ELL and Regular Ed. as an Integrated Experience

1. ELL and Regular Ed. as an Integrated Experience

2. Lake Geneva Joint #1, which is a 4K-8 district Badger High School, is a union high school which has 5 districts feeding into it “Lake Geneva Schools” is made up of two districts:

3. Jt#1 consists of:Central-Denison: 694 students with 26% ELL Eastview: 336 students with 38% ELL Star Center: 436 students with 17.6% ELLLake Geneva Middle School: 660 students with 22% ELL and with a district-wide 56% Economically Disadvantaged

4. Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School: (better known as) Badger High School:1357 students with 13% ELL and 40% Economically Disadvantaged

5. We began looking to find the pieces to the educational puzzle… 2000-2001 Lake Geneva Schools developed their first Strategic Plan, which set into motion a plan of action to include: Research Goal Setting Implementation

6. The research led us to framing the puzzle with the pieces of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) beginning with the three critical questions of: What do the students need to learn? How will we know if they learn it? What will we do if they do not?

7. What is a PLC? Polka-dotted Leopard cub Prince Lancelot of Camelot Peer Lecturing Class None of the Above A PLC becomes the environment you work in. It is a culture within a school that builds from communication, willing attitudes, time and a purposes to improve students learning. But that is a whole other presentation…..

8. …..let’s just say, that in a PLC… there’s a whole lot of collaboration going on…

9. Student Integration through Collaboration at Central-DenisonElementary School

10. How Do ESL students and teachers integrate into the Collaboration puzzle?

11. CollaborationHave you ever felt overwhelmed or alone? At Central-Denison our planned collaboration time is referred to as TEAMS time. It took us a while to integrate ALL staff members into the process.

12. Intervention TimeWhat does it mean to you? Intervention time is time carved out of a day where students should receive the right dose of medicine to help cure their learning need. At Central-Denison, intervention time is 30 minutes a day where kids are grouped (based on assessment) and taught a specific skill set. Support staff and aides help to reduce the size of student groups during this time.

13. Central-Denison Elementary School A Little Background • Two schools merged to become Central-Denison • Enrollment • 701 students PreK-5 in 2005-2006 • 698 students PreK-5 in 2009-2010 • Poverty • 39.5% economically disadvantaged in 2005-2006 • 47.9% economically disadvantaged in 2009-2010 • English Language Learner (ELL) population • 17.5% of students body (16.8% Hispanic) 2005-2006 • 21.1% of student body (19.8% Hispanic) 2009-2010

14. The Driving Force…2002 • No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation was passed • Called for stronger accountability based on results • School standardized test scores would be looked at to measure AYP • Consequences for lack of progress ELLs (after one school year) are measured with the same tools as English-speaking peers.

15. Collaboration Leads to Greater Integration2003-2004 • Two school merged to become Central-Denison Elementary School • Principal Samantha Polek charged with the task of unifying the staffs • Books were read and articles were shared staff-wide • The idea of creating a PLC was hatched • Staff did site visits

16. One Step Back …Two Steps Forward2005-2006 • TEAMS time was put into place • The goal-free up time for teachers to collaborate • Intervention left more questions than answers • Who? • Aides • Parent volunteers • Support staff • What do we intervene on? • How do we divide students? • How long should an intervention last? ESL and other support staff was assigned student supervision duties allowing grade-level teams to collaborate.

17. Collaboration was still a Segregated Experience2006-2007 • Teachers needed time to plan without students • Give up prep or student contact time? • Both, a compromise • Teachers gave up 45 minutes of prep (once/week) • The community gave up 2 hours of early release time (once/month) • Interventions take various shapes Which grade-level meeting to choose? We met instead as an ESL team within our building (4 staff members). Struggled to serve a grade level of ELLs in one 30 minute group daily.

18. Once you get collaboration time what will you do with it? • Use DuFour’s big questions as your guide: • What do our kids need to know? (curriculum/standards) • How do we know if they know it? (assessments) • MAP • STAR Reader • RIGBY running records • End of chapter/unit tests • Teacher assessment • What do we do if they don’t know it? (interventions) • What do we do if they already know it? (enrichment) There is no “I” in this “TEAM.”

19. Integration Continues as Collaboration Grows2007-2008 School-Wide ESL Department • TEAMS continued to meet • 45 minutes before school (once/week) • 2 hours of early release time (once/month) • Interventions now an expectation • Segmentation led a push for pull-in services • Meetings days spread out to allow specialists and administrators to attend more meetings • Started meeting more with grade-level teams and less as an ESL group • Struggled to find changing role • What to teach a whole grade levels of ELLs for 30 minutes each day? • Ineffective service to always be in the back of a classroom. • Specialists attended more meetings. Had a say in pacing, curriculum, and accommodations

20. Greater Staff Integration Ensures Greater Student Integration2008-2009 School-Wide ESL Department • TEAMS continued to meet • 45 minutes before school (once/week) • 2 hours of early release time (once/month) • During lunch • Extra mornings • Interventions became more organized and effective • A push for pull-in services and co-teaching ensued • Kids in “my class” became “ours” • Now equal members of grade level teams • Divided ELL caseload by grade level • Intervening by skill and student need, not by label or ELP • Began working with the classroom teacher and not in place of him/her • Still spending time at the back of pull-in rooms • Caucasian kids in the hall started saying hi • Missing ESL connections

21. Positive Collaboration Leads to Successful Integration2009-2010 School-Wide ESL Department • TEAMS continued to meet • Team building and open sharing set groundwork for powerful conversations • Interventions still shift to meet new student needs • Pull-in services and co-teaching continue with clustered classes • “Our” kids were growing • We continued to meet with 2 grade level teams each week • Team building takes time • Two 45 minute preps each week • On-going co-planning • Began meeting additionally once/month with other K-5 ESL teachers throughout the district and quarterly with K-12 ESL staff • “Our” kids were growing

22. What does an ESL team meeting look like? • When? • 45 minutes before school (once a month) • Who? • All ESL professionals at the elementary level • What? • Service type and quantity • New students • Testing (accommodations and analysis of data) • Resource sharing • How? • Just ask…

23. “Our” Kids Are Growing Proficient and Advanced Scores on the Reading Section of WKCE Data taken from WINSS (September 2010)

24. “Our” Kids Are Growing Proficient and Advanced Scores on the MathSection of WKCE Data taken from WINSS (September 2010)

25. Education is an Integrated ProcessSchool-Wide ESL Department • TEAMS continue to meet and focus on team-building, open sharing, and data analysis • Interventions still change to meet new student needs • Trust builds: all the kids working in other groups are getting what they need • Pull-in services and co-teaching continue with clustered classes • We focus on students, not labels • We are part of grade-level teams and an ESL team • I keep close track of ELLs progress, but I care about the success of all students • I trust those ELLs not in “my group” are getting what they need • Professional development and classes in co-teaching are being offered • We focus on students, not labels

26. We focus on students, not labels Autistic ELL, level 1 Transient EBD ELL, level 5 CD Lives in poverty

27. What does the 30 minutes of intervention look like? • Kindergarten: pre-reading skills • Short skill assessments break kids into groups • Focus on skill (letter sound, blending, segmenting, rhyming, etc) • 1st Grade: Reading • Split into groups based on running record level (starting at AA) • Comprehension and decoding strategies applied • 2nd Grade: Phonic skills and print types • PALS assessment break kids into groups of phonic skills • Once secure on phonic skills kids work in groups to learn how to read different types of print (poems, non-fiction, recipes, etc) • 3rd Grade: Switched between reading and math • Math groups reteach skills or enrich after a chapter test • Reading groups created from STAR Reader and MAP scores • 4th Grade: Math skills and science vocabulary • Allows second dose of math or science without missing new content in subject • 5th Grade: Switch between reading strategies and math skills • MAP test RIT scores used to make groups • Skills include: measurement, geometry, problems solving, Sue Beer’s reading strategies, and MAP strands such as analyzing test, etc

28. What is in TEAMS Time for an ESL teacher? • Better awareness of grade level expectations and students’ classroom performance • Ability to influence instruction, material choice, and assessment at the ground level • Chance to share best practice strategies • Facilitates relationship-building to strengthen co-teaching relationships

29. Can you find the time for their sake? Start by blocking off time to meet Focus on DuFour’s 4 questions Keep student learning your focus Trust in yourself and your peers Give it time to grow

30. Teacher Integration through Collaboration

31. American History in Boston:Fund for Teachers Fellowship Terri Lightheart Kristin Fish Tami Martin Michelle Barnes

32. Eastview Elementary • Population of 346 • Highest ESL Population in the district- 38% • Poverty level of 65% • Fifth grade team- focus on collaboration/integration

33. = Grant Opportunity Fund for Teachers enriches the personal and professional growth of teachers by recognizing and supporting them as they identify and pursue opportunities around the globe that will have the greatest impact on their practice, the academic lives of their students and on their school communities. Fund for Teachers awards fellowships(grants) for self-designed professional growth to PreK-12 teachers who recognize the value of inquiry, the power of knowledge, and their ability to make a difference.

34. The Collaboration Begins • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? • How much? • Getting ready...

35. Collaboration continues… • Itinerary • Interests • Blog • Money • Purchases • Built trust, friendship, knowledge • Even lesson planning

36. Where did we go and what did we do? • Plymouth Rock – Mayflower replica, Plimoth Plantation. • Whaling and the Whaling museum in Providencetown • Providencetown – Original landing site of the pilgrims and where they signed the Mayflower Compact • Hyannis Port, MA – home of the Kennedy’s • Salem, MA – historic site of the famous witch trials • Boston Freedom Trail – Paul Revere’s house, Old North Church, Old State House, Boston Commons, etc. • Harvard – Cambridge, MA • Boston Zoo

37. The Paul Revere House – Here we had a private workshop that taught us how to use Primary Sources in the classroom more effectively (Great for ESL!)

38. Plimoth Plantation

39. The Mayflower II – a replica

40. Boston “Hahbah” Harbor

41. The USS Constitution – the world’s oldest sailing commissioned warship.

42. Unexpected Surprises

43. Collaboration After the Trip • Grant responsibilities- summaries, budget, etc. • Presented at staff meeting • PLC meeting time is more enjoyable • All students are benefiting • More planning together • More co-teaching • Infusing more creative ideas into projects and daily lessons.

44. Purpose of the trip • After • Explore our professional relationships and friendships • Integration of ESL strategies and understanding into Early American History. • Build a strong teaching team based on trust (and inside jokes!) • Oh yeah, and… • Increase our own knowledge of American history • Collect valuable resources and hands-on materials Before • Explore historical sites throughout Boston that represent the origins of our country to bring history to life for students • To build our personal background knowledge of American History • To create virtual field trips for our students of historical sites • To collect replicas, books, videos, and various classroom materials for our students • To find new ways to integrate reading, writing, and history within our lessons

45. We didn’t know how important these bonds would be until we returned to school. Whatever It Takes!

46. Integration Through Collaboration in the Middle

47. LakeGeneva Middle School 2010 ELL Statistics • Lake Geneva is a resort community located in rural SE Wisconsin • Lake Geneva’s population is 7,148 • Lake Geneva Middle school has an enrollment of 659 students • Lake Geneva Middle School is a Title 1 School • 52% of students receive free or reduced lunch

48. Lake Geneva Middle School 2010 ESL Statistics • 146 students are Hispanic, 14 are Asian or Pacific Islander, 11 are black, 2 are Indian, 486 are white • 76 of the 659 students receive ELL services • 74 of the 146 Hispanic students receive ELL services • 2 of the 14 Asian students receives ELL services In the past LGMS has served African, Eastern European, and South American ELL students

49. Lake Geneva School District uses a Co-Teaching Model based on systemic support

50. ELL Staff and Schedules ESL Staff Consists of 2 ESL Teachers and 1 Aide ESL Teachers and Aide co-facilitate in homeroom s, including accompanying homerooms on field trip and team building activities ESL Teachers and Aide teach in a daily in Co-taught Math, Co-taught Science, Co-taught Social Studies, ELL Read 180 and ELL Study Hall – in every grade level.