Spark #14, Winter 2014

Fostering a Culture of

Independence

ISSUE 14 - WINTER, 2014

p 18p 4 p 12

Sticky Curriculum

4 “I Made Fire!” Teachers Coach Independence,

One-on-One

Creative Fusion

8 “Tell Me About... Helping Students Approach Mathematics with Greater Independence

What Works

12 A Purposeful Learning Environment Creating the Time and Space to Practice

Independence

People Who Inspire Us

18 An Interview with Meade Thayer NWAIS Outgoing Executive Director

In Each Issue

1 Greetings from Paula

3 Spark Plugs

22 UCDS Mission Statement

“THE SAVE SHELF!!!”

In this Issue

TM

BY TEACHERS FOR TEACHERS™Spark is published by University Child Development School.

Head of SchoolPaula Smith

Assistant Head of SchoolTeacher Education Center Director Melissa Chittenden

Publication DesignJack Forman

Contributing WritersAlyssa Barr, Deb Chickadel, Ellen Cottrell, Susan Foley,Kristi Grouws, Sally Minerich

Contributing EditorsDiane Chickadel, Melissa Chittenden, Jack Forman, Betty Greene,Stephen Harrison, Julie Kalmus, Shanthi Raghu, Elise RicciAbby Sandberg, Paula Smith,Natasha Rodgers

PhotographyStephen Harrison,UCDS Faculty and Staff

For submission information, please contact Shanthi Raghu [email protected] editor reserves the right to edit and select all materials.

© 2014 University Child Development School. All rights reserved.

Continued >

By Paula Smith

Crayton Turner was supposed to be teaching me American History

from one of the textbooks that were piled in the back corner of the classroom. He didn’t even pass them out. Instead, Mr. Turner announced to my class that American History was a recent piece of a much bigger picture and that we were going to back up a bit to cover everything that came before the last several hundred years. We started with the formation of planet earth, and we worked our way forward. Mr. Turner’s desk was piled with dozens of books that we sampled as we surveyed history through the eons. We took turns reading aloud, engaged in countless discussions and were responsible for research that we each took turns presenting to the class. Mr. Turner challenged us to ask why events unfolded the way they did and to provide evidence that would support our theories.

In truth, I do not remember many of the facts I learned that year, but I did learn how to place information in context; to think about the way one event, or one idea, shaped what happened next; and to question the accepted version of what happened in the past. But most important, I got to spend time with an adult who loved to read, to learn, to think, to hypothesize, an adult who inspired me to want to be as knowledgeable, passionate and excited about learning, ideas and history as he was. What I remember about that class 40 years ago was the way that Mr. Turner taught me to ask questions.

While the way we live, work and learn outside of school is dramatically different than it was when a man first walked on the moon, the way we learn in school hasn’t changed all that much. Although there are several trends that now provide an opportunity to change the way children learn in schools (such as recently adopted Common Core Standards, integrated technology and access to charter schools), for a majority of teachers with no control over curriculum, instructional methods or assessment tools, the professional culture is much the same. It was clear back then that Mr. Turner’s classroom was different than any other in my high school. He simply shut his door to the hallway and used his own collection of books to create the learning experience that he envisioned for us. It took several years before the administration realized that he wasn’t sticking to the script, and he was ultimately terminated by the school district.

Today, teachers across the country can face a similar fate if they vary from the district curriculum and instructional guidelines. One difference, however, is the accountability that is now in place in the form of standardized tests at several points in the school year. Teachers must pace their instruction carefully,

What if the answer is learning to ask questions?

mindful of performance outcomes that will be posted on the district website. The pressure to cover content leaves little time to explore a big idea and little opportunity to ask questions that are not part of the lesson plan. As a result, students may learn to identify the pre-determined “right answers” without mastering the understanding and skill to derive the solution to a real problem. There frequently is no time for students to generate, research, analyze, debate and evolve questions that they care about. In stark contrast to the drive and curiosity that fuels learning outside of school, students learning in a traditional classroom have few opportunities to consider questions that would cause them to fall in love with learning.

It was really quite by accident that UCDS came to organize around questions. As a lab school on the University of Washington (UW) campus from 1911 to 1981, we spent our first 70 years serving preschool and kindergarten students. During that time, large curriculum companies had not yet identified early childhood classrooms as a major profit center. Our teachers needed to adapt or create the curriculum that we used with our young students and also needed to evaluate how well it worked. From the beginning it was a collaborative effort. Teachers worked together to design the curriculum, to implement it in the classrooms, and together discussed how well it had worked before designing what came next. We needed to ask ourselves:

What should we be asking children to do and why?

What do the children know and care about?

How well did it work for each student, and why or why not?

How do we know, and what is our evidence?

Out of necessity, our teachers developed a professional culture of inquiry. In other words, we were able to create a culture of asking questions by asking questions and by making time to answer them. It is this culture that we took with us when we left the UW campus to establish an independent elementary school. And, it is this culture of inquiry that is the central organizing principle of our school today.

Walking through UCDS, visitors notice immediately that children are highly engaged and working independently. Students lean forward, unaware that we have entered the classroom. The teacher is not immediately visible, and we find her sitting at a table in conversation with a student. In fact, our teachers don’t spend much time standing at the front of the room as we don’t “teach the answers” in advance. Instead, a new project is presented by asking the children questions. What is important about this project? What do we know already? What will we need to figure out? What will we have to consider when we approach this problem? The air in the room is electric as the children dig in. They are encouraged to use the core knowledge/strategies they know, to ask questions when they get stuck, and are encouraged to share their approach with classmates. The

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Paula SmithHead of School

teacher moves about the room checking in with individual students, asking questions, making observations and offering tips. Practically speaking, these coaching conversations make it possible to assess a child’s level of understanding while they are working, and our teachers will use what they learn to design what comes next.

What is not as obvious to visitors is that our work culture for teachers resembles the work culture for our students, and as a result, both teachers and students are constantly learning. Later on as teachers sit together to plan the next lesson, they spend a great deal of time building the questions they will use to introduce the next concept/project and specific questions to ensure that every child gets a stretch. The discussion is lively as they review any surprises from the previous week and begin to brainstorm ways to build on what the children have learned and are excited to explore further. There are always numerous ideas about how we might proceed and listening to this conversation, one would notice a central feature of our culture: it is expected that we sometimes disagree.

This way of using questions to surface and iterate ideas is not all that different from the process used by a design team in the business world. And as a result, not only is our teaching plan better than each member of the team could achieve on their own, but also, every member of the team develops greater skill as a creative problem solver, communicator and collaborator. It is gratifying to be able to add value in a generative work session and to learn from others. And in contrast to a set work plan handed down from above, everyone has contributed and owns the outcome. As the team matures, the level of creativity increases. Working in this way, both our teachers and our students develop the resourcefulness to learn independently anywhere. Perhaps more importantly, they love their work.

At UCDS, we believe that gaining confidence in one’s own learning capacity is at the heart of education. As educators in a mission-driven independent school, our teachers have the opportunity to build a culture of inquiry and to work intentionally to achieve this goal. Our teachers spend less time talking and telling, and more time listening and observing students. Our students spend less time listening and observing the teacher, and more time trying to apply and to share what they have learned. Like my experience in Mr. Turner’s class so many years ago, our students not only learn to provide the right answers, but also to ask the questions that lead to deeper understanding. In doing so, we increase the capacity to learn as well as achieve. As education shifts into the 21st century, we need classrooms like Mr. Turners that engage and inspire. How to achieve this? Let’s ask the teachers and students.

We embrace several core values that sustain our culture of questions.

High ExpectationsAt UCDS we frame challenges as opportunities to learn. “Teachers trust us to be responsible,” a fifth grader told me last spring. Arriving at our school in third grade, he described feeling initially overwhelmed in his first conversation with a teacher about his writing goals and his plan to achieve them. He was surprised that his teacher wanted to know what type of writing projects he liked best. “The teachers here listen to us,” he told me, “and they expect us to do our best work.” Like his classmates, he also loved Class Meeting and All School Meeting where students raise issues, plan activities for the whole school and where discussions about a new rule for the playground can last weeks. Unlike his previous school where he needed a hall pass to leave the room, he was surprised that students could easily access the materials they needed in the classrooms, hallways, playground, lunchroom and even the school office.

Embracing mistakesOur students learn by doing. A central feature of our discussions as teachers, and with students, is the way we embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. Students and teachers discuss their “failures” openly as a natural outcome of testing out ideas and solving problems. When the goal is not simply to speed to a right answer, making mistakes signifies progress in advancing a strategy and achieving success. “I am sometimes the last one to get to a solution because I often have to start over,” a girl told me several years ago, “but I like math anyway because I love that feeling that I have when I finally see the answer.” This student had an opportunity to fall in love with math because her teachers didn’t jump in to provide the answer when she took longer than expected to solve a problem. She had learned to think about her steps, ask questions and back up to try again. More importantly, she knew that she could work hard and have the satisfaction of seeing the answer.

Thinking out loudOur students learn to think about their own thinking. “We developed five strategies!” two girls told me while in route to another classroom to share their work. Although the girls were still in preschool, they could explain the ways that they found to solve the problem and also told me how several other children at their table had solved it. As they worked, the girls benefited from hearing the teacher check in with several other students who were in a different place in the project, working at a different level, or were using an entirely different approach. The girls understood that there was more than one approach and were comfortable with the reality that each of their classmates thought differently. The opportunity to hear the teachers and their classmates thinking out loud had made it possible for them to compare strategies and to reflect on their own process. As they progress in school, the girls’ growing metacognition will result in greater skill and control of their learning, and of what they want to learn next.

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Spark Plugs

Mind in the Making:The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs Ellen Galinsky

In Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, Ellen Galinsky synthesizes vast amounts of research on child development to identify seven core skills she feels are necessary for success. Skills include Focus and Self Control, Perspective Taking, Communicating, Making Connections, Critical Thinking, Taking On Challenges and Self-Directed, Engaged Learning. A great resource for parents, Galinsky shares vignettes and research that highlight each skill’s importance and then offers strategies and resources that reinforce and support that skill’s development.

How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses by Joshua DavisWired Magazine; October 15, 2013

Sergio Juárez Correa, a teacher at José Urbina López Primary School, Mexico, dreamed big for his students. Inspired by researchers like Gopnik and thought leaders such as Sugatra Mitra, Correa saw potential in each of his students. Approaching his classroom with new teaching methods, ones grounded in the digital age, Correa not only improved test scores, but taught his students the skills to build innovative, creative and independent thinkers.

http://www.wired.com/business/2013/10/free-thinkers

The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley

The book contrasts three different stories from the perspective of US students who travel to different areas of the world – South Korea, Finland and Poland. What does teaching look like across the globe? How has education transformed and developed elsewhere? The students share their experience going to school in new countries, giving the reader a perspective on different educational systems.

Sticky Curriculum

4

by Susan Foley &

Sally Minerich

“I Made Fire!” Teachers Coach

Independence,

One-on-One

5

Continued >

With his illustration complete, he finds a teacher and announces, “My word today is dinosaur. I’m ready for writing!” His teacher takes a moment to acknowledge and discuss Jack’s independence exhibited through his picture and word choice, and she passes him a pencil, “You get started writing dinosaur and I’ll be over soon!” Jack’s questioning eyes express some hesitation. Up until now, the writing has always been done with a teacher by his side guiding his practice in letter sounds and formation and assisting him in separating the words into distinct sounds. As Jack’s writing skills develop, the role of the teacher as a guide adapts. Thus, he has been given the challenge to try writing some letters independently. As he slowly reaches for the pencil, the teacher confidently reminds him that he needs simply to take his best guess and write any letters he thinks are in the word dinosaur. He looks around the table and notices that indeed, some classmates are writing before the teacher comes over to help. He says the word dinosaur aloud a few times and announces his plan to start by writing a D.

In this multi-age classroom, there is a wide range of experience, knowledge and abilities. The writing assignments for each student reflect this. Whether drawing a picture, sharing an idea or writing a few letters, words, or sentences, each student is asked to begin in a place where he or she feels confident and can be successful. Drawing on their own understanding, students are given the opportunity to try things independently to demonstrate what they already know. They are also asked to take a risk on trying something new or not yet solidified independently before their work with a teacher begins. Teachers routinely assess individuals and tailor assignments to include personal challenges that fit each student. They guide each student to build on current skills by coaching him or her through individualized next steps. A student’s initial attempt or approach is an important way that a teacher may assess and determine what challenges make sense for a particular student. The practice of starting with what you know or giving something a try also sends a powerful message to children

that education is not about discrete lessons or facts, rather it is about making connections and decisions about how to apply the knowledge and skills you already have to gain deeper understandings and new insights.

This philosophy is a driving force at UCDS as teachers guide and encourage children, whether working through academic or social challenges and whether in pre-K or in 5th grade preparing for middle school. Classroom teachers and specialists are equally committed to following this model and creating curriculum that provides many opportunities for a variety of entry points and challenges. Additionally at UCDS, teachers have great respect for the enthusiasm and determination children have for learning and are committed to modeling the same curiosity. Teachers become active participants in learning. This provides opportunities for teachers to model thinking through a problem. Free from the constraints of teaching a set curriculum based on age or grade level, teachers are invested in making the most out of their time with students.

Combining red, yellow and orange swirls of color,

Jack, a four year old in an Early Elementary classroom shares,“I made fire coming out of the volcano. The dinosaur lives near the volcano.”

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Teachers ask many questions under this model. “What have you tried?” “How did it go?” “What might work instead or next?” Learning is viewed as a continuous process, where putting to use the skills you have already acquired allows you to move forward, building on past knowledge and understanding is essential to growth. Students are given opportunities to devise strategies to solve problems, and teachers guide them to navigate their own thinking as well as make suggestions and offer possible solutions to try. Successes and missteps are celebrated and examined for the lessons they provide. With guidance and encouragement from teachers, students are asked to work hard and take responsibility for their learning. If a solution comes easily, teachers see that as an ideal opportunity to pose a new challenge. Students are taught to reflect on and modify strategies as they work through more difficult problems. They practice perseverance, learn from mistakes, and in turn build creative and critical thinking skills.

With independence also comes the understanding that not everyone will approach a problem in the same way. Students learn to expect that peers at the same table could be working on a variety of problems and at a variety of skill levels. They also learn to expect that even when they work on the exact

same problem, they will likely approach it differently and have a different process for solving it. Opportunities to share strategies give students important practice in explaining their thinking, and as students consider novel ways of solving problems, they build flexibility in their thinking.

From their first day at school, students are actively engaged in their social learning and problem solving. Just like the student who inquires about the spelling of a word, the student who gets help to solve a disagreement with a friend will hear similar questions, “What have you tried?” “How did that work?” “Are there any strategies that have helped you in the past?” “What do you think you could try next?” As teachers ask guiding questions such as these, the students are learning self-talk and internalizing the kinds of questions they can ask themselves as new situations occur. As novel situations arise, children can draw on these conversations to guide their responses and develop skills that allow them to be independent thinkers and question askers.

Students cannot learn problem solving and negotiating skills without taking an active role in this process. They benefit from practice forming questions that move the learning or problem solving process forward, and using a variety

of problem solving skills in a hands-on and meaningful way is essential. What is meaningful is different based on the student.. Some students rely on more teacher modeling and direction than others, and some relish puzzling through tricky problems while others are supported by gradual challenges with more frequent teacher check-ins. Teachers adapt to each student’s style while keeping key elements consistent. When a student is a part of the process, adding his or her skills and knowledge to the conversation, he or she is able to think and reflect and then practice new skills with ever increasing independence.

The implications of fostering this independence are great, even for seemingly simple tasks. For example, in a 2nd-3rd grade classroom, students are getting ready for their next activity. The teacher reminds her class to check the schedule so each small group will know if they are going from Science to PE and then to lunch or the reverse (PE to Science and then to lunch). This prompts some to question if it makes sense to bring their lunchboxes with them, to save a trip back to class. The teacher turns the question back on the group, and there is a healthy debate among students based on the locations of the different classes and what makes the most sense, saving time versus managing belongings. In the end it is

With independence also comes the understanding that noteveryone will approach a problem in the same way.

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decided that consensus need not be reached and everyone can find the solution that makes sense for him or her, give it a try and modify next time if desired.

Even this small interaction has provided an opportunity for independent thought and decision-making, ownership over an action and the potential to modify. Under this model, students are increasingly accountable to themselves and aware of their individual needs, learning styles, strengths and challenges. They also learn how to advocate for themselves when they need support and learn to celebrate mistakes as part of the learning process. Students’ understanding of mistakes, or unknowns, as a part of learning is exemplified every year in our science lab. Katie Morrison, our science teacher focuses on scientific practice skills, including making a prediction or hypothesis. She highlights to students that sometimes experiments result in evidence to support your hypothesis, but sometimes they do not, and if something unexpected happens in an experiment, we can celebrate it as a discovery. Katie explains, “When I first started teaching, I meticulously tried to control each experiment before I introduced it to students, making sure that it would “work.” I soon discovered that it was unnecessary for me to control the outcomes to such a degree, and when the experiment did not go exactly as planned, it was a meaningful learning opportunity for students. The investigations are authentic and exciting when the results vary and students have the opportunity to troubleshoot technical aspects of the investigation. When it doesn’t work just right and students have to figure it out they gain a deeper understanding of the tools, techniques, concepts, and content.”

Recently, the 1st and 2nd graders, upon returning from Science, were asked to share their predictions for the latest rounds of experiments that they were designing. The teacher asked, “What happens if your prediction is wrong?” The kids threw their arms up in the air, laughed and announced,

“Then you made a discovery!”

Displayed student work in progress reinforce the idea that there is always more to uncover.

“What have you tried?”

“How did it go?”

“What might work next?”

“...with confidence

and a growing

sense of herself as a

mathematician, she

hops down to the

ground and high-fives

her teacher and friends

as she heads off to

morning explorations.”

Creative Fusion

8

“...the student climbs up on a chair and proudly

calls for attention, ‘CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENT!’

She reads her two equations to her 3, 4, and 5

year old classmates...”

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“Tell Me About…”H e l p i n g S t u d e n t s A p p r o a c h M a t h e m a t i c s

w i t h G r e a t e r I n d e p e n d e n c e

“Oh No! Great Uncle Gilbert’s tree house is in shambles after the ferocious night winds!”This newsflash on the morning board, written by the teachers, draws the students directly into their class read-aloud story, Windblowne by Stephen Messer. Teachers capitalize on the students’ investment and devotion to these stories by drawing the characters into mathematical problem solving situations. Wanting so badly to help out the beloved character Great Uncle Gilbert, the students each work to mathematically clean up his books that have fallen from his shelves in the den of his tree house perched high in the oak trees. Throughout the process, teachers coach the students with guided questions and observations to build independent thinking and promote each student’s self awareness in making mathematical decisions.

Effective open-ended questions are at the heart of our coaching model. They help teachers get a sense of what students understand and encourage a variety of responses, and when teachers know what each student understands, they can individualize next curricular steps. When students check in with teachers for help, our first approach is often to turn their question back to them and ask them to reflect on their process:

Continued >

by Ellen Cottrell & Deb Chickadel

“What have you tried so far?”

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(Or, “show me what you’ve tried so far,” especially for students who are developing their expressive reasoning skills.) “What worked the last time you solved a problem like this?” “What else could you try?” Additional questions often lead with:

By encouraging students to construct meaningful explanations, teachers help students to reflect and to see themselves and their experiences as resources to draw upon.

Back at the Math Vitamin1 table, students are excited and eager to get to work. They begin by checking in with a

teacher to find out just how many books they are going to be cleaning up from the floor. The problem defines the number of bookshelves as five, and teachers give a variety of numbers to students based on their current level of understanding number and the process of dividing. Questions help students to engage in the beginning steps of the process and recall previous work, like “What was your number given in your last Math Vitamin?” One particular student is given 67 books to shelve on the five shelves. Beginning with a conversation her teacher asks her, “What do you remember from the board?” and “What is going to be your first step?” and “After that what will you do?” These questions help students guide themselves through the planning stages and set an independent course of action. With teacher input to revise or further flesh out plans as needed, the student starts the division process by counting out math manipulative ten-unit rods and single units. Once she builds her dividend, she is guided to return to planning her remaining steps. Having verified the steps of her plan, she begins to sort her “books” onto the “shelves” drawn onto her math-recording sheet. “I think it will be 20 books on each shelf!” Her teacher then queries her understanding of how she will begin to divide to check the reasonableness of this response. “I notice you have both rods and units, how will these go on the shelves?” The student then divides five rods equally between the shelves but becomes stuck when she has an additional remaining rod. The teacher asks her if there is another way to make this ten besides using one rod. “OH! I know…this rod can be traded BACK for units!!” With this realization she finishes her dividing.

Through the coaching questions from her teacher and based on the thoughtful answers that the student provides, the student determines the arithmetic to be 13 books per shelf with two left over as a remainder. “Tell me about what you’ve done far?” “What might be left for you to think about?” Checking-in with the three step process list provided for her on her recording sheet, “build, record and write an equation,” the student digs into drawing a representation of her work. Her teacher poses the question, “What did you do the last time you recorded rods and units?” and “Have you seen how [teacher points to another student working nearby at the table] he records his work? Does that seem like a method you’d like to check-in with him about and try?” Taking the risk to try this new strategy, she is then guided to return to double check whether her drawing matches the rods and units she has previously built. This step builds her independence in verifying her accuracy and ensures alignment between the steps in her mathematical process.

“What are your ideas for your equation?” “What operations work for your building and recording steps today?” “What was the original question from the board you are solving for?” These coaching questions guide the student to think about her last step, writing an equation.

So how did we get here? And importantly, why did we get here—what underlying values led UCDS teachers to create a culture that promotes student independence in mathematical thinking? For decades, our coaching model has remained consistent: to gauge individual students’ understanding and provide “just right” stretches in the moment to meet each student’s developmental progress. Within our community, we value teachers and students thinking aloud and explaining their reasoning, and we model and encourage self-talk skills. Additionally, we support student discussions and reinforce the importance of sharing ideas during mathematical problem solving.. Ultimately, we value the creativity, risk-taking, willingness and perseverance that grow as students learn to devise plans, work through strategies, make mistakes, modify methods and try again. Students exude pride and really own their successes after working independently through story problems, bolstering their confidence as

What do you notice about…

Tell me about…

Why doyou think…

Is thereanotherway to…

1 “Value Driven Design,” Spark, Issue 12, available at:http://issuu.com/ucds/docs/spark_12_winter_2013

2 “Authentic Assessment,” Spark, Issue 9, available at:http://issuu.com/ucds/docs/spark_9_spring_2011

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mathematicians; this confidence and “I can” experience, in turn, fuels their independence the next time they set out to solve a problem.

To have independence, there are lots of invisible and often hard-to-measure skills necessary for students to develop. As teachers, we know that teaching mathematical skills and concepts—the “what”—is just as important as teaching the “how.” But how do you teach the “how” and how can these skills be assessed? Over the course of several years we developed a way to measure a student’s approach, problem solving strategies and communication skills that were specific to math. We teased apart all of these skills, eventually arriving at the Reflective Thinking Profile (RTP)2 that accompanies our Math Continuum. For each item in the profile, students are assessed on a four-point scale for how much teacher support they need to exhibit a particular skill. The eventual goal that UCDS teachers hold for all students is that they move toward independence in most, if not all, areas during their years at UCDS.

To coach and build this independence in mathematical approach, problem solving and communication, first and foremost, we believe that students must “do” the thinking. We have not successfully built independence by telling students to be independent. By not giving them answers or canned solutions when students are unsure what to do, teachers help students become resourceful and signal to students that creativity and independent thinking are valued and important. The implicit message that teachers trust students to take risks and creatively solve problems must be underscored.

Back in the classroom, the student climbs up on a chair and proudly calls for attention, “CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENT!” She reads her two equations to her 3, 4, and 5 year old classmates. One of her equations she wrote independently using addition and the other she wrote coached by her teacher using division. “I cleaned up A LOT of Great Uncle Gilbert’s books! I have two equations! 13+13+13+13+13+2 = 67, and 67 books divided by fiveshelves equals 13 books on each shelf with two left over!” With confidence and a growing sense of herself as a mathematician, she hops down to the ground and high-fives her teacher and friends as she heads off to morning explorations.

In the first few years when this approach and movement toward independence in mathematical problem solving is new for students, they often seek teacher support as they learn to trust themselves and build confidence. Teachers provide the reflective mirror to build their toolbox of skills and strategies, while along the way, growing their conceptual understanding. Over time, students learn more about themselves —what is tricky and what strengths they can draw upon. With coaching, they develop strategies for working successfully with mathematical concepts they find challenging so that eventually, their toolbox is full, leading to a deeper understanding of both mathematics and of themselves as learners.

Tools For Increased Independence:• Dedicated space on math sheets

for drawing solutions and equation writing

• Process chart that helps kids transition from one step to the next

• Number line and 100s chart for helping with numbers and counting

• Numbers written by a teacher in highlighter for students to trace to practice number formation

See also:

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What Works

A Purposeful

Learning

Environment!

One of the primary goals of a teacher at UCDS is to coach students to develop the ability to think on their own. Providing resources and time for students to practice and experiment gives them more opportunities to increase their self-reliance. On their journey to become independent learners, students focus on decision making while navigating all the aspects of a school day.

By

Aly

ssa

Barr

and

Kris

ti G

rouw

s

Creating the time and space to practice independence!

13

Class Meeting: A Community of Independent Thinkers and Problem Solvers

Continued >

“THE SAVE SHELF!!!”

“Raise your hand if you want to have a save shelf. Now raise your hand if you don’t want

to have a save shelf. We have a vote of 14 to 3 and we voted

to have a save shelf.”

As you pass an early elementary classroom of 3. 4 and 5 year-olds before recess you may overhear a clear discussion and debate about the topic of “Save Shelf.” A child states today’s topic of interest.

Next, she asks for any hands, as other students raise their hands to give their opinion on the subject. She calls on each hand one by one, listening and restating their opinion.

I agree that we should have a save shelf, I like to keep Legos and build on

them later.

I disagreebecause sometimes

people keep items toolong on the save shelfand no one gets to play

with them.

Last year we hada save shelf and we cleared it off each

week.

I think we shouldkeep projects that aresmaller than our hands

because other projects are too big and take too up

too much room.

I think we should have a save shelf because I like to

save my melting bead projects.

Class Meeting sets the stage for students from three to eleven years of age to use critical thinking skills while problem solving. All discussions are grounded in the school constitution, which holds students to be respectful of themselves, each other and the environment. Each meeting is an opportunity to use these values to problem solve, reflect on what worked and didn’t work in previous conversations and to adjust their strategies.

Time is set aside every day for students to meet about classroom and school-wide issues. Students set the agenda and a Chair facilitates meetings. Each class member takes a turn in leadership positions. Teachers participate in Class Meetings as a member of the class but also provide support as needed to structure meetings, model group process strategies and provide counsel.

ALL SCHOOL Meeting: Classes come together for the common good!

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Meanwhile, students representing each

classroom in the Elementary community gather

for All School Meeting...

a new sandbox On the Tower playground has brought up a new problem school wide. The meeting Chair pens the meeting minutes and checks the student created agenda.The brainstorming begins and students share ideas.

Hands fly into the air and the Chair begins calling on peers.

Each classroom elects a Class Rep to attend All School Meeting. This Rep carries concerns, discussions, and decisions between Class Meeting and All School Meeting. Class Reps elect an All School Chair and Vice Chair each month to facilitate All School Meeting.

Class Reps meet in All School Meeting thirty minutes per week. They serve a four meeting term and participate in discussions about all school issues. Students set the agenda and votes are taken back to Class Meeting. A teacher from each level (Early Elementary, First Floor, and Second Floor) attends to provide counsel.

It has beenso fun having the new

sand box but we are trackingso much sand into the school.

It is on our chairs, in the couches and all over the rugs. It is making a huge mess, and I don’t think we are

doing a very good jobof respecting our school

environment.”

It sounds likewe all agree. The sand

all over the school isn’tworking. It makes a big mess,the floors are slippery and

we need to find a way tostop bringing the sand

into the school.Any ideas?”

It lookslike today wereally need totalk about allof the sand.

What ifwe made up a song and taught it to each classroom!?

Continued >

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Throughout the course of several meetings, students move ahead with their ideas. They create signage to hang around the school to serve as reminders to leave all sand outside. Teachers find shoe cleaners to place at the doors, and a song, with dance moves to shake off the sand, is written and taught to the school. Teachers stand behind and support the student’s decisions, but because the change came from the student community there is more intrinsic motivation to make a change.

The song idea is met with eager enthusiasm and the students begin the process of implementing this idea.

2012 meeting minutes Feb. 1 (Started Jan 4-February 8)

SAND BOX:Reminder: Toys are to be kept in the sand box.

Reminder: Do not throw sand against the windows.

Reps should bring up the sandbox for conversation at Class Meeting. How

can we stop tracking the sand up the stairs and into the classrooms?

Suggestions so far:

Be aware of the sand on your clothes and shoes and kick the sand off.

Get shoe brushes to wipe sand off shoes.

Next meeting decisions

Sand Box:Signs will be displayed and songs performed at lunch on Wednesday

Reps:Sandloose: (To the tune of Footloose):

Now you gotta cut loose,

Sandloose

Shake off those sandy shoes

Oowhee, sandy shake it, shake it, please

Woah, Chico c’mon, c’mon let’s go,

Lose your sand, EVERYBODY CUT SANDLOOSE!

Everyone in lunchroom join in:

Shake, Shake, Shake: (To the tune of Shake Your Bootie)

Shake, shake, shake // Shake, shake, shake //

Shake your sand off // REPEAT!

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Today, a first grade student approaches a teacher before getting started and explains that she forgot her homework copybook and folder at home. A teacher celebrates this moment as a time to problem solve and make a plan for next time.

Home learning and thinking (HLT): building intrinsic motivation!

-- The buzz from lunch and recess has settled and students in the a first and second grade classroom are copying their daily homework responsibilities --

Beginning in first grade and continuing through fifth grade, students are responsible for tracking their homework, which we call Home Learning and Thinking (H.L.T.). They copy their assignments and then develop habits and routines that support getting their work from school to home and back again. The goal of H.L.T. at UCDS is to empower students to become independent learners and self-advocates. H.L.T. helps children to develop personal responsibility, time management

and organization routines. H.L.T. gives students extra practice with skills and conceptual understanding. The parent role is to help establish a time and place for H.L.T., and an expectation that it be completed daily. Parents can instill confidence by helping their child maintain ownership of the process. If a child is experiencing difficulty at home, parents can provide support by being a resource. Students vary in their individual approaches and teachers check in regularly to support success.

I could copy My assignments onto a blank sheet of paper and that way I’LL know what to do

when I gEt home!

The teacher also adds a note to the bottom of the paper outlining a plan that the two discuss–putting her homework copy book and folder in her backpack and then placing her backpack by the front door so she will see it in the morning as she leaves the house for school. This basic example allowed the student to take a situation that left her feeling forgetful and turn it around into an opportunity where she could solve her own problem and develop intrinsic motivation and independence moving forward.

My plan worked!I got all my work done and I remembered to bring it all to school

so I am ready for homework check-in!

The following day...

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EVERYDAY PROBLEM SOLVING: employing small moments to coach independence!

The learning environment at UCDS is intentionally constructed by teachers to promote independent thinking, and UCDS teachers communicate to children of all levels and ages that they are competent and capable individuals. This culture of independence creates students who are:

– Intrinsically motivated– Resourceful– Collaborative– Critical and Skillful Thinkers– Problem solvers– Reflective

Teachers teach students to approach problem solving by identifying what they know and to look for available resources. This strategy helps a student recognize their strengths. Teachers then allow students time to explore; this is critical for students to develop independent strategies and problem-solving skills. Students reflect on the process, ask questions and then approach a new or different problem with increased independence.

Core Values of Independence

Snack is in full swing and a PRE-K student pulls a package of string cheese from her lunchbox...

Several days earlier she would have run to a teacher to ask for help opening the bag, but today she tries on her own. After several unsuccessful attempts, she turns to her friends at the table and asks for help. Passing the bag around three friends give it a try...

but still no luck!!!

Without missing a beat, the PRE-K student leaps up from the table and walks over to the classroom sink where the snack scissors hang from the wall.

She cuts the top off and dives into her snack!!!

Providing this child with strategies as well as physical tools supports her ability to problem solve and become a more independent individual thinker.

Meade ThayerAn interview with

NWAIS Outgoing Executive Director

Meade ThayerNWAIS Outgoing Executive Director

UCDS parent, John Neilson loved ideas; those he found in literature and those he gained through a deep appreciation of world culture, math, science, art, music, philosophy and physical excellence.

In 1999, at the age of thirty-eight, John lost a hard fought battle against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In honor of John’s life, The Neilson Endowment Fund was created. Through the Teacher Education Center at UCDS, we use this endowment to create and share programs that offer children access to big ideas.

John was an inspiration to us in life and we dedicate this, ‘People Who Inspire Us’ section to him.

People WhoInspire Us

18Continued >

The UCDS Teacher Education Center Team had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Meade Thayer, outgoing Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). After more than 15 years at NWAIS, Meade will turn the reigns over to incoming Executive Director, Siri Akal Khalsa, Ed.D.

Before NWAIS, Meade was the Director of Financial Aid Services at National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) for 9 years and prior to that the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Friends’ Central School for 10 years.

We met with Meade to reflect on independent schools, cultures of independence and the educational landscape.

As a voluntary membership organization, the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) promotes independence and high quality programs for its schools from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Although each school pursues educational excellence through it’s own mission, the association’s standards and accreditation process ensure each is a quality institution. Every eight years, member schools participate in a self-study process as part of accreditation. The self-study is an opportunity for member schools to reflect, examine and reevaluate themselves in light of their mission, philosophy and programs. NWAIS also provides conferences, retreats, workshops, collegial communities, Collaborative Innovation Fellowships, and other professional development opportunities, acting as a resource for its member schools.

What is NWAIS?

Meade ThayerAn interview with

NWAIS Outgoing Executive Director

Meade ThayerNWAIS Outgoing Executive Director

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SPARK: What are independent schools? What role do they play in the educational landscape?

MEADE THAYER: Independent schools are a subset of private schools and are contrasted with other private schools that are strongly influenced by an outside body. For example, a parochial school, although private, is generally affiliated with a religious organization, which might determine the future of the school and mandate a particular curriculum. By contrast, an independent school is able to determine its own curriculum and its board determines the school’s mission and establishes the future direction of the institution.

NWAIS, over the years, spent time refining its definition of what constituted an independent school for the purpose of our accreditation process. Ultimately, the association determined that an integral part of the independent school definition resided within the school’s governance structure itself– within the partnership between the Head of School and the Board.

In an independent school, the Head of School and the Board work together in partnership as the institutional leadership to help the school maintain its independence, fulfill its mission, and guide the overall future direction.

What is the essence of an independent school?

I think it boils down to that word freedom.

Independent schools have the freedom to choose their mission statement, to implement and achieve that mission statement in the way they see fit. And the benefit of that freedom is that it enables them to accomplish their goals without the encumbrances of an outside authority.

Can you tell us more about the accreditation process and how it supports this culture of independence that you say freedom is an important part of?

The NWAIS accreditation process is set up to recognize the uniqueness of each school’s mission. Within the accreditation process, NWAIS looks to see that the school’s institutional leadership is supporting the mission and providing the necessary resources to help the school achieve its goals and purposes.

The Association also recognizes that each school has its own unique culture, and one of our new accreditation standards asks that a school define its intentional culture. I’ve always said once you have seen one board, you have seen one board. And it is the same with schools. You are not always going to walk into an independent school and say, “well I have been here before.”

What is the history of NWAIS and the role that the association has had for its member schools?

The Association was originally formed by a small group of six Washington and Oregon schools in 1946.The founding

schools in the Association were St. Paul’s School of Walla Walla; Annie Wright Seminary of Tacoma, Helen Bush School and Lakeside School of Seattle; and Catlin-Hillside School and St. Helen’s Hall School of Portland. NWAIS now consists of 109 schools in eight states (Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, and Idaho) and British Columbia.

As part of the Association’s re-branding process which included the name change to NWAIS this past July, the Association settled on three descriptors (guiding, inspiring and advancing) which appropriately describe how we help schools through their various stages of development. Over the years, NWAIS has been not only an accrediting body, but also a resource for its schools.

One of our UCDS board members recently stated – we, as a school, have the ability to be agile. We are a small ship that can strategically navigate rather than a big ship, which can be ponderous when modifying course. How does NWAIS approach the changing educational landscape?

Yes, at NWAIS, we’ve been thinking a lot about this need to be more nimble in response to the educational landscape. We have been reflecting specifically on the distinction between strategic planning and strategic thinking. Currently, in our accreditation process we require a strategic plan to cover a three to five year period. We are now wondering – is this really the right expectation? If you have a strategic plan and you keep coming back to it,

20

“As an association, we recognize the need to be more proactive in reacting to the ever changing educational landscape.”

are informed by the current landscape and make changes accordingly, then that strategic plan is going to be successful. This is, in effect, the process of thinking strategically. As an association, we recognize the need to be more proactive in reacting to the ever changing educational landscape, otherwise we, as an organization, will be behind the times and not be of as much help to our schools as we should be. Our excellent professional development programming is our primary way of meeting this need.

You mention the accreditation process - can you talk more about it and how it supports the independence of our schools?

Our process respects the independence of schools. Schools themselves commit to a self study process, reviewing and articulating how they fulfill their own mission. A team of peers from other independent schools observes the school’s programs in action and assesses whether or not there is congruence between what the school says it does to fulfill the mission and what the team observes during its three day visit. If there is disconnection between the mission and what is observed, the team makes recommendations for how the school can better align what they are delivering with their mission statement. These recommendations do not prescribe or mandate a particular resolution, but rather ask the school to

resolve any issues in accordance with its own mission and philosophy. It is that congruence that the accreditation process supports. The focus on a school’s own mission reinforces a school’s independence.

What is the value and role of having independent schools in the current shifting educational landscape?

Independent schools enhance the educational landscape by providing families with a broader range of educational options. There is value in giving families choices. At the same time it is also important for independent schools to continue to promote the availability of financial aid as well as the process of applying for these funds. Because, yes, it is great to give families choices, but if the only people that can make that choice are the wealthy, then some people might ask, is that really a choice?

Ultimately, schools in general need to do more and more to share the great work they are doing in the context of the larger education landscape.

Regardless of whether schools are private, parochial, independent, public or choice, charter or magnet, all work to set up an environment where teachers and students succeed. NWAIS is a vital part of that educational landscape and plays a role in that effort to provide choice for families.

21

NWAIS Core values: •Independence

•Free and Open Inquiry

•Commitment to Diversity

•Ongoing School Improvement

•Collegial Relationships and Ethical Leadership

NWAIS Essential characteristics:In order to assist schools in fulfilling their commitment to provide children a high-quality educational experience, we believe that schools that are mission-appropriate for the Association support the mission and core values of the Association and abide by the following essential characteristics for NWAIS schools:

•Commitment to the Public Good

•Effective Governance and Operations

•Physical Location or Place

•Primary Focus of Academic Education

•Commitment to the Best Interests of Children

NWAIS member schools are often also members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

What is NAIS?The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a nonprofit membership association that provides services to more than 1,700 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad, including 1,400 independent private K-12 schools in the U.S.

“Ultimately, schools in general need to do more and more to share the great work they are doing.”

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SEATTLE, WA.

PERMIT NO. 02488U n i v e r s i t y

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d e v e l o p m e n t

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University ChildDevelopment School

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206-547-UCDS (8237)Fax 206-547-3615

www.ucds.org

University Child Development School designs

a culture of inquiry essential to meaningful

learning. We cultivate reflective, collaborative,

skillful thinkers who ignite positive change in their

communities. We engage diverse perspectives in an

ongoing effort to shape and share our innovative

education model.

The UCDS Mission

UCDS Board of Trustees

OfficersJanet Donelson, ChairKobi Yamada, Vice ChairGreg Headrick, TreasurerJulie Prentice, Secretary

Members at LargeDavid Brannon-CironeHoward BurtonMichelle GoldbergJoe GruberJarrad HarfordSteve HollomonCaroline ProbstPeggy RinneEric SandersonFaye TomlinsonAdam TrattDina Wampold

Ex-Officio MembersPaula Smith, Head of SchoolAdrianne Keffeler, Parent Association PresidentJennifer Vary, Faculty Representative