Celebrate the Good

You often hear the word rigor thrown around in the world of education.  Many teachers call it the "word du jour".  But what are we really talking about when we mention rigor in the classroom?  One meaningful definition  is found in Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Richard W. Strong, Harvey F. Silver and Matthew J. Perini, ASCD, 2001. According to the authors, “Rigor is the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging.”   Pretty tall task for a teacher, but in visiting classrooms this week I believe our teachers are on the right track with ensuring their instruction and outcomes not only remain rigorous, but are creative as well. We've got great things happening around our district in many classrooms and many schools, but here are a few examples from HP.  Take a moment with me to celebrate what's good in our schools.

This week, Mrs. Guenther's second grade students were actively engaged in Puppet Theater.  What a joy it was to visit her class, along with Mrs. Olson's kinder class, as the younger students sat enthralled with the performance related to the book Frog and Toad.  The second graders had created their own puppets out of paper sacks (way cool!), put on the performance behind the curtain, and per Mrs. Guenther, "had a great opportunity for fluency practice in a fun way!".  An authentic way for children to connect with text and practice a variety of skills. 

I also found an example of rigorous thought in Mrs. Read's small group classroom.  When I popped in, her class was engaged in defining/practicing closed versus open ended questions, an activity that then led to a connection/practice with Bloom's level of questions, which you can see on the "Bloom's Mountain" below.  Lance and other "Discussion Directors" chose leveled questions from the Buckets of Blooms related to the book they were reading, Dinosaurs Before Dark; they then practiced the thinking process that goes into a "remember" question vs. a "create" question, and determined which were open and which were closed.  Lance's bucket question "What would it be like to live in dinosaur land?" brought out some very creative answers, extended into the possibilities of how each student could create the world in their mind, through a written story, diorama, or more.  Loved it and hear from Mrs. Read these Keys to Literacy strategies are helping her students practice their thinking in a way that doesn't seem like work for her students.

 

I've seen other additional lessons this week that I could connect to rigor in the classroom.  From Mrs. Matetich's 5th grade scientists conducting hands-on research as it related to bending light (Caroline hard at work, direct right!)

to a whole group spider web creation in Mrs. Davidson's kinder classroom.  This particular web activity served as a springboard for students to individually share fascinating facts they had learned about spiders, including body parts, uses of silk, and types of webs - did you know that tangle webs become known as cobwebs once the spiders are gone?  Kinders do! 

But I'd truly be remiss if I didn't mention the DAR creative strategies I saw in two separate fourth grade units of study this week.  First, Mrs. Hunter's students, working on social studies TEKS related to origins and culture of Native American groups before the European Exploration, did some cool body interpretation of vocabulary words such as primitive, noble, and uncivilized.  They transitioned to the George Catlin painting "Catlin Painting the Portrait of Mah-to-toh-pa", initially describing what they saw, then analyzing what they saw, with an eventual relating what they saw to self or prior knowledge (DAR).  This activity led the class to a brief discussion on stereotypes, done through much "brainloading", and how the painting may have been a stereotypical portrait of the subjects.  Julia Kay was right on when she said "I'm sure not all Indians had feathers or wore the same clothes as shown in the picture".  Hmmm...these connections to the past, thinking about why we think what we do and how stereotypes in life are alive even today, are important for all of us to make.  The follow-up was to be a writing assignment connected to this discussion, so I'll be sure to check back soon.

Final comment on rigor I saw in action this week, namely Mrs. Leibick's language arts students engaged in their unit of study, Voices of the Depression. I saw and heard students making connections between photos of the Dust Bowl (shown large screen, images incomprehensible to those of us in the room who did not live through it), to the review of previous discussion on differences found in the positive lens of Norman Rockwell and the Langston Hughes' African American male experiences to other ongoing unit topics - think Woodie Guthrie lyrics, children's literature set during the period, radio dramas, and even the one-room schoolhouse - all with anchors of support in and around the class.  The heart of the lesson, however, surrounded the aforementioned DAR implemented with Dorothea Lange's iconic photograph, "Migrant Mother".  As the student discussion unfolded, one question was posed by Mrs. Leibick on why this one photograph, out of the many taken during those years, became known as the Face of the Depression; I was anxious to hear the responses and came away sobered by the ones shared.  One student Allison, in all her fourth grade wisdom, very solemnly stated that, in her opinion, the Lange photo "wasn't a picture of a soup kitchen, it wasn't a picture of a bread line, but it was a picture of one person living through this awful time..." This simple statement gave us all a moment to pause and think about the real people who experience hardships behind the headlines and why some images mean as much to us as they do.  True rigorous connections between many mediums, many thoughts, and issues that, in many ways, are timely and relevant today.   

Finally, Scotties always squeeze in some fun each week along with the learning. Fourth and fifth graders travelled over to MAC  for a special fall performance by the high school's orchestra and choir entitled "The Ghoultide Scarols".  Students and adults were fascinated by the accompanying tour of the arts spaces, complete with live models in the drawing room.  Pretty inspiring!  Carrying on the fun, Mr. Supak, one of our PE teachers, was the winner of the all staff drawing for Austin Ballet's upcoming performance of the Nutcracker (given very graciously by Dr. Carstarphen to schools in our district who had the highest attendance for the last reporting period; as an FYI, HP's was 98.7% -good work Scotties!).  Mr. Supak tells me he and his wife Anna, also a teacher, attend every year, and they both will definitely look forward to the evening. And, of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention our current HOOT happenings. Check out Thursday's HOOT Rally pic below (thanks Mrs. Leach, HOOT Queens Mrs. Campa and Mrs. Peele, and all HOOT ladies who helped that day); this annual assembly held each year prior to our big fall carnival always gets the kids fired up for HOOT night.  We cheered, we laughed at the silly hair color put on some of some adult "good sports", and we oohed and awed at the displayed games and prizes to be had at the carnival.  As I finish this blog, let's just say the real deal HOOT was FUN for all who attended on this Friday evening, and yes, it was a good week to be a Scottie.  Big or small, Scotties work hard, but play hard too.

Keep celebrating the good in our schools!  I know I will.

 

Bats, Dads, and Hall Fun, OH MY!

This has really been a crazy busy week around HP.  Much happening across the district for all of us, but the learning keeps going in the classroom.  Kinder teachers are in the throes of all things life cycle this week as it relates to Science TEKS.  Think everything from Spiders to Pumpkins to Bats, seen below in Ms. Nazar's class one morning.  Our kinder teachers consistently create centers aligned to current unit of study (for math, ABC, writing, other centers), post teaching tools aligned to current unit of study, and also display current vocabulary being taught.  Walking in a room, you hear and see this vocabulary used in a variety of ways by both teacher and students. Mammals, non-mammals, traits, and echolocation was heard more than once during my visit.  Check out one of our Kinder Scotties below aptly demonstrating his understanding of mammal/non-mammal.  Do you know the characterisitics of a mammal?  If not, ask an HP kinder!



Scottie Dads is off to a good start this week.  The cool program, implemented by our counselor Mrs. Land and dad Kevin Golliher, got off the ground Wednesday evening, with an overview of the program presented to interested dads at the Golliher residence.  I hear we have about 15-20 fathers ready to sign-up to give an entire day at school, doing everything from reading with students, doing math flash cards, helping at recess and on the playground, and just generally being visible.  We have Super Dad participation as a rule around here, but it's a great program which will align us with Lamar's Scottie Dawgs program, as well as provide one more way for parents to be involved.  Check out the official t-shirt (if you see it on a dad, you know he's a Scottie Dad!); thanks gentlemen for caring enough to give more of your time to our school. 

Just have to share what I saw happening in one of our hallways.  As second graders from Mr. Gay's class walked to lunch today, they were engaged all the way as Mr. Gay read from the book If You Lived 100 Years Ago.  He'd read a passage, stop, ask a couple of quick questions or make an interesting point, then all would continue down the hallway.  One more creative way to keep our kids engaged with text throughout the day, not to mention a fun way to head to lunch. 

Finally, I'll end this week with a short blurb on how I began my week.  Last Sunday, I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the MAC Cabaret at the new arts center on McCallum's campus.  Not only was I thrilled to see many former Scotties on the stage belting out tunes from the 50 states, but I got goose-bumps during the all-cast numbers.  Wow, we have some talented kids!  It's a shameless plug, but check out some of the upcoming performances through the Fine Arts Academy.  Definitely worth your time and money.



Creativity on Display!

Teachers have long displayed student work in the halls or in their rooms.  Kind of the norm when you are at an elementary school.  What's really changing is the level of thinking going into those displays.  If you haven't walked around our building in awhile, I encourage you to check out some of the most recent postings in our hallways.  Not only do we have some engaging, creative displays of critical thinking through writing and the arts, but we have teacher "descriptors" often posted directly beside the examples of student work - explanations of the TEK student expectation connected to the work, explanation of the process leading up to the final student product, and more.  HP teachers are working diligently to ensure that students know the purpose to the activity, are motivated to learn, and that outcomes are connected in the best possible way to the true learning intentions.  Check out Mrs. Goldsmith's first grade Nocturnal Animal poems connected to literature and science (with some cool animal art to boot!), Mrs. Pappert's " 6 trait word choice" acrostic poetry from her second graders, and Mrs. Kolodziej's 5th grade student migration posters connected to the SS unit on American Indian Cultural Regions.  Our students learn so much more and make deeper connections when the products are authentic, the activities are engaging, and creativity is embedded.   Pretty neat!

Wrapping up student work displays, I also have to share Mrs. Kolodziej's additional Geography Island posters.  This activity was a "chance for 5th grade students to use their imagination to create an island that was uniquely their own.  The island was required to have a theme based on the student's interests, a name that related to the theme, and examples of various landforms."  Additionally, per the teacher, it was to be drawn from a "bird's eye view as a map with a legend, compass rose, geographic features, city symbols, and a capital city".  We've heard from some former Scotties that this type of activity is also incorporated and expanded upon (think government, economic features, and island culture) in some of their middle and high school experiences.  Hats off Mrs. K  and her students for some work that is engaging and creative!



Taylor Swift Island



Musical Island



Finally, though this week has been chock-full of everything from walkthroughs in classrooms to a McCallum vertical team roundtable meeting with PTA presidents to Crazy Hat Friday (check out the pics on our website), I want to highlight the increased after school offerings happening on our campus.  We still have our traditional offerings, such as Scottie Singers, Bits, Bytes, and Bots, Mad Science and more, but have made a special effort to "pump up" our options, expecially in the area of creativity.  Currently on board this fall or coming soon, we have Math Pentathlon once again (thank you Mr. Gay!), an afterschool art club for our third grade students sponsored by Mrs. Maca, a very creative Lego Club that is growing by leaps and bounds,  a slated theater class taught by the folks at Zach Scott, and a new film class now happening by Austin Film Kids.  This popular class, 28+ strong on day ONE!, allows students to "learn how to use video cameras, create their own film ideas, then see them come to life!"  Some of the Fall film projects include a Highland Park talk show, the McGuffin Mystery, and a chance for each participant to create their own film.  How cool is that?  In fact, just today, students were busy creating characters and learning some of the basics of camera use.  Check out Sara below as her group works the camera under the tutelage of Brian Cox, as well as the character creation charts small groups were working on as I visited.  Truly, the conversation overheard highlighted both the joy and the angst of the creative process in action.  These films will premiere at an upcoming AFK Film Festival and can't wait to see them all.  Consider the red carpet rolled out!

International Day and more

Another busy week at Highland Park.  Last Sunday saw much success with Coach DeLine's first annual Fall Fitness Festival.  I stopped by at the beginning of the festival to see how it was going and now hear that by the time the afternoon ended at 5 pm, approximately 300 Scotties had partaken of the booths, the activities, and the wellness presentation.  Coach plans to make this an annual event to showcase health and wellness providers in our community, as well as a way to promote fitness for all.  Ties right in with the approximately 13 staff members we now have on board participating in late afternoon fitness class three times per week right here on campus.  Our numbers seem to keep growing and it's the one de-stresser we all  absolutely count on each week.  Keep moving!

Third grade travelled to the Paramount Theater this week to see a production of Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters.  This African tale, by John Steptoe, not only tied into the recent instruction I've observed with paired text/text evidence through fairy tales and folk tales, but also fit beautifully with our annual International Day potluck Wednesday evening.   In fact, at the potluck, third grader Gustavo took me to a world map hanging on the wall in the cafeteria, pointed out Zimbabwe, told me that this country was the setting for the tale, then proceeded to tell me that the lesson learned was "that kindness is rewarded".  Doesn't get much better than that! 
Thanks to the International Day committee for always putting together an evening where families of varying nationalities, faiths, and perspectives can come together around the foods of their heritage.  Also, many thanks to Debi Esterak for including the Lamar Scottie Singers as dinner entertainment, as well as everyone for the International Day performances and learning sessions the following day.  Check out the German polka band below from Thursday's festivities.  Mr. Smith and "Oma", our very own Alyssa Smith's father and grandmother.  Lovely.

I ended my week today on a trip to McKinney Roughs with fourth grade students (alas, my last with this grade level until spring).  The field experience, tied to their social studies and science TEKS, first provided my break-out group an opportunity to take a mile-long hike, something I personally love to do.  Our very knowledgeable guide informed us about the red bark cedar, common to areas east of Austin, and also told us about the juniper berries.  Did you know they were once used to make poultice for wounds?  We also saw a "toothache" tree (who knew!), the bark of which Native Americans used to numb their mouths when they had a...you guessed it...toothache.  Learning about the re-growth that has taken place since a fire burned 85 acres of the park in 2008 really gave us all hope as we thought of the recent Bastrop fires.  Hopefully, we can look forward to a similar "re-birth" for the hard-hit Bastrop area.

The trip ended with each group, in one of the field rooms, using microscopes to identify macro invertebrates then recording their observations on a graphic organizer and a final activity (which I only got to hear about!) involving trees and keys.  As you can tell from teacher assistant Mr. King below, it was a good learning day for all. Real-life connections help build deeper meaning for the work we do each day in school.