Prepping for MAP implementation

We've been gearing up for the switch from the ERBs to the MAPs for several months, and it's exciting to have Implementation Day just around the corner (or weekend, literally). In case you aren't familiar with the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), you can read all about our decision to switch from a standardized test to a formative assessment, about which I am absolutely ecstatic: we'll get useful data about student learning that can inform instruction in a timely fashion, and that's really cool.  This testing is also so much better aligned with our constructivist philosophy about how children learn, and the purposes of assessment! 

Today we had Steven Davis from NWEA walk six administrators and six teachers through the login protocol, and train us in how to proctor the exams. From a proctor's computer, a teacher can see which exam each student is taking, which question each student is on, how long the student has been on that question, and can pause, suspend, or terminate the test as needed. Undoubtedly we'll have a few bumps as we put our new technology (upgraded wireless routers, and several brand new chromebooks) through its paces, but hopefully the students will feel good about the experience.

If you are interested, you can read about Steve's perspective on his day at TBS over at his blog. He'll be coming back on Friday, October 11th -- our scheduled Professional Development day -- to help train us on making sense of the reports and data.

Preparing to transition between classrooms

Because of the mixed-grade classrooms at our Early Childhood and Elementary divisions, transitioning from one classroom to another happens less frequently for students than it does for those enrolled in single-grade schools. There are many positives to this structure, which is why we have it, but one ancillary result is that sometimes anxiety or tension is heightened for a student or family who is making the transition from ECC to K, from 1st to 2nd, from 3rd to 4th, or from 5th to 6th grade. Because we know that this is the case, back in late March we asked each grade level team to pass on three or four top priorities for the next grade level down to be working on throughout the spring. This is just one of the ways in which we are thinking about supporting this transition both now, as school draws to a close, and in the fall, when we lead off the year with a variety of transition-related activities. Below, I've listed what the teachers asked each other to focus on as the year draws to a close.

What the K/1 faculty asked the ECC faculty to work on with incoming Kindergarden students:

1. A love of learning, and interest in the social aspect of learning.

2. Good separation strategies in place with the family.

3. Developmentally appropriate ventures with communication and conflict resolution.

4. Practice with transitions during morning work period, including lining up.

5. Familiarity with developmentally appropriate structured work in larger settings.

What the 2/3 faculty asked the K/1 faculty to work on with 1st grade students:

1. Social skills: sit in circle attentively for 20 minutes, wait his or her turn, be mindful of the feelings of others, be responsible for his/her own materials, do classroom care jobs conscientiously, speak respectfully to adults and peers, and articulate feelings to others.

2. Academic skills: mastery of all consonant and short vowel sounds, know most digraphs, write several sentences using phonetic spelling, rote count to 100, using some method (finger counting, pictures, manipulatives) to combine amounts, know what "take away" means, has the idea of sharing by making equal amounts.

What 4/5 faculty asked the 2/3 faculty to work on with 3rd grade students:

1. The ability to overcome challenges/failures.

2. Managing the emotions of having homework.

3. Math fact recognition, especially with addition and multiplication.

4. Making connections while reading.

What 6th grade asked the 4/5 faculty to work on with 5th grade students:

1. Academic stamina.

2. The ability to transition between routines, subjects, and classes.

3. Ownership of their own learning.