No One Left Behind: Not Students, Teachers, Principals, nor Parents | Esther B. Coleman and Lourdes Ferrer, Ed.D.
Program Description
(Spanish versions available) This program is designed to increase teacher assessment literacy. Participants will learn proven-to-work test-taking strategies that increase student performance; analyze, communicate, and use student assessment data reports; build a school culture that promotes academic achievement; implement research-based and proven-to-work school/classroom practices that can generate student motivation and improve performance in testing situations; build grade level/subject area dynamic and effective teacher teams; implement school practices that empower parents and increase involvement; and/or deepen and strengthen mathematical knowledge and self-confidence. All programs are developed based on a theory of change and a professional development logic model in accordance with standards and principles of the National Staff Development Council - NSDC.
Virginia Standard(s) Addressed
Planning & Assessment (ISLLC standard 3)
Instructional Leadership (ISLLC standard 1)
Safety & Organizational Management for Learning (ISLLC standards 2 & 3)
Communication & Community Relations (ISLLC standard 4)
Professionalism (ISLLC standards 5& 6)
Program Goals and Objectives
By the end of this program, participants will demonstrate the ability to:
- Increase teacher assessment literacy by understanding the differences and similarities between national, state, division, and classroom level assessments in terms of purpose, use, content, and format (Assessment)
- Develop classroom assessments that have a clear purpose, are aligned to the state standards in content and rigor, use the appropriate methodology and sampling, and are free from biases and distortion (Assessment)
- Learn and implement Learn proven-to-work test-taking strategies that increase student performance in any testing situation (Test-taking)
- Analyze, communicate, and use student assessment data reports to determine academic needs and establish academic goals (Data Analysis)
- Build a school culture that promotes academic achievement (Culture)
- Implement research-based and proven-to-work school/classroom practices that can generate student motivation and improve performance in testing situations (Student Motivation)
- Build grade level/subject area dynamic and effective teacher teams (Teams)
- Implement school practices that empower parents and increase involvement (Parental Involvement)
- Deepen and strengthen mathematical knowledge and self-confidence of elementary school teachers (Mathematics)
Program Format
Let's Begin With What We Have Your school staff can be assessment-literate. In this seminar teachers, school administrators, and division instructional staff study the beliefs, trends, and events that lead to the assessment tools that are already available. This seminar makes connections between standards, assessment, and accountability. Participants analyze the differences and similarities, in terms of purpose, use, content, and format between criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests and national, state, division, and classroom level assessments.
It's a Good Thing To Re-invent the Wheel Equip your staff to develop their own quality assessments for their classrooms. This workshop is designed to raise the awareness level of teachers, school administrators, and division instructional staff regarding the function and importance of teacher-made classroom assessments. They discover methods to improve their ability to align their daily instruction and assessments to the state standards and assessments. Teachers are equipped with tools to use in the process of developing classroom assessments that have a clear purpose, are aligned to state standards in content and rigor, use appropriate methodology and sampling, and are free from biases and distortion.
Test-Taking Experts Give at-risk students the tools they need to succeed in tests. Minority and low-income students face challenges in testing situations. In this staff development opportunity, teachers and school administrators learn to identify these challenges and implement proven-to-work school/classroom practices and test-taking strategies that will allow students to achieve a greater level of test-taking success.
No Data Left Unused The ability to mine, analyze, communicate, and utilize data is an invaluable skill. In this seminar teachers, school administrators, and division instructional staff learn how to work with data and use student assessment data reports (AYP, SAR, SPI, etc.) to determine students academic needs and establish school academic goals.
Create a Culture of Achievement Learn to create an atmosphere of success. At this training event, instructional personnel at all levels come to a deeper understanding of the relationship between school culture and student achievement. They will be able to identify classroom practices that create a better learning environment for all students. They will be able to formulate and implement research-based strategies for their schools to create a culture that increases academic success.
Changing the "Whatever!" Attitude Be a catalyst to generate student motivation to learn. Teachers and school administrators increase their awareness of the role that student motivation plays in academic achievement and learn about research-based and proven-to-work school/classroom practices that can generate student motivation to learn and improve performance in any testing situation.
¡Vivan Los Estudiantes! Get Latino students to academic proficiency. Teachers, school administrators, and division instructional personnel increase their awareness of the challenges that Hispanic/Latino students need to overcome in school and learn proven-to-work school/classroom practices that will help them experience academic success.
No Teacher Left Alone Build dream-teams as a result of this seminar. Teachers and school administrators explore the advantages of teachers working together in grade level and subject area teams so that all students reach proficiency. They develop the ability to problem-solve within a team and increase its effectiveness by understanding the characteristics of high-functioning teams and recognizing the challenges that individuals face as interdependent members of a team who validate each other.
No Parent Left Apart Informing and involving parents empowers them. Teachers and school administrators increase their awareness of the impact that parental involvement has on student academic achievement and learn about research-based and proven-to-work school practices and strategies that empowers parents and increase involvement.
Let Them Be All That They Can Be Plan a boot camp for teachers as a training opportunity to develop their expertise in mathematics. Elementary school teachers deepen and strengthen their mathematical knowledge in Number Sense and Operations, Algebraic Thinking, Geometry/Spatial Sense, Measurement, and Data Analysis and Probability; increase their capacity to solve word problems, communicate findings, use reasoning and critical thinking, and make connections to other sciences; learn teaching strategies to communicate hard-to-teach mathematical concepts; learn how to use PowerPoint and Excel programs for instructional purposes; and, build the self-confidence that will empower them to teach mathematics to a diverse student population.
Twenty Plus One Things Parents Can Do to Improve Their Child's Performance in School Get parents to help students achieve academic proficiency. This workshop is designed to motivate, empower, and provide families with proven-to-work at-home strategies that can increase their child's academic achievement. Note: There is a Spanish version for this training.
It's More Than "Yes" or "No" Understand and use the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report. Teachers, school administrators, and division instructional personnel learn about the beliefs behind, components, and national trends and concerns that led to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act; how to read and interpret the Adequate Yearly Progress Report (AYP), research-based practices that can increase the academic achievement of the different subgroups; and, establish goals to get all students to proficiency.
Instructional Strategies will include the following:
- Engagement in a participant-centered approach to learning and transformation emphasizing the importance of individual change as a precursor and foundation for larger organizational and community change
- Utilization of clear and detailed training materials to implement the workshop strategies as part of their follow-up activities
- Participation in follow-up electronic dialogue with facilitators and other participants
- Completion of electronic follow-up activities to include implementing lessons and their impact
Target Audience
School and division level administrators, school staff, parents, community members, school volunteers.
Self-Selection and/or Identification Through School Division
Yes/yes.
Duration of Program
Tailored to the needs - This training is best delivered in a series of sessions spanning one semester or longer with follow-up assignments in between sessions.
Outcomes Measured
Measurement of outcomes will focus upon the program goals transformed into outcomes and will answer these evaluation questions within an NSDC evaluation framework. Are participants able to:
- Increase teacher assessment literacy by understanding the differences and similarities between national, state, division, and classroom level assessments in terms of purpose, use, content, and format?
- Develop classroom assessments that have a clear purpose, are aligned to the state standards in content and rigor, use the appropriate methodology and sampling, and are free from biases and distortion?
- Learn and implement proven-to-work test-taking strategies that increase student performance in any testing situation?
- Analyze, communicate, and use student assessment data reports to determine academic needs and establish academic goals?
- Build a school culture that promotes academic achievement?
- Implement research-based and proven-to-work school/classroom practices that can generate student motivation and improve performance in testing situations?
- Build grade level/subject area dynamic and effective teacher teams?
- Implement school practices that empower parents and increase involvement?
- Deepen and strengthen mathematical knowledge and self-confidence of elementary school teachers?
Program Evaluation
The evaluation process is ongoing and will include multiple sources of information. Central to the evaluation process are pre- and post-surveys of participants that document and objectively indicate a comprehensive educational change. Participants will complete pre- and post-surveys of their awareness, attitudes, and behaviors in a number of areas. The participants will complete pre- and post-analyses to examine the progress of targeted groups of students for the purpose of analyzing the impact of lessons learned. These evaluation elements measure the degree to which the specific objectives are achieved by measuring change. This change is determined by participants' confirmation through student data analysis and through self-reporting of the participants' changes in skills, knowledge, or attitudes that the component is designed to teach. This information is vital if points are to be earned for license renewal.
Program evaluation is centered upon participants' growth in the following areas (the evaluation framework is developed in accordance with standards and principles of the National Staff Development Council - NSDC):
- Knowledge
- Attitudes
- Skills
- Aspirations
- Behaviors
Contact Information
Esther Coleman
Educational Consultant
2304 N. Main Street
South Boston, Virginia, 23452
Phone Numbers: 919-932-7711 Office | 561-707-6094 Cell
ebellcole@aol.com