Presentation given by Carol Burris at Teaching the Hudson Valley's 2013 Summer Institute, "Placed-Based Learning & Common Core".

1. Focusing on Students in a Data-
Driven World
Carol Corbett Burris, Ed.D.
Principal of South Side High School
Rockville Centre, NY

2. 2
q 44%
of
the
NY
students
who
entered
9th
grade
in
2008
were
economically
disadvantaged
q 42%
of
all
of
the
2010
births
in
NYS
were
to
single
mothers
q 44%
did
not
attend
pre-­‐school
q In
NYS
big
cities
75%
were
economically
disadvantaged
q 70%
of
all
birth
in
the
Bronx
were
to
single
mothers

3. There is an inverse relationship between the
% of low SES students and graduation rates
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Low
Needs
Average
Needs
High
Needs
rural
High
Needs
urb/sub
High
Needs
NYC
High
Needs
Lg
City
% poverty
% grad rate all § Effects
of
individual
poverty
§ Effects
of
concentrated
poverty

4. Low-SES students can do well if they are in
well–resourced schools that are not
overwhelmed by poverty

5. 5
How
do
we
provide
our
students
with
the
enriched
and
engaging
curriculum
that
they
deserve
in
a
time
of
data
driven
reform?
“The gravest threat posed by all these reforms is
that they encourage teachers to forego real
teaching for test prep”.
Gary Rubenstein, Ed Leadership July 2013

6. 6
ü Place-­‐based
learning
provides
students
with
background
knowledge
which
in
turn
promotes
transfer,
thereby
deepening
and
accelerating
learning.
Why
place-­‐based
learning
matters…..

7. 7

8. 8
DIRECTIONS
FOR
CLOSE
READING
From
http://
www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/[iles/High-­‐School-­‐
Exemplar-­‐Lincoln-­‐Gettysburg-­‐Address.pdf
“Other
than
giving
the
brief
de[initions
offered
to
words
students
would
likely
not
be
able
to
de[ine
from
context
(underlined
in
the
text),
avoid
giving
any
background
context
or
instructional
guidance
at
the
outset
of
the
lesson
while
students
are
reading
the
text
silently.
This
close
reading
approach
forces
students
to
rely
exclusively
on
the
text
instead
of
privileging
background
knowledge
and
levels
the
playing
[ield
for
all
students
as
they
seek
to
comprehend
Jacques’
soliloquy.”

9. Read and summarize
Having crumbled to 214 all out, with Jonathan
Trott's 84 not out the glue across an otherwise
brittle English innings, the tourists were back in
the contest when Paul Collingwood's brace had
the hosts wobbling at 100 for five at the turn of
the 21st over.
From:http://russonreading.blogspot.com/2013/05/does-background-
knowledge-matter-to.html
9

10. 10
ü Place-­‐based
learning
provides
an
invaluable
opportunity
to
expand
student
vocabulary.
Why
place-­‐based
learning
matters…..

11. 11
Theme
vocabulary
• Lighthouse
• Historic
• Shoals
• Route
• Conical
• Breakwater
• Portholes
• Catwalk
• Cistern
• Buoy
• Navigational
hazards
• Obsolete
• Erected
• Navigate
• Shallow
1883
Lighthouse
at
Kingsland
Point
Park

12. Words of a Feather
route
shoals
shallow
buoy
Give students
sentence starters
Link all four words
together to build one
sentence, or two related
sentences.

13. 13
ü Place-­‐based
learning
provides
us
with
experiential
“texts”
that
we
can
use
to
develop
our
students’
analytical
and
evaluative
thinking.
Why
place-­‐based
learning
matters…..

14. Designing lessons using
Blooms as a guide

15. 15
Text
B:
Washington
Crossing
the
Delaware
1. Describe
the
dress
and
condition
of
the
soldiers.
2. Explain
why
you
know
the
crossing
was
dif[icult.
3. How
does
the
artist
use
light
,
shadowing,
color
and
other
techniques
to
create
setting?
4. What
is
the
artist’s
opinion
of
Washington?
Justify
your
opinion.
5.
Write
the
story
this
painting
tells.

16. 16
1. What,
according
to
Whitman
is
the
true
monument
to
honor
Washington?
2. The
original
title
was,
“Ah,
Not
This
Granite
Dead
and
Cold”.
Which
title
is
better?
Explain
why.
3. What
is
Whitman
telling
the
reader
with
the
insertion
of
a
question
mark
in
the
poem?
What
is
the
function
of
the
parenthesis?
4. To
what
extent
does
Whitman
see
George
Washington
as
an
archetype,
rather
than
a
[lesh
and
blood
hero?
Include
evidence
from
the
text
to
make
your
argument.
Text
C:
Washington's
Monument,
February,
1885
by
Walt
Whitman

17. Jigsaw Assignment
Provide
evidence
how
each
text
portrays
Washington
as
a
great
and
heroic
leader.
Decide
which
of
the
three
makes
the
best
case
and
explain
why.

18. Designing lessons using
Blooms as a guide

19. 19
Here
is
the
choice
that
confronts
us…..
“Other
than
giving
the
brief
de[initions
offered
to
words
students
would
likely
not
be
able
to
de[ine
from
context
(underlined
in
the
text),
avoid
giving
any
background
context
or
instructional
guidance
at
the
outset
of
the
lesson
while
students
are
reading
the
text
silently.
This
close
reading
approach
forces
students
to
rely
exclusively
on
the
text
instead
of
privileging
background
knowledge
and
levels
the
playing
[ield
for
all
students
.”
David
Coleman
“When
I
am
tempted
to
compromise
on
what
I
know
is
good
instruction,
I
will
think
back
to
letters
I've
received
from
students
over
the
years.
Although
I
certainly
can't
claim
to
have
inspired
every
student
I've
taught,
I
know
from
these
notes
that
I
have
inspired
some.
When
a
student
writes
to
me
that
she
used
to
hate
math
and
now
she
likes
it,
I've
gotten
all
the
merit
pay
I
need.”
Gary
Rubenstein

20. 20