STANDARD ON INSTRUCTION DRAFT as of 11/22/11 Narrative Essay

Indicator 1: Teachers instructional practices are continuously examined to ensure consistency with the schools core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. The 21st century learning opportunities, including cultural enrichment and global awareness, are available to students at YHS. The belief that all new learning expectations and values are clearly embedded in the culture of the school is strongly supported by the Endicott survey data. YHS completed the first phase of syllabi review prior to the adoption of our core values and the syllabi will be revised to reflect them. There continues to be an effort to align curriculum content areas to assure that all students have sufficient opportunities to meet 21st century learning expectations. Instructional practices and assessment strategies are fine-tuned regularly by individual teachers and content area teams. For example, in the business technology content area, teachers align projects with the 21st Century Learning Expectations. The resume, cover letter, and e-Portfolio projects illustrate the new standards. In French classes, teachers examined the 21st century learning expectations, and adapted the course overview which now provides students with the YHS Core Values and how they align within the course. We are still in the initial phases of this process. Indicator 2: Teachers instructional practices support the achievement of the schools 21st century learning expectations by. * personalizing instruction * engaging students in cross-disciplinary learning * engaging students as active and self-directed learners * emphasizing inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking * applying knowledge and skills to authentic tasks * engaging students in self-assessment and reflection * integrating technology Teachers personalize instruction according to the instructional differentiation model; most teachers utilize differentiated instruction and activities, while few teachers rely on outmoded instructional practices such as lecture or whole-class activities that are not differentiated. Personalization is facilitated by appropriately placing students in

classes based on their needs and skills. For example, math teachers utilize assessment data from NWEA reports and an 8th grade math placement test, in addition to teacher recommendations and prior performance to determine appropriate placement. Most teachers differentiate learning through several means: for example, purposeful grouping, learning stations, and student project choice. For example, in health class students participate in a multiple-intelligence-based decision-making project. World language students complete a Passion Project in which they describe and present a personal interest through various media. English teachers assign a community service-based project that corresponds with a course novel in sophomore year. Career Quest in the junior year and the senior college essay and APA research paper are other examples of gearing instruction towards students career and college choices. American Studies students are often grouped according to learning style or multiple intelligences within the class, to facilitate completion of in-class exercises, such as the tracing of slave ship routes or examining bias in media. Health classes examine cyber-ethics through learning stations. Business and technology students also are differentiated while completing the career interview project. Teachers formally engage students in cross-disciplinary learning more often when the curriculum creates a specific link. Alternative education and social studies students collaborate to examine and create slavery narratives, and ultimately, to create a slavery museum. In the junior year, students have an option to enroll in the American Experience, an English/social studies co-curricular course. The American Experience includes a historical fiction assignment called Voices from the Past that examines different Vietnam perspectives. Science teachers, through recent curriculum and syllabi revisions, make connections to multiple disciplines; chemistry and biology classes collaborate to address topics such as climate change and the biotechnical revolution, and current human pathologies. As a whole, teachers report that they employ crossdisciplinary learning about once a quarter; more opportunities provided to teachers to share their instructional practices would result in increased use of cross-disciplinary instructional practices, but have yet to be addressed. Many teachers employ instructional strategies designed to engage students as active and self-directed learners. Student-directed learning takes place in a variety of classrooms: Socratic discussions are conducted in Advanced English and social studies classrooms; students participate in debates, role playing, and simulations in many other classrooms. The Linear Equation Project in math classes requires students to formulate an article using linear equations and graphs. In social studies, students continuously engage as self-directed learners. For example, students are asked to take on the

perspective of a member of the House of Representatives and then write a committee report for the War of 1812. The 2010 Endicott Survey reflects that the majority of parents feel that their child is engaged as a participatory learner. This data is supported by recent district-wide professional development over the past two years, focusing on increasing student engagement. At the same time, the full engagement of students as self-directed learners across the curriculum is a goal yet to be realized. Coupled with efforts to engage students actively in their own learning, York HS teachers are increasingly employing instructional practices that emphasize inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking. The recent adoption of school-wide rubrics reflect critical thinking skills such as accurately interpreting evidence and multiple points of view, generating a wealth of possible solutions and ideas during brainstorming, and persevering or adapting methodologies. Social studies teachers require students to utilize inquiry and research in order to gain understanding, including videoconferencing and observing practicing psychologists. The Voyage of the Hare lesson in American Studies requires students to use specific documents to trace the route of a slave ship. American studies students examine a simulated shipwreck, completing an archaeological study of artifacts to reconstruct what life was like in the age of discovery. Students in American Literature work individually to prepare a presentation on a poet of their choice and teach a lesson to the class; in 10th-grade English, students participate in a Holocaust peer-teaching activity. French students research music from the Frenchspeaking world, analyzing critical elements of an artist or genre of choice to create a presentation. In music-theory, the final composition project challenges students to compose an original composition. Art students have the opportunity to develop their artistic concepts through AP coursework and independent art. The majority of York HS teachers ask students to apply knowledge and skills to authentic tasks, with some teachers doing this more frequently than others. In addressing each of the 21st century learning expectations, numerous assignments are field-based, including marine science students annual profile study of local beach quality, and the compilation of a Maine seaweed guidebook. All lab-based science instruction develops in students the ability to collect and interpret data. Honors geometry conducts a lunar park project where students submit a proposal for a park design to the Gallileo Planning Commission. For pre-AP and AP calculus, effort is made to clearly connect to students individual interests and real-life scenarios. For business and technology, students create personal financial budgets simulating cost-of-living and savings plans. Preparation for Citizenship classes complete an activity focusing on their participation in the political process, completing a citizen quotient. The community

service project in 10th grade honors English promotes community involvement whereby students participate in various service-learning opportunities.The APA senior paper is the final project for seniors where they explore their intended major or career of choice. In the junior year, students are required to complete a career quest job shadow in a profession of their interest. Mini-grants support classroom-based service learning projects; some teachers currently incorporate this real-world learning and self reflection practice in their classrooms. Instructional practices that engage students in self-assessment and selfreflection are used in many classrooms at YHS; most teachers report that they employ one or the other and many use both. Because the 21st century expectations are newly defined, YHS faculty are piloting new rubrics to collect data. On these new school-wide rubrics, there is a section for student self-reflection. Currently, teachers are beginning to see how the use of common rubrics provides their students with the opportunity to reflect on their work during the instructional process. Some world language teachers provide students with opportunities for quarterly self-reflection of their strengths and weaknesses in language cognition. Quarterly portfolios in chemistry classes reflect their academics, work habits, and standard-based performance throughout the year. Preparation for Citizenship students are required to engage in self-reflection as a way to assess the impact of their service learning project on themselves and the community. In English at all grade levels, students regularly complete self assessment tasks during the writing process. YHS teachers have made significant strides in integrating technology into their instruction practices, most notably through professional development opportunities. 50% of teachers surveyed about the extent of technology integration respond that they do so often. The addition of a technology integrator and peer-mentoring by tech-savvy staff has played a large role in this integration. Part of the technology integrators goals are to move 50% of YHS Teachers from the bottom two levels (exploration) of the Levels of Teaching Innovation (LoTi) scale (http://loticonnection.com) towards the top 2 levels (routine/expansion/refinement) in at least one learning unit by 2013; currently we have not met that benchmark. Establishing regular collaboration time between integrator and staff is a common hurdle. Ongoing integration projects are shared with all faculty as best-practice examples through online video, FAQs, and tutorial resources maintained by technology staff. The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) continues to be the largest source of teaching technology available to all teaching staff; YHS is in its fourth year of the MLTI teacher laptop program whereby each teacher has a stateissued laptop available to them. Smartboards are available in roughly one-third of

classrooms and those teachers who use them report more active engagement by students; however, staff with Smartboards request additional formal training. Many YHS teachers and students also employ the use of Web 2.0/3.0 resources and social media tools for collaborative learning. Teachers generally recognize that integrating technology into their instruction means more than using a computer and LCD projector. Teachers want more time for professional development and peer mentoring and collaboration with those who are meaningfully integrating technology into lessons. Limited availability to technology resources prevent teachers from moving as fast as they might like with this integration. The School District chose not to have YHS participate in the MLTI program which would have supplied all high school students with a 1:1 laptop ratio. As an alternative, York High School was supplied with a limited number of laptop carts and computer labs. Many staff have trouble accessing necessary classroom technology in a timely fashion. Indicator 3: Teachers adjust their instructional practices to meet the needs of each student. using formative assessment, especially during instructional time
strategically differentiating purposefully organizing group learning activities providing additional support and alternative strategies within the regular classroom

As a whole, few teachers look at summative student achievement data on a regular basis. While there are also few who are involved in the regular review of formative assessments, there are some who look at whole-grade formative assessment results, such as those from math and language arts NWEA, and make modifications to their instruction based on what they have learned. The frequency of formative assessment reported runs the gamut from once a month to daily. Math teachers report looking at formative assessment data most frequently in an effort to make modifications to the curriculum, such as class starters in geometry and Daily Comps. Feedback is given routinely on writing assignments in English classes; most teachers conference with students during the drafting process. Many content areas utilize a WDYK (What Do You Know) strategy prior to beginning a unit. Tickets To Leave are used in world language and science classes to assess what students have learned prior to moving on to new material. Teachers use a variety of methods to check in with their students to measure learning and adjust instruction: thumbs up, fist to five, and traditional show of hands are all common methods. Teachers regularly walk around the classroom to

check in with student understanding and progress. In science, students complete a pass/fail conversion form, where they complete two problems and have their answers assessed; they continue to work on those problems until mastery is achieved. York High School teachers strategically differentiate their instruction regularly. Most teachers routinely adjust their instructional practices to meet the individual needs of students, primarily through the use of additional support and by suggesting alternative strategies. Music lessons and rehearsals require formative assessment for the purpose of analyzing problems and issues. English 9/10 classes are co-taught with special education. As those students progress to the 11th grade they are offered additional assistance through an english support class. Staffed by advanced and AP student, the Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring sessions for any stage of the writing process for students of any grade. Math classes use math lab enrichment programs, as well as PHSchool.com and Hotmath.com as an alternative, independent outside-school enrichment for content review and reinforcement. Special education teachers and educational technicians are frequently with identified students requiring alternative strategies and support in the classroom during instruction. YHS has initiated Response to Intervention (RTI). As part of RTI, the York High School Data Team periodically provides data for the school to review. Beginning in 2007, Virtual High School (VHS) has enabled students to take courses that are not offered as part of York High Schools Program of Studies. Over the past 5 years, students generally have been very successful with it, averaging two students per semester enrolled in VHS courses. YHS no longer has a the full VHS membership whereby a local teacher offers a course in exchange for seats for our students; seats are now purchased from Sanford HS for our students who want to take courses. Teachers often use multiple methods for providing means of learning new information. For example, offering audio versions of literature in english classes allows students to absorb literary concepts in a non-traditional way. In the freshmen English Antigone project, students complete a RAFT assignments, choosing activities best suited to their interests, skills, and learning style. Junior year American Literature students use the 4-MAT learning system when focusing on persuasion and use of rhetoric, where they choose activities from a learning wheel. Most YHS teachers purposefully organize group learning activities for students. Many teachers have organized their classrooms to more easily utilize group to small group to paired activities. Online Jeopardy games are used in social studies classes as not only a formative assessment, but provides a collaborative base for teams to further

their study of a topic. Literature circles are employed in english classes. Small groups in math allows students to be exposed to other student strategies and support. With regard to purposeful grouping, students in sophomore English classes are placed in focus groups for their persuasive research paper, where they become familiar with each others topics and assistance and feedback throughout the writing process. In science, the Chemical Kinetics project involves organized group work. For math, small groups are created in class to focus on specific problems; students provide peer support and alternative strategies. French classes utilize multiple options for learning the same material, such as creating puzzles, storyboarding, computer conjugating verbs. Teachers work collaboratively with special education staff to review individual student assessment, often as a part of an Individualized Education Plan, and they provide specific instruction based on individual students needs. The Reading Enrichment Program at YHS is designed to strengthen reading and writing skills for students with dyslexia and reading disabilities. A variety of resource programs offer differentiated learning, including Wilson Language System, Great Leaps, and Lindamood-Bell, which are used and adapted to individual student needs. In French classes, students are offered a variety of options for extra study skills. Beyond the classroom, students in need of additional support are placed in the Guided Study program or various subject-area support classes. Indicator 4: Teachers, individually and collaboratively, improve their instructional practices. using student achievement data from a variety of formative and summative
assessments examining student work using feedback from a variety of sources, including students, other teachers, supervisors, and parents examining current research engaging in professional discourse focused on instructional practice

The school has adopted a number of models for the use of available meeting time that provide the opportunities for teachers, individually and collaboratively, to improve their instructional practices. YHS utilizes the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) model to address professional development, encourage interdisciplinary dialogue between staff, and address concerns about students. PLCs have only been utilized in limited faculty meeting however. The restructuring of departments into content-related clusters, as well as the dedicated use of some full and

half-day professional development time has provided teachers the opportunity to engage in more collegial discussions focused on curriculum, instructional practice, and assessment techniques. Common curriculum syllabi work is a prime example. Discussions, primary training, and implementation of many district initiatives, such RTI, have been conducted in PLCs. At this point, PLCs more often than not are only the starting point for the creation of other subcommittees addressing data and related topics. Some conversations at the cluster level have focused on examining assessment data, such as NWEA and PSAT. While teachers have begun to use this formative assessment data as a tool to assist in proper student placement; only 48% respond in survey that they use formative assessment every class period. For example, in political and legal studies, students take a political knowledge pretest. As the faculty becomes better trained in the use of formative data, it will become a more effective tool. The development of common writing prompts in English is another example of the growing school-wide acceptance of this practice. Additionally, the districts student information system, Powerschool, is beginning to be leveraged beyond its traditional assessment, grading and reporting features to incorporate new tools, including Pearson Inform. Inform holds student assessment data; allowing teachers to access historical and current data on any student, class, grade, and use that data to inform instruction. Groups can be filtered so staff can look at trends for programs. It also allows us to enter progress data for students that are receiving interventions through RTI. Teachers use feedback from a variety of sources and to varying degrees regarding improvement of their instructional practices. Results of school-wide questionnaires also allow faculty input into in- service offerings. For example, the district technology team (including the technology integrators) routinely solicits feedback through staff surveys and subsequently uses the data to develop technology professional development according to expressed needs. Many teachers provide opportunities for students to critique course content and instructional practices via online or written survey; however this is not universally practiced. For example, French students are asked to complete an evaluation of the passion project. In business technology, both students and parents complete a technology survey. Preparation for Citizenship students complete a course evaluation form and overall class survey. Finite math classes complete an online classroom survey. English teachers solicit student feedback in a variety of ways, including course surveys and peer conferencing sheets based on specific assignments. Students in these courses also offer feedback during peer presentations. Teachers use this feedback as a method to improve instruction. Spanish uses an online survey as well. In Chorus, students evaluate the overall choral

program. Special educators have parents of students on their caseload complete a survey focusing on communication and progress. Indicator 5: Teachers as adult learners and reflective practitioners, maintain their expertise in their content area and in content-specific instructional practices. Most teachers agree they are able to maintain their expertise in their content area in a variety of ways, including local online web training, attendance at live or virtual conferences, and through collaboration with their colleagues. 97% of the York High School faculty has attained Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) status and a full 90% of staff have completed the Skillful Teacher course. The annual York Summer Institute provides a variety of professional development opportunities for local and regional teachers. However, some teachers believe they are limited by the lack of district-based professional development offerings, specifically focused on their content area. Technology plays a role at YHS in terms of peer collaboration and professional development. Staff utilize tools such as FirstClass software and Google docs for document collaboration, technical training, and dissemination of information. The practice of sharing effective instructional strategies at faculty meetings has been well-received, and teachers request more time for this. However, the needs of central office and school-level initiatives limit the opportunities for teachers to collaborate on and discuss best instructional practices. The director of curriculum has initiated district-wide K-12 curriculum teams to promote cross grade-level professional dialogue and the development of common curriculum. The High School members of the curriculum teams have expressed varying success in terms of relevant connections for all grade-levels represented; the World Language K-12 Team has reported some success with communication between middle and high school teachers. As a vehicle for remaining current about instructional practices, many faculty have articulated the success to be limited due to the lack of teacher input in creating the agenda. Some teachers feel that meeting agendas lack relevance and productivity with regard to their content area and grade levels. The 21st Century Team was created in 2010 as a think-tank for the district; comprised of teachers of all grades, the team seeks to deliver planning, insight, and development of 21st century skills for teachers and students in the district according to the Framework for 21st Century Learning (http://www.p21.org).

STANDARD ON INSTRUCTION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY York High Schools philosophy for the past six years has been Personalization, Academic Rigor, and Success for Every Student. It is collectively believed that YHS is a place that will do anything for its students. York High School has been engaged in a dynamic and inclusive process based on best practices to identify and commit to its core values and beliefs about learning and instruction. This process has provided a basis through which teachers can now begin to review and refine their instructional practices. 78% of teachers surveyed report that they have observed the instruction of another teacher, encouraging refinement. While a full 75% of teachers responded in survey that they are somewhat familiar with these core values and beliefs and understand their meaning in relationship to their instructional strategies, there is still a gap in moving toward complete integration. These guidelines are becoming part of the school culture through the alignment and implementation of rubrics; clusters are in the early stages of discussing how to align our instructional practices with these core values, enabling instructional strategies to be consistent with the schools overall philosophy and mission statement. The growing use of instructional practices that emphasize inquiry, differentiation, and higher order thinking is a very positive development. The increased use of school-wide and course-specific rubrics is leading to more opportunities for student self-assessment and self-reflection. Finally, the extent of the integration of technology as a tool for instruction is apparent and measurable and will continue to grow with increased access to technological resources to support that growth. Overall, York High School offers students personalized and authentic learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. Most courses engage students in active learning experiences and few rely solely on the use of textbooks and lecture for primary instruction. Walking into any classroom you will see students working with groups, peer teaching, conferencing with teachers, and participating in lively class discussions. Based on the CPSS Rating Guide for the Standard on Curriculum, York High School judges its adherence to the Standard as ACCEPTABLE.

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Strengths: The alignment of our schools core values and beliefs with instructional practices

Emphasis and widespread use of personalization strategies The strategies employed in the co-teaching model in some courses to accommodate the needs of individual students The adoption of instructional strategies by various content areas that encourage cross-disciplinary learning Emphasis on inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking The initiation of the use of school-wide and course-specific rubrics in all classrooms The increase of instructional practices that integrate the use of technology Teachers maintain expertise in their content area

Needs: Lack of consistent network access and computer resource availability impedes teachers abilities to integrate technology in the classroom

Ensure that all teachers continue to evaluate their instructional practices based on the newly developed core values and beliefs about the schools 21st Century Learning Expectations

Further collaboration across the content areas Increase the number of opportunities for teachers to meet collaboratively to improve instructional practices including time to examine student work, examine current research, analyze student assessment data from formative and summative assessments

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