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November 2017, Vol. 2
 Standards at work
Iowa’s
academic standards provide foundation for ESSA plan
Iowa’s
academic standards will play a central role in the implementation of Iowa’s
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), according to Erika Cook, bureau chief of
standards and curriculum. Iowa submitted its plan to the U.S Department of
Education (USDE) in September and anticipates a response from the USDE as early as November. One of ESSA's requirements is academic standards with an aligned assessment.
Academic
standards in Iowa include the required standards in English/Language Arts, mathematics,
science, social studies and 21st Century Skills, the Early Learning
Standards, the English Language Proficiency Standards, and the Essential
Elements for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. New
standards in fine arts are recommended, as are soon-to-be-developed computer
science standards.
The
assessment aligned to the reading/language arts and mathematics standards is
mandatory in grades 3 through 8 and at least one grade in high school. The requirements also include an
aligned assessment in science at one grade in elementary, middle, and high school.
“We’re
excited to see our accountability system aligned to our standards. This will
help teachers improve instruction, schools improve practices and structures,
and the Department of Education, area education agencies, and districts provide
targeted professional development,” Cook said. According to Iowa's ESSA Plan, the identification of schools in
need of assistance will be based in part on their students' performance on the aligned
assessments.
Cook
identified another section of ESSA that will require Department leadership and
consultants to compile research and evidence-based practices in a variety of
disciplines and program areas, some of which will be housed on
iowacore.gov. This will expand the
subject area pages that are already available under Educator Resources.
For more
information, contact Erika Cook at erika.cook@iowa.gov or (515) 240-3103.
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 Expert advice
Iowa math
leaders learn from the best
Members of
the Statewide Mathematics Team are benefiting from learning from leading
experts in the field of mathematics education. “One of the outcomes the team has for
the year is to get the answers to questions straight from the experts,” said
April Pforts, mathematics consultant and lead of the statewide team. This is
part of the team’s ongoing learning, she said.
Jason
Zimba, a lead writer of the Common Core State Standards for mathematics, will present to the team November 9. In addition to answering questions
posed by the team, Zimba will discuss the importance of the math shifts
including the instructional changes the math standards require. The team also wants information on the learning
progressions going from middle to high school. “We want to know
what he knows, to look through his lens in implementing the standards,” Pforts said
Since the release of the standards in 2010, Zimba has continued to support their implementation
through his work with Student Achievement Partners, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to helping teachers and school leaders implement the mathematics and
literacy standards.
In
addition to Zimba, the math team received training from Shelby Cole, a
senior content specialist at Student Achievement Partners; Christina
Tondevold, an expert on number sense, which is an important skill for early
math learners to develop; Dan Meyer, a well-known math educator and the
inventor of the Three-Act Task, a type of problem-based instructional math
task; and Matt Larson, the president of the National Council of Mathematics and
one of the authors of Principles to
Actions: Ensuring Mathematics Success for All.
For more information, contact April
Pforts at april.pforts@iowa.gov or
(515) 314-6243.
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Teacher leaders
Trusting
relationship key to working with adult learners
One responsibility of many teacher leaders is that of
working with adult learners, such as teaching colleagues in a professional
development session, mentoring, coaching, or facilitating collaborative groups.
According to Teacher Leadership and Compensation consultant Lora Rasey, “Teacher
leaders who successfully work with adult learning build trusting relationships
and facilitate learning environments that empower their co-workers. They
understand that teacher learning is interwoven with student learning and how teacher
knowledge and practice are developed.”
A self-assessment
developed by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession (CSTP) describes
the highest level of quality of Working with Adult Learners as, “I motivate
others to build trusting relationships that promote collaborative inquiry,
disrupt existing assumptions, value diversity of opinion, and foster
responsibility for the group’s learning.
I affect teacher change by planning and implementing powerful
instruction based on knowledge of adult learners’ need and grounded in
reflective practice. I help others to create an environment that encourages
risk taking and innovative thinking."
Leading adult learning is a critical role of the teacher
leader. Teacher leaders might want to carefully consider the adult learners with whom they are working and identify strategies that will be most effective with them.
For example, research shows that teachers learn best when actively drawing form
prior knowledge in a comfortable environment and from a teacher leader who
understands the state of the teacher-audience. Teacher leaders are valued by
educators for their knowledge, innovation, and leadership.
The NEA Teacher Leadership Competences state this about
Adult Learning: “The Teacher Leader understands the differences in the ways in
which adults learn, respecting their expertise and valuing the direct impact
adult learning has on student success.” Teacher leaders are critical to the
design and delivery of professional learning that impacts school
improvement efforts.
Contact Lora Rasey at lora.rasey@iowa.gov or (515) 281-6719 for more information.
Before-
and after-school
Consultant recognized for fostering community partnerships
Vic Jaras,
a consultant in the bureau of Standards and Curriculum, received a 2017 Partners
in Education award from the Council Bluffs Community School District (CBCSD). Jaras was recognized by the district for his
work in overseeing the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st
CCLC) grant. CBCSD is one of 105 sites statewide to receive the federally-funded
grant, which can be used to create and expand after-school programs that offer
extended learning opportunities for children and their families.
One of the
conditions of receiving and keeping the grant is increasing the number of
community partners involved in before- and after-school care. CBCSD has between
80 and 90 community partners. As part of his oversight duties, Jaras visits 35
to 40 sites each year and meets with community partners.
Jaras
began working with the 21st CCLC grant in 2012 and, in that time, he
has observed many extended learning opportunities for children. So, in his
opinion, what makes a good before- and after-school program? It is the
following, according to Jaras:
- Developing
a positive relationship with the children
- Focusing on
the whole child
- Involving the community
- Reinforcing what teachers are doing (site words, vocabulary, oral reading, etc.)
- Adding STEM
and computer science to the curriculum
For more information on before- and
after-school programs or the 21st Century Community Learning Grant,
contact Vic Jaras at vic.jaras@iowa.gov
or (515) 242-6354.
 Author! Author!
Former
consultant writes young adult literature
Cheryl
Mullenbach, social studies consultant from 2009 to 2014, is now an
award-winning author of books for young readers ages 9 through 12+. Mullenbach’s
books are recognized by organizations including the National Council for
Social Studies, the American Library Association, and the International
Literacy Association.
All of
Mullenbach’s books are historic nonfiction. “Doing research is like being a
detective. I find somebody’s name in a newspaper archive and then start digging
to find out more about them. Eventually, I uncover these great real life
stories,” she said.
Titles by
Mullenbach include the following:
- Torpedoed! A World War II Story of
a Sinking Passenger Ship and Two Children’s Survival at Sea
- Women in Blue: 16 Brave Officers,
Forensics Experts, Police Chiefs, and More
- The Great Depression for Kids
- The Industrial Revolution for Kids
- Double Victory: How African
American Women Broke Race and Gender Barriers to Help Win World War II.
More information on Cheryl Mullenbach and her
books can be found at http://www.cherylmullenbachink.com/books.html.
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Sharing science resources
Join the
Iowa Science Coaching Network
Instructional coaches interested in getting support in
implementing Iowa’s science standards will want to join the Iowa Science
Coaching Network. This on-line learning community was initiated by the
collaborative efforts of Kris Kilibarda, science consultant for the Iowa
Department of Education, and Amy Johannsen and Eric Hillman, science
instructional coaches at Southeast Polk CSD. The statewide Network’s purpose
includes the following:
- Provide support specific to science standards and best
practices
- Share resources used to coach teachers
- Share resources to provide PD to teachers
- Provide a space for coaches to pose questions of other
coaches
- Provide new learning for all members
Coaches
can join the network by filling out the form at bit.ly/iascience and learn more by
checking out the website at bit.ly/scinetwork.
For more information, contact Amy Johannsen at amy.johannsen@southeastpolk.org or Eric Hillman
at eric.hillman@southeastpolk.org.
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