Instructional Program Coherence
Instructional Program Coherence
SLC teams unite around student success through instructional program coherence. They help students succeed by encouraging them to build explicit connections among academic subjects and between their learning and their experiences. Staff clarify the proficiencies they want students to develop, and organize instruction around helping students achieve them.
Core Trainings:
- Development of Student Proficiencies and Demonstrations
- Development of Integrated Units/Projects
- Leadership Team Coaching
More Trainings:
- Supporting Literacy in Small Learning Communities
- Differentiated Instructional Strategies
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Core Trainings
Development of Student Proficiencies and Demonstrations
District and school leadership teams develop instructional leadership skills to guide SLC teams toward increased rigor and coherence in curriculum and instruction.
Audience: District and School Leadership Teams
Length: 2 — 3 days
Format: SLC leadership teams conduct training for SLC teams with support from Core & More trainers. Core & More provides all materials, activities, and tools that leadership teams need to deliver Student Proficiencies and Demonstrations trainings.
Topics: Developing SLC vision; what graduates will know and be able to do; defining student proficiencies, designing demonstrations of mastery
Outcomes: Plan for developing SLC student proficiency map; development of SLC vision; demonstrations of mastery with SLC teacher teams
Cost: Our trainings are tailored to individual district/school needs; please contact us for pricing and scheduling.
Leadership teams learn about the benefits of instructional program coherence for increased student achievement and the need to provide continuity of instruction across grade levels and core content areas. Participants practice the steps in creating program coherence: developing a distinctive SLC vision; outlining student proficiencies that encompass what graduates will know and be able to do; and defining demonstrations of mastery of these proficiencies. Each team produces an implementation plan to guide the development of an SLC program consistent with the SLC’s identity. Follow-up coaching supports the implementation of these plans.
Development of Integrated Units/Projects SLC teams organize instruction to support program coherence.
Audience: SLC teams sharing students in common
Length: 3 days
Format: Core & More trainers and SLC leadership teams co-facilitate the training.
Prerequisite encouraged: Development of Student Proficiencies and Demonstrations
Topics: Backwards design; what students will know and be able to do; alignment with standards; selecting authentic topics; authentic assessment; differentiated instruction; designing learning experiences
Outcomes: Preliminary plans for an interdisciplinary unit
Cost: Our trainings are tailored to individual district/school needs; please contact us for pricing and scheduling.
Through this training, teams learn to deliver integrated standards-based units across disciplines. Unit and project development is geared toward building student skills in the proficiencies the team identified in the Development of Student Proficiencies and Demonstrations training. Participants do hands-on unit planning through identifying key outcomes, identifying standards, developing themes, creating performance-based assessments, and outlining classroom activities.
Leadership Team Coaching
SLC leadership teams learn to implement plans for program coherence.
Core & More coaches work with leadership teams—including SLC leaders, principals, assistant principals, counselors, special educators, and others—to carry out the teams’ own plans. Emphasis is placed on reinforcing best-practices during implementation, troubleshooting challenges, and building the instructional leadership skills of SLC leaders. Core & More coaches’ work can be integrated with that of school-based instructional coaches to provide complementary support for teachers and leaders.
Cost: Our coaching is tailored to individual district/school needs; please contact us for pricing and scheduling.
More Trainings
More trainings provide an in-depth look at specific practices and strategies that help build instructional program coherence. More trainings are most beneficial to participants when districts make a systemic commitment to school improvement.
Supporting Literacy in Small Learning Communities SLC teams explore increased program coherence through implementing common literacy strategies.
Audience: District and school leadership teams; SLC teams
Length: 3 days
Topics: Scaffolded Reading Experience Model; comprehension and vocabulary strategies; instructional strategies for student engagement
Outcomes: Content Literacy Action Plan
Cost: Our trainings are tailored to individual district/school needs; please contact us for pricing and scheduling.
The evidence-based instructional strategies in the Scaffolded Reading Experience Model increase student comprehension of content materials and emphasize student engagement in the learning process through reading, writing, talking, and listening. With support from Core & More trainers, SLC teams develop a content literacy action plan consistent with your SLC program.
Differentiated Instructional Strategies SLCs develop tools to connect teachers to individual students’ interests and needs.
Audience: School and district leadership teams; SLC teacher teams
Length: 2 days
Topics: Overview of differentiation; pre-assessment; flexible grouping; tiered instruction; SLC equity; lesson planning; formative assessment; summative assessment
Outcomes: Integrated, differentiated lesson plan
Cost: Our trainings are tailored to individual district/school needs; please contact us for pricing and scheduling.
Differentiated instructional strategies allow teachers to tailor their approach to students' individual interests, needs, strengths, and learning styles. This training helps SLC teams adopt common classroom strategies that provide all students with both choice and challenge, and help them succeed in rigorous classes. SLC teams will develop integrated lesson plans that incorporate strategies for differentiating assessments, content, process, and products according to students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles.