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| Data, standards drive inservice effort Topics include ESL, integration of technology, middle schools, working with college faculty 
December 4, 2002 PICTURED: Antonia Cortese, left, and author Jonathan Kozol, right, with SUNY Fredonia students Meghan Anderson, Tamara Neu and Michelle Streiff, who begin student-teaching in January. Photo by Eric and Theresa Van Dyke. Taking a close look at data and spreadsheets built from test results, educators are tailoring instruction to shore up students' weak areas. Buffalo State College professor Sue McMillen explained the value of the data in a workshop at the annual Statewide Conference on Inservice Education. "Looking at the Math A data, we could tell a lot about calculator use and or availability," said McMillen, a member of United University Professions. Many students made notational errors that would be prevented with up-to-date calculators, she added. The Albany conference "is all about improving instruction," said New York State United Teachers First Vice President Antonia Cortese, who oversees NYSUT's Division of Research and Educational Services. Illustrating NYSUT's dual role as an advocate on professional and union issues, she said the union is developing courses on using test data even as it presses the State Education Department for more timely release of data to teachers. NYSUT and SED co-sponsor the conference. Drawing on the conference theme, "Strengthening Teaching and Learning," acclaimed author Jonathan Kozol expressed concerns about the federal "No Child Left Behind" law. Without adequate resources to ensure children are learning in the best environment, Kozol worried that teachers may feel forced to teach to the test. The federal law was a hot topic at the mid-November conference. "Our members are anxious to know how it will affect their schools and their students," said Cortese. "Some of the most popular workshops involved implementation of No Child Left Behind act." More than 50 workshops were offered at the three-day conference. Nearly 500 teachers, School-Related Professionals, faculty members and other school staff swapped strategies for reaching middle grade students, implementing Academic Intervention Services in various subjects, professional development for SRPs, and establishing ties between higher education and K-12. "Lifelong learning applies to us first," said state Education Commis-sioner Richard Mills. "Anyone who comes to a conference like this has to know that things are getting better, and you make that happen." The cross-fertilization of ideas and classroom tips made for a vivid conference. Ideas about character education bounced around a workshop led by Shannon McCabe, a school psychologist and member of the Sidney Teachers Association, and Patricia Doyle, principal of two Sidney elementary schools. In her school, said Colleen Avery of Dover Wingdale TA, teachers send postcards home that describe students' good acts, such as one comforting another child who is having a bad day. "It makes the parents proud," said Avery. There are character lessons between the covers of a book. "Every great work of literature contains a moral conflict," said Bill Bostwick of Oakfield-Alabama Central TA. "You just have to line it up for the kids." Educators should overcome the one-size-fits-all mentality sometimes resulting from high-stakes testing, said workshop leader Cynthia H. Fletcher, a psychologist at Huntington schools. "We have a duty to look beneath the surface and understand why students are struggling," said Fletcher, explaining that these children sometimes shoulder responsibilities far beyond their years. Her message hit home with Rose Farr of the Corinth Central TA. Being understanding and flexible is key with struggling students in her rural mill town, said Farr. With districts required to provide beginning teachers with formal mentoring by 2004, Barb Egan and Donna Christmas of NYSUT's Effective Teaching Program stressed training and a strong selection process for mentors. Local unions, said Egan, "want a positive role." NYSUT headquarters is collecting samples of local contract language that addresses mentor programs. Collaboration One local that plays a role is BOCES Educators of Eastern Suffolk, which offers workshops on paraprofessionals and teachers working together. Para Arlene Barresi contrasted seat-of-the-pants training at many districts to the experience of her teen-age niece, who began a job at McDonald's with three days of training. Paula Drake, a staff developer with the Syracuse TA, offered tips to help kids solve those troublesome word problems on grade 4 and 8 math tests. "Teach them how the problems are built - have them write some themselves," she said. Rather than using word cues that may throw kids off, Drake uses hand signals to illustrate four major word problem operations: combine, change, compare and equalize. Students need to understand questions can be at the beginning or end of the problem. Drake encourages students to reason by drawing. She was amazed that, in field tests, not one student used drawings to calculate an answer. She showed children's drawings that show a bunch of apples with "x" marks through the ones subtracted. Some workshops focused on collaboration. "Our goal, whether it's kindergarten or pre-K or higher education, is to provide an atmosphere that is intellectually stimulating," said William Scheuerman, president of United University Professions (representing SUNY faculty and professional staff). School reform often shines with professional development enriched by college faculty and K-12 teachers working together, Scheuerman said, citing the example of SUNY Cortland and Syracuse city schools. At a session on NCLB and the English-as-a-Second Language student, teacher Susan Lafond talked about classroom strategies and grading modifications. The average English-language learner needs five to seven years of instruction to draw even with other students, Lafond said. New federal rules will require kids to make measurable progress within three years. "No Child Left Behind may have its greatest impact on ESL students," said Lafond of the Guilderland TA. Some tips: repeat key phrases and rephrase; control vocabulary and sentence length; speak slowly and use gestures, acting out, props and facial expressions; and check for understanding by talking to ESL students separately. - Clarisse Butler and New York Teacher staff
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