Here’s How We’re Moving Forward as an Elementary School…

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As I continue to document my journey as the Elementary Principal of T. Baldwin Demarest Elementary School (TBD) in the Old Tappan School District (which began about five months ago), here are my posts from oldest to newest:

Now let’s take a look at how we’re moving forward as a school.

Below is a slightly modified version of a document I sent out to my teachers and staff with about two weeks remaining in the school year. Going into the summer, I believe it’s beneficial for everyone to have this information, (1) in case they want to get a jumpstart with the learning over the summer, (2) so everyone knows what to expect when returning to school in the fall, and (3) so everyone can better wrap their heads around how the different areas of focus fit together.

For curriculum, this is what will serve as our main areas of focus for the 2018-2019 school year. For each area, for this blog post, I’ve included additional background information.

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1. PHONICS FIRST: Grades K-1, homeroom and intervention

This is replacing Words Their Way. Next year, Grade 2 will explore the possible implementation of Phonics First for 2019-2020.

Resources:

Members Area: “Your Free-Access Pass to downloadable course documents, activity pages, multisensory activities and more. This area is accessible only to our Phonics First and Structures teachers.”
Kindergarten Strategy Adaptations: “Watch a one-hour video (three 20-minute segments) of strategy modifications for Kindergarten and low performing primary grade students. Adaptations include: Three-Part Drill, Dictation, Lesson Strategies, and Red Words.”

Additional Background Information:

Resoundingly, K-1 teachers wanted an early literacy program with a more concrete scope and sequence. And, because I know Words Their Way is generally unpopular amongst primary teachers, I did not hesitate to make the change.
Along with Phonics First, which is based on Orton-Gillingham, the other program we considered was Wilson Fundations. For both programs we went on a site visit to a local school to see it in action, and we also brought in a representative from each company.
At the start of the new school year, K-1 teachers (for homeroom and intervention) will hit the ground running with Phonics First. Implementation requires three full-days of professional development. We already had one in the spring, and the other two will take place towards the end of September.

2. WRITING PATHWAYS: Grades 2-4; optional for Grades K-1

This will help us to align our writing instruction, horizontally and vertically. Next year, Grades K-1 will explore the possible implementation of Writing Pathways for 2019-2020.

A pre and a post on-demand should be given for each of the three main genres: information, narrative, opinion/argument.

The on-demands shouldn’t be modified unless we’ve had a discussion beforehand. All teachers within the same grade level should try to give their post on-demands around the same day/week.
The pre on-demands don’t have to be graded as thoroughly. They are mostly used to drive instruction and to help gauge how much a student improves over the course of a unit. Grades from the post on-demands will be entered into our data sheets.
Next year we can look into providing time for the norming of post on-demands. We can also discuss what writing portfolios could look like.

The learning progressions, writing checklists, and student writing samples should be used to align our academic vocabulary and learning expectations. These can be modified, but please make sure the academic vocabulary remains the same.

Additional Background Information:

My entry plan helped me to uncover the idea that we need to take a look at better aligning our instruction, horizontally and vertically. The Writing Pathways components, which contain performance assessments and learning progressions, will move us in this direction without us necessarily having to rewrite curriculum.
Writing Pathways also contains tools that will assist us in promoting student self-assessment.

3. FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACES: Anyone who has received supplies

Get creative, take risks, and have fun with your students!

Here are all of the resources that have been sent out, in one place:

20 copies of The Space and 30 copies of LAUNCH have been distributed. If you are in need of a copy of either one, please let me know.
Article – Why the 21st Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks – by Kayla Delzer via EdSurge
Kayla’s website – Classroom Design Inspiration
Article – 12 Ways to Upgrade Your Classroom Design – featuring Bob Dillon via Cult of Pedagogy
Article (with lots of photos) – 7 Outstanding K–8 Flexible Classrooms – by Stephen Merrill via Edutopia
Blog post – Reimagining Learning Spaces with Design Thinking – Ross Cooper
Photographs – 16 Awesome Flexible-Seating Classrooms That’ll Blow Your Teacher Mind – via Bored Teachers

Additional Background Information:

My entry plan and informal conversations sparked our work in this area. My blog post, Flexible Learning Spaces: The Start of Our Journey, encapsulates a lot of what we have done.
Since the blog post, the supplies have been ordered and most of them have been delivered. At the end of this past school year, as teachers were packing up their classrooms, it was fascinating to listen to many of them talk about how they’re going to rethink their learning spaces when they set up in the fall.

4. GENIUS HOUR: Optional (not mandatory)

If you’re going to give this a shot, maybe start with one 45 minute session a week, possibly by replacing one period of content with Genius Hour. (Every week, students would have 2 periods of science, 2 periods of social studies, and 1 period of Genius Hour.)

Here are all of the resources that have been sent out, in one place:

30 copies of Genius Hour have been distributed. If you are in need of a copy, please let me know.
TED Talk – The Puzzle of Motivation – by Daniel Pink: Pink’s work on motivation served as the impetus for many school movements that have focused on student choice (including Genius Hour). This could be a great video to show your students when kicking off Genius Hour!
Video – What is Genius Hour? – by Chris Kesler: A three minute video that explains the Genius Hour basics.
A.J. Juliani’s free 20% Time / Genius Hour course: Contains four modules: Why 20% Time?; How to Get Started; Navigating the Project’s Ups and Downs; Final Presentations, Grading, and Reflections.
Joy Kirr’s LiveBinder: Joy’s collection of Genius Hour resources – more resources than you’ll ever need.
Genius Hour Resources from Jerry Blumengarten: Jerry is a former librarian who has put together pages of resources based on education’s hottest topics. This is his page on Genius Hour.
Genius Hour on Twitter: I did a search on Twitter using the hashtag #geniushour, and this is what came up. (FYI, Twitter is a tremendous way to get ideas while connecting with other classrooms and educators from around the world.)

Additional Background Information:

Project based learning (PBL) is something about which I’m passionate, and it’s an approach we could use at some points in the future, such as when we tackle the Next Generation Science Standards (see below). Genius Hour is similar to PBL in that it’s student-centered and inquiry-based, but it’s easier to plan for because it doesn’t come with the constraints of students having to arrive at predetermined understandings that connect to academic standards. So, once teachers and students get used to an approach without constraints (Genius Hour), transitioning to an approach with constraints (PBL) will be that much easier.
Out of the five areas of focus, this is the one that I could have easily saved for later. I have learned that even when something is framed as optional, it can still be viewed as “one more thing on the plate.” At the same time, my hope is that a few teachers jump on board, experience successes, and then others follow.

5. NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS)

Next year we’ll be forming a committee to explore new science programming and to adapt/write science curriculum. Right now I’m thinking the committee will include two representatives from each grade level. We will work together to determine the specifics.

Additional Background Information:

It is my belief that schools and districts should steadily map out curriculum until all major subjects are complete (and even then, the documents should be living and breathing). Mapping to the NGSS will most likely be a 2-3 year process. In the meantime, other areas can be tackled (see above), but we’ll refrain from formal curriculum writing for other subjects.
Typically at the elementary level I would advocate for first tackling literacy. However, because of what we already have in place for Reading and Writing Workshop (based on my observations and my entry interviews), I concluded science is what we should be prioritizing. And I can say with confidence that my teachers don’t disagree.

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In the End

Most initiatives begin at the start of a school year. So, as a new principal starting in January, I could have either waited about 1.5 years to get going with most of what is listed above, or I could have jumpstarted these changes after a few months without adding on anything else the following year. Based on my context, I chose the latter.

Overall, there is an intentional balance of traditional and more progressive practices. For example, while Phonics First and Writing Pathways will help us to sure up our literacy programming (which should be common practice in any elementary school), flexible learning spaces and Genius Hour will help use to move forward by putting more decision making in the hands of our students.

How are you moving forward as a school?

Connect with Ross on Twitter.