Halloween is one of those interesting times of the year. Crazy would be putting it lightly. The girls are amped up with the thought of candy, costumes, and more candy!
And it probably doesn't help that we're coming off a full moon (did you see it? Magnificent!).
It's this way every year, so we do our best to "understand" and "forgive" but as many of you may be experiencing too, these are wild, wild days!
We just sent a student out by the goat pen to run "laps" up and down the sidewalk to see if that expelled her excess energy.
Cross your fingers!
Meanwhile, we are trying to carry on with the learning of school. Our focus this past week has been on examining ecosystems more in-depth. While we'd love to be able to travel to the Amazon Rainforests of South America or the Sahara Desert of Africa, our budget is limited. Therefore, we're lucky we have Sir David Attenborough to help us.
Sir Attenborough, years ago, created the most amazing series of BBC documentaries on a wide-variety of topics -- birds, mammals, the ocean, and yes, ecosystems. During the week, we've taken a number of virtual field trips following Sir David to the rainforests throughout the world, the deserts and their many interesting animals, and closer to home, the wide-variety of forests - deciduous and coniferous -- found throughout the world. In these documentaries, we've learned about snakes who fly, Golden moles who are blind and deaf, and the importance of fire in the creation of fertile soil.
All ecosystems that share the same climate ranges are called Biomes. For instance, all the Tropical Rainforests (found along the Equator) in South America, Africa, and Asia make up the Tropical Rainforest Biomes. Likewise, all the deserts found around the world, in Africa, North America, Asia, Australia, and South America make up the Desert Biome.
Biomes are important because it gives us a more global picture on the health of the environment. For instance, while we may know that the deserts of Arizona are going through a drought (even less rain than normal), it helps us to compare the rainfall of deserts in Africa. Is there a similar drought? If so, what does that tell us? If not, what does that tell us? Furthermore, how are those individual ecosystems that make up that particular biome organized, or what makes them tick? Ecosystems are held together by intricate and often delicate factors. If we plant monoculture crops in the Amazon Rainforest, how might this impact the balance of that ecosystem? Is it sustainable?
This Term focuses on understanding those factors and the system of balance that has been developed over time (evolutionarily). Once we understand those intricacies, we'll focus on the "stressers" that threaten that balance during next Term.
In addition, we've continued our study of birds studying how they adapt to their particular ecosystem, their anatomical structure, and developing observational skills to be able to identify different birds in the field. We'll continue to study birds more in-depth with the arrival of the "bird skins" from Audubon, studying migratory patterns of specific birds, and identifying the "needs" birds have for healthy habitats around the world.
In math, we've slowed the homework down a bit to focus on some basic skills -- factors, graphing, and multiplication -- before we move back into the Game Show packet. The goal is ALWAYS to make certain the girls are understanding the concepts and learning them versus demonstrating them once and then moving on to the next concept.
We've finished the novel "Flipped" and the girls are working on writing their first BookTalk. In addition, they're choosing their next book to read for the second BookTalk. While reading, they need to write down Turning Points (significant points that move the story forward) the first half of which is due November 14 (check out last week's and this week's Weekly).
We've also started reading a new novel for our Anti-Bias literature focus. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry is a futuristic novel where the troubles of the modern world have disappeared (poverty, hatred, war) in an attempt to make a better world...but is it? The girls will NOT BookTalk this book, though there will be a writing assignment once the novel is over in addition to the review questions listed on the Weeklies.
Coming up, Janice Mathisen from the Seattle Aquarium will be coming in November 26 to talk about salmon habitat and the important ecosystem needs salmon require. Then, oh yes, then we'll head to Cavanaugh Pond on Thursday, November 29 to view a real-life salmon habitat as well as see a dissection of a Sockeye. It's so cool!! Check out the Upcoming Field Trip link for specific details. We'd love it if you can drive!
So, despite the whacky times of Halloween, we're continuing to move forward...even in our funny costumes...captured on our Class Photos link!
Ms. GreNini
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
FINALLY!
As human beings, we are ALWAYS learning. It's one of the great joys of being a human, but sometimes...sometimes it can make you feel like a fool for not knowing what you didn't know, but forgiveness is another wonderful human quality.
So, FINALLY we've learned something that will hopefully benefit everyone. Check out the HELPFUL LINKS to the right of this post. Click on CURRENT WEEKLY. Woohoo! A copy of the current Weekly so you at home can help remind your lovely daughters plan their weekly schedules so they get their homework done on time!
Sorry this took so long, but we are only human and still, STILL learning!
Our next self-lesson? Digital portfolios and online access to student progress reports! We'll alert you when we have this in place!
Next, we wanted to address homework planning. We've noticed that our students are extremely busy outside the classroom. Some are playing soccer, some are participating in dance or gymnastics, some live far from school and some do all of these -- lots of outside activities and living far away!
Last week, we talked about ways to organize one's schedule. Helpful pieces of organizing a student's week:
The Current Weekly (now a click away under Helpful Hints)
Their Student Calendar (which should be located at the front of their binder
with helpful dates and events listed)
Your family calendar (all the outside events such as soccer and dance that you
participate in).
We encouraged the girls pencil in all the family events first. These are times when nothing else should be scheduled.
Next, sit down as a family and look at the Weekly. What needs to get done, what IS done, and approximately how much time each piece of homework might take.
Finally, plug in focused homework time specifically writing down what assignment(s) will be worked on during that time.
Now, here's the tricky part: IF the homework scheduled doesn't get down, students need to reflect on their schedule again. This requires some tough questions to be asked and answered: Do I want to finish this assignment in my next scheduled homework session and bumped something else? Do I want to add more time to my homework schedule and forgo some other event in my busy life? If I were to prioritize my work (what's the most important assignment to get done?) what would that look like? Can I give something up like 30 minutes of reading tonight?
These are adult skills, we know, and we also know our students won't be perfect at it, but this is a great time to practice these adult skills in a safe environment and so we encourage you to approach it as a time to learn not as a time of reward and/or punishment.
Again, this goes back to the idea of natural consequences. A natural consequence of not finishing an assignment or only partially completing it is that their score/evaluation will be lower. The world won't fall apart and we will think no less of your daughter, but if this becomes a consistent problem, THEN we'll have a sit down meeting to talk about priorities (is there something they can give up?) and options (like scheduling a time to attend Homework Center) as well as a discussion of how we might assist them in setting up a homework calendar, prioritizing and clarifying their assignments, and getting help from a teacher if they're struggling with one specific aspect of their homework. (Whew, that was a long sentence!)
5th grade is a time of learning how to take on more responsibility. Often it's not a smooth road, but it will get smoother as the girls become more and more familiar with SGS, the homework expectations, and methods for managing their own calendars and time.
Let us know if you have any questions, need for clarifications, or concerns. We're always here...and we're always learning!
Ms. GreNini
So, FINALLY we've learned something that will hopefully benefit everyone. Check out the HELPFUL LINKS to the right of this post. Click on CURRENT WEEKLY. Woohoo! A copy of the current Weekly so you at home can help remind your lovely daughters plan their weekly schedules so they get their homework done on time!
Sorry this took so long, but we are only human and still, STILL learning!
Our next self-lesson? Digital portfolios and online access to student progress reports! We'll alert you when we have this in place!
Next, we wanted to address homework planning. We've noticed that our students are extremely busy outside the classroom. Some are playing soccer, some are participating in dance or gymnastics, some live far from school and some do all of these -- lots of outside activities and living far away!
Last week, we talked about ways to organize one's schedule. Helpful pieces of organizing a student's week:
The Current Weekly (now a click away under Helpful Hints)
Their Student Calendar (which should be located at the front of their binder
with helpful dates and events listed)
Your family calendar (all the outside events such as soccer and dance that you
participate in).
We encouraged the girls pencil in all the family events first. These are times when nothing else should be scheduled.
Next, sit down as a family and look at the Weekly. What needs to get done, what IS done, and approximately how much time each piece of homework might take.
Finally, plug in focused homework time specifically writing down what assignment(s) will be worked on during that time.
Now, here's the tricky part: IF the homework scheduled doesn't get down, students need to reflect on their schedule again. This requires some tough questions to be asked and answered: Do I want to finish this assignment in my next scheduled homework session and bumped something else? Do I want to add more time to my homework schedule and forgo some other event in my busy life? If I were to prioritize my work (what's the most important assignment to get done?) what would that look like? Can I give something up like 30 minutes of reading tonight?
These are adult skills, we know, and we also know our students won't be perfect at it, but this is a great time to practice these adult skills in a safe environment and so we encourage you to approach it as a time to learn not as a time of reward and/or punishment.
Again, this goes back to the idea of natural consequences. A natural consequence of not finishing an assignment or only partially completing it is that their score/evaluation will be lower. The world won't fall apart and we will think no less of your daughter, but if this becomes a consistent problem, THEN we'll have a sit down meeting to talk about priorities (is there something they can give up?) and options (like scheduling a time to attend Homework Center) as well as a discussion of how we might assist them in setting up a homework calendar, prioritizing and clarifying their assignments, and getting help from a teacher if they're struggling with one specific aspect of their homework. (Whew, that was a long sentence!)
5th grade is a time of learning how to take on more responsibility. Often it's not a smooth road, but it will get smoother as the girls become more and more familiar with SGS, the homework expectations, and methods for managing their own calendars and time.
Let us know if you have any questions, need for clarifications, or concerns. We're always here...and we're always learning!
Ms. GreNini
Sunday, October 21, 2007
To Be or Not To Be
There's an old joke that goes something like this:
To be or not to be...which is my apartment?
Most of our students don't get the joke primarily because they may not been familiar with Hamlet's great speech or the fact that some people live in apartments with numbers like 2B. This, of course, doesn't mean we don't tell them the joke, but it does mean we must teach them about the beauty of puns and an appreciation of cultural literacy.
This is how most lessons unfold, though. They begin with a topic we want them to know and then often become a lesson about something we didn't intend.
It happened twice last week. In the first instance, we had scheduled a quiz on many of the concepts we'd introduced in class -- biotic, abiotic, taxonomies, etc. We presented the information, constructed some activities around it, had the students take notes and then reminded them on their Weeklies to study the notes that defined the concepts.
Some students did just that, but others did not. While they took their quizzes many of them approached us contrite and worried that they would "fail" the quiz. Some hummed and hawed over their quizzes for the full 45 minutes allotted, staring at their blank pages and scrunching that space between their eyebrows together until it set itself into a permanent wrinkle.
We tried to reassure them that they could retake the quiz, that failure wasn't an option. If they didn't do well this time, they could try again until they felt successful. All our assurances were to no avail.
So we had this discussion: SGS is asking you to take on more responsibility, perhaps, than your old schools. We are asking you to step beyond 4th grade and move into 5th. This means that you must carry the load of your education with less dependence on your teachers and your families. It doesn't mean we won't be there to help, but it does mean that excuses like "I forgot to study" come with a natrual consequence -- you won't do well on the quiz and instead of twisting your hands and your face in a pitiful look, own your mistake and figure out how you're going to resolve it. (In this instance, study harder for the retake.) And then next time, yes, next time make a choice to prepare yourself better. Use that Weekly as a guide to what must get done. Find creative ways to have your families help you study be it memorizing your times tables or understanding your science concepts. YOU take responsibility and don't assume someone else is going to do it for you. That's what it means to be a student at SGS. That's what it means to be a 5th grader. That's what it means to be a leader of your class, of your school, and in the world around you.
No excuses. No apologies. Be the person you want to be.
The next instance of a lesson within a lesson turned into a time to laugh at ourselves and a bit at each other.
As teachers, we are often asked a hundred questions a day (if not more). The questions come in all shapes and sizes and at all times of the day. Generally, we'll introduce a new concept or assignment or project and the hands shoot up before we even get a chance to fully explain the details. When we finally take those questions many of them begin with "What if...," which is a question that comes from uncertainty and a twinge of fear that the student will do something we never intended them to do. Sometimes, after taking three or four questions of clarification, we'll hear the exact same question we just answered. This happens quite a bit -- students are always thinking about THEIR questions and rarely about other students' questions let alone the answers they received.
So we jokingly decided that our jobs would be more lucrative if we were paid not by a salary, not by the hour, but by the question. Five dollars for the first question and double the money if the question is asked again. At one point, we made about $48 each in a one minute time span. At that rate, we'd be millionaires before the week's end!
We started pointed this out to the girls. "Wow, I just made 10 more bucks because I just answered that question!" While we're laughing about it all, the girls are getting it though -- listening is as important as asking. Yes, it's important to ask clarifying questions, but often it's as important to begin the process, see if you understand it, then if you don't, get individual help.
Which leads to another "unlearning" lesson: As long as you understand the concepts being reinforced in an assignment or a project, you pretty much have creative freedom to make that assignment or project your own. Check with us first, but feel free to envision the lesson in a way that makes sense to you.
Trust yourself. Believe that you are creative, competent, and capable. We're here to guide not to mandate.
The playwright, Tom Stoppard wrote a marvelous comedy based on two minor characters in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." There are times in the classroom when this lesson within the lesson feels a bit like a string of dialogue from Stoppard's play "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead."
Guildenstern: What's the first thing you remember?
Rosencrantz: Oh, let's see. . . . The first thing that comes into my head, you mean?
Guildenstern: No — the first thing you remember.
Rosencrantz: Ah. ... No, it's no good. It's gone. It was a long time ago.
Guildenstern: No, you don't take my meaning. What's the first thing you remember after all the things you've forgotten?
Rosencrantz: Oh, I see... I've forgotten the question.
In the end, we know that each day the girls are growing, maturing, stretching themselves into that leadership role we have laid before them and really figuring out who they want to be...or perhaps 2B...and that each day, more lessons within lessons will present themselves.
And don't worry...we'll grab them each time for a little impromptu examination.
To be or not to be...which is my apartment?
Most of our students don't get the joke primarily because they may not been familiar with Hamlet's great speech or the fact that some people live in apartments with numbers like 2B. This, of course, doesn't mean we don't tell them the joke, but it does mean we must teach them about the beauty of puns and an appreciation of cultural literacy.
This is how most lessons unfold, though. They begin with a topic we want them to know and then often become a lesson about something we didn't intend.
It happened twice last week. In the first instance, we had scheduled a quiz on many of the concepts we'd introduced in class -- biotic, abiotic, taxonomies, etc. We presented the information, constructed some activities around it, had the students take notes and then reminded them on their Weeklies to study the notes that defined the concepts.
Some students did just that, but others did not. While they took their quizzes many of them approached us contrite and worried that they would "fail" the quiz. Some hummed and hawed over their quizzes for the full 45 minutes allotted, staring at their blank pages and scrunching that space between their eyebrows together until it set itself into a permanent wrinkle.
We tried to reassure them that they could retake the quiz, that failure wasn't an option. If they didn't do well this time, they could try again until they felt successful. All our assurances were to no avail.
So we had this discussion: SGS is asking you to take on more responsibility, perhaps, than your old schools. We are asking you to step beyond 4th grade and move into 5th. This means that you must carry the load of your education with less dependence on your teachers and your families. It doesn't mean we won't be there to help, but it does mean that excuses like "I forgot to study" come with a natrual consequence -- you won't do well on the quiz and instead of twisting your hands and your face in a pitiful look, own your mistake and figure out how you're going to resolve it. (In this instance, study harder for the retake.) And then next time, yes, next time make a choice to prepare yourself better. Use that Weekly as a guide to what must get done. Find creative ways to have your families help you study be it memorizing your times tables or understanding your science concepts. YOU take responsibility and don't assume someone else is going to do it for you. That's what it means to be a student at SGS. That's what it means to be a 5th grader. That's what it means to be a leader of your class, of your school, and in the world around you.
No excuses. No apologies. Be the person you want to be.
The next instance of a lesson within a lesson turned into a time to laugh at ourselves and a bit at each other.
As teachers, we are often asked a hundred questions a day (if not more). The questions come in all shapes and sizes and at all times of the day. Generally, we'll introduce a new concept or assignment or project and the hands shoot up before we even get a chance to fully explain the details. When we finally take those questions many of them begin with "What if...," which is a question that comes from uncertainty and a twinge of fear that the student will do something we never intended them to do. Sometimes, after taking three or four questions of clarification, we'll hear the exact same question we just answered. This happens quite a bit -- students are always thinking about THEIR questions and rarely about other students' questions let alone the answers they received.
So we jokingly decided that our jobs would be more lucrative if we were paid not by a salary, not by the hour, but by the question. Five dollars for the first question and double the money if the question is asked again. At one point, we made about $48 each in a one minute time span. At that rate, we'd be millionaires before the week's end!
We started pointed this out to the girls. "Wow, I just made 10 more bucks because I just answered that question!" While we're laughing about it all, the girls are getting it though -- listening is as important as asking. Yes, it's important to ask clarifying questions, but often it's as important to begin the process, see if you understand it, then if you don't, get individual help.
Which leads to another "unlearning" lesson: As long as you understand the concepts being reinforced in an assignment or a project, you pretty much have creative freedom to make that assignment or project your own. Check with us first, but feel free to envision the lesson in a way that makes sense to you.
Trust yourself. Believe that you are creative, competent, and capable. We're here to guide not to mandate.
The playwright, Tom Stoppard wrote a marvelous comedy based on two minor characters in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." There are times in the classroom when this lesson within the lesson feels a bit like a string of dialogue from Stoppard's play "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead."
Guildenstern: What's the first thing you remember?
Rosencrantz: Oh, let's see. . . . The first thing that comes into my head, you mean?
Guildenstern: No — the first thing you remember.
Rosencrantz: Ah. ... No, it's no good. It's gone. It was a long time ago.
Guildenstern: No, you don't take my meaning. What's the first thing you remember after all the things you've forgotten?
Rosencrantz: Oh, I see... I've forgotten the question.
In the end, we know that each day the girls are growing, maturing, stretching themselves into that leadership role we have laid before them and really figuring out who they want to be...or perhaps 2B...and that each day, more lessons within lessons will present themselves.
And don't worry...we'll grab them each time for a little impromptu examination.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
What's an LTM and is it painful?
Learning Team Meetings (or LTMs) are a chance for families to discuss with their daughters and her advisor how the school year is going so far. In your previous school these meetings were often called Parent-Teacher Conferences and were a time to talk directly with your daughter's teachers. LTMs are similar in that we're discussing academic as well as social progress, but instead of the teacher being in charge, you daughter will be.
LTMs are scheduled for Friday, October 26. Teachers will be here from 10-7 and families are asked to sign up for a half hour slot with Ms. Nova (ndobrev@seattlegirlsschool.org). If none of the times works for you, we can discuss other options (other times and/or days) that might work better, but we'd love to fit them all in on Friday as that is a scheduled day for such meetings.
While Parent-Teacher Conferences in your past may or may not have included your daughter, YOUR DAUGHTER MUST COME TO THE LTM. She's in charge and will be directing the whole conference for the full 30 minutes. Yes, there will be time to ask questions of her and of her advisor, but the responsibility of communicating joys and concerns is hers and therefore she needs to be there.
So, if you haven't done so already, PLEASE contact Ms. Nova (ndobrev@seattlegirlsschool.org) and schedule your meeting. We're looking forward to sharing this time with you!
Ms. GreNini
LTMs are scheduled for Friday, October 26. Teachers will be here from 10-7 and families are asked to sign up for a half hour slot with Ms. Nova (ndobrev@seattlegirlsschool.org). If none of the times works for you, we can discuss other options (other times and/or days) that might work better, but we'd love to fit them all in on Friday as that is a scheduled day for such meetings.
While Parent-Teacher Conferences in your past may or may not have included your daughter, YOUR DAUGHTER MUST COME TO THE LTM. She's in charge and will be directing the whole conference for the full 30 minutes. Yes, there will be time to ask questions of her and of her advisor, but the responsibility of communicating joys and concerns is hers and therefore she needs to be there.
So, if you haven't done so already, PLEASE contact Ms. Nova (ndobrev@seattlegirlsschool.org) and schedule your meeting. We're looking forward to sharing this time with you!
Ms. GreNini
Monday, October 15, 2007
Why Birds?
(This isn't Coolie, but this is what an American Kestrel looks like!)
(This isn't Bob, either, but this is what a Great Horned Owl looks like!)
Our 5th grade curriculum focuses on Stewardship, which frankly is a pretty broad term. There are lots and lots of examples of Stewardship we could study, but we've chosen the environment and even more specifically animals. Our level of specification goes even deeper. For the first term, we focus on Birds.
Originally, we focused on birds because the chickens were a 5th grade responsibility. Now the chickens (and the goats) are the whole school's responsibility, but we still focus on birds first because they are a great introduction of lots of First Term concepts.
For instance, we played dichotomous shoes last week. Dichotomous Keys are used by biologists in the field to identify exactly what species of plant or animal or bird they're looking at. As the name implies, species are divided by their characteristics. For instance, is it a bird with talons or not talons? Is it a plant with opposite leaves or not opposite leaves? To illustrate this, the girls created a dichotomous key for their shoes. After much discussion, they winnowed their shoes into distinct categories putting the shoes with laces in one pile and the shoes without laces in another until finally they ended up with a laceless green Puma.
Next, we introduced Carl Linnaeus' Taxonomy or system for naming the natural world. While his system is elaborate, it's used the world over to classify dolphins from chimps and chimps from humans.
Now we'll start to focus on birds because they fall nicely into simple examples of both the Dichotomous Key and the Taxonomy. For example, on Tuesday the Woodland Park Zoo returned with their beautiful raptors. The SOAR program (Save Our Amazing Raptors) brings live raptors into the classroom. We were extremely lucky to meet, Collie the American Kestrel and Bob the gorgeous Great Horned Owl. The girls got to learn all the characteristics that make a raptor a raptor and not a shorebird or a songbird. While birds are all the same species, they are a multitude of subcategories (or Phyla) for groups of birds that share similar characteristics.
In addition, the birds reinforce concepts we also introduced this week. What's a raptor's HABITAT? What's a raptor's NICHE? What other BIOTIC and ABIOTIC factors must be present for a raptor to survive in a particular ECOSYSTEM? What's the POPULATION of peregrine falcons in the United States? Where do their COMMUNITIES live primarily? Birds are a great measure of the health of our environment, too. Remember the carnary in the gold mine story? Well, scientists use birds (raptors are particularly helpful) in helping them gauge the amount of toxins inour food supply or loss of habitat in our neighborhoods.
We'll even further into different aspects of birds -- their anatomy, their habits, their field markings, their diets, their migration patterns, etc. In art, the girls are examining birds via the internet, but also by looking at Audubon specimans, which will be arriving in a few weeks. In addition, we're taking a look at world geography via the various and beautiful birds found in all corners of the globe. It will be birds, birds, and more birds all the way until December when the girls will share their bird knowledge (bird brains?) with all of you at Culmination.
We encourage you all to spend a day on the weekend looking at the local birds in our own environment. The birds are beginning to fly south for the winter and therefore we'll see some unusal birds passing through. Many birds winter here as well, so if you have a chance to go to Lake Washington or the shores of Puget Sound, you'll find an abundance of birds despite the colder temperatures.
If any of you have particular bird knowledge, we'd love for you to come in and share it! Just email Ms. Gretchen and let her know!
Meanwhile, pay close attention to those birds in your life -- they are there and they are fascinating!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Personal Code of Conduct
This week we spent some time in class talking about the past few weeks of Stewardship study as well as an introduction to our next unit on Ecology. In between it all we've continued to read the novel "Flipped" (it's getting interesting now!), received a new math packet, and had a visit from Woodland Park Zoo's WildWise program (focused on the ecological systems of Washington State).
But that's not all we've been doing. This week we also introduced the Personal Code of Conduct -- a code devised by Rafe Esquith from Lawrence Kohlberg's model of Moral Development. The Personal Code of Conduct is a six level code that allows kids (and adults) to reflect on the choices they make regarding their behavior.
The levels look like this:
I choose to make this decision or behave this way because:
Level One: I fear punishment
Level Two: I want a reward
Level Three: I want to please someone else
Level Four: It's a rule
Level Five: I am considerate of others
Level Six: I have a personal code of conduct
Rafe Esquith calls Level Six the Atticus Finch level and in class we talked about historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks who decided that, despite the law, they were going to get arrested to protest the injustice of the law. We also talked about how achieving Level Six takes a lifetime and is a difficult place to be 100% of one's life.
Throughout the year we will reference the Personal Code of Conduct and have, in fact, done so every day (or 5 times a day at least) since we introduced it. While we know it's difficult for the girls to really understand the deeper meaning of each level, having a reference point in regards to behavior has opened up some meaningful conversations.
In other words, the honeymoon is over (as it is every time this year). The excitement and newness of SGS has rubbed off and now we bump into each other a bit more and instead of being overly nice, we sometimes (though not all the times) complain. Such is the evolution of community and we'll continue to evolve throughout the year. Having a Personal Code reference point helps us navigate through this emotional minefields and solve social issues that normally occur in our all-girl environment (which would also occur in an all-boy or co-ed environment, though it would look and sound a bit different).
This daily reflection can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. We're certain the conversations we've begun at school are spilling over into family conversations and that's precisely why we've decided to pursue them. "It takes a village," while sometimes an overused adage,is at it's core so very true. You are the greatest influence in your daughter's life and as the discussions from school filter home, clarifying your family's values is, developmentally exactly what these girls are craving.
So, we invite you (if you haven't all ready) to carry on this discussion about Personal Codes of Conduct. It makes for a very interesting point of conversation and we've found it fascinating to hear how the girls think about such important moral journeys.
Ms. GreNini
PS THERE IS NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 OR MONDAY, OCTOBER 15. WE'LL SEE EVERYONE AT THE REGULAR TIME ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16. HAVE A GREAT FOUR-DAY WEEKEND!
But that's not all we've been doing. This week we also introduced the Personal Code of Conduct -- a code devised by Rafe Esquith from Lawrence Kohlberg's model of Moral Development. The Personal Code of Conduct is a six level code that allows kids (and adults) to reflect on the choices they make regarding their behavior.
The levels look like this:
I choose to make this decision or behave this way because:
Level One: I fear punishment
Level Two: I want a reward
Level Three: I want to please someone else
Level Four: It's a rule
Level Five: I am considerate of others
Level Six: I have a personal code of conduct
Rafe Esquith calls Level Six the Atticus Finch level and in class we talked about historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks who decided that, despite the law, they were going to get arrested to protest the injustice of the law. We also talked about how achieving Level Six takes a lifetime and is a difficult place to be 100% of one's life.
Throughout the year we will reference the Personal Code of Conduct and have, in fact, done so every day (or 5 times a day at least) since we introduced it. While we know it's difficult for the girls to really understand the deeper meaning of each level, having a reference point in regards to behavior has opened up some meaningful conversations.
In other words, the honeymoon is over (as it is every time this year). The excitement and newness of SGS has rubbed off and now we bump into each other a bit more and instead of being overly nice, we sometimes (though not all the times) complain. Such is the evolution of community and we'll continue to evolve throughout the year. Having a Personal Code reference point helps us navigate through this emotional minefields and solve social issues that normally occur in our all-girl environment (which would also occur in an all-boy or co-ed environment, though it would look and sound a bit different).
This daily reflection can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. We're certain the conversations we've begun at school are spilling over into family conversations and that's precisely why we've decided to pursue them. "It takes a village," while sometimes an overused adage,is at it's core so very true. You are the greatest influence in your daughter's life and as the discussions from school filter home, clarifying your family's values is, developmentally exactly what these girls are craving.
So, we invite you (if you haven't all ready) to carry on this discussion about Personal Codes of Conduct. It makes for a very interesting point of conversation and we've found it fascinating to hear how the girls think about such important moral journeys.
Ms. GreNini
PS THERE IS NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 OR MONDAY, OCTOBER 15. WE'LL SEE EVERYONE AT THE REGULAR TIME ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16. HAVE A GREAT FOUR-DAY WEEKEND!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Coffee with Marja
Marja shared with us on Friday the valuable feedback you provided during your coffee session. First, thank you so much for the warm, supportive, and kind words about our classroom and your daughter’s experience. It’s great to have such positive feedback from our families. We’re falling in love with your daughters so please know that the feelings are mutual.
There was, of course, constructive feedback as well reflected in some concerns expressed in the get-together. We wanted to take this time to address them as they are questions that delve deep into our philosophies and expectations, which despite Curriculum Night, we never really have time enough to discuss.
Homework Philosophy:
Recently, there has been a great deal of national discussion on the value of homework, or school work assigned to be completed at home. Last year, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an article outlining the debate (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/287317_homework03.html). In addition, author and educator Alfie Kohn has recently written a book on the subject (The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/hm.htm). We are perhaps in the middle of this debate both figuratively and literally. Literally in the sense that unlike parents, our “family of students” consists of more than one or two children. For instance, our classroom currently has 19 students each coming from their own rich educational, family, and social experiences. Some students are involved in soccer and dance; others have music lessons or swimming competitions. And still others are not involved in any outside activities. When we sit down each week to figure out exactly the amount of homework we are assigning for the week, we must take into account these experiences as well as many others such as commitment to family time or even “play” time, family involvement in other communities such as church, and expectations for bed and meal-time.
Figuratively, our philosophy is very much informed by the current research, but also by our own personal belief that family trumps education always! In other words, we honor the priority of family time first, then homework time. In addition, we believe firmly that the quality of homework is more important than the quantity. Think back to your own middle school or junior high experience. What was the main focus? It was very much a social time – a time to figure out who you are as an individual, but also who you are in relation to other people. True, you may have had a class or a teacher that inspired you, but when we first think back to those pre-adolescent years, our memories are more about the people in our lives than the academic subjects.
Incoming 5th graders at SGS (especially in the first month) are overwhelmed by a new school, new classmates, new students in other grades, new expectations, a new focus on academics that may be very different from their previous experiences, as well as adjusting to new teachers and their particular expectations. Given all of this we try to ease our students into the year by “going light” on the amount of work we assign outside of the school day.
For example, just the other day we overheard a student say, “I like all these field trips, but they make me tired.” We’re lucky. We get to go out into the world and actually see the subjects we teach in action. The biologist at the Aquarium not only has to know her marine biology, she must also know how to work with others on her staff, manage her time, communicate with the public, write proposals for others to read, keep up with current research on marine biology and aquariums, be aware of the historical decisions and political ramifications of those decisions, and organize budgets and meetings. Or in academic terms, she must know the science, language arts, social studies and math of her job requirements. When we meet such people like this biologist, we not only see the value of education, but we get to see that education in action and that is perhaps one of the greatest motivators in our classroom.
So yes, while going on field trips is educational, they are also rich with experiences that make us mentally (and sometimes physically) tired. Reflecting on those experiences is vital for it gives our brain time to process what we’ve learned or in brain research terms, it allows our brains to literally make synaptic connections that are crucial in creating patterns used to navigate through our world as well as setting us up more to learn more. We could certainly add “assignments” on top of what is required during the field trip or later during the school day, but research has shown that this does not always yield “more” or “better” understanding.
A phrase we use often in our classroom is Mastery Over Time. For some students, we’ll be introducing new words, concepts, language, and ideas they’ve never heard of or interacted with before. It would be unrealistic of us to expect our students to “get it” the first time they are exposed to it. To illustrate this, we often use the analogy of learning to walk. When they first tried walking how did you (as parents) react? Did you say, “Good job…oh, you fell. I guess that means you’ll never learn to walk. You are such a failure.” Did you say, “Good job! Now do more. You are scheduled to do 2 hours of walking each night. I don’t care if you know how to walk, you must do two hours as practice.” Or did you say, “Yippee! You’re a walking! Don’t worry about falling, it’s all part of the practice. Soon you’ll get it and then we’ll move on to something even more fun – running and skipping and skiing and dancing!”
We imagine that all of you took the final approach – you saw it as a process. This is very much how we see learning and that homework must reflect the mastery over time process. So yes, practice your multiplication facts until you master them. Once they’re mastered, let’s work on algebra and geometry and other ways multiplication might be useful. Furthermore, let’s give you time to reflect on what you’ve learned. By reflecting, you learn the value of what you’ve learned and how it applies to your life.
Unfortunately, as the case of multiplication tables illustrate, not every student in our class of 19 is on the same page. Some have the tables nailed and others are still trying to master them. The same is true for writing and spelling and their knowledge of history or science concepts. Teaching then becomes this dance where we must challenge those who have it, nurture those who are new to it, and keep that tension of expectation tight for those kids in the middle of the two extremes. In addition, current brain research has supported the notion that reflection is as important as actually doing the assignment or learning the new concept.
Throw all of that together with all the research about students’ brains and the current discussion about how Americans are busier now than they’ve ever been and you can see how creating your daughter’s Weeklies becomes an extremely complicated dance.
So, what does all this mean for your daughter? It means that we are committed to the whole child. We want them to be challenged, but we don’t want them to be unduly stressed. We want them to know that, at times, they’ll be working very hard during the school hours and need to relax and play and spend time with their families and all their other activities after school. And some times, they’ll moan and groan because they’ll think what’s been assigned is far too much and overwhelming. And here’s the kicker – every single girl will experience these things at different times throughout the year. We’re seeing that even now. Some girls feel overwhelmed already, while others are not feeling challenged enough.
And to complicate it all even further, parents have their own expectations. We overheard a recent conversation between a mother and a daughter that went something like this:
Parent: My daughter has finished her math packet and needs more to do.
Daughter: No, I don’t need more. I just wanted to see if I could work through my math packet on my own ahead of the rest of the class. I didn’t finish it all so I could get more. That’s what you want.
Yes, even for parents it’s a complicated dance. How much do I challenge my daughter and how much do I let her relax and reflect?
Now, multiply that times 19.
In short, our philosophy is this: Attempt to challenge each girl to “stretch” her brain at a rate that neither overwhelms them nor bores them INSIDE as well as OUTSIDE of class. It’s an ebb and flow. Right now we’re ebbing, but the flow is coming…as well as another ebb followed by another flow. Please know, though, that your daughter’s learning is our first priority.
What about Spelling?
While you may think the homework discussion is complicated and long, spelling (a more specific focus) is even more complicated. And yes, we know you may disagree with us, but that’s the beauty of communicating with each other – we can carry on this conversation outside of this blog.
Unlike some areas of study, we believe that spelling is NOT developmental. It’s not really about mastery over time. What’s mastery over time is conscientiousness. Good spellers are good because that’s how their brains work. They see patterns and spelling is all about patterns and those nasty rules that make the English language one of the hardest to learn. Sure, we can teach kids all the “rules” for spelling (which we’ll do…well, not all of them, but some of the of the most important) and that will help, but if they don’t take the time to apply those rules or better yet, to proofread their work and seek out a variety of editors (the conscientious part) than they’ll still be bad spellers.
Last year a parent emailed the following message:
“My daughter is a horrific speller. Are you going to teach her how to spell? At her previous school she got spelling assignments three times a week. Will you do that this year?”
The answer to this question lies right in this message. Her daughter received spelling lessons three times a day for an entire year BUT her daughter is still a horrific speller! What does that tell us?
From our experience, the students who do well on spelling assignments and spelling tests are the students who are already good spellers. Occasionally, the spelling tests will yield positive results for bad spellers, but they don’t retain the information over time. While they may spell “would” correctly on the test, they’ll still write “whould” on their assignments.
So where does that leave us with spelling and our philosophy? Yes, you’ll see spelling homework though never spelling lists. More importantly, you’ll see the girls go through the writing process that involves multiple drafts and a final draft that must be publishable and that includes correct spelling. As the girls work through this writing process, we’ll encourage them to use as many resources as they can to check their conventions – spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Their resources might include writing guides, dictionaries, computers, each other and adults (like you) to give them guidance and feedback. The more conscientious they are about seeking these resources, the more you’ll see improvement not only in their writing, but also in these conventions.
Will they be perfect at it? No, but in reality is anyone? Well, if you’re a professional writer you might have a better handle on it all, but even then there are a multitude of resources at your fingertips including helpful people who sit down with you and provide valuable and helpful feedback.
Whew…that was a long post, but we hope you find it helpful. We’d love to talk more with you about all of this on an individual basis, so don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions, concerns, or clarifications.
Again, we thank you for the amazing support we heard via Marja and the wonderful support we’ve already seen from all of you since school began. This community is developing into a wonderful group and we feel lucky to be a part of their educational journeys. (Hey, “journeys” is a tough word to spell, isn’t it? No “ies” on this word! Good thing we were conscientious and looked it up to make sure it was spelled correctly!)
We'll see you Monday!
Ms. GreNini
There was, of course, constructive feedback as well reflected in some concerns expressed in the get-together. We wanted to take this time to address them as they are questions that delve deep into our philosophies and expectations, which despite Curriculum Night, we never really have time enough to discuss.
Homework Philosophy:
Recently, there has been a great deal of national discussion on the value of homework, or school work assigned to be completed at home. Last year, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an article outlining the debate (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/287317_homework03.html). In addition, author and educator Alfie Kohn has recently written a book on the subject (The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/hm.htm). We are perhaps in the middle of this debate both figuratively and literally. Literally in the sense that unlike parents, our “family of students” consists of more than one or two children. For instance, our classroom currently has 19 students each coming from their own rich educational, family, and social experiences. Some students are involved in soccer and dance; others have music lessons or swimming competitions. And still others are not involved in any outside activities. When we sit down each week to figure out exactly the amount of homework we are assigning for the week, we must take into account these experiences as well as many others such as commitment to family time or even “play” time, family involvement in other communities such as church, and expectations for bed and meal-time.
Figuratively, our philosophy is very much informed by the current research, but also by our own personal belief that family trumps education always! In other words, we honor the priority of family time first, then homework time. In addition, we believe firmly that the quality of homework is more important than the quantity. Think back to your own middle school or junior high experience. What was the main focus? It was very much a social time – a time to figure out who you are as an individual, but also who you are in relation to other people. True, you may have had a class or a teacher that inspired you, but when we first think back to those pre-adolescent years, our memories are more about the people in our lives than the academic subjects.
Incoming 5th graders at SGS (especially in the first month) are overwhelmed by a new school, new classmates, new students in other grades, new expectations, a new focus on academics that may be very different from their previous experiences, as well as adjusting to new teachers and their particular expectations. Given all of this we try to ease our students into the year by “going light” on the amount of work we assign outside of the school day.
For example, just the other day we overheard a student say, “I like all these field trips, but they make me tired.” We’re lucky. We get to go out into the world and actually see the subjects we teach in action. The biologist at the Aquarium not only has to know her marine biology, she must also know how to work with others on her staff, manage her time, communicate with the public, write proposals for others to read, keep up with current research on marine biology and aquariums, be aware of the historical decisions and political ramifications of those decisions, and organize budgets and meetings. Or in academic terms, she must know the science, language arts, social studies and math of her job requirements. When we meet such people like this biologist, we not only see the value of education, but we get to see that education in action and that is perhaps one of the greatest motivators in our classroom.
So yes, while going on field trips is educational, they are also rich with experiences that make us mentally (and sometimes physically) tired. Reflecting on those experiences is vital for it gives our brain time to process what we’ve learned or in brain research terms, it allows our brains to literally make synaptic connections that are crucial in creating patterns used to navigate through our world as well as setting us up more to learn more. We could certainly add “assignments” on top of what is required during the field trip or later during the school day, but research has shown that this does not always yield “more” or “better” understanding.
A phrase we use often in our classroom is Mastery Over Time. For some students, we’ll be introducing new words, concepts, language, and ideas they’ve never heard of or interacted with before. It would be unrealistic of us to expect our students to “get it” the first time they are exposed to it. To illustrate this, we often use the analogy of learning to walk. When they first tried walking how did you (as parents) react? Did you say, “Good job…oh, you fell. I guess that means you’ll never learn to walk. You are such a failure.” Did you say, “Good job! Now do more. You are scheduled to do 2 hours of walking each night. I don’t care if you know how to walk, you must do two hours as practice.” Or did you say, “Yippee! You’re a walking! Don’t worry about falling, it’s all part of the practice. Soon you’ll get it and then we’ll move on to something even more fun – running and skipping and skiing and dancing!”
We imagine that all of you took the final approach – you saw it as a process. This is very much how we see learning and that homework must reflect the mastery over time process. So yes, practice your multiplication facts until you master them. Once they’re mastered, let’s work on algebra and geometry and other ways multiplication might be useful. Furthermore, let’s give you time to reflect on what you’ve learned. By reflecting, you learn the value of what you’ve learned and how it applies to your life.
Unfortunately, as the case of multiplication tables illustrate, not every student in our class of 19 is on the same page. Some have the tables nailed and others are still trying to master them. The same is true for writing and spelling and their knowledge of history or science concepts. Teaching then becomes this dance where we must challenge those who have it, nurture those who are new to it, and keep that tension of expectation tight for those kids in the middle of the two extremes. In addition, current brain research has supported the notion that reflection is as important as actually doing the assignment or learning the new concept.
Throw all of that together with all the research about students’ brains and the current discussion about how Americans are busier now than they’ve ever been and you can see how creating your daughter’s Weeklies becomes an extremely complicated dance.
So, what does all this mean for your daughter? It means that we are committed to the whole child. We want them to be challenged, but we don’t want them to be unduly stressed. We want them to know that, at times, they’ll be working very hard during the school hours and need to relax and play and spend time with their families and all their other activities after school. And some times, they’ll moan and groan because they’ll think what’s been assigned is far too much and overwhelming. And here’s the kicker – every single girl will experience these things at different times throughout the year. We’re seeing that even now. Some girls feel overwhelmed already, while others are not feeling challenged enough.
And to complicate it all even further, parents have their own expectations. We overheard a recent conversation between a mother and a daughter that went something like this:
Parent: My daughter has finished her math packet and needs more to do.
Daughter: No, I don’t need more. I just wanted to see if I could work through my math packet on my own ahead of the rest of the class. I didn’t finish it all so I could get more. That’s what you want.
Yes, even for parents it’s a complicated dance. How much do I challenge my daughter and how much do I let her relax and reflect?
Now, multiply that times 19.
In short, our philosophy is this: Attempt to challenge each girl to “stretch” her brain at a rate that neither overwhelms them nor bores them INSIDE as well as OUTSIDE of class. It’s an ebb and flow. Right now we’re ebbing, but the flow is coming…as well as another ebb followed by another flow. Please know, though, that your daughter’s learning is our first priority.
What about Spelling?
While you may think the homework discussion is complicated and long, spelling (a more specific focus) is even more complicated. And yes, we know you may disagree with us, but that’s the beauty of communicating with each other – we can carry on this conversation outside of this blog.
Unlike some areas of study, we believe that spelling is NOT developmental. It’s not really about mastery over time. What’s mastery over time is conscientiousness. Good spellers are good because that’s how their brains work. They see patterns and spelling is all about patterns and those nasty rules that make the English language one of the hardest to learn. Sure, we can teach kids all the “rules” for spelling (which we’ll do…well, not all of them, but some of the of the most important) and that will help, but if they don’t take the time to apply those rules or better yet, to proofread their work and seek out a variety of editors (the conscientious part) than they’ll still be bad spellers.
Last year a parent emailed the following message:
“My daughter is a horrific speller. Are you going to teach her how to spell? At her previous school she got spelling assignments three times a week. Will you do that this year?”
The answer to this question lies right in this message. Her daughter received spelling lessons three times a day for an entire year BUT her daughter is still a horrific speller! What does that tell us?
From our experience, the students who do well on spelling assignments and spelling tests are the students who are already good spellers. Occasionally, the spelling tests will yield positive results for bad spellers, but they don’t retain the information over time. While they may spell “would” correctly on the test, they’ll still write “whould” on their assignments.
So where does that leave us with spelling and our philosophy? Yes, you’ll see spelling homework though never spelling lists. More importantly, you’ll see the girls go through the writing process that involves multiple drafts and a final draft that must be publishable and that includes correct spelling. As the girls work through this writing process, we’ll encourage them to use as many resources as they can to check their conventions – spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Their resources might include writing guides, dictionaries, computers, each other and adults (like you) to give them guidance and feedback. The more conscientious they are about seeking these resources, the more you’ll see improvement not only in their writing, but also in these conventions.
Will they be perfect at it? No, but in reality is anyone? Well, if you’re a professional writer you might have a better handle on it all, but even then there are a multitude of resources at your fingertips including helpful people who sit down with you and provide valuable and helpful feedback.
Whew…that was a long post, but we hope you find it helpful. We’d love to talk more with you about all of this on an individual basis, so don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions, concerns, or clarifications.
Again, we thank you for the amazing support we heard via Marja and the wonderful support we’ve already seen from all of you since school began. This community is developing into a wonderful group and we feel lucky to be a part of their educational journeys. (Hey, “journeys” is a tough word to spell, isn’t it? No “ies” on this word! Good thing we were conscientious and looked it up to make sure it was spelled correctly!)
We'll see you Monday!
Ms. GreNini
Monday, October 1, 2007
All Answers Lie Within
Another successful field trip came together today. It was touch and go in some regards (transportation, mainly), but we arrived at the Microsoft campus right on time and thanks to help from Keith (Josie's dad), we made our way to a nice lunch with Danica McKellar followed by a short talk she gave in the Conference room.
There was a great deal of "giddyness" on our students' part -- the excitement of meeting a real life actor -- but the girls held it together and did an admirable job asking questions in the large conference room amidst the Microsoft employees who'd come to hear Ms. McKellar speak.
We're still processing all that Ms. McKellar said today, but one clear message came at the very end: Don't ask others to tell you who you are. They don't know who you are, only you do. All answers lie within.
Yes, there were messages about the importance of math, the need for young girls to feel empowered by math and not afraid of it. Messages about valuing your intelligence and using your brain power to help you gain confidence. But of all the messages, the "all answers lie within" really resonated throughout the room.
We hope our students walked away not only with a autographed complimentary copy of the book "Math Doesn't Suck" by Danica McKellar, but we also hope they walked away with the understanding that they live in a time where, as women, they can really set the world on fire if they so choose and Ms. McKellar did a wonderful job encouraging them to CHOOSE such a path.
Now, if you want to have some fun this weekend, rent "The Wonder Years" or turn on an episode on Nick at Night. See that pretty young girl who Kevin is so ga-ga over? Well, she's a beautiful young woman now, with something even better than an acting career -- she's got brains and wit and confidence and a passion for math that we hope inspired your daughters to believe in themselves as much as we do!
There was a great deal of "giddyness" on our students' part -- the excitement of meeting a real life actor -- but the girls held it together and did an admirable job asking questions in the large conference room amidst the Microsoft employees who'd come to hear Ms. McKellar speak.
We're still processing all that Ms. McKellar said today, but one clear message came at the very end: Don't ask others to tell you who you are. They don't know who you are, only you do. All answers lie within.
Yes, there were messages about the importance of math, the need for young girls to feel empowered by math and not afraid of it. Messages about valuing your intelligence and using your brain power to help you gain confidence. But of all the messages, the "all answers lie within" really resonated throughout the room.
We hope our students walked away not only with a autographed complimentary copy of the book "Math Doesn't Suck" by Danica McKellar, but we also hope they walked away with the understanding that they live in a time where, as women, they can really set the world on fire if they so choose and Ms. McKellar did a wonderful job encouraging them to CHOOSE such a path.
Now, if you want to have some fun this weekend, rent "The Wonder Years" or turn on an episode on Nick at Night. See that pretty young girl who Kevin is so ga-ga over? Well, she's a beautiful young woman now, with something even better than an acting career -- she's got brains and wit and confidence and a passion for math that we hope inspired your daughters to believe in themselves as much as we do!
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