I meant to say that

 

    Last week I shared what many people noticed in your classrooms engagement and clarity.  Believe me, they were impressed.  That doesn't happened by chance.  You can not just turn it on and perform like that without expecting learning and engagement each and every day.  The thing is we do get better: day by day, week by week, month by month.  You plan and teach.  You assess your students and then you reflect or analyze on the result.  This is the formula that you've embraced over the last five years.  In addition, you are really proficient at utilizing the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) instructional model.  You consistently meet with small groups, you differentiate for individuals, you collaboratively plan and you participate in PLC.  Doing these things has really gotten us to percentages in the high 60's.

SO

    How do we break through to the high 70's or 80's?  You only have so much time in the workshop.  The answer isn't doing more.  It's knowing what to say so kids can do the cognitive work.  It's precision of language and flexibility in teaching moves.  That is what is going to make the difference.  My advice is to focus on those students approaching proficiency first.  You have excellent learning intentions and success criteria already written.  Maximize your talent and use them throughout the workshop with intentionality.  The students in the approaching band need targeted support at grade level.  The key is knowing where their learning is breaking down.  What is missing?  Is it a tool, a scaffold, a prompt or another success criteria that is the foundation of one that was written.  Is it feedback to support the misconception you observed.

Consider This 

4th Grade Example from James Keller

Learning Intention: I am learning how the elements of an argumentative text help me to understand the author’s message. 

Success Criteria:

I can explain graphs, text features, and headings to find understanding from the story 

I can summarize the main idea and explain how it is supported by key details 

I can describe how the text is organized

I can reread the text to help me understand this information

If students need a targeted intervention on this learning intention here are a few examples of what could be done.

• Is it a tool they need? Do the students need graphic organizer or bookmark with a close reading strategy written on it? The graphic organizer could be customized for specific learners. If they aren't familiar with the close reading strategy you could do a demonstration of it and model close reading for them.
• Is it a scaffold they need? You can assess the student to determine if they know the difference in text features and also provide a talk aloud to demonstrate how one of the graphs or photos is connected to the text. You can get there through questions, prompts or cues before you went straight to direct instruction.
• Is it a prompt they need? You could say look at this photo and read the caption. Now read the the text that you point to. How are these two connected?
• Is another success criteria needed that is foundational to one already written? Let's look at: I can summarize the main idea and explain how it is supported by key details. Foundational success criteria for this could by I can summarize. I can state a main idea or what this passage is mostly about in my own words. I can find key details. All of these could be just the ticket to support a learner reach the full expectation of the success criteria. Your feedback to students based on what you are seeing in their work is the key.
• Is it that the student needs feedback on one of the success criteria? Students may overlook key words like describe, explain, supporting. Your feedback to help the student attend to these words and be able to define them could be another way to provide the targeted intervention.

Teach with intention knowing what to do as you mindfully and carefully observed students work.

    The point of intentionality is to know what to do and what to say in the moment. It's not exclusive to reading either.  Every content area needs precision with language for kids to break through to the learning intention.  This happens when your conceptual knowledge is deepened around the grade level standard and teaching behavior you'll use, like feedback or small group guided instruction.  Intentional choices are deliberate and purposeful decisions.  Teaching intentionally means thinking ahead and making choices based on your strengths and goals.  Teachers who teach with intention try not to act on impulse, but instead, think ahead and choose things that affect instruction positively.

OK 

How do we consistently break through to the percentages in the high 70's and 80's?

Teach with intention and say:

I meant to say that!

What is your next move?  How will you consistently accomplish what is laid out in the blog.  Is this a common challenge for your collaborative team?  Please comment below.