Below is a composite of answers given by the Open Classroom Teachers in an interview concerning the academics of the Open Classroom.
We stick to the standards while also supporting multi-age learning. To create a student-centered classroom a teacher needs to concretize the goals of a lesson so that it can go in many different directions. This allows students the opportunity to explore a range of topics within the goals of a lesson.
The standards don't limit us. Because we are K-5, curriculum can fit in where necessary. Open Classroom teachers plan together, which allows them to develop curriculum in a deeper way. For example, themes can be explored from multiple perspectives.
Open Classroom teachers begin with a theme, then fit in the standards. They examine specific skills that need to be taught and chart a separate course for those areas. They assess the class, then differentiate between skill building and knowledge-building activities.
Project-Based Learning is incorporated into the Open Classroom through the steps below. This type of learning encourages questioning, responsibility, self-reflection, negotiation, research and writing skills, resourcefulness, presentation skills, content knowledge and a sense of control over one's own learning.
A. Generate theme and project as a class.
B. Introduce product (i.e., presentation, visual, HyperStudio)
C. Plan using teacher- generated forms that ask: Do you have any questions about the topic? What are some possible places to find information? And Who can help you?
D. Do research: take notes, do interviews
E. Create product
F. Present product
G. Reflect on process and product
Students develop critical thinking and real life experiences from many extra curricular opportunities that may be connected to a current project. In the past, students have interviewed mayoral candidates, University of Wisconsin basketball coach Bo Ryan, and architects. They regularly attend performances at the Civic Center and enjoy trips to the school forest.
A. Multi-age components. The interaction among all the Open Classroom students is great. The emphasis on teaching and learning for themselves comes from being around kids of different ages.
B. K-5 teachers working together. Seeds planted with younger students bear fruit in the later years. Teachers can develop and nurture all students throughout the program.
C. Paradox of the "Open" Classroom. The more the Open Classroom teachers plan and are concrete about the instructional goals the better they can do.
D. Community. Knowing the members of all the Open Classroom families is unique. Cohorts of students move together from kinder to fifth grade. There is a "sibling" feeling. Students can overcome differences because they get to know them well and have to work with each other closely. Acceptance and depth of relationship is encouraged.
E. Transitions. At the end of each year students actually experience the classroom that they will be entering into in the fall. They learn about expectations, schedule and what they will study. In this way they already know the teacher and most of the students. When they start their new classes, they transition smoothly because the teachers share common teaching practices, such as the use of workshops, independent learning and problem-solving activities. Homework systems are similar as well.
Workshop format allows students both a sense of structure and belonging but also responsibility for how to use their time.
During the K/1 Literacy and Math Centers there are a variety of activities. Students make all the choices: amount of time, partners and type of activity. This gives the teacher time to informally assess students.
Groupings can be done by level of skill and knowledge, not just age.
Teachers plan around individual needs and work to know their students before they are even part of the class.
Independence, self-reflection, self-expression, responsibility for own learning, caring for others, empathy, valuing differences, active participants in the learning process, critical thinking -working with process and product, experience learning from the inside out.
Students who come from families where the parents really understand the program.
Parents who are involved and want to have a relationship with the teacher.
Families that appreciate the education of the "whole" child and understand that learning takes place over time.
Although the Open Classroom teachers must adhere to the district standards, formal and informal assessment is driven by critical teaching points not for standardized tests. Students do take the standardized tests which are as follows:
K-3: District Primary Math Assessment
K-2: Primary Language Arts Assessment
3-5: State Basic Reading Inventory
Open Classroom students enjoy all the benefits of other students at Lincoln Elementary.
During each week they go to "Specials" classes for Art, Music, PE, Science (REACH), Computer Lab and Library. Due to budget concerns, Lincoln is the only elementary school in the district that still offers Science as a REACH class.
The librarian also offers exceptional programming that includes library research skills, geography competitions and mixed classes reading times.
Usually Open Classroom students eat lunch and have recess together. This fosters greater community and provides older students with opportunities to nurture the younger ones.
The Open Classroom is privileged to be housed in a school with such innovative and dedicated faculty and staff.
Students from the Open Classroom have many opportunities to be part of the school at large.
Classes merge for collaboration on such projects as Terrace Town, Pot Hole research and Environmental Education.
Lincoln students volunteer to be teacher assistants for K/1.
A Lincoln fifth grade class teaches strategies for reading comprehension.
Students become school patrols and also participate in such after school clubs as Chess, Beadwork, Homework, Basketball and Fun with Food.
Teachers from the Open Classroom participate in staff development and weekly school math and literacy meetings.
All members of the Open Classroom participate in school wide assemblies, concerts and special events.
On a weekly basis there are exchanges between older and younger students that involve mentoring in the areas of Reading and Math. See below for a description of Open Classroom's Math Buddy and Reading Buddy programs.
Math Buddies What is it and how does it work? Magical Math happens during a joint session of Math Buddies. A long tradition in the Open Classroom, 4/5 students share their time and expertise in math with a K/1 student. The benefits are numerous. First of all, students get to know each other well; the younger students gain a sense of belonging and connection while the older students learn to be mentors and role models. The Math Buddy ³teachers² have the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills through planning, executing and reflecting upon lessons. They employ their creativity, internal motivation and empathy to produce math lessons and materials to provide practice and reinforcement of math concepts for their buddy. At the same time they get valuable feedback about their own teaching and learning style that can help them on their own journey as students.Before students even begin thinking about what to teach their young buddy they need to establish a working knowledge of how to teach math. The Open Classroom teacher, Lisa Stein, provides an initial exercise where the 4/5 students are asked to analyze story problems involving addition and subtraction and rank them according to challenge level - a level of difficulty based on school district standards. Through this discussion students not only begin to grasp some developmental issues involved in teaching math but also gain a deeper understanding of story problems. The next step is for students to write their own story problems at all the challenge levels; these are checked for accuracy and then put into a 'bank' that can be used for future lessons. Finally, the students are ready to choose their Math Buddy. Math Buddies are paired up for 4 - 5 week cycles. The 4/5 students prepare a weekly lesson using the following guide: What is the purpose of the lesson and how do you want to accomplish it? What categories of math will your teaching cover? What materials are required for the lesson? What is your specific procedure for teaching the lesson? Students turn in their lesson plans every Wednesday for teacher approval and then fine-tune them for Friday when they meet with their buddies.
Before the first lesson, Ms. Stein takes her students through a series of scenarios to help them prepare for teaching. Together they explore topics such as what to do if you finish early, or if you are not quite prepared enough, or how to build trust and create success in the learning situation. Then they launch into the 30 minute Math Buddy sessions. The very first lesson with the K/1 student involves assessment of math level and learning style. From then on the 4/5 teacher uses this knowledge to create and guide future lessons. Some examples of lessons include: playing store with money, scavenger hunt for math problems, bingo and story problems.
A key element to understanding the Math Buddy teaching and learning situation is through deep reflection on what works and what doesn't work. After each Math Buddy session, Ms. Stein conducts an open forum for students to examine any aspect of their teaching. She asks students about what they noticed during their session. Were the K/1 students attentive and on task? Did you run out of material? How did you know that the student learned? What improvements can you make for next time? Ms. Stein might also use a studentıs lesson as a model to demonstrate different planning and teaching points.
After the discussion students are asked to write about their experience reflecting on the following:
* What are two things you learned about your buddy today?
* What was the objective of your lesson?
* Rate the success of this lesson.
* Write one thing that you liked/didn't like or that went well/didn't go well in your lesson.
* What will you change for next week?
* What concerned, annoyed, and/or surprised you?
This writing not only gives students the chance to deepen their thinking about their own teaching style, but it can also provide an avenue for students to consider how they learn themselves.
At the end of each cycle, Math Buddies are changed and the 4/5 students get a new K/1 buddy. Before they meet with their new friend they review that personıs folder containing the lesson plans and reflections used by the previous teacher, the reflections and a letter to the new teacher from the old one giving specific information about the buddy. This all helps in making the transition smoother.
Mei: My experience has been good because they pay attention and I actually teach them something. I have learned how to teach.
Laura: I like how we get new math buddies because they do different things. It's really cool because you get to learn new math stuff like "What's 20 + 20?" My favorite thing about math buddies is that you get to learn new things.
Javonte: It's going GREAT! Right now we are learning about money. We also learn to read because you have to read to do math.
Nath: Key things: Keep it interesting. Have your own little teacher tricks. As you go along you find out what to say.
Emma: Key things. You have to learn what they want to do, what they can do. You try to work on the things that theyıre not good at. I helped my buddy count higher than ten and I used teddies and colored chains to help her.
EJ: I learned it's not that easy being a teacher. Sometimes they don't participate the way you want them to and you have to adjust it at the last second to make it work.
Maggie: One very memorable experience I had was when I saw all the little kids working so hard at it and it was just so amazing to see. I don't think I will ever forget seeing all those little kids just thinking and working. Before I started this I always thought little kids didn't know too much and just starting off on a huge journey of life. Now I know that they've already started so you are helping them along their way and it is just amazing to think about it.
Julian: One time when I was working with my buddy I felt like a big brother. He listened to me. I went to count the money and when I came back he was just waiting for me, ready to get back to work.
Marcus: It's important to listen to your Math Buddy, concentrating and not interrupting anybody else.
Nancy: It's important to learn stuff by trying. Sometimes if you don't get it you have to take a break or even count on your fingers.
Reading Buddies takes place between the kindergarteners and third graders. Although many schools do paired reading, in the Open Classroom the whole group comes together to hear a story and participate in two-way reading. It's not just sharing a book; it's about experiencing literature - sharing what is read in both classes.
Teachers make the matches based on skill level and interests. They guide children in selecting level-appropriate text but let the kids choose the books. For each session, an adult reads a story to the whole group, asking inquiry questions along the way. Then kids pair up to read to each other. Students share class favorites as well as personal treasures. They develop greater literacy skills while also using the libraries in each classroom. For the younger students this aids in an easier transition to second grade and for the older kids they get to reconnect with their former teacher and go back to their 'younger' years.
Isa: I've learned that they don't like chapter books; they like pictures because they are more easy to understand.
Ari: I like how they read stories because it is very fun and interesting.
Rafael: I like Book Buddies because I love reading and I also like to help people.
Nora: They can learn more and more about books.
Isa: So they can get to know each other better.
Last update: August 9, 2004
Editor/Publisher: Eileen Potts Dawson epottsdawson@madison.k12.wi.us
Webmaster: webmaster@madison.k12.wi.us
