Teaching and Learning
Overview of FTF Approach to Instructional Improvement
IRRE's approach to improving instruction focuses on three research-based goals - engagement,
alignment and rigor (EAR) - in every classroom, every day:
- Engagement of all students - they understand why they are dong their work and are
interested in it.
- Alignment of what is taught and what is asked of students with standards-based
curriculum and high stakes tests.
- Rigor of academic expectations for all students as reflected in:
- The materials used;
- The student work assigned;
- The discussions among teachers and students; and
- Doing whatever it takes to make sure all students demonstrate mastery at proficient or higher levels.
With IRRE support, schools and districts achieve EAR by using two key resources to improve
the instructional process:
- Time, made available through schedules that give teachers in each SLC regular time
together - three hours a week - when students are outside the SLC in other classes or
activities. Schools also release students early or convene classes late, weekly if
possible, so teaching staff can work in their content areas across SLCs. During these
times, teaching staff work together to strengthen and expand instructional techniques
around EAR through specific strategy training, peer observation and dialogue and creating
and examining common assessments of student work.
- Leadership for instructional improvement focused on EAR with a strong emphasis on
real-time coaching and data-driven dialogue fueled by information on student outcomes
and by Measuring What Matters, a set of processes and products developed by IRRE to
provide instructional leaders with continuous information from classroom visits on the
quality of teaching and learning.
A Special Focus: Strengthen Student Skills in Literacy and Math
IRRE works with schools to develop schedules that give students more instructional
time in language arts and math, the foundation for all of their academic subjects.
Struggling students are able to catch up without having to fail and retake courses by taking
FTF Literacy and FTF Math during this additional instructional time. Students who are
already on track move to higher levels of mastery. Whenever possible, FTF schools lower
student/adult ratios in language arts and math by redistributing staff.
Selected References:
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