CAMLE Blog

The Importance Of Community in School Success

Julie Read — Mon, 04 May 2026 02:03:02 GMT

Author: Jessica Cooney, Principal, Prairie Heights Middle School, 2026 School to Watch

At Prairie Heights Middle School, we have found that something that makes us special is the connections we have built both to the community of families that make up our school and to the greater community as a whole. Nurturing these connections requires focus and purposeful actions to create mutually beneficial relationships. Bill Ayers said, “It is the connection between schools and communities that creates greatness in schools.” We wholeheartedly believe that this is true and strive to ensure that we have thriving connections with these communities.

Oftentimes, middle school is the place where families begin to disconnect from school. Kids become more independent, opportunities to volunteer, class parties, field trips become fewer, and students don’t want their parents/guardians to come to school. At Prairie Heights, we believe that middle school is a critical time to ensure that the bond between school and home develops rather than disappears. In order to do this, we have created systems far beyond family conferences, weekly newsletters, and emails home about assignments:

Position the Parent/Guardian as the Expert: We know that our families are the keepers of knowledge about their students. Rather than telling them what they should do to support their students, we ask them what works at home. We honor their efforts and rely on them to help us make plans to support students.
Non-Traditional Family Engagement Opportunities: Sometimes, families just want to come to school to connect with us. Not for a meeting or information, but just to be part of the community. We host a giant potluck where families are encouraged to bring a favorite dish to share and join us for bingo. Staff also brings food to share and sits with families to enjoy bingo and conversation. We host a chili cookoff and arts night where staff makes the chili and families vote for their favorite recipe. As entertainment, our band and orchestra play, and we display student art. We also host smaller showcases and nights for families to view students' work and enjoy time together.
Positive Family Communication: Our goal is that each family receives a minimum of 3 positive individual communications from staff. This could include a positive postcard, phone call, email, or other communication. We track and monitor this on a spreadsheet to ensure that we reach our goal.
Outstanding Parent/Guardian Awards: Our teachers and staff nominate parents/guardians monthly for their work to support their students and our school. Families receive a certificate, a magnet, and a letter recognizing their work. The reaction to this has been incredibly positive and is a means to ensure that families feel valued by our school.

The greater community wants to be involved in our schools. We have found that it is our job to create and publicize opportunities for that involvement. It is our responsibility to ensure that those relationships are maintained and beneficial not only to our school but to the community partners as well. At Prairie Heights, we are proud of what we have done to foster a community connection:

Invite the community into our school: When we have events at our school, we include our community partners. Whether it’s an assembly, judging holiday door decorating contests, or our annual Chili Cookoff, our community partners are invited and recognized. They come because they feel that they are part of our school community. They continue to give and support us because they see firsthand the work that we do and they are connected to our school.
Communication with community partners: We share our successes with our community partners and recognize them as part of the reason for that success. We send them emails, write thank you letters, and ensure that they know that they are an integral part of our success as a school.
Recognition of and service to our community partners: Social media, banners in our gym, and thank you letters are a great way to recognize our partners. We publicize their support to our staff and families. This also helps our staff to feel supported by the community and encourages more community groups to get involved. When our partners ask for our support, we are glad to reciprocate their generosity. Whether it's the use of our facilities, a presentation to their staff or constituents, or simply ongoing communication and invitations, we ensure that the relationship with community partners is beneficial to them as well.

At Prairie Heights, we know that it is our responsibility to ensure that we create and maintain a strong community both with the families we serve and with the community that surrounds our school. This is part of a wider district focus in our strategic plan around family and community partnerships led by our superintendent. We are stronger because we are part of a larger community and we believe that this is part of what makes our school successful.

Bringing the Science of Learning to Life

Julie Read — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:39:28 GMT

Bringing the Science of Learning to Life

Author: Dr. Shane Saeed

In the Fall of 2019, twelve K-12 educators from diverse content areas came together to learn more about the Science of Learning. We learned about science of learning power tools such as retrieval, spacing, interleaving, metacognition, feedback, and understanding memory. Little did we know this would start a grassroots instructional shift within St Vrain Valley School District that has positively impacted hundreds of educators and students.

Where It All Started

The 12 original members of the Science of Learning Steering Committee showed up at the St Vrain Innovation Center not quite knowing what we had signed up for. We learned that we would be doing a book study of the newly published book Powerful Teaching by Dr. Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain and learn more about research-backed practices to help students retain and transfer their learning. Additionally, we would be putting the retrieval strategies we were learning about into practice within our classrooms to see if there was an impact on student outcomes. As we came together each month to learn together and shared our experiences using the strategies in the classroom we found that these strategies for learning were making a difference with our students: they were remembering more of the learned content and able to apply it to new tasks!

In December, we were fortunate enough to have Patrice Bain come and speak at the first ever Powerful Teaching Symposium. There was traction and interest gaining in this work when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Even with the changes we were all experiencing due to the pandemic, we found there was still interest in learning about the Science of Learning from our teachers. The facilitation team decided this work was important to carry forward and that is when the Science of Learning Collaborative officially formed.

Collaborative vs Professional Development

The structure of our collaborative has shifted with the needs of our teachers over the years and differs from traditional professional development. In traditional professional development there are facilitators who bestow new information or knowledge to participants who, in turn, complete assignments to showcase their understanding. It is often unknown whether this new information is infused into the teacher’s practice.

In a collaborative structure the focus shifts to becoming a community of learners. For our Science of Learning Collaborative, we use a hybrid structure having a rotation of monthly two hour in-person and online meetings which allows for flexibility around conference schedules, testing, and holidays. Next, we don’t assign homework. Instead, it is expected that strategies and practices learned in the collaborative and independent study are implemented into their classrooms so it can be discussed at the next meeting in small collaborative groups. This work flow allows teachers the space to try new things and meaningfully reflect on them with guidance from peers and facilitators. Finally, we allow teachers to be a part of the collaborative for as many years as they would like. If one year they focused on implementing retrieval practices, the next year they might want to focus on metacognitive strategies. This means we always have a mix of new members and returning members that we differentiate for. In this year’s group we have 71 total participants with 26 returning members and 45 new members. To accommodate for this, each month’s learning content is curated based on participant feedback from the previous session which means the content is different every year!

The Science of Learning Impact

Teachers who have engaged in the collaborative report feeling more effective planning instruction. They have also reported their students feeling confident in class and being able to drive their own learning. We asked our district’s statistician to look at the average growth via i-Ready end of year data for the teachers who were part of our collaborative based on the curricular area they were focusing on implementing these practices. The result? An average of 144% typical growth across the teachers’ focus areas. Qualitatively, stakeholders feel positive about these practices and quantitatively, results show a strong impact on academic performance.

Looking to the Future

We know how important this work is, especially now in the ever-changing education environment. At the end of the day technology and curriculums are tools for learning, but the true power is in the hands-on practice of teachers. The principles of strong pedagogical instruction have withstood the test of time. Understanding how the brain learns and being able to support teachers around crafting lessons to support that is of the utmost importance. My co-facilitators and myself look forward to seeing how the Science of Learning Collaborative will continue to grow and the educators and students it will impact for the better.

Middle School 2026: CAMLE Board Members Share What’s Next for Colorado Middle Level Education

Matthew Moulton — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:00:15 GMT

Middle School 2026: CAMLE Board Members Share What’s Next for Colorado Middle Level Education

By Julie Read and CAMLE Board Members

To capture what lies ahead, members of the CAMLE Board representing diverse roles across Colorado middle schools were asked to reflect on one emerging trend or innovation in teaching, technology, or student support that they believe will have a meaningful impact on middle level education. Their collective insights are grounded in research, practice, and a deep understanding of young adolescents, and they offer a compelling picture of what is next for Colorado middle schools. Together, their responses highlight a future that blends innovation with intention and balances new tools with the enduring importance of relationships.

AI as a Tool for Connection, Equity, and Personalization

A strong and consistent theme across board responses was the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence, always grounded in strong relationships and middle level philosophy. From a rural superintendent’s perspective, Dan Melendrez emphasized that the true innovation is not AI itself, but how it is used:

“The most impactful trend for Colorado middle schools will be the intentional integration of AI-supported and student-centered learning, paired with strong human relationships… The innovation isn’t AI alone, it’s how we leverage it to strengthen connection, equity, and relevance for every middle school learner, regardless of zip code.”

Several board members echoed this perspective. Chief Operations Officer Jason Taylor agrees that intentional integration will play a leading role in this year's work. Instructional Coordinator and CAMLE President Matthew Moulton highlighted the role AI can play in career exploration and future readiness, noting the importance of helping young adolescents understand both the possibilities ahead of them and the skills needed to innovate within a changing world. He stressed that creativity, curiosity, and human-to-human communication remain essential outcomes of middle level education.

Professional Development Coordinator David Baker connected AI to CAMLE’s broader mission of honoring the unique nature of the middle school learner:

“AI is not just a utility; it is a catalyst that powers the type of personalized, meaningful learning these years require.”

He described how AI can support students as they explore essential middle school questions: Who am I? How do I connect? How will I contribute?

From an instructional lens, Learning Coach Kelly Addington emphasized AI’s role in creating more responsive, data-informed environments. She shared that educators are increasingly using real-time academic, behavioral, and emotional data to personalize instruction while maintaining a strong focus on essential standards. This continues the movement away from one-size-fits-all learning and toward meeting individual student needs.

Literacy, Voice, and Culturally Responsive Practice

Alongside technology, board members highlighted instructional shifts that deepen thinking, amplify student voice, and promote equity. Principal Nicole Paxton pointed to the growing emphasis on writing across the curriculum through disciplinary literacy models. In these approaches, students demonstrate understanding through writing in every subject, whether through claim evidence reasoning in science, source based arguments in social studies, or mathematical justification.

Nicole also emphasized a parallel trend: intentional, systemic efforts to center student voice and equity across the entire school experience. Advisory structures, student leadership teams, and feedback loops are increasingly shaping instructional and organizational decisions, ensuring students are active participants in their learning communities.

CSU Assistant Professor Andrea Glaws highlighted the transformative potential of Gholdy Muhammad’s Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy framework. Grounded in the pursuits of identity, skills, intellect, criticality, and joy, this framework supports rigorous, relevant, and engaging instruction across all content areas. Andrea shared that lessons designed with these pursuits are “truly phenomenal and next level,” reflecting a growing commitment to culturally responsive practice in middle schools.

Supporting the Whole Child

Finally, Executive Principal Katie Gustafson drew attention to the expanded need for integrated mental health and character education supports. She noted that today’s middle schoolers, many of whom missed critical early socialization during the COVID shutdown, continue to show the effects as they enter adolescence. In response, schools are embedding social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and character education into daily instruction and tiered systems of support to foster resilience, engagement, and belonging.

A Shared Vision for the Middle Level

Taken together, CAMLE board members’ reflections paint a clear picture of where Colorado middle schools are headed toward environments that are personalized but purposeful and innovative while remaining deeply human. Whether through AI, culturally responsive literacy, student voice, or mental health supports, the focus remains steadfast in honoring the developmental needs of young adolescents while preparing them for a complex and evolving future.

As we move toward 2026, these emerging trends remind us that the heart of middle level education has not changed. What has evolved are the tools and strategies we can use to help every student feel known, challenged, and inspired.

From Hawkins to Hallways: What Stranger Things Taught Me About Transitioning Sixth Graders to Middle School

Julie Read — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:29:34 GMT

From Hawkins to Hallways: What Stranger Things Taught Me About Transitioning Sixth Graders to Middle School

By Dr. Nicole Paxton, Principal at Mountain Vista Community School

Transitioning sixth graders into middle school is one of the most critical, yet often underestimated, parts of building a strong secondary experience. How students enter shapes how they engage—academically, socially, and emotionally. Surprisingly, I have found that one of the most effective ways to think about this transition is through the lens of the hit show Stranger Things. Beneath the sci-fi suspense is a story about navigating change, forming community, and finding your place in an unfamiliar world. Sixth graders who participated in structured transition programs (including orientation, peer mentoring, and early relationship-building activities) showed higher levels of school belonging and lower levels of stress and absenteeism in their first semester, according to Akos and Galassi (2004).

Here are a few tips on how school leaders can borrow Stranger Things-style storytelling to build systems that support students as they step into the “Upside (Middle School) World.”

1. Start with Summer: Lay the Groundwork Before the First Bell Rings

Stranger Things Parallel: The Calm Before the Storm

Summer check-ins, welcome letters, or informal campus visits help break the ice early. The goal? Reduce anxiety, build familiarity, and give students a “soft opening” before the school year begins. A short one-on-one meeting or a small group welcome session can go a long way toward helping students feel seen—and excited.

2. Host a Back-to-School Night That Actually Orients

Parallel: Entering the Lab, Peeking into the Unknown

This is not just about handing out schedules. Make your event hands-on. Let students walk their routes, open lockers, and meet key staff (counselors, APs, front office). Turn the evening into an opportunity to demystify middle school life—and include activities that help families feel equally informed and supported.

3. Build a Structured First Day Orientation

Parallel: Eleven Navigating the Real World for the First Time

Design a Day 1 experience that puts connection over content. Think of it like training before the mission: teach the basics—schedules, class changes, lunch routines, and expectations—then offer time for team-building and low-stakes relationship building. Pair students with a staff “go-to adult” or homeroom/advisory teacher they can turn to when things feel overwhelming.

4. End the First Week with Energy

Parallel: The Hawkins Crew Gathers to Face the Challenge

By the end of week one, students are processing a whirlwind of emotions. A “Hype Assembly” or Friday Spirit celebration can help shift the energy from survival to spirit. Celebrate wins, highlight sixth grade voices, and remind them: they are part of something bigger. It is an exciting time to introduce school values or launch incentive systems.

"When students feel seen, heard, and valued, they show up not just in body, but in spirit." — Unknown

5. Leverage Peer Mentors—The Steve Harrington Effect

Parallel: Big Kids with Big Hearts

One of the most powerful assets you have are eighth grade students! When structured intentionally, older students can become champions for your sixth graders—answering questions, walking them to class, and modeling kindness. Launch a mentorship program by the end of the first quarter, and you will notice students start looking to each other—not just adults—for support and inclusion. Research published in Middle School Journal found that structured cross-age mentoring programs—especially those led by older students—can lead to improved confidence, stronger peer relationships, and fewer behavioral referrals among sixth graders, according to Karcher (2009).

6. Track Progress and Celebrate Growth by Quarter One’s End

Parallel: From Stranger to Stronger

By the end of the first quarter, your sixth graders should feel like middle schoolers—not visitors. Build in reflection moments, celebrate milestones, and use data (attendance, behavior, engagement) to identify who still needs support. The goal: make sure every student has “found their party” and is gaining the confidence to keep leveling up.

"Data should be used not as a hammer, but as a flashlight to illuminate what’s working and what needs attention." — Doug Reeves

Final Thoughts: The Upside-Down Does Not Have to Be Scary

Middle school will always feel like a leap—but with intentional design, community connection, and a little creativity, administrators can make the transition less about fear and more about opportunity. So maybe we cannot give every sixth grader superpowers. But we can build systems that help them feel powerful.

Looking to build your own transition plan? Start with these six checkpoints, borrow a few ideas from Hawkins, and do not underestimate the impact of how students enter your school. The first chapter of their middle school story matters more than we think!

References

Akos, P., & Galassi, J. P. (2004). Middle and high school transitions as viewed by students, parents, and teachers. Journal of Educational Research, 98(1), 20–30. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOER.98.1.20-30

Karcher, M. J. (2009). Increases in connectedness and academic achievement through cross-age mentoring. Middle School Journal, 40(5), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2009.11495588

Middle School Journal Vol 56 Issue 3

Julie Read — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:30:08 GMT

Unlocking Middle School Potential and What This Issue Tells Us About Teaching and Learning

By. Matt Moulton

Congratulations on another year! Whether this was year one or year 30, we are glad that you were a part of it and a member of the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education. You may be running full sprint into summer or crawling. Some of you might even be saying “Matt, gravity is pulling me into summer. 9.8 meters per second squared. Regardless, I wanted to share some articles with you from the newest issue of Middle School Journal. From current legislation to equity-driven math instruction and hands-on advisory models, these articles feel not only timely, but deeply practical for anyone working in or with middle schools. Feel free to read the articles in their entirety by clicking the links in each summary.

Resisting the Silence: Teaching in the Era of Anti-DEI Legislation

In their editorial, Lisa Harrison, Ellis Hurd, and Kathleen Brinegar affirm what so many educators need to hear: you matter, and your students do too. Amid growing anti-DEI legislation, the authors offer three clear action steps—stay informed, move beyond symbolic gestures to measurable outcomes, and build coalitions. Their message isn’t just political; it’s deeply personal and calls us to hold tight to the values that shape middle level education. Access the article here.

Student Voice, Unfiltered: “The Overthinker”

Jo’Anna Williams, an eighth grader, writes with raw clarity about what it means to be Black, brilliant, and constantly judged. Her piece is both an essay and a declaration—one that invites educators to rethink how they respond to student emotion and discipline. It’s a powerful reminder that student writing belongs in professional spaces, not just bulletin boards. Access the article here.

Career-Connected Advisories That Work

‘Ewa Makai Middle School in Hawai‘i is doing something extraordinary. In Creating a Multifaceted Middle, Shannon Kam and Kim Sanders detail a CTE-based advisory program that merges engineering, leadership, and SEL—all within the school day. With mixed-grade groups and real-world projects, students aren’t just “being prepared” for the future; they’re already in it. This is a must-read for schools rethinking the structure and purpose of advisory. Access the article here.

What the Best Math Teachers in High-Poverty Schools Do Differently

Tye Campbell and Jordan Green interviewed seven high-growth middle school math teachers from Title I schools in Utah. The result? A practical list of strategies that might challenge current dogma. These teachers used direct instruction, encouraged peer talk, provided “redos,” and avoided over-practicing. Their success came from balancing emotional support with rigorous data use—an approach that proves high expectations and compassion can (and should) coexist. Access the article here.

Visual Learning That Sticks

In A Visual Learning Approach to Enhance the Vocabulary Acquisition of Seventh Grade Students, A. Gayathri and S. Vijayalakshmi show how combining dual coding theory and semantic triangle theory can transform vocabulary instruction. Students who learned with visuals, realia, and gesture not only remembered more—they participated more. This research, conducted in an Indian government school, has global implications for making academic vocabulary more accessible, especially for multilingual learners. Access the article here.

Conclusion

What connects these five pieces is more than their focus on middle grades. It’s the shared belief that students—when affirmed, engaged, and seen—are capable of incredible growth. Whether you’re teaching math, designing advisory, defending student identities, or redefining how we teach vocabulary, this issue of Middle School Journal has something for you.

Want to read the full issue? If you are a dual member of CAMLE and AMLE then you get access for free! Share it with your team. Discuss it in your PLC. Let it spark action in your building. Because middle school matters—and so does everything we choose to do within it.

CAMLE Student T-Shirt Design Contest!

Matthew Moulton — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 03:52:37 GMT

Help Us Spotlight Student Creativity in the 1st Ever

CAMLE Student T-Shirt Design Contest!

Dear Colorado Middle Grades Colleagues,

The Colorado Association of Middle Level Education (CAMLE) is excited to announce our first-ever student T-Shirt Design Contest, and we need your help to spread the word!

We’re inviting middle grades students across the state to showcase their creativity by submitting an original t-shirt design based on this year’s theme:

The Heart of Middle School

Rooted in Community, Growing with Purpose!

The winning design will be featured on official CAMLE merchandise and sold statewide. In addition to individual prizes, the school that purchases the most shirts will receive a special Middle School Spirit Package and recognition at our 2025 CAMLE Conference (more info on that after we have a winning design).

Here is a link to the flyer with all the details, including the submission deadline:

Friday, May 10, 2025

We hope you’ll encourage your students to participate—this is a great opportunity to celebrate the voices, perspectives, and talents of our incredible middle schoolers.

Who knows, maybe this would be a good activity for students after they finish CMAS testing.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for helping us highlight the heart of middle level education in Colorado!

Be well,

Matt Moulton

President-Elect

Colorado Association of Middle Level Education

mmoulton4@gmail.com or moulton_matt@svvsd.org

https://camle.wildapricot.org/

AI in Education: What 2025 Educator Trends Mean for Middle Schools

Julie Read — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:36:32 GMT

Author: Matt Moulton, CAMLE President Elect

In early 2025, Twinkl (a website that has resources for teachers) surveyed over 1,000 educators from the US and UK to understand their perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The results offer a revealing snapshot of how educators are approaching AI in classrooms—and what it means for middle schools navigating this evolving landscape.

Key Findings from the SurvEY

1. Growing Adoption with a Cautious Lens

59% of US educators said they’ve already used AI in their teaching practice.

However, 26% of respondents expressed concerns about its ethical implications and data privacy.

2. Top Benefits Identified

Time-saving tools like lesson planning and resource creation were the most popular uses.

Many saw potential in personalized learning, helping students at different ability levels progress at their own pace.

3. Barriers to Use

Educators cited lack of training, inadequate policy guidance, and uncertainty about how to use AI effectively as the biggest obstacles.

There’s a clear call for professional development that focuses on practical classroom applications.

4. Student Use of AI

Teachers are noticing that students are already experimenting with AI—mostly for writing assignments and homework help.

This raises questions about academic integrity, digital literacy, and how to teach responsible AI use.

Why This Matters for Middle Schools

I don’t need to remind you about how middle schools are at a pivotal point. The young adolescent years shape not just academic habits but also digital citizenship and identity. The findings from Twinkl’s survey suggest three key takeaways for middle school educators and leaders:

Start with Time-Saving Wins

AI tools that streamline grading, differentiate materials, or support lesson planning can free up valuable time for relationship-building and feedback. A simple chatbot or content generator tailored to a middle school curriculum can be a low-risk, high-impact entry point.

Teach AI Literacy Early

Students in grades 6–8 are already dabbling with AI tools like ChatGPT, whether educators realize it or not. Middle school is the right time to start explicit instruction in AI ethics, limitations, and responsible use. Embedding this into ELA, science, or even advisory periods can set students up for high school and beyond.

Prioritize Professional Development

Middle school educators need support in understanding what AI can and should do. A one-size-fits-all PD won’t cut it. Instead, offer:

Grade-level examples of classroom AI use
Hands-on exploration with curated tools
Ongoing coaching that encourages experimentation

Starting the Conversation: A Structure for That First AI Conversation with Your Team

Starting this journey doesn’t require a fully fleshed-out tech plan—just a willingness to talk. Here’s a simple structure you can use at your next team or department meeting to kick off the conversation:

1. Warm-Up Question:

Ask: “What’s one thing you’ve heard, seen, or wondered about AI in education recently?” Let everyone share. No wrong answers—just observation and curiosity.

2. Share Trends:

Summarize a few key insights from the Twinkl study (or share this blog!). Ask: “Which of these trends feels most urgent or most promising for our school, our students, our context?”

3. Reflect as Educators:

Ask: “How might AI support us in meeting student needs?” and “What’s one part of our content area where AI might help students think more deeply, not just work faster?”

4. Identify a Low-Stakes Next Step:

Challenge each teacher to try one small AI experiment before the next meeting—using a tool for brainstorming, feedback, lesson design, or student inquiry.

5. Close the Loop:

Set a short check-in date to share what worked, what didn’t, and what to try next.

Final Thought: Build a Culture of Curiosity

AI is not just a tool; it’s a teaching opportunity. Middle school students are naturally curious—what better time to help them question, explore, and create responsibly with AI? With the right support, middle schools can be where innovation meets intention.

Want to bring AI to your middle school in a thoughtful way? Start small. Talk with your team. Try one tool. And remember: you don’t have to be an expert—you just have to be willing to learn.

Motivating the Middle

Julie Read — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 16:06:34 GMT

On March 1st CAMLE Colorado welcomed Jack Berckemeyer for an energetic morning of learning together on Motivating the Middle. Over 60 middle level educators spent the morning combining movement and learning strategies to take back to schools across Colorado.

Our wonderful facilitator Jack shared this:

Motivating and engaging young adolescents has never been harder. Sometimes I feel like you could set your tie or favorite clothing accessory on fire in class and our students would be like, “Seen that on a video and this is boring.” The truth is educators are trying to compete with social media and gaming which is feeding the dopamine levels of young adolescents at such a high rate that we as humans can’t compete.

So, what will compete with the dopamine-filled gaming industry and 20-second social media posts? Hands-on engagement: things they can touch and learn with the ability to move. With all the pre-described curriculum it is hard to get kids up moving and active.

What young adolescents crave are quality interactions, the ability to create, think and most importantly, play. Our students will remember when they play a game, sing a song or create something. They love the interactions with the teachers and with each other.

As I enter my 32nd year in middle level education I have come to the realization that we are over complicating education. An objective on the board will not motivate a student. The ability of a teacher who is willing to use manipulatives and play will spark their interests, get them laughing and learning.

I have found simple uses of paper plates, specific letters of the alphabet and physical movement to help teachers engage their students. On March 1st CAMLE is offering an amazing couple hour workshop where I will be able to show you simple ways to get our students engaged. No philosophy or deep thoughts. No rubrics or assessments. Just simple inexpensive ways to get our kids moving.

Let’s get back to laughing and learning. Play, engagement and fun are needed in our classroom now more than ever.

By Jack Berckemeyer, Educator, Author, Humorist and Consultant

Follow Jack on Social Media here:

X: JBerckemeyer
Facebook: Berckemeyer Consulting
Instagram: @Berckemeyer

From our morning together:

Beyond the Phone Ban- What Do We Do About Teens and Social Media?

Paige Jennings — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 16:09:43 GMT

By: Lex Moschakis

This is a gorgeous picture of my husband and I on the Amalfi Coast in Italy in 2022. It went straight to my Instagram. And while I look happy and carefree, my Voice of Small (negative self-talk) was being *really* loud. Everyone around me was taking photos in various model-esq poses, and I felt pressured to do the same so I could post it on social media

I asked my husband, Dan, to take the photo of me, but my Voice of Small kept saying “you look like you’re trying too hard.” I felt wildly uncomfortable in my body, and when I looked at the photos Dan took, my Voice of Small said "You look terrible, how can you not know how to take a nice photo of yourself yet?"

But then, because acknowledging my own discomfort was too hard, I got frustrated at Dan for “failing to take a nice photo of me.” Enter a sudden shame spiral, which prompted more anxiousness, and my Voice of Small said "poor guy, being married to you."Determined, I grabbed the phone out of his hand and took this selfie, which I posted on Instagram straight away (with a filter… which it didn’t need!).

We sat on the beach for 5 more minutes before I realized I needed to be alone to connect with myself and process the anxiety I was feeling. We went home, I was able to regulate myself, and I was able to piece together what happened in my mind and own my reaction. I apologized, we had a wonderful dinner, and that was that.

If this had happened to me at 14 years old? There would have been no awareness, no regulation, and a complete internalization of the message that is currently hammering our youth:

I am not enough.

Everywhere you turn you’ll find a heart wrenching, gobsmacking statistic on the impact of social media on the mental health of our youth. I won’t repeat them here - you know it’s bad. If we lived in an ideal world, the obvious solution would be that youth stay away from their phones and get back outside to ride bikes in the streets, peruse the malls, and go to the local diner for a milkshake.

But there are three things wrong with this solution:

Kids today don’t remember a time without social media. It’s as normal a part of their world in the same way that most of us don’t remember life without TV. And in many ways TV isn’t so great for us either, but how many of us would give it up? Ask my husband to turn off the TV on football Sunday and witness total confusion and horror…

The adolescent’s developmental job is to break away from the family unit and connect with their peers. If their peer connection is at least partially on social media, but they’re not, they’re disconnected. That’s more than just a terrifying prospect for an adolescent; it’s a developmental hindrance.

Social media is harmful and helpful, when we use it the right way. It can be a place for artistic expression, a way to communicate with a new community, share about our lives with friends and family on the other side of the world, and provide greater access to helpful information.

So if a 14 year old came to me and said, “I’m coming off the apps” would I applaud them? Abso-fricken-lutely. That is a child wise beyond their years; I rarely hear that proclamation from adults (newsflash: social media isn’t good for our mental health, either). But I would never ask it or expect it, and I don’t think you should either.

So what can we do about it?

Role model

I know you know that kids learn from what you do, not what you say. But your emails? As far as kids are concerned, that counts as social media too. So even if you really need to check your emails, your Slack, or your texts, you are role modeling being interrupted by a notification, disconnecting from the real world to check it, and possibly, disconnecting from the child in front of you. The message that sends is that it’s okay for them to do that on Instagram, TikTok, [insert latest social platform that’s cool these days]. Can that email wait? In my experience, 9 times out of 10 the answer is “yes”.

Educate

Help kids understand why they might feel “stuck” on their phones. Do they know that a notification releases a hit of dopamine in their brain that keeps them wired for the next one? Do they understand that a feed with bite sized content is prohibiting their ability to focus on anything for more than 10 seconds? Do they know that social media companies make BILLIONS of dollars advertising to them, selling their data, and that their #1 goal is user engagement? It might not be “cool” for kids to care about these things at first, but if you plant the seed without judgment or expectation, it will eventually grow to an awareness that these platforms have been designed with addiction at its core, and that’s not okay.

Guidelines

There IS a way to use social media while optimizing its helpful sides, respecting your own boundaries, and staying connected to the essence of who you are while you scroll. It doesn’t HAVE to impact your self view and mental health.

To help kids (and adults) do this, at Live Big Community we teach a 5-pronged approach called the Socials Wheel. I won’t share all five of those prongs but here is the first and most relevant to this blog post:

Prong #1: Limit Your Notifications

In an ideal world, all notifications are off. But a good starting place for parents is turning them off during family time, like during dinner or movie night (if your child still graces you with their presence on a Friday night). I promise you, they’ll complain about it. You will be labeled deeply uncool, unfair, and possibly the “worst parent on the planet.” But often kids tell us that it can be a relief to have parents and teachers set these boundaries for them, even if they don’t want to admit it in the moment, because then they can tell their friends that their lame parents made them do it, thereby saving face in front of their peers. Maybe this goes without saying, but refer back to (1); you have to turn yours off too.

I know this is a lot of work. It’s not a one-and-done solution; it’s a lifestyle. It takes a village to shift a culture; guardians, educators and community members coming together to support our youth in all the ways we know how. But if we don’t collectively battle the havoc that is being wreaked on our youth, the state of their mental health is going to get worse. We know more now about the impact of social media than we ever have before. It’s now on us to put that knowledge to work so that no child is ever sitting on their phones, fear-posting or doom-scrolling, internalizing the message of “I am not enough.”

Lex is leading a FREE webinar Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 6 pm - 7 pm.

Here is a quick blurb about the webinar:

The Voice of Small

Working with Negative Self-talk to Create Resilience

Everyone has the capacity to build resilience. Resilience helps us work with the Voice of Small. It's pesky and sometimes it’s loud. The Voice of Small is inside your head, it puts you down, and tells you that you can't do hard things. The problem is that you become so used to hearing it that it starts to sound like the truth. When you believe the mean things it says, it zaps your energy and your ability to be resilient. In this webinar, you'll learn where the Voice of Small comes from and strategies to work with it so that you can create resilience.

The event is free! Come invest (virtually) in yourself as we start the new year.

Are You My Mentor?

Paige Jennings — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 18:03:58 GMT

By: Karen Swanson & Matt Moulton

A mentor teacher stood in her classroom.

“Oh, oh!” said the mentor teacher. “The students will be here soon! I need to get everything ready! I must get some help!” she said. “I will be back.”

So away she went.

A new teacher walked into her mentor teacher’s classroom.

“Where is my mentor?” the new teacher said.

She looked for her. She looked up and down the hallway. She did not see her.

“I will go and look for her,” she said. So away she went.

Down the hallway she went. Down, down, down to the teachers' lounge.

It was a long way down the hallway. She could not find her mentor, but she could ask for help.

“Now I will go and find my mentor,” she said. She did not know what her mentor looked like. She went right by her. She did not see her.

She came to the school secretary. “Are you my mentor?” she said to the secretary.

The secretary just looked and looked. She did not say a thing. The secretary surely holds lots of power.

But, the secretary was not her mentor, so she went on.

Then she came to a fellow teacher.

“Are you my mentor?” she said to the teacher.

“No,” said the teacher. “But I can help you with the new attendance reporting program.”

The secretary was not her mentor.

The fellow teacher was not her mentor.

So the new teacher went on.

Then she came to the school librarian.

“Are you my mentor?” she said to the librarian.

“I am not your mentor, I am the librarian,” said the librarian. “But I can help you find resources.”

The secretary was not her mentor.

The teacher was not her mentor.

The librarian was not her mentor.

So, the new teacher went on.

Now she came to the school counselor.

“Are you my mentor?” she said to the counselor.

“How could I be your mentor?” said the counselor. “I am a counselor. But I can help you with your students' well-being.”

The secretary, the teacher, and the librarian were not her mentor.

The counselor was not her mentor.

“Do I even have a mentor?” said the new teacher.

“I know I do! I have to find her. I will! I will!”

Now the new teacher did not walk, she ran.

Then she saw the school principal.

The new teacher did not stop. She ran on and on.

Now she looked way, way down the hallway. She saw the custodians.

“There they are,” said the new teacher. She called to the custodians, but they did not stop. The custodians went on with their work.

She looked in the gym. She saw the school mascot preparing for a pep rally.

“Here I am, mentor!” she called out. But the mascot did not stop. The mascot danced on.

Just then, the new teacher saw a big shadow. This must be her mentor.

“There she is,” she said. “There is my mentor!” “Mentor, mentor, here I am, mentor!” she said to the shadow.

But the shadow was a school bus whose driver said, “I’m the school bus driver. I’m here to take thestudents home.”

“Oh, you are not my mentor,” said the new teacher. “You are a bus driver. I have to get out of here!” But the new teacher could not get away. The bus’s engine roared, and the bus drove off, leaving her behind.

But now where was the new teacher going?

“Oh, oh, oh, what am I going to do?”

“Get me out of here!”

Just then the new teacher heard a familiar voice.

“Where am I?” said the new teacher. “I want to go back to my classroom! I want my mentor!

The new teacher made it back to her classroom and something wonderful happened.

Her mentor appeared at the classroom door. The new teacher was relieved.

The mentor teacher came up to new teacher. “Do you know who I am?” she said to the new teacher.

“Yes, I know who you are,” said the new teacher.

“You are not just any other teacher.

You are not the secretary.

You are not the librarian.

You are not the counselor.

You are not the principal, the custodians, or the bus driver.

You are my mentor! And you are here to help me!”

Finding a mentor can be a challenge. In some schools new or induction teachers are assigned a mentor without any useful matching criteria. These matches can be helpful in terms of behavior management support, curriculum design and emotional support. However, they can also be awkward and more work than support. Therefore, we suggest taking on a search to find teachers who match your energy, love their content and students, and can provide a positive support system.

The structure of mentoring has evolved in education from the traditional model of the experienced teacher mentoring the new teacher. The broader context of mentor acknowledges that complexity of teaching and with intentionality, the impact mentoring can have on teacher efficacy.

Some matches to consider may include:

Content area leaders in your building
Grade level teachers that students and teachers respect
A teacher how is amazing at the technology aspect such as Google Classroom or Schoology
Finding a mentor who is younger than you and problem-solve together.

Mentoring should be a mutually beneficial experience for both teachers. It is no longer a hierarchical structure but a level playing field in which everyone has something to give and something to gain. We hope your journey to find your mentor is short and productive. Much like the teacher searching above, look in the expected and unexpected places. Be open and ask around for who is a good teacher, good colleague, and effective leader. You never know, someone may even ask Are You My Mentor?

Ted Lasso and 10 Ways to Tell It is Time for Back to School

Paige Jennings — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:34:04 GMT

By: Matt Moulton and Karen Weller

CAMLE

Sure, the hallways are quiet now. But, wait a second. What is that? A solitary locker slam reverberates down the hall. The echo burrows into your ears, grabs hold of your senses and can only mean one thing. Can you hear it? It is the sound of the sixth graders bolting down the hallway at speeds unimaginable. Can you smell it? It is Axe Body Spray doing a poor job of covering up growing bodies. Do you feel it? The discarded sheets of paper or charger cords preparing to be tripping hazards. Can you taste it?The phantom lingering of school lunch Crispitos chased by Tums. Can you feel it? The heat contained in an expo marker that has just been pried from the grip of a student writing on a mini-whiteboard. This can only mean one thing... It is time to go back to school.

We love Ted Lasso. He’s goofy, honest, genuine and brings out the best in his coaching of theRichmond team. Ted struggled at times to coach a sport he knew nothing about but had an open mind and was ready to learn. He also brought what he did know and asked the coaching staff to trust his decisions. As we as teachers go back to the middle school for either your first year, your last year or somewhere in-between. He is a little Lasso humor to get you started.

It is time to get in touch with yourschool bff and dust off that backpack. In honor of back to school, we wanted to inject a little bit of levity into your day. Here are 10 ways to tell it is timefor back to school.

10 Ways to Tell It is Time for Back to School

10. The Christmas decorations are out at Costco.

9. The back-to-school opening session speaker isn’t Ted Lasso.

8. The new principal has officially/unofficially started sending emails.

7. There is another NEW student cell phone policy in the news.Like this one from right here inColorado that includes a locked pouch.

6. The first–grade COVID students are now 6th graders and Open House night is right around the corner.

5. You have subconsciously started to train your bladder to account for limited bathroom access.

4. All the things you pushed off in May are knocking at your door.

3. You find yourself overly excited about the “Back to School” sales and have more highlighters and sticky notes than you know what to do with.

2. You catch yourself giving the “teacher look” to misbehaving kids at the grocery store.

1. You notice your social media feeds and email inboxes ( ̄\_(ツ)_/ ̄) are full of countdowns to the first day of school and memes about savoring the last days of freedom.

So, as you prepare to return to the classroom in August, just remember that each new year has challenges, surprises, laughter and tears (mostly in the girl’s bathroom). Like Ted Lasso, be an example of optimism, genuine leadership and allow all those around you to be their best selves.

"If you would have told me that I'd be drinking tea at 3 o'clock every day, about a year ago...I would have punched you in the mouth."—Ted Lasso

Cheers!

Matt and Karen

Find Your Way Days: Rethinking August for All

Paige Jennings — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 21:19:14 GMT

By: Andrea Smith, EdD

Principal Erie Middle School, SVVS

As a former middle school science teacher and a current middle school principal, I have experienced one of two formats for Back to School Night in my 20 years of education. Either we employ a “meet and greet” approach where parents and students circulate through the building and say hello to teachers after a large group presentation from the administrative team or we follow a schedule where parents and students rotate from one class to the next for 7-10 minutes with intermittent announcements from charming members of the office staff signaling “passing period.”

However, we have found that neither format truly meets the needs of our students and parents. First, Back to School Night in middle school traditionally happens a few days after school has started -- slightly before teachers have a true feel for the names and faces of their students, yet after students have pushed through the stress of finding their classes, getting to know their schedule, and opening their locker in the relatively short time we have for passing periods. Most larger middle schools are managing large numbers of parents and students in a set amount of time, so sometimes the halls and classrooms feel crowded in a meet and greet format, and the shortened bell schedule puts parents of multiple students in a tough spot as they either divide and conquer or pick and choose amongst their students’ classes.

This past school year at Erie Middle School, we tried a new idea. We added an informal opportunity for parents and students to get into the building to open their locker, find their classrooms, see the building, and work out those pre-first day jitters. And it was a HUGE SUCCESS! We offered two 2-hour sessions before school started and dubbed them “Find Your Way Days.”

We noticed the following advantages to the approach:

Less students hauled all their supplies into the building on the first day which meant our passing periods were smoother and less hectic
More students had already found their classes and lockers so they felt much more settled in their routines right away
Teachers were more available to interact with students as they weren’t taxed with helping with locker issues or directing traffic
Parents communicated feeling a sense of trust that their student was going to have a strong first day of school

Like we always do in education, we decided to reflect and improve the idea. Our building leadership team followed our collaborative decision-making process to carry out a design challenge.

We asked the question: How might we design the week before school and the first two weeks of school to help parents and students feel successful and confident in their transition?

As a team, we empathized with parents and students to identify their needs and then pinpointed problem statements to generate new thinking about our August planning.

“Find Your Way Days” will be a foundational part of this redesign. Here are key improvements we are making to ease the transition for all students:

More sessions - we have identified THREE 2-hour time slots (both during the day and in the evenings) to allow lots of times that work for families
Teachers are signing up to be a Find Your Way Day guide for one of the sessions. This will replace their compensated time used for Back to School Night. Teachers who are “on” as a guide will have a bright orange lanyard with a personalized “How May I Help?” badge.
Every classroom will have a one-pager available for students and parents that includes a teacher bio, key information about the class they teach, and contact information. We created a template teachers can use so the one-pagers are consistent and fits within our school branding.
Our back-to-school communication is being revised to push the Find Your Way Days as the best way to help ease the transition. We have invited our PTO to sell spirit wear at the event, and we will also have key information about clubs and programming available.
Back to School Night will be replaced with counselor and administration-led transition parent presentations for each grade level. Using this time differently will be able to help us support parents in a more differentiated approach.
Every year we have donated school supplies from our district’s education foundation, we will have these available to families in hopes that we can reach more students to help them feel prepared for the first day of school.

We are excited to be trying something a little different this year, and we look forward to a settled and less hectic feel on our first day of school. Part of creating a calm, focused, and fun learning environment is trying new ideas and tweaking them to garner even more success. As middle school leaders, we need to be willing to constantly adapt our systems to better meet the needs of the students set to walk through our doors. For more information or questions about Find Your Way Days, email smith_andrea@svvsd.org.

Andrea Smith, EdD, is the principal of Erie Middle School in St. Vrain Valley School District. Andrea has worked in public education for over 20 years and enjoys that every day working with middle school students is different and full of new challenges.

CERA Writing in Middle School Math

Paige Jennings — Sat, 11 May 2024 16:15:17 GMT

By: Tessa Anderson, Math Teacher at Trail Ridge Middle School

You’ve cultivated a community of problem-solvers who repeatedly engage in the eight mathematical practice standards. You’ve developed a classroom that gets students engaged, thinking, and doing the talking. What’s next?

When we prioritize problem-solving discourse, the natural progression of skills is towards mathematical communication through writing. Effective mathematical writing demands precision and is a valuable skill that requires explicit instruction.

At our school, we’ve adopted the CERA writing framework (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, Audience) to support students writing across contents. In this article, I’ll share teaching strategies that have greatly developed my students’ mathematical writing over the course of the year.

The CERA framework encourages a more analytical writing than a simple restatement and answer of a prompt like other short answer frameworks. And, analytical writing is exactly what we want in math class. However, applying this framework to math differs from other subjects. While the evidence component in other contents comes from text and cited sources, in math, evidence is often self-generated through equations, tables, graphs, etc. We also may be given sets of data or other visual representations to analyze for evidence.

Since students bring in prior knowledge of the framework to math class, we first intentionally make connections to align components of CERA with what we already do. We analyze samples of student writing to identify components. One of my favorite places to get student samples is from past CMAS released items which come with varying levels of student responses: some that receive full credit while others that receive zero. We present samples one at a time to students. As pairs, students annotate these samples to identify the claim, evidence, reasoning, and audience. Sometimes a component is missing! Through whole class discussion we tease out the nuances between the components and acknowledge any overlaps. Sometimes our evidence and reasoning is intertwined. We ask, what makes a good response? What happens to our response when we are missing a component?

We then make rubrics that delineate the qualities and requirements we found through our discussion for different levels of writing: exemplary, proficient, beginning, and insufficient (Figure 1). We emphasize key distinctions between mathematical writing and other subjects, such as the focus on vertical writing or often the requirement of a singular correct answer instead of an array of defensible claims.

To make this rubric concrete, students then rate these responses using the rubric. Pairs are given a whiteboard and then hold up their rating for each component starting with the claim. Each rating is followed by discussion and again, the richness comes out as students debate and defend their rating. We take students through several cycles of this rating, gradually introducing feedback stems for self and peer assessment (Figure 1).

Students then apply these skills by writing their own responses to a prompt. Typically we pose a prompt where the math skills are comfortably within their ability so that this first response allows students to focus on incorporating the CERA components to write an effective argument.

Using the rubric, students then rate themselves. Using a platform like Writable facilitates this process, allowing students to easily provide feedback to each other and allow for continuous revision. Writable also allows us to incorporate the sentence stems students are familiar with. Teacher feedback is integral in this process, and we guide students through multiple cycles of revision until their writing meets the exemplary standards. This iterative process reinforces the mindset that writing is a skill that can be developed with practice and feedback. We also take care to display students’ final product after their hard work (Figure 2).

These lessons occur regularly throughout the school year, with prompts aligned to current topics or intentionally chosen review topics. Starting early in the year lays a strong foundation for developing this practice for students, ensuring they become proficient mathematical writers over time.

This is a year-long process, and with the integration of the CERA framework and consistent feedback opportunities into middle school math across the grade levels, we will be able to create strong, precise, and effective mathematical writers.

Figure 1. Our finalized mathematical CERA rubric with feedback sentence stems.

Figure 2. Our display of written responses with close-ups.

Returning to the Magic of Middle School, AM I CRAZY?

Paige Jennings — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:46:15 GMT

By: Jason Yantzer, Lyons High School Teacher, St. Vrain Valley School District; Thunder Valley K8 NEW 8^th Grade Teacher, St. Vrain Valley School District

This is my 24^th year in education with most of my years at the high school level teaching AP classes and coaching high school students. But next year I am transitioning to a K-8 School that is rocking it!! This school is doing great things for kids. This school has risen to the challenge of EXCELLENCE and are achieving it in many different capacities. I am excited to be a part of this incredible school. Middle School is not completely new to me as I started my career in middle school and about 7 years ago, I was an Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at a middle school for 3 years.

Often there are more push factors that are involved in a big change like this. However, in this situation there were way more pull factors pulling me to make this change. The thought of learning a new curriculum, and a schedule change is exciting and intriguing. The deep discussion of an APUSH class certainly won’t happen at the middle level but because I have taught at that deep of a level, I can use that to my advantage! I look forward to keeping middle schoolers on the edge of their seats when we talk about historical concepts in class. I am also excited to bring History ALIVE to my 8^th graders with some great interactive lessons that I have used in my high school classes.

High School is busy with clubs, activities, band performances, athletic events, etc., but the hallways and classrooms are pretty chill when it comes to student behavior. Believe it or not, I am looking forward to learning and brushing up on some great classroom management skills and tools that come along with middle level behaviors! I can’t wait to empower my 8^th graders to be empowered to own their behaviors and their learning!!

At the high school level, the stakes are higher as students receive credits to pass a class which leads to more buy-in from the students to pass a class. At the middle level I am excited to share ways to capture their attention and help them develop a love for History. I want them to go home and talk about what they learned in History class with their parents at the dinner table. I want their GOOD THING to be what they learned in Mr. Yantzer’s class. . I know, from experience, that teaching at the middle level will bring certain challenges that the high school level just doesn’t have. But all kids want to know that you care about them. When they know that you care they will begin to care what you know.

I am not crazy in making this transition as I truly believe that a school, regardless of the level, must be a good fit for the teacher regardless of the teacher’s experience! This transition is a good fit for me as I value professional growth. As an educator when you are happy and taking care of yourself as a professional then there will be a direct reflection of that through your teaching!

Change is hard but change also promotes and creates opportunities for growth.

Usually when that happens both the teacher and the students will reap the benefits of a re-charged, motivated, caring teacher that has a ton of experience. I am excited to be that teacher for my middle level students and doing what’s best for kids in our educational system. Afterall, we are not in this profession for us, we are in this profession to help make a difference in the lives of all kids. What an awesome opportunity to make a positive impact on students daily. Either way this comes out in the end as a win/win for all. They will get the best version of me as a teacher, and I will challenge myself to grow as an educator and as an individual. “Comfort the Troubled and Trouble the Comfortable….” It's my turn now to rise to the challenge and accept the comfortability of a new position and thrive in a different environment. I am ready to be in the MIDDLE!!

Laughter as an Antidote for Spring Fever

Paige Jennings — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:31:12 GMT

By Drs. Karen Swanson and Matt Moulton

FYI, there are approximately 55 days of school left this year and we are right there with you! We recently had an opportunity to attend the CAMLE event Managing the Madness with the absolutely hilarious Jack Berckemeyer. From the very beginning of his presentation, Jack had us in stitches. What follows are some quick sound bites and strategies that we have reflected on and tried to implement in our schools.

The Quote: You can’t leave until I say “have a nice day”!

The Meaning: Jack calls it “slow our roll.” In other words, how do we slow the pace of student interaction with us so that they settle in and communication actually happens. Another tactic Jack mentions was to have students say “Mr. Berkemeyer, ….” if they won’t begin this way, then walk away until the student is ready. This is a strategy to send a clear message that it is not appropriate for students to talk “at” us but “to” us. The goal is to humanize teachers.

What Now? As we get ready for Spring Break and the 4th quarter, it is a good time to start fresh with reviewing our expectations and goals. I really want to fuss about consequences, but this year's group pushes back hard on those types of talks. But Slowing our Roll also takes the wind out of my sails as I have a chance to think through a positive approach to influence student behavior. Is this situation a 10 or a 3? Most of the time it's really a 3. I also know I enjoy students more when I set a pace that doesn’t rush, where students don’t need to fight for my attention and we learn together.

The Quote: “We are sending mixed messages”

The Meaning: What happens in our classrooms spills out into the hallways and vice versa. When it gets to this part of the school year and some of us slack off on expectations in our classrooms, it impacts more than just our four walls. Jack shared earbuds and hoodies as an example. When only a few team members hold students to the expectation, it causes unneeded stress for all parties. Young adolescents crave consistency. Inconsistency is confusing. Confused students struggle in unclear environments. Mixed messages about classroom expectations, like ear buds and hoodies, can leave them lost. This creates frustration, hinders learning, and could lead to unnecessarily difficult conversations (or confrontations). Being clear from the start about participation, behavior, and assignments is key. Consistency in following through on those expectations, even when it's difficult, builds trust and helps students succeed.

Now What? We might be approaching spring break (anyone already there?) and it feels like the end of the year is right around the corner but it is never too late to set reasonable standards within the school. Jack suggested that admin and teacher teams identify a short list of specific expectations that the entire building can stand behind (ear buds out during class, hoodies off, etc.) and then stay consistent. Unite as a building, your students will appreciate it even if they don’t seem like it.

The Quote: “We are experiencing human threading”

The Meaning: On social media or online communities, a series of replies or comments that usually focuses on a specific topic or interaction on a social media post is referred to as a thread. This oftentimes turns into a dog pile of comments that follow in the same tone and direction of the original post. Jack shared that we are seeing human threading in classrooms. Here is a rough paraphrase from Jack’s presentation (and since we are in Colorado, let’s use very Colorado names–thanks Dude Dad for the inspiration):

Teacher: Aspen put your phone away.

Aspen: I am not using my phone.

Brecken: She is not using her phone.

Aurora: She is calling her mom.

Rocky: Why does it matter if her phone is out?

[insert other names like Keystone, Ouray, Parker, and Chaco]

When social media posts are made about someone or something, rarely does the someone or something join the conversation. From Jack’s example above, the teacher only said five words. Immediately, the students piled on and threaded the conversation.

Now What? Jack’s (2024) recent AMLE article (8 New Characteristics of Middle School Kids: What Can We Do?) shares some great ideas to minimize the impact of a human thread. First, he suggests sticking to the already-in-place set of classroom expectations. Don’t change direction and respond to the threaders (ex. Brecken, Aurora, Rocky, Limon, and Draft), that will only give them the attention and power in the interaction. Jack says “Hold to the already-taught expectations and move on” (para. 40).

Jack’s second recommendation is to remain calm and “keep your responses short and to the point” (para. 41). He also reminds us that human threads, distractions, outbursts, etc. are not about us. We should not take them personally. When class is over, and if you feel it is necessary, have a short conversation with the threaders. You can share that the incident did not involve them, that Aspen does not need their help, and most importantly, “it is not their responsibility to reprimand you as the teacher” (para. 42).

I know that I have all the feels this time of year, but slowing down, working together with my team to set expectations, and providing a reminder to the students' expectations can help. A colleague reminded me of positive strategies like calling home on one good kid a week or doing a walk and talk with a PLC teacher also lowers my cortisol and increases my moods.

Hang in there, because it's almost shorts weather and we all know what that means.

Schools to Watch 2024

Paige Jennings — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 16:18:14 GMT

By: Katie Gustafson

The CAMLE Board is proud to celebrate three schools who have been designated or redesignated in 2024 as a Colorado Trailblazer School to Watch: Lesher Middle School (Fort Collins), Milliken Middle School (Milliken), and SOROCO Middle School (Oak Creek). These three schools applied through a written application and culminated with a school visit by Schools to Watch teams. Each school is a model for middle level education, with innovative and exceptional practices that serve young adolescents in the best possible ways!

Eleven schools from across the state currently hold a Schools to Watch designation, based on four categories: Academic Excellence, Social Equity, Developmental Responsiveness, and Organizational Structure. Middle schools designated as a School to Watch are honored annually at the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education (CAMLE) conference, as well as at the national Schools to Watch conference in Washington D.C. from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

The Schools to Watch schools demonstrate a trajectory of success and exhibit replicable practices for middle grades students. This designation is a great way to increase collaboration and connection with other excellent middle schools in our state. If you are interested in learning more about the Colorado Schools to Watch program, please visit the Schools to Watch section of the CAMLE website.

Keeping Girls in the Game

Paige Jennings — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 15:36:00 GMT

By: Christy Clark-Weese, Middle School Health and Physical Education Teacher, Coal Ridge Middle School

The World Health Organization (2018) states that 81% of adolescents do not meet the moderate to vigorous exercise guidelines of 60 minutes a day. Of the 81%, a significantly higher number of these adolescents are girls. Several studies suggest that engaging in physical activity contributes to creating a positive learning environment, improving students' physical health, enhancing cognitive abilities, and nurturing an overall sense of well-being. Apart from the studies mentioned earlier, a study conducted by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) underscored that 11 out of 14 of their investigations revealed a positive correlation between consistent physical activity and improved academic performance (p. 29). However, despite these benefits, only 27% of girls in grades 6th-10th reported being physically active for sixty minutes a day (Gruno & Gibbons, 2016, p. 150). The disparity in physical activity levels among adolescent girls, coupled with the established advantages of regular exercise and the low enrollment of adolescent girls in physical education classes, poses significant challenges. It is crucial to understand the factors contributing to girls' lower participation in physical activity compared to their male counterparts and to develop and implement strategies to reverse this trend.

The majority of physical education programs in elementary school focus on gameplay or skill development, while secondary physical education programs often focus on competitive team sports (Gruno & Gibbons, 2016). It is this competitive team sports focus, as discussed by Gruno & Gibbons (2016), that is “one of the key factors associated with girls’ decision to drop PE” (p. 151). Gruno and Gibson further explain that the majority of middle school girls perceive competitive team sports in PE as unsatisfying. A study conducted by Wallace et al. (2020) specifically identifies barriers to adolescence girls' participation, including boys 'taking over' or not passing, intimidation, confidence issues, perceived competence, the competitive climate, and concerns related to embarrassment and body image.

When examining the disengagement of adolescent female students from contemporary PE, it is discovered that these challenges are often linked to curriculum, teaching methods, and practices (Robinson, 2015). It is evident that practitioners should adopt evidence-based strategies to enhance girls' participation in gameplay, foster confidence in physical abilities, and improve organizational aspects to address concerns related to girls' involvement (Wallace et al., 2020). These evidence - based practices are found in Quality Physical Education (QPE) programs.

Quality Physical Education (QPE) programs are those that focus on the holistic development of students. These programs nurture critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-esteem skills. QPE initiatives can also foster interpersonal relationships, provide a platform for learning about equity and equality, and promote social justice (Ryan & Poirier, 2012). To ensure proper instruction and techniques, qualified teachers should be developing and instructing PE programs. Unfortunately, a study conducted in 2009 revealed that only 40% of teachers teaching PE were qualified to do so (Ryan & Poirier, 2012).

Successful engagement of adolescent girls in QPE programs prioritizes lifetime physical fitness over competitive gameplay. These programs, guided by instructors, strive to create a safe, positive, inclusive, and respectful learning environment. Teachers contribute to this positive atmosphere by acting as facilitators and role models, actively participating in activities with the girls (Gruno & Gibbons, 2016, p. 152). Emphasizing participation and individual effort in physical education classes serves as a motivation for girls to engage more in their physical well-being (Gruno & Gibbons, 2016). Same-gender or cooperative gameplay, centered on lifetime fitness activities, has been shown to increase girls' participation in PE. Providing diverse gameplay options ensures that girls enjoy and consistently participate in physical activities. Gruno & Gibbons (2016) stress the importance of making activities fun, informal, and involving participation with friends to encourage girls to be more active and engaged in PE (Ryan & Poirier, 2012, p. 179). According to Gruno & Gibbons (2016), fostering such a PE environment positively influences girls' perceptions of their physical abilities and competence, making them more inclined to be active, participate in PE, and try new activities.

Christy Clark Weese, a dedicated middle school teacher with 20 years of experience, holds a Bachelor's in Public Health and a Master's in Education with a focus on Digital Learning and Teaching. She blends her expertise to instill lifelong wellness habits and emphasizes the importance of physical activity for her students' holistic development.

References

Gruno, J., & Gibbons, S. L. (2016). An exploration of one girl’s experiences in elective Physical Education: Why does she continue? Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 62(2), 150–167.

Robinson, D. B. (2015). Getting girls in the game: Action research in the gymnasium. The Canadian Journal of Action Research, 14(3), 3–28. https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v14i3.98

Ryan, T., & Poirier, Y. (2012). Secondary physical education avoidance and gender: Problems and antidotes. International Journal of Instruction, 5(2), 173–194.

Wallace, L., Buchan, D., & Sculthorpe, N. (2020). A comparison of activity levels of girls in single-gender and mixed-gender physical education. European Physical Education Review, 26(1), 231–240. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X19849456

World Health Organization (2018) Physical activity. Available at: www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/physical- activity (accessed 21 February 2019).

Take a Hike! - Venturing Beyond the Four Walls of the Classroom

Paige Jennings — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:16:37 GMT

By Miles Groth, 6th Grade Mountain Academy of Arts & Sciences at Ute Pass Elementary, Finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year

It’s around 9:00 AM in late September and our bus full of sixth-graders pulls through a grove of aspens that are just starting to turn their golden yellow. Shortly after, we are unloading our packs, adjusting straps, and starting the hike to our campsite. This is day one of the same backpacking trip that I’ve been leading for eight years.

When I tell people that I take middle schoolers camping and backpacking, the response is either “you’re crazy” or “that’s amazing!” I am wholeheartedly on the side of “that’s amazing!” It is incredible for me, my students, and the classroom culture and the only way I can imagine starting the school year. It is an opportunity for me to connect with students in ways that traditional classrooms do not allow for. Students are challenged and grow physically, emotionally, and academically.

Throughout the year, we are able to provide our sixth graders with over twenty field experiences connected to our curriculum and learning. This includes caving, hiking, camping, bird-banding, a visit to a fish hatchery, exploration of local creeks and trails, and classes around the school property; all experiences middle schoolers should have.

The benefits of a short hike or camping trip with are too numerous to count:

Screen Time: As teachers, we all see the challenges that social media and screens bring to our lives and our students’ lives. According to the Center for Disease Control, children aged 11-14, spend an average of 9 hours in front of a screen per day! There is a collective sigh of relief from both teachers and students each time we step outside and step away from technology. Students connect to the world around them and with each other. All too often, we are communicating through texts or social media rather than face to face. Each time we hike, I get to spend time talking with my students about the things that really matter to them and what is going on in their lives. We have the opportunity to connect in a much deeper way than we are able to in the classroom, and they extend this connection with peers.

Social-emotional learning: We can work on social-emotional skills in class with lessons on self-awareness and self-control, but having to work together as a team to support each other during a challenging hike gives students the opportunity to practice those skills. During that first backpacking trip of the year, my students supported each other in countless ways. Each group of students that arrive at the campsite cheer on the next group before the relief of taking off their packs. Even though there are plenty of complaints, these moments build confidence and resiliency that translate into classroom successes and a strong bond as a team.

Health Benefits: When I’m feeling overwhelmed by the many stressors of being an educator or parent, I hop on my mountain bike and instantly feel a load lifted off of my shoulders. Many students have not yet learned or had the opportunity to experience that nature and exercise can serve as natural stress relief. Unfortunately, many children have fairly sedentary lifestyles and do not have enough opportunities to explore and play outdoors. Through regularly providing opportunities to hike and explore, children’s physical and mental health is positively impacted with the hope of building lifelong habits. Regular exercise enhances memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.

During a November 2023 hike from school, we had to take a detour through a steep section of trail. “You can do PT in the gym all day, but when you’re on trails with uneven surfaces, crossing water - (people) develop incredible balance and coordination with all this” (Wilson, 2022). This hike is something the class is still talking about as their favorite trip this year. Students were pushed out of their comfort zone descending rocky areas and benefited from these challenges.

Creating Environmental Stewards: Our world needs children who care deeply for the world around them. The only way for this to happen is if these children learn to love and appreciate the joys and beauty of the outdoors. Each year, we raise rainbow trout in our classroom starting with eggs before releasing them in May as part of Trout Unlimited’s Trout in the Classroom program. These experiences lead to increased connections to nature as nature becomes the classroom. The time spent outside fosters a sense of wonder and curiosity in each student. When they release our trout into a local creek after taking care of them daily, they have already committed themselves to a lifetime of being stewards for their local waters and the environment as a whole.

Academic performance: When I share these experiences with other educators, there are often questions about academics. These experiences build 21st century skills and leadership qualities that just cannot be taught inside a classroom. I’ve noticed significantly fewer behaviors because students are invested in their learning. They want to come to school each and every day, and truly care about what they are learning. Year after year, our students have shown significant growth and achievement in state and district assessments.

Implementation: There are challenges in bringing hiking and field experiences into schools. However, we started small and have added more opportunities each year. The cost of each experience is covered through a small parent contribution, grants, fundraising, and by finding low-cost trips (hikes from school are free!).

Start with a short hike, take in the many benefits, and bring others on board as you try more! By taking the classroom outside, we can provide a platform for experiential learning, physical activity, and personal growth. The benefits extend far beyond academic achievement, shaping future leaders and environmental stewards!

Miles Groth started the 6th Grade Mountain Academy of Arts & Sciences at Ute Pass Elementary (only public school to earn Leave No Trace Youth Program accreditation) in 2014 with a focus on environmental learning and outdoor education. Mr. Groth is a Colorado Certified Environmental Educator and a 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year Finalist.

References:

Wilson, Ruth. “Naturally Inclusive: Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors”. Lewisville, NC: Gryphon House, Inc. 2022.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Infographics - Screen Time vs. Lean Time.” Cdc.gov, 29 Jan. 2018, www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Expanding our Classroom Walls

Paige Jennings — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 13:38:38 GMT

By Ivy Dalley

6th Grade ELA and Social Studies, Mancos Middle School

Finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year

When I look back on my own educational experiences in middle school I never remember the math test that I took or the daily homework assignments at the kitchen table each evening. When we look back at the awkward moments of growing up I am sure we all can remember the experiences and the moments where our own educators took a risk in escaping the norm of the workbooks and the whiteboard lectures. One particular example that surprises me is that I can remember odd facts about soil quality. Growing up in a rural community where farming was prevalent we went out into the backyard of our school to a local corn field and monitored the quality of the soil and gave real world advice to the local farmer. As an eighth grade student this was powerful.

Taking a Risk and Breaking the Norm

As educators we need to be comfortable with breaking away from traditional educational practices and taking risks. For example, heading out into our historical surroundings and getting students outside can be a risk. There is the typical stress and worry about all of the things that can go wrong in a field study with students. The learning benefits I see outweigh these risks. Students get to experience history first hand rather than just reading about this history in a book. In my class we take multiple field study trips each year. Our goal is to incorporate life skills, outdoor skills and standards into our curriculum for these trips. When we get outside with our students we see a different side of them. This is my favorite part of these field studies. Students thrive when they are put in a setting where they get hands-on experiences and they get to explore their natural world.

Student Authenticity

Middle school students want authenticity. They crave it. How many times have you heard a middle schooler ask when they will ever need to use this specific content information in their lives? Giving students voice and choice in their lessons allows them to really connect with the project and grow in their education. Sometimes it can be intimidating to give our students the creative freedom they crave. When my students decided they wanted to create an interactive museum exhibit and showcase it in a real museum I panicked. I was so worried about the idea of failure and whether or not we could pull off this grand idea. Once I embraced the idea of failure and thought of it as a learning opportunity I could see all of the benefits that were to come from this project. My students had to make connections with their surroundings and use the people and resources available to them. In the end they created exactly what they had planned, allowing them to learn skills that extend beyond the confines of our standards.

Using our Community

Colorado is rich in history and outdoors experiences. No matter if we teach in a rural or urban district, there are opportunities right out our doorsteps. If we take the time to build connections within our communities with our middle school students, maybe we can change the sometimes negative perception the world has on middle schoolers. Brainstorming projects with your students and looking at how you can incorporate their ideas on how we can improve our communities can change our projects from ordinary to extraordinary. This gets our students thinking about their communities and ways they can apply their skills and knowledge to real world situations. One way I have engaged my students with the community is involving them with the town board and having my students present their projects for improvement of the community to them. Overall, being a part of the community and having our students become active members in their community has been incredibly rewarding and beneficial for all parties involved. The pride that the members of our community have when students take an active role in the town is noticeable.

Ivy Dalley is a middle school ELA and Social Studies teacher. She was recently recognized as one of 7 finalists for the 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year.

Embracing Innovation: Gaining a Competitive Edge with Colorado's 2020 Academic Science Standards

Paige Jennings — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 15:15:04 GMT

By: Michael O'Toole

St Vrain Valley Schools K-12 Science Coordinator

As we embark on the journey to adopt the new 2020 Colorado Academic Science Standards, this transition isn't just about changing how students learn; it's about rethinking how teachers introduce science to their students. This monumental shift represents one of the most significant changes within the Colorado Department of Education's implementation of the 2020 state academic standards across all disciplines.

The Colorado Department of Education defines the 2020 Science Standards as: “what all Colorado students should know and be able to do in science as a result of their preschool through twelfth-grade science education. These standards outline the essential level of science content knowledge and the application of the skills needed by all Colorado citizens to participate productively in our increasingly global, information-driven society.”

The development of these standards drew upon various resources, including the Framework for K-12 Science Education, developed by the National Academy of Sciences. This publication distills over two decades of research in science education and sets the stage for three-dimensional science learning. These standards prioritize a student-centered approach to science teaching and learning, emphasizing the integration of practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts. The 2020 standards have transitioned to introducing scientific concepts through real-world phenomena. Establishing a crucial connection between students and science by presenting them with locally relevant examples, making science more relatable and engaging. As a result, this method fosters active learning, encouraging students to take charge of their learning and equips them with innovative thinking skills, providing a competitive edge in an ever-evolving world.

As educational leaders, we must recognize that multiple stakeholders play pivotal roles in this transformative process. While students and teachers are the most visible participants, we must not underestimate the contributions of parents and administrators, who are equally essential in nurturing scientifically informed students and fostering innovation.

Students should be continuously reminded that their active participation and curiosity help drive this evolution in science instruction. Strategies such as driving question boards and small group activities centered around 3D science practices will ultimately lead them to become better critical thinkers.

Teachers need to be provided with professional growth opportunities that encourage them to innovate how they convey the wonders of science to their students. This entails a thorough and honest self-evaluation of their current teaching practices and setting goals for gradual instructional changes at their own pace while welcoming some structured chaos into their classrooms.

This structured chaos is, in fact, emblematic of a true transition to three-dimensional practices and an embrace of innovation. It involves teachers relinquishing rigid lectures and timed hands-on experiences while welcoming student voices in the learning process. It encourages students to become active learners and critical thinkers in science instruction.

However, we must not forget the other two essential stakeholders in this process:

Parents: We hope to engage parents in fostering curiosity and innovation in their children. Parents can help instill a passion for innovation and discovery from an early age by actively participating in their child's science education journey.

Administrators: Administrators play a crucial role in driving innovation within their schools. They must be introduced to the new standards and practices as well as the challenges that teachers may face in implementing them. Administrators should provide the necessary encouragement and permission for educators to experiment with different instructional strategies, even if it means embracing a bit of structured chaos in the science classroom. This commitment to innovation ultimately gives their school a competitive edge in delivering high-quality science education.

In the St. Vrain Valley School District, adopting 3-dimensional-based materials was an inclusive and comprehensive process. We prioritized gathering input from teachers across all school buildings to make well-informed decisions. Their contributions were not only crucial in selecting the right instructional materials but also in ensuring that both students and teachers were adequately prepared for a seamless transition. Furthermore, teachers played a key role in creating effective communication strategies aimed at involving parents and administrators in the transition to 3-dimensional science instruction.

In summary, our collective effort in embracing the 2020 Colorado Academic Science Standards isn't just about changing how we teach and learn; it's about fostering innovation and gaining a competitive edge. It's a journey that involves all stakeholders, from students and teachers to parents and administrators, working together to cultivate a generation of scientifically literate, innovative, and competitive individuals poised for success in the 21st century.

Below are some resources that include tips and suggestions for parents and administrators, as well as a full 3D science self-evaluation guide for teachers.

Resources for Parents

Family and Community Guides to the Colorado Academic Standards: Science - Working Together: Resources to support families, communities, and teachers in realizing the goals of the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS), these guides provide an overview of the learning expectations for students studying science. This guide offers some learning experiences students may engage in at school that may also be supported at home.

NGSS Parent Guides: Preparing Students for a Lifetime of Success - Illustrate how the standards are a powerful foundation to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time

Resources for Administrators

Principals as Leaders in NGSS Implementation - This resource underscores the principal's crucial role in promoting quality K-12 science education and offers practical strategies that can be incorporated into existing school plans.

CDE Science Standards Resources for Science and District Leaders - A collection of resources designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), though they are just as applicable for the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS), which were based on the NGSS.

Resources for Teachers

Instructional Strategies for Science Practices: Self Evaluation - These evaluation continuums are intended for teachers to use in guiding and monitoring science practice-based instruction. Teachers might find these helpful for lesson planning and implementing science practices in their classrooms.

Author bio: Michael has been immersed in science education for close to three decades. Throughout his career as an educator and curriculum developer he has had the opportunity to work with students and teachers around the world and with such organizations as National Geographic, NASA, UCAR, the National Science Foundation, The GLOBE Program, Discovery Channel, the University of Louisville and the University of Colorado. Michael is currently in the position of Coordinator of Science Curriculum for St. Vrain Valley Schools.

Classroom Management at the Middle Level

Paige Jennings — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 14:48:31 GMT

By: Kimberly Kane

6th and 7th Grade ELA, Delta Middle School, Finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year

“Oh, it takes a special person to teach that age group!” This is the response I typically receive when I reveal my chosen career path to someone new. We know from experience that the middle grades are some of the most challenging years of adolescence. Students moving from elementary to middle school have increased psychological distress along with decreased academic achievement (Willis et al., 2019). Distractibility, hyperactivity, immature behaviors, and physiological changes are all hallmarks of middle school-aged students. With this in mind, it is important to remember effective ways to manage student behavior and learning. Through the years I have developed proven strategies to get students through middle school with success. When teachers incorporate structure, consistency, student engagement, and authentic relationships into daily routines, students respond positively!

Structure & Routines

A typical middle school student visits 7 different classrooms in a day. In each setting, teachers have a different set of expectations, routines, and procedures. Think about this from a student’s perspective. It is quite overwhelming for their developing minds. For adults, this would be the equivalent of showing up for 7 different jobs with 7 different employers each day. For this reason it is important to establish clear expectations, routines and procedures and practice them frequently. For example, in my classes, students learn that upon arrival into class, they immediately retrieve their personalized folders from a designated basket and get right to work on a “Do Now” activity. They have a specific binder for solely my class that is divided into sections to keep student work organized. This step keeps math, science, and other class work from getting mixed together and potentially misplaced. They know exactly where to find the work they missed when they were absent. They know what to bring to class, how to enter and exit the room, and even when it is appropriate to sharpen pencils.

This may sound overly structured. Middle school students truly desire to gain independence. They finally have a bit more freedom: in the hallways, in the cafeteria, at recess, and in the classroom. However, if we assume that students know how we want them to respond in our classroom setting without structure, we are potentially inviting unwanted behavior.

Here are a few suggested routines to establish and practice:

Entering and exiting the classroom
What to do upon arrival (and in what time frame this should be done)
Necessary supplies to bring to your class daily
Auditory and Visual Cues
Restroom breaks
Turning in work
Missing work and absences

Consistency: Fair Rewards and Consequences

Perhaps the most frequently discussed part of a solid classroom management plan is behavior intervention. Remember, our students are going through some incredible changes physically, socially, and mentally. Over the years, I have worked with many teachers in developing behavior management plans for their students, either individually or as an entire class. My first word of advice to each of them is that whatever plan they decide to implement, it is imperative that they remain consistent with their promises, both positive and negative, and follow-through. If a teacher promises a reward or a consequence for a behavior and it is not delivered in a timely manner, trust begins to weaken. Over time, students will begin to learn that their conduct goes unnoticed resulting in even more problematic behavior.

Student Engagement

Conversely, the most commonly overlooked part of an excellent classroom management plan is student engagement. Simply put, if a student is bored, off-task behavior is soon to follow. Incorporating movement, an age appropriate pace with smooth transitions, and a touch of novelty will leave students wondering how the class went by so fast. I encourage teachers to integrate some sort of movement within the class period. By posting QR codes with questions or simple tasks on the walls of the classroom, teachers give students the opportunity to get up and move around a bit. This helps to release pent up energy while learning at the same time. In addition, when planning lessons, think about how long each activity throughout the class period will take. Keep in mind the average attention span of a middle school student is 12 minutes. As their attention spans come to an end, it is time to transition to a new task. Finally, novelty is one of the most effective ways to keep students engaged. A few weeks ago, I created the “ELA Cafe.” When students arrived, the room was set up like a cafe complete with tablecloths, floral arrangements, candles, and menus. As ambient music played, students ordered from a choice of appetizers (lower-level thinking tasks) to work on with a partner, main courses (deeper-thinking guided practice), and dessert (independent practice) which they can “take to go” if they do not finish. This was the most positive response I have had to the idea of homework all year!

Authentic Relationships

Nothing I have written thus far matters if students do not know we care about them. Building authentic relationships is at the core of every classroom. In fact, brain science tells us that trust deactivates the amygdala (the part of the brain that signals the fight, flight, or freeze response) and blocks the release of the stress hormone, cortisol (Hammond, 2015). Without trust and a safe environment, it is nearly impossible for students to learn. However, if we truly show that we care about what they feel, who they are, and what they have to say, we can not only create an optimal environment for learning, but develop relationships that will allow us to speak into their lives in order to encourage wise choices-in and out of school.

Teaching at the middle school level is arguably one of the most rewarding careers in education. Every day is a new adventure for teachers and students. Every day we each get the opportunity for a “hard reset” from the day before. Every day students and teachers get the chance to enrich the lives of each other. Middle level educators truly are special people!

Kimberly Kane is a middle school ELA teacher, Instructional Coach/Mentor, and Peer Tutor Facilitator at Delta Middle School. She was recently recognized as one of 7 finalists for the 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year.

WORKS CITED

Hammond, Zaretta, and Yvette Jackson. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin, 2015.

Wills, H. P., Caldarella, P., Mason, B. A., Lappin, A., & Anderson, D. H. (2019). Improving student behavior in middle schools: Results of a classroom management intervention. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 21(4), 213–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300719857185

Using the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) Process to Improve Student Learning

Paige Jennings — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 01:24:28 GMT

By: Keely Garren

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have been widely utilized in education for over two decades. Recently, re-scaling the PLC process through professional development in schools and districts has become popular to ensure that each educator has a solid foundation in the four questions that guide the PLC process and that each educator can engage in the PLC process from their unique educator role. The PLC process focuses on improving student learning and achievement.

Defining a PLC

PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) are educators who are committed to sharing knowledge and learning. Meeting regularly to discuss ways to serve their students through improved practice is essential in any school serious about increasing student achievement.

Under its core principle, continuous job-embedded learning for educators will ultimately positively affect student learning. At these meetings, educators share and analyze data while also creating norms to facilitate effective collaboration.

PLCs are distinguished by an inquiry mindset -- the willingness to challenge assumptions, test ideas, and learn from failure - along with a culture of trust and cooperation among educators. This framework can be utilized effectively in schools K-12.

Creating a Vision for PLCs

PLCs are used to enhance teaching and learning in classrooms through collaborative processes that use teacher-created professional standards and data-driven decision-making to make better educational practices possible. Through PLC protocols, educators explore student academic growth data at individual, classroom, school, and district levels.

Teams then use this data to develop strategies for improving classroom instruction and student outcomes. A data-driven approach seeks to determine student mastery of specific learning targets while offering support to those who require it; it can also enhance school leadership effectiveness.

Creating a Mission for PLCs

For PLCs to succeed, educators must commit themselves to the idea that learning should be continuous for students and staff alike - an enormous change that affects how the school runs.

PLC educators must collaborate and share expertise among themselves while at the same time being able to analyze data and make decisions regarding instructional strategies.

As part of your effort to increase buy-in among teachers, it's vital that regular meetings take place where educators can discuss the collective commitments that define the PLC. Meetings themed around collective commitments may prove effective at stimulating discussions that bring teachers together around these collective commitments.

Creating a Culture for PLCs

Through PLCs, teachers can form positive relationships that foster an environment of collaboration, equity, and continuous improvement within schools K-12. Embracing a culture of collaboration promotes collective efficacy and can lead to positive student learning outcomes. The PLC process uses data to make decisions rather than intuition or personal preferences, providing greater insights into what works and why, leading to a stronger school culture overall. To embrace data, a sense of belonging and safety must be fostered, as a level of vulnerability is needed to be reflective within a group and try new approaches to learning.

Creating a Structure for PLCs

An effective PLC requires cooperative effort and an unshakeable belief that everyone can reach their maximum potential; without an organized group structure, this cannot happen. Setting a meeting agenda and including a facilitator are essential steps toward running an effective PLC. A facilitator should understand its culture while leading group discussions effectively while keeping student learning at the center of the conversation. Teachers should also be encouraged to share ideas and resources between meetings. For example, one teacher could visit another class to observe an effective strategy being utilized before discussing it further with its host teacher later. This strategy helps foster the collaborative nature of a PLC while simultaneously encouraging growth and improvement over time.

Belonging: Supporting the Unique Learning Needs of Gifted Middle Schoolers

Paige Jennings — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 20:01:24 GMT

By: Dr. Rebecca McKinney

In Colorado, students are identified as needing gifted services in various strength areas, which span academic and talent domains including visual and performing arts, drama, leadership, and creative productive thinking. While I didn't list all the possible strength areas here, gifted students may enter your classroom with a variety of different strengths and learning needs. It is necessary to remember that each student is unique in order to address gifted students' learning needs. In gifted education, you will often hear, "If you have met one gifted student, you have met one gifted student."

While there are specific strategies that I could jump into, I want to begin with addressing what I have found to be an essential foundation that must be present for gifted students to thrive within your classroom. The great news is that this foundation supports all students. These foundational building blocks cut across content areas and help create an environment in which gifted students will thrive. For any instructional strategy you implement to be effective, creating a classroom grounded in belonging is essential. I specifically use the term belonging rather than inclusion when speaking about the environment necessary for students, not just gifted students, to thrive. The reason for this distinction is that inclusion is a choice. Someone outside of the individual impacted decides to include them or not. Belonging is a deep connection/feeling by the impacted individual that they are seen, valued, and can be their true self.

By creating a sense of belonging for students in your classroom, students feel connected and able to be their true selves. This is so vital as many gifted students go underground in middle school. They try to fit in, hide their abilities, and deny their talents. Therefore, your classroom environment plays a key role in allowing students to be their authentic selves in middle school.

I want to share a story from several years ago when I was working with a group of middle school teachers. State assessments were around the corner, and the teachers were developing lessons to build student confidence and motivation. So, it was not your typical lesson planning session but one I remember not for the fantastic lessons designed but for the interaction among the teachers. The teacher leading this work proposed sharing stories of famous people who had struggled in school yet had become incredibly successful. She had developed a suggested list of names, which included Harrison Ford. As they discussed possible ways to approach the lessons, one teacher pushed back and said that she didn't feel Harrison Ford was relevant to the middle schoolers in her classroom. She felt Abraham Lincoln would be more relevant. I watched as the teacher leading this work's jaw dropped. She wasn't quite sure how to respond. Now I should mention that this meeting was just as the Star Wars movies were being re-released, and it was all the rage, especially with middle school boys. Another teacher scribbled on a sticky note, "He helped blow up the Death Star!" The exclamation point echoed the exasperation in his voice as he shared this fact with his fellow teacher.

I share this as an example of the importance of knowing what is relevant to your students and how not knowing can lead to challenges. The teacher who felt Abraham Lincoln was more relevant was one who needed help with student engagement and performance. You can probably guess that the teacher who scribbled the sticky note had a different experience with those same students. I kept that sticky note at my desk over the years to remind me of how vital relevance is to students. It also served as a reminder of our role as teachers to create a classroom in which they have a sense of belonging and can develop into autonomous students. Autonomous students take ownership of their learning and do not depend on outside forces to guide their learning. My big takeaway from the experience was: What is relevant to us isn't always what is relevant to our students, and relevance is necessary for there to be belonging. Another takeaway: When in doubt, ask the students!

Belonging can only happen when students feel seen and heard. This requires us to create conditions for appropriate rigor for all students. I define rigor as content that allows students to grapple with new and unique thinking, pushing them to make connections, bring in prior knowledge, and make meaning for themselves. Research has shown that as many as 35% of 5th graders start the year scoring at levels expected by the end of the year and, 15% of students in grades 3 through 8 perform at least three grade levels ahead in Reading, and 6% do so in Math. That's a staggering number of students who by the time they reach middle school and are assigned to your class who have already mastered a large portion of your grade level standards.

Here are some tips for creating a rigorous classroom environment which can support the needs of these students who are coming to your classroom with existing mastery of standards:

Get to know your student's strengths, interests, and learning styles.
Use pre assessment to guide instruction and compact lessons for students who have already mastered material to be taught.
Be flexible and willing to adjust your teaching methods as needed.
Provide opportunities for students to collaborate and work with intellectual peers.
Encourage students to take risks and try new things.
Celebrate the process, not only the product.

The variety of instructional strategies you can employ with gifted students is as diverse as the gifted students you will encounter in your classroom. There is no way I could even scratch the surface of effective instructional strategies in this article. So I leave you with this, when in doubt, reach out to your district's gifted teacher, coordinator, or director for support. The most important thing is to celebrate strengths and create belonging for all of your students in your classroom.

References:

Addressing excellence gaps: Ability grouping. (n.d.). https://issuu.com/acecommunications/docs/equity_and_access_0321/s/11994654

Gifted education terms and definitions. CDE. (n.d.). https://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/about#g

Kamenetz, A. (2020, August 24). Getting restless at the head of the class. KERA News. https://www.keranews.org/2016-09-12/getting-restless-at-the-head-of-the-class

Dr. Rebecca McKinney currently serves as the Director of Gifted Education for the Colorado Department of Education and has been in education for over 25 years.

Apply to Become a School to Watch!

Paige Jennings — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 01:24:50 GMT

Last month, we explored the benefits of becoming a School to Watch. And, if you’re in the same boat as the rest of us, you’re currently preparing a launch a new school year and summer is behind you.

Do you know what that means? It’s time to begin the application process to become one of Colorado’s Schools to Watch! While it is a simple process, it contains several components that must be done in a timely manner.

First, get familiar with the CAMLE website. There, you’ll see deadlines, the organization for the application document and important contact information. Our state director, Katie, is a tremendous resource if you have questions.

The application process includes three steps: the application document, a staff self-study, and a school visit. These happen in order, with the school visit taking place last to verify practices that are in place. The application is due November 17, so get started right away!

The application document is broken into five sections: Self-Study Rubric, Descriptive Information, Narrative, Recent Changes, and Assurances. In order to complete them, you’ll want to be sure to have a team from your school to give feedback and ideas and you’ll need to schedule blocks of time to write the application sections and have staff complete the self-study. Finally, you want to keep the documents organized. Each section of the application is a separate document that compiles data and information. Together, they’ll all be submitted to the State Director.

Within each section, you’ll share information about your school that helps the board see why your school is a School to Watch. Below will help you make sure you have the right information on hand to have a successful work session:

Descriptive Information: This includes demographic information about your student and students. This includes ethnicity, disaggregated data, and state achievement data over the last three years.

Narrative: This section is broken into two parts: School information and plans for the future. The first part is an opportunity to narratively describe how your school exemplifies each of the four domains of The National Forum (which we’ll explore in next month’s blog post). The second part focuses on what your school plans to do next to continue addressing action items and achieving desired outcomes.

Recent Changes: In this section, you summarize any changes that have taken place at your school in the last year. This could be staffing attrition or turnover, and changes in the leadership.

Assurances: This section requires signatures from you, your supervisor, and your superintendent (or other governing body).

Self-Study Rubric: And, this last component may be listed last but is important to consider first. Throughout the application period, every staff member should complete a rating rubric of current practices at your school. You can access this rubric and get the school-specific link set up by requesting access to the State Director. Share the link with staff at the beginning of your application writing process and give them a deadline. Once everyone has completed it, you’ll receive a report back that you submit with your Schools to Watch application.

Once all of these sections have been completed, you package them up in an email to our State Director, Katie Gustafson. Think of it this way -- the application is the school’s turn to document all of the evidence to show why it is a Schools to Watch.

Be on the lookout for next month’s article, which will review the four criteria of The National Forum. To learn more about The National Forum, visit their website: https://www.middlegradesforum.org/. To learn more about CAMLE and membership offerings, visit their website: https://camle.wildapricot.org/Join-us.

Ryan Masciotra is a principal at Corwin International Magnet School in Pueblo, CO - which has been a Colorado School to Watch since 2013 (2013, 2019, 2023). CIMS is a grades 4-8 International Baccalaureate World School and was established in 2008.

Why Become a School to Watch?

Paige Jennings — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 23:19:35 GMT

By: By: Ryan Masciotra, Principal

Note: This is the second in a series to help Colorado middle schools navigate the journey to becoming a School to Watch.

Last month, we explored the history and meaning behind Schools to Watch. Let’s look at the benefits! Linked to the Schools to Watch suite are three forms of association that focus on enhancing education at the middle grades.

Schools that are recognized for the STW award become a part of a tremendous professional base that offers collaboration, networking, and professional development. This begins with CAMLE, the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education. Each year, recognized schools receive dated banners and are featured at the annual CAMLE conference. Not only does the conference offer professional development sessions from schools to watch all over the state, but it provides outstanding learning from quality keynote presenters. Official Schools to Watch can present at the conference and share their excellence practices with others. The conference takes place in October and is open for registration now!

Along with CAMLE conference participation, Schools to Watch staff can join to become CAMLE members. Membership includes professional communication, discounted conference registration, access to in depth book studies with other middle level educators, and more. A dual membership is also available, which includes a membership to AMLE - the Association of Middle Level Education. Benefits include access to a multitude of resources, discounts on professional literature, voting rights, and discounted state conference registration.

Finally, Schools to Watch can join the National Forum (and be recognized at the national conference). Membership has three tiers and comes with access to publications, a discussion board, and early-bird registration for the national conference. The conference, held in Washington, DC each June, features breakout sessions from current Schools to Watch, vetted keynote speakers, and an opportunity to connect with educational lawmakers on Capitol Hill. This year’s conference featured teacher and author Erin Gruwell from The Freedom Writer’s Diary and teacher Dwayne Reed.

Be on the lookout for next month’s article, which will outline the application process for becoming a School to Watch. To learn more about The National Forum, visit their website: https://www.middlegradesforum.org/. To learn more about CAMLE and membership offerings, visit their website: https://camle.wildapricot.org/Join-us.

Works Cited

“/ /.” / / - Wiktionary, https://camle.wildapricot.org/Join-us. Accessed 1 July 2023.

“MEMBERSHIP.” The National Forum | Schools to Watch, https://www.middlegradesforum.org/membership. Accessed 1 July 2023.

“Membership Benefits.” AMLE, https://www.amle.org/membership-benefits/. Accessed 1 July 2023.

What is a School to Watch, Anyway?

Paige Jennings — Mon, 29 May 2023 14:29:12 GMT

By: Ryan Masciotra, Principal

Everyone in the education system knows that reinventing the wheel is for the birds, right? In the day and age of multifaceted roles, revolving situations, and never-ending needs, who has time to stop and create systems from scratch? Not educators, specifically those working in the middle school grades.

Like many other professions, finding out what works and reproducing it in schools across the map just makes sense. Insert The National Forum into the picture. Dating back to the mid nineties, educators formed an organization focused on improving education at the middle level. “The mission of the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform is to unite key stakeholders to speak with a common voice to leverage research, policy, leadership, and replicable practices to drive middle grades reform.” (middlegradesforum.org) Together, members of this group established vetting criteria that characterizes “thriving middle-grades schools”. Today, this is instilled in the Schools to Watch rubric - outlining social equity, developmental responsiveness, academic excellence, and innovative systems. Since 1997, The National Forum has been a network of flourishing middle schools that meet and exceed elements of this rubric, becoming schools to watch and learn from in order to excel in the middle grades. Today, there are hundreds of Schools to Watch across the country, noted in seventeen different states. Schools are recognized triannually at the national conference in Washington, DC each summer.

In line with a progressive system, applying schools must go through a detailed application process that requires both school submissions and in-school practitioner feedback through a school visit. The results are shared with a board of directors that examine the school’s practices compared to the Schools to Watch visit, ending in a vote for recognition. While selected as a School to Watch for a three year period, schools become touring grounds for other educators, provide professional development sessions and conference breakouts, and provide exemplars for others in the field.

Among partner states, Colorado became a member of Schools to Watch in 2003 and has been recognizing schools ever since. Statewide, three schools were recognized in 2023 and the application window opens each fall for interested schools. The Colorado Association of Middle Level Educators (CAMLE) works with middle-level schools across eleven regions of schools to excel and propel teaching, learning, and growth!.

Be on the lookout for next month’s article, which will feature the benefits of being a School to Watch and a member of CAMLE and AMLE. To learn more about The National Forum, visit their website: https://www.middlegradesforum.org/. To learn more about CAMLE and the work happening in our state, visit their website: https://camle.wildapricot.org/history

School Showcase: Centennial Middle School

Paige Jennings — Mon, 29 May 2023 14:18:56 GMT

By: Joe Simo, Principal

Deep in southwestern Colorado, at the base of the San Juan Mountains, in the midst of the Uncompahgre Valley and beside a river of the same name, lies a school that reaches close to 600 students each year. Centennial Middle School hosts students from families who for generations have farmed the valley floor, students from families who temporarily migrate through to help in the harvest, students who work with their families in the restaurants and stores that make our little community run, and students for whom our school is the single safest space they know. Within our 6th-8th grade halls we have students reading at a near collegiate level and students learning English for the first time. Students studying advanced Algebra and students filling gaps from their earliest math instruction. We have students that are hungry and students who are well fed, some securely housed and some without homes, students right on track and others trying to find their track. It is this diversity of learners, and the clear urgency to adapt and grow to meet their needs, that brought Centennial’s mission into focus.

To that end, when Principal Joe Simo took over at the start of the 2014 school year, he pulled his entire staff together, and as a team, they curated a shared school vision that resulted in a powerful mission statement that governs our school from the inside out. The mission statement reads: Within a challenging and joyful learning environment, where relationships come first, Centennial Middle School will leverage quality teaching, character education, and a rigorous curriculum to inspire a lifetime of learning. With these guideposts for decision-making, Centennial has grown into a school that centers whole-child instruction and whole-person wellness, for both students and staff. It’s a school that encourages innovation in the form of student choice, unique technology options, and a one-of-a-kind robotics program, a popular highlight in what is the the longest list of electives of any middle school in the valley. Centennial created a robust MTSS program that stretches from academic needs to behavioral supports and dedicates regular meeting times for evaluation and adjustments in reaching each child. We are a school whose staff collaboratively curated a rigorous curriculum in each subject area, with scaffolded instructional options, a variety of differentiated learning opportunities, and purposeful plans that are built from data-based decision making and educator expertise.

The result? Centennial Middle School was ranked as a Performance School in 2015-2016, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2020-2022, and 2022-2023. They’ve contributed to the Colorado Department of Education’s Promising Practice Video Series sharing their teaching best practices statewide, and as of this writing, celebrated seven teachers in every core content area that were chosen as the Montrose County School District Teacher of the Year from 2012 to present day. Last but not least, of course, Centennial Middle School has earned the designation of Colorado Trailblazer School to Watch from 2017 through 2026.

Intrinsic awards abound as well. Centennial is a school that students and staff want to come to, want to work for, and are able to grow in. Which is really what everything boils down to: universal growth. We genuinely believe that every child can grow while they are with us. Be it academically, emotionally, athletically, in their curiosity, talents and dreams, in their sense of self-worth. Centennial is a place where teachers and staff are valued, students are centered, and where, as a community, we end each school year more than we were before because we finish each school year having learned something new, together.

Westview Middle School - It’s All About Relationships

Paige Jennings — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 14:20:59 GMT

By: Mark Spencer, Principal

Westview opened its doors to students in 1991 designed from the ground up to meet the unique needs of young adolescent learners. This was evident not only in the design of the building but in the design of our instructional model and middle school programming as well. These design decisions have been instrumental in Westview becoming a unique place for middle schoolers where we say “Expect the Best.''

Each grade level, or “wing”, was built with groups of four core classrooms with walls that open. This allows for one, two, three, or all four classes to become one larger classroom. Much of the time, the walls are closed, and our school seems like any other. At other times our teachers open the walls to engage students in working collaboratively in interdisciplinary learning. They also open the walls to engage in team teaching. This structure allows teams to engage in menu days, gallery walks, and larger theme projects. The physical layout of our building facilitates innovative teaching and learning.

In addition to the academic benefits of our physical structure, the ability to open the walls facilitates our weekly homeroom advisory known as Team Time. Teachers have the walls open for team building activities, team communication, and team grounding activities. Teachers use this during the first semester of sixth grade to work as a larger group to build team expectations and procedural models. The ability to create a community sized learning space facilitates the success of our teaming structure.

Westview was also founded with a unique instructional model called Student Teacher Progression. In this model a core team composed of a math, science, language arts, and social studies teacher loops with the same group of students for three years. Students become part of a smaller learning communities. Each team develops team norms and expectations and engages students in the process of creating a unique learning environment. Students come to understand their role as part of these learning communities and build relationsships with their peers and core team of teachers. Teachers come to know their students as learners and as individuals. As they learn their students' interests and passions they are better able to make learning relevant and meaningful. In terms of curriculum and standards mastery, teachers begin each school year with a deep understanding of what has and has not been mastered by their students. They have three years to unpack standards and create additional opportunities to learn. The Student Teacher Progression model also builds relationships with parents and families. This strengthens the sense of teamwork between the school and families in working together to ensure the success of children.

Beyond core teaming and STP, we have built programs and traditions designed to build and maintain relationships. Unique to Westview is an experience called “Challenge Day.” Once a week, each grade level meets in the gym to compete in fun and engaging challenges. Some of the favorites include the Kentucky Derby, Frogger, and Hula Hoop Challenge. In the Hula Hoop Challenge, for example, students throw hula hoops in an attempt to ge the most hoops over the standards in the allotted time. During Challenge Day the din of excitement is heard up and down the halls. Another tradition at Westview is our intramural program. We traditionally have more than 150 students engaged each season volleyball, basketball, and track. The first layer of the program is our in-house intramural league. Eighth grade students serve as team captains and guide the younger players. This all culminates in a single elimination tournament with the championship game being played in front of the student body and live streamed to our community. Our 8th graders also compete in our varsity, or travel teams. These teams compete against neighboring middle schools, and there are no cuts. Students simply need to commit to participating, and they are on the team. Our intramural program engages our entire community. Parents, students, and staff all work together to deepen connections.

Over the years Westview has developed a tradition of success in many areas. Our students have demonstrated consistently high levels of academic achievement. We have always been accredited at the highest level, and we are consistently a school that demonstrates high growth in scores. For many years, we have welcomed the greatest number and percentage of open enrolled students of any middle school in our district. We enjoy very low staff turnover, and the majority of our staff have been at Westview for many years. In addition, we are the only school in the area that has been recognized as both an Apple Distinguished School and as a Colorado School to Watch. As a STEM middle school, we offer numerous STEM co-curricular activities including the top robotics program in the state.

We believe that our success derives from our focus on relationships. We all know that middle school is a time of tremendous growth and change. I think we all have also seen these things become even more evident since the pandemic. At Westview we intend to continue to deliberately build and leverage the power of relationships to meet the needs our students and make sure they are prepared for success in high school and beyond.

Challenge Day- Creating Community

Paige Jennings — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 13:54:44 GMT

By: Christy Clark-Weese M.A. Ed.

The importance of play in children’s social, emotional, and mental health development is critical to a child’s overall wellness. It is without question that children’s play habits were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most schools coming out of the pandemic years, we began looking at various ways in which to create community. My co-teacher and I were approached to think about creative ways to incorporate team-building games and activities into the week for all students during their advisory time. Gameplay as Smith and Waller wrote, “can foster joy, connections, and relationships where animosity, anger, and divisiveness exists. It can change everything in just a minute” (2020, p.102). And so our hunt began.

After visiting other middle schools and spending several hours researching, my team teacher and I began to develop first an idea and then a program for the 22-23 school year we call Challenge Days. Challenge Days aim to provide all students once a week, during their advisory class time, a chance to engage in highly interactive and energetic activities/games. The overarching idea of our challenge days is that the games/activities should bring students together for inclusion and acceptance - a critical piece of building and creating community.

The activities and or games that we choose must be able to be played by up to two hundred fifty students at a time, be completed in the 20 minutes of designated advisory time, not be about a student’s athletic ability, and be simple enough to play immediately after watching my co-teacher and I demonstrate the game. The following are some of the games that we have played: Kentucky Derby, Almost Impossible Ring Toss, Badminton Tic Tac Toe, Long Shot, Short Shot, LeapFrog, Grab it, Rock Paper Scissors Hula Hoop, Kickball Tournament, and many more.

Every week we try to strike a balance between novel and routine for Challenge Days. Students know what day of the week they report to the gym, understand where they are to play in the gym and know the rules of gameplay and expected team behavior. Yet, we are also asking students to often step outside of their comfort zone to participate in a new game/activity. We ask teachers to lead by example, modeling enthusiasm and sportsmanship. We sometimes include teachers in gameplay and rely on them to help us create an environment where students can trust and feel they belong. Challenge Days by themselves do not fix or build community but they are a way for students to learn to play again, laugh, and celebrate being together. And that is a start.

Smith, T., & Waller, J. (2020). Ridiculously amazing schools: Creating a culture where everyone thrives. Publish Your Purpose Press.

Christy has been a teacher for almost twenty years and is currently a health and physical education teacher at Coal Ridge Middle School in St Vrain Valley Schools.

The Hidden Heroes

Paige Jennings — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 23:57:45 GMT

By: W.D. Wolfe

My middle school has a cast of characters that could rival the uniqueness and hilarity of The Office. From the office staff trying to calm nervous parents, to the new 6th grade students in August who are wondering when recess fits into the schedule, to the youthful-looking teacher who keeps getting stopped in the corridor and asked to see her hall pass, Timberview Middle School could keep the viewers wanting more and laughing uncontrollably.

What rarely gets noticed, however, are the heroes of the school that are hidden in the shadows; those folks who keep the wheels and springs of the institutional community quietly well-oiled. And yet, without them the pieces of the school puzzle would rub against each other with rough, weird edges.

My classroom has two boys, J and J, who stack chairs and help clean up at the end of each school day. I never asked them to help, never even suggested it. They do it…day after day, like a two-person team in rhythm as they complete the task. Other students, clueless about anything outside the three-foot area around them, chit-chat and stand around waiting for that dismissal bell to sound, but J and J keep at it until completion.

And then there’s our custodial crew. Most students don’t even think about the fact that the trash is taken out, toilet paper is available in the restroom, and scuff marks magically disappear overnight from their hallways. They assume that the iced-over sidewalks will be cleared by the hand of the Almighty and that the laptop computer they left in the gym will be taken care of until they get around to looking for it again. They clean up after our adolescent residents. I think there should be a day when our school custodians get to sit down and be waited upon by the students. On the other hand, since they are part of the hidden heroes, they would probably feel very uncomfortable having a studentserve them a plate of nachos.

Our school nurse gives out more bags of ice each day than the local party store on New Year’s Eve. She distributes band-aids in bulk and listens to the aches and pains of countless students. Just as it was when I was in middle school a few decades ago, it seems that math tests can bring on indigestion and headaches. The nurse is the school medical mom who makes the boo-boos feel better and tends to the student who tripped over her shoelaces going down the stairs, requiring a precautionary wheelchair. The nurse tends to the needs of ten times as many students each day than my physician, and takes care of students, as if they were her own flesh-and-blood. The school nurse is the hidden health hero of academia.

And don’t forget about the thankless job that our crossing guards have. Stopping distracted drivers who enter the school zone, she goes about her daily mission of keeping the young ones safe from the unexpected. Future doctors, lawyers, scientists, and teachers owe their careers to the stop sign she has hoisted overhead and her careful eyes that were and are able to spot potential tragedies before they occur.

And how about the paraprofessionals who seek to help our students with special needs experience joy and learning each day at school. They keep them safe as they navigate the crowded hallways, eat lunch alongside them, clean up after them whether it be an accident or an unfortunate moment of losing their grip on a full carton of chocolate milk. The paras are constantly on alert-status for medical crises and emotional meltdowns. Carelessness leads to catastrophes. They are the warm-hearted heroes of our school.

And finally, there are the substitute teachers. Have an influenza outbreak run through part of the teaching staff and see what happens when insufficient substitute teachers are unavailable. Truth be told, substitute teachers deal with an abundance of challenges. The teacher who is in the classroom daily knows the routines and procedures that work best for their students and how to handle the unexpected. Substitute teachers usually don’t know the history of the classrooms or the students. They received phone calls that morning, listened to the voice of the school person desperately looking for last-minute fill-ins, and agreed to help. If the answer had been to decline, the caller might have hung up and started to weep. Substitute teachers are the hidden, humble, and heroic last-minute lifesavers of the school.

Every school has been blessed by heroes such as students, support staff, and people with servant's hearts. I’m not sure how any school can properly function without them. It is an honor to serve beside them every day.

After 36 years of pastoring churches in Michigan and Colorado, Mr. Wolfe semi-retired and began to substitute teach at Timberview Middle School, where he has also coached basketball for over 20 years.

Creating a multilingual library to meet the needs of your students

Paige Jennings — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:41:27 GMT

By: Lindsay Bohlinger

The month of April is dedicated to school libraries and celebrating all the great things our libraries provide for students and schools. When did you last spend some quality time in your library to walk the shelves to see what they have to offer? Do you have a diverse collection? Fantasy, Non-fiction, Graphic Novels, Mystery, Thrillers? What about books for your multilingual students?

Over the course of several years we have seen a significant increase in multilingual students in our district. As the school librarian, I wanted to make sure that they had the same opportunity to read books in class with their peers or in their free time. There is something special about getting lost in another world when the world around us seems too chaotic. Every child deserves to see themselves in a book, or to connect to a character in a special way. Students that are multilingual deserve to find peace and comfort in a world with a language they understand.

This year I have spent a lot of time updating and curating new school library resources that meet the needs of our ever-changing student population. One of my big pushes was to beef up our Spanish book selection for students who are multilingual. I spent time looking at the statistics, gathering evidence, and asking teachers for input on what to include in this part of our library.

Statistics

1 in 4 students is hispanic (Hispanic Research Center, 2022). There are an estimated 18.6 million Hispanic students and 3.8 million are native speakers who are not proficient in English (Hispanic Research Center, 2022). This number continues to grow and our schools aren’t always prepared to help these students succeed. Hispanic students are twice as likely to drop out of school compared to their caucasian peers.

Evidence

Studies have shown that when students are able to read in their first language they have an easier time reading in a second language (Alford, 2021). This also allows them to become more proficient readers in a second language even if they are learning new letters and sounds because they understand the process of reading (Alford, 2021). Furthermore, according to the Association for Childhood Education, students that are exposed to reading in their first language develop stronger pre-literacy skills than if they are only exposed to books in their second language (Association for Childhood Education International, 2003).

Teacher Input/Feedback

I asked my language arts teachers in particular what books they would like in our library for our multilingual students throughout the fall semester in order to make sure I was going to get books that our students would enjoy and be able to use in class with their peers (class sets). I also asked for input from other content teachers and our multilingual teacher to see if they had any suggestions and to make sure I was including a variety of subject areas for students to choose and learn from.

I wanted to make sure that students had access to topics that would interest them so I made sure to include sports books, fantasy books, classics, picture books, and a few other non-fiction stories. These are the same topics I would include for other demographics too. The data in my school library shows that 60% of my checkouts come from these categories, so I know that these topics are popular for students of any language background.

My selection of Spanish books doubled in size this year after doing research on the need for these books so multilingual students could feel not only successful, but like they have a place in the library to enjoy and escape the chaos around them. The checkouts of these new spanish books has gone from 5 checkouts of the same three books from last year to 26 this year of our various new books. The time and effort put into understanding the needs of my multilingual students has truly paid off, and my hope is checkouts and new books will continue to grow in our library to meet the needs of my students over the next several years.

Lindsay Bohinger is the learning coach and librarian at Severance Middle School in the Weld-RE 4 School District. She enjoys hiking, running, and hanging out with her family when her nose isn’t stuck in a book.

Sources

Alford, Jennifer H. “Enacting Critical Literacy with Adolescent English as an Additional Language Learners.” Critical Literacy with Adolescent English Language Learners, 2021, pp. 117–172., https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315617923-4.

Authors: et al. “Latino Children Represent over a Quarter of the Child Population Nationwide and Make up at Least 40 Percent in 5 Southwestern States.” Hispanic Research Center, 2 Aug. 2022, https://www.hispanicresearchcenter.org/research-resources/latino-children-represent-over-a-quarter-of-the-child-population-nationwide-and-make-up-at-least-40-percent-in-5-southwestern-states/.

Breiseth, Lydia. “Why Reading to Your Kids in Your Home Language Will Help Them Become Better Readers.” Colorín Colorado, Colorín Colorado, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/why-reading-your-kids-your-home-language-will-help-them-become-better-readers.

Gramlich, John. “Hispanic Dropout Rate Hits New Low, College Enrollment at New High.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 29 July 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/29/hispanic-dropout-rate-hits-new-low-college-enrollment-at-new-high/.

Lam, Kristin, and Erin Richards. “More US Schools Teach in English and Spanish, but Not Enough to Help Latino Kids.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 24 May 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/education/2020/01/06/english-language-learners-benefit-from-dual-language-immersion-bilingual-education/4058632002/.

6 Strategies for Educators to Rediscover Joy in Their Work and Unleash Their Full Potential

Paige Jennings — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:22:30 GMT

By: Lynne Eddis and Duane Moyer

If you ask an adult to remember their favorite teacher, it probably won’t take them long to recall that special person and what the educator did for them. Whether the teacher recognized their strengths or supported their passions, the best educators believe in their students and leave them with a long-lasting impression of what is possible for them in school and in life.

Many educators today are at risk of losing faith in their ability to make those connections with their students—and make a difference in young people’s lives. The three years since the pandemic began have been challenging and destabilizing for educators, and their belief in themselves and in the profession may have faltered. Many educators report that students do not have the stamina they once did. They see their colleagues struggling or deciding to leave the profession altogether. These realities have left educators wondering if their hard work matters and if they can still be someone’s favorite teacher someday.

Administrators, education leaders, and educators themselves must recognize this challenge and focus on rebuilding educator agency, that belief that educators can set and reach goals and have a real impact on their students.

Educators cannot pour from an empty cup. The following strategies can go a long way toward helping them regain a sense of efficacy and hope about their work with students.

Focus on what you can control. An educator’s confidence and sense of agency can be undermined by fears and worries about their students. But research on worrying shows that people spend a lot of time and energy worrying about the past or things that never actually happen. Instead of focusing on next year’s test scores, notice what you are doing for students every day; it’s important to challenge and reframe your thoughts about your students and stay focused on what is within your control.
Feed the feedback loop. An educator’s belief in themselves is improved with feedback. That is not the same as an evaluation, which occurs infrequently. Feedback has a positive influence on students and adults alike. When administrators give feedback, they can switch from “you” statements to “we” statements and offer to do things like visit other classrooms together to observe. This helps teachers hear feedback more willingly. Strong feedback helps teachers learn, grow, and feel supported in their environment.
Foster collaboration. Teachers benefit from opportunities to share their stories and discuss their practice. If they can talk about what they did in class, how students responded, and hear the experiences of other teachers, their sense of efficacy grows. They can discuss examples of modeling thinking or problem solving for students and how it improved their teaching. Education leaders should find ways to create more spaces for these conversations.
Celebrate small wins. Some educators are missing the connection between successes they see with students and the efforts that went into the success, i.e., between effort and impact. It is important for teachers and their peers to recognize even the small wins and connect those wins with the work that went into them.
Encourage self-care. Chronic stress and anxiety have become the norm in many schools since the pandemic. They are normal responses to an abnormal situation. The good news is that it is possible to build a sense of agency despite these adversities. It’s important for teachers to take care of themselves. One way to engage in self-care is to acknowledge vulnerability. Additional strategies are to strive for balance outside of work and develop a wellness plan that includes healthy eating, good sleep, and exercise.
Create a community of care. Research also shows that efficacy is built through meaningful gatherings with others and taking care of others. Teachers and administrators can create cultures of care within their buildings. With a little extra time, a school leader can offer to help a teacher in need run an errand or grade papers. This strategy encourages noticing when a colleague is struggling and paying it forward as well. It also establishes a sense of collective responsibility for the challenges that many students and teachers are facing now. As a school, come up with a list, such as “5 Ways to Show Up for Each Other,” share it in meetings, and post the list throughout your school.

The strategies above are only some of the ways to help educators regain their sense of efficacy and hope about their work with students. Administrators, school leadership teams, and educators can gain more understanding and learning additional strategies in the webinar, Building Educator Agency and Optimism: How Strength-based Approaches Can Help Educators Rediscover Joy in Their Work and Unleash Their Full Potential, presented by Doug Fisher.

7 Mindsets, a social-emotional learning and mental health solution provider for schools and districts across the country, offers multi-tiered SEL curriculum, professional development, and assessment that ensure safe and supportive learning environments. Our monthly Leading Minds webinar series features conversations with educational leaders on current topics in education.

Sketchnoting in Middle School

Paige Jennings — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 15:31:07 GMT

By: Courtney Adams

Do you know about sketchnoting? Have you ever considered using it in yourclassroom with students as a way to plan writing assignments? I firstlearned about sketchnoting at the ISTE conference in 2016 and immediately became excited to get started. After dabbling with it myself for a few years, I wrote an application to my school district to create and pilot a sketchnoting course with students. I now teach a sketchnoting elective class for 7th & 8th graders at Longs Peak Middle School in St. Vrain Valley Schools. Along my sketchnoting journey, I have also had the opportunity to work with the staff at my school, the technology support specialists for SVVSD, as well as educators at various professional learning courses. Sketchnoting is for everyone! This school year, I started taking our sketchnoting projects to the next level by being cross curricular to help students plan for writing assignments in their core classes.

Sketchnoting is a visual form of note-taking that combines words with visuals and uses various types of lettering styles to emphasize important words. Sketchnotes can be done freestyle (lacking organizational structure) or be organized in a way that fits the purpose of the information. Here at LPMS, we are a school that uses Thinking Maps as a way to process new learning and plan for writing. Whether you use Thinking Maps or other types of graphic organizers with your students in the classroom, research is showing that adding a visual component can help to solidify ideas, make connections to information, and increase memory retention.¹

As students in my class have been working on writing tasks such as persuasive essays, personal narratives, expository writing on topics being studied in science and social studies, and descriptive writing about personal values, I have partnered with core teachers to sketchnote out their thoughts and ideas on their topics. While for us, this is happening in two separate classrooms at times, this could be done as a seamless single process with one teacher. Based on the purpose of writing the students are working on, we match the structure of sketchnote/Thinking Map/graphic organizer to go best with their task. I encourage my students to sketchnote in a combination of English when they can and their native language when they need to so that all their ideas get represented. So far I have loved seeing projects come in that include Spanish and Traditional Chinese and I look forward to seeing what my students from Ukraine and Afghanistan sketchnote in the future!

SVVSD is a 1:1 iPad district. In my sketchnoting class, students use the Notability app with Logitech Crayons. I find that there is a lot of power in having an undo button for kids that fear making mistakes and are challenged in getting started on a task. With technology, in addition to the undo button, students are able to cut/move/resize objects that are drawn. While these tools all help in sketchnoting efficiency, none of them are required for sketchnoting! Using blank paper (or papers already organized with a various graphic organizer structure) and colors, students are able to access the same higher level of thinking and connection to their work.

To get students started with sketchnoting, I usually try to pair up a sketchnoting structure that we will use academically with a more fun choice topic. For example, when I want kids to prepare for a compare/contrast type of task, I will first have them sketchnote PE vs. Art, computers vs. books, or eyeglasses vs. braces. When I want them to prepare to sketchnote main idea and supporting details, I will first have them choose a topic they are interested in and use the same bubble map/core structure. By using a more fun, high-interest topic to get started, all students have a point of entry and a chance to engage before the assignment increases in academic difficulty.

Students are remarkably creative when it comes to making their thinking visual. I am constantly amazed and impressed by the things they come up with and the ways they show what they know. Perhaps, for an upcoming writing task, you may try introducing sketchnoting as a way for students to plan out their ideas! Or maybe you have 5 extra minutes and need some filler. You could try drawing some common icons or characters like globes, light bulbs, animals, school supplies, modes of transportation. When you have even just a few minutes to spare, start sketching. Perfection is never the goal, being creative and making connections between ideas is!

References:

Fernandes, M. A., Wammes, J. D., & Meade, M. E. (2018). The Surprisingly Powerful Influence of Drawing on Memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(5), 302–308.https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418755385

Courtney Adams teaches Creative Technology electives at Longs Peak Middle School, and is in her 15th year of teaching. She loves sharing out the amazing things students can do with technology! Her personal interests include reading, traveling, iPhone photography, baking, greyhound rescue, and Coke Zero. Find amazing student creations tweeted at @CAdamsLPMS.

Building Socially Inclusive Middle Schools

Paige Jennings — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:27:23 GMT

By: Seth Krebill (Western Region Unified Champion Schools Manager), Sam Parker (Southeast Region Coordinator) and Maricela Shukie (UCS Urban Schools Manager)

Middle school is often associated with the challenges of growing through an “awkward” phase - both socially and physically. We often hear about a culture of cliques, bullying, and students struggling with their evolving identity. However, there are great attributes of middle school too! Students are growing, changing and learning. With the right support, a socially inclusive school environment can make Middle School go from awkward to accepting.

We believe that the Special Olympics Unified program belongs in every middle school because of its ability to create socially inclusive environments. Through this programming, we build Unified teams where everyone feels safe and that they truly belong. Currently, there are 573 Unified Champion Schools (UCS) in Colorado, and 108 of them are middle schools. Research conducted across the country shows unified programs reduce bullying, increase self-confidence, decrease the use of hateful speech like the “R-word”... and all while practicing healthy activities and building teams:

93% of UCS liaisons believe Unified programming has created a more socially inclusive environment that helps students with disabilities become a part of the school community.

94% of UCS liaisons reported reduced bullying.

63% of school staff feel that students are open to and accepting of differences, and that the program has increased the sense of community in the school.

Students who have heard the “R-word” dropped from 83% to 54% where an Inclusion Campaign has been implemented.

96% of athletes experienced improved self- confidence.

99% feel the UCS program is valuable for their school as a whole.

There are so many ways to start Special Olympics programming at your school! The Special Olympics Colorado Unified Champion Schools program consists of four pillars:

(1) Unified Sports - students with and without intellectual disabilities play on the same team. These teams consist of athletes, those with an intellectual disability, and Unified partners, peer students without an intellectual disability. The Unified concept brings to light the idea that training and playing together provide a quick path to friendship and understanding.

(2) Inclusive Youth Leadership & Advocacy - empowers students to be the voice of change within their schools and communities. Colorado’s Youth Activation Committee (YAC) works to plan and implement unified opportunities throughout the state including the annual youth summit as a call to action for thousands of students to promote inclusion in their own schools.

(3) Whole School Engagement - fosters understanding and respect by engaging all students, staff, and faculty in school-wide opportunities. Pep rallies, assemblies, and sporting events that promote inclusion, respect and the UCS program.

(4) Health & Wellness Programming (Healthy LEAP) - provides a curriculum written by Special Olympics Colorado aligning with Colorado’s Department of Education Academic Health Standards. This curriculum provides students with and without intellectual disabilities information covering physical and personal wellness, social emotional health and prevention and risk management.

Not sure where to start?

We suggest you host a Whole School Engagement event in conjunction with our annual Spread The Word: Inclusion campaign that kicks off March 1st. We encourage schools to be creative in how they can help build more inclusive communities on their campuses.

Once you register as a UCS school, you qualify for a free Inclusion kit that consists of t-shirts, bracelets, posters, and a banner for the whole school to sign and pledge to be inclusive. Please note: The store closes April 1st, so order your free kit now! This video is an example of how your school can talk about Inclusion.

If you are looking to make your middle school socially inclusive, Special Olympics Colorado Unified Champion Schools is a strategy to activate youth, engage educators, and promote school communities of acceptance and inclusion. Please contact us with any questions about how to get involved!

References

Special Olympics North America, The academic and Social-Emotional Impacts of Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools, Andrea Cahn, Jacquline Jodi PhD, Michelle Tin PhD, and AShlyn Smioth, PhD, Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion and Education, May 2022

https://dotorg.brightspotcdn.com/21/78/92ea68a24291b4c98426eda39fcd/ucs-sel-onepager.pdf

Special Olympics North America Unified Champion Schools:

https://media.specialolympics.org/resources/community-building/youth-and-school/unified-champion-schools/UCS-Core-Case-Statement-Booklet.pdf?_ga=2.227808093.1197607975.1674493331-537196427.1666536567

Written by Special Olympics Colorado (SOCO) Unified Champion Schools (UCS) Staff from across the state: Seth Krebill (Western Region Unified Champion Schools Manager), Sam Parker (Southeast Region Coordinator) and Maricela Shukie (UCS Urban Schools Manager)

The “Ambassador” Approach

Paige Jennings — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:13:20 GMT

By: Lulu Buck

With systems getting more restrictive, aggressive community involvement, and politics entering our classrooms, DEI work is becoming a bigger challenge. DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), also called DEB (Diversity, Equity, and Belonging) work is necessary and can be exhausting for educators and administrators.

DEI/DEB work is human work. It can get very complicated when working with human emotions, human beliefs, and human experiences, to name a few. Navigating the content of issues can battle your values and how to balance those within a system can sometimes conflict with what our emotions tell us. This work requires patience, grace, persistence, and strategy. As educators, we want the answers, and getting the answers in time doesn’t always happen. We are accustomed to working quickly. DEI/DEB work moves slowly, and for some, not at all. There are many moving parts to this work when working at all levels, whether it’s in the classroom, a school building, and/or the district level.

The approach to this work is one of the key factors in keeping DEI/DEB working moving forward. Evolving through the 3 As of this work is a personal process. I began my educational career as an “activist”. Growing up an English Learner and constantly being frustrated with school are the main reasons I became an educator. I would take the activist role in what injustices I saw within the schools and districts I worked for. My young mind didn’t understand the bigger systems that impacted this inequities. I would often take them out on the administration and blame the district level for these inequities. I was also never tenured. I evolved into more of an “advocate” in the middle of my career. But if you look at the definition of an advocate it is still someone who argues and defends. It is still someone that takes action on the opposing side. Now, 24 years into education, I’ve learned to be an “ambassador” of equity. An ambassador is a trusted diplomat to carry the message of equity. Within a system, one must be trusted with the work from all sides. An ambassador works slow and takes their time in investigating. An ambassador is an excellent listener. An ambassador models kindness with everyone around them.

To “blow up” the system with our emotions, personal morals, and what we think is best for students, isn’t always what is best for students. Our students want stability, safety, belonging and a thriving learning environment. Students don’t seem to have an issue with what adults perceive is an issue. To move DEI/DEB work within a district system an educator must move through one's self to be an ambassador to find success in this complicated work and to keep the work moving forward. With the complex dynamics of equity work one can’t “blow up” the system with aggressive approaches. We must model the inclusiveness we want to see in the system and oftentimes it is slow. Our impatience and emotions are what gets the best of us.

What makes this work even more challenging is knowing your community and timing of moving this work. Strategies that may work in one district, school or classroom, may not work in another. The timing of events and where communities are with this work also affect movement. If you are the type of person that constantly loves to study, investigate and find the challenge of DEI work fascinating then you have the right attitude. This is why you will always hear me say, “there is no such things as an expert in the work of equity.” One can be extremely knowledgeable and bring forward their experience, but to say they are an expert, it just isn’t possible. When you think you know what you are doing in this work, an event, comment, situation or something will blindside you and flip everything you thought you knew. Therefore, you have to love this work and know that you will make mistakes since it is human work. This work will humble any educator that engages with it.

This is how the development of the children’s book “Sue’s Sky” came forward. I believe it has an “ambassador” approach to diving deep into DEI/DEB work without feeling aggressive to school communities and classrooms. Teachers often tell me, “this doesn’t feel like an agenda and allows students to explore and bring forward things that they are wondering about.” I know that it has a unique approach to bringing these conversations to our students without “blowing up” our classrooms and systems we have to work within and still fulfill our personal values and morals. It has been extremely rewarding to work with educators to broaden the ideas and impact classroom spaces for our students to move our classrooms to be more inclusive and accepting. I’m excited and extremely honored to conduct a book study and DEI/DEB project development course with participants. My hope is that this course brings forward the wonderings, challenges and solutions we have about equity. I know that we will have deep discussions and project developments, implementations, questions, and reflections. I look forward to facilitating this course and working with educators that need a place to start with the work of equity or continue their journey with educators that engage in this work on a regular basis.

Bio - Lourdes Lulu Buck is the Coordinator of Educational Equity, Family Engagement and CWEL Child Educational Welfare Liaison for St Vrain Valley School District. She is the children’s book author of “Sue’s Sky” and Spanish version of the book “El Cielo de Susana”.

Creating a Right of Passage through Legacy Murals

Paige Jennings — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 00:19:13 GMT

By Wendi K. Oster, Visual Arts Teacher at Platte Valley Middle School

It is a profound privilege to be teaching at the school I attended as a student. In the beginning, there was a shift of mindset and perspective as I transitioned from the experience of being a student to the reality of being a teacher. It was a hard truth that this was not the same school I had attended because the school culture seemed to have changed. I knew that I needed to be intentional in contributing to the change and promote a positive experience for students.

After a year of observation and reflection, I realized that there was something missing; there was not a presence of student voice or perspective to help encourage and promote student presence in the culture. At a fall conference for Colorado Art Education Association, I attended a keynote presentation by Steve Wood, from the Concrete Couch in Colorado Springs. During this presentation, Woods shared how effective collaboration exists when each person is allowed to bring their individual strengths, ideas, and aesthetics to the table when creating a collective work of art. He also shared that when people feel valued in their contributions, they are happier and have a stronger connection to their community. Concrete Couch projects range from public sculptures, murals, community events, etc. No matter what the project is, the cause becomes even more fruitful because it accentuates the value and skills of each member by providing a safe space to honor all ideas and abilities of those contributing to the project. Furthermore, it is because of this investment that the collaborative space becomes embedded with a sense of belonging, appreciation, and pride.

The words of community, collaboration, and legacy resonated with me, so I was faced with a few questions. How might integrating a collaborative art project foster a sense of belonging, appreciation, and pride while enriching the community amongst students, staff and the school? How might transforming the appearance of the school walls enliven the energy of the school culture? That is when it dawned on me that implementing a legacy project for the 8^th grade students might be such an avenue for transformation of school community, culture, and creative expression that heightens awareness and voice.

One of my ultimate goals was that this experience be student generated, so I adopted the ideation process I had personally experienced during a collaborative art class I took during my Master’s program at the University of Northern Colorado. During this class, students contributed and assisted street artist Alice Mizrachi on a mural for the Colorado Model Railroad Museum. The ideation process began with an introduction to street art through visual exploration of design, aesthetics, interaction, and setting. Then we moved into identifying personal preferences by sharing out our top three street art examples that resonated personally. During these oral share outs, we were able to comment on what we thought was a strength in visual communication. It was during this process that we made a list of key words that led to a subliminal theme. Once a theme was collectively agreed upon, we were charged with the task of interpreting the meaning of the theme and how to represent it visually. At our next round-robin share out, we presented our interpretations and Alice noted key features of our composition that she then adapted into a new design that fit our theme. She created the sketch that served as our direction and layout for the large mural.

I mirrored this process for my students as we met at lunch to explore street art, discuss aesthetics, identify themes, interpret the meaning through visual representation, and express their thoughts through their customized message. I served as the recorder during these meetings, and I noted what was being shared about key features that stood out to the students about each person’s ideas. It is always rewarding to hear the rich conversation and discover the metaphoric thread that tends to be present in each student’s ideas. Then it was my job to plan out the composition based on the sketches of each student. This usually takes a weekend to process; then produce the final sketch. I incorporate visual elements and style from each student’s ideas into the final composition. This has allowed the project to be conceptually based on students’ ideation.

In our school, we have a beloved thoroughfare, a hallway that jogs through the middle of the school and tends to be a little hectic during passing periods. We have deemed it the “Crooked Hallway” which seems to be a place of contention due to its blind spots, making it an easy place for inappropriate choices and behaviors. This made the hallway a perfect setting to transform through a tunnel of murals utilizing eclectic collections of different styles, concepts, and processes. Rather than this area being a space of negative behaviors, I aimed to embed it with a sense of pride.

Our school has a Positive Behavior Intervention System and functions on Colt P.R.I.D.E. Each letter stands for a desired character trait we hope to empower our students to possess: positive attitude, respect, integrity, determination, and excellence. By using this conspicuous part of the school to house the mural, we are sending positive messages, promoting change, and encouraging expression of perspective. Thus, creating a sense of pride and honor as only a selected few are given an invitation to contribute to the Legacy Murals. This pride is founded on the source of personal contribution and voice, empowering students to take an active role in being a part of shifting the school culture.

I have worked to grow the mystery and celebration as each mural is revealed. We begin the mural on a Friday night and paint the majority on a Saturday. Then we cover the nearly finished mural with a sheet as classes resume on that following Monday. After school, on Monday, we add the finishing touches and sign it in time for an artist reception. At the artist reception, I have the students share how they contributed to the composition, what it means to them personally, and how having this opportunity of participating in a Legacy Mural impacts them. Parents, grandparents, teachers, and administration are present to acknowledge the success of the students. To date, we have explored the following themes:

Nature of Us- breaking through and asserting presence is represented in a tree overtaking lined paper.
To Be or Not to Be CHANGE- We all have the power and choice to take part in being the change we want to see. This is shown through the symbolic transformation of a phoenix taking off through the knowledge gained from experience and discovery.
Dreams Take Flight- we can explore dreams and allow them to carry us and motivate us. Demonstrated through a bird of many colors and contrasting from the darkened wall.
No Elevator for Success- hard work and effort pays off… there is no easy way through; the journey is illustrated by a panda navigating through obstacles and faced with climbing a mountain of stairs.
Embrace Joy- we have overcome the heaviness of Covid-19 and we can choose to participate to find joy and reconnect which is illustrated through the heavy weight of a dark dripping background, but we are being lifted through our connections and moments of joys like balloons.
Diversity in Unity- it is okay to be different and still work together; we are all unique and have something to contribute which is seen in the rainbow lettering of the theme and how standing together offers strength and power.
Explore Culturas- the more we step out and explore people who are different than us the more understanding we experience and can appreciate traditions of other cultures…we might even find that there are some correlations in our differences. This is represented through a Calaca sugar skull from Día de los Muertos looking into a mirror supported by books to gain perspective.
Speak Up- we all have a voice that deserves to be heard in classes, on the court, and in the community. We should not be silenced when we try to share our perspectives. This is shown through an otherworldly setting of a person being caged or silenced by the taunts of others but then finding the courage to take a stand and share thoughts anyway.

It has been rewarding to see the evolution of the hallway as it creates an appearance of a patchwork quilt documenting time and classes. I hope that the students who participate will experience a sense of relevance and resonance as they prepare for the transition to high school as well as reflect on the legacy they would like to leave behind for future classes. It has been years in the making yet there are still years to come; however, this is what it takes to build a right of passage that leaves a mark on our middle school.

Wendi K. Oster is an art educator at Platte Valley Middle School where she has taught for almost thirteen years, with the last eight years transforming her practice through the lens of Teaching for Artistic Behaviors (TAB). Empowering students is a focus for Wendi as she challenges students with critical and creative thinking through guiding questions, personal inquiry through cognitive coaching, and accessing contemporary artists to build community and foster empathy. She obtained her Undergraduate (2009) and master’s (2016) degrees from the University of Northern Colorado. Wendi has contributed to the art education community through independent presentations like Providing Feedback through Cognitive Coaching and the Creative Process (2018), Sharing heART to heART (2019) and Getting to the heART of Meaning: Making Thinking Visible, (2019) at the Colorado Art Education Association winter conference and Colorado Teaching for Artistic Behaviors Conference.

Journaling to a Better Me

Paige Jennings — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 00:07:26 GMT

By; Tanya Over

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from situations. Being a teacher of middle school students for twenty years, I notice certain trends that have been happening. I notice that the neediness, anxiety, stress, and inability to deal with change or friendship drama is on the rise. Students need to learn to adapt and cope in all of these situations. A number of factors contribute to how well people adapt in these situations. The ways in which individuals view and engage with the world and specific coping strategies are the focus of Journaling to a Better Me.

I decided to develop something that could help students grow in finding out who they are and who they want to be. This journal is something that will give them skills for dealing with everyday life and options of things to try if something does not go their way.

Based on data from my school’s counseling office and administration, conflict resolution is the number one problem. A quick survey found out that my students, a class of 26, on a scale of 1-5, one low and 5 high, 65% rate their anxiety as 5, 4 or 3. This leads me to believe that they are quite anxious or they don’t know strategies for helping to ease their anxiety. I also found out 77% find themselves confident in dealing with conflicts with friends. This information contradicts what the administration and counseling are reporting that the majority of the visits to their offices are dealing with conflict management. I am intrigued to dive deeper into this area with the journaling. 65% do not feel they are able to bounce back from difficult situations. As expected, 61% had not journaled before.

I began with a note home for the optional purchase of a bullet journal. If they cannot get a bullet journal, these lessons are adaptable with a spiral notebook or Notability, an iPad app. I find when the students begin working on their journals, when they pick up the pencil or marker it calms them. They work quietly and intently. The “vibe,” as my daughter says, is happy and relaxed. As they will find later on, journaling is also a self-care technique that many have not accessed previously.

In the beginning, I had about 33% of my students with bullet journals. Now, a month in, 90% of my kids have bullet journals. I have given away 24 journals, some to students not even in my class who want to join us. I am finding the kids are loving the lessons and drawing. Most are off screens for 30 minutes. They are happy in the class and giving compliments to each other about creativity and their pages. I see many asking to work in journals when they have finished classwork.

Currently, we are working on Who Are You? Chapter. They are learning about themselves and completing activities to build connections with others. I am hearing comments like “Wait. You too?” “ I did not know that about you.” We are tracking how we are confident each day based on the 7 ways to build confidence that I developed. We are discussing which is the hardest and which is the easiest way to build confidence. They have even corrected me by saying, “Mrs. Over, is that positive self talk? How can you change that to use yet or and ?” Yet/and are words we have added to our vocabulary to build confidence. For example: I did not do well on the math homework AND I have asked for help to gain better understanding. It is exciting to see them use the skills outside of the lesson time.

Our next step is to look in detail about what they are good at and how they can develop those skills even further. We will make a tracker for that as well.

Lastly, we will dive more deeply into what we can control, options of what to do when we can not, and to start tracking our choices in daily situations. We will be looking at methods of self care and what is the difference between anxiety and stress.

Throughout this unit, I also have been introducing optional pages for them to design. Some pages they have chosen to create are migraine trackers, sleep trackers and phone usage trackers. Some are combining all sorts of things for them to work on in a monthly tracker.

While I do not grade the pages, I do look over them to see if they have been attempted. We do activities on Tuesday and Thursday but many work on their book on the other days as well.

This is their journey to discover and better themselves.

My hope for this project is to help students realize for themselves what positive attributes they have, how to build on them, and what to do when things don’t go their way. Let’s face it, sometimes we all have bad days….even in Australia.

For further information or questions please email: tanyacover@gmail.com

Tanya Over has taught for twenty years, mostly middle school math and fourteen years at Erie Middle. As a wife, mother, daughter and teacher, she is continually working on developing good self-care.

Finding (and Sharing!) the Joy in Middle School

Paige Jennings — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 23:48:13 GMT

By: Andrea Smith, Ed.D.

I am in a long line at the pharmacy and the person in front of me turns around to make small talk to pass the time. Inevitably, the conversation turns towards the polite question of “what do you do for a living?” I have learned that this question is a crossroads in a surface conversation with well-meaning people. I know that once I utter a certain answer, I am in for a more in-depth conversation. And I also know that it is my duty as a middle level educator to step right up into that discussion. So, I internally grimace and brace for the typical reaction as I reply, “I am a middle school principal.”

If you are a middle level educator and have ever encountered this type of situation, then you know exactly what comes next. Empathetic head tilt. Knowing glance. Slight wince followed by a smirk. Then, the usual reply. Something along the lines of, “Ooooh, wow. Middle school is the worst! You couldn’t pay me enough to have to work with kids that age.”

I could easily avoid this type of interaction. I could simply say “I work in education” or “I am a principal.” However, I intentionally choose not to because I have come to LOVE having these types of conversations. They used to bother me a bit as I would find myself frustrated that others thought so negatively about students in their adolescent years. However, now I see these conversations as an opportunity to impact public perception of working with adolescents. I see these interactions as a way to push back against the negative assumptions people often make about the young people that I love and adore. I see myself as a change agent. As a middle school principal, I now see that it is my duty to not only find the joy in these often-tough years for students but to then share that joy with the world.

Here are ways that I think we can find and share the joy in the work we do:

Make Room for Laughter

How often do you truly laugh with students? We have so many obligations pulling on us each day that it is easy to not make room to connect and laugh with our students. Whether it is laughing at your own mistake, a corny joke of the week, or even a silly Super Bowl ad. Take time each day or week to build in an opportunity to laugh with your students. And take it further than your classroom walls. Share one of those funny moments with a colleague when you are in the hall or on lunch duty. Create collegial connections of joy and laughter. Be a source of humor within your school culture.

Embrace the Stage

We work with 10-14 year olds. Their brains are changing and growing every day. They can be forgetful. They can be impulsive. They can forget things from one day to the next. They can have a completely different understanding of how time and deadlines work. And they can also be delightful and goofy and utterly unique. It is easy, especially this time of year, to get caught up in the frustrating aspects of working with adolescents. However, creating space to recognize that what these young people really need is someone that can meet them where they are and embrace them for exactly who they are. This full and absolute acceptance and delight of what it means to educate adolescents is what truly helps us find the joy in what we do. Be a champion of delight in the middle school years.

We Can Expect Better

We all know that the middle school years often include incidents of relational aggression, social power dynamics, name-calling, and put-downs. However, we must remember that we should continue to expect more. When we lower our expectations to “that’s just the way middle school is,” we forget how much of an opportunity we have to teach key social skills and support healthy relationships. Be the educator that continually digs in and works with students to find better ways to solve problems or resolve conflict. This investment can lead to a shift in what students expect of themselves. Be the voice that expects more.

Reject the Narrative

We all know that these adolescent years can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean that negativity needs to be the headline. There are so many amazing things happening in our schools every day, and we have to be sure that those things are part of the narrative as well. We have to share these amazing moments with the world however we can. Be a positive voice in the narrative.

As we start the final three months of the school year, challenge yourself to look for the joy in each day. Enjoy laughter and embrace the craziness and fun that is middle school. Next time you have that inevitable small-talk conversation, proudly declare “YES! I do work with middle schoolers…and I LOVE it!”

Be The Flame

Paige Jennings — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 15:03:05 GMT

By: Shane Saeed

In education we are consistently talking about relationships. How to build relationships, how to mend relationships, and how to leverage relationships all in the name of learning. In his book I Love It Here, author and researcher Clint Pulver discusses the two things needed to be a high-yield mentor teacher: the ability to build strong positive relationships and hold high expectations for students. These are the teachers that see the most results both social-emotionally and academically in the classroom. In Zaretta Hammond’s culturally responsive practices work, she describes this balance within a teacher as being a warm demander. A warm demander is a teacher who focuses on building rapport and trust with students and in turn earns the right to hold students to high expectations and hold them accountable for effort and engagement (Hammond, 2014). The foundation for holding students to high-expectations is having strong positive relationships.

As a student, I had an algebra teacher who gave a speech on the first day of school insisting that he refused to let us fail. Unfortunately, my number sense and conceptual understanding of math did not kick into gear until I was in college. A month into school, my algebra grade had dropped significantly. My teacher sat me down and explained he would not allow me to go through the rest of the semester attempting to fly under the radar when I very obviously did not understand the content. Even as an apathetic student, I could tell my algebra teacher cared about me as a human and wanted my grade to improve. He invited me to the math lab and tutored me for the next few weeks during his planning period until it all clicked and I could balance algebraic equations on my own. The warm demander in him refused to allow me to fail that year which supported my academic success in math the following years.

Knowing strong relationships are the foundation to our academic work, how do educators build relationships, encourage trust, and cultivate an environment where students feel safe to learn and take risks? Educators can start small with their everyday interactions to build rapport and trust. In Dare to Lead author Brené Brown describes the process of building trust using the analogy of a marble jar. Trust is built in little moments over time, each action adding a marble to one’s marble jar of trust (Brown, 2018). Trust is pivotal in a positive relationship as it creates a mutual understanding of positive intent. Embedding meaningful connections with students can be as simple as greeting each student by name and with a smile as they enter the classroom. Better yet, ask students about their interests outside of class and then follow up with a question about their interests at a later time. Every follow up question shows a teacher both listened and cared to follow up. Another simple way to let your students know you care is writing a note noticing their growth or sending a positive email home to their family or caregiver. Every small positive action lays the foundation for teachers to have high expectations.

If a teacher is realizing they are either stagnant or declining in a relationship with a student, they can track their positive-to-negative interaction ratio. Hammond (2014) explains that for every individual negative interaction, the teacher must have at least two positive interactions with the student in the form of individual praise, validation, or affirmation. The tracking of these specific interactions may help the teacher realize if they are having more negative interactions than positive. I tracked my interactions with a student I realized I was in a declining relationship with and was shocked to realize that my negative interactions with them outweighed the positive by far. After this realization, I intentionally sought out positive interactions with this student and within a week I saw an improvement in engagement and rapport. Although tracking interactions with all students is not feasible, focusing on one relationship that is not where we want it to be per class period could be transformational.

One-on-one relationships, though an important part of the learning environment, are not enough to create a space where students feel comfortable to learn. Especially in middle school, students feel as if everyone is judging them at all times. It’s critical that a strong and trusting community is created among the students to support risk taking and mistake making. Community building activities throughout the year can help build and reinforce relationships between your students. One specific activity I recommend for building community would be the STEM Paper Chain Challenge where teams of students are tasked with creating the longest paper chain with the same amount of materials. Through this activity, the teacher is able to see which students take the lead, which students work collaboratively, which might need support with collaboration, and their ability to problem solve. Then, task the teams to do the challenge twice. After the first attempt, the teams discuss what part of their process they want to keep and what they want to change based on their outcome or even what they noticed other groups did. This activity normalizes that we rarely do anything perfectly on the first try. Rather, the learning process is about garnering feedback, reflecting, and trying again for a better outcome.

There is so much more I wish I could discuss in this newsletter, however, the art of building relationships and community is more than I can explain in a single blog post. Therefore, I invite you to join me in my author-led book study on Be the Flame: Sparking Positive Classroom Communities where you will dive into the how of building strong relationships with students, among students, with families, with coworkers, and even with educators around the world. It begins on February 13th and runs through March 30th and you have the opportunity to earn 0.5 credit from Adams State University. Join me in diving into building community with the stakeholders that you interact with the most. Looking forward to partnering with you on building strong relationships in the classroom!

References

Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead. Random House Publishing Group.

Hammond, Z. (2014). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin.

Pulver, C. (2021). I love it here. Page Two.

Shane Saeed is a district instructional coach and professional development facilitator in St Vrain Valley School District. She is also a doctoral student working towards a doctorate in executive leadership with a focus on educational equity, an author of Be the Flame: Sparking Positive Classroom Communities, and a national presenter on building community, the science of learning, and the science of reading in the upper grades. Add to your PLN and connect with Shane via Twitter (@saeed_shane), Instagram (@fantasticallyfourth), and on TikTok (@thefantasticallyfourth).

Relationships to Resilience

Paige Jennings — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 16:49:03 GMT

Relationships to Resilience

By: Ramone Sanders

It was the winter of 2015—a weekend in February, to be more specific. I was a service member working as an education specialist with Public Allies Milwaukee, now known as Public Allies Wisconsin, and we found ourselves in a lodge nestled in the woods of Sister Bay, WI. Public Allies was my first introduction to restorative practices and the art of circle-keeping, and we had begun our term of service in September 2014 and now found ourselves at our mid-year retreat.

At this point of our service, we had engaged in restorative practices as a relationship/community building, low-stakes approach. Conflict began to occur through our work together and with our host organizations, as it naturally does. Prior presentations of learning that incorporated guided rounds of questions allowed for dialogue and critical thinking, which helped to prepare us for the collective challenges we would face that weekend.

Our first circle of the weekend quickly exposed our discomfort and resistance to an intentional space for conflict transformation laying the foundation for repair. The “circle keeper” and co-facilitators led us through a circle-opening ritual that was familiar to us all. We agreed to the community guidelines, and the circle was open to those to speak if and when they felt moved to speak. At first, there was an uncomfortable silence; we had no prompt, no guidance, just silence. A brave person began to speak; he was familiar with this type of process, but he was our peer. Therefore a couple of peers soon became agitated with our colleague attempting to direct the circle. As folks became more vocal about each others’ critiques, the circle devolved into a snowball effect of addressing conflicts that had lingered and patterns of behavior and disagreement. The “circle keepers” allowed the conflict to occur only by interjecting to remind us of group agreements breached.

We fought, we blamed, we shamed, we projected, we made assumptions, and we cried. That first day of circles (there were three extensive circles per day, from Thursday through Sunday) was exhausting; the cliques remained, and nothing seemed resolved. There were whispers of this particular process causing harm and not worth it. Folks weren’t ready to take responsibility for how they showed up within our community. The second day of circles seemed to shift the energy. During opportunities to reflect, guided by our circle keepers, we began cultivating a brave space as a community; a brave space to share pieces of ourselves that we dared not before. Guided by prompts carefully crafted out of the common themes of our collective conflicts, we began to feel less defensive. The cliques dissolved, and we cried, we laughed, we inspired, we apologized, we made commitments, we validated, we affirmed, we reflected, and we loved. We cultivated a “Beloved Community.”

Our final circle incorporated a group dance session on Sunday afternoon to close out our experience. This was a cathartic release to help ground us as we prepare to leave and commit to more authentic and vulnerable relationship goals. We left Sister Bay, WI, with newly formed connections, deeper existing connections, commitments towards repair, and a stronger sense of self and community.

Following our mid-year retreat, there was an open invitation for folks to participate in a circle-keeping training led by the practitioners we had become familiar with over our weekend experience. I jumped at the opportunity to learn how to facilitate circles with my friends, family, and the young folks I served. This was when I learned about restorative practices. I learned the “magic” of circles manifest from intentional processes and rituals relevant to those involved in cultivating authentic community and conflict transformation.

Without the intentional efforts to implement restorative processes and rituals every Friday for eight hours leading to our mid-year retreat, none of the repair work would have been possible. The way folks chose to navigate conflict within relationships and the support we offered each other would likely not have manifested in the way it did. Our relationships extended beyond our proximity; we were engaged in an authentic community willing to address our differences and take responsibility for our roles within our community. We began to demonstrate remarkable resilience throughout our relationships.

I continued learning restorative processes and rituals, which led me to restorative practices in schools. It was first with the Milwaukee Public Schools District restorative practices initiative. As a volunteer, I identified the connections between restorative practices and social and emotional learning theories. The concepts of "educating the whole child,” peaceable schools, restorative learning communities, liberatory education, and so on became my passion.

I am now the restorative justice training manager at Longmont Community Justice Partnership. Our professional development course, Relationships to Resilience, offers restorative tools for the classroom and school communities. The goal or outcome is to cultivate student leadership through restorative processes and rituals, to complement the learning environment. Proactively using restorative tools within learning environments assists all the folks involved by becoming more familiar with restorative processes and language. The benefit of a restorative culture of understanding allows for an exploration of alternatives to punitive forms of discipline, like suspensions or incarceration.

The continuum of restorative practices swings from prevention to intervention, utilizing restorative processes to cultivate relationship building to restorative processes addressing more specific situations. This particular restorative tools series lands in the prevention spectrum.The prevention spectrum focuses on restorative processes that aim to cultivate authentic relationships and familiarity with restorative language and processes.

With the support of Matt Hoffmiester, a national trainer for Sources of Strength (a social and emotional learning framework), we co-facilitate a participatory learning opportunity focused on developing relationships and the core restorative skills for facilitating restorative processes. We dive into facilitating connection circles and restorative conversations; we practice the core restorative skills within these two particular processes.

The use of connection circles assists with developing and deepening relationships among students, educators, support staff, and administrators. The proactive use of formal or informal circles also develops a greater understanding of restorative practice processes. Relationship is the foundation for restorative practices in learning communities. Authentic relationships are crucial when cultivating buy-in from students to engage in more formal restorative processes that address maladapted behavior. Circle facilitators can model authenticity and vulnerability, allowing space for students to reflect, relate, and actively listen to one another. Proactive circles set the stage for a multitude of dynamic restorative processes.

Additionally, our facilitation of restorative conversations focuses on an intentional one-on-one process to address a concern directly. These conversations utilize a series of restorative questions to discover or understand what needs are communicated from the behavior presented, creating an opportunity for students to regulate. Restorative conversations can address conflict and miscommunication directly in a way that attempts to remove the behavior from the person to mitigate shame and blame. The goal of a restorative conversation is to establish relevant verbal agreements that focus on repair and a plan for moving forward. Using restorative skills, such as affective questions and affective statements, allows participants to lean in with curiosity and address unmet needs. Restorative conversations can be used peer to peer, student to student, student to educator, with parents, support staff, and supervisors.

These foundational processes promote a dynamic cultural shift to learning environments if modeled authentically and ethically. The use of circles allows for equal voice and establishes a versatile process that could be used to establish group agreements; navigate challenging curricula; community healing; celebrations; departures; and reintegration. Restorative conversations assist in setting, resetting, and reinforcing boundaries. Restorative conversations allow for addressing concerns or reminders that don’t elicit shame. The restorative skills needed for these foundational processes lead us to cultivate relationships “with” all our learning community members.

Relationship is the foundation that leads to resiliency.

For more information or opportunities to learn about restorative practices processes or volunteer with LCJP, visit here:https://www.lcjp.org/training-with-lcjp-2

Ramone Sanders

Restorative Justice Training Manager

Longmont Community Justice Partnership

Ramone@lcjp.org

SEL, Mindfulness and Equity

Paige Jennings — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 16:47:14 GMT

By: Susan Davis

The middle years can be challenging as students face many physical, psychological, social, and intellectual changes that come with adolescence. Schools can support students by implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculums and practices and incorporating equity.

SEL is a process by which individuals develop their knowledge and capacity to incorporate behaviors, thoughts, and emotions to support social interactions (CASEL, 2003). Transformative SEL addresses issues such as power, privilege, and discrimination (Jagers et al., 2019) and centers equity through identity, agency, belonging, collaborative problem-solving, and curiosity (Jagers et al., 2021). It is essential that SEL and equity work together to be truly effective.

Mindfulness is one approach to SEL and is defined as non-judgmental, present-moment awareness (Kabat-Zinn, 2015). This article outlines actions that educators can use to create spaces that integrate SEL, mindfulness, and equity into the fabric of our system.

Identity Development

“Who am I?” “Where do I fit?” Educators often tell students what to learn, how to behave, and where they fit. Awareness of self and how we affect each other leaves us less likely to cause harm. Identity development is understanding and valuing one’s sense of self, and for many, positive identity development relates to their race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. Identity indicates understanding and discernment associated with various intersectional personal and social group statuses. The following are ways educators can facilitate identity and belonging in schools:

1.Recognize our own beliefs.

2.Do the inner work first.

3.Be open-minded.

These practices set the stage for others to feel safe to be themselves around us and with us to create an environment where everyone can shine with their authentic selves.

Belonging

Mindfulness explores a focus on the now with openness, curiosity, and acceptance, and strengthens our sense of belonging. Ironically, our awareness of self leads us to compassionate action towards others through the awareness of our interconnectedness. Unifying staff through collaborative learning teams can be a great way to foster belonging. Teachers can translate this practice into group work within classrooms. Bringing a non-judgmental, present-moment awareness to group dynamics sets the stage for safety and belonging.

Agency

Educators can facilitate agency by providing opportunities for voice and choice in educational spaces. Rather than beginning from a teacher-led, educator-centered practice, co-constructing a safe space through group agreements allows students to explore student agency (Duane et al., 2021). One example of a co-opted agreement adapted from East Bay Meditation Center (2022) is the following:

· Try it on: Be willing to “try on” new ideas or ways of doing things that might not be what you prefer.

· Practice self-focus: Attend to and speak about your own experiences and responses and not speak for a whole group.

· Understand the difference between intent and impact: Try to understand and acknowledge impact.

· Practice “both /and”: When speaking, substitute “and” for “but.” This practice acknowledges multiple realities.

· Move up /move back: Encourage participation by all present. Take note of who is speaking and who is not. If you tend to talk often, consider “moving back.”

· Practice mindful listening: Avoid planning what you will say as you listen.

· Confidentiality: Take home learnings, but don’t identify anyone other than yourself, now or later.

· Right to pass: You can say “I pass” if you don’t wish to speak.

Collaborative Problem Solving

Collaborative problem-solving is an essential skill set rooted in relationships and is a critical 21st-century skill. Project-based learning provides an excellent opportunity for schools to practice collaborative problem-solving. The following are some tips to be more mindful during collaborative problem-solving (Baker, 2022):

Put feelings or thoughts into words. Articulate your feelings; don’t engage in a long conversation about the details of the emotion. This allows you to objectively state your opinions without getting hung up on the emotions surrounding the core problem.
Understand that your beliefs may be emotionally driven. They are subconscious, automatic thoughts that can be illogical, invalid, or biased.
Accept that your perception is limited.Your understanding of the situation is only one side of the story. Try to interpret the situation differently, change its meaning, or view it from another person’s perspective.
Be solution-focused rather than wanting to win the fight.
Keep in mind thatnot everyone wants to reframe conflict as an opportunity – it’s comfortable to ignore problems in the short term, but leaving conflicts unresolved will lead you to similar situations in the future.
Allow all voices to be heard.
It is helpful to have a mediator involvedif tensions are high. This creates safety and an opportunity for all voices to be heard.

Curiosity

Curiosity mirrors a core need in the iterative process to share information about self and the surrounding world. Get curious about emotions When we get curious about our emotions, it gives us a moment to pause with nonjudgement. We can facilitate opportunities for students to get curious by:

Practicing Intellectual humility: acknowledge that as the educator, you do not hold all the answers. Allow students the opportunity to seek solutions for themselves.
Looking beyond standardized tests and grades. Allow students to get innovative and remove these boundaries.
Asking open-ended questions. Explore reflective journal writing or classroom discussion. Create opportunities to discuss questions where there is no right or wrong answer.
Celebrating mistakes. Growth happens when we make mistakes.

Mindfulness can transform education: superintendents while setting organizational direction; principals while working with students on discipline issues; teachers while navigating the complexities of being a teacher; students in dealing with each other and their differences. Not one individual does not affect another. We are connected, and our actions affect the whole.

SEL or mindfulness is not a short-term fix to all the social imbalances the education system faces but a long-term commitment. Imagine a world where SEL and mindful practices crystallize in our relationships at work, grocery stores, on social media, or while waiting at a traffic light. Mindfulness is a practice that changes hearts and minds and leads to living a more meaningful life.

Susan J. Davis is an SEL coordinator in the St. Vrain Valley School district. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Colorado Denver with a research focus on equity and social and emotional learning.

References

Baker, K. (2022). 7 ways to use mindfulness in problem-solving. Retrieved July 11, 2022, fromhttps://blog.nols.edu/2015/07/26/7-ways-to-use-mindfulness-in-problem-solving

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2003). Safe and sound: An educational leader's guide to evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs. Dept. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED482011

East Bay Meditation Center. (2022, March). Agreements for multicultural interactions at EBMC. East Bay Meditation Center. Retrieved from https://eastbaymeditation.org/2022/03/agreements-for-multicultural-interactions/

Jagers, R., Skoog-Hoffman, A., Barthelus, B., & Schlund, J. (2021, June 3). Transformative Social and Emotional Learning. American Federation of Teachers. https://www.aft.org/ae/summer2021/jagers_skoog-hoffman_barthelus_schlund

Jagers, R.J., Rivas-Drake, D., & Williams, B., (2019) Transformative social and emotional learning (SEL): Toward SEL in service of educational equity and excellence, Educational Psychologist, 54, 162-184, DOI: 10.1080/00461520.2019.1623032

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2015). Mindfulness. Mindfulness, 6(6), 1481–1483.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0456-x

Thompson Tomorrows Today

Paige Jennings — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 16:30:26 GMT

By: Tracy Stegall

How is your district building self-awareness for middle school students in relation to the world of work? How are you providing relevant, real-world experiences for students to discover their passions?

In the Thompson School District, alongside our partners at the Thompson Education Foundation, we are paying attention to the intentional skill development of in-demand ESSENTIAL skills, and doing so as early as elementary school.

In our middle school programming, a combination of partnerships with businesses alongside intelligent pathway planning offers students the opportunity to begin to see ALL of their “tomorrows” at an early age. This is some of the work encompassed by Thompson Tomorrows Today.

Thanks to a grant from OtterCares Foundation, we partnered with MindSpark Learning and Colorado Succeeds to develop a two-year program supporting teachers in K-8 schools in building, from the ground up, a program where purposeful connections are made between school subjects and industry/career paths. Through problem-based learning and work in approaching core subjects through the lens of business and community, students build self-awareness, awareness of careers and industries, and essential skills. This, in turn, offers our business partners authentic ways to partner with us in the district, building a stronger community infrastructure.

This work started with a Great Minds Retreat in April, 2022. This full day event offered a cross-sector opportunity to design and plan Thompson Tomorrows Today. Fifty participants from the Thompson School District and local businesses came together to envision our work together. The main goal was to plan our inaugural Thompson Tomorrows Today event.

In August, the Thompson Tomorrows Today event involved 100 cross-sector revolutionaries including:

Teams of 80 TSD Educators K-8; 20 Business Partners
Thompson Education Foundation; Learning Services Leadership

This day included tours of the Thompson Career Campus and tours of industry partner worksites: Tharp Cabinets, CoreKat Data Solutions, and Columbine Health. Following a collaborative, catered lunch, the day launched into School Team Planning, Industry Collaboration, and Idea Pitching by Educators to Industry Partners.

As the 2022-2023 school year launched, educators ignited their work and came back together with business partners in November for “High Tea with T3.” During this after school event, school teams and business partners re-connected, celebrated successes, and planned for next steps. We envision additional connection opportunities throughout the remainder of this year.

Of note, this work is helping us increase the relevance of Individual Career and Academic Planning at the middle school level. Also, the Thompson School District (in partnership with Poudre and Estes Park) uses Xello as our college and career readiness software. This product allows businesses in Larimer County to partner with school districts electronically. Businesses can use the software to post internships, externships, and jobs… and students can connect directly with businesses through their Xello Profile.

For additional information, contact Tracy Stegall (tracy.stegall@tsd.org), Executive Director of Teaching and Learning; Andy Stevens (andy.stevens@tsd.org), CTE Coordinator; or Susan Scott (susan.scott@tsd.org), Work Based Learning Coordinator– Thompson School District.

Brentwood Middle School Spotlight

Paige Jennings — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 16:54:21 GMT

By: Jason Taylor

As a 2000 graduate of Greeley West High School(Go Spartans), I have always wanted to believe that good things were happening with the schools in my hometown. Over the years though, I got pretty used to hearing lots of negativity coming from Greeley community members, parents, and teachers. That all started to change in 2015 when Dr. Dierdre Pilch became the superintendent and engaged in a full remodel of the district. As time went by, I started hearing more and more positive news about schools in the district. When I learned last spring that Brentwood Middle School had received the prestigious “Schools to Watch” designation from the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education (CAMLE), my interest level was piqued and I knew that I would have to visit the school to see for myself.

I recently spent a wonderful afternoon with Brentwood Principal Nicole Petersen and her staff. The first thing that I would mention is that the term “staff” really is not a great descriptor of the team of educators working at this first-rate school. John Spencer, who has been teaching Social Studies at Brentwood for the last 12 years referred to the staff as “a family” and I think that is certainly a more appropriate label. Everywhere you go in the school, you find another smiling face. Teachers, students, and administrators all interacting in ways that you would expect to see from family members (and I mean that in the best, most positive sense).

In walking the hallways at Brentwood, you get the immediate sense that you belong there (even when you’re a 41 year old administrator from another school). I spent a few minutes chatting with Grace Jackson, a 9^th grader who used to attend Brentwood and now chooses to return to the school to help her former teachers (yes, you read that right). When asked what her favorite thing about her old school was, she instantly answered “the community.” “Everyone is welcomed, regardless of their race or identity” she said. When asked about other favorite aspects of the school, Grace mentioned her teachers. “They push you to think deeper and they expanded our minds” she said. In fact, every single student that I visited cited the school’s welcoming culture and fun/engaging teachers as their favorite parts of the school.

When I interviewed Principal Petersen, she too stated that the school’s culture and climate are top reasons for their academic success. “Students are celebrated for who they are,” Principal Petersen said. This is particularly important in a school as diverse as Brentwood Middle School. In fact, out of a total of 561 students, only 25% are white or Caucasian. The other 75% of their student body is made up of various other “minority” student populations. On top of that, a staggering 78% of the student body qualifies for free and reduced lunch which makes the school’s top ranked “Performance” rating on the Colorado School Performance framework all the more impressive. So how did Brentwood achieve this phenomenal academic feat? The answer lies in a combination of high academic expectations, great teachers, and the amazing “family” culture that I mentioned earlier.

Here again, Principal Petersen mentions the importance of school culture in their success. “You can put a lot of emphasis on big events, but it’s more about the little day to day things.” Teachers and students alike receive weekly recognitions, birthday celebrations, and my personal favorite: hot chocolate on the first snowfall. These countless cultural initiatives serve to boost morale and contribute to the overall feel of the school. John Spencer (mentioned earlier) said that his favorite part of being a teacher at Brentwood is the “loving, family atmosphere” that has been maintained for many years and has led to the retention of an excellent staff (which certainly would explain why every student interviewed loved their teachers so much)

After discussing the cultural initiatives going on at Brentwood, I asked Principal Petersen about the things she is most proud of academically. Without hesitation, she immediately cited the school’s “Step up to Writing” initiative as a particular point of pride. Unlike many schools, at Brentwood, writing is embraced by the entire staff. Each core class is expected to engage in one structured paragraph every week and one multiple paragraph essay every month. Brentwood’s school-wide literacy and writing expectations provide a common language that is used in every class so that the students know how to structure paragraphs and plan/pull from the text (skills that are imperative in order for a student to be successful on the yearly CMAS exam).

Brentwood’s academic excellence doesn’t stop with writing though. In addition to a full 90 minutes of literacy instruction every day, students also receive 90 minutes of daily math instruction and 90 minutes of science every other day. Student schedules are rounded out with a broad range of electives including visual and performing arts, PE, tech, and foreign language (Brentwood is actually the first middle school that I have found that provides in person classes in the Japanese language).

After school, students are provided with a wide array of athletic, extra-curricular, and co-curricular activities including Student Council, Gaming Club, Math Counts, Forensics, Lulac, and Drama. As I interviewed various students at the school, I was struck at how each student was involved with a different sport or activity. Keelee Beacher (7^th grade) was particularly excited about this year’s musical play “High School Musical.” Nurfadilah (or “Nur” for short) Nabi Husseim (7^th grade) is involved with the Dream Team where you “learn for your job, college, and future.” Aaden Chacon (8^th grade) and Hilario Ruiz Ortiz (6^th grade) are both heavily involved with sports. Truly, there is something for every child within the walls of Brentwood Middle School.

As my time at the school came to an end, I had the opportunity to meet Brenwood’s entire administrative team consisting of AP/AD Heather Severt, AP Andy Hartshorn, and Instructional Coach Lisa McGee. It only took a few minutes to see the very close bond of this group of professionals and to understand further why the culture of the school is so positive (look no further than the picture included with this article for proof). I firmly believe that a school’s success begins with a solid administrative team and this is an outstanding one!

I would like to thank Principal Petersen and her entire school (staff and students) for welcoming me into their school and showing me what “Bengal Pride” is all about! This is a school of excellence in every way; a place where kids from every background can gather to learn and grow. Brentwood Middle School is a “School to Watch” in every sense of the phrase!!

The Power of “Think-Pair-Share” in Math Class

Paige Jennings — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 16:25:15 GMT

By: Greg George

Mathematics educators are continuously looking for active engagement strategies that keep students “in the game” of learning. After all, we want more for our students than having them passively watch their teachers do all the talking, the thinking, and the mathematics on a daily basis. While there are numerous instructional routines that enhance student engagement, Think-Pair-Share can be a routine that promotes access and opportunity for all students in math classrooms if planned and used with intentionality.

How does Think-Pair-Share work? It all begins with a well-selected prompt.

Think: Give students 2-3 minutes of quiet, individual time for thinking and writing initial thoughts around the prompt. This is an opportunity for students to draw on prior knowledge and independently engage with the prompt, formulating and documenting “rough draft” thinking. An essential component for consideration, though, is that the prompt must be accessible to all students with multiple entry points and multiple solution pathways. For teachers, this is a formative assessment opportunity for seeing which students are diving in with confidence, which students are pursuing ideas with revisions or restarts, and which students are coming up empty with no thoughts documented whatsoever. The key is giving just enough time for students to fully understand the prompt and get started with ideas, yet not enough time to completely finish.

Pair: Once every student has initial thoughts on paper, now they have something to talk about. Whether it’s with a partner or a table group, give students time for talking about their initial thoughts with others. This is a great place for sentence starters and language frames in supporting academic conversations for all learners (especially multilingual learners). The power behind this phase of the routine is that every students’ voice is heard and contributes to the conversation. This ensures all students actively participate instead of hiding behind those who voluntarily engage in class. This kind of language-rich routine levels the playing field for all students and reduces the dependence on authority and passive involvement by empowering students to independently voice and shape ideas (Zwiers & Crawford, 2011). For teachers, this is time for monitoring student responses and conversations, taking an inventory of the responses for what was expected, unique strategies or solution methods, and possible error analysis opportunities. This is a critical stage for the teacher, as the monitoring of responses is providing insights for which samples will be selected for the whole group conversation.

Share: This is not sharing for the sake of sharing in a whole group setting; rather, this is a well-organized and thoughtful display of select student work samples that will promote conversation and shared understanding that aim toward the mathematical learning goals of the lesson. Plus, it’s centered around ideas and solutions from the students themselves, honoring their thinking and providing another avenue for whole group participation. The key is the selecting and sequencing of responses in a way that tells a mathematical story, connecting the responses together. Essentially, this is a culmination of anticipating, monitoring, selecting, sequencing, and connecting, “designed to help teachers to use students’ responses to advance the mathematical understanding of the class as a whole by providing teachers with some control over what is likely to happen in the discussion as well as more time to make instructional decisions by shifting some of the decision making to the planning phase of the lesson” (Smith & Stein, 2018). And never let a common error or misunderstanding go to waste in this moment. Engaging students in error analysis not only increases academic discourse naturally, but it’s engaging student in higher-order thinking and reasoning skills as stated in Standard for Mathematical Practice #3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. (Although, when examining responses that contain errors or misunderstandings that lead to valuable teaching moments, it is best advised to use anonymous student work.) After the sequence of student responses is complete, the class is now at a launching point for a new task, direct instruction, or a formal wrap-up of the lesson. Success here is dependent upon intentionality in the moment and knowing the outcome for sharing student responses. The alternative is asking the ever-so-risky question “Who would like to share?” With this question, the teacher has to prepare for anything and everything that comes their way with full awareness that the goals of the lesson could be compromised by a single tangential response or a continuous stream of random and haphazard responses that lack coherence, cohesion, or any form of preplanning.

If the goal is to have learning outcomes achieved by design for all students, we cannot rely on instructional routines that are left up to chance to only benefit some. Think-Pair-Share is one such routine that addresses the following questions:

How might we draw on students’ prior mathematics knowledge as an entry point to the lesson and build off those ideas in exploring new content?
How might we get all student voices in the conversation and have all students contribute in a meaningful way during the lesson?
How might we use student work and responses to drive academic conversations among students, facilitated by the teacher, aimed toward the mathematical learning goals of the lesson?

Think-Pair-Share can be effective in the mathematics classroom as a routine that keeps students and their ideas at the forefront of the lesson through thoughtful and choreographed facilitation.

References

Smith, M. S., & Stein, M. K. (2018). 5 Practices for orchestrating productive mathematics discussions, 2nd edition. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Stenhouse Publishers.

Greg George is the K-12 Mathematics Coordinator for St. Vrain Valley Schools, serving as a former high school math teacher and a current affiliate faculty member at Regis University. Follow Greg on Twitter @SVVSDMath.

What Have We Learned From Being in a Middle School This Semester?

Paige Jennings — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 15:51:46 GMT

By Cyle Ercolino, Bianca Estrada, Lauren Gouldey, Gage Honneger, Hayes Horstmeyer, Alexa Hudson, Bradley Irwin, Annabeth Johnson, Jakobe Jones, Jack Robitaille, Ndiaw Samb, Jo Smeby, Abby Snogren, Sean Sullivan, and Matt Moulton

This blog post has lots of authors. The first fourteen authors are many different things. They are storytellers, artists, musicians, scientists, servers, dancers, travelers, and so much more. I (Matt, assistant professor and teacher educator) am lucky enough to learn with and from them on a twice-a-week basis this semester. They are all future teachers and this was a semester we spent in a Colorado middle school. I asked them what they learned. Here is their collective response.

Thoughts on the middle school students

Jakobe, an icon, barista, art teacher in training, shared “Kids like teachers who allow them to be themselves.” Murmurs of agreement went around the room. Hayes, preparing to enter math classrooms while also working sound booths and constructing tetrahedrons out of paper, agreed and shared that connections to student identities bear fruit in classrooms. Whether you comment on their beanie, the book they’re reading, the band on their shirt, each little conversation builds positive relationships and helps nurture students during the second most physical and mental developmental period in their lives.

Annabeth, a becoming social studies teacher with at least two jobs on top of being a student, relayed “You learn so much about kids in a middle school that can translate across the board to different grade levels. I have learned more from the kids…My cooperating teacher is amazing…but I am learning way more from the kids.”

Runner, ray of sunshine, and future social studies educator, Abby, said, “Positive affirmations go a long way. Middle school students will respond well to positive feedback. This is a big time when students are deciding their in/out of school identities. If we can be positive and affirming teachers, they will probably be more likely to acknowledge that they are good at school.”

Lauren, dancer and future science educator, followed up with “The more specific the affirmation or comment the more meaningful. I had one teacher who apologized for making a kid feel less than.” That intentionality speaks volumes to not just the student who is being apologized to, but to all others in the room.

Speaking on identity and developmental changes

Alexa, who donned the school mascot costume for a pep rally (and who happens to be in school to be a music educator), said “Between fourth and fifth grade, they are changing so much. Then middle school happens and it is wild. Wild.”

“In high school we thought we were evolving and changing. In reality, we were just the same people [as in middle school], just taller,” said Jo, self proclaimed not a normal horse girl and future agricultural educator.

What role does content play?

Cyle, a wrestler-skateboarding-veteran-social studies educator, shared some of the conversations he had with seventh graders. One revolved around the content and who teaches it. One student told him “Mr. H’s history class? I hate history but Mr H treats us like real people.”

Following up, Sean, Louisvillian musician and music educator, said “High school teachers love content. Elementary school teachers love kids. Middle school teachers have to love and do both.”

“But a lot of the strategies and practices will work across grade levels,” shared Bianca, Family and Consumer Sciences educator, skater, entrepreneur, and rock collector. This broad reach of intentional practices was on display in all of the observations made over the semester. From Bianca’s FACS class and Cyle’s ELA class to the plethora of Music classes and more. For example, Samb, Senegalese French educator, had loads of opportunities to practice how strategies and intentional practices can cross content and grade level boundaries. French was not offered in our partner school. Samb and Gage (Social Studies, yoga, good vibes) spent a semester working with students in a PE class. The class gave them the opportunity to witness a different way for students to express their creativity. Gage also added that it was an opportunity to learn how to politely apologize for throwing a dodgeball a little too hard.

Thoughts on teaching

Jack, music educator and designer of personal tattoos, recognized a difference between personal learning style and the students’ learning preferences. Jack shared “The way I learn is different from how I have witnessed some students learn. I recognize my need to write on the board to help visual learners.” Other future teachers shared their different teaching personas, masks, hats, and how they are different depending on the audience or classroom.

Bradley, skilled at teaching music, playing piano, and asking the question “Who washed Washington’s white woolen underwear when Washington’s washer woman went west?” described the idea of teaching style/persona/mask/hat as something that organically develops depending on the day. He mentioned that so much is in flux in the choir classroom that he has to quite literally play it by ear.

Preparing Middle Level Teachers

As the instructor of the course, I learned a lot. All throughout the semester, returned to the newly revised AMLE (2022) Professional Preparation and Credentialing standards. For a thorough executive summary of the Essential Program Components of impactful middle level teacher prep programs, please visit: AMLE Professional Prep. Full disclosure, the program I teach in is not a Middle Level specific program. I can’t help but bend my class towards middle level practices, though.

I witnessed lots of AMLE program components evidenced in these teacher candidates.

These teacher candidates are content experts. It takes a content expert and adept pop culture references to grab middle schooler’s attention with an Olivia Rodrigo as a main character in an explanation of the revolutionary war example.

These teacher candidates are advocates and allies. Their default is to listen empathetically, champion students’ identities, learn about needs and find ways to meet them.

These teacher candidates critically reflect on their experiences and want to be better, not just for themselves but for their future students.

These teacher candidates learned lessons that they will hopefully take with them as they enter classrooms. I know that I learned so much from them that will influence my future classes.

The Hope, Beauty, and Joy in a Kaleidoscopic Perspective of Teaching

Paige Jennings — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 15:45:01 GMT

By Karen Weller Swanson and Micki M. Caskey

As winter break approaches, we wonder about reviving the hope, beauty, and joy of teaching. Our purpose is to engage with a kaleidoscopic metaphor to suggest an approach to thinking about practice and dialogue. Our approach is to embrace the complexity of teaching which includes knowing who we are. Our goal is to illustrate how teaching is like a beautiful and ever changing mandala using practice and dialogue.

As two experienced middle school teachers, we recognize the complexity of teaching is in constant flux. Middle level educators “...respond to the nature of young adolescents in all their amazing diversity and are designed specifically to support the developmental needs and social identities of students” (Bishop & Harrison, 2021, p. 3). The work of middle school teaching is kaleidoscopic in nature. We are going to focus on how practice (teaching) and dialogue (reflection and mentoring) can positively impact teachers.

Practice and Dialogue

Teaching nudges us to think and rethink our practice, sometimes by choice and sometimes by circumstance. Bishop and Harrison (2021) state that middle school teacher development also is responsive to the needs of teachers. They suggest that professional development “...is job-embedded, extends over a sustained duration, and is built on a model of ongoing coaching, feedback, and reflection” (p. 49). We believe that intentionally developing a practice and dialogue model grows the teacher identity for all who participate. Practice and dialogue can be a professional learning community, an integrated team, content area groups, or friends.

We view practice as pedagogy, content and instructional choices, building classroom communities, parent communication, and creating inclusive environments for all learners. We also view it holistically much like Maxine Greene (1988) who explained:

It is through and by means of education that they [teachers] may become empowered to think about what they are doing, to become mindful, to share meanings, to conceptualize, to make varied sense of their lived worlds. It is through education that preferences may be released, languages learned, intelligence developed, perspectives opened, possibilities disclosed (p. 12).

Dialogue, on the other hand, “is more than just talking, it embodies the challenging work of questioning” our practice. We are “a mirror for one another to challenge assumptions…and “to collaborate in an intimate way, and lastly, to grow individually because of investing in each other” (Swanson & Caskey, 2022, p. 9).

To reveal the intricacies of an integrated teaching career, we turn the kaleidoscope and consider the resulting mandala. These actions of turning and considering help us to learn and grow as teachers. We practice, and then, we dialogue about our practice.

We couple practice with dialogue because through dialogue teachers can further examine their practice. We view dialogue as our conversations with colleagues, team members, discussions with special education staff, talking with administrators, counselors, and parents. We agree with bell hooks (1994), an author and social activist, who asserted:

To engage in dialogue is one of the simplest ways we can begin as teachers, scholars, and critical thinkers to cross boundaries, the barriers that may or may not be erected by race, gender, class, professional standing, and a host of other differences (p. 130).

From practice and dialogue, we get a sounding board for ideas, reflection on instructional experiences, and problem solve. Because practice and dialogue are constant and fluid , we get better. Practice and dialogue are at the heart of our kaleidoscopic perspective.

A Kaleidoscopic Perspective

We use a kaleidoscopic metaphor because of its dynamic nature. A kaleidoscope illuminates the interplay of identities (teacher, caregiver, partner) that produce an integrated teaching identity. When turning the kaleidoscope, light and motion create beautiful patterns—a mandala that illustrates the complex, every-changing nature of teachers’ work. According to bell hooks (2003):

[T]he classroom is one of the most dynamic work settings precisely because we are given such a short amount of time to do so much. To perform with excellence and graceteachers must be totally present in the moment, totally concentrated and focused. (p. 14).

The eye pieceallows you to look inside the kaleidoscope and focus on images produced when turning the kaleidoscope. It symbolizes a starting point, a position, or stance from which a person engages with life and the world. In the case of teachers, it is your perspective of the teaching practice.

The central section is the viewing tube, encircling a set of mirrors. Most kaleidoscopes have three rectangular, lengthwise mirrors that reflect and produce an image. By turning and re-turning the viewing tube, you can reflect on your teaching practice.

The end cap securely holds the pieces of glass that move in relation to one another when turning the kaleidoscope. In our metaphor, these colored pieces of glass stand for multiple identities. For example, we are both moms, spouses, sisters, friends, colleagues, mentors, as well as teachers.

You control the turning of the kaleidoscope and the every-change beauty of the mandala. Choosing a kaleidoscopic perspective actively engages you in creating and interpretingthe beauty. A key element is a quality light source. As an instrument of reflection, the source of light makes the difference. Bright sunlight makes the colored pieces dance, while a dim lamp seems to make them float softly. Both options are beautiful but deliver different experiences. What illuminates an integrated identity can include friends, mentors, and respected educational leaders. Light can also come from students, peers, a pedagogical book, or self-reflection.

Our goal is to encourage teachers to bring themselves—their whole being—into the classroom. Teachers’ multiple identities are active, interrelated, and inextricably woven together. Taking time to breathe and reflect allows teachers to form a rich, strong, multi-faceted, and ever-changing mandala. We find that turning the kaleidoscope can lead to ever-changing mandalas with the benefits of activating creativity, building avenues for growth, quieting emotions and stress, and improving focus (Singh, 2021).

We find hope that the intentional use of practice and dialogue anchors our professional work. We believe that a kaleidoscopic perspective helps us value the beauty in small changes, while also grasping the joy we feel when turning the endcap and creating new patterns.

References

Bishop, P. A., & Harrison, L. M. (2021). The successful middle school: This we believe. Association for Middle Level Education.

Greene, M. (1988). The dialectic of freedom. Teachers College Press.

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. Routledge.

hooks, b. (2003). Teaching community. A pedagogy of hope. Routledge.

Singh, N. (2021, June 3). Mandala: A blend of history, religion, and psychology. The Mind Fool. https://themindfool.com/mandala/

Swanson, K. W., & Caskey, M. M. (2022). Mentoring dialogue and practice: A transformative experience. Journal of Transformative Learning, 9(1), 8–17.

Bios:

Karen Weller Swanson, teacher, Timberview Middle School in Colorado Spring. As an eighth grade science teacher and former academic, she mentors teachers. Her teaching and research focus on mentoring and teachers and teacher candidates

Micki Caskey, professor emerita, Portland State University. As an academic and former practitioner, she mentors educators. Her teaching and research focus on mentoring teacher candidates and teachers.

W.I.N. - What's Important Now - YOU!!

Paige Jennings — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:59:41 GMT

By: Carrie Yantzer

“If you are okay, everything and everyone around you will be okay.” This is a something my beautiful mother said to me daily. I never understood what this statement meant until after she passed away at the young age of 54. What we “GET” to do as school leaders should be our PASSION not just a JOB. Having a W.I.N. perspective (What’s Important Now) is about making the time to focus on YOU! Our own personal self/care and wellness is something we often put on “hold” as school leaders. But before we can take care of our students, staff, and others we MUST take care of ourselves.

When is the last time you intentionally focused on YOU? The W.I.N. Perspective is realizing that what’s important now is you. As a school leader you need to take care of your body, heart, mind, and purpose. When we intentionally focus on making sure we are okay, everything and everyone around us will also be okay.

BODY (physical): This is your overall physical health.

Are you eating healthy?

Are you drinking water?

Are you taking breaks?

Have you given your eyes a break from the screen?

Are you sleeping?

HEART (emotional): School leaders we are natural nurturers to others, and we often empty our own fuel tanks of life for others. We are always giving ourselves for the greater good. Emotionally are you setting clear boundaries on your time and energy?

Who are the influencers in your life?

Are you spending time with people you care about and who care about you?

MIND (psychological): When was the last time you took time for personal reflection?

Have you noticed your own feelings and thoughts?

Have you made time for you to learn, think and grow?

PURPOSE (spirituality): This is your ability to connect to your inner “why” of life. This is about you, if you pray, pray, if you meditate, mediate. Visualize your own purpose.

Have you looked for ways to affirm your own purpose?

Are you letting your purpose drive your mission and vision?

W.I.N. can come in a variety of ways for each individual and it’s important to take the time to identify what a W.I.N looks like for you.

Carrie Yantzer, Leadership Development Strategist for Capturing Kids’ Hearts and Retired Middle School Principal

Family, School, and Community Partnerships in Middle School

Paige Jennings — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 19:29:36 GMT

By: Darcy Hutchins, Ph.D.

November in Colorado is Family and School Partnership in Education Month. While family, school, and community partnerships (FSCP) are important for positive student outcomes all year, now is a good time to identify and celebrate current practices and set some goals for how you’d like to improve.

Over fifty-five years of research indicate the importance of Families, Schools, and Communities Partnering (FSCP) for student learning. National data shows that students gain academically, as well as behaviorally, when families and school staff work together to support student success. Current and notable research findings include that:

Parent-Community Ties is one of five “essential elements” of school improvement (Hart et al., 2020).
Students have better attendance and higher reading comprehension scores when districts, schools, and public charter schools conduct home visits (Sheldon & Jung, 2018).
School-initiated, specific family participation programs - such as shared reading, homework checking, and teamed two-way communication -are significantly and positively related to academic achievement for students at all levels (Epstein et al., 2018).

These data findings show that perhaps the greatest challenge surrounding FSCP is not whether they impact student achievement. Rather, the greater challenge is what is needed for high quality partnership structures and how to sustain and embed through structures in established organization. This article includes information about the components of a comprehensive partnership structure that can support student learning, as well as promising partnership practices for middle schools to when considering how to partner with every family to support every student.

Components of a Comprehensive Partnership Structure

As more research and examples of promising practices emerge, districts, schools, and public charter schools are beginning to move away from “random acts of partnership” to instead have a comprehensive, sustainable partnership structure that aligns with school improvement goals and student outcomes. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recommends that schools implement the following four components of comprehensive FSCP, adapted from Dr. Joyce Epstein’s research (2018):

Implementing the Framework of the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships
Sharing Leadership
Action Planning
Evaluating

Framework of the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

In 2009, state legislation mandated that Colorado align its FSCP work with the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships (2022). These Standards help schools to organize FSCP outreach to partner with every family to support their children’s learning both inside and outside of school. The National Standards are:

CDE has several resources available to guide and support districts, schools, and public charter schools in implementing and customizing the National Standards to best meet the needs of their local populations. The National Standards goals and indicators are outlined at National Standards.

There is also a Starting Points Inventory for school staff to complete, ideally with advice from families, to determine whether the site is emerging, progressing, or excelling in each of the National Standards.

Finally, CDE annually collects Promising Partnership Practices from schools and districts across the state, aligned with the National Standards.

The Flamboyan Foundation, located in Washington, D.C. conducted a summary of current FSCP research to determine which partnership initiatives have the highest impact on student achievement. This graphic shows the summary of their findings. When viewing this graphic, it is important to note that while the initiatives on the right side have a higher, direct impact on student achievement, the lower impact strategies are still good things to do. Celebrations, potlucks, and fundraisers may not directly lead to better student grades and test scores. However, many of the lower impact strategies indirectly impact achievement by creating a welcoming climate of partnerships.

Sharing Leadership

School staff, particularly principals, have many opportunities to share leadership with families, community members, classroom teachers, and support staff. These teams include the School Accountability Committee (SAC), PTAs or PTOs, culture clubs, etc. Effective FSCP teams include families that mirror “significantly represented populations of students” in the school. Teams are most likely to be sustainable when the leaders:

Help members communicate with each other.
Plan goal-oriented partnerships.
Conduct useful meetings with a good agenda.
Make decisions collegially and share leadership for planned activities.
Continue to write and implement plans to improve partnerships.

Action Planning

Schools in Colorado write a Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) to identify and prioritize major improvement strategies. Schools should reach out to families on the SAC and beyond to gather input on include FSCP initiatives in the plan.

Additionally, districts, schools, and public charter schools identify as Priority Improvement or Turnaround must include on their UIP how they work with families to improve student outcomes. Schools may also use this strategy guide to help FSCP teams plan and evaluate their work.

Evaluating

Evaluating FSCP work is no easy task, many initiatives indirectly, rather than directly, impact achievement. FSCP teams should think through how to measure impact of both individual initiatives and the partnership structure as a whole.

Counting heads in a room is only one, rather superficial, way to measure the success of a school’s FSCP. Other methods of evaluation include:

Surveys
Focus groups
Anecdotal observations

The Colorado Department of Education has several evaluation tools to help schools effectively evaluate FSCP initiatives and whole programs of partnership.

Putting it All Together

Family-school-community partnerships are an essential component of district, school, and public charter school improvement and, more important, student success. Moving from ineffective to effective partnerships is a team effort. As the old Chinese proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Change does not happen overnight, yet the impact of FSCP is strong indisputable when implemented intentionally.

References

Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M. G., Sheldon, S. B., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C., Jansorn, N. R., ... & Williams,

K. J. (2018). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action. Corwin Press.

Hart, H., Young, C., Chen, A., Zou, A., & Allensworth, E. M. (2020). Supporting School Improvement:

Early Findings from a Reexamination of the" 5Essentials" Survey. Research Report. University of Chicago Consortium on School Research.

Sheldon, S. B., & Jung, S. B. (2018). Student outcomes and parent teacher home visits. Center on

School, Family, & Community Partnerships, Johns Hopkins University.

Being a Mentor: A Powerful Tool to Fight Burnout

Paige Jennings — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 19:13:51 GMT

By: Kristin Kipp, Ed.D.

Middle-level educators are uniquely gifted. They brave the wilds of puberty each and every day. They think teenagers are a riot, and they possess the rare gift of facing down a roomful of thirty 13-year olds without fear. I know because I started my career as a middle school teacher. Thus, I also know that teaching can be lonely for an experienced educator. Once you’ve been in a classroom for a few years, the units you’ve always loved grow repetitive, and professional development grows stale. The antics of your beloved students that were once so endearing can stomp on your very last nerve after a long day. How can an experienced educator reinvigorate a love for the classroom? I propose that giving back to the profession through mentoring a new teacher can be the answer.

Hold on, you may protest! Is taking on more responsibility really the answer to burnout? It sounds unlikely, but yes. Let me explain. Researchers have consistently found that teacher mentors experience a renewal of their own motivation to teach as well as a renewed interest in instructional strategies (Schwan et al., 2020). Teacher mentors report that mentoring led to growth in their ability to teach but also in their ability to communicate and lead, both in their classroom and in the larger school community (Hudson, 2013). Additionally, mentor teachers develop a new identity as an educator that is grounded not only in being a great teacher but also in being a contributor to the long-term success of the profession (Andreasen et al., 2019). It’s a solid combination of benefits that can renew and refresh teaching practices, but how does it come about?

One of the most obvious benefits of mentoring for the mentor is exposure to the optimism of a new educator. New teachers come into the profession wide-eyed and full of hope, ready to change the world. Interacting with that kind of optimism can help you remember why you became a teacher in the first place. While your naïveté about teaching may have faded over the years, your original reason for becoming a teacher probably still holds true. Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, says that great organizations (and I’d add great teachers) will “keep their WHY clear year after year”(Sinek, 2009). Mentoring a new teacher can remind you of that “why.”

Another way that mentoring benefits the mentor teacher is by giving you the opportunity to re-examine your classroom practices. When a new teacher is coming in regularly to observe and discuss what’s happening in your classroom, it’s a great opportunity to look at your practices and filter them through a fresh perspective. Which practices are crucial to student achievement, relationships, or classroom culture? Why do those work? And which practices are simply habits without a clear rationale? What could you let go of? Opening up your classroom to those kinds of discussions with a new educator is eye-opening. You may find yourself letting go of some practices and opening up space for new possibilities.

Mentoring a new teacher also gives you dedicated time to observe in other classrooms, sometimes in your mentee’s classroom and sometimes as a pair in other teacher’s rooms. Simple exposure to a variety of classroom setups, approaches, and strategies can leave you with a wealth of ideas that you can bring back to your own work. Believe it or not, the crusty math teacher down the hall just may have a brilliant strategy that would simplify your daily practice immensely. Mentoring gives you the opportunity to learn it.

Finally, mentoring a new teacher gives you the opportunity to learn and apply a whole new set of communication skills. The best mentors move fluidly between three functions: offering support, creating challenge, and facilitating a professional vision (Lipton & Wellman, 2005). A mentor isn’t just a buddy to show a new teacher where the copier is. Instead, they are an experienced guide who helps new teachers become the best version of themselves through helping them see what’s possible and challenging them. Sound familiar? You need these same three functions in your work with students: supporting them, challenging them, and helping them envision a new future. As a mentor, you’ll learn new skills for coaching, which you can then turn around and apply with both students and adults. Mentoring can give you the language to inspire change.

You’re already a great teacher and a powerful classroom advocate. Mentoring can allow you to take the next step, empowering the next generation of classroom teachers while simultaneously refreshing and renewing your own classroom practice. It may not magically cure burnout, but it can certainly be a step in the right direction. Your local administrator, instructional coach, or induction program leader would love to share more about what mentoring looks like in your context.

Bio

Dr. Kristin Kipp is an experienced educator and instructional coach with a heart for teachers. She’s an Educator Development Specialist for the Colorado Department of Education where she works with new teacher induction and mentoring.

Works Cited

Andreasen, J. K., Bjørndal, C. R. P., & Kovač, V. B. (2019). Being a teacher and teacher educator: The antecedents of teacher educator identity among mentor teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 85, 281–291.

Hudson, P. (2013). Mentoring as professional development: “growth for both” mentor and mentee. Professional Development in Education, 39(5), 771–783.

Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (2005). Cultivating learning-focused relationships between mentors and their protégés. In H. Portner (Ed.), Teacher Mentoring and Induction: The State of the Art and Beyond (pp. 149–165). Corwin Press.

Schwan, A., Wold, C., Moon, A., & Neville, A. (Fall 2020). Mentor and New Teacher Self-Perceptions Regarding the Effectiveness of a Statewide Mentoring Program. Critical Questions in Education, 190–207.

Sinek, S. (2009). Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Penguin.

Cultivating Safe and Trusting Classrooms

Paige Jennings — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 19:05:14 GMT

By: Lisa Bettencourt

As an eighth grade teacher, I am always sad when May arrives. While I look forward to time off to rest and rejuvenate, it is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to my students who I have grown to know and love. As the new school year rolls around, I get excited to meet my next group of students. I look forward to learning about who they are, where their interests lie, what their beliefs and values are- really, anything that gives me insight and understanding into these unique individuals. There are some years when all the pieces fall into place- when you bond well with your students and you feel like the kids were handpicked for you. And then there are the other years… The years when you go home exhausted every day. When you doubt your ability to survive the year. When you question why the counselor chose to give YOU all the boys who lack impulse control! Inevitably, we push through and are often surprised to see that those students who were the most difficult in the beginning of the year, end up being the ones you have grown closest to- the ones you will miss the most. However, getting there requires some work. How do we build those safe and trusting relationships with our students? How do we let them know that not only are they heard, but we value their input and perspective? How do we create a classroom environment where all students feel supported and included?

We have all heard counselors and administrators speak to the importance of building relationships with students, however, what does that really mean? Of course we have relationships with our kids, but are we connecting with them? Do our students feel like we care about them? About their academics as well as their social and emotional health? The beauty about being a Language Arts teacher is the ease in which we can use stories to relate to kids, whether these are published literature or our own personal stories. When our students see us being honest and vulnerable, we become someone they can relate to, and hopefully, trust. While I am constantly changing and improving my lessons, “I Wish My Teacher Knew” is one I do at the beginning of every year. This is a great opportunity to allow your students a safe place to share what they want you to know about them. Every year I am surprised by how much students are willing to disclose after only knowing me for a week. Though this lesson on its own is a powerful way to start bonding with your students, it’s the personal feedback you leave that shows kids you took the time to read and learn about them- that you truly care.

In middle school, kids work so hard to fit in- from wearing the right clothing to having the latest phone. The fear of failing in front of their peers, or being made fun of, often holds students back from participating in class discussions. Ideally, we want to create a classroom where students feel comfortable sharing ideas- where they feel like their voice is not only heard, but matters. Using texts with diverse authors helps ensure that we are providing all students with opportunities to relate to stories similar to their own. Analyzing stories and novels is a great place to start encouraging students to be brave and take risks- to share their perspective. While it is easy to acknowledge the child who always has their hand up, it is important to find ways to reach even the quietest of students. This year I started doing ‘Daily Dedications’. The students take turns dedicating class to someone who has been inspirational in their life. While the majority of my class have been excited to participate, I have a few who aren’t quite comfortable with getting up and speaking in front of the class. One such kiddo really wants to dedicate the class to her brother, but is too nervous to present. She asked, instead, if she could make a video to show. This student was telling me that she wanted to participate, but speaking in front of the class was a risk she wasn’t ready to take. Hopefully, accepting the way in which she was able to participate will build her confidence and make her feel like our classroom is a safe place where she can take risks and contribute more in class.

How do we know that we are building safe, trusting environments? That our kids feel comfortable taking risks and feel like they belong? Sometimes you just know. There are the kids who do not want to leave your class- who linger and talk to you, or the group of students who start eating lunch in your room every day. However, sometimes you don’t know the impact you made until years later when you receive an email from a student who shares that your class was their favorite. And sometimes you run into an old student at the Dairy Queen drive-thru window, and they lean their head out and ask if you remember them, which you of course do, because they were the kid you worried about- the kid who you worked so hard to make sure passed your class. He then proudly declares he’s in college and is doing great. He thanks you for believing in him- for giving him a place where he felt safe to try, a place where he felt heard- and it’s all you can do to choke back your tears and nod your head in gratitude.

Those are the moments that validate the work we have done in cultivating a safe and trusting classroom where students feel heard and accepted. It’s why we chose a difficult, and often thankless job- and yet still show up every day with a smile, love and compassion for the kids we get to work with.

Sometimes you do the carrying, sometimes you are the one being carried

Paige Jennings — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 18:05:32 GMT

By: Matt Moulton

Hi all! My name is Matt. I am an assistant professor and Undergraduate Teacher Education Program Coordinator for the Center for Educator Prep at Colorado State University. I love my job, especially when it involves being in middle schools and amongst young adolescents. I am brand new to Colorado, Fort Collins, and CAMLE and I am so honored to hold my position at CSU, be a board member for CAMLE, and teach a class for future teachers at Boltz Middle School in Fort Collins.

My students recently started their official middle school practicum experience. Our class has met for the past four weeks in the Boltz media center, we have heard from plenty of folx from the school, witnessed loads of middle schoolers jumping to touch the door frame as they walk through it, and talked a lot about community and its importance in the middle grades. We have talked about Bishop and Harrison’s Successful Middle School: This We Believe Essential Attributes, looked for evidence of their incorporation in the school hallways, and tried to apply them to Trey Kennedy’s YouTube videos with his character Maddox. Worth a watch with a grain of salt. It was hilarious, but purposeful and informative.

Another focus revolved around the Key Characteristic of “Leaders demonstrate courage and collaboration.” When considering courage and collaboration, I immediately thought of Korg and Miek.

These two heroes were introduced on film in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Korg and Miek are reluctant gladiators who have been taken captive and forced to fight opponents for The Grandmaster, played by Jeff Goldblum. Korg is made of perishable rock and Miek is an insect with scissors for hands. Korg does all the (hilarious) talking and Miek is always ready to have Korg’s back.

To cut a long story short, the two are freed as part of a revolution and escape on a giant spaceship. They join Thor and fight to save the people of Asgard from undead warriors in an epic battle on a bridge. Courage and collaboration abound.

At the end of the movie, Thor sits upon his throne in the spaceship and wonders where they should venture. Thor turns to Miek, who at this point is being carried by Korg, and asks “Miek, where are you from?”

Korg responds, “Ah, Miek’s dead. I accidently stomped on him on the bridge. I just felt so guilty that I have been carrying him around all day.”

Then, to Korg’s joy and excitement, Miek shakes awake. Here is a clip: Thor Ragnarok / Miek is dead scene.

I love it. This might be a bit too inside but I see it relating to courage and collaboration.

Some days we are Korg. We are made of rock–perishable rock, but rock none the less. We face the day’s challenges, we overcome the battles, we maintain a feeling of humor, joy, and possibility amongst the struggles and challenges of our jobs. We see others having a hard time. We pick them up and carry them.

Other days, we are Miek. We might be emotionally, figuratively, physically, and interpersonally stomped on. We might be at the end of our rope and in need of supports we don’t even know how to vocalize. We need someone to carry us.

I shared all this with my teacher candidates. I provided them an example of when I was the Miek in need of being carried. I named my Korg that carried me amidst the hard time. I promised to be a Korg when needed.

They all laughed.

At me.

But, some got it. Some turned to a trusted neighbor, looked them in the eye and said “I will be your Korg.”

I went on to share that middle school students learn so much from their teachers that doesn’t come in the form of a practice problem, a paper, or a formative assessment. They learn how to be active and responsible adults. When middle school students see trusted adults come alongside colleagues and supporting each other when in need, they begin to emulate that same courage and collaboration with their peers. They are always learning.

Sometimes that learning comes with a bit of whimsy and an off the wall example from a Marvel movie. Sometimes it comes from the way you give time and patience with each other.

Back to Basics

Paige Jennings — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 18:02:52 GMT

By Kevin Copher

The past three school years have been a tumultuous time for everyone in the school system. Middle-level educators are keenly aware of the energy and challenges pre-teens and early teens experience as they assert their independence, develop critical friend groups, and navigate changing bodies and hormones. As our best hopes for this school year include a return to normalcy, we must remember that our middle-level students may not know what normalcy looks like.

In Colorado’s middle schools, state-reported discipline has dropped from 12.32% of students receiving discipline in the 18/19 school year to 3.96% in 20/21, according to the most recent data available from CDE. However, the data across all levels show increases of 3.5% for detrimental behavior and almost 4.5% for “other violations of code of conduct.” The available data is skewed given the significant variety of learning models from March 2020 to today (fully in person, hybrid, online, and switching between any and all of the models). However, widely published national surveys and anecdotal conversations point to a marked increase in discipline events in the most recent school year. Perhaps two explanations for the increase in peer-relationship misconduct are that our students who have experienced the trauma of the global pandemic are suffering from emotional dysregulation and students lack necessary peer communication skills previously taught in elementary schools.

This year, we should be more intentional about a return to basics approach. This does not mean a return to “Reading, Writing, and ‘Rithmatic,” but a return to the basics of being a student and engaging in a functioning learning environment. We may need to borrow some pages from the intermediate elementary behavior management playbook as we reset expectations and routines. We must ask ourselves what behavior we want from our students and what strategies and supports need to be implemented to teach and reinforce those behaviors.

Middle school teachers in the early 2000s described ideal classrooms that promote student sharing, students helping others, persistence through challenges, inquisitiveness, and completing assignments (Wentzel, 2002). Those values and goals are still relevant today and feature prominently in CDE’s Essential Skills (CDE, 2017). We may often assume those expectations were taught at the elementary level; however, with the significant upheaval and inconsistent learning environments over the past three years, we should be more explicit about what these behaviors mean in our classrooms and schools.

CDE’s Essential Skills requirements center around entrepreneurship skills, personal skills, civic/interpersonal skills, and professional skills (CDE, 2017). Within the guidance, students spiral from novice to emerging expert (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Essential Skills Developmental Milestones

Source: CDE (2017). Essential Skills Guidance.

As we think about this school year, we may need to restart with building Novice skills. Students may need support in accurately recognizing their own emotions and how they impact their behavior, understanding and managing their impulses and behavior with minimal direction, resisting distractions, and maintaining attention to the task.

We may need to pause and re-teach. We may have previously been able to operate with the belief and understanding that 7th-grade students should be in the Advanced Beginner stages or even in Strategic Learner stages regarding their self-awareness category of personal skills. Yet, we should pause, go back to the basics, and reteach Novice-level skills. The past three years of trauma may mean we restart with a fresh approach to teaching these skills. With the mounting recent evidence of lost academic skills and performance related to the pandemic, we must also remember the lost essential skills that do not appear in school and district performance frameworks.

For example, if we want to promote students showing persistence through challenges, what lessons do we have in place that can highlight and teach this skill? How can we intentionally and explicitly teach this skill in academic and personal relationship contexts?

This year, let’s permit ourselves to go back to basics in teaching essential skills. Doing so will help us return and sustain a normal, positive, and productive learning environment. We will also thank ourselves later for the time and effort invested now in reteaching these skills with kindness and grace.

References:

Colorado Department of Education (2022). School View Data Center [interactive data set]. https://edx.cde.state.co.us/SchoolView/DataCenter/reports.jspx?_adf_ctrl-state=pac20phbp_4&_afrLoop=2870402442216815&_afrWindowMode=0&_adf.ctrl-state=2pyn69rd7_4

Colorado Department of Education (2017). Essential Skills Guidance. http://cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/2018coloradoessentialskills

Wentzel, K. R. (2002). Are effective teachers like good parents? Teaching styles and student adjustment in early adolescence. Society for Research in Child Development, 73(1), 287–301. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00406

Kevin has been an educator for over 21 years and serves as the Weld Re-4 District Coordinator for Attendance and Discipline.

Leveraging Technology to Increase Student Access

Paige Jennings — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 17:59:59 GMT

By: Emily Goldenstein and Mandy Smith

Middle school is a melting pot where students from vastly different elementary experiences meet to take on the next portion of their educational journeys. You might be preparing students for this experience, you might teach in these grades, and some of you might be seeking perspective on where your students have come from. As educators supporting these students, we want you to consider what role technology can play in planning and delivering accessible learning for all students.

Our educational technology team in Weld RE-4 is fortunate to work closely with our instructional team. Part of our shared work involves supporting and developing building learning coaches. Through our work with our Learning Coaches and conducting instructional rounds in each of our buildings, we started to notice a theme. Our middle schools, grades 6-8, had incredibly diverse student populations. When we say diverse, we are accounting for and referring to students of different genders, races, backgrounds, interests, academic abilities, and socioeconomic statuses. While our situation is not unique to this district, we found ourselves asking, “How do we make sure all students engage and access learning?”

According to CAST, a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition of breaking down barriers, “Information that is not attended to, that does not engage learners’ cognition, is inaccessible.” As educators, we believe we must develop agency in our learners. Our students differ significantly in what attracts their attention and interests them, and it is the educator’s role to consider this. Technology not only deserves a place in classrooms and instruction, but it is also necessary to keep up with the pace at which students' interests and needs change. In our district, we invest in technology tools that support our beliefs and allow students to choose the type of product they want to create to demonstrate their learning. Some of our tools that educators love are Kami, WeVideo, MyVRSpot, and our learning management system (LMS), Canvas. When students have tools that enable them to make choices toward gaining and demonstrating knowledge, they are more likely to be engaged.

Our next consideration comes from the brilliant work of Katie Novak. In one of her blog posts, “What is UDL” she shared that students can have different barriers to learning that need to be planned for; this is called predicted variability. During conversations with our Learning Coaches and teachers, we often ask, “What challenges do you anticipate the students will face?” This coaching question helps us discuss an important point shared by CAST’s UDL Guidelines "Learning is impossible if the information is imperceptible to the learner, and difficult when information is presented in formats that require extraordinary effort or assistance.”

Technology affords teachers the opportunity to offer a variety of modalities or options for accessing learning. When sharing an assignment to your LMS, think about the format of the information; is text the only option for directions, or can you add an audio recording for greater access? A new unit begins, and you work to activate student background knowledge. Can you offer the choice of a podcast, video, visuals, and text? We work with our teachers to think about how to provide information in a format that will allow students to choose what is best for them on that day, at that moment. Presenting the information in multiple formats creates more entry points resulting in higher student engagement.

Our final consideration for you around planning and delivering accessible learning focuses on the physical act of learning. When students receive a worksheet to complete with a pencil, their physical interaction is limited. Technology can have a similar effect if not planned and executed with intentionality. Students who get on their devices to fill in the blanks of vocabulary worksheets using Kami would be one example. These limited interactions can potentially exclude learners with barriers such as dysgraphia, blindness, physical disabilities, and students with varying executive functioning skills. With the advancement of technology, the number of assistive tools available has also increased. These tools open doors to learning when implemented thoughtfully.

When you know your students’ interests and needs, you can begin to think about the structure of your lessons. What options do students have for demonstrating their knowledge? Can students physically access these options? Are there options for physical movement involved, such as station rotation? Do your lessons apply technology that enhances the lesson?

Our job is to plan for and provide accessible learning to our students. When teachers utilize technology to approach planning and teaching with considerations for helping all students succeed, the impact on student achievement is more significant. Picture the diverse population of students you serve and ask yourself, how can I leverage technology to develop more accessible learning for my students?

References

CAST. (2022, September 2). The UDL guidelines. The UDL Guidelines. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from http://udlguidelines.cast.org

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Novak, K. (2021, April 23). What is UDL? Infographic - Novak Educational Consulting. Novak Education. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.novakeducation.com/blog/what-is-udl-infographic?hsLang=en

Emily and Mandy are part of the Instructional Technology Team in Weld RE-4 School District.

So What Exactly is Tier 1?

Paige Jennings — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 17:56:46 GMT

By: Julie Johnson

By now you’ve heard not only the acronym MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support), but also about the Tiers of instruction within its framework. MTSS is full of moving parts and can be difficult to understand. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on what Tier 1 is.

Tier 1 is high-quality classroom instruction coupled with universal screenings and in-class small group instruction. Within Tier 1 all students take a universal screening assessment and receive high-quality instruction, both of which are delivered by qualified personnel to ensure a student’s difficulties are not because of poor or inadequate instruction.

Screeners are given periodically (usually 3 times per year) to establish baseline data for both behaviors as well as academics, to identify struggling learners that might need additional support. One way to provide that support is through in-class small group instruction provided by the classroom teacher.

So what does all of this translate into for middle school? Establishing a strong Tier 1 requires team collaboration. Whether it is grade-level, content or a combination, it takes a team to stay on top of the needs of students. A good way to accomplish this is to devote time (weekly, twice a month or monthly) as a team to discuss students who are showing signs of needing added support. In identifying these students, you need a way to keep track of them. One method for doing this is to keep a running Google document where students discussed are added along with strategies tried and progress monitoring data to show what’s working and/or what is not. In addition, this is a place to keep notes on parent contacts. It is important to assign roles within teams to allow for organized, productive discussions. These can be roles such as facilitator, note-taker, time-keeper, resource officer, etc. Establishing these roles up front will keep your meetings moving forward and keep everyone on track.

Maintaining this as a running list allows the team to circle back to students, analyze collected data and brainstorm other ideas and strategies to try. Being a running document also allows for the addition of students who may present as needing additional support further into the year. This document also serves as the start of a body of evidence should a student eventually need to move to the next Tier.

I know, this all sounds great, but when do we find the time for these critical discussions? As a former middle school assistant principal with a block schedule, one plan per week was devoted to these meetings. When that is not an option, before and after school, for part of a staff meeting and as part of professional development days can also work. Get creative, but make sure you find the time for this crucial Tier 1 activity. The more students we can successfully support at Tier 1, the stronger the school as a whole.

Below is a link to a list of Tier 1 strategies that we use in our district.

Tier 1 strategies

Reference: hbpirates.org

Julie Johnson is the MTSS Specialist for Weld RE-4 School District.

Rebuilding Our School Community

Diane Lauer — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:22:45 GMT

Of course we don’t want to belabor this point, but 21-22 was a REALLY tough year for many reasons. One of the lingering effects of the pandemic was the loss of our school community as we knew it. When I arrived at Longs Peak Middle School in August of 2019, the community among staff and students was the strongest I’d seen, and that sense of community acted in many ways as a safety net for students to take risks, explore their passions, and find a sense of purpose and belonging at school.

In the absence of full-time, in-person learning, many of our students turned elsewhere for that sense of safety and belonging. When they returned to in-person learning for the 21-22 school year, we began to see signs that many of our students did not view school as the source of fun, excitement, and community they once had. We spent the school year attempting to draw our students back in, cope with new and more intense behavioral needs, while at the same time putting ourselves back together as educators and as humans.

By May of 2022, we knew what we would need for a successful start to the next school year. Our leadership team asked administration to find time for staff to come together and reconnect. Staff surveys reflected a need to set and maintain high expectations and tight structures for students. We needed to heal ourselves from the past year, so that we could be whole for our kids and rebuild our vibrant school community. If we were to rebuild, then we had to start with the foundation of our most basic needs.

So we designed a back-to-basics approach: An all day staff retreat where we focused on rebuilding trust, visualizing the school year we wanted for ourselves and for our students, and making a plan to bring that visualization to life.

All teachers participated in Kagan Cooperative Learning Day 1 training the day before kids returned to the building. Thinking about engagement, teambuilding, academic conversations, and involving every child was the perfect way to kick off the week. On the first day of school, our admin team walked through every classroom, and I have never seen as much movement, conversation, and joy on the first day as I did this year.
Each grade level committed to a weekly or bi-weekly all-grade team building activity during our advisory class, RamReady.

Using student input, teachers worked with their classes to create a list of what characterizes a safe community. In what type of class do I feel safe? Unsafe? What am I willing to do to contribute to a safe school community?
Anyone reading this knows we did nothing flashy or new. In fact, it is in attending to and acknowledging our most basic needs as humans that we have found our path to healing. It’s been the commitment to a fundamental idea that is helping to bring us back: We are a community. We look out for one another. This community is dedicated to giving you every opportunity to succeed. You want to be part of it. And, as part of this community, you have responsibilities.

Start with the assumption that all of our kids want to belong, because they do. Remember that our students will rise when asked to be part of something meaningful and exciting. Building on that foundation will create the conditions for a nurturing, collaborative, and robust learning community where we can all thrive.

By Sandy Heiser, Principal of Longs Peak Middle School in Longmont, Colorado.

Schools to Watch Applications are OPEN!

Diane Lauer — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:18:34 GMT

Colorado recognizes exemplary schools serving middle level students in grades 5-9 alongside the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform through the Schools to Watch program. Thirteen schools from across the state currently hold a Schools to Watch designation, which is based on four categories: Academic Excellence, Social Equity, Developmental Responsiveness, and Organizational Structure. Middle Schools designated as a School to Watch are honored annually at the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education (CAMLE) conference, as well as in Washington D.C. at the national Schools to Watch conference.

Colorado Schools to Watch demonstrate a trajectory of success and exhibit replicable practices for middle grades students.

The School to Watch application for 2023 designation is now available! If you are interested in learning more, consider joining us on October 7th at the CAMLE preconference and visit your choice of three schools designated as a Colorado School to Watch. Additionally, the annual CAMLE conference will feature a Schools to Watch session to learn more about the application criteria, process, and selection. More information can be found on the CAMLE conference website.

By: Katie Gustafson

Cognitive Load Theory

Diane Lauer — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 19:59:35 GMT

By: Paige Jennings, M.Ed.

First, it's real. And it doesn't get nearly enough air time. There’s a reason why Dylan Wiliam posted on Twitter, “I've come to the conclusion Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory is the single most important thing for teachers to know” (Wiliam, 2017). I agree. Here’s why.

In a nutshell, cognitive load theory (CLT) refers to the capacity of our working memory (Mayer, 2017). Information comes in and sensory memory either immediately discards it or moves it into working memory (Cognitive Load Theory, n.d.). Once in working memory the information is either discarded or processed further and eventually moved into long-term memory. Our working memory system also takes prior knowledge from our long-term memory and combines it with the new incoming information to develop schemas, which are organized frameworks of knowledge. This bolstered construct is sent back to long-term memory. The good news is that long-term memory is infinite.

The not-so-good news is that the capacity of our working memory is extremely limited; it can only ‘hold on’ to 3-5 chunks of information for a very short period of time (Cowan, 2010.) If working memory is overloaded with more information than it can process (cognitive overload), the information will be discarded, and not put on the path towards long-term memory. This predetermined ‘load’ is referred to as cognitive load theory (Cognitive Load Theory, n.d.).

Because of the limitations of the brain to work with no more than 3-5 chunks of new information at one time, it is important that educators design learning experiences that keep cognitive load theory in mind (pun totally intended.) We must:

reduce extraneous load (get rid of stuff that doesn’t matter so it doesn’t take up precious WM space);
manage essential load (even if it’s important, if it equals more than 5-9 chunks of information, the brain won’t hold on to it); and
increase germane load (integrate the new information into existing schema and long-term memory, AKA, learning) (Mayer, 2017).

Let’s look at a few concrete application examples of how to manage cognitive load.

One way teachers can reduce cognitive load is through note-taking. Any time a student is learning something new, writing information down has the potential of reducing cognitive load because they are not trying to hold all of the new information in their working memory (Nuckles, Roelle, Glogger-Frey, Waldeyer, & Renkl, 2020). As the lesson continues, students can continue to pay attention, knowing that the previous information is not ‘lost.’ They can refer back to it anytime. If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night and had to write something down so you were sure to remember it the next day, you understand this feeling of relief that the information has been ‘captured.’ You can let it go and go back to sleep just like our students can let it go and pay attention to the next part of the lesson.

Worked examples can also reduce cognitive load, particularly for students who are learning brand new information or learning information that is particularly complex. Worked problems help reduce cognitive load by freeing up space in working memory. Students don’t have to ‘hold on’ to all of the details of the problem. They can study one aspect of how it’s solved and easily reference various parts as needed while they acquire the new information. As future examples are scaffolded to include less help, students can reference back to completed examples to check their understanding and identify and correct errors.

Chunking information also reduces cognitive load (Thalman, Souza, & Oberauer, 2019) When similar material is combined into one chunk, working memory can hold that one chunked unit instead of the individual components that make it up. Imagine if you were going to the grocery store and had to remember 7 items: apples, cucumbers, broccoli, bananas, lettuce, strawberries and cauliflower. Chunking them into fruits (apples, bananas and strawberries) and veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber and lettuce) would help you remember more easily since fruits and vegetables are known constructs in your brain and would count as 2 ‘chunks’ of information instead of the initial 7 individual food items.

Cognitive load theory also explains why students need memorized, factual knowledge (information that is stored in long-term memory) in order to think critically and creatively. Because working memory can only hold between three and five units of information, a robust amount of content-specific knowledge must be stored in long-term memory so that there is enough space available in working memory to creatively and critically think about that information (e.g., making new connections, analyzing information, etc). Willingham points out, “Critical thinking is not a set of skills and strategies that can be directly taught, practiced, and applied to any topic. Students need deep knowledge of a subject in order to think creatively or critically about it” (2016, p.1).

Cognitive load theory affects every aspect of learning. Educators must always keep working memory capacity at the forefront of our lesson planning and ask: what can we get rid of that doesn’t matter (reduce extraneous load), how can we help students manage what does matter (manage essential load) and how can we connect what matters into existing schema and move it into our infinite storehouse of long-term memory (increase germane load or learning)? We got this.

References
Cowan, N. (2010). The Magical Mystery Four: How is Working Memory Capacity Limited, and Why? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721409359277

Cognitive Load Theory on My Mind - The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.thecttl.org/2021/07/29/cognitive-load-theory/

Mayer, R. E. (2017). Instruction Based on Visualizations. In Handbook of Research on Learning and Instruction. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203839089.ch21.

Nückles, M., Roelle, J., Glogger-Frey, I., Waldeyer, J., & Renkl, A. (2020). The Self-Regulation-View in Writing-to-Learn: Using Journal Writing to Optimize Cognitive Load in Self-Regulated Learning. In Educational Psychology Review (Vol. 32, Issue 4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09541-1

Thalmann, M., Souza, A. S., & Oberauer, K. (2019). How does chunking help working memory? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition, 45(1), 37–55. https://doi.org/10.1037/XLM0000578
Wiliam, D. (2017). I’ve come to the conclusion Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory is the single most important thing for teachers to know http://bit.ly/2kouLOq. Twitter.

Willingham, D. T. (2016). Knowledge Matters Knowledge and Practice: The Real Keys to Critical Thinking. 1. www.KnowledgeMattersCampaign.org

Paige Jennings is the Professional Development Coordinator for Weld Re-4 School District. She has a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Northern Colorado and a graduate certificate in Mind, Brain and Teaching from Johns Hopkins University.

Anticipating the New Year!

Diane Lauer — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 19:54:29 GMT

By: Sarah Cavender

The anticipation for the new school year is settling in. There’s a bit of nervousness topped with a strong helping of excitement. As with every year, I find myself thinking about what my new students will be like. After two solid years of adapting and changing expectations due to COVID, this year seems like it could be the first for a while that has a sense of normalcy to it - the new normal. But with that new normal comes a host of questions that aren’t at all new. How will we create a classroom community that underscores the fun in thinking and creating? How will we develop an inclusive environment where students come to know their voices matter? What do we need to do to make sure all students walk away from the classroom loving to learn, through all of the ups and downs that come with the learning process?

The first days are always the most important days, so they say. We lean on learning student names and become investigators of our students over those first few weeks. What personalities exist in our classroom? Who are the cutups and who are the quiet observers? Who exudes confidence, and which students are unsure of themselves? Our classrooms are made from a wide and varied cast of characters that, in the middle school years, change and shift and grow over the course of the year. This is the exciting part of teaching in a middle school - watching these humans grow and change - trying on new hats, feeling out new friend groups, surviving the middle school drama that inevitably shakes things up along the way. My goal, in the end, is to use these first days to help show my students that all of this growth and change is supported and encouraged in my classroom - for who are we, if not middle school students coming of age in all of its messy and unpredictable ways?

In building a classroom of inclusive acceptance, I often turn to the students to share their thoughts and ideas. The joy of teaching language arts is that there are no right and definitive answers when it comes to interpreting a story. Every conjecture is viable, as long as you can use textual evidence to support it. So - we start there…every voice and every idea is interesting and worth investigating and discussing. The voice of the quiet observers are encouraged, the ideas of those who see things through a different perspective are championed, the jokesters are taken seriously, and everyone in between finds their own ways to share and grow as students and human beings.

Going into a new school year starts with building trust and camaraderie in the classroom. When trust exists, and students understand that their ideas and voices are valued, it leads to a fulfilling learning experience for both students and educators. What works one year may not work the next, but reflecting on those experiences that were so fulfilling the previous year is a helpful place to start. It's not about recreating the same experience, but rather figuring out what that experience will look like this school year, with these students.

Of some great things that came out of my classroom last year, one that stands out was the confidence to share writing. We held a contest in writing, each Friday, where students shared the paragraphs they developed using vocabulary terms correctly. This seems like a simple task, but middle school students often lack the confidence to share their work (especially reading aloud) with peers in a whole class setting. The interesting thing about this experiment (yes - all new things tried are experiments!) was the involvement of students! The first time we tried it, there were 6 students who volunteered to share their writing. Some paragraphs were hilarious, others serious. Some were descriptive, and others used the words incorrectly altogether. But, week after week, more and more students volunteered. Two students decided they would use this time to add to an ongoing short story. By the end of the year, students were upset when testing schedules shifted our ability to fit in our paragraph contest. They begged to have an end-of-the-year extravaganza sharing their last pieces of writing. As an educator, I sat back in awe and loved every moment of it. These students, who at the beginning of the year proclaimed to hate reading and writing, were now fighting for the ability to do both, and share about it. These students, who at the beginning of the year were shy, lacked confidence, and were more apathetic about participating in language arts discovered, over time, that this place was the place they could trust their peers, be vulnerable, and share their ideas. They learned to be proud of being learners. Of being confident. In building a community of trust and valuing the voices of all.

The takeaway from this is, of course, a question: How do I help students discover their confidence over the course of their year in our classroom? Trust. Love. Respect. Inclusion. Voice. These are the backbone of my classroom.

Sarah Cavender is a middle school Language Arts teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and completed her English Education program at Colorado State University.

ASSESSING YOUR IMPACT

Diane Lauer — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 19:35:14 GMT

By: Jessica O’Toole, Ed.D.

The best part of education is that we get a new start every year. In August, we come into the school year feeling revitalized, energized, and excited for a fresh start with students. Each August, I feel a mixture of excitement and anticipation for the new year; I spend a lot of my time reflecting on the previous year and planning for the year ahead. After this last year in education during the global pandemic, I have been wondering what made last year feel so different from my previous 15 years in education. When I think of my work with teachers last year, I find myself thinking about a trend that I have noticed, all conversations centered on measuring our impact on student learning. Over the past few years, we were just struggling with figuring out how to keep moving forward when our classes went remote, or we were missing many students due to illness. As the world slowly returns to normal, I reflect on how to recalibrate our thinking so that we are starting to spend more time measuring our impact on student learning. I am committing this year to refocus on the basics, the solid instructional practices that produce results and enable students to succeed; I find myself shifting my perspective from the newest educational practices to how to measure the impact of teaching (Hattier & Zierer, 2018). When we shift our perspective to focusing on what our students understand and our impact on their learning, the instructional practices we choose become easier to identify.

In order to grow in our ability to assess our impact on student learn

ing, three structures need to be in place. The first is to start by analyzing the curriculum and standards so that there is a clear understanding for both the teacher and students around what mastery will look like and develop a learning progression to help students move towards mastery. Secondly, we need to plan for a robust menu of formative assessments to evaluate students' level of understanding of the content. Lastly, we need to develop a collaborative community to help analyze and evaluate the students’ understanding in order to gain insight into what they know and where they are still struggling with mastery.

Over my years in education, I have found that whenever I mention analyzing the standards, it is often met with annoyance and frustration by many experienced teachers, especially teachers who have taught the same content for some time. Understandably, it can feel like a waste of time when teachers feel confident that they know what they are teaching and understand the learning progression they have used to help students achieve mastery. However, we must analyze the standards and curriculum every year, so we don’t become comfortable with the familiarity. When we become comfortable with the standards, it is easy to allow content slippage to happen, where we unintentionally start to focus on specific aspects of the standards and content and unintentionally allow other parts of the standards to slip away from our focus, therefore becoming an area of weakness in instruction (Fisher, Frey, Almarode, Flories, & Nagel, 2020). We need to analyze the standards every year so that we ensure that we are hitting mastery for every component of the standard. We also need clear learning progressions to help students achieve mastery. A learning progression will break down the necessary subskills students need and create a logical pathway with these subskills for students to move towards mastery (Popham, 2008). For experienced teachers, this is an excellent opportunity to reflect on what our students did last year and consider whether our learning progressions are serving them or need to be tweaked to better meet the student's needs. Through the iterative process of continually analyzing the standards and our learning progressions, we can ensure that we continue to provide our students with the most effective route to mastery.

The next step in assessing our impact on student learning is considering how we will assess what students understand. As many educators know, we need formative assessments to help us evaluate where students’ understanding of the concepts lies and to assess the areas that need more support to get to mastery and the areas that need extensions because students have already reached mastery. Unsurprisingly, formative assessments are one of the most impactful strategies we can use around student learning (Hattie & Zierer, 2018). While formative assessments are not a new idea to teachers, it is one that we should revisit at the beginning of the year as we think about setting up our classroom instruction. We need to have a clear plan of how we want to assess students often and regularly so that as we set up classroom routines, it becomes a routine that students come to know and expect. For example, some teachers choose to start their class every day with a quick three to five question quiz on the learning from the day before, some teachers opt for a more traditional quiz at the end of every topic, while other teachers choose for daily exit tickets to gather a quick snapshot of what students understand from that day of learning, and other teachers choose a combination approach. The approach is not necessarily important; what is important is establishing a routine so that formative assessments are a daily process that gives the teacher and the students timely feedback on the learning progression so that adjustments can be made to instruction.

Lastly, we need to create a community of collaboration to aid in the analysis and reflection of our instruction to help each other learn and grow in the practice of teaching. Teachers benefit from collaborative work when collaboration is viewed as a form of discussing ideas, raising questions, examining different perspectives, and raising curiosity around instructional practices and formative assessments (Little, 1987). However, it is not enough to just collaborate; we need to establish expectations around collaboration that push us to question our work and consider alternative approaches. When we approach collaboration with the intention of learning and growing, it sets a different tone for the time we spend together. As we think about starting the school year, we must put time and effort into how we set up our collaborative relationships with colleagues so that we can create a space where we have authentic and meaningful conversations around the data we collect from our students with the purpose of learning and growing in our professional practice.

As you reflect on the upcoming year, what are your next steps for thinking through how you want to assess your impact on student learning? The structures we put in place now, when we feel refreshed and excited at the beginning of the year, will serve us well as we move into the busy school year. How will you create space and time in your year to analyze the standards and learning progressions, think through formative assessment routines and develop authentic and meaningful collaboration with colleagues?

References

Fisher, D., Frey, N., Almarode, J., Flories, K., & Nagle, D. (2020). PLC+ better decisions and
greater impact by design. Thousand Oakes, California: Corwin A Sage Publishing CO

Hattie, J & Zierer, K. (2018). 10 Mindframes for visible learning: teaching for success. New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

Little J. W. (1987). Teachers as colleagues. In V. Richardson-Koehler (Ed.), Educators’
handbook: A research perspective (pp. 491-518). New York, NY: Longman.

Popham, W. J. (2008). Transformative assessment. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Jessica O’Toole is a middle school assistant principal in the St. Vrain Valley School District. She has served as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator. Jessica has her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Northern Colorado.

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