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Inspiring art show celebrates Zimbabwe crafts

Michele Debuisne outlines a creative endeavour

Marymount International School, Paris is a Catholic school with a mission statement that embraces diversity and fosters not only individual success but also compassion for those who are less fortunate. As a school, we have annual fundraising that supports our sister school in Zimbabwe. The sisters there belong to the same order as our sisters here: the RSHM (Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary). In the spirit of the RSHM mission “that all may have life”, I came up with the idea to have a school-wide art fair that would feature students’ art from grades 1-8 and would also have a fund-raising component: the art auction and “goodies” generated from the student art for sale. Here’s the story.

I am fortunate to teach in a large, glass-roofed art studio. The students come down to my studio once a week; happy, eager and ready to do something new and exciting. After the initial settling-in period of September, I launched into project work that would be displayed in the art fair. I explained that only their very best work was acceptable and that they needed to practice before going on to their final set of materials. The motivation for the art was the animals, the people and the traditional crafts of Zimbabwe. This was rich inspiration.

Giraffe silhouettes, mountain gorillas, African warriors, lions, clay bowls, Ndebele dolls, Ndebele designs and houses, hippos, zebras and elephants. This is the complete list of art created, and each class spent several weeks perfecting their individual piece. A frame was added to every painting with patterns and designs. Some classes enjoyed the process so much we continued to make more art inspired from the first project. In grade 4 after painting lions, they were eager to draw elephants too. One student in grade 2 told me she was drawing mountain gorillas at home all the time!

Artistic surprises also happened along the way. My students developed a more critical attitude towards their subject. My grade 6 students were challenged to paint hippos in water, and they learned how to create highlights and shadows. Students had to improve their painting techniques, so they practiced using oil pastel and watercolor; wet on wet technique; salt sprinkles into wet paint; and enhancing with thin markers or colored pencils. Grade 7 painted a zebra, cropping from the shoulders to feature the full details on the head. Various techniques were used such as bold acrylic paint, rainbow stripes in watercolor, or rich oil pastels. The zebras featured a black frame that was printed with white cardboard lines and sponges to create a dramatic black and white effect.

The learning experience was as exciting and engaging for me as it was for the students. We were all focused on producing top-notch art pieces. Students helped other students who were struggling to mix the right color, construct a paper frame or make a pattern. As a teacher, I enjoyed seeing genuine excitement and art learning in action every week. I was supported by our Head of School, who absolutely loved the idea and encouraged me endlessly. We had monthly meetings and our team grew larger to include our Parent Teacher Organisation members, our communications department and alumni members. We decided that instead of selling student art, we would select one piece of art from each grade and turn it into a magnet. We sold badges made in our FabLab (a maker space that puts technology for design and construction, such as 3-D printers and laser cutters, into the hands of students) and a poster featuring student art. Lastly, we auctioned two paintings from Asher Jay, an animal conservationist artist whose work reflected our own themes and ideas. Our online auction featured art donated by a member of our community.

On a hot day late in May I was ready to hang the art in our administrative building. This might not seem like a worthy venue to display art but this is a magnificent, mansard-style building. It was the perfect place for an art exhibition. We displayed the auction art and sales goodies in the parlors downstairs. Over 350 student art pieces were displayed on panels, along staircases, hallways and board-rooms. We displayed on three floors. The result was nothing short of amazing. The ‘vernissage’ (opening night) was held one evening and welcomed enthusiastic parents, students and colleagues. The silent/online auction was underway, followed by a ‘Live’ auction of Asher Jay’s stunning paintings. Champagne and nibbles completed a perfect evening!

QR codes! One QR code was on a student’s art piece. I designed it so that it would explain the meaning behind each of the subjects chosen for the student art. For example, the grade 6 hippo painting had QR codes that told the story of an English couple who saved the hippos from drought in 1991. Every QR code told another part of the story, so if you listened to all 10 of them you would have a better understanding of the story behind the hippo paintings. Students visited the Art fair with their homeroom. They used iPads to scan the QR codes, learn a story and fill out an activity booklet I had prepared. There was too much to complete in one class so they chose the group of paintings about which they wanted to learn more.

To conclude, the event raised several thousand euros for Zimbabwe through the sale of magnets, posters and auction art. More importantly, it was a community event that ended our school year on a high note. Students improved their techniques and skills. They learned to persist and persevere on their individual project. They admired and were in awe of hundreds of art pieces coming together in one place for a week. They were interested in the art for sale in the auction section donated by older students, teachers, parents and alumni. It was exciting to participate and to see the prices going up on the silent online auction. The Zimbabwe art fair was a powerful experience that reached everyone in the school community and a wider public via our social media.

Michele Debuisne teaches art at Marymount International School, Paris to all students in grades 1-8. Email: [email protected]

First published in International School Magazine www.is-mag.co.uk

#marymount international school #Paris #learning leadership #art

The long walk

Anna Stadlman invites you to join a learning journey

Originally published International School Magazine Spring 2018 Issue

www.is-mag.co.uk

This is a story about a man who, one day, pulled on his walking boots, kissed his wife goodbye and set off to walk the world. The journey is expected to take him ten years to complete and to cover 21,000 kilometers. It is a story that will interest teachers and their students across the globe. The man is Paul Salopek, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and National Geographic Fellow. On 10 January 2013 he set off from Herto Bouri, Ethiopia, on a mission to trace the footsteps of our ancestors who left the Rift Valley of Africa 60,000 years ago and headed eastward. On his journey across the planet, he has encountered and will encounter many obstacles created by religious conflicts, wars, and geographical barriers. However, like the archetypal hero on his odyssey, Salopek will also meet characters who help him on his way. He collects their stories and shares them with the world in his dispatches to National Geographic magazine, in videos and in tweets. Through technology, we get a glimpse of people in the world’s distant corners.

‘Traveling: it leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller.’

The journey, which Salopek calls the ‘Out of Eden Walk’ and describes as ‘a global storytelling project’, began in Ethiopia’s great Rift Valley. Situated beside the field camp of paleoanthropologist Tim White on the Middle Awash River, it is considered to be one of the world’s greatest hominid fossil sites. His route follows the archaeological sites where evidence of the first humans has been discovered. He retraces their journey as they moved from Africa eastward across the globe, settling in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas, until he reaches Tierra del Fuego, his final destination.

Writing in National Geographic (2013), Salopek explains that:

Tiny groups of Homo sapiens had been taking similar strolls from this very spot for at least a hundred thousand years. Why? Climate change? Overhunting? Famines? Population pressures? Curiosity? Nobody knows for sure. But for early peoples, this first discovery of the Earth would be a key test of human survival, ingenuity and problem solving.

‘Traveling: it makes you lonely, then gives you a friend; it gives you a home in a thousand strange places.’

As he walks across the world’s remotest places, Salopek meets people. He stops to hear their stories, asking three Spring | | 2018 23 Autumn Features questions: ‘Who are you? Where are you from? Where are you going?” He observes their lifestyles and traditions closely and, with the help of an interpreter, he listens to their stories, hopes, fears and dreams. Then he writes their stories. This sort of journalism he calls ‘slow journalism’, something he says that you cannot do “if you are hurtling across the world by train, plane or automobile”.

‘Out walking, I constantly meet people. I cannot ignore them or drive by them. I greet them. I chat with strangers five, ten, twenty times a day. I am engaged in a meandering, threemile-an-hour conversation that spans two hemispheres. In this way walking builds a home everywhere’. Curious children join Salopek as he passes through their lands. ‘They brim with a thousand questions.

Who as a child has not dreamed about walking away from home? To the farthest corner of the world? To the edge where the seas falls off? Children remember. Children understand’, wrote Salopek in a dispatch from Tajikistan to National Geographic in August 2017.

He travels lightly, carrying in his backpack a change of clothes and the equipment he needs as a journalist: cameras, a laptop and notebooks. He stops every 100 miles to record the milestone by taking a photo, some video footage, and to interview whoever is nearby. He captures on film amazing historical monuments and geographical wonders like the badlands of the Ustyurt Plateau in Kazakhstan.

‘Traveling: it offers you a hundred roads to adventure, and gives your heart wings.’

The ‘Out of Eden Learn project’ set up by Harvard University’s ‘Project Zero’ is a unique online learning community, inviting teachers and students to participate in Salopek’s adventure. Described as a ‘learning journey’, the project provides weekly, well-structured activities for its international participants. Students from around the world are grouped together, to follow Salopek’s travels. They post their responses, read and respond to others’ posts. It’s a project that teachers could include in Global Citizenship units, Social Studies projects or after-school programs.

Since a significant part of ‘Project Zero’ encourages students to explore and observe their neighborhoods, thousands of students and teachers are now using this form of slow journalism as a teaching tool. ‘You don’t have to go to Patagonia’, says Salopek in an interview with the BBC (2015), ‘you don’t have to go to Chechnya. Go out into your own neighborhood and walk around’. Salopek wants students to understand that the world is not as dangerous as they may think; he wants them to explore, observe and record what they see. ‘Yes, there are wars’, he says, ‘there are famines, there are diseases like Ebola, but you can also get killed by just staying at home.’ With a notebook or iPhone and by slowing down, students can look around their localities and ‘discover the world’.

‘Traveling: All you have to do is take the first step.’

A group of Grade 4 students at Marymount International School, Paris took part in an experimental project to find out about Out of Eden Learn. It was incorporated into the existing Social Studies curriculum. The students were excited to find out about Paul and his journey: ‘Learning about all the countries Paul is walking through was so fascinating’ observed Wyatt, a fourth grader, while Luiza was in awe of Salopek’s courage to ‘cruise through the world and its cultures”. Others wanted to know the brand of boots he wore! They were pleased to discover that his wife did not wait and weave like Penelope, but joined him on the walk from time to time! In addition to mapping his route and discovering little known corners of the world and their cultures, students considered essential questions such as how physical geography may shape the walk, and whether it could have shaped the migration of humans around the world. Students also researched our ancestors and human migration.

The project took the students in several other directions, discovering for example Lucy the Australopithecus, the oldest hominid ever discovered. Literature and history collided as the students read stories about Ibn Battuta, a medieval scholar, who spent almost thirty years from 1325 to 1354 traveling from his home in Tangier towards Mecca. This journey of 75,000 miles took him throughout the Islamic world, across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa, and is beautifully re-told in the poetic picture book entitled ‘Traveling Man’ by James Rumford. The students’ curiosity was endless and, just like the children Salopek is meeting on his journey, they brimmed with a thousand questions.

The class was linked with three schools in other countries: Portugal, Singapore and Brazil, via the Out of Eden Learn website. They commented on Paul’s progress and engaged in ‘slow journalism’ by taking walks in their own localities. They shared their observations, pictures and maps of their neighborhoods with their ‘walking partners’. They photographed things that interested them or that gave insight into the culture and particular traditions of the local people, and sent them to their partners.

By joining this ‘Learning Journey’, students of all ages can join this amazing long walk across the world while at the same time discovering the world just beyond their own doorstep. For Salopek, the walk has gone beyond that threshold. ‘The walk has turned into my life … It is to find out what’s over the mountain.’

References

Salopek, P (2015) Exploring the World on Foot: The New York Times

Siminara, D (2015)

Paul Salopek BBC Travel http://www.bbc.com/travel/ bespoke/story/20150326-travel-pioneers/paul-salopek/

Other information referred to in this article comes from the Out of Eden Project Dispatches from National Geographic magazine.

Some relevant resources

Out of Eden Walk: outofedenwalk.nationalgeographic.com

Out of Eden Learn: learn.outofedenwalk.com

National Geographic, December 2013: Our Greatest Journey: To Walk the World by Paul Salopek

Hayes Jacobs, H

Who Am I? Curriculum created for Pulitzer Center Education

Rumford, J (2001) Traveling Man, The Journey of Ibn Battuta 1325–1354, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Sharafeddine, F (2014) The Amazing Travels of Ibn Battuta, Toronto: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press

Anna Stadlman teaches in the Elementary section of Marymount International School, Paris. Email: [email protected]

#learning leadership #marymount international school #Paris

There are Two Weekends I Never Forget!

Father Aidan Troy

I am fortunate to have a foot in two great communities – Marymount International School, Paris and St Joseph’s Church, Mission Anglophone Paris. There is a bridge between the two that unites not buildings but people.

Pentecost Sunday every year, Candidates for Confirmation come around the Arc de Triomphe and arrive at St Joseph’s on Avenue Hoche to receive the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. This year it was on 4th June and there was no dove, no tongues of fire, no howling wind, no hearing of unknown languages. But present were Marymount Students, dressed splendidly, and surrounded by family and relatives, by their teachers. In our midst, the fruits of the Holy Spirit were strongly present. I could sense love, care, warmth, care and willing on of each one to do well. It is such a privilege for me to be part of this every year.

All the preparation in school, the retreats, the banner made in Beziers, came to fruition in a ceremony led beautifully by Mgr. Fleischmann, a venerable Canon of Notre Dame Cathedral. There was time afterward to cut a cake and to raise a glass, or a plastic cup, to salute the newly Confirmed.

Then, on Saturday, 10th June, another event was celebrated when one of the great miracles of our faith comes about. Girls and Boys from Marymount School receive Jesus for the first time. It is a moment of indescribable joy and happiness. Their teachers and the RSHM Sisters with all of us, simply watch the uniting of Heaven and Earth. Families and friends are touched by the lovely mixture of nerves and happiness that is never far away on the morning of First Holy Communion.

Along with Fr. Francis, I am one of the most fortunate priests to be able to have some part in both these great weekends.

#learning leadership #marymount paris #marymount international school #Confirmation #FirstCommunion #Spirituallife

Library Connections to Support Learning

By Fiona Ellis, Librarian, Marymount International School, Paris

In April 2017, the library was pleased to host a professional development workshop for approximately thirty international school librarians from Paris and all around Europe. It was organised by Follett, providers of Destiny, our library cataloguing and management system.

Destiny: Helping Students Search and Discover our Library Collection and Beyond

Experienced trainer Larry Gilbert, aka ‘The Destiny Doctor’ was on hand to provide two full days of training on Destiny's new features and enhancements, debate cataloguing questions, and share tips and tricks. Attending librarians exchanged ideas on how they are using Destiny in their schools and shared their excitement about the newly released features from the latest update. Topics for discussion included enhanced cataloguing searching incorporating pictures of book covers and more seamless integration with Web Path Express, the educational search engine and other online resources.

The Self-Service Destiny iPad app was released recently and Marymount library is amongst the first group of schools trying it out. Our students love checking out their own books and affirmed its success immediately, declaring “It’s so easy to use…it’s awesome!” Following a demonstration of how we use it, other librarians felt motivated to set it up in their school libraries.

Librarian Current Practice to Support Learning

The second day of the workshop was dedicated to school library issues and focused on themes of how best to support classroom connections and maintain an inspiring and relevant book collection, which supports reading for pleasure and the curriculum. Marymount librarian, Fiona Ellis also gave a presentation on the importance of teaching Digital Citizenship in the library lessons. She also discussed the new FabLab and MakerSpace and how it has been used in a collaborative manner with staff and teachers across the campus and grade levels.

Making Connections

It was a pleasure welcoming familiar faces, making new friends and contacts. Our guests were particularly fascinated to learn during a tour of the school campus that 72 Boulevard de La Saussaye was the building which inspired Ludwig Bemelmans, writer and illustrator of the classic Madeline book series about a girl who lived “in an old house in Paris that was covered in vines.”

Overall it was a stimulating and inspiring professional development opportunity with many agreeing with one librarian’s feedback - “I came away with so many tips that I can instantly put into practice in my school library.”

#learning leadership #marymount paris #marymount international school #library

Early Intervention at Marymount International School, Paris

Clarissa Viale, Learning Support Coordinator Johanna Bambridge, Head of School

Marymount International School, Paris believes in Early Intervention! Why? Because our school mission recognizes that every child is unique - growing and developing at his or her own rate. Most of the time differences between children of the same age are nothing to worry about. But for one child in 10, the differences can be related to a developmental delay. The sooner these delays are identified, the quicker children may be able to catch up to their peers.

Marymount, Paris also believes that identifying these delays early is vital because the most critical time for brain development is before the age of three. The brain develops in an experience-dependent process. If certain experiences are not triggered, the pathways in the brain relating to this experience will not be activated. If these pathways are not activated, they will be eliminated.

Here at Marymount, Paris, our intervention team consists of our Learning Support Coordinator, Ms. Clarissa Viale, who specializes in early childhood special education training. She works collaboratively with our Early Years Teachers to provide strategies and guidance for the young learners of our school and collaborates with the school counselor, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and other support staff as necessary.

A key feature of early childhood intervention is the transdisciplinary model, in which staff members discuss and work on goals even when they are outside their discipline. "In a transdisciplinary team, the roles are not fixed. Decisions are made by professionals collaborating at a primary level. The boundaries between disciplines are deliberately blurred to employ a 'targeted eclectic flexibility'" (Pagliano, 1999).

What Tool is Used For Screening?

Marymount, Paris initiated the Early Intervention Program in September 2016, selecting the Brigance Early Childhood Screen as the data – gathering tool for our program.

Screening can serve as the first step in evaluating a child’s school readiness skills and in providing information on their early childhood development. The key screening areas include:

• Academic Skills – Literacy and Mathematics • Language Development – Letter/sound, picture identification, object usage, speech fluency and intelligibility • Physical Development – Gross and Fine Motor Skills

Screening also enables teachers and support staff to differentiate their individual and group instruction to ensure all children are developing and learning. All children develop and learn at their own pace. Here at Marymount the teachers understand and embrace the fact that our students come from very diverse backgrounds. By conducting and gathering the data from the screenings, teachers can ensure that they are constantly modifying their instruction so that all children have access to learning within their classrooms.

How is The Brigance Screening Implemented?

The Brigance Screening is implemented according to chronological age. Here at Marymount, we implement age-specific screens for three, four and five-year-old children. Each screening consists of eleven tasks, which look at a child’s current academic readiness, language development and physical development.

Each screening takes between 10-15 minutes to implement. It provides a quick snapshot into each individual child’s school readiness skills.

The Brigance is conducted twice a year. The first screening takes place in the fall and the second screening takes place in the spring. This will help the Early Years teacher to track the progress of each student.

How Results are Communicated

In most cases, the results will be shared with the parents during the first Parent - Teacher conference. In cases where teachers feel further information may be needed to determine school readiness, the teacher and/or Learning Support Specialist will reach out to the parents after the screening is completed.

If necessary, the teacher, in conjunction with the Learning Support Coordinator, may ask permission from parents to have their child observed by an outside specialist such as a speech and language therapist, (SLT) or an occupational therapist (OT). These outside specialists may make recommendations and it is the parent’s decision whether they wish to move forward with those recommendations or not.

How Results are Communicated With Classroom Teachers

All teachers receive the original copies of the completed screenings. Teachers then meet with the Learning Support Coordinator to discuss each individual child’s results and provide differentiation and skill development within the classroom. The Learning Support Coordinator and Team Leader will then work with the classroom teacher in developing appropriate goals for each student based on their existing readiness skills by creating lesson plans, activities and strategies that can be implemented within the classroom setting.

Learning is a journey! A personalized education is our commitment!

Through our Early Intervention Program, we can ensure a child is on the road to success as early as possible.

Clarissa Viale, Learning Support Coordinator Johanna Bambridge, Head of School

References

Pagliano, P.J. (1999) Multisensory Environment. David Fulton Publishers, London

#learning leadership #learning #marymount international school #marymount paris #early intervention

Learning to Lead through Model United Nations.

By Jessamy Holland Marymount International School, Paris.

Model United Nations, or MUN, is a middle school elective course at Marymount International School, Paris that teaches middle school students how to discuss current global issues through a structured debate format. The elective prepares students to research, reflect, and converse about topics that affect the world’s populations whilst simulating the actual process followed by the United Nations international organization.

The aim of the elective is to promote interaction and dialogue between young people from a variety of backgrounds in the hopes that they formulate peaceful solutions to the world’s problems. The variety of organization, public speaking, and debate skills these students use in the MUN elective will prepare them for future leadership positions in later life. This is in perfect alignment with Marymount’s mission to encourage students to address the demands of an ever-changing world and to educate them to communicate effectively and reason critically.

When attending MUN conferences around Europe, the students draft and debate resolutions in order to exchange opinions in an atmosphere of mutual respect. They build friendships with students from all over the world, enriching connections across cultures. For our latest conference, we attended the RSHMUN 2017 at Marymount London. Ten Marymount Paris students represented Iran and Russia in debate committees including Security Council, Human Rights, and Environment. During the visit, we listened to a guest lecturer from Kenya, Mr. Simeon Oganda, who spoke about community development and youth work around the world. It is through community leaders such as Mr. Oganda that important social improvements are made. Exposing our students to these inspirational figures shows them that they can make a real-world difference in their own communities.

Marymount’s Vision of Mathematics

By Leigh Ardrit, Math Coordinator, Marymount International School, Paris.

Math at Marymount is a fun experience for children, taught through a hands-on approach. Too often children are given answers to remember, rather than problems to solve. In Marymount children are given opportunities to think, solve then model their answers, using numbers words and pictures. As they move through the school, these pictures become bar models, diagrams, graphs, tape diagrams, double line graphs etc.

The truth is that students are still being taught math the way we have always learned it. That hasn’t changed. However, in addition to the traditional way of learning math, students are being taught another approach to help them understand how and why math problems work—called "number sense". This new way shows students that numbers are just flexible things made up of other numbers and makes solving math problems that much easier.

Marymount International School, Paris uses The AERO standards for mathematics. They were developed through the U.S. Department of Overseas Education to strengthen curriculum in American Schools overseas, thus allowing children to move freely between schools and countries without missing, or unnecessarily repeating important elements in their education. These standards are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

Our curriculum is distinguished not merely by an adherence to its set of standards; but by standards that demand a theory of teaching math that is proven to be effective. That theory posits that mathematical knowledge is conveyed most effectively when it is taught in a sequence that follows the “story” of mathematics itself. AERO provides a framework for curriculum consistency across grades PreK-12 and for stability of curriculum in overseas schools. The sequencing has been joined with methods of instruction that have been proven to work, through enquiry-based learning. These methods drive student understanding beyond process, to deep mastery of mathematical concepts.

Mathematics is regularly confused with arithmetic – pure computation. Real mathematics is a way of thinking about the world in which we live. This fits in perfectly with our Guiding Statement here at Marymount Paris, where the children are taught to Think Creatively, Reason Critically, Communicate Effectively and Learn Continuously.

At first glance, this new approach to math does look strange. That’s understandable. But, this helps students think creatively through their math problems and demonstrates why math is so important in everyday life. Skills which promise to benefit them well beyond the classroom.

Click here to read an article by David Woods, a curriculum designer and math teacher from Redmond, WA, entitled Ten Ways that Math Education is Changing.

Our goal, at Marymount International School, Paris is to produce students who are not merely literate, but fluent, in mathematics.

Your child has an exciting year of discovering the world through mathematics ahead!

#learning leadership #marymount international school #marymount paris #mathematics #math

Word Study in Action - Words Their Way

By Yolanda Garnier, Grade 2 Teacher, Elementary School Team Leader, Marymount International School, Paris.

This year, grades one, two and three have adopted a spelling program called Words Their Way. I have been leading professional development workshops in assisting with the implementation of this wonderful differentiation-spelling program that allows students to work at their appropriate developmental level.

What Is Words Their Way?

Words Their Way (WTW) is a developmental spelling, phonics, and vocabulary program. WTW is an approach to spelling and word knowledge that is based on extensive research literature and includes states of development and instructional levels that are critical to the way students learn to read. A word study program allows teachers to provide differentiated efficient, effective instruction in phonics, spelling, and vocabulary.

Word study teaches students to examine words to discover the regularities, patterns, and conventions of the English language in order to read, write, and spell. It increases specific knowledge of words – the spelling and meaning of individual words. Literacy is like a braid of interwoven threads: reading, oral language and writing. Words Their Way demonstrates how exploration of orthographic knowledge can lead to the lengthening and strengthening of the literacy braid.

Why “Word Study” instead of a “Traditional” spelling program?

Research clearly indicates that memorization of lists of “spelling words” does not promote the development of spelling skills. In the past the traditional approach of “everyone gets the same weekly list and test on Friday,” many students, which passed the spelling test, were not able to transfer the knowledge to their writing. Memorizing a list of words and getting 100% on weekly tests does not necessarily mean your child is a good speller. It may just mean they are good at memorizing words for a test.

How is Word Study Taught?

At the start of a word study program, teachers use a spelling inventory to determine which stage of spelling development each student is at and then groups students for instruction (Bear, et al., 2000). Once groups are created, teachers develop "differential instruction" based on the stage of development each group of students has achieved (Bear & Barone, 1989).

The Three Layers of Word Study:

Alphabet – learning the relationship between letters and sounds

Pattern – learning specific groupings of letters and their sounds

Meaning – learning the meaning of groups of letters such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Vocabulary increases at this layer.

Teaching Strategies:

In word study, teachers encourage students to compare and contrast features in words. One common method for doing so is by having student’s sort words. When sorting, students use their word knowledge to separate examples that go together from those that don't.

In addition to sorting, students may hunt for words in their reading and writing that fit the pattern being studied, may construct a word wall illustrating examples of the different patterns studied, may keep a word study notebook to record the known patterns and their new understandings about words, or may play games and activities to apply their word knowledge (Bear et al., 2000).

A cycle of instruction for word study might include the following:

Introduce the spelling pattern by choosing words for students to sort.

Encourage students to discover the pattern in their reading and writing.

Use reinforcement activities to help students relate this pattern to previously acquired word knowledge.

Teachers then test students' pattern knowledge rather than their ability to memorize single words.

School Home Connection:

Parents are involved in their child’s spelling program, so what can parents do to help?

Remind your child to sort the words into categories like the ones they did at school. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to your why the words are sorted in a particular way - what does the sort tell you about spelling in general? Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible.

Do a “blind sort” with your child. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud – one at a time. Encourage your child to spell the word and decide in which category it belongs.

Do a “buddy sort” with your child. Lay down the pattern headers and read the rest of the words aloud. The child must indicate where the word goes without seeing it and point to the pattern where the word belongs. Add the word to the category your child selected.

Assist your child in doing a “word hunt” by looking for words in a familiar book or magazine that have the same sound, pattern, or both. Try to find two or three words for each category.

Encourage your child to write complete sentences that incorporate the words from each category and their meaning.

Do a “speed sort” with your child. Sort the words into the correct category as fast as you can.

Do a “writing sort.” As you call out the words in a random order, your child should write them into the sorted categories. Add some words that fit the patterns but are not in the original sort.

I love Words Their Way! The growth I see in my students is incredible! They are more confident in their understanding of spelling patterns, and the result from this program also helps them apply spelling patterns to written work. If we want to shape good little spellers, it just makes sense to teach them how to think about words.

References

Adapted and excerpted from: Leipzig, D. H. (2000). Actions teach louder with words: How and what experienced teachers learn about embedded word study from classroom practice and an inquiry group. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation.) University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction Donald R. Bear (Author), Marcia Invernizzi, Shane Templeton, Francine Johnston

Word Journeys Kath Ganske

Word Matters: Teaching Phonics and Spelling in the Reading/Writing Classroom Gay Su Pinnell, Irene C. Fountas, Mary Ellen Giacobbe, Arene C. Fountas

Words Their Way - Word Study in Action -Pearson-

Words Their Way Spelling Inventories: Reliability and Validity Analyses Center for Research in Educational Policy Word Study: A New Approach to Teaching Spelling www.readingrockets.org

#learning leadership #marymount international school #paris #elementary #reading #literacy

Enriching Learning - An Openness to Partnership

Peter Farran. Educational Technology Manager. Marymount International School, Paris.

Although incredibly rewarding, a teacher spends a great proportion of his or her time working directly with the students in their classroom. How then does a teacher successfully bring rich learning experiences into the classroom consistently and with authenticity? Educational visits and visiting speakers have their role to play but the real power I believe lies in the creation and development of more open-ended educational partnerships.

One such partnership brings something unique to the relaunched Middle School Creative Technology elective offered this Fall at Marymount International School, Paris. An introduction to coding had always a been a natural aspiration as an outlet for creativity though a staff sabbatical to develop coding skills or even finding an experienced software engineer to visit on a regular basis was proving to be challenging, to say the least.

When news emerged of a potential partnership with Apple in the launch and testing of their new Swift Playgrounds app as part of their Everyone Can Code initiative, we were ready to learn more. We have found that the pedagogical model used is immediately engaging and intuitive while not avoiding the crucial skill of composing and debugging text based code. The students were excited to see the Marymount name feature in the recent Apple Special Event alongside the iPhone 7 and are even more excited to be trying their hand at these new coding tools themselves. Creative Technology students embarked on this innovative project this week by participating in a Swift Playgrounds Hour of Code challenge which they met with enthusiasm and impressive progress. The partnership has been forged and we should always be open to new opportunities such as these. Our students deserve no less.

#Learning Leadership #EdTech #Technology #Coding #Marymount #Swift #hour of code #Marymount International School

Marymount International School, Paris: digital technologies for an education tailored to each student.

Originally published in the French version of ECONOCOM’S Digital for All Blog, 17/11/2016: http://www.digitalforallnow.com/marymount-international-school-numerique-apprentissage-eleve/

It is not uncommon at Marymount International School, Paris, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, to see students strolling around the school with an iPad or a MacBook. The program offered by this private school, which welcomes 360 students aged 2 to 14 years old, is taught primarily in English; and its 70 faculty members rely on new technologies to provide quality education, tailored to the specific needs of each child.

Yoann Saludes is the IT Manager of Marymount. He works alongside three Tech Integrationists, whose role is to ensure that the use of computer-assisted tools in the classroom runs smoothly and efficiently. “They are our guardian angels”, says Yoann Saludes, jokingly. “Their role is to make sure that practices are suited and adapted, and to help teachers in their daily work. In addition to this facilitation role, they are also in charge of tracking technological and educational innovations in order to identify and offer new ways of teaching.” The team also includes two technicians, who are in charge of the network and infrastructure.

Digital tools hold an increasingly important place at Marymount. As early as Kindergarten, students have access to mobile carts with iPads. From Grade 3 onwards, students can also use Chromebooks and MacBooks.

“It is important to make sure students are not conditioned –or formatted– to a given device or technology”, explains Yoann Saludes. “We favor Apple products, but think it is also important for children to use Google tools: flexibility is key.”

“In middle school, each student has a MacBook Air”, continues Leigh Ardrit, one of the Tech Integrationists. “We teach students how to use them as early as sixth grade, because even if they all think they know how to use computers, there are many features, PowerPoint or Google Docs for example, they are not familiar with. ”

Before the school deployed our iPads in 2012, students worked on laptop PCs. Digital technologies have been a part of the school for over 20 years. “We have always had an IT room” underlines Ingrid Kay. “With the rise of mobile technologies, what has changed is that digital technologies have made their way into the classroom, and are no longer limited to a dedicated space.”

Re-inventing the student/teacher relationship

From primary school onwards, teachers use Google Classroom, a platform through which they can post their classes online, and students can easily share their work.

Younger students use digital technologies in a slightly different way. Students use Seesaw, a digital portfolio. “This revitalizes and reinforces the relationship between students, teachers and parents. In middle school, it is easy for parents to ask their children what they are doing at school. With younger students, however, it can be difficult to know what goes on in the classroom. Thanks to digital technologies, parents can see what their children are working on and monitor their children’s progress. This helps build a strong and lasting relationship”, explains Yoann Saludes

Students can, on their own initiative, film their work and upload the video to their portfolio. Parents can then react, thanks to a ‘likes’ system (similar to what can be found on Facebook), or can use the platform to ask the teacher questions. Of course, everything is private and remains strictly within the circle of the school.

The use of applications, like Seesaw, Google Classroom and schedule or grade sharing solutions, has replaced the traditional liaison and homework notebook, which was only for teachers and administration, and was not, or only very little, read by students, and even less so by their parents

Digital technologies: a vehicle for change from within the classroom

If an English teacher asks students to give a presentation, on Shakespeare for example, students are free to choose how they want to present their work: traditional presentation, Google Classroom, video with iMovie… Our role is to help them use these tools”, explains Yoann Saludes.

The use of digital technologies has also helped reduce our paper consumption. “In Maths, we do not use textbooks anymore, everything is online”, underlines Leigh Ardrit. “Teachers upload their courses on the interactive whiteboard, and students can work in their own workbook or with connected tools. It is much more dynamic, and the children love it. ”

“Another growing use is in Art classes”, continues the Tech Integrationist. “The idea is to put the entire content of the course in a PowerPoint presentation and to show it as a short video throughout the class. Students can watch it during the course, which means the teacher is more available for students who need more help. This is a wonderful step forward.”

The “flipped classroom” principle means teachers prepare the content of their class beforehand, and send it to students, via Google Classroom for example, so that they know what they will be working on the next day, and perhaps prepare. This system makes students more independent, and they understand better what their teacher expects from them.

For extra-curricular activities, Marymount works with Magic Makers, a start-up which partners with Econocom, and offers creative programming workshops. Younger students are initiated to the basics of coding with Scratch, a tool that teachers also use in their classes.

-> Read also: With magic makers, Claude Terosier teaches coding to kids – and their teachers!

New technologies for innovative pedagogical practices

Students move around the school a lot, but this can easily be managed with digital tools. “It is not simply a matter of going to the music room for your music lessons, describes Yoann Saludes. “Many activities take place outside the classroom, in the playground or in a FabLab for example, when they do not require any specific equipment.” Classrooms are also set up so that students can circulate, tables are arranged in clusters, and there are resting or reading areas.

Another specificity of the school: the Individualized Learning Center (ILC), where specific support is provided for students who need it, with one teacher for every two students. “One of the teachers asked us to reduce the noise level in this space, so we installed an application which measures the sound level with a series of microphones”, explains Tech Integrationist Leigh. “We connected it to a video projector, and students work knowing exactly how high the level of ambient noise is. This offers real relief to everyone. Today, the average turnaround time between the moment a need is expressed and identifying the adapted software and its implementation on iPads is half a day. This process has become very rapid.”

Econocom, a responsive and attentive partner

In terms of hardware, the school decided to partner with Econocom. Speaking of the school’s partnership with Econocom Yoann Saludes underlines that “what we liked was the fact that they understood our needs, and the responsiveness of the sales team, which gave us confidence in the Group’s ability to provide the ideal hardware or software solution. Of course, the fact that Econocom is an Apple partner is also a considerable advantage.”

The group covered the financing and supplying the iPads. Marymount chose the leasing services, with a renewal every three years. “We never use our equipment for more than 3 or 4 years”, explains the IT Manager. “There is no point in us purchasing equipment only to renew it after a couple of years.”

The leasing solution also means the school can always offer children the most up-to-date devices. “We signed up for Swift Playgrounds, Apple’s platform for learning code. Without up-to date hardware, this would not have been possible, nor would we have been able to get a preview of Apple’s classroom systems. Whenever you buy equipment, it can be tempting to keep the fleet longer. However, after three or four years, you inevitably run up against compatibility issues”, explains Peter Farran, Educational Technology Manager.

In order to offer our students and faculty the best, Marymount’s technical teams are constantly on the lookout for solutions which can enhance the quality of the education and better guide our students in their educational experience. Constantly challenging oneself is the best way to move forward, and it is also the key of the #Digitalforallnow movement

See other testimonials from schools who have already deployed digital tools with Econocom:

-> Saint Joseph à Gap, a middle school and high school offering general education, where its 820 students and fifty teachers are equipped with digital tools

-> Notre-Dame « Les oiseaux » dans les Yvelines, where several high-school classes are experimenting the use of iPads

#digitalforallnow #learningleadership #digitallearning #technology #fablab #swift playgrounds #magic makers #google classroom

“Staying on the Cutting-Edge with 93 Year Old Roots”

...drawing parallels on how our RSHM roots and guiding statements remain relevant (and even progressive) in a modern classroom.

Shannon Gorse, Grade 3 Teacher, Marymount International School, Paris.

As a collaborative learning community, Marymount educators are driven to passionately address the needs of all learners and prepare them to be the future leaders in the 21st Century. But how can Marymount stay on the cutting-edge with 93 year old roots? It begins with the spiritual feeling one senses when they enter those Marymount Paris gates. That feeling of spirituality is not connected with a particular religion or set of beliefs, but with the feeling of connection to other individuals.

Marymount Paris is guided by the goals and objectives of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) and in continuing to enrich classrooms with cultural, social, and academic acceptance. One foundational element which makes our community successful is that teachers are actively planning and making motivational adaptations to keep the key elements of the RSHM vision and classroom academic practices working smoothly. In order to effectively plan for this ideal culture, we need to use knowledge of unique thoughts and beliefs combined with the foundation of our community to create classes that support students and positively impact learning. Beziers, France is where our spiritual journey has taken a small group of teachers over the past few years.

One might ask: Education is continuously evolving requiring teachers to constantly gain up-to-date knowledge about best practices, but why are Marymount teachers taking the time to travel back into Marymount’s past? Understanding and motivation are key aspects to embarking on a successful path toward the future. It was through the understanding of these past experiences with radical educational changes, where we were able to better connect Père Gailhac’s vision of a caring and unified society with our own path towards the future of Marymount.

Through a series of fascinating historical accounts of Père Gailhac’s accomplishments, teachers were able to be reconnected with the purpose of a Marymount education; provide life and education to all. It is one thing to create and share a vision, but it is another to sell it! Père Gailhac’s vision of unity through diversity took root when he employed six radically different women to lead the RSHM community. It is through Père Gailhac’s belief that we draw our own motivation to appreciate our unique gifts, beliefs and talents. Through this reflective experience our connection to each other has deepened and our appreciation for his vision has laid the footprint for us to continue our own individual spiritual journey together. From the moment we enter the gates of Marymount we experience the feeling of connection, knowing that we embrace unity through diversity.

#Retreat #beziers #RSHM #learning leadership #marymount

Ruth Miskin - ‘Transforming the Teaching of Early Reading and Writing’

By Chrissie Hayter and Aurelie Martel

On Monday 19th of September, Pre-Kindergarten teachers Chrissie Hayter and Aurelie Martel traveled to London to participate in professional development for the highly regarded Read, Write, Inc phonics program, led by renowned UK educator, Ruth Miskin. A fun, engaging and effective model was proposed to ensure that each and every student learns to read and that no child is left behind. This essential, lifelong skill not only fosters the development of a strong vocabulary through a variety of sources, both in print and multimedia but also provides no less than the key to the universe!

On the 22nd of September, we celebrated International Peace Day. Teaching a child to read changes the world. The more children read, the more they will learn about the world and develop a respect and appreciation for cultural diversity. Learning to read needs to be taught explicitly and it is important that each child believes that they can achieve. Fundamental to this process is that children are assisted in developing a love and passion for reading, and read for enjoyment. We learned just how critical it is that children are read to on a daily basis, to strengthen this relationship.

Inspired by this workshop, ‘Miss Chrissie’ and ‘Miss Aurelie’ have already started applying their new found learning in the classroom through the use of new phonics flashcards and showed no inhibitions, in singing a song which they co-wrote on London Bridge. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy their video by following the link:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-nyTODxMDMGMDI4Q285a1hLZU0

#marymount #Professional Development #learning leadership

Keep Calm and Scan On!

By Susana Almeida and Ingrid Kay

"Keep Calm and Scan On" - Published in the latest edition of International School Magazine: Marymount teachers, Susana Almeida and Ingrid Kay offer four good reasons for using QR codes in the classroom.

Read more here! https://cloud.3dissue.com/2389/3124/7031/IS91/offline/download.pdf#educationaltechnology

Differentiation in the French Classroom

by Corinne Chapon, French Department

Differentiation is the process by which differences between learners are accommodated so that all students in a group have the best possible chance of learning. Indeed, it is very important to recognize that every child is unique and need different instructional opportunities. By applying effective methods of differentiation and by being flexible, teachers cater for student with different learning needs. Verbal support and encouragement also plays a crucial part in the differentiation technique.

One way to achieve this may be to produce different sets of worksheets or exercises depending on students' abilities (including homework). An alternative method is to use a single worksheet comprised of tasks which get progressively harder. The more advanced students will be more challenged and will quickly progress to the later questions whilst the less able can concentrate on grasping the essentials. Some students might also be allocated more time to complete a task (differentiation by pace).For example, when French teachers give a reading text to students with comprehension questions, some learners may need illustrations or other types of visuals (flashcards) to be able to understand the vocabulary whilst others would be capable of working without any support. The number and the complexity of comprehension questions can vary from one child to another.This technique of differentiation can be linked to what we call differentiation by outcome.

Indeed, when students undertake the same task, a variety of results or different way to reach the objective of this task may be accepted. If we take the example of the reading text again, some students might answer the comprehension questions using full sentences whilst others would use short answers.Some students who find it difficult to write might use a technology tool (word processing) or might complete the task orally. Spelling is not always seen as a priority : rather, developing ideas and being creative is more important.

In differentiation by grouping, small, mixed-ability groups allow lower achievers to take advantage of peer support whilst higher achievers gain the opportunity to organize and voice their thoughts for the benefit of the whole group (known as peer-modeling). Grouping also allows roles to be allocated within the team which cater for each member's skills, interests and learning needs.

In French class, beginner and intermediate groups regularly work on role-plays whilst higher levels debate ideas in groups.In differentiation by assessment in the French classroom, students are assessed on an on-going basis so that teaching, and indeed the other methods of differentiation, can be continuously adjusted according to the learners' needs. Summative assessments may be modified to accommodate students' needs.

#differentiation #french #language learning #marymount

'Yes You Can' Harnessing Talents and Abilities

by Johanna Bambridge, Head of School

Recently a team of Marymount staff members attended a conference in London, sponsored by the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE). 'Yes You Can' Harnessing Talents and Abilities attracted the interest of members of one of Marymount International School, Paris' Professional Learning Communities!

Composed of teachers of all grade levels and subject areas, these life long learners are committed and interested in learning together toward greater student achievement. Meeting regularly, these teachers are modeling what is expected from their students: sharing of expertise, working collaboratively and setting goals for an improved result. Since September these educators, committed to the educational topic of Gifted and Talented Students, are researching how Marymount can better ensure that all students – even the more able ones – are supported to achieve their personal best. Although 'differentiation' is often referred to as a strategy for teachers to support those students requiring additional assistance to make grade level, Marymount educators realize that if we are truly committed to our school's mission then all students – even the more capable or more able ones – deserve this strategy. But current research, across the world, seems to indicate that in many schools, the opposite takes place – too few pupils are challenged to achieve above the expected level.Recently, the Professional Learning Community (PLC) discussed how the more able students in our school community are empowered and supported. In addition, the educators analyzed which Marymount programs, practices and curriculum areas help promote this across all grade levels.The PLC identified further inquiries requiring future discussion and examination: Are Marymount's more abled students regularly achieving above grade level? Are our more abled students turning in homework regularly and on time and to a high/exceptional standard? Do our more abled students display a passion for the subject?Can the student work hard without regular support and encouragement i.e. independently? Finally, does the student possess and use a range of specialist technical vocabulary? The latest research does indicate that if the more abled students are succeeding it is through effective communication between everyone involved in the education of each student. After school and extra-curricular activities for students are as important as the classroom curriculum and these programs must be diverse to support a range of student needs, talents and interests. What are the challenges for schools all over the world including Marymount International School, Paris? We have the duty and responsibility to provide more challenging and customized learning experiences to help able and talented pupils to achieve the highest standards. Administrators must ensure that teachers improve the use of data and assessment to identify, track and monitor their pupils' progress. School programs must build on existing transition arrangements between primary and secondary schools to provide more appropriate links. Finally, all schools can and must improve parents' understanding of how they can better support the education of their child. After all, the education of each child is a true partnership between the family and school.

#nace #professional development #marymount

Finding the 'Just Right' Kind of Balance

by Victoria Frusciante, Balanced Literacy Coordinator

Globally, educators are promoting a balanced approach to reading instruction in an effort to once and for all relay a truce and resolve the Reading Wars. Most educators promote themselves as advocates of a balanced literacy "diet" and have veered away from a solely Phonics-based or Whole Language approach. In the simplest terms, the "whole language approach" is a method of teaching children to read by recognizing words as whole pieces of language (Reading Horizons, 2010). Proponents of both approaches have become avid supporters of the balanced literacy approach.

Gone are the days in the 80's and 90's where hybrid basel reading programs were dominating classrooms and differentiation was a foreign word yet to be defined in our "must-have" models of student-centered classrooms. Nowadays, educators believe that language should not be broken down into letters and combinations of letters for the sole purpose of learning how to read by decoding. The "Balanced Literacy diet" is a healthier means to satisfying various styles and needs. Based on the research of Marie Clay, Irene Fountas, and Gay Su Pinnell, this model provides many opportunities for real life reading and writing experiences (TeachWeb.com). The balanced framework contains what educators call, "The Big Five," {Phonemic Awareness, Phonics Instruction, Vocabulary, Fluency and Comprehension Strategies as well as other important components of literacy education} which research has found to be essential in effective reading instruction (Melissa Institute of Literacy Website, 2015).

In a balanced model, students read and write each day independently in small and large group settings and there is a focus on different types of reading and writing experiences (TeacherWeb.com). *(Please refer to the Defined Chart of Balanced Literacy Components chart below).Educator and author Lucy Calkins from Teachers College Columbia University initiated the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, or TCRWP, which highlights the importance of student choice of texts, independent reading, and group discussions for reading instruction in the elementary grades. The program includes some phonics, but does not make them a focus. Teachers are encouraged to set up classroom libraries and give students time to explore. They are steered away from direct instruction (TCRWP). The Project stimulates a certain "classroom aura" if you will, that encompasses the balanced components, which in turn is very fitting, differentiated, and encouraging for many students. Student engagement is increased and "reading for meaning" takes on a whole new dimension as children relate texts to real life experiences - making classroom teachable moments plentiful and the rites of passage procurable for a lifelong love of reading.

In contemplating what method is "just right" for classroom instruction, I rebound once again to the Reading Wars. It's safe to say that there is no one particular model to fit every mold. Do Phonics and Whole Language approaches work? Yes, absolutely. Every child needs to learn strategies to deconstruct and decode new words, albeit many times they are left behind when teachers are basing instruction solely on these two philosophies. At times we as educators feel that we are playing a balancing act with the right approach. It would be wise to view the "whole child" and base instruction on how we can best guide students into the path of success. By incorporating the best components from each program, the balanced approach aims to navigate students toward proficient and lifelong reading. Dorothy Strickland sums this up nicely by conveying, "In a truly balanced literacy program, how you teach is as important as what you teach."

Could Balanced Literacy be the truce that we are all looking for? Possibly. When all debates fail to yield any clear winner and creating uniform, global programs seem to remain an attainable feat, a surefire solution as always, is to turn to Science. There is a wealth of research-based data on this approach, as well as plenty that deny the success of it. Regardless, debates have certainly developed about its success among low income families and other children that need more concrete support to master the basic foundation. However, we must be able to clearly see beyond "the end justifies the means" philosophy that reflects the goal of many Board of Education members and lead writers of both the Common Core and state standardized exams in the United States. The term "teaching to the test" was coined and feared by many educators who believe in a more holistic, student-centered approach to teaching.Research has clearly played an integral part in the evolution of education by also implementing 21st Century principles and standards for Best Practice. This scientifically-based practice can easily equate to the balanced literacy program. After all, a balanced curriculum, teaching an integrated curriculum, differentiating instruction to meet individual student needs, and providing active learning opportunities for students to internalize learning makes for one balanced and healthy diet! (Best Practice).

So, discounting the skeptics, there is a plethora of research to support the balanced literacy framework. As John Cowen clearly states, "A balanced reading approach is research-based, assessment-based, comprehensive, integrated, and dynamic, in that it empowers teachers and specialists to respond to the individual assessed literacy needs of children as they relate to their appropriate instructional and developmental levels of decoding, vocabulary, reading comprehension, motivation, and sociocultural acquisition, with the purpose of learning to read for meaning, understanding, and joy." As an educator, I myself have seen the "fruits of our labor" in implementing a more balanced program. The most advocate fans are the students themselves, as they reach levels of understanding reading and writing under a completely different light. Native English speakers, English Language Learners, as well as other students with varying needs have benefited greatly from a balanced approach. A love of reading and writing blooms from workshops as all of their needs are nurtured by a differentiated model. For this reason, there is a great appeal in the balanced framework as it stands firmly on the principle that all students can learn to read and write. The students are able to work at a level that is engaging for them as well as at a pace that is comfortable for their learning styles in order to reach grade level standards.

When push comes to shove, I am certain that educators and parents are on the same page - they both want "their kids" to be successful, lifelong learners. We all aspire for them to have pride in exercising strong voices, as well as adopt the tools to incorporate various learning strategies in everyday life.

In closing, I must admit that one of the best practices I use today is to truly emulate the love of reading and reflection and this is done by the power of Interactive Read-Alouds. During this much treasured time, nothing compares to the sight of children discussing the importance of events, the depth of characters, the resilience of published authors, and the ride of imagination that lights up their smiling faces.

As Mem Fox expresses, "The ups and downs of our voices and our pauses and points of emphasis are like music, literally, to the ears of young children, and kids love music."

"The modeling by people that we love is what changes us. "-Don Holdaway

Click on the link below for a useful parent resource:http://www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents

#balanced literacy #literacy #differentiation #lifelong learners

Providing for Gifted and Talented Students in Mathematics

by Rory McCormick, Middle School Coordinator / Math Teacher

There have been many gifted and talented initiatives over the years under numerous pseudonyms. With so may different viewpoints and conflicting information available, it can be quite difficult to pinpoint what gifted and talented actually is.

This becomes more complicated when we look at how students are selected as "gifted". Children intellectually mature at different ages and it can be damaging to their self-esteem to label them as ungifted. The tests used to assess "giftedness" may not measure the student's overall intelligence but only their performance on that particular test. Conversely, some children whose self-worth is closely attached to the label of Gifted and Talented become afraid to take chances because they might be "found-out" not to be really gifted.

However, all educators believe in the existence of gifted and talented students and that it is essential that their needs are meet. Ensuring that there is adequate provision both inside and outside the regular classroom will meet the needs of students without having to label them. One of the initiatives that advocates for this practice is the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (Renzulli, 1977; Renzulli & Reis, 1985, 1997) which focusing on students being able to access material that will encourage and inspire them. It is also worth noting that models like this will benefit the entire school population and not just the gifted students.Middle School is a critical time in students' mathematical development and it is essential to make sure the curriculum is adapted to fulfill the needs of the more able.

Mathematically talented students need in-depth and expanded topics that emphasize higher order thinking skills, problem solving, and the application concepts in a variety of contexts. Otherwise there is a danger that students will become disaffected within the regular classroom.There are many ways to achieve this within the regular classroom, but differentiating lesson content to make sure that they are both accessible and also challenging is of utmost importance.

Making connections between textbook mathematics and how it is utilized in real life will also encourage the gifted student. Setting regular project work will give them the opportunity to take their learning to the next level and apply it to real life situations. Educational field trips linked to the curriculum can be used to provide students with an insight of how mathematics is used in different industries and professions and of course there are a wealth of websites can also be used to expand students' mathematical horizons.

Within the regular classroom we are still restricted by the need to complete a prescriptive curriculum and this can limit opportunities to inspire students and promote abstract thinking. Providing students with opportunities outside the regular classroom to explore their interests in mathematics will not only improve their ability in the subject, but will also encourage them to pursue careers in mathematical fields. This can be achieved through explanatories, after school activities and competing in mathematics and science competitions.The potential exists in every school for far more expertise in mathematics, and we must help students unlock their talents in this area.

#gifted and talented #mathematics #differentiation

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