Literacy Classrooms That S.O.a.R.

Susan O’Hara is former director of the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching at Stanford University. Robert Pritchard is a professor emeritus of education at Sacramento State University. Debi Pitta is vice president of professional learning for EPF for Teaching. All three are former K–12 teachers with more than 40 years of classroom experience and extensive experience supporting districts to build instructional capacity.

• ContentsForeword  Douglas Fisher viiAcknowledgments ix1. Introducing the SOAR Teaching Frames 1A Research-Based Approach to Elevating Instruction 2Elevating Teaching Practice in Support of New Standards 3Step Inside Ms. Aguirre’s Classroom 3Step Inside Ms. Rahim’s Classroom 5The SOAR Practices 7SOAR Teaching Frames 10Findings From Our Work in the Field 12Conclusion 142. Disciplinary Discussions 15Using the SOAR Lens to Plan and Reflect 16Step Inside Ms. Vu’s Classroom 24Implementing the Disciplinary Discussions Teaching Frame 29Additional Implementation Considerations 49Conclusion 513. Disciplinary Interactions With Complex Text 52Using the SOAR Lens to Plan and Reflect 52Step Inside Mr. Ortiz’s Classroom 60Implementing the Disciplinary Interactions With Complex Text Teaching Frame 65Additional Implementation Considerations 86Conclusion 874. Disciplinary Uses of Evidence 89Using the SOAR Lens to Plan and Reflect 89Step Inside Mr. O’Connor’s Classroom 96Implementing the Disciplinary Uses of Evidence Teaching Frame 102Additional Implementation Considerations 120Conclusion 1225. Disciplinary Communication 123Using the SOAR Lens to Plan and Reflect 123Step Inside Ms. Alvarez’s Classroom 131Implementing the Disciplinary Communication Teaching Frame 134Additional Implementation Considerations 156Conclusion 1586. Supporting Teachers to Build Literacy Classrooms That SOAR 159Fostering an Ability to Teach with Metacognition 160Supporting the Collective Growth of Teachers Through Professional Learning Communities 163Step Inside Rockville School 165Building a Culture of Professional Growth Districtwide 167Step Inside South End School District 167Conclusion 170Appendix A: Conversation Prompts and Responses 172Appendix B: American Symbols 173Appendix C: Buffalo Soldiers 174Appendix D: Formative Assessments of Student Talk—Disciplinary Discussions 176Appendix E: Formative Assessments of Student Talk—Disciplinary Communication 178Appendix F: Implementation Rubric—Disciplinary Discussions Teaching Frame 180Appendix G: Implementation Rubric—Disciplinary Interactions With Complex Text 185Appendix H: Implementation Rubric—Disciplinary Uses of Evidence 186Appendix I: Implementation Rubric—Disciplinary Communication 187References 189Bibliography 193Index 195About the Authors 203

The SOAR Teaching Frames have been an invaluable tool as we work to transform teaching practices in the Robla Elementary School District in Sacramento, California. Robla serves a community where families face the challenges of poverty every day, and nearly half of our students speak a language other than English at home. The SOAR Frameworks provided us with a tool to help students find their voice. Classrooms are now filled with many points of view and more high-level thinking. Our entire school system is more coherent as these teaching practices have become part of the school day in all grades." - Ruben Reyes, superintendent, Robla Elementary School District