Why was Pluto Demoted?

This presentation and related materials can be found at

http://aaslclusters.weebly.com/

Why was Pluto Demoted?

Libraries and Stronger Student Test Scores

through Better Questioning Skills

byMarc Aronson & Dorcas Hand

http://www.wombania.com/pluto.htm

Big Picture:

Bad 31.1% of grade 3-8 students across New York State

met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard; 31% met or exceeded the math proficiency standard

-- IN OTHER WORDS, 69% DID NOT

The ELA proficiency results for race/ethnicity groups across grades 3-8 reveal the persistence of the achievement gap: only 16.1% of African-American students and 17.7% of

Hispanic students met or exceeded the proficiency standard

IN OTHER WORDS 80+% DID NOT

Worse

3.2% of English Language Learners (ELLs) in grades 3-8 met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard;

9.8% of ELLs met or exceeded the math proficiency standard 90+% DID NOT

5% of students with disabilities met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard;

7% of students with disabilities met or exceeded the math proficiency standard

90+% DID NOT

Scary: 5 Largest Cities 80 to 90+% Failure

Met or exceeded theELA Proficiency Standard

Met or exceeded theMath Proficiency Standard

FAILEDOne or both

Buffalo 11.5% 9.6% +/- 90%Yonkers 16.4% 14.5% +/- 85%New York City

26.4% 29.6% +/- 78%

Rochester 5.4% 5% +/- 95%Syracuse 8.7% 6.9% +/- 92%

Splintering “In 2012, there was a 12-point black/white

achievement gap between average third grade English Language Arts scores, and a 14-point gap in eighth grade ELA scores.  This year, the respective gaps grew to 19 and 25 points.  In 2012, there was an 8-point gap between black/white third-grade math scores and a 13-point gap between eighth-grade math scores.  The respective gaps are now 14 and 18 points.” Carol Burris, Op-Ed in WPost, 8/26/13

$ Makes a Difference

CC Shows What We All Know

Family Wealth Family Resources Family Education Family Culture

What can we do to improve achievement and minimize the disparities?

ELA/Literacy: 3 shifts

1. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction.

2. Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational.

3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic language.

Why? The CC Challenge For Students Is The Same as it is For

Us

http://www.independenceeventscenter.com/community-ice/Youth-Hockey

Changing on the Fly They/We need to evaluate information, form

judgments, and come to conclusions when The answer(s) are not known and The answer(s) are in contention.

Juxtapose and Think

Margaret Bourke-White, http://tinyurl.com/n4d8k4s

How Does “Information” Apply to the 3 CC Shifts?

1)Knowledge – Content Rich Connections from text to text – Citation as Treasure

Hunt

2) Evidence from text Details, evidence, argument – Compare and Contrast

3) Complex Text; Academic Language Ladder of resources – No Ledge

Are You Starting to See Yourself in the CC Challenge?

You should.

http://tinyurl.com/mg2x6f7

You Know (Or Can Know)

How Materials Connect How to Select Materials that Allow Comparison How to offer students a Complex ladder of

resources

First a Little Test

Name

One author, text, or passage that you think

requires, and rewards, rereading for the age/

grade you serve?

And then there is Shakespeare

http://tinyurl.com/348tbcs

http://tinyurl.com/5rnxu6

Now Name

one NF author, text, or passage - not

from a primary source - that you know

requires, and rewards, rereading for the age/

grade you serve?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_mark_alternate.svg

Hitherto

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterpubliclibrary/5100412049/

In Other Words

We compensate for fear that NF is difficult or dull by stressing that it is quick, fast, fun.

Thus, we steer away from NF that is Difficult, rich, complex, has layers of meaning, rewards thought.

How??? How can we prepare students for close

reading and rereading when our entire focus is on proving that NF does not require that effort?

What guidance can we give teachers when we never seek out NF that requires and rewards rereading?

We Need To Train Our Eyes To break down NF Learn to find NF that rewards rereading Learn how to juxtapose NF sources Learn to find NF passages that inspire

questions and lead to deep understanding. We need to provide teachers and

students opportunities for the kinds of reading CC requires.

What Worked in NYC?

Lab Middle – An Example

New York City Deputy Mayor Wolfson Visits Lab Middle; Congratulates Students, Teachers and Administration

Lab is one of 22 NYC schools ranked in the top 25 statewide, as measured by the new more rigorous common core exams

Lab teachers spent two years developing CC Curriculum – full knowledge and ownership

Lab Principal let teachers lead Lab librarians offered CC truly across all reading, all

classes For students…

Astonishing

40% of Lab Middle Students who scored 3 on last assessments moved to 4 on CC

Test captured the way they already read

Key Term: “Argumentative Text”

Across all classes, students compare, contrast, evaluate, juxtapose.

Actively make meaning Not passively identify and define

Knowledge In Formation

That is what Information MUST mean Exercise Mental Muscle Making shape: taking possession of the

information, understanding it, rephrasing it This must characterize the whole school – and

you are the key to creating that atmosphere

Are You Promoting

Argumentative Text? Text connections: fiction to NF; math to

history; ELA to science? Is the library filled with displays featuring

contention and debate? Are you updating the school on great NF that

supports CC?

Second Example: IS 52 Inwood – 60% ELL (97% Dominican)

15% Special Needs Test scores down

BUT Dr. Sal Fernandez: 2013 Elizabeth Rohatyn

Prize from Teaching Matters for supporting teachers and learning

Focused on improvement in different cohorts, largest growth in weakest students

Biggest Impact Most significant vector in your school

score may be the performance of your weakest students

You can have greatest impact by helping those struggling students

Help them read for: Main point; subsidiary point; evidence, argument, POV

Pick two accounts of last night’s big game, one from city (state) that won, one from parallel that lost. Compare – same event, just happened, what details does each use? How is game described?

CCC for CC

Communicate often Collaborate widely Consistent message

Everyone in building learning together

Grant to Build Library at Inwood (IS52) Dynamic librarian seeded the idea

A team weeded library of old/weak/damaged books leaving many empty shelves

Principal sees key need – find librarian to fill shelves (and workstations) with materials that will help students

He understands the librarian is the next key member of his team

Two Schools, Two Stories

In one, scores up – lessons In one, scores down – lessons Don’t mourn, organize And Make Friends

Considering Clusters - Then

• Traditional Library display content• Straightforward• Unbiased• Just the facts

Thanks to Sue Bartle, from a Workshop with Marc Aronson in 2013.

Why was Pluto Demoted?

Returning to our session title,

wouldn’t this be a fun cluster?

Beginning to change

Here we have an open question – How did brothers manage?By juxtaposing these materials, viewers see questions rather than answers.

Clusters that look ahead with more complicated questions.

Questions rather than answers

• Possible Assignment: Consider the Civil War from the perspective of a person or group who were there, but whose voice you have not heard often (blacks, women, immigrant, …)

• How can students & teachers contribute to this cluster, to inspire further questions?

• Can a stand-alone library display be a catalyst for the move to questions from answers?

• What questions come to mind just from this small array of books?

• Is there any “right” answer, or even only one question?

Life in the Civil War- How might your life be affected if it happened now, here, to you? Real people, real wars.

Bosnia1991-1993

Lebanonc. 1991

Two perspectives on the same events

Split personality???

Perspectives on Lincoln – in print

and online

Lincoln's American Dream: Clashing Political Perspectives, edited by Kenneth L. Deutsch and Joseph R. Fornieri (Vol.28, Iss.2, Summer 2007)

“Lincoln, Hollywood, and an Opportunity for Historians” by James Grossman. The Journal of the American History Association (November 2012)

Insights from assassinations

PBS American Experience

What do these men have in common?

What can you learn from their differing experiences with similar challenges? Besides being president, all of these men sent Americans to _______.

How do Libraries communicate? Traditional

Signage & Book displays

Reading lists, Pathfinders

Classroom visits & hallway chats

Newsletters home & PTA presentations

Digital Websites

Online catalog home page & searchability

LibGuides, Pinterest, etc

Electronic newsletters, QR code signage, links in books to author websites….

Referring back to Marc Students/adults need to adapt on the fly They/We need to evaluate information, form

judgments, and come to conclusions when The answer(s) are not known and The answer(s) are in contention.

Supporting Student Achievementthrough Library Displays

Offer different perspectives Provide unexpected juxtapositions Knowledge, Evidence, Complexity Inspire questions that support active

learning Actively make meaning

Activity: You have 15 minutes to develop a Cluster for Monday. Work alone or with a partner. Develop an idea and/or find specific resources

on your catalog or the web. Be prepared to report:

Age group, topic 1-2 key questions that focus your cluster. What do you want your students to consider

when they look at this cluster? What format do you want to use? (book

display, pathfinder, Pinterest, …) [OPTIONAL]

REPORTS

Post your report to http://aaslclusters.weebly.com/blog.html so that everyone can see.

Key Outreach

To Parents – via school, in conjunction with public library

Parents, teachers, admins, must see you for who you are – for the knowledge you have

In Particular “I didn’t realize schools could go without a

library.” Houston Chronicle, Nov. 2013. http://tinyurl.com/nxajlyq

Where books are acquired: 7 to 12

Independent / local bookstore (not a major national or regional chain)

Other online retailer (B&N.com, etc.)

ebook apps

Books-a-Million bookstore

Half-Price Books

Other big box store (Target, Costco, etc.)

Used bookstore

Garage sale/sidewalk sale/secondhand shop

Scholastic book fairs

WalMart or Sam's Club

Scholastic book clubs

School Library

Barnes & Noble bookstore

Amazon.com

Public Library

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

3%

3%

3%

3%

4%

5%

5%

5%

9%

11%

14%

16%

16%

23%

31%

3%

2%

3%

2%

2%

8%

4%

6%

7%

18%

13%

14%

13%

28%

36%

Fall 12Spring 13

58

4-Wave trend of recommendations (0 to 6)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

13%

8%

19%

14%15%

24%26%

29%

8%9%

12%14%

17%19%

27%

38%

Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013

59

Key Point

Library & teacher influence down

People making more decisions on own

60

Types of Books Purchased for Kids (0 - 6)

Graphic Novel

Reference Book

Series/Chapter Book

Non-Fiction Book

Novelty book

Bible/Prayer Books

Interactive

Leveled Reader

Sound Book

Workbook

Beginning/Early Reader

Activity Book

Coloring Book

Picture Story book

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

5%

7%

13%

15%

15%

16%

20%

21%

21%

28%

35%

42%

55%

66%

3%

3%

13%

11%

14%

16%

17%

17%

23%

27%

35%

45%

59%

65%

GirlBoy

61

Types of Books Purchased for Kids (7 - 12)

Interactive book

Reference Book

Graphic Novel

Bible/Prayer Books

Picture/Story Book

Activity Book

Leveled Reader

Non-Fiction Book

Series Chapter Book

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

10%

11%

13%

12%

20%

31%

34%

36%

66%

7%

9%

9%

12%

17%

36%

33%

33%

72%

GIRL (487)BOY (519)

62

What were important factors in getting book (0 to 6)???

For girls…… For boys…….

I just needed to pick something fast

There was "buzz" around this book

The title or cover caught your attention

Your child likes the character or series

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

8%

12%

18%

23%

35%

40%

39%

41%

7%

7%

5%

8%

10%

25%

39%

46%

Boys 0 to 6

Major factor

Critical factor

Celebrity author

There was "buzz" around this book

The title or cover caught your attention

Your child likes the character or series

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

8%

9%

16%

23%

34%

43%

34%

40%

2%

2%

4%

7%

10%

21%

40%

41%

Girls 0 to 6

Major factor

Critical factor

63

What were important factors in getting book (7 to 12)

For girls…… For boys…….

Celebrity author

I just needed to pick something fast

There was "buzz" around this book

You liked the size, packaging, binding

The title or cover caught your attention

It was a good price

Your child likes the character or series

Topic, story, subject or story interested your child

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

7%

8%

15%

19%

33%

44%

38%

45%

1%

2%

3%

5%

7%

20%

41%

43%

Girls 7 to 12

Major factor

Critical factor

I just needed to pick something fast

Celebrity author

There was "buzz" around this book

You liked the size, packaging, binding

The title or cover caught your attention

It was a good price

Your child likes the character or series

Topic, story, subject or story interested your child

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

8%

10%

18%

21%

36%

41%

35%

38%

4%

4%

5%

8%

10%

23%

43%

48%

Boys 7 - 12

Major factor

Critical factor

64

Why You Are Needed Parents buying more NF, especially for boys,

BUT they don’t think of you as key resource to help in making selection.

Buying based on topic and celebrity author – not thinking

Put yourself forward – in schools, to PTA, show knowledge of NF, show best in NF, show pleasure in NF – establish your primacy as resource

Big Finish CC stark evidence of splits CC success depends on school-wide focus on 3

Shifts (CCC) Argumentative Text Debate everywhere Text connections everywhere

You are the hub of Informationx3 (CCC) Parent Outreach – establish authority Must develop tech/career track with CC

thinking

You As Apostle of 3C

Communicate Collaborate Consistent

CCC for CC

Communicate often Collaborate widely Consistent message

Outcome

At worst, better school

At best, better school

Dr. Marc Aronson Rutgers University (NJ) bookmarch@aol.com  www.marcaronson.com 

Dorcas Hand Director of Libraries (PS-8)

Annunciation Orthodox School

Houston, TX handd51@tekkmail.com www.strongschoollibraries.com www.studentsneedlibrariesinHISD.org

Coming February 7 -- Rutgers University hosts first joint All-Day Common

Core event for Principals, Teachers, Librarians

Why Was Pluto Demoted?This presentation and related materials can be found at http://aaslclusters.weebly.com/.