Developmental+Projects

Pre-K/Early Elementary School



Upper Elementary media type="custom" key="15415500" **Example Developmental Essay: Cognitive Development** media type="custom" key="15415364"

**Implications for Practice**

**Reflective Narrative**

 The shift from lower elementary to upper elementary was dramatic in several ways. In general, I was stunned to see how the classrooms I visited compared to Northwest’s high school classrooms. While preK-2nd truly seemed like another world, the upper elementary classrooms I visited had similar layouts, similar practices, even similar work. After reading what is developmentally appropriate for this age group, the near comparison was disheartening. As potential school leader, this held some serious implications for my practice. One area where Halifax schools impressed me was the focus on literacy. In every classroom I stepped into and every person I spoke to, literacy was the key word. Yet, after reading the Kids First’s “Early Warning” my intentions took on a new dimension of urgency. Specifically, I realized that energy is one thing; strategy and focus is another. As an administrator, I would want Halifax’s almost tangible dedication to reading in my elementary school. Nevertheless, I would incorporate key lessons I gleaned over the semester, including guidelines laid down in the 90/90/90 schools research, as well as suggestions from the “Early Warning” study and developmentally appropriate practice from Meece & Daniels.

 Of the five characteristics identified in the 90/90/90 study, two stood out as noticeably absent in the schools I observed: 1) “the frequent assessment of student progress with multiple opportunities for improvement” and 2) the use of “frequent external scoring” (2004). As I noted in my observation description, the frequent benchmarks that students must take come from two separate organizations (ClassScape and MAP) and are seldom used to impact instruction. Unfortunately, they do impact school morale and student self-efficacy.

 As a school administrator, I would want staff to collaboratively develop and individually administer common assessments. The ability to “objectively” assess performance is critical; techniques suggested by Dr. Payne such as procuring roaming subs, or using staff meeting as data retreats are effective ways to ensure this happens. Because teachers would be agreeing on a definition for proficiency, “no accident of geography or classroom assignment would determine expectations for students.” What’s more, the collected data could then be used in critical conversations with PLCs or department meetings. In addition, our school would encourage students to retake exams by offering multiple opportunities for improvement. Under such conditions, data should be seen as important, but malleable numbers: Informing instruction for teachers and offering motivation for students.

 Yet, education is not solely about the “three Rs.” One vital piece of instruction that was simply not happening in any of the classrooms I observed was self-regulation and emotional competency training. I often hear from teachers at all grade-levels (including myself) about students “acting out.” Just as often it’s said that they, “don’t know how to act.” Such generalizations have nuggets of truth. Moreover, there are specific, researched strategies that have proven records of diminishing these behaviors.

 As noted in Section V, students are still using self-regulation strategies, albeit rudimentary and low-level ones. This suggests that students are not misbehaving because they want to, but because they do not have the strategies to appropriately deal with stressful situations. As an upper elementary administrator I would provide training for my teachers to learn about emotional competency and delayed gratification as well ways to teach positive self-regulation strategies. Pairing such training with PBIS interventions currently used at most schools, the success of the interventions could be monitored by the teachers through some of the disciplinary indicators chosen at our school.

 During one of my formal observations I saw that students were off-task for several reasons. Tying cognitive and motivational research together, I believe that one reason was the delivery of the lesson. In grade school, children are willing to experiment with abstract ideas as well as their concrete world. One observation that struck me was how literal and explicit most of the instruction was. Whether in math, English or gym, students were given explicit instruction and guided through every process. There was no discovery, no experimentation and, in my opinion, little intellectual engagement. As a result, those students who were not already motivated fell by the weigh side.

 From Vygotsky and Piaget to information processing theorists, much research has indicated that learning is the construction of meaning. As such, learners must play an //active// role in the learning process, collaborating on goals, outlining concept maps and practicing selective organization and attention. This results in deeper processing of information, more engaging lessons and, most likely, more motivated students.

 Teachers, meanwhile, must make the opportunities available for students to process this information. As an elementary administrator and instructional leader, I would relay ways of teaching attention and memory strategies, bolstering collaboration and student agency, and leading classes into involved inquiry. I would model problem-based learning lessons and provide strategies for self-regulated learning. Most importantly, I would encourage them to share their experiences during their PLCs. As I’ve seen in some schools, “lessons” presented by administrators appear like directives handed down from on high.

 School-based strategies are powerful forces in school reform; however, as the “Early Warning” article points out, they are not enough. “We need to help parents and caregivers succeed,” the article recommends in its summary, “in ensuring that their children attend every day, achieve every year and attain over time” (2010). After attending the Community Schools Learning Lab, I realized that this doesn’t mean having community engagement plans or setting up parent days at school. Rather, building a coalition with parents, stakeholders and the community requires strategic development, considerable organization and on-the-ground commitment. While the new initiatives aimed at reaching Halifax parents are heartening, they are inadequate. As a school leader, I hope to enact the policy of one principal who said, “knock on doors or knock them down,” to ensure that stakeholders are given the opportunities they deserve.

 Over the course of the semester, I learned how to make friends and influence people. I learned how low-performing schools maintain excellence. I learned how communities can be genuinely incorporated into schools. Yet, quite possibly the most valuable lesson I learned came from Dr. Payne and was reaffirmed by Dr. Harrison: it //has// to be about the kids. Whether it’s bringing in authentic data, requiring professional development, or building crucial relationships: it’s all about the kids. As an administrator, my paramount takeaway from the semester was one question, the same question I hope to ask during any and all discussions with my staff: How does this move our kids forward?

**Example "Putting It Together" Pay It Forward: Informational Brochure for Parents (one for each age) ** media type="custom" key="15415394"

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Spring 2011

**Middle Sc****hool**



**Example Developmental Essay: Language and Development**  media type="custom" key="15415642" <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;"> **Observation Reflection** media type="custom" key="15415804" align="center" <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">**Implications for Practice** <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">**Reflective Narrative** We have heard Middle School described in many ways. It’s a madhouse, it’s a learning goldmine, it’s a learning black hole, it’s where we lose them, it’s where they find themselves. After working on this project, though, one thing is clear to us: middle grades are full of possibilities and the amount that we plan purposefully to meet the needs of the maturing students is the amount that they can grow into mature adults. As such, there are some non-negotiables about what general practices need to happen in every middle school classroom to meet these needs. Below the chief heading are recommendations we have developed for my own work:


 * **Non-Negotiable 1:** Encourage independence and autonomy.
 * Allow students to self select books.
 * Encourage them to express their opinions about classroom rules and procedures, aiming for a shared classroom vision.
 * Expose students to a variety of ideas, whether it be literary forms in English or multiple representations in math.
 * Push students to think abstractly and explore their unique ideas.
 * **Non-Negotiable 2:** Model and encourage positive social interaction
 * Set expectations for mutual respect in behavior and responsibility in academics.
 * Discuss morally ambiguous issues and stimulate respectful debate.
 * Talk about positive relationships and post pro-social expectations in the school
 * Publicly recognize scholarly and socially responsible behavior.
 * **Non-Negotiable 3:** Provide a sense of place.
 * Use problems and develop projects that are based in the community.
 * Personalize classrooms with creative student work.
 * Ground writing in relevant situations and local issues.

As middle school educators, we must use their rapid development as a platform for growth, instead of an insurmountable challenge.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">**Final Product**