Piaget and Programs

 

We are constantly reminded of what is and what is not developmentally appropriate for elementary children within their learning environments as we make instructional decisions day in and out. The picture above demonstrates an old joke: Is the baby reading to learn from the encyclopedia on his lap?  John Hattie in his book 'Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 MetaAnalyses Related to Achievement "(2008) identified over 138 educational strategies that impact student achievement. The first was student self-reported grades which means that students set goals of success for themselves. They are aware of their chances of success with a particular task and therefore are willing to take risks. For instance, I know my multiplication facts well therefore I am willing to perform math problems that will involve the multiplication process.  The number two strategy was entitled Piagetian Programs.  Does this take us all back?  Well..as any educational theorist will remember, Jean Piaget's view of children and how they learn was based on physical and mental maturation. In other words, as children grow so does their ability to reason from the concrete to the abstract. When you left your pre-service education courses behind you probably thought "Surely all the programs in the schools I will teach in will keep this mind!" Sorry...not so much. Even the Common Core State Standards don't tell you how to teach just what is expected after a year's instruction at a particular grade.

Having a community of best practice within our schools relies on the supposition that all teachers have internalized a bit of educational theory and research that supports effective student learning regardless of what programs are available. Hattie's term Piagetian Programs basically reminds us that teachers need to understand child development, how necessary it is to assess students to find out where they are and to allow enough flexibility to make the adjustments students need to be successful. Piaget promoted the idea that a child's thinking does not develop in smooth increments, instead there are certain points in a kiddo's learning that it "takes off" and moves into completely new areas and capabilities. For example, in my school we use the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System and the resulting data analysis continually supports this idea that within a year many transitions in a student's learning takes place and we have to make curricular decisions based on this growth. Piaget's stages are as follows:

Of course, Vygotsky and Bruner later emphasized the importance of language and social interaction with other people which allows children to learn as well. The Common Core's Speaking and Listening standards support their and others research around the social nature of human knowledge acquisition. 

Why does this topic of conversation matter to me? 

1) I participated in Chris Lehman's fabulous and free #Fall2015EdCollabGathering last Saturday where I "sat in" on the closing presentation by Kristi Mraz and Christine Hertz where mindsets, goal-setting and student success were discussed as it related to the research that supports their new book "A Mindset For Learning: Teaching the Traits of Joyful, Independent Growth".  Being a part of Personal Learning Networks are where educators get to exchange ideas, resources and suggestions with like minded colleagues. PLNs are very Piaget and Vygotsky!

2) Since the start of school, I have participated in grade level meetings where in-school programs are discussed and teachers troubleshoot what is not working for their kiddos and which solutions we need to find to support effective learning. 

3) My belief that it's about the children in the classroom and valuing what they bring to us first before we teach what we want them to know and finding a way for them to have more moments of success rather than frustration during a day of a teacher's instruction.  

How can we empower each other to make the best decisions and choices for our students?

Shedding Light: Being a part of a Personal Learning Network definitely allows educators to share ideas, resources and information that allows our profession to prosper and our students to excel.

"Live in rooms full of light"- Cornelius Celsus

International Dot Day-September 15th

The author Peter H. Reynolds has created through his Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning and Creativity a wonderful initiative called "International Dot Day". His mission is dedicated to ensuring that all learners develop the confidence, vision, skills and knowledge necessary to live a fulfilled life and use their positive energy to move the world into becoming a better place.

 International Dot Day is named for the classic Peter H. Reynolds book "The Dot" which tells the story of a little girl who begins a journey toward self-confidence and growth after a caring teacher challenges her to "make her mark" and sign it.  This is a wonderful mentor text for building a community of "growth-minded"children in every classroom.  Dr. Carol Dweck, in her book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"(2007), discusses when students and teachers have a growth mindset, they understand that intelligence can be developed through effort and self-assurance. She encourages us to buy-in to the belief of "can" versus "can't".

Today, I celebrated by reading aloud the book to a kindergarten (KBR) and a first grade classroom (1M). A few days before, I sent out e-mails with resource links to the staff in preparation for the happy day.  In response, teachers and students dressed in dots, created dot headbands, viewed animated versions of the book, placed dots on clothing, wrote on dot-printed paper, created pictures and stories with dots.  Children did "turn and talks" around the message of the book and whether it made them realize their own talents, strengths or skills in areas where they previously had doubts. Thank you for inviting me into all of your classrooms-our kiddos are fantastic!

3S-Dot Writing

Hooray! 1K Celebrates Dot Day!

3GY-Viewing " The Dot"

                                                 
                 

                                                                                                                                      1M-Listening to read aloud of " The Dot"                                                     

                                         

At some point in time, please do a classroom read aloud of " Ish"  also by Peter H. Reynolds. It's the sequel to " The Dot" and the message it conveys about how the pursuit of perfection may limit us and how being"-ish" allows our ideas to flow freely in order to nurture our best selves is thought provoking. We have been reader-ish, writer-ish, poem-ish, and math-ish in our lives and that's okay.

Shedding Light:  Everyday we look in the faces of our students and believe that what we have taught  will keep them growing, learning and living beyond our farthest dreams.


"Shine a bright beam of light on the need to kindle and tend our creative flames with care."
                    Peter H. Reynolds

Teacher Retention and Renewal

“I am grateful for all the resources we have but at the same time overwhelmed by all the resources we have” a teacher told me.  Planning, preparing, organizing, managing, integrating (technology) and teaching in classrooms are just some the responsibilities teachers are faced with all year long.  As a result, we all need to build up our resilience and faith in our profession because our students depend on us.

But…where do we start?

•       Build Community-Conversations with your colleagues facilitates the sharing of stories, experiences and thoughts that connect us.  Find ways to come together, listen and bring your similarities to the surface.

•     Be Yourself-Know what works for you. Identify your beliefs as an educator and human being. Why do you do what you do? Self-knowledge gives you the ability to make intentional and effective choices that will help build resilience.

•     Ask and It Shall Be Answered-Change is constant in education. Nobody has all the answers and allowing your peers, mentors and coaches to support you throughout the year is just common sense. Schedules, lesson plans, lunch/recess/dismissal protocols, resources and smart board problems are some of the issues that if you are new to a district, school or teaching you need help with so don’t hesitate to ask for assistance.

•       Create A Plan for Self-Care-Start with one goal at time: sleep, exercise, meditate and eat well! I did not follow this advice and now 20 plus years into education, I am having to repair a lot of damage. But it’s never too late! Prioritize these essential actions and pay close attention to the positive shift in your emotions after the first couple of weeks.

Research into” the revolving door “of teachers, particularly new teachers, leaving the profession has reinforced the idea that induction programs and creating professional learning networks assist in teachers meeting other colleagues, learning from them, comparing notes and trying to come up with a coherent curriculum that builds a consistent voice of advocacy for improving school conditions which allows increased teacher autonomy.  Has your district implemented these measures? If so, how is it working?

Shedding Light: I sit down with teachers and step-by-step go through all our programs and frameworks. My coaching calendar is available to all and conversations are confidential. There are no silver bullets or magic wands but helping hands and a kind smile make a difference.               

"Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space.  It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe.  It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished."  ~Michael Strassfeld

In Memoriam: L.E. Craig

A dear family friend and father figure had a beautiful home-going this week. Mr. Craig had been a grand patriarch not only to his children but for our community. A part of the pastor's eulogy touched on Mr. Craig's deep faith and work ethic. He had been a part of the church's leadership and congregation for over five decades. His marriage lasted for sixty years and he had been employed with the same company for forty years without missing a single day of work until his retirement.  The pastor quoted a Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem "Lyrics of A Lowly Life" (1913):

A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in, A minute to smile and an hour to weep in, A pint of joy to a peck of trouble, And never a laugh but the moans come double; And that is life! A crust and a corner that love makes precious, With a smile to warm and the tears to refresh us; And joy seems sweeter when cares come after, And a moan is the finest of foils for laughter; And that is life!

                                                        

The pastor recited this poem not to reference any reduced circumstances, sadness or poverty, but to spotlight a humbleness of character that combined a graceful generosity of spirit which touched everyone who knew and loved Mr. Craig. He was able to live through the good and bad of life. In fact, it was repeated often that the life he lived was a wonderful testimony all its own of unwavering faith.

Mr. Craig lived 95 full years on this earth and he will be missed. He was born (1919)in America's segregated South when Woodrow Wilson was president and lived to see Barack Obama become president for two terms. May God Bless and Keep His Eternal Soul.

Shedding Light: To new and veteran teachers:  Sometimes it seems impossible, but don't give up. Keep your spirits high and hang in there with me.

School Improvement

  An important part of a new school year's process is focusing on those elements in our buildings that allow for continuous academic success for our students. Administrators and their staffs meet to finish conversations which began at the close of the previous year and like an interrupted telephone call, we re-dial our thoughts, clear our throats and express in simple language- specific, measurable, actionable, relevant and timely goals that convey knowledgeable high expectations. 

But continuous improvement is a tricky process.  All of us at the meeting table recognize that improving the effectiveness of schools is not only highly complex, but involves unforeseen challenges, complications, and reversals, as well as steep or prolonged learning curves-among other unavoidable factors-that require a sustained commitment to step-by-step ongoing research-based improvements, rather than rapidly implemented "desired breakthroughs" that cannot be substantiated by authentic student data. For example, our discussion lead us to Response to Intervention (RtI) which is key to most school improvement plans.  The 3-Tier process:

Most conversations about school improvement center on this traffic light colored triangle and its important that we all have an understanding of what it means in practical terms to the teachers that provide the instruction and the assessments that make this an effective model. What should it look like? Does it look like this at most schools?

Table:  Description of Critical Elements in a 3-Tier RtI Model   (isbe.net) The following table outlines the essential features of a three-tier model of RtI including suggested ranges of frequency and duration of screening, interventions and progress monitoring.  This is intended as guidance for districts as they determine the various components of their RtI model.
Elements	Tier 1 Core Curriculum and Instruction	Tier 2 Supplemental Instruction	Tier 3 Increased Levels of Supplemental Instruction
Size of instructional group	Whole class grouping	Small group instruction (3-5 students)	Individualized or small group instruction (1-2 students)
Mastery requirements of content	Relative to the cut points identified on criterion screening measures and continued growth as demonstrated by progress monitoring	Relative to the cut points identified on criterion screening measures and continued growth as demonstrated by progress monitoring	Relative to the student’s level of performance and continued growth as demonstrated by progress monitoring.
Frequency of progress monitoring	Screening measures three times per year	Varies, but no less than once every two weeks	Varies, but more continuous and no less than once a week
Frequency of intervention provided	Per school schedule	Varies, but no less than three times per week for a minimum of 20-30 minutes per session	Varies, but more frequently than Tier 2 for a minimum of 30 minutes per session
Duration of intervention	School year	9-30 weeks	A minimum of 15-20 weeks

In the view of many educational researchers, effective school improvement also requires schools to have the on-staff knowledge, skills and expertise needed to increase student growth and sustain it over time. Schools that depend on external organizations, consultants and expertise, rarely have sustainable growth. 
                                                                                                
I am surrounded by talented teachers, staff and administrators that are committed to ensuring our students receive high quality instruction.

Shedding Light: Are the children learning? How do we know?

 "We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own".            Ben Sweetland