BEST Instruction INCLUDES the HEART of the Core Curriculum: ILOs

Good Day, Friends,

One of the most rewarding experiences a teacher enjoys is hearing from former students who take a minute to say thanks. It is THE BIGGEST PAY DAY when it happens - at least for me. And I'm guessing many of you would agree. Over the years, I've experienced a few of those pay days, but never have I received a thank you note for helping a student achieve a dynamite score on a standardized test.

I'm not saying that hasn't happened to someone; it just hasn't been MY experience. I have received email messages, however, thanking me for other applications of knowledge gleaned in my language arts classes. For example, a few years ago I found an email in my in-box from a former student who told me she learned to love writing in my classroom, and that writing literally saved her life as she worked through several psychological issues.  Housed in a rehabilitation center, she filled journal after journal with her thoughts, her reflections, her fears, and her hopes. Writing was therapeutic! And now writing is her career.

That is just one example of "goal accomplished," as outlined by the "over-reaching intent of language arts instruction, grades 7-12: ... to understand and investigate the self ... ."

Today we're going to look closer at the first detailed description of what students should take away from a language arts class, as found in the USOE Secondary Language Arts Core Curriculum.

1. Demonstrate a Positive Attitude towards Language Arts and Processes.
1. Develop confidence in the ability to access text.
2. Enjoy the processes and outcomes of reading and writing.
3. Develop confidence in the ability to express ideas, emotions, and experiences.

As I read over this elaboration, these questions come to mind:

• How many students have positive attitudes about Language Arts and processes? If they don't, why not?
• What can I do to help promote a more positive attitude about this subject I love and the processes I value?
• How many students enjoy the processes and results that come from reading and writing? Why do some students find them enjoyable and some do not?
• What can I do to help students better enjoy and appreciate processes and results?
• What does it take to support students in developing confidence in their ability to express ideas, emotions, and experiences? Why is that important? How can I help them value the ability to do so? 

While I won't answer each question separately, I do believe there are some basic answers that apply to many of these questions, starting with LIKING KIDS and possessing a PASSION for teaching. I know there are 101 buckets of problems that are dowsing the fire we try to keep kindled. I read the JEA survey results that 57% responded that morale is lower this year than last year, but losing our passion while working with students will only make the situation worse. Instead, let the interaction with students be the refuge from the bickering over budgets and the policies of politicians.

This post took a turn I didn't plan on, but I don't feel that we can get at the heart of ANYTHING if we LOSE heart.

Best wishes,
Renae

BEST Instruction: REMEMBER Intended Learning Outcomes!

WoW! That title is a grabber, isn't it? Uh, no! UNLESS the reader remembers what Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) are! Now most educators depend upon a definition that reads something like this:

ILOs: Statements that describe what students should KNOW, UNDERSTAND, and be able to DO with their knowledge as well as what they FEEL and BELIEVE as a result of their LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

While most teachers focus upon the knowing, understanding, and doing, many forget the feeling and believing. Why? Because the latter part of this definition - that "touchy-feely" part is NOT tested. Understandably so. How can test-makers create a standardized, summative assessment that measures how students feel and what they believe?

After all, in this test-taking day and age, why should we worry about what WON'T be on the CRTs, the UBSCT, the ACT or SAT? As long as we teach the core and prepare the students for the season of testing, are we not doing enough?

The answer is "no." ILOs are a part of the core curriculum, and are expected to be an important part of instruction. With added capitalization, I created my own Wordle  "word cloud" to quote this excerpt from the USOE Langugae Arts Core Curriculum Introduction:

The OVERARCHING INTENT of language arts instruction in grades 7-12 is for students to VALUE, APPRECIATE, and DEMONSTRATE LITERACY through EXPRESSIVE and RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE skills, and to UNDERSTAND and INVESTIGATE the SELF, OTHERS, the CULTURE, and the ENVIRONMENT. The INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) describe the GOALS for language arts SKILLS and ATTITUDES. They are an INTEGRAL part of the CORE, and SHOULD BE INCLUDED as part of INSTRUCTION. PROCESS SKILLS in LANGUAGE ARTS domains are CRITICAL to the development of HIGH LEVELS of LITERACY and LEAD to UNDERSTANDING and INTERNALIZING ILOs.

ILOs are sometimes described as the HEART of the Core. While the voice of the above elaboration may be rather formal, some words and phrases create the heart. For example, the verbs value, appreciate, and understand, along with the adjectives expressive and critical, as well as the adverb integral denote passion and importance. The objects of the verbs - self, others, culture, and environment - specify subjects worthy of rigorous study and deep reflection. Skills and attitudes imply physical and emotional characteristics needed to develop high levels of literacy. 

As this is the time of year when goal-setting becomes a priority, it is also a good time to emphasize that ILOs describe the goals for Language Arts and that they should be included in teachers' instruction. But how long has it been since you reviewed the particulars of the core's Intended Learning Outcomes?

Over the next couple of days, let's look at a few of the ILO's descriptors. As we do, note the verbs used and the broad ramifications of those we examine.

Until tomorrow,
Renae