pen 
lassroom
rogramLincoln Elementary School
909 Sequoia Trail
Madison, WI 53713
(608) 204-4900
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The Mission of the Open Classroom community is to offer multi-age learning environments with partnerships among teachers, students, and parents, while providing continuity in learning and teaching.
We believe:
Optimal learning occurs in nuturing environments which foster self-esteem, risk-taking, and decision-making.
Learning includes the social, emotional, and intellectual development of the child.
Students learn best when curriculum is developmental and integrated with instruction that accommodates individual differences.
Academic excellence is increased through inquiry-based projects, student exploration, and self-discovery.
Multi-year relationships create a cohesive family atmosphere in which every student is an expert and learns from others.
The Open Classroom at Lincoln, a 'school-within-a-school', is the only K-5 alternative elementary program offered to MMSD families. It has a long history dating back to 1976, when "Open Classroom" was the current innovation and housed at Longfellow School.
Today, there are still some of the same components of the program which distinguish it from traditional instructional models. The Open Classroom community consists of a culturally, racially diverse K-5 multi-age educational program consisting of three classrooms which emphasize inquiry, experiential, project-based learning. Students engage in academically rigorous exploration and discovery of theme-based subject matter. Collaboratin on projects, students develop skills in teamwork, conflict resolution, self-reflection, and taking multiple perspectives. In the Open Classroom children:
Know everyone in all three classrooms by the end of the first year of attendance.
Transition smoothly from one grade to the next, because they already know the teacher and the teacher knows them.
Teach and learn from each other through the Math and Book Buddies program and project collaboration.
Learn how to think critically and become risk takers.
Benefit from teacher collaboration on student assessment, projects, and shared materials.
Develop a combination of intellectual and interpersonal skills which form a solid foundation for future learning and living.
Enhance acceptance and capactiy for working with people who are different from them.
OC Teachers: Shannon Stetter, Suzanne Welles, Carolyn Konkol
The following is a composite of answers given by the Open Classroom Teachers in an interview concerning the academics of the Open Classroom.
How would you describe the Open Classroom's curriculum?
We stick to the standards while also supporting multi-age learning. To create a student-centered classroom, the goals of a lesson should allow it to 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.
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 Overture Center and enjoy trips to the Madison School Forest.
What is unique about the Open Classroom?
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.
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.
Paradox of the "Open" Classroom. The more the Open Classroom teachers plan and are concrete about the instructional goals the better they can do.
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.
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.
How are the needs of individual students met?
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 many of the choices: amount of time, partners and type of activity. This gives the teacher time to teach small groups to get at specific skills and levels. This also gives the teacher a chance to informally assess students.
Groupings are done by level of skill and knowledge and are flexible. Students are not grouped just by age.
Teachers plan around individual needs and work to know their students before they are even part of the class.
What do the Open Classroom teachers hope students will leave with?
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.
What kind of students generally do well in the Open Classroom?
Students who come from families where the parents really understand the program, are involved and want to have a relationship with the teacher.
Families who appreciate the education of the "whole" child and understand that learning takes place over time.
How are students assessed?
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
What is the relationship between Lincoln and the Open Classroom?
Open Classroom students enjoy all the benefits of other students at Lincoln Elementary. The Open Classroom shares support services with Lincoln such as special education teachers and assistants, bilingual resource teachers and specialists, Title I teachers, and speech and language teachers as well. During each week they go to "Specials" classes for Art, Music, PE, Science (REACH), Computer Lab and a Science REACH enrichment class. Our librarian offers exceptional programming which includes library research skills, geography competitions, and class story 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, Pothole (wetlands) research and Environmental Education.
Lincoln students volunteer to be teacher assistants for K/1. 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.
How do students work together, K-5 in the OC?
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.
What is it and how does it work? 
What is it and how does it work?
Reading Buddies takes place between the k/1 class and the 2/3 class. 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.
What students say...
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.
Open Classroom Application Procedure
Last update: April 21, 2007
Editor/Publisher: Eileen Potts Dawson epottsdawson@madison.k12.wi.us
Webmaster: webmaster@madison.k12.wi.us
