogue; tension or suspense; naming; and specific narrative action, e.g.,
           movement, gestures, expressions;
            Provides a sense of closure to the writing.

With the Content Standard, little direction is provided the teacher, the student, or the parent.  Using the Performance Standard one can appreciate how the finished product should look.  Additionally, the teacher now has a handle what to teach and what to look for in the finished product.  This knowledge will assist the teacher in structuring instruction to ensure that all know the components necessary for a proficient piece.  Lastly, the student now knows what should be included in the narrative and should check work to ensure that all components are included.

 At Mabelvale Magnet Middle School we continue to improve using scientific-based best practices.  Grow with us.

For more information on Americas Choice, how it relates to your child, and how it is 
being implemented at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School 
please contact one of the following academic coaches:

Design Coach -- Larry Buck  Larry.buck@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3048
Literacy Coach -- Brenda Bankston Brenda.bankston@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3098
Math Coach -- Lana Hughes Lana.hughes@lrsd.org Phone: 501-447-3032

Updated 10/25/07

The staff at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School is grappling with the concept of teaching performance standards in addition to the content standards we have come to rely on.  We believe that when we expect all students to learn at high levels, we define what we expect them to learn (standards), assess for understanding at that level, and use proven instructional methods that support performing at that level.  In short, what we are saying is through use of standards:
          Students know what they are expected to learn and to what level of competency.
          Teachers know what they are expected to teach and to what level of competency.
          All students can be evaluated on their achievement of the standard with consistency
          Students and teachers can assess the quality of the work produced and determine progress toward the standard.
          Students and teachers have a consistent way to determine what still needs to be learned in order to meet the standard.

The new part is this, where content standards define a body of knowledge (what students ought to know and be able to do) performance standards do that and also define the level of work that demonstrates achievement of the standards or “How good is good enough?”  Using performance standards teachers will know what it is that they want students to know and be able to do, how well they want the students to know and do those things, and teachers will know that the students know and can do those things well.      

For more information on Americas Choice, how it relates to your child, and how it is 
being implemented at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School 
please contact one of the following academic coaches:

Design Coach -- Larry Buck  Larry.buck@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3048
Literacy Coach -- Brenda Bankston Brenda.bankston@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3098
Math Coach -- Lana Hughes Lana.hughes@lrsd.org Phone: 501-447-3032

Updated 10/09/07

The staff at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School is employing many research-based strategies to further student learning this school year.  Of significant note is the use of Word Walls in English and Math classes.  Essentially, Word Walls are used to promote word study and vocabulary learning and are a natural growth of our Math and Readers and Writers Workshops.  Word work in middle school is about discovery, investigation, and understanding how language works to construct meaning.  Word Walls should be interactive and flexible.  They need to change as the students move from competency to competency in reading, writing, and problem solving.  Word investigation is very complex at the middle-school level, and teachers need to have an organizing framework for these investigations.

The challenge for our teachers has been to create a system that will make the Word Wall and word work authentic and meaningful.  A section of the classroom has been specifically designated for the Word Wall.  The teachers have set rituals and routines for how to use Word Walls-how words are placed in the room, how to add words to the Word Wall, and how to access the Word Wall.       

Students need to be able to use a range of strategies to recognize, decode, and understand the meaning of words.  They need to select words to convey precise meanings.  In addition, students need to have a range of strategies that will help them to spell these words correctly.  Word Walls in the classroom support these needs.  In fact, they are constructed in a way that allows students to:

• Inquire and investigate words they need support with in their reading and writing
• Check spelling of new words they come across in content-specific areas
• Investigate word patterns  

Teachers and students will find many ways to make vocabulary study interesting and useful.  This kind of word study can also lead students to value the precise word choice that makes writing extraordinary.        

For more information on Americas Choice, how it relates to your child, and how it is 
being implemented at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School 
please contact one of the following academic coaches:

Design Coach -- Larry Buck  Larry.buck@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3048
Literacy Coach -- Brenda Bankston Brenda.bankston@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3098
Math Coach -- Lana Hughes Lana.hughes@lrsd.org Phone: 501-447-3032

Updated 9/27/07

Among some of the many changes brought to Mabelvale Magnet Middle School this fall are two reading initiatives:  “25 Books Campaign” and “Book of the Month”.

      Every student in Mabelvale Magnet Middle School is expected to read at least one million words each year by reading throughout the day, after school and at home.  Why so many words?  Research supports the premise that to improve reading proficiency, a student must read independently, read with assistance, and hear books read aloud.  We learn to read by reading; we become fluent readers by reading; we read to learn.  Students in grades 6-8 read books that average 125 pages, and they can reach the million word target by reading 25 such books a year.  By reading a million words a year, students acquire a new vocabulary and increase their reading skill.  Reading builds the vocabularies students need to improve comprehension of increasingly complex materials that they encounter as they move through their educational careers.  Reading widely and deeply in school also is a way for students to acquire background knowledge that helps them construct meaning.  In addition, reading a variety of texts and authors builds their understanding of story structures, syntax, spelling, and punctuation.  Mabelvale Magnet’s 25 Books Campaign ensures that students develop the momentum they need to become regular readers.  Help us by promoting your child to read at every available moment.    

      Americas Choice schools help students become stronger, more enthusiastic readers with the Book of the Month program.  Every month during the school year, Ms. Blaylock selects a high-quality young adult book with a powerful message that teachers read to our entire student body during A1 period.  The Raider Community then participates in a month-long conversation about the book and its message.  Under this initiative, students are able to hear and watch fluent readers who demonstrate how to read clearly and with the inflection that brings subjects alive.  Book of the Month read-alouds also strengthen students’ vocabularies, reading comprehension, and listening skills.  Read-alouds are particularly helpful to struggling readers.  Less proficient readers’ listening capacity is frequently higher than their reading level.  Reading aloud to such students often allows them to comprehend more challenging material.

     School-wide discussions of Book of the Month send our students a powerful message about the importance of reading.  No less importantly, drawing our students, teachers, administrators, and parents into the Book of the Month activities establishes the books’ themes as values that we at Mabelvale Magnet hold in high regard.  This month’s book is Who Moved My Cheese,  by Spencer Johnson.  

For more information on Americas Choice, how it relates to your child, and how it is 
being implemented at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School 
please contact one of the following academic coaches:

Design Coach -- Larry Buck  Larry.buck@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3048
Literacy Coach -- Brenda Bankston Brenda.bankston@lrsd.org   Phone: 501-447-3098
Math Coach -- Lana Hughes Lana.hughes@lrsd.org Phone: 501-447-3032