Core+Beliefs

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Here is the most recent Core Beliefs draft, followed by the previous two versions:

** Northview Public Schools **
 * K-12 English Language Arts Core Beliefs **
 * We believe that students learn best in English Language Arts when: **

// 1. //// the majority of time every day is spent engaged in authentic reading, writing, and conversation. // 2. they have access every day to a wide range of texts that match their interests and independent reading levels.

3. they have opportunities to self-select books and writing topics.

4. they share the joy and challenges of literacy through research-based learning activities.

5. teachers share their literate lives with students, not only their love and enthusiasm for reading and writing, but also their struggles as readers and writers.

6. teachers provide expert reading and writing instruction to ensure all students become readers and writers.

7. teachers read aloud to students every day.

8. teachers have high expectations for learning (based on and beyond Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations and High School Course/Content Expectations and national College Readiness Standards and College Board Standards for College Success).

9. quality ongoing (formative) and culminating (summative) assessments guide daily classroom instruction.

10. teachers use the gradual release of responsibility/reading and writing workshop model to provide explicit scaffolded instruction through modeling, guided (flexible, non-permanent groupings) practice, and collaborative practice and then release responsibility to students for independent practice and application.

11. interventions accelerate learning, are delivered by an expert teacher in small groups or one-to-one, and supplement (not supplant) core instruction.

12. materials represent a diversity of authors, cultures, and people, respecting the various commonalities and differences in our community and our world.

DRAFT February 17, 2010

The SECOND DRAFT of the "Core Beliefs" is below: ** Northview Public Schools ** 1. Michigan’s current K-8 Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) and High School Course Expectations (HSCEs) are the basis for instruction and assessment.
 * K-12 English Language Arts Core Beliefs **

2. Teachers are the strongest readers and writers in the room; therefore, we should share our literate lives with our students.

3. More important than specific programs is a teacher’s influence and knowledge in the introduction, reinforcement, and intervention of all literacy instruction.

4. Students and teachers will share the joy of literacy through research-based learning activities and quality assessments.

5. Teachers should use ongoing (formative) and culminating (summative) assessments to guide daily instruction as well as to provide a basis for intervention.

6. Teachers will use the gradual release of responsibility/workshop model to provide explicit scaffolded instruction through modeling, guided (flexible, non-permanent groupings) and collaborative practice, and then release responsibility to students for independent practice and application.

// 7. //// Students should spend the majority of class time engaged in authentic reading, writing, and conversation. // 8. Students should have access to a wide range of texts that match their interests and reading levels.

9. Students should have opportunities to self-select books and writing topics.

10. Materials should represent diverse authors, cultures, and people while respecting their various commonalities and differences in our community and our world. DRAFT February 2010

The FIRST DRAFT of the "Philosophy and Core Ideas" is below:

** Northview Public Schools **
 * Language Arts Committee **
 * Overall Philosophy **
 * (2002) **

The Northview Language Arts Curriculum is based on the Michigan Curriculum Framework, best practices and current research, language learning, and effective instruction. Both content and process are addressed. Success in the twenty-first century will demand that citizens be able to think and read in great depth to construct, extend, and examine their interpretations, as well as personally respond to reading. They must be able to write effectively for many different purposes and in a variety of forms. They must reason and be articulate in communicating with others. Literacy also includes knowledge of technology and problem-solving skills. Northview’s Language Arts Curriculum is in line with this view of literacy and sets high expectations for all students. Our major goal is to develop competent readers and writers who are articulate communicators in the adult world.

** Northview Public Schools ** 1. Michigan’s current K-8 grade level content expectations (GLCEs) and the high school level content expectations (HSCEs) are the basis for instruction and assessment, supported with resources and professional development.
 * Core Beliefs of NVPS Literacy Framework **
 * (2006) **

2. All K-12 teachers will be responsible for teaching or reinforcing literacy skills to students in all content areas. Language arts/English teachers will be responsible for initially teaching literacy skills and the rest of the staff will promote and reinforce the use of those tools in their classrooms, with sufficient professional development.

3. Students and teachers will share the joy of literacy through meaningful learning activities and assessments at the appropriate level of thinking (recall, relate, connect, or create) as indicated in the state content expectations.

4. Teachers will provide explicit scaffolded instruction through modeling and collaborative practice and then release responsibility to the students for independent practice and application. Student learning is increased when teachers scaffold instruction through modeling and collaborative practice and then release responsibility to the students for independent practice and application.

5. Students will learn to read, write, think, speak, and listen in an integrated curriculum in every class, every day.

6. A variety of types and levels of texts will be provided with opportunities for student choice.

7. Materials will represent a diversity of authors, cultures, and people to not only reflect one’s self but mirror the world, respecting the various commonalities and differences.

8. Teachers will provide guided practice through flexible, non-permanent groupings using multiple and varied resources.

9. Equitable access and outcomes will be provided for all students as we learn from each other.

10. Students will be given many opportunities to read books at their level with time allotted for substantive conversation and reflective response in all content areas.

11. Teachers in all content areas will model effective reading strategies through the use of read-alouds.

12. Ongoing (formative) and culminating (summative) assessments will guide daily instruction as well as provide a basis for intervention as needed.

13. Teachers will work together collaboratively as professional learning communities (PLCs) for the purpose of increasing student learning based on data.

14. Administrative leaders will support parent/community education and involvement in literacy learning.