LEARN’s System of Learning

The objective of LEARN’s System of Learning is to ensure that effective student-centered instruction is being executed consistently across classrooms (and schools) to maximize student achievement.   LEARN differentiates instruction, utilizes assessment data, and coaches our instructors to constantly improve the quality of teaching.
 
Our System of Learning is based on LEARN’s core beliefs about how students learn most effectively.  We believe that the relationship between students and their instructors is critical.  We believe that learning is maximized when the instructors have a thorough understanding of each student’s learning style, interests, strengths and deficiencies and are able to offer a customized, relevant and challenging curriculum.
 
Our System of Learning has been evolving and improving based on internal assessments and input from outside evaluators.  In the past, our instructors tended to deliver whole classroom instruction in order to reach the students at grade level.  Upon reflection, we realized that we were not adequately instructing students who were below or above grade level.  We understand that within our classrooms there is a wide range of abilities, learning styles and backgrounds.  We are now developing appropriately aggressive goals by utilizing beginning-of-the-year assessments.  In addition, we are measuring how each student progresses toward those goals throughout the year while intervening as necessary. In order to achieve these goals, our instructors must deliver a more customized and appropriate learning experience for each child. 
 
This new approach required two significant changes– more small group lessons and better assessment tools.  Fortunately, we are able to deliver this more intimate and customized approach to learning because of our small classroom size (22 students) and the number of instructors (two) working in most classrooms.   As a result, we are able to differentiate instruction to meet the unique needs of small groups and individual students. 
 
With regard to assessment, historically we relied on summative assessments like Iowa Test of Basic Skill (ITBS) and the Illinois State Achievement Tests (ISAT) to determine our students’ achievement levels.  While these tests are helpful for understanding student achievement at a discrete point in time, they do not tell us which students are making acceptable levels of progress and at what pace they are progressing.
 
Going forward, we will focus on student-level achievement gains and the percentage of students who are meeting their annual target goals.  In this way, we can continually assess the effectiveness of our instructors and program to ensure that students ultimately graduate ready for a college prep high school. Based on our research and investigation, we recently adopted a new assessment tool---NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) that will allow us to: 1) accurately and completely assess each student’s academic level; 2) set annual growth goals; 3) use the assessment data to design a customized and appropriate program of learning for each student; and 5) periodically assess each student’s progress toward annual goals throughout the year.   Equally important, we will be able to use this assessment data to more accurately diagnose each student’s deficiencies and adjust the student’s learning experience to better meet the specific needs of that student. 
 
Our staff is structured to support this dynamic System of Learning.  Our Principals are instructional leaders, spending the majority of their time in the classrooms supporting, coaching and evaluating instructors on how to best drive strong student achievement. In addition, each school has several mentor teachers who regularly observe their peers, offer feedback, and model best practices in order to help instructors develop professionally.  This peer coaching model is very effective and encourages sharing of best practices and regular collaboration between staff members.
 
There are five inter-related components that support LEARN’s System of Learning to ensure each student receives individualized, differentiated instruction. 

1. High Academic Standards
2. Aligned Curricula
3. Assessment Driven Instruction
4. Robust Instructional Monitoring & Accountability
5. Intensive Instructor Support

1.  High Academic Standards
All LEARN students are expected to reach proficiency over time.  In order to ensure that the vast majority of our students are making significant progress every year, LEARN establishes a baseline for each student at the beginning of the academic year which determines the amount of progress this student should make by the end of the year.   Instructors are measured by the percentage of their students who were able to meet their growth targets over the course of the academic year.
 
2. Aligned Curricula/Resources – Instructional Methods and Strategies/Delivery
LEARN has identified the appropriate resources, instructional frameworks and assessment practices that will ensure that instructors have access to the best techniques and strategies proven to deliver successful student outcomes. Students benefit from exposure to content-rich curriculum and innovative instruction based on best practices.  Instructors bring the curriculum content to life with an array of effective teaching strategies to provide multi-modal learning and to honor the individual learning styles of every student. 
 
3.  Assessment Driven Instruction
LEARN believes that effective utilization of data is essential for developing targeted instructional plans based on the identified academic needs of students.  Instructors will utilize formative assessments to monitor students’ progress toward specific desired outcomes and adjust instructional strategies accordingly.  They will utilize summative assessments to evaluate individual student learning for grading and student evaluation.  As such, each LEARN student will receive individualized instruction at his/her instructional level regardless of grade. 
The following assessments will be used throughout the LEARN Network:

• NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
• STEP Assessments

NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)– Reading/Mathematics/Science
LEARN recently adopted NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to drive instruction and ensure accountability for student performance.  MAP is a state-aligned computerized adaptive assessment taken three times a year that provides timely, accurate information about every individual student’s instructional level in the areas of Reading, Mathematics and Science.  MAP was chosen as an assessment tool because it allows academic growth to be measured for each student beginning in kindergarten through eighth grade.  Growth and achievement data from MAP will be used to develop school-wide targeted instructional strategies. 

LEARN also recently adopted the STEP Assessment to measure skill development in reading in kindergarten through third Grade. STEP is a data-rich program that enables teachers to identify reading skill deficiencies for each child.  Children will be placed in flexible learning groups for targeted instruction based on the reading skill that needs to be strengthened.  The power of STEP is that it does not confine all students to one reading level, and it accounts for the fact that children in the same grade may not read at the same level.  In addition to being an ongoing assessment tool to monitor the step-by-step progress of each student, the STEP software allows the team to view data at the classroom, grade and school-wide levels. 
 
4.  Robust Instructional Monitoring/Accountability
Ongoing assessments are used to monitor instructional practices at LEARN and to ensure that results meet LEARN expectations. Instructional monitoring and accountability strategies ensure that instructors are held accountable for student performance.  The administration: 

• Monitors instructional practices to ensure that established outcomes are being met while taking corrective actions as necessary
• Analyzes ongoing school-wide assessments and utilizes data to lead school improvement efforts
• Evaluates instructional staff to determine the level of support an instructor needs to increase his/her effectiveness in the classroom
• Evaluates instructional programs and schools, and identifies the specific skills students are lacking and a possible root cause of poor performance
  

5.  Intensive Instructor Support
Developing highly skilled teachers who can effectively facilitate instruction in the classroom will result in more students meeting and exceeding academic goals.  The LEARN system is driven by consistently identifying and providing the kind of support individual instructors need to be effective in the classroom.  LEARN’s administrators provide instructor support by:

• Providing access to, and encouraging participation in, weekly professional development opportunities based on the needs of instructors
• Creating a collaborative environment conducive to developing pedagogical skills
• Institutionalizing cluster meetings and Professional Learning Communities that will help instructors reflect on instructional practices based on internal data
• Reviewing lesson plans to provide feedback and recommended resources as applicable
• Overseeing efforts in curriculum mapping and lesson planning; and
• Supporting development of effective intervention plans based on identified students’ instructional needs (i.e. PASS Plan)