001Hi everyone. We just started our meeting. You're now on video. Everything you say is being recorded, so stop talking trash. Um, we are going to call this meeting to order. Is anyone signed up to speak? Emily? No, sir. >> Thank you. Um, I would love to approve the minutes from our March 24th work session. You have a chance to read? >> I did. And I would also like to >> Great. Last vote. >> Approved. Okay. >> Noted. Emily, I know you're not a formal member at this committee, but they approve as well. >> I'm really excited about them. >> Great. So, we are going to hop into it. We have three big items tonight. One is to talk about science break, the review of data and planning for instructional rounds and listening circle, sort of
002like what we did with middle level ELA. Then we're going to talk about instructional minutes based on our conversation last time where we sort of were talking about to what degree science can be taught or to what degree could like digital skills like typing be included based on the minutes in our school day and how instructional minutes are currently distributed. Um and then we have some special guests with principal perspective on the new EL curriculum. That was something else that was raised around how it's going. We've heard some feedback from teachers and would also love to hear from administrators and it sounds like we might even have a couple of exciting guests. >> Oh wow. >> So we don't know. >> It's a surprise. So what we I'd like to do is to start off
003with around 20 minutes for science curricula. You should operate under the assumption that we've reviewed the information that you sent, but maybe just like a quick as a reminder, we did this, this, and this. And >> I have all did all that. >> Good. >> Me, too. >> All right. >> Does that sound good? So, is Mary Lynn or do you want to come up and join us? >> Yes. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Let's go. I'm not wasting minutes. >> I'm just going to pull up my camera there too to make sure for dates. All right. So, we're going to talk about science curriculum. The first thing we're going to talk about is learning walks. So this is something we could do over email if you want to just email me directly times that work for
004you and you're sketch given you are volunteers and you have lots that you're balancing um specific dates or days that would be better than others then I'll work with consults massac to find a good time one day that we held um is let's see here >> I think given that I >> May 7th. So that's just a placeholder because >> in the past sometimes we've picked dates and life happens and it it doesn't end up being a great date for everybody. So um if you just give me some proposed dates, we can do that. Then the other opportunity, um, >> yeah, I if you could send us an email and ask about it and that way we can all chime in. And I think that probably if you could say, "Hey, here's three potential dates.
005Which one works the best?" I think that will lead to less back and forth. >> Perfect. I'll do that. And then one example >> of science inquiry in action and going through a cycle is a the celebration of learning at Carolina Elementary School and that's going to be in June. So I'm going to send you an invite for that just to hold it so you know what happens. It's communitywide. Caregivers are invited has um hundreds of people attending. board. Yeah. Yeah. So that's I just want to give you context when it hits. All right. And then and then also for science. So learning conferences and circles. So one practice we've used to get input on really great reading and magnetic reading >> and um that we got really great data was listening conferences. So, I'll
006start that in May and that's when I sit in the building and people schedule individual appointments with me or they just stop by. It's an office hour format and I collect them with their experiences teaching science right now. What are some needs? What do they appreciate? What do they want more of, less of? Um, and that, you know, we do with certain content areas based on that fiveyear cycle. that's that's coming up and I can share out that information in June. But I think that that I'm I'm really excited for those really learn a lot. >> Um >> and then for the listening circle during PLC, there was some conversation on the board. It's um one I've had a couple of teachers approach me that they really appreciate the opportunity but this time of year
007is also really full the end of the year. Um, so I can throw out sometimes typically we've done it on a PLC day and uh, right, you know, right now there's just a lot going on in the spring is your own parents um, with activities. So um, I would suggest that fall date might be more more fruitful. But if you want me to throw out a couple dates in the spring, I can do that, too. >> I love Thanks for sharing that. I'd love to Catherine, does that resonate with what you're Sorry. >> Yeah. Yeah. That we're doing drop in seeking feedback in buildings as opposed to pulling people out. >> Yeah. >> Should be something. I meant yeah I should have meant is it >> there's never a great time the timing will always
008be perfect for some people and really hard for other >> I'd love them to propose that we like work for it worst case scenario is no one comes >> um and then we can all hang out which will be fine and also and I and I also think like in the last listen listening circle I think probably six of us all like took notes on what people were saying you know confidentially right but like in Google Docs and so I feel like that could be another opportunity, right, just to share what people wanted to add to a Google doc. >> Great. I I'm curious though, we've talked like at so often about the listening circles and how impactful they are for us. Um, but as I hear you say that and I'm wondering um can
009like do teachers feel comfortable always is there any sense of like they should be showing up like members from the board are going to be there or even that you're going to be there? Like it are we putting like teachers on the spot to some extent? um ones that feel a sense of like like they know they don't it's not a requirement but that's different from feeling >> oh interesting curious >> I don't feel like I can answer that with >> um integrity but captain maybe I feel like people will be more directed to you so in the ones that you've been involved in is some of them have been ITA organized Some of them have been district organized. So I can only speak to the ITA ones in that I haven't heard that as
010expressed as a concern. >> Okay. >> Um that people have seemed to show their comfort with their feet by showing up. We've had robust rooms full of people of all different levels of um teaching experience in the district. So I think the people who are uncomfortable who would be uncomfortable in that setting probably just aren't showing up rather than saying we should have a different form. >> Yeah. I just want to make sure that they feel comfortable just not showing up heard it and they no one >> Yeah. I think everyone feels like I don't want them to feel, you know, when something like sense that >> the only time that I've heard concern is like our PLC is doing this really really important thing on that day and I want to be in two
011pieces at once and we've been like well you already know the questions so write your answers to the questions and we'll make sure that they get okay. >> Yeah. Yes. No, it's good. It's a good question. I mean one of the things that when we worked John Anton we really held close for the use of professional learning communities was that what happens at that time changes what happens on the student's desk the next day. Yeah. >> And so I I do think teachers will give us that feedback and if we leverage that time to really impact what happens for kids the next day that's pretty listening for. Okay. I was gonna say let's stop data. >> Let's stop data. >> All right. So the this is just for people who are watching this is up
012and this is links to both some resources and then data aggregated data disagregated data for your review. Um and I think what you know what we would like to start is what questions do you have? you know, what do you see in the data as you review it? You want to add anything on how these >> and just if you have any questions or clarifications about what the what the data is showing or how it's presented. >> Thank you so much for sending it. to be able to throw it at you. >> Um, well, I said I printed all out, but actually I I have a couple of questions. I think I might know the answers to them, but it might be just worth saying them out loud. Um, just for other people that aren't
013looking at these things. So, I just noticed just two observations that, uh, science five, um, I just noticed that a lot of public schools seem to go up with like schools going up about 10 points. Um, and we were already outperforming, but we didn't go up 10 points. I was just kind of wondering like is that because of some sort of a change or like why did the nation seem to have a big uptick and we kind of stayed the same? Um, and then my second question was about the regents living environmental scores. I was just curious about why those seem to go down so much for ICST and that I'm guessing I won't answer the question. I think I know the answer, but I'm just >> No, that's really great. So, um, it's a
014great qu those are both great questions. So, let's start with the living environment. So, the regions change. >> So, that's why on if you're looking at that slide on get that first link open. >> Yeah. and then check. >> I don't think it was that. >> Ah, this is the one. >> So, we're going to see the third row. It just has one dot because it was one data point. It was the first year of the region. And so essentially in when that region's changed in June 2025, the row above the second row denotes that is just students who did not pass it the first time and had to retake it. So it's a selected group of students >> being compared against students who weren't necessarily retaking it. in our district, they were retaking it.
015So, they did not pass the year before and then they had the opportunity to retake that exam. The exam changed, but because they took the original course with the original standards prior to the changing of the next generation test, >> they they didn't they took the whole test. So, it's a it's a small group of students retaking these. >> That's the second box down the top. >> Correct. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It goes it's like a uh 23 students took that second row of that living environment in 2025 versus over a 100 previous years. >> Okay. >> So it's kind of an anomaly in the data. Not not that >> relevant. Okay. >> Science five. >> Yeah. And just to clarify on the on the science five um which is the first slide that is
016I should have put that in the title. It's all New York state public schools. So that comparison is a New York as a New York comparison, not a national comparison. We're looking at that. >> Um, and I would say, you know, we we don't right now we don't have an explanation for, you know, why for that that lack of change in our own data other than like perhaps we were better prepared than some than than other districts when that change happened. Um we had done some considerable prep work in terms of like uh getting out to teachers what the new test format looked like. We had some support from Boseies that year and Sten Anderson to help prepare for the lab. So kind of like perhaps we were better prepared prepared than our peers and
017they caught up to us. I mean that's one potential explanation but >> okay that makes sense. And then and then okay so those those were two just anomalous favorite points but I think what if we were going to summarize the data points like it looks like we have good just not to just pick on these two little tiny things that we had some very good um science scores especially like across AP tests where it looked like we were outperforming um you know the the normative group that we were comparing our school to across a lot of different a lot of different tests and also across other other grades and science scores seem to be like exceeding being New York state's average seemed to be the the rule and the things that I was just calling
018out were just kind of exceptions. So I didn't want to make it seem like that represented everything. Those are just my questions. >> Yeah. >> And am I correctly adding on what Adam said, right? like when you look at all students if high performance if I'm correct we're also seeing a pretty big like discrepancy with economically disadvantaged versus not >> right like in the fifth grade >> like 25% proficient for economically disadvantaged versus almost 80% or is that >> that 25% is for all public schools we're at 32% >> okay >> so So the very top row is So again, we can do better. We're at 32%. Just because we're outperforming the state average by 7%, we're still going to strive and to do better. But that is a cohort that um is one specific
019cohort where we're not outperforming by, you know, the 22 percentage points that you see for all students. and >> when all of them are averaged together. >> And I I think to to your point, Jacob, that you know that the discrepancy we see in the difference in performance we see between our economically disadvantaged students and not economically disadvantaged is consistent with what we're seeing in other subject areas. So in ELA and math, right? So our commitment to equity is something we are still striving for, right? we are not yet having equitable outcomes for all groups of students. Um I'd say overall we have strong performance but that variability between groups exists um and is persistent. >> And do you have okay because it looks like I'm just trying to do my calculations. So it's around
020a 46% discrepancy. Does that sound right? >> Between our economically disadvantaged and our economically not disadvantaged students. Correct. That's about right. >> Um here it >> just I mean this is not an excuse. It's just a reality that discrepancy exists uh at the state level, at the national level, and across pretty much all subject areas. >> Yeah. >> And slightly less here, but not not compellingly great. >> Correct. Perhaps. Yes. >> And then I was also curious about the rising enrollment in AP classes. It look like that or or of taking AP exams. I just would love to know, you know, personally, I'm a big fan of just like opening access to more AP classes and for more students. And so I was really delighted to see that and love to know a little bit
021more about them. >> Yeah, >> if I'm correctly analyzing their specific, so I'll say these out loud. specifically AP physics and AP biology have an increase study trajectory. Um, and so you'll see some movement when you hear about, for example, class sizes in those and and IHS scheduling having to be nimble as students request courses um and making accommodations for students feed essentially for what they want and they want it. I mean, it's a great problem. They're absolutely right. We have more students requesting AP science courses right now. Um, when you look at the AP physics, that's interesting as well. We were discussing the difference between AP physics and the regent's physics course and more students requesting to AP physics. So, it's taking the regent physics, right? You'll notice like our uh the number of
022students taking the physics exam for regions has really declined to almost no students. um the instructions really in physics really shifted more to um striving for that higher level testing >> because students acquired >> right because students that are taking the physics regions have already fulfilled that graduation requirement with the living environment. All ninth grade students take living environment out of the high school um and take that region. So that that fulfills um the graduation requirement in terms of assessment for science, >> right? >> Living environment is >> biology. Okay. >> Sorry. Titles change. >> Yeah. Exactly. And that's and you Yes. >> Exactly. Yeah. >> And I I would just love to hear sort of like so then when I know we all have our like own questions and thoughts on data. what what
023are your takeaways on data in terms of like what are strengths what are areas of growth and what implications are there then for like work in science break in your perspective. >> So when we looked at this some of this data at the beginning of the year in anticipation for science coming up as as priority and areas of growth. So I am very curious about what are some levers we can in as far as high impact instructional strategies to better support economically disadvantaged students. I'm also also with students with disabilities. That's another cohort that you'll see our our line is at a negative slope and we want to move that to a positive slope. So those were two areas I would drill down on and thinking about how coherent and consistent is the instructional experience
024across classrooms um where there can be concentration of different groups of students, right? uh is there a different instructional approach not necessarily car we do have consistent curricular materials but how uh concepts are being presented and the learning tasks within that curriculum are being presented to students how consistent is that across classrooms right is the level of cognitive demand equal are we are we um engaging students in deep thinking on a conceptual level across our classrooms. Um, or is there a difference to that? >> Yeah, I just want you around five minutes. Just to follow up on what you said, when so I know at the elementary level, there is I'm curious at the middle school level, what is the science curriculum? Is it shared across the middle schools? And then with science at the
025high school, is there consistent curriculum? Like if I am my kid is in bio and another kid is in bio in a different classroom are they having shared materials and is that also true for chemistry physics etc. >> So let's I'm sorry let's start with middle school and then high school I asked too many questions at once. >> So can I start with this? So Lynn mentioned that in 2017 we had an instructional coach for science to support the roll out of the next generation science standard. So um I've used and shown resources before from Jen Wilkin who's in that role network and then Lynn also mentions Henderson who really supported the secondary next generation roll out and then shifts in standards. So that's some of the other documents that are linked for your your
026review. So right now what middle schools are doing by department is they're looking at what are the our standards that we're going to focus on. How are we going to pace out so all students get experiences that are teaching to those standards? And it's similar to what there's not the standards are the curriculum. It's not a purchased curriculum. To answer your question, that is not what they're using. Similar to literacy is not middle school is not a purchased curriculum. And then at the at the high school level, the regents um so the biology teachers teaching biology would be in the same professional learning community. They're going to be looking at ordering supplies for science experiments and collaborating with their department and they're on how they're using the resources to support the the standards that we
027want students to have access to. So that Yeah. So there isn't there isn't a biology regent or biology or a living environment curriculum we buy at this time. And is it a shared but is it shared materials between teachers like you describe shared planning like teachers? >> Yeah. >> Like are the grading grading expectations, tests, lesson materials or those >> things? So for examp Yeah. For example, um if it or I wanted to talk about middle school science for a minute because they're norming right now around common assessments and grading. And so what on a scale is standards assessment, what does a one look like of two, a 15 or four? And that's getting back to the use of professional learning communities, looking at student work and assessment and having conversations about instruction, which is
028actually what some of you saw when we went to do it that day, pushing it to literacy. Although there's not a shared um a a curriculum that we're buying, there's shared experiences for students and teachers looking at that work they're doing and looking at, okay, how did you where do we see success? What do we how do we want to shift our craft of teaching? Emily, I feel like you were >> No, I just I think um I think the fact that there isn't a shared curriculum is means that um there is opportunity for sharing of lesson planning and of strategies and and everything else. But that that is an intentional approach, right? to not have a shared curriculum and therefore teachers do have the opportunity to teach very differently as long as they're all
029like aligning their teaching with the standards. So, so I guess I was just saying not like I know uh you know I know that like in in high school there are certainly like a bio course in ninth grade for example could as long as you're there are like a multitude of ways that you can you can teach those standards and I know that like some teachers choose to like basically like follow the textbook that they're using and choose to like go on each one of those like areas with which they're teaching. Others will do different things. So I do think that it's like it's an intentional choice here, right, to not do that and to give teachers the kind of freedom to creatively teach the way that they choose as long as they are means
030as long as it's aligned to New York standards, culturally responsive, >> right? and >> which of no means to go to the next thing. I know that personally I'm just uh like thinking about the research around coherence and probleming is difficult. I I will name I'm I'm struggling with the idea that I think there's opportunities like Emily presented and those opportunities at the best lead to like strong experiences for students and at the worst lead to inequities like the ones that we see in the science state. So I I I personally see attraction when we don't have a set a set like a set curriculum or like like an instructional strategies for what students are getting from one to another that that is neither here nor there. That's just >> well it's really important because
031I want I want to mean that we do have a curriculum for elementary that we're re-evaluating and we do have instructional strategies. So I would add to your comment that the e the inequities that we see in our data that are mirrored by state and national data are definitely something to address. I don't think having an adopted curriculum at the secondary level in and of itself addresses that. And I would I think what I would want to get curious about in these data this data is across New York State when you look at all of the schools, are they using a curriculum for the biology regions? We're outpacing them right now. So are they having teachers create that aligned to the standards or are they using something can because we could um use that and
032the quality and the implementation of it depends on so many factors. Professional development, the use of peer observation, the use of timely feedback and those are all factors whenever we adopt any curriculum. So, I just want to be really thoughtful with when we are using curriculum, it's in collaboration with teachers, we're getting their input and we're building out a system that is engineered for success for the most vulnerable students that, you know, we're not we're not yet. Um, >> and I think it's important to call out at the secondary level just the level of expertise. The first two, there are four certification areas for science teachers at the high school level, middle school and high school level versus generalists at the elementary level, right? So when we're talking about our teachers of chemistry, those are
033highly trained teachers of that subject area, right? That bring wealths of expertise that can lead to better instructional and curricular decisions. Um, >> yeah, my wondering is not it's it's not to second guess them expertise. It's been a a question of a function of time um of time and resources and how are we best like getting a consistent experience for students and what is the best way to get there but >> again >> absolutely >> going back to science like going back to um instructional minutes I'd love for us to go into that >> I have a question I'm sorry I know I came late but I was looking this over earlier So I would like to ask the question and also say when I was looking at these stats and like I said I
034missed the first 15 minutes. I was just like floored about how great we're doing. Um especially when like I you know literally just this weekend someone from Lancing was asking me what well IA your test scores and I'm just sitting there thinking where do you get that? And then here we are and like this is, you know, yeah, okay, some of them have a downward trend, but >> this is something to be proud of and I just want to point that out. Um, >> and it just made me very happy. It's this is just one year and and so yeah, there's ups and downs, but like on a state level, like we're doing really well. Um, and then I guess my qu my question is, yeah, I I'm a little confused by Jacob's question because
035is there any evidence that this is tied to different differentiation in curriculum? Like any sort of drops or or issues? Like I I'm just confused as to where that question is because there it just seems like perhaps some of this is working. Like I what's the correlation here to to there that being a question when we're talking about this with with you know teacher autonomy and and curriculum differentiation and test scores like is there any evidence that that causes problems? >> There's >> I'm asking Mary. >> What? Okay. I I I can speak after because it was about my question. >> Um yes, I I'm happy to share my professional thinking and then have Jacob share. So um we were just discussing the new teacher project and the opportunity myth report. And right now um
036I'm really inspired. I've been doing a lot of reading on maintaining the high cognitive load for students. So as a teacher, how am I setting a a trend for students to be leaders of their own learning which you know we do with science inquiry approach and as well as uh it's really well intentioned sometimes to try to explain things more in an effort to provise clarity or review things. But when we do that with a finite amount of time for students, we actually are lowering the co lowering the cognitive load. And um a curriculum in and of itself doesn't fix that because it is still it's more complicated than rocket science. You are a teacher with 20 different learners in front of you making decisions about what you're going to continue with and getting that
037feedback loop from from students. So I would say the instructional practice, the pedigogy is where I would want to prioritize and when I look at this data that's my next step that's what I would prioritize that would be beneficial across all content areas. Um >> yeah we do similar readings so yes to pedagogical consistency. My question wasn't about this data, but rather like there is substantive there is substantive research that implementing curriculum is probably is like one of the top ways to improve student achievement and to bridge gaps between students who historically do well and students who don't. So that's that's where I'm coming from with it and like building on the work from elementary. Um that said I agree 100% curriculum does not solve the problem but I think that there's a lot of
038structures in place in terms of collaboration with the IGA eerations development that would put it in a better position than other districts that have had together curriculum in a way that is not in collaboration with districts. So that's my intention of the function. Yeah, absolutely. And I would say I know regionally um at the secondary level in our region of NTST Boseies there is um at the secondary level middle school to high school every every district is using the standards to guide the what the teachers design and that's well I can't speak to the whole state. I just know for our region we're looking at student we're student focused. >> Yes. Yeah. So it's not like is there much research out there that is student focused that really looks at students? >> Yeah. There is.
039There is. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Um, and it's a lot of us take or some of us take a lot of joy in looking at that. >> I just want to be cognizant of the time for the >> quite scheduling. I got it. >> Let's take around 15 minutes to talk about scheduling. I'm hoping that we can really zero in on the teaching of science. Um and like the time for science as a first I meant school. >> Yes, please. >> Thank you so much. Yes. >> I thought you were directing. >> She's hitting it up and then >> it's like a driver's ed car. She's got her foot on everything. All right. So, um, so the schoolwrite scheduling there we are. All right. So, just to give a a overview, was it two years ago?
040Yeah. few years ago. Um we started Lynn and I came into these roles and wanted to look across all eight elementary schools to just build consistency across schedules. And so in partnership with elementary leadership, both the principles and the associate principles of inclusion, we did a scheduling workshop for leaders. So some of these documents are revealing where we found inconsistencies and we had to norm around. Science and social studies wasn't one of those places where there was inconsistency. Schools all set aside time um to do that. But there were different inconsistencies around literacy blocks, lunch and recess, the time allotted for math instruction and then the structures for intervention. So that's why um the the next document gives these locally developed norms and regulations for the schedule. So you're not going to see Jacob to
041your question science and social studies. So we were normed around that with that. Um when I first started working in our district it was called core and now it just says science of social studies. Do you want to? >> All right. So, this is a quick overview of it and I think I put on Lynn actually shared. Thank you, Lynn. The sample schedules, really small fonts. >> Is it possible to make this like full screen or control? Yeah. >> Yeah. Just like in general >> I can also go to the 35. >> But by the way, would the sample schedules hypothetically propose schedules for us like a sampling of schedules that are actually happening in classrooms? >> It's a mixture of both. Yes. >> Yeah. And it was really more about to provide uh examples
042of how it could actually all fit within our instructional day. >> So with the schedule like in K2, can you clarify a bit? I see in each one for the science and social studies there's sort of a 25 or 30 minute block that says science and social studies play. How does that actually manifest itself? Oh, that's a good question. So, one, it depends on where the module. So, if you look at, for example, EEL was chosen with intention because one of the things that brought it to the top was its intersection with science and social studies. So there might be something that starts in a module that you're going to continue that's related to a science standard that you want to cover. And so having that flexibility for that continuation of the conversation on science.
043Um and the same goes with social studies like for example magnetic reading. There's a lot of overlap between and intersection between social studies standards and literacy standards. So a a teacher is going to make that judgment based on what modules they're doing. Um and um and then you also have play there because that is something that has risen and surfaced especially among early childhood educators and advocacy on science exploration through play and how are we doing inquiry walks. Um, for example, I was just sitting with a very uh had a wonderful conversation with a longtime retired teacher who authored the book, Lori Ruben, who authored the book um to look closely and her way of teaching science was an integrated model of observation through play and I was reminded of that in a movie the
044other day. So, um, so that is Jacob, how that's coming through. Um, I want to note that there aren't transitions designated. So, when we're looking for this upcoming school year, like that's one piece of feedback I've gotten from a couple of teachers. Um, in general, transitions don't count towards the New York State minute count. So, when we're trying to make minutes, um, thinking about when we're writing transitions and how what that looks like, um, that's important. But I I just want to own that that you don't see transitions like, you know, snow pants season is a real thing >> for lunch and recess and we know that, but it's >> right. Um, >> so is there >> Yeah. Um so no you can actually go ahead >> it's just a so where I at least
045think currently with extreme possibilities right so what is the based on this what is the minimum amount of science of studies by that a student in any given classroom might receive versus the max >> like is it possible like >> because I would assume the intention of this is not to say there could be a classroom where a student gets all play every like during that 30 and never science nor would we want all science and no play. So >> I think these go you have to like these recommendations go in concert with our curriculum maps that spell out what are the priority science learning standards for each part of the year at the elementary level and social studies and that um we're kind of alternating between subject areas of of a unit of study
046around science around one of those priority learning areas and then social studies and that the play is really in service of that right like how are we designing our um make believe center right as kids are exploring economic needs and wants and like making it a little store right so how how is that in support of the learning social >> yeah so I guess we would we would not expect any place to just be only play >> or science or only social studies >> and I'd love sorry Katherine again just from your perspective like within the central schedule is there time or because if we're talking about a science adoption process, right, there's piloting there's >> is there a time like does the schedule allow for the teaching of science in K through five? >>
047Um I have I don't have a great like comprehensive answer for that. I think that the day moves fast no matter what we're doing. transitions are really thing and that a schedule that does have transitions built into it is not giving you a clear representation of what a student is what a student's day looks like or what a teacher's looks like and if you wait I'm sure that some of my young early childhood educators who are like on my group chat will have a better answer to try this >> it's the sort of wondering I have for like the listening circle right it's like you know this this falls into the category of like the sort obstacle that could derail the adopt like like a focus on teaching on science. So, I'm just really curious.
048>> Uh there are very few ed uh elementary educators in this district that I think that would argue that um more time wouldn't be helpful, right? Instructional time. We have a very very short instructional bay at the elementary level. Um that requires um intentional choices about where we empathize. Yeah. >> Can I I I wonder um when I look at this and then I think about just anecdotally what I've heard from teachers is that you know some schools can finish an entire math curriculum and other schools don't and like there so there's like entire books that aren't gotten to. uh you know do we know like the cultures are different every school you know do we think that this is going to help or do we know the root of that why some schools are
049able to get through things and so that when we see that that's typically in the first two years of adopting a curriculum because pacing is off so for example um Adam I'm going to point to you because we went to see really great reading and that for example and is designed to be a 15 to 20 minute endeavor. It was taking about an hour. >> So there was frustration in the first year >> that that weren't getting through the content, but that was the learning curve of the curriculum. And so we did see um and had evidence of the math pacing not being what we had hoped it to be in the first year with Eureka M squared. And so putting being super intentional with the math strategist and Pat Nichols leading workshops on pacing
050of the lessons to get through all of the modules. So that's a it's a really good question and reality of the field of teaching you. >> Um I guess I just had a question. I don't really have a philosophy about it. So more of a question about the wind time and I mean yeah I just I just have different feelings about it. I mean on one hand I think it's really great to have a block of time where students can work on the things that they need. Um alternative hypothesis when time didn't exist and that time those divided up among more core subject areas. I I just wonder about that. Like I don't I don't I'm not saying that's what I think should happen, but I wonder what would happen because that would be another
05130 minutes. >> Um you know, how might that help? And I think telling what actually what Erin was asking if I question and I've asked a similar question >> too. Um you know, is are we getting through the standards that we need to get through every year? >> Yeah. And how would having another 30 minutes a day taken away from waiting time and redirected toward other areas change that and then again going back to the original thing or do we just really need that extra time because that's what's best for student learning. I don't know the answer. >> Well, I think something really critical about win time like thinking about our we have a really diverse population of students, right? And some students learn something with one or two exposures. other students need 10 20
05230 40 50 you know really exposures to the same learning and when we don't have a dedicated win time for providing that reteing and additional practice to students with intention what happens is those students get pulled out of instruction from other areas so they end up missing social studies or science or being pulled out of the reading block to go get that additional learning which actually increases the learning gap right so by saying we are uh we are holding safe this 30 minutes for that really important and necessary reteing and uh support for learners um where they're not going to miss new learning and get further in time from their peers um while working on making sure that we have important and meaningful work for all students at that time. But I think that's where
053we get into trouble when we don't have a win time kids from learning. It feels like an it depends like it just depends on a particular some students might be like oh god I really need that time other students might be like I finished all my work I'm just kind of reading a book you know I don't I just don't care >> and I guess the win time is not about so much about finishing the work it really is direct instruction for kids for most students it's additional direct instruction for kids in um standards skills um things that they need additional either teaching or practice on to meet grade level standards. So that time must be very important. Then I'm thinking back to like the science where you looked at the decline like that time
054is critical for those students who really kind of need that extra instruction to correct retach because when we offer additional support and it's not integrated or it's there's not a time or place for it in their schedule, students miss first instruction because we're not going to pull students from lunch and recess in g. We don't post students from specials. >> So, and it's and again it's an engineering problem. So, similar to that we need to address transitions in a thoughtful way this upcoming year. I would say the need for a block of time dedicated to it in the calendar was something that we identified as a str a structure to build to support closing the gap. And does this help? Like I think about, you know, all the factors we've talked about over the years
055with chronic absenteeism, chronic tardiness like this. I imagine that that also helps those students who are falling behind because they're so often missing the beginning of the day. Is that like is I mean because we've been thinking creatively for several years now, how to support those students who fall into those categories. Like how do we help fix these issues? like is this schedule like with the wind time kind of addressing some of those things as well? >> Yes. Although that I don't think that was at the center of our intent that that would be um an additional benefit to it. Um for people watching wind time is what I need time. So, I want to actually say that because it's a newer acronym that all of you know, but I don't know if that's a
056understanding of what they expected to be. >> I think we might need to do last thoughts from Catherine because then I know we have >> So, I've got a group of group of elementary educators in my chat who say that, you know, varying between is there enough time versus do we work really hard to fit in? Yeah, but more time would be better. The point about um students with IEPs missing social studies or science because they're receiving IEP services at that time. But the most notable thing that hasn't come out in this conversation yet is the teachers here who have worked here long enough to have worked here prior to the implementation of EL and really great reading noted that before we adopted those curriculum or that those curricula there was we were using in-house
057design projectbased learning and anti- marginalization models that were designed specifically ally to do double duty of ELA and science simultaneously. So there is less instructional choice needed to be made because it was already built in. And what they're saying is that the new curricula don't offer as many opportunities for flexibility to prioritize science and social studies. Um that it's there but not in the same way and not as supportive of doing integrative teaching of the two. Thank you to my folks at home. You know who you are. Folks at folks at home. >> I don't think we're going to arrive at like a after the meeting, right? I know we will like send an email. We'll talk about agendas that night regarding science. There's clearly more to talk about, but I also appreciate I feel
058like we have a little bit more context than going into the what you proposed for the instructional walks circle. That was so thank you so much. So I'd now love to call up Samantha and I guess special. >> So here we were talking about talking about literacy and adoption pedagogical strategies generally. We'd love to hear from you. We had a chance to review your PowerPoint, but if you want to talk through any of it and I'm imaging we might have some questions. We'll leave close in around 16 minutes so that we give time for other folks to settle in for the court. Thank you so much for being >> Thanks for having us. I just want to say thank you for the opportunity and we're just in a I mean I don't know Chris you
059want to just inter leader at Beverly J Martin this year >> great let's get started right >> all right you >> sure yes so for um our new literacy curriculum at K2 uh we've had uh year long professional development actually starting last June where all teachers were engaged in a kind of introductory experience to the curriculum. Um and then we had a coach from EL that works in buildings several times throughout the fall. Um feedback from teachers from that initial work was that uh the coaching wasn't providing quite what they were looking for. um they really were looking for models of lessons being in action that they could watch and kind of see the pacing and see how it works with this. they didn't feel like they were getting that and um that there was
060some inconsistency between the messages being shared by the KL presenters at PD and perhaps what um what they were hearing from leaders like their principles in Mary around fidelity versus integrity like like what are we expected to do? Are we supposed to read it word for word? Um, in response to that, um, you'll see on the the next slide, we, uh, just recently did a round of, um, learning labs, which happened at Beverly J. Martin Elementary, um, with some very brave teachers who offered to open their classrooms up to their colleagues throughout the district. What this looked like, where we had a day for kindergarten, one for first, one for second. a teacher at BJM co-planned the lesson of the day with the e coach and their colleagues throughout the throughout the district listening in
061on that planning section session. We went in watched that lesson be taught with the teacher BJM teacher and the e coach could have tag teaming throughout and uh then we went back and debriefed and it was amazing. It was amazing. Um teachers said this is exactly what I was looking for. I don't know, a second grade teacher actually flapped her fake wings about freedom from like the burden she was feeling from EL. So, um it was a really positive professional development experience. >> It's true. It was funny but real. >> So, a couple of appreciations definitely Beverly J. are in and the teachers who were brave enough to teach in front of the you know that that does take um that's a vulnerable spot to be in that people watch you teach that aren't small
062children and hosting um so just the host school but then also um eel for their flexibility in hearing us um because Lynn, you know, asked for feedback from educators. They gave it and it was a real delight to watch you share that um with the e. So we have an e strategic planning group um comprised of a principal and Lynn and myself um to get to just talk about what is needed to move the work forward and this isn't the standard thing that they offer. So this was designed based on our teacher speed set. So I'll pass to the um team of Beverly J. Martin to talk about your experience and perspective. So I mean we are just super grateful for this opportunity and just the way that it's been rolled out. I think it's
063been done with um quite int you know quite intentional and it's been an opportunity for the building leaders in addition to the teachers to have um some insight and training but then also for us to come together. So, it's such a gift to have Chris in the building because I feel like oftent times as building the building leaders, we're like, "Okay, here's what we're doing. We'll support you. Now, figure it out." And I feel like this process really showed us how we can do some things differently and really do a little bit more um coaching and it's like I do, we do, you do versus just I share, you do. Um so, we're excited about that. And I think really this is an opportunity for um staff and scholars to be leaders of their own
064learning. While we do have curricula, the ability to be flexible in that, but still be held to standards and accountability, but to really allow what is created in the moment to drive it versus, you know, what we heard before we had like these case studies. This is um much more designed around you're going to present, you're going to have opportunities for scholars to do reading, writing, science, social studies. It really is interdisciplinary. And I think that's what some of our newer teachers are finding when we talk about literacy, we're not just talking about ELA. We're talking about literacy throughout and how that connects and and the threads that are made there. So, it also has provided us some vertical alignment K through2, which I have not seen us do well before um in the district.
065I will just say that's just my own personal experience. So, I'm super excited about that. And then also just the district-wide collaboration and breaking down those silos. I think we've also done a really nice job of getting grade level teens together through our math work with CAD in in other contexts. So, this just provides us another opportunity to do it and especially with some of our youngest learners. And while we have prek using really great reading, we're also having those discussions with them around this because I think that's a missing piece and where we need to do better as a district is is even though prek has their own curriculum, they're coming to us and we're really working hard to try to build those gap, bridge those gaps. And I think because there is play
066and there's flexibility and there's exploration and there's field trips and all of that, it aligns more with prek and they can kind of see that trajectory. Um >> I um was in a co-planning meeting today and the teachers were sharing um the ability to integrated um integrate integration with the art teacher um aligned with the EL curriculum and having the art teacher being able to come in and provide that experience um the EL connected around art in the community. Um and um also uh part of the EL curriculum was around sound and having the music teacher come in and be able to be part of that. Uh just shared at a full planning meeting um today. >> I want to say hi to Miss Klein and thank you for coming >> and again it's awesome
067to have the principal perspective and I know that that's what you want but it's also so important to hear from the people that are actually doing it day in and day out. So I just asked Chris and and Briana to just to come. So I don't know if you >> and Brianna was one of the mention so I don't know how much you heard or didn't hear but no in um yeah no I had the opportunity to um welcome not only the EL coach but other um second grade teachers from the district into my classroom to work with um her to look at a lesson and like do a really deep dive and then like like actually co-e a lesson with her in the space and it it was just such a wonderful experience to
068like hear what other insights she could share with us. I think a lot of us had so many sides of relief being like, "Oh my gosh, okay, wait, that's really what we're we can do and what we should be doing and like I think a lot of us felt like we needed to be in this box." And she was like, "No, it's okay. Like open it, you know, and do do what you is what's best for the students." Um, and just having that coaching experience like in real time that she like came up to me, she was like, "Hey, don't forget this next part." And I was like, "Oh, yes, okay, perfect." And she also gave me that um that extra push as, you know, a new teacher to be like, "It's okay to let
069the kids do this and struggle through it and then support them versus me being like, I was going to I'm going to hold their hand the whole time, you know, like it's going to be okay." Um, so they did a really great job and it was just such an amazing experience and then to talk to her about it afterwards and have that reflection and also collaborating with the people outside of BJM because talking to them about their experience and what they have done differently, I was like, "Oh, wow." Like so many great things. Like I I just I'm so so grateful for that experience. I really am. Thank you. Any questions or comments? >> First, I just want to say it's so cool like looking at this row of like teacher coach and like assistant
070principal like district administrators and teacher. >> I think that like when curriculum adoption fails, it's usually because there's a disconnect with one or more people in the position at this table. And it's just like a really excellent example of what I heard a month or two ago which was like these coaches are not is like we are not getting what we need and then when you're back you all advocated and worked together like early in your career I wouldn't volunteer to do that. I just think this is a really good example like the power of like when there is a coherent consistent approach. I'm just really glad that we're all working on this. >> It sounds like it's been so effective that my question is like how this informs like the adoption of the next
071curricula or even continued work on this and other um other new relatively new curricula. And part part of my question is just in general wanting to understand kind of how that how it will inform the future. Also, I'm curious to me, I'm like, man, I wish it if only this had been like a year ago, you know, having spoken to so many teachers who have really been struggling with EL and the, you know, especially like knowing that um I feel like one of the things that I keep hearing is that they're very long sometimes and so you get the stress of like how do I fit it all into one lesson, but I'm curious from you specifically like do you think that this you needed to kind of go through that and kind of battling
072through it yourself before this was like worthy or is it like man we should have had this kind of opportunity a year ago? >> Um you know I think I think I would have I mean I I appreciated going through the journey. I think it made the experience that much more valuable because I was like this is how I was doing it. This is what I was doing to the best of my ability. And then she came in and coached me and was like okay but this is really what you're supposed to be getting to. this is the m and the last few times I've been teaching the lesson I was like this is my goal this is what I want to do and like I felt like I've been able to get my kids
073through the lesson to be like this is my end goal this is our our class end goal I'm not going to get stuck on this part because that's what the book is saying like this is where we need to be and that more so taking away from it has also helped me feel like I'm now getting back to pace and be like okay new now next thing next thing So that's moving along much better. >> Yeah. Thank you. That's really helpful. And before I I'm going to interrupt you even answering my question to ask one other piece which is I I guess I'm just stating that this is why you Mary always say like year zero, right? So to give that time maybe I'm saying year wrong, but like to give that time of kind
074of muddling through. >> Yeah. >> Before trying to really implement a lot of PD. And so also my question is >> well just um I want to like year zero is a hard like there is a term that's used it's a hard term for me because people are working really hard in year zero. So I'm always um I think in the the launch why sometimes it's it's okay for there to be differentiation and how people are implementing it because you do get that's also innovation time. >> Right. Yeah. >> Right. So like innovation year and it's not that we want to withhold PD but this curriculum is a thinking curriculum. >> Yeah. >> It requires teachers who have studied the craft of teaching and learning, gotten a degree in it. And that's the assumption that
075they're holding this book. >> Yeah. And Chris, you don't need to raise your hand. >> Oh my goodness. thought >> um I've taught in the district a long time and have gone through a lot of curriculum adoption. >> Um and I also think that this lab style that we were afforded the opportunity to do is particularly valuable for newer teachers um because they don't have the tool belt that I have developed over the 20 years that I've been doing this, 40 years, 100 years, however long it's been. Um and so so it really is um you know valuable to think about curriculum in a way that it's different for Bana to do it the first year than it would be for me as a a master teacher. Yeah. You know to do it. And so
076I think the the professional development that we bring in um really looked at that because I saw teachers that have been teaching in the district for a long time also have some aha moments through this lab um professional development model. >> Yeah. So my second the second part of my question eel seems to have whether it's you know flawed or not you know having these coaches is a really cool thing and >> it doesn't sound like they've been super affected the whole time before this and I know that you had these teams or a team I'm not quite sure how it works of people who are kind of meeting >> to reflect on you know like you know and and think about exactly these things about what fits. So I guess my question is is
077this a model? Do we need those EL coaches in general or is that kind of the model that you're going for in using these? >> Well, we need >> right now. We won't need them forever. Like go along Chris Barley and Brianna. the one that didn't offer that is this is the model you're using this effective one to do >> I I believe in coaching teams because the model that I got early in my teaching career on one-on-one mentor or let me pause the model I got early on was a team mentoring model >> I was hired into the the team I was the first hire they had in 15 years. So I was standing on the shoulders of people who had taught for two decades >> growing me. >> Yeah. >> And we need
078to be realistic about the demographics of the field of teaching right now. >> And so when we're looking at a team, the experience in that team, >> having onetoone conversations isn't going to move us as quickly as a team conversation. So I don't know if I answered your question. It seems like you have a really good like I really like the model and the idea that there is so much like reflection and to be able to speak to teachers who are kind of a part of that more leadership cohort of this seems like a really good way to implement this kind of model even with curricula that don't have a coach. >> And I feel like or if not I feel I believe there's benefit in having a the e coach come who is really
079well versed. She's seen >> hundreds of school districts go through this cycle. So, and and myself wanting to know like but tell us what to do in the beginning. She said, "Well, Chris, we're going to do some walkthroughs." And when we did walkthroughs, that was >> to um guide us in reflecting on what we were seeing in the teaching and learning and help us before we decide what we're going to do, let's identify what the need is. Yeah. So, >> yeah, that makes sense. >> Was helpful. before I like the only I think back to your question earlier Erin I think that this is one of the things speaks to in general and not advocating for or against curricula like you know off-the-shelf curricula but I think that hearing about like the difference of having
080like a very established teacher versus a very new teacher it's curricula has a role to play and can play and correct me if I'm wrong but like can play a really positive role for new teachers even if it's not an expectation of following the curricula you know, A through Z, but to have something that's a little bit of a guide and something to be able to look at and lean on until you have the confidence to really be able to sit there and just be like, I can look at these standards and I feel totally confident being able to develop my an entire year's worth of of, you know, instructional material based off of that. So it does seem like there's kind of a role for both even if the philosophy is to generally like
081not be forcing teachers to like sit down with a you know offtheshelf curricula and teach exactly too bad. Is that >> right? It is it is six o'clock so I know the other is supposed to be starting right now. I just want to say again thank you so much. Um I know Emily's captured notes. I will uh send an email just like to to ask if there's any like followup on requested agenda items. In the meanwhile, happy wonderful easy >> and come see it. Like that's the other piece. We can talk about it, but you need to feel it and see it. It's he will ask you feel it and feel it. There you go.