Service Learning: The Hello Campaign

Our team begins the year with a name project, and now I'd like to build on that with the Hello Campaign. At a recent diversity presentation at the MTA Summer Conference by Great Island Consulting, they suggested that saying hello is a critical component of building inclusive teaching/learning environments.

Since our school has a great tradition of service learning, we may make the Hello Campaign a service learning project.

The first step in service learning is the learning. We'll tackle the following questions as we learn about this campaign?

• How do people say hello?
• Why does saying hello matter?
• What is the best way to say hello?
• What do the experts have to say about saying hello?
• How do people react when you say hello?

Then, students and I will come up with further questions. Once we have the discussion and do some research, we'll then plan the campaign. Our plans will include the following:

• Introducing the campaign through a school assembly presentation and posters
• Determining how we'll track the campaign's success, and then collecting that data
• Deciding on next steps

I'm excited about this service learning project as I believe it will foster a positive teaching/learning community and year. We may also be able to integrate this project with music, social studies, art and more.

Inclusive Behavior Matters

At the MTA Summer Conference, I had the opportunity to learn more about inclusion and diversity via consultants from Great Island Consulting. They had a unique approach to the topic, one I had not experienced before. Their approach helped all the educators in the room look deeply at their own practice and experience with regard to inclusion and diversity, and by doing that they elevated individual empathy and understanding of the topic as well as a will to move forward with greater respect for diversity and ability to act in inclusive ways.

As I consider the notes from the presentation, I am prompted to think deeply about the inclusive behavior assessment we took and how I might make those inclusive behaviors visible in the school environment. With this goal in mind, I've identified the following actions.

See and acknowledge all people
I want to work with students to develop this practice more. Ways that we might do this include the following:

• A Hello Campaign that includes posters around the school and efforts to say hello to all people in the school with friendly gestures, smiles, use of people's names and more. 
• Hello Days where students keep track of how many people say "hello" back, and then using that data to think about how we can build an even friendlier environment.

Body language that demonstrate openness and receptivity

In the busy school climate, this can be difficult so one of the first ways to make this visible is to slow down the day and make every transition more deliberate. For example, stay clear of public places when what you need is quiet concentration, and when you venture out in public, be ready to be positive, open and receptive. 

For the students, I want to focus our open circle time on body language. Our school counselor has some great workshops on this so I'll look to her help in this regard. Also I'll be explicit with students about this topic with statements such as "If I'm reading your body language correctly, it seems that you. . . ." or "Your body language is saying ___, but your words are saying ____, what's true?"

Using people's names

I'll try to elevate this by asking students to write letters more often to express their responses, learning, and needs. We'll include this as part of the hello campaign, and we'll foster this with our start of the year selfie project that emphasizes the importance of names. 

Paraphrase and test your understanding before you respond

I want to explicitly model this in the classroom as I work with students on conflict resolution, and I would also like to make this a subject and activity during our open circle time.

Speak for yourself using "I" statements

Again I'll model, and we'll practice during open circle and class presentations/share.

Be willing to influence and be influenced

This will be a good point to practice during math talk and debate as well as during conflict resolution.

Seek multiple view points and encourage the expression of differences

Starting with the "hello campaign" students and I can discuss this topic and practice it. First questions might be, "How do you say hello to people you know well? How do you say hello to people you don't know as well? Be as specific as possible. We often solve classroom issues as a group so that's another way that we can make this inclusive behavior explicit.

Treat conflict as a resource, find the promise in the problem

Early in the year I'll present the model of learning paths and the "roads of life" to students. We'll talk about high points, low points and steady times. As part of this discussion, we'll talk about conflict and what to do when it occurs. I'll introduce them to the idea that you can find "the promise in the problem." I'm excited about working with students to see conflict as opportunity rather than a problem. 

Assume positive intent, hear individual's truth

Too often as educators we may jump to conclusions rather than making the time to hear a student's or colleague's truth. We have to slow down classroom life so there is time to listen and hear what students have to say. So often what we think is not the truth of the matter, and when children explain "their truth" to us we learn information we didn't even consider or imagine.

Use bridging comments

This is an area I want to think a bit more about and how I might model this with students and build their ability to use these comments too.

Work to build trust, honor confidentiality and do what you said you would do

As one who's a big dreamer, sometimes my dreams outpace my action. I have to be careful about this and promise what I can do, not what I dreaming about. Also early year small group or individual lunches and meetings can work to build this kind of trust with students and colleagues. In the school house, it's helpful to say to colleagues, please let me know if this is something you don't want shared with others. It's good to know what needs to be confidential and what can be public. In general, I'm a fan of transparency and not a lot of secrets so it's important to think about the difference between confidentiality and harmful secrets. Treating students with utmost respect and care is the best way to build communities of trust. Also when speaking about students and families, it's essential to use high levels of respect and confidentiality too. 

2017-2018 First Days of School Lessons

This is a fun buddy project our class we'll work on with their kindergarten buddies soon. 

The first few days of school are good days to organize, build team, and get ready for a terrific year ahead. I reviewed a number of early-year lessons I've used in the past, and created this guiding list. I'll likely continue to add to it as I'm reminded of many start-of-the-year lessons when setting up the classroom.

Name Tags
Students will make name badges upon arrival. We'll use those name badges for future field studies too.

Name Focus
We'll start with a focus on names. I'll use attendance as a time to learn each person's name. I also give students a chance to write each person's name as each make a wordfind of first names. The next day, they'll exchange the wordfinds with classmates and complete as another way to learn each others' name.

Selfie Project

Desk Set-Up
We'll review the supply list and set up desks.

Review and Revise Learning Expectations and Core Values

What is a positive learning disposition?

Success Criteria

Heart Healthy Classroom

Name Game
There's a great name game that we'll play as well to learn each others' names as well as learn about the many activities that people did this summer. This is a get-up-and-move-game, so that will be good after the initial sitting.

What I want you to know about me
I'll introduce students to the mini-writing center, an area with some stationary, paper, and pens, and ask each student to handwrite a letter to me telling me what they want me to know about them.

Chromebook/Website Introduction
Each child will have a chromebook to use. So students will collect the chromebooks, review the class website with me, and then have time to get started on individual Selfie projects--Google draw collages that introduce themselves to each other and the broader class community.

Teamwork
We'll discuss what makes a great team, and then complete some teamwork activities such as the marshmallow-spaghetti challenge and the notecard challenge.

Citizenship

Co-Constructing the Classroom: Building Teamwork & Respect for One Another

We'll use the orientations to build teamwork and respect for one another through targeted discussions and lessons about learning differences, race/culture, mindsets, and social-emotional learning lessons. We'll also plan a number of enjoyable team building activities at the start of the year in order to give students a chance to get to know one another, make new friends and discover what they have in common. We will co-construct the classroom norms, protocols, rules, and routines with students, and, in part, use the Hosting Conversations research as we build this orientation effort.

Three Truths and a Lie
This is a fun game that a colleague shared. Each person writes four sentences about himself/herself. One sentence is untrue. Students have to guess which sentence is untrue. It's a fun way to get to know one another as well as introduce protocols for listening to each other and taking your turn.

What's Your Number?
Students will decorate a paper t-shirt with their math "number," a number determined using the code a=1, b=2, c=3 and so on. They'll do some work to describe their number as well, and then take and print a picture of themselves to add to the t-shirt for a class "Math Team" display.

Sunflower Glyphs
We'll meet our kindergarten buddies and make sunflower glyphs with them.

Mindset
We'll review what it means to have a positive Mindset, and work creatively to discuss and publicize that message.

Showcase Portfolio Prep
We'll complete initial portfolio pages and covers.

Birthday Math
We'll focus a bit on birthdays and the math that goes with this including a birthday graph display.

Number Wall
We'll make a 1-100 number wall that includes all kinds of useful number information.

Google Classroom
I'll introduce Google classroom, and a first assignment will be to write a letter to me telling me how to teach math.

Beginning Math Lessons

Seed Packets
I'll use the STEAM seed packet assignment as a living metaphor with regard to the year's goal which is to plant seeds of new information, skill development, knowledge building, and dynamic community.

Hello Campaign
We'll talk about greetings, and initiate a hello campaign for the school.

I'm sure I'll add to this list in the days ahead, but this gives me a good number of activities to prepare for as I continue the room set up today and greet some of our new students on the second day of teacher set-up.

Revised Orientation Efforts

Today the team begins our revised orientation efforts. We used Chris Emdin's book, For White Folks. . ." as one resource to uplift our efforts to orient students to the school year, and build strong, dynamic teaching/learning relationships.

Already as we begin today, I see possible changes for next year. I'll track our progress on this blog post so others may add ideas or follow our lead.

Fifth Grade Orientation

Research

Our collaboration and study relied on several sources of study and research including the following:

• For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood and the Rest of Y’all Too by Chris Emdin
• Empowered Educators  by Linda Darling Hammond and others
• Thank You for Being Late by Thomas L. Friedman
• Tribe by Sebastian Junger
• Multiple presentations at Wayland Public Schools and elsewhere that provided substantial information and ideas for developing cultural proficiency, anti-racist teaching, and dynamic teaching/learning environments.

Individually and together we have gained substantial knowledge and ideas for forwarding more inclusive, collaborative, and caring teaching environments. Our research points to the need to include the following elements in any successful teaching learning program:

• Make time to build strong, caring relationships amongst all stakeholders including educators, students, and family members.
• Make time to sensitively know and understand each student’s context with regard to identity, interests, needs, language, family, neighborhood, and more.
• Be explicit when it comes to helping students understand what’s expected and how to meet those expectations.
• Bridge the opportunity gap, by making sure that all children have what they need to succeed.

Orientation Morning for Boston-Resident Students and New Students

All Boston Resident students and new students will be invited by a personal phone call to parents to join us on the morning of August 31 to get to know one another and prepare for the school year to come. Boston Resident students will ride the busses provided for 6th and 9th grade students for their orientations that day. That morning will include the following activities:

• brunch and time to talk as teachers and students
• response to students’ questions
• review supplies, set up desks
• play knock-out on the playground with teachers
• investigate math measuring tools and measure the perimeter of the playground.
• start of first grade-level project: the selfie project

Next Year's Revision

• Invite students to this day on the last day of the school year so that families can plan for it. Some students were unable to attend due to less lead time.
• Work with office staff to readily receive information about new students so they can attend the event. This year we were unable to receive that information in a timely manner.
• Invite other students who may profit from the extra attention at the start of the year.
• Call bus company ourselves to confirm efforts.
• Create an invitation in June so that families have lead time to attend the event, and so that the office staff can give an invitation to new families when they sign up for school.

Information Share

We have found that many families don't know about the supports available to them, supports that may help their children do better in school including:

• scholarships/enrollment in extracurricular events, field studies and after school programs
• available social/emotional services/help
• the opportunity to borrow a computer for the year
• the ability to speak up at any time to advocate for their child

We reached out to the school guidance counselor who provided us with several lists of related information. At this stage, we will keep a running list of these resources, and share the resources as needed with families and students in person, by phone/email, and via our newsletter.. A future summer work project may involve collating this information in a more user-friendly way to support educators and families.

Intake Survey

A colleague drafted a better intake survey for all families, and will do what we can to receive a completed survey from every family. It may be that some of these surveys are filled out at an early-year family meeting particularly if it's a family for whom English is a second language. This survey will help us to know families well and be able to reach families when needed.

Tech Connect

Our team does a lot to offer students tech access to all class materials and information via our TeamFive website. It's important that all families understand how to access that information, and that they have technology available to access the information. With that in mind, our orientation efforts may include the following:

• Device-lending to students who do not have an adequate tech device at home
• Information related to low-cost WIFI
• Tech meetings with families who want to understand more about how to access the class tech sites and information.
• Explicit tech connect teaching to all students so students are able to access all aspects of the class website and more.
• Making sure that all students have an at-home tech device
• We'll also suggest that families set up a family gmail that they can use to track school correspondence and allow their child to use for emails that parents can monitor and check.
• Early-year lessons and regular monitoring of optimal digital use and safety.

Family-to-Family Connections

Many valuable connections that lead to student success are formed on the sidelines of student events. Our team. At  Curriculum Night and follow-up parent-teacher-student conferences we’ll query families about their interest in becoming involved in a family-to-family network to foster deeper connections and support for one another at the grade level.

Co-Constructing the Classroom: Building Teamwork & Respect for One Another

We'll use the orientations to build teamwork and respect for one another through targeted discussions and lessons about learning differences, race/culture, mindsets, and social-emotional learning lessons. We'll also plan a number of enjoyable team building activities at the start of the year in order to give students a chance to get to know one another, make new friends and discover what they have in common. We will co-construct the classroom norms, protocols, rules, and routines with students, and, in part, use the Hosting Conversations research as we build this orientation effort.

Hello Campaign

TeamFive students will begin the year with a Hello Campaign Service Learning project.

What I Want You to Know About Me Letters

In the early days of school, teachers will ask students to write “What I want you to know about me” letters to homeroom teachers, and “How I Think You Should Teach _______” to subject area teachers as one more way to know students well and build relationships.

Start-of-Year Selfie Project

Through our research, we have learned about the importance of recognizing students' individual identities and names. With that in mind we'll foster the "Selfie Project."  and focus specifically on names. We will also forward a number of lessons about our individual and collective culture to foster a positive sense of belonging and community as well. We will show a video of all the student selfies at Curriculum Night.

Curriculum Night

Families who live close to the school, generally attend the start-of-the-year curriculum night. Families who are new or live far from the school sometimes don't attend this important meeting that introduces the curriculum program. There is a lot we can do to help families in this regard including the following ideas:

• call each family to introduce ourselves, answer questions, and invite parents to curriculum night. Also tell them how important this night is with respect to meeting other families and learning about their child's school program.
• provide transportation support (this can be discussed during the phone call)
• add the curriculum night presentation to the grade-level website
• if child care is an issue, invite parents to bring their children

Family-Student-Teacher/Administrator Social Event

In the early weeks of school, host a social event for new students and students distanced from the school neighborhood that includes food and fun. Reach out to local agencies for funding and support for this event. We had a similar social event last year which was very successful. We may want to host this event in conjunction with other school events. Note that we decided to coordinate this event with the district-wide family picnic which we'll advertise at Curriculum Night.

Family-Student-Teacher Conferences

We want to make sure that reach out to families to ensure that every family and student attends parent-student-teacher conferences in both the fall and spring. If families need more time to meet, we'll provide that.

Showcase Portfolios

Our team has been developing our use of showcase portfolios as one way to collect, share, and reflect on student learning. The initial showcase portfolio efforts begin with the Happiness Survey where students reflect on what makes them happy. This provides a very positive start. Other important start-of-the-year elements of this portfolio include the parent-student survey and the "What I wish you knew about me" student letters. The showcase portfolio in a sense becomes a storybook about the child's learning during the fifth grade year. It also serves as a point of discussion and reflection throughout the year as students, families, and teachers make decisions about learning.

Respectful Behavior, Positive Demeanor, Good Citizenship

Once again the school team grapples with what is the best way to foster a kind and caring community. This is a perennial issue in most schools, and an issue which, for the most part, our school meets with dedication and commitment.

I am a bit sensitive to this overall issue as my parameters for acceptable behavior are often a bit broader than the mainstream. I generally accept more movement, energy, speaking out, and spirit in my class setting. I think, in part, this goes back to growing up in a big, busy house with lots of people. There weren't many quiet moments and there was always a lot of movement. Research supports this energized classroom, yet research also supports the quiet, focused room too. There's many factors when it comes to right environment, and what's right often depends on the context of who is in that environment.

That being said, there's little debate when it comes to safe and respectful behavior. There are commonly acceptable ways to behave in schools, and typically those protocols exist for good reason.

For example, last year one of our highly energetic boys knocked down a little kindergarten as he ran from one room to another. He wasn't an evil-minded child, but instead one who like to run and didn't stop to think about how that running might hurt another person.

So how will I work to encourage my team and myself to display that respectful behavior, positive demeanor, and good citizenship?

Hallway Behavior
This might profit from some role play in the classroom. I think we'll have a lesson that's targeted on this issue alone. We'll start with a discussion, include some role play, and practice.

Greetings
Our first service learning project will be the "Hello Campaign" so that should help us out with regard to greetings.

Noise
In a busy school, too much noise may mean that others can't learn. Similar to hallway behavior, we'll make this a focus of a targeted lesson, role play, and practice.

We'll review the school's core values and attributes of character too in the early days of school as one way to set the stage for leadership behavior, behavior that's respectful, positive, and evidence of good character and citizenship.

I must admit I often rush into the curriculum and don't give these details enough time. This year I'll make a commitment to greater time in this regard.