Day One
July 10, 2017
The great project begins. The basics details:
Summer School for Newfane Middle School.
21 students fill the roster. A mixture of grades 5-8. Mostly 8th grade. Many need this program to advance to the next grade in the fall while some are here on a more voluntary basis.
Class runs from 8:15-11:15am, Monday – Thursday. First day is today, 7/10, and the last will be Thursday, 8/3.
We have five teachers working with our students, plus more than occasional visits from administration. Teachers represent 5 different areas: ELA, mathematics, science, social studies and special education.
The great experiment is to create an enrichment experience that strives not to teach last year’s material, but rather to better prepare learners for the work to come at the next grade level and beyond. Summer school is not typically viewed as a place of rich discussion, and the measuring stick is often compliance rather than real engagement. We’re looking for learners in this program to become askers of questions, and collaborative researchers. This will take place first through the creation of a rich learning environment, safe and accessible, with an overarching interdisciplinary theme. Teachers are group members; our lead teacher initiates discussion and ideas, and then we all delve into the learning. We all must discuss, ask, engage.
Day one was part culture building, part ground rules, part content. The content is fascinating, In our lakeside community, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of high water levels of Lake Ontario. The reasons for this ongoing event are varied. How it happened…its impact…and what the next steps are will become our study. The learners in this group know of the facts…they’ve seen the impact. Now we’ll deepen our knowledge and search for answers.
A picture is projected on a screen. We’re prompted to develop questions. We sit in groups–five of them. There are no limits on the questions. The difference between closed (single, specific answer) and open questions is addressed. The best queries from each group selected. These will eventually guide the work of the teams that are gradually being developed.
Questions of another kind are also addressed. “How do I pass?” “How many days can I miss?” “Why are we with kids in different grades?” Our lead teacher calls our attention to this–your “ticket” to the next grade is to show growth in three areas: Ideas, Organization, and Team Attributes. A group task is to come up with positive and negative examples of each. We then share with the class, posting the ideas on the board and chart paper. This will become our rubric. No grades per se, but rather areas in which to demonstrate growth. A reflection time each day will help the learners, adults included, monitor their progress. What did we learn today, what do we hope to learn tomorrow. Substantive.
We don’t know how this work will turn out. There’s a nervous but positive tension to what we’re doing though…we’re asking students who at times have been difficult to reach to be open to being part of an enrichment type program. They’re expected to discuss, expected to question, expected to be more than compliant; to be active learners striving to answer a question of their own design.
It feels real. It feels like the efforts of staff and kids could create an amazing and unique experience. It’s an energizing start. Looking forward to the journey with these learners.
3 Highlights of Day One
*Students, upon entering school, met in the aud. Unprompted, they talked with each other…no one was flying solo. Two students made a beeline to another who is new to us this summer.
*One student had to leave for an appointment for about 40 minutes. Upon returning, another student (zero prompting), brought over his notes so the other could catch up on missing notes.
*Handshakes at door as learners departed–a student stayed behind to say that he wasn’t looking forward to it, but found it fun, and that it was a “great first impression.”
We’ll take it. Thanks for reading.
Notes from 2700 