This Bright Spot comes from Fred Santoli, Coordinator of Curriculum & Assessment at Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES.  Fred has been supporting teachers in the Fox Meadow program in using Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) strategies to increase high school students’ ability to ask higher order questions.

What student outcome was achieved?
Students in the 11th grade US History class are asking and answering higher-order analysis and evaluation questions related to quotes about the Cold War.

What instructional practice or systemic change supported this student success?
Teachers incorporated the following EDI strategies into daily instruction:
⇒ Providing a “bullet-proof” definition of the word “question”;
⇒ Providing clear definitions of “open” and “closed” types of questions;
⇒ Checking for understanding by frequently questioning students and calling on non-volunteers;
⇒ Asking students who have mastered the concepts to provide support to students who have not yet mastered them; and
⇒ Providing explicit, timely and specific feedback to student responses

Our Bright Spot this month comes from teachers at Graham Elementary School in Mount Vernon who are implementing a district initiative on differentiating through small group Literacy Workstations with support from RSE-TASC Special Education School Improvement Specialist Denise Jaffe.

What student outcome was achieved?

Here’s what their teachers report:

• Students are definitely using higher level thinking, collaborating and asking each other for advice.  I have seen major growth with student independence as I see them thinking about, “what do I do next?” Denise Grant, grade 3
• Changed the mindset of my students, especially in writing, to “I can do it”. They see value being in school and learning and are able to make better choices for themselves, especially with strategies to help them with reading.  Glenda Sanchez, grade 5
• Huge growth with fluency and my students are completing their homework. Cassandra Carbone, grade 4
• The most progress I’ve seen my students make .  Andrea Gelling, grade 6

What instructional practice or systemic change supported this student success?

Here are some of the critical elements teachers identified:

• The relationships I was able to establish with all students with  small groups every day.
• Implementing choices for homework was very motivating for my students.
• The consistent established routines have helped students focus and eliminate many of the behavior issues.
• I am meeting my students where they are.