Over the last several weeks, Midlothian ISD’s Little Cabinet* hosted three, district-level learning communities. One with all of MISD’s elementary schools represented, one with both middle schools represented, and one with Midlothian High School.
At each meeting, principals and teachers discussed changes they experienced as a consequence of the expectations associated with the new state assessments (STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) and EOC (End of Course)).
Three similar themes emerged. They were:
(1) Teachers require students to work at a deeper level of understanding. One elementary school principal has characterized it this way: There is swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. We are scuba diving.
(2) Some students struggle with deeper thinking. It’s not that they can’t do it. They struggle because the new classroom expectations are a change in the way they previously approached their learning. With this change, those students must first let go of old learning habits, and then begin the process of acquiring and using new ways of learning.
(3) Vocabulary is important. Precise, technical academic language is required in the classroom. Kidspeak** is not an academically healthy, long-term option.
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* The Little Cabinet is the name of the four-person group of the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, and the Assistant Superintendent of Learning.
**Word or phrase substitutions for precise, technical academic language.
