To: Pre K-3 Principals, Pre School Directors, Facilitators From: Dr. Jan La Torre-Derby, Pre K-3 Coordinator Date: April 4, 2014 “I feel my heart break to see a nation ripped apart by its own greatest strength, its diversity.” Melissa Etheridge INFORMATION Cross School and District Sharing to Enhance Learning for Students - Best Practice One of the goals of the P3 Promoting Early School Success Initiative is to share expertise across schools and districts. Although the Annual Best Practice Dinner has traditionally been designed for that purpose, what occurs on an ongoing basis with collaboration among schools, is really the best forum to enhance already excellent practice. This week we saw examples of cross district sharing with a visit from a Tomales Elementary team visiting Bayside/MLK Academy and also at the Teaching Pyramid training where collaborative Pre K teachers worked together on the concept of Building Friendships, and a small, but mighty group of kinder teachers, shared best practice about friendships. Here are a few “best practice” ideas that were shared. I was particularly struck by a quote shared by Linda Brault at the Teaching Pyramid training regarding friendship as is relates to adults. “The single best childhood predictor of adult social adaptation is not school grades or classroom behavior, but rather, how well a child gets along with other children.” Hartup Kindergarten teachers included; Debbie Tambussi, Carol Burns, Melissa Riley, Heidi Joseph, Cindy Wang, Michelle Jindrich, Kristen Vando, Irene Delgado, and Rachael Cinelli. This team of kinder teachers shared best practice and tips: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. People to People game Kids Yoga 8th grade role models role play friendship and problem solving Website Resource - www.ustream.TV/channel/ncqtl-teacher-time Resource - Gail Joseph author of Social Emotional Development for Young Children Allow strong emotions to be accepted and channeled (e.g. acknowledge and move on) Use of music - Birdie Dance, Popcorn Dance, I’m a Lonely Petunia, Oh Playmate, (Bev Boz Annual Kindergarten Conference in San Jose) 8. Website - consciousdiscipline.org Thanks to Linda, Sean, and the Pre K and K teachers for an excellent workshop and productive sharing. Tomales Visitation to Bayside/MLK Academy Special thanks to Daniel Norbutas who did an excellent job leading a tour. Jane Realon, Rhianna Kaplan, Meredith Leask and Jen Osterholt-Warner for Tomales represented their K-8 program. Daniel arranged for Conscious Kitchen, Bayside/MLK Food Service Program, to serve a lovely breakfast. You may wish to check out the program sponsored by Teens Turning Green. The food is delicious, organic, and locally grown. The teachers and the students have breakfast and lunch together regularly. It is worth a look. Daniel quickly provided each visitor with a clipboard with a “Learning Walk” document prepared for responses. Bayside/MLK had completed a visitation to Venetia Valley where they had reviewed a document developed by Jacqui Parker for Venetia Valley after the TOT Alignment Trainer of Trainers. The format, which is listed, describes the school’s focus areas, as designed by the staff. It has a space for Teacher and Student Evidence observed during the visitation. The topics that have subcategories for each focus area include: What it means to be a scholar, Promoting student talk time, GLAD strategies, Common Attention Signals, and Conflict Resolution. (See below) What did the Tomales Team see on the Learning Walk? 1. Common systems and routines and procedures; SLANT, Schedules on the Board, Behavior Incentives 2. AVID strategies - process observers, Socratic seminar, and Cornell note-taking - Grades 6-8 and leveled instruction for math 3. GLAD strategies and T-charts with common themes aligned with social studies and science, with academic vocabulary and ELA strategies embedded 4. Common prep for teachers to ensure collaboration 5. The team heard about Fabulous Friday assemblies collaboratively led with the PE teacher where students are seated in “families” with Pre K-8 representatives at each table. Breakfast is served, children are recognized for achievements, and an energizing activity starts the day each Friday. 6. Art instruction and studio work is themed based and provided in the classroom and as an elective. 7. The Pre K environmental walk for Head Start, Rebecca Courtney’s class, revealed a rain forest, soon to take over the classroom space, and GLAD charts evident to introduce the lesson. The kids were at the Discovery Museum for a field trip, but their presence and that of their teacher were deeply felt. 8. Small group instruction was evident in each classroom with instructional assistant support to tailor learning 9. Classroom environments included plentiful student work displayed with particular emphasis on writing For the coming year, we are planning to schedule a Learning Walk at each of our schools, hosted by each P3, P5, or P8 School. West Marin has already set a date February 10 from 8:00 – 12:00 p.m. Thank you Matt and Babs. Dates are in process of development for the “master calendar of events” that will be available this spring. Sharing our work through conversation is one thing, seeing it in action is yet another. We are grateful for these P8 Learning Walk opportunities. Bayside/MLK Academy Learning Walk Focus Areas -Common Practice and Procedures 2013 - 14 Focus Area What it means to be a scholar Classroom systems: Be prepared, Work Hard, Be Kind Student roles and responsibilities SLANT Use of Tone Zones Common Student Response starters Self-regulation hand checks, transitions, Promoting Student Talk Time Whole Group/Choral response Hand and finger signals Expectations for partner/team work Check for understanding and monitor progress GLAD Strategies Using Scouts for who is prepared, working hard, being kind T-Graphs Academic vocabulary Integrated SS and Science themes with embedded ELA Fab Five to deliver instruction Common Attention Signals Call and response Five to Zero Clap Chimes Conflict Resolution I statements Sharing Feelings Peace Place/Conflict Corner Second Step-Identify, name, brainstorm Restorative Justice – community circles Teacher Evidence Student Evidence UPCOMING DATES Date Time April 7 April 8 April 14-18 April 23, 2014 April 25 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. April 29 May 1 May 5 May 6 May 9 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 1:00 May 13 May 26 June 11 June 23-24 3:30 p.m. 9:30am 1:00 9:30 a.m. 8:00 - 3:00pm Activity Site Visit Site Visit Spring Break Facilitator Meeting Teaching Pyramid Pre K-K Teachers Site Visit Speaker’s Series - Milton Chen Site Visit Site Visit Teaching Pyramid Training for Pre K-K Teachers Site Visit Memorial Day Holiday Facilitators MCOE Summer InstituteTechnology Integration George Couros-Keynote (2 day Math Workshop with Eileen Smith and Danelle Frenchfirst part of six session P5 follow up series ) Location Tomales Bayside/MLK Carol’s MCOE West Marin MCOE Tomales West Marin MCOE Bayside/MLK Jan’s Dominican University