- Houston Independent School District
- Effective Practices
- I-6 Communicating Content/Concepts
- Using the District Curriculum
Professional Development
- PD Operations / HELC
- Design, Media, and Online Learning (DMOL)
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Effective Practices
- PL Toolkit
- PL-1 Develops Student Learning Goals
- PL-2 Data-driven instruction
- PL-3 Design Effective Lesson Plans, Units & Assessments
- I-1 Objective Driven Lessons
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I-2 Check for Understanding
- Assess Mastery
- Begin with the End
- Checkpoints
- Chunking Text
- Closure
- Cold Call
- Exit Ticket
- Graphic Organizer
- Guided Practice
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Post It
- Randomizing Responses
- Right is Right
- Running Roster
- Stretch It
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student Conferences
- Student-Generated Questions
- Teach Back
-
I-3 Differentiation
- Chunking Text
- Double Plan
- Exit Ticket
- Flexible Grouping
- Graphic Organizer
- Grappling
- HOT Question
- Independent Practice
- Leveled Text
- Multimedia
- Open-Ended Responses
- Post It
- Product Menus
- Right is Right
- Running Roster
- Stretch It
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student-Generated Questions
- Take a Stand
- Tiered Assignments
- Workstations
- I-4 Higher Level Thinking
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I-5 Maximizing Instructional Time
- 100 Percent
- Academic Posture
- Call and Response
- Cold Call
- Do Now
- Entry Routine
- Exit Routine
- Job Assignments
- Material Organization
- Non-Verbal Interventions
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Pacing Tools
- Right is Right
- Stretch It
- Strong Voice
- Student Conference
- Teach Back
- Tight Transitions
- Work the Clock
- Workstations
- I-6 Communicating Content/Concepts
- I-7 High Academic Expectations
-
I-8 Student Engagement
- Academic Posture
- Call and Response
- Closure
- Cold Call
- Do Now
- Engage and Connect
- Graphic Organizer
- HOT Question
- Independent Practice
- J-Factor
- Job Assignments
- Leveled Text
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Product Menus
- Randomizing Responses
- Real-World Connections
- Reinforcers
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student-Generated Questions
- Workstations
- Work Hard, Get Smart
- I-9 Classroom Management
- I-10 Classroom Climate
- Literacy Routines
- Academics
- Swivl Pilot Program
- eLearning
Description
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“A guaranteed and viable curriculum has the most impact on student achievement,” according to Robert Marzano in his book, What Works in Schools. Consistent use of the HISD Curriculum helps to ensure that all district students have equitable access to quality instruction. HISD’s curriculum is comprehensive, reflects required standards, incorporates best-practice strategies, provides access to proven resources, addresses the needs of diverse learners, and reflects high expectations for student achievement. A common standards-based curriculum guarantees that every HISD teacher will have access to the resources necessary to plan, teach, and assess instruction and student learning effectively (Curriculum Writing Initiative, n.d.).
- Log into HISD Connect.
- Under Department information, click on the letter “C” and select the Curriculum and Instructional Development. Here the teacher has access to the HISD curriculum planning guides, scope and sequence and vertical alignment matrix.
- Select the curriculum that matches the teacher’s specific content and grade level.
- Use the Scope and Sequence document as a tool for grade level/content planning. Begin with the end in mind. The Scope and Sequence document presents a recommended scope and sequence of study for the year by bundling student objectives into instructional units and then mapping them on the district’s current school calendar, similar to a course or grade-level syllabus.
- Use the Vertical Alignment Matrix documents as an additional tool that can be used during cross-grade level planning. The Vertical Alignment Matrix presents a developmental alignment of student objectives in a content area across grade levels.
- Use the Unit Planning Guides as a comprehensive tool for day-to-day instructional planning. The Curriculum Unit Framework extends the Scope and Sequence by providing additional detail for the unit(s) in a grading period, including a brief description of the unit(s), the objectives to be addressed, key concepts and skills, essential understandings (i.e., the big ideas), academic and content-specific vocabulary, English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), College and Career Readiness Standards, and student performance expectations.
- Use the Lesson Planning Guide to plan daily lessons that align with other HISD Curriculum resources (Scope and Sequence, Vertical Alignment Matrix, and HISD Curriculum Planning Guides).
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Alerts
Some teachers underestimate the time it will take to plan quality lessons, along with mapping out how they will cover content for each semester and by the end of the school year. Take the time needed to get to know the curriculum.
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Quick Tips
Plan with other teachers in the same grade/content, or across grade levels instead of in isolation. Doing this saves time and supports the sharing of ideas and resources between teachers.
Over plan. It is easier to take things out of a plan than to ad-lib and add less than quality experiences to a plan.