This never gets any easier

There is something seductively satisfying about administrative work. Just when I think I’ve overcome the last large obstacle, I push myself towards something bigger. If I just didn’t care, this wouldn’t be such a big deal. However, I do care. And this is a big deal.
It’s 9:28 pm on an unseasonably warm January night. I’ve been at my desk in this windowless office since 9am (okay, so I left to go to Cub Scouts and eat dinner), and my night is far from over. Next steps include assembling all the materials needed to pull of the agenda shown here.
What are you looking at? You’re looking at 700 high school students in five different AP Science disciplines engaging in essential content.
You are looking at the collective work of some of the finest AP instructors in Alabama (and one equally talented instructor from Georgia). You are looking at what happens when good ideas are turned into reality. You are looking at a team effort.

Is it the middle of the middle, or the end of the beginning?

Here's a big idea from 1927

I had great intentions of posting a “meta reflection” near the end of May in order capture my ideas on my first year with A+ College Ready. Unfortunately, 2 weeks of travel for Laying The Foundation (LTF) and a week of vacation got in the way. Consider the time a filter. Consider the procastination a new opportunity. Here’s why…

Today (July 5, 2011) may be the middle of the middle of the beginning of the end. Today is my first day in the office after two weeks of Middle School training. I’ve got renewed interest in my work, and I’ve got a wider perspective on what students need going into a AP class. Today is a week away from A+ College Ready‘s big PD push for Alabama AP Science teachers. Break time is over, it’s time to get to work. Most importantly, today is the day the AP scores start rolling in. It’s only a trickle so far, and it’s been a little disappointing. But even with only 12% of teachers reporting, I’m associated with twice as many scores as I got in my classroom last year. The point is I’m scaling up.

The bigger point is that as I watch the scores come in, and as I reflect on the three essential things an AP science teacher needs to do, I am looking towards the future. The beginning is over, it’s time to move on.

So, what are the three things?

1. Teach to the AP standard, don’t pull any punches. The AP exams, by definition, are challenging (if not down-right hard). Students need to prepare for rigor of AP Multiple Choice Questions and Free Response Questions all year. A+CR teachers have to use the NMSI exams and debrief them. If you don’t test to, and teach to, the AP standard, you’re sending your kids to the “slaughter house” in May.

2. Science education should reflect science itself. Scientists ask questions, collect data, analyze data, communicate with others, and compare their data to current understanding. This. This is what we should be doing in science class. In short, people learn by doing and communicating. People rarely learn by listening.

3. The kids are comin’! This is from my colleague Robert Summers, and it’s probably the best advice you can give a teacher. The kids are comin’ whether you’re ready or not. Be ready. Science education is front-loaded as hell. Be prepared, be ready to be flexible, be ready to get your kids from point A to point B. That’s on a daily basis, on a “unit basis” and throughout the entire year.

It’s in the vessicle…

Calcium brings vessicles to the cell membane...can a content director help bridge the gap?

You know, the bag. Bag of fat that is. Ten months work will be put to the test tomorrow when the College Board assesses what students know about fundamental biology. Looking back at the AP Biology Learning Objectives I’ve laid out, I think I guided my teachers correctly. Next year, we’ll continue working on engaging students and translating the material to students. I can’t help but think about something I wrote here over 8 months ago…we should use our class time to engage the students as much as possible, anything they can do on their own (e.g. read, finish lab write ups, study, look at power point slides) should be done on their own. We need to teach and assess so that we know are students are learning…and create a culture where they are equal partners in their own learning.

A word from our president…

whoever says science is not political is wrong

No, not THAT president (although the words from THAT president last night were excellent), OUR president, Mary Boehm, regarding A+ College Ready’s perspective on late testing.

All,  please know that our thoughts and prayers are with all of you who have been affected by the devastating storms.  I know that many of your schools have been  impacted and there are questions about whether some will be back in school on Monday to start AP testing. 

We have been in touch with College Board/ETS and have a direct contact there who is providing us with information and guidance on how to proceed about late testing.   If late testing is needed there are two ways to proceed.

1) The usual route is for  the AP Coordinator at each school to go online at the College Board site with school code in hand and order late tests.     If your school is open and proceeds with testing but some students  don’t show up because of personal circumstances,  you can order late tests for just  those students that need it.

2) If you do not have power or internet access,  Pat Glahn of College Board/ETS has agreed to be a point of contact for Alabama schools affected by the storm and she will actually place the late exam order for the AP Coordinator (or school contact that has the schools code).

Pat’s direct line is 609-359-7507 but she asks that only school coordinators or Principals call her (no teachers please).

3) The deadline for ordering late tests is May 13 so you have some time to work on this.   

The other issue of concern to College Board is test security.   All of you have received the tests and have them locked in a safe place.  If the security of the tests has been compromised in any way because of the storms,  please let College Board know right away.    

I hope this information is helpful.   If you have other questions that we need to help you get answered, please send them our way.  

We are proceeding with Prep Sessions  that were planned for this Saturday with the exception of  the science session scheduled for Huntsville/Madison County.   The large power outage affecting the region is not expected to be fixed by Saturday.    

Please do not hesitate to contact A+ College Ready with questions.

Mary Boehm

And now a word from our Program Director…

“My advice has been to move on with normalcy as much as possible.  Give the exams to those students who have not been gravely affected by the tragedy and be sensitive and offer late testing to those who just can’t take a test right now.  I have told these schools leaders to be sensitive to their students, their teachers, and their communities but to also remember that teachers and students have worked all year for these two weeks and it is as much a disservice to not forge forward as it is to ignore what has happened in the last few days.”

Tammy Dunn

And finally, a word from your Content Director…

It is our intent that every student in an A+ College Ready partner school show up for their exam safe, rested, and focused. I echo Mary when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with you, your students, and everyones’ family.

–Ryan Reardon

Epic Adventures in AP Science

From the "mountains" to the Coastal Plain

Just logged my highway miles for April. At 1777.5 miles this month, it wasn’t the highest total of the year, but pretty darn close. Spring time in Alabama is worth every waking minute. The yellowish pollen-dusted greens gave way to deep emerald as the month progressed and (excepting those Tornados — post coming soon) the sky was a deep, clear, blue.

When I wasn’t behind the wheel of Big Red, I was working with science students from Muscle Shoals, to Hartselle, to Hokes Bluff, to Dothan. Everywhere I went, students were engaged, excited about learning, and impressing me with what they knew and what they could do.

AP exams start Monday. Many of “my” AP Chemistry and AP Environmental Science Students will be taking the dreaded “Form B” on the alternate test dates (May 18-19), but other than that, we are all systems GO.

The tornados and subsequent power outages in Huntsville have scuttled our Last Saturday Study Session at UA-H, but we’re already improvising and have plans to get it done next week and next weekend. In the words of a brilliant man, “Yes, we can.”

An Open Letter to an AP Chemistry Teacher

"Let the question lead you."

Dear ___________:

We have finished compiling AP Chemistry mock exam scores for the entire A+ College Ready program. I apologize for the delay. Two Saturday Study Sessions got in the way. Now that the scores are in your hands, it is time for you to reflect upon the results, and design instruction that will best prepare your students for success on the real AP Chemistry exam on Monday, May 2, 2011. I have attached two spreadsheets for you to look at. The first spreadsheet contains a histogram plotting each program school’s mean score on the 2008 AP Chemistry exam (the mock exam) and the frequency of that mean. For instance, we had two schools with a mean score of 2.5 (out of 5); and we had three schools with a mean score of 1.3 (out of five).  The second spreadsheet is equally important. It contains your students’ scores on the mock exam.  These data include each individual student’s performance on the MCQ portion of the exam, his or her performance on each FRQ, and his or her calculated exam score (e.g. 1, 3, 5).

I want to address the A+ College Ready program data first. The national average on this exam in 2008 was a 2.7, the A+ College Ready average was a 1.53. At first glance this seems discouraging, however, these scores indicate a realistic chance for success for teachers who follow the program. We realize most teachers have only taught 66% of the curriculum, and many students came in “cold” and not mentally focused enough to take the real exam. Given those parameters, we are encouraged by the results we have at this point.

Moving forward, I’d like to share a conversation I had; and I’d like to share an observation I have made with you. I think the conversation and observation speak directly to your students’ potential on the AP Chemistry Exam. In talking with Leella Holt from Muscle Shoals last Saturday, and she told me that, “Students forget what they know on these exams.” Students often “over think” some of the questions. We need to coach our students to read, to use their common sense, and, “Go with what they know.” In looking at all teacher’s data, I saw one Cohort 3 school in Madison County that had some excellent results. This is a brand new AP Chemistry teacher and AP Chemistry was new to this school. If the mock exam was the real exam, three students would have earned a qualifying score! How are these results possible? This teacher is following the NMSI model, and this teacher is using the NMSI resources. These three students all beat the mean on FRQs 4-6 by at least 2 points. One of these students was under the national average on the MCQ, but beat the national mean after the FRQ portion of the exam.

I think the best place to increase student scores is with the free response questions, in particular the non-calculator based portion of the exam (Q4-Q6). Question 4, in particular, represents a body of work that students should be familiar with. Questions 5 and 6 represented unfamiliar territory for your students. Looking at the means on these scores (Q4 = 6.82; Q5 = 4; Q6 = 2), this is a place where your students can really pick up points.

Spend some time looking at your students’ mean score compared to the A+ College Ready mean score. If you are disappointed in your students’ performance, what are some ways you will improve your practice in 2011-2012 to bring that mean score up?

Moving on to your students’ scores, I want you to pay particular attention to four pieces of data.  First, you are going to have “1s”. That is a reality of having open enrollment. We expect you to have “1s”. We believe the students who receive a “1” on an AP exam are better off in your class than in a less rigorous science class. Second, look at your “2s” and your “3s”. These are the students you can help most between now and May 2, 2011. We’ll get to the other two pieces of data momentarily, but let’s concentrate on those “2s” and “3s “ for now.

The students who earned a 2 or a 3 on the mock exam will benefit the most from instructional design intended to maximize their score on the AP Biology exam. Keep pushing those students who earned a 3. They deserve an honest compliment from you, and should be encouraged to keep working and learning. They are not through yet. Now, look at your students who earned a “2”. How far were they from the Qualifying Score of  “3” (62 pts)? Were they only 2 points away? Were they 5-7 points away? If so, they have a great chance of earning a Qualifying Score. What areas of the curriculum can them make the greatest improvement? You need to help them find those areas. This is where the item analysis of the MCQ portion of the exam is so important. This is where analysis of individual FRQ scores is so important. Do not, I repeat, do not focus on the areas where these students really struggled. It’s too late. Do finish the curriculum, and use your structured tutoring time to focus on concepts where students have a fundamental understanding. Build on the fundamental understanding and push them further.

Let’s return to the other two pieces of data I want you to analyze. Look again at your “2s”, but this time look at their MCQ mean compared to their composite score. How far were they from the national mean on the MCQ (37.5 points)? If they are 1 – 8 points away from the MCQ national mean, they have a great chance of earning a Qualifying Score. It’s possible you had students who met or exceeded the national mean, but then fell apart on the FRQ portion of the exam. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a cure for these students, and it doesn’t require bloodletting, the use of leeches, or illicit substances. The cure is more practice with FRQs. Below is the method I suggest.

a.    Give students the entire question, but guide them to the key words in the question. Again, help students realize what they know, and let the question lead them.

b.   Go over answers and re-teach the essential concepts (if necessary) using the scoring guide.

c.  Follow this practice each week for the next four weeks. Pick questions that address the major themes in AP Chemistry and the questions that are sure to show up on the exam (equilibrium; acid-base chemistry; thermochemistry and electrochemistry; states of matter and IMF). Let me know if you need help finding good practice FRQs.

Finally, look at your “4s” and “5s”. Why are these students successful? I want you to think about it, and I want you to write your ideas down. Are they merely good “memorizers” or good test takers? Did they come into your class just loving chemistry? Are they good mathematicians? What habits of mind do these students posses, and how can you develop these habits of mind in your other students? This intentional reflection will help you push your practice further.

Let’s remember the dual objectives of the A+ College Ready Mock Exam: improved student performance and teacher professional development. The administration of the exam, the reading of the FRQs, and the subsequent analysis of the scores will no doubt help the students currently sitting in your AP Chemistry class. This experience will also improve your practice…if you reflect upon it. Our ultimate objective is to give you an opportunity for reflection, and give you data to help you evaluate and improve your AP Chemistry instruction. The work you put in now, and the lessons you learn from this experience, will help your AP Chemistry students in the coming years.

Within the next two weeks I want to speak with each of you about your students’ scores and about your plan for the last four weeks of instruction. This will only take ten minutes/teacher. We can do it in person, over the phone, or via email. I want to know what you think about your students’ scores, and I want to hear about your plans for your AP Chemistry students between now and May 2, 2011.

Thank you for the work you do day in and day out. It’s honor to work with each of you, and help you improve science education in Alabama.

Warmest Regards,

Ryan Reardon, NBCT, AYA-Science

Science Content Director, A+ College Ready

An open letter to an AP Biology teacher

It's time for intentional reflection...know the student.

Dear ___________:

We have finished compiling AP Biology mock exam scores for the entire A+ College Ready program. Now it is time for you to reflect upon the results, and design instruction that will best prepare your students for success on the real AP Biology exam on Monday, May 9, 2011. I have attached two spreadsheets for you to look at. The first spreadsheet contains a histogram plotting each program school’s mean score on the 2008 AP Biology exam (the mock exam) and the frequency of that mean. For instance, we had two schools with a mean score of 2.4 (out of 5); and we had five schools with a mean score of 1.5 (out of five).  The second spreadsheet is equally important. It contains your students’ scores on the mock exam.  These data include each individual student’s performance on the MCQ portion of the exam, his or her performance on each FRQ, and his or her calculated exam score (e.g. 1, 3, 5).

I want to address the A+ College Ready program data first. The national average on this exam in 2008 was a 2.79, the A+ College Ready average was a 1.62. Not only did we not beat the national average; but if students took the “real” exam under those conditions, only 17% of our students would have earned a qualifying score. We realize most teachers have only taught 66% of the curriculum, and many students came in “cold” and not mentally focused enough to take the real exam. Given those parameters, we are encouraged by the results we have at this point. Moving forward, I want to share something I learned from a College Board consultant last summer. Two of the main reasons students under perform on AP Science exam are as follows:
1. Intentional departures in local course content from AP Course Description
Ex. Emphasis on topics outside of course description, spending more                     instructional time in certain areas at the expense of others
2. Relative preparation
Ex. Students who practice free response writing outperform those who                 do not.

Spend some time looking at your students’ mean score compared to the A+ College Ready mean score. If you are disappointed in your students’ performance, what are some ways you will improve your practice in 2011-2012 to bring that mean score up?

Moving on to your students’ scores, I want you to pay particular attention to four pieces of data.  First, you are going to have “1s”. That is a reality of having open enrollment. We expect you to have “1s”. We believe the students who receive a “1” on an AP exam are better off in your class than in a less rigorous science class. Second, look at your “2s” and your “3s”. These are the students you can help most between now and May 9, 2011. We’ll get to the other two pieces of data momentarily, but let’s concentrate on those “2s” and “3s “ for now.

The students who earned a 2 or a 3 on the mock exam will benefit the most from instructional design intended to maximize their score on the AP Biology exam. Keep pushing those students who earned a 3. They deserve an honest compliment from you, and should be encouraged to keep working and learning. They are not through yet. Now, look at your students who earned a “2”. How far were they from the Qualifying Score of  “3” (69 pts)? Were they only 2 points away? Were they 5-7 points away? If so, they have a great chance of earning a Qualifying Score. What areas of the curriculum can them make the greatest improvement? You need to help them find those areas. This is where the item analysis of the MCQ portion of the exam is so important. This is where analysis of individual FRQ scores is so important. Do not, I repeat, do not focus on the areas where these students really struggled. It’s too late. Do finish the curriculum, and use your structured tutoring time to focus on concepts where students have a fundamental understanding. Build on the fundamental understanding and push them further.

Let’s return to the other two pieces of data I want you to analyze. Look again at your “2s”, but this time look at their MCQ mean compared to their composite score. How far were they from the national mean on the MCQ (55.25 points)? If they are between 2 and 10 points away from the MCQ national mean, they have a great chance of earning a Qualifying Score. It’s possible you had students who met or exceeded the national mean, but then fell apart on the FRQ portion of the exam. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a cure for these students, and it doesn’t require bloodletting, the use of leeches, or illicit substances. The cure is more practice with FRQs. Below is the method I used in my AP Biology classes for years.

a.    Give students on prompt, discuss the key words in the prompt (e.g. describe, discuss, explain) and then have students write to only that prompt in 5 to 7 minutes. Show students the scoring guide, and then have them self-grade their short essay. This should reinforce the skill of answering the question being asked and writing succinctly using specific examples to back up claims.

b.  For Example, rather than give students the entire FRQ 3 from 2009 (a   great question on evolution and phylogeny), only give them Part a, “The     evolution of a species is dependent on changes in the genome of the species. Identify TWO mechanisms of genetic change, and explain how each affects genetic variation.”

c.   Go over answers and re-teach the essential concepts (if necessary) using the scoring guide. Give your students part B the next day, and then give them part C on the third day.

d. Follow this practice each week for the next four weeks. Pick questions that address the major themes in AP Biology and the questions that are sure to show up on the exam (ecology; evolution; enzymes and molecular biology; negative feedback, regulation, and energy conservation).  Let me know if you need help finding good practice FRQs.

Finally, look at your “4s” and “5s”. Why are these students successful? I want you to think about it, and I want you to write your ideas down. Are they merely good “memorizers” or good test takers? Did they come into your class just loving biology? Are they good writers? What habits of mind do these students posses, and how can you develop these habits of mind in your other students? This intentional reflection will help you push your practice further.

Let’s remember the dual objectives of the A+ College Ready Mock Exam: improved student performance and teacher professional development. The administration of the exam, the reading of the FRQs, and the subsequent analysis of the scores will no doubt help the students currently sitting in your AP Biology class. This experience will also improve your practice…if you reflect upon it. Our ultimate objective is to give you an opportunity for reflection, and give you data to help you evaluate and improve your AP Biology instruction. The work you put in now, and the lessons you learn from this experience, will help your AP Biology students in the coming years.

Within the next two weeks I want to speak with each of you about your students’ scores and about your plan for the last four weeks of instruction. This will only take ten minutes/teacher. We can do it in person or over the phone. I want to know what you think about your students’ scores, and I want to hear about your plans for your AP Biology students between now and May 7, 2011.

Thank you for the work you do day in and day out. It’s honor to work with each of you, and help you improve science education in Alabama.

Warmest Regards,
–Ryan Reardon

 

“I think”, revisited

some of the best ideas are served cold

Last night, a very bright chemistry and physics teacher from California asked me if NMSI, “teaches to the test”. My response was, “Absolutely.” I went on to say that the AP exams are good tests, and they do a good job of assessing if a student understands fundamental science.

I went on to explain that my role is to teach teachers where the fundamental concepts are, and how they can tie those concepts together. This gentleman asked me how well that approach was received. I told him –  honestly — that it’s a progression. Teachers who are very new to AP, and overwhelmed by the content, don’t see the connections. The teachers who have been at it for a year two know they need to teach this way, and I help them execute their decision.  I also push them to follow through with this pedagogy.

As the conversation continued, he went on to say that he really likes that NMSI is pushing rigor in public schools. He correctly surmised that NMSI is using AP as the instrument because it’s really one of the only tools we have for rigor. IB, is another tool, but it is very expensive to start up, and less teachers and administrators are familiar with IB. That’s funny because one of the first questions I asked my boss during the interview process was, “Why AP?” She told me the same thing this other teacher figured out. We use AP, because it’s what we’ve got.

I went on to explain that AP allows us to teach fundamental science. Currently, there is a movement away from AP in some schools and districts. That movement can only be successful if there has been an established AP program in place. With out the foundation and fundamentals, it’s almost impossible to move to an independent, integrated curriculum and have students learn essential knowledge and skills. As I have always said, “You can’t have the interdisciplinary stuff until you have the discipline.”

I woke up thinking about the original question, and my answer has changed.

As I awoke, an idea I’ve been working out all year popped in my head. Here goes:  It’s foolish to think you can teach all the content in an AP science class inside of a year. There’s too much content. What you can do is teach a student the essential, fundamental, science; and you can teach them to think.  The student has to apply the essential knowledge and skills while taking the AP exam. So, are we teaching to a test? Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that we want our students to know the content; and no, in that we want our students to successfully answer any question they confront on an AP exam.

Over 1,600 Served

A Sunday Tradition: organizing evaluations from the previous SSS. Remember, reflective practice.

The end of the beginning is over. Yesterday Robert and I were in different parts of the state finishing off the first round of Saturday Study Sessions for Science. He was down in Dothan while I was with the “Jacksonville 7″. Students from 7 high schools (along with some imports from Huntsville HS) met at Gadsden State to work with AP science teachers from all over the A+ College Ready program and special guests from Georgia.

It was very cool to use in-district and out-of-district presenters. I was impressed with everyone’s professionalism and hard work. I was equally impressed by the students’ enthusiasm, dedication to learning, and active participation in the AP curriculum. It’s close to midnight, and I’ve got NSTA on my mind.But before I catch the plane for a week of meetings and a few PASCO workshops, it’s time to get the curriculum together for the 2nd round of SSS. They crank up on March 26th!

Will It Go Round In Circles?

Robert and I loaded up my old truck in preparation for our first SSS at AU-M.

Four years ago, as I was preparing for my first presentation at the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) annual conference, my brother and I were talking about the conference, genetics and our careers and he said, “You’re not going back, you’re moving forward.” This was in reference to the idea of going back to school for a Ph. D., or an M.D.  He’s got the M.D.; I’ve “only” got a M.S. That terminal degree is perennially on my mind, but I haven’t found the time as I continue to move forward as a science teacher. This weekend marks another step forward for me as Science Content Director for A+ College Ready. My first Saturday Study Session as a leader starts in 72 hours. This milestone, however, is an opportunity for reflection.

As more than 1,400 high school students get exposed to essential Advanced Placement ® science content, I am falling back on the two driving questions that drive all my effort as a teacher. Those questions are, “What do I want my student to know?” and “What do I want my students to be able to do?” As my colleague Tammy Dunn says, “Know = do.”  Students from Dothan, Alabama, all the way up to Hazel Green, Alabama, will be under the influence of those driving questions. The Saturday Study Sessions for science have two objectives. First, we want to review essential content with students. Second, we want to give students an opportunity to practice the skills and strategies they need to be successful on their AP science exam.

The duality of moving forward while building on the past is reflected in the process and product of each Saturday Study Session. The process we used to develop the curricula is deeply rooted in the National Board Certified Teacher journey I began in 2009. All sessions are focused on 3 or 4 Learning Objectives and delivered under the guiding principle, “Know the student.” Rather than pound students with content all day, we are engaging students in formative assessment for ½ the day. The curricula for AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and AP Physics-B were developed by NBCTs. We have contracted with six NBCTs and one Advanced Candidate to facilitate our students’ learning. These sessions take place in Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville and Gadsden over the next three weeks. Fourteen percent of our contracted staff are NBCTs, while less than 1% of Alabama science teachers are NBCTs.

We had a “soft opening” in Auburn University-Montgomery last weekend with 330 students engaging in essential content and practice with actual AP Multiple Choice Questions and Free Response Questions. This weekend we have our “Grand Opening” at UAB and UA-H. Over 1000 students will engage in the same curriculum. We’ll be in Gadsden, Alabama and Dothan, AL the following weekend working with about 400 more students. As the evaluations from students, teachers and presenters get analyzed, we’ll be able to assess our formative assessment strategy on the way to our summative assessment: the AP science exams in May. Assessing our assessment. How’s that for “meta”?