December Dilemma

Here is some information to educate us about our professional responsibility as a public school when working with holidays. My expectation is that we have an inclusive environment and respect differences.   Subtle shifts at HP to be inclusive and respectful of differences include: The Giving Tree-Social action to support the county rather than a religious symbol Sing- a long- There is a balance of songs from differing beliefs and they are non- religious in nature (The music department updated this a few years ago) Snowman Bingo- Not Santa as it is not a part of everyone's belief system. Please see me if you have questions or concerns when planning learning and remember that learning is the focus in schools and keeping routines is comforting to students and supports above the line behaviors at school.

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As the 2014-15 school year approaches, we at the Anti-Defamation League—one of the nation’s premier organizations defending religious liberty—know that many school administrators and teachers face the challenge of planning curricula that demonstrate a respect for religious differences, both during the December holidays and throughout the school year. Such planning may encompass both classroom and other school-sponsored activities. In an effort to help you comply with the United States Constitution and create a school environment that communicates respect for diversity by valuing diverse points of view concerning religion, we offer the following guidelines for developing December holiday curricula: GENERAL CONSTITUTIONAL RULE: When a school does choose to acknowledge the December holidays, it is essential that the school must never appear to endorse religion over non-religion or one particular religious faith over another. Diversity includes religious diversity. In designing holiday lessons and programming, it is essential to keep in mind that the children entrusted to your care likely have widely divergent religious points of view. The way you approach the December holidays will determine whether those children whose religious views fall outside of the majority’s are made to feel welcome and comfortable in their school building, or whether they will feel as if they do not belong. Public schools must remain free from activities that could involve religious coercion. Because of their young age, students are particularly impressionable and susceptible to pressure to conform to the beliefs of the majority. Schools must take care to avoid endorsing the beliefs, practices or traditions of the majority religion. Although certain activities may be legally permissible, they may not be inclusive. For example, asking elementary school students to write a letter to Santa Claus is permissible, but the assignment would exclude children who do not celebrate Christmas. A more inclusive approach would ask students to write a letter to someone important to them. Schools must be careful not to cross the line between teaching about religious holidays (which is permitted) and celebrating religious holidays (which is not). Celebrating religious holidays in the form of religious worship or other practices is unconstitutional. Teaching about a holiday will be constitutional if it furthers a genuine secular program of education, is presented objectively, and does not have the effect of endorsing, advancing or inhibiting religion. Special school events, assemblies, concerts and programs must be designed to further a secular and objective program of education and must not focus on any one religion or religious observance. Religious music or drama—particularly in the classical choral music context—may be included in school events, but the reason for including that music or drama must be to advance a secular educational goal. Such events must not promote or denigrate any particular religion, serve as a religious celebration, or become a forum for religious devotion. However, to ensure respect for diversity, when special school events include religious music or drama, every effort should be made to present a balanced and inclusive approach. Furthermore, as a general practice (legally required in some states), public schools should excuse students who have a religious objection from performing in school events that present religious music or drama. Religious symbols are not appropriate seasonal decorations in public schools. The classroom and school premises are the place where children spend the majority of their day. It is important that all students feel comfortable and accepted in their school. Symbols of religious holidays may make some students uncomfortable and unwelcome because their holidays and traditions are not represented or because they do not celebrate religious holidays at all. In an effort to be inclusive it is not advisable to seek or rely on information about a religion from a representative child of that faith tradition. Students should never be asked to be a spokesperson for their religious tradition. Not only might it make a child feel uncomfortable, but one student’s religious experience can never be generalized to the entire group. Moreover, by asking a student to be the spokesperson for his/her religion, a teacher may inadvertently convey to others that the religion is too “exotic” for the teacher to understand or explain. Furthermore, in certain cases, the teacher may be opening the door for proselytizing activity by the student or parent, which must be avoided. ADL has a web-page devoted to teaching about the December holidays.  It includes: The ADL publication entitled, The December Dilemma: Teaching About Religious Holidays A recording of the ADL webinar entitled, The December Dilemma—Navigating Religious Holidays in the Public Schools The ADL publication entitled, Considerations for Inclusive Holiday and Observances The ADL publication entitled, Religion in the Public Schools, which provides a comprehensive look at the law of religion in the public schools in an easy to understand and use format.

Happy Thanksgiving- Share your Gratitude

I want to thank all of you for the impact you make on all of the students, families, and staff at Hudson Prairie. You are appreciated.  This video illustrates why I am grateful to work with you!  

Please take time to share your gratitude with....

students

colleagues

families

friends

strangers

your own families

and 

yourself

You can add a comment to this post.

Check out our first graders gratitude published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press!  Lauren is a published writer!
Big thanks from little people: local first-graders tell us what they're thankful for 

Interesting Reading Research

Check out this interesting article from the Oct. 2014 Education Leadership from the renowned educator Richard Allington with updated thoughts on oral reading and comprehension discussions that are guaranteed to provoke thought.



Reading Moves: What Not to Do- Richard Allington
Here is an optional 2 minute  video to hear Richard Allington.


It does put into context when we need Running Records( Accuracy/ Fluency) and Comprehension Interviews (Comprehension) to support our readers.  It also illustrates the need to look at the questioning and discussions we have and make sure we are using the Continuum to question at deeper levels to extend student thinking.  

Sue Hellmers has been tracking questioning in guided reading with teachers to see where their natural tendency is in questioning and that will give a focus for using the continuum.  Please contact her if you are interested in this tracking.

We also worked with a grade level during a day 6 planning for guided reading using the continuum.  We took a random guided reading text and as a team developed questions about inferring and added them to post it notes.  The lesson was then ready to go.  Please let Sue or Susie know if you are interested in this as well at a day 6 meeting.

Please leave a comment about what provoking thoughts you have about this article.

Non- fiction/ Informational Readings

Learning Targets:
I can find non-fiction texts to teach informational reading strategies.
I understand how to teach informational reading strategies.

Why?

1. Students need to be able to access and read informational text to support Integrated Units of Inquiry and all future learning.
2. CCSS expect by grade 4 a balance of informational, literature, and opinion reading and writing.

3.  Our MAP strand of informational reading is the lowest strand. 

Immerse
What are the Integrated Units of Inquiry we are studying K-5?

Gather the district purchased little science and social studies text sets and sort by grade levels that will use them in the bins in the media center.


Investigate
Check out our Hudson District Media Site  for non-fiction resources to support our units.  
Here are the passwords:

Check out other sites for great nonfiction reading on current events.

Children's BBC News Discovery News Dogo News National Geographic for Kids Newslea Our Little Earth ReadWorks.org Teaching Kids News Time For Kids Tween Tribune

Print, organize or tag these resources in folders or on Google Docs.

Coalesce
Choose 1 test and look at the CCSS to determine what you can focus on in this reading.
CCSS- Informational Text
CCSS Learning Progressions
Or use the MAP Descartes information to determine a focus.
NWEA Descartes Key Ideas and Details 
NWEA Descartes Informational Craft and Structure

Here is a graphic organizer that can be used with any non-fiction text.
Questions for Non-fiction

Go Public
Try using this in Guided Reading or units of inquiry.  
Comment on what worked well and questions you may still have.

Documentation Log/ Portfolio of learning

Documentation Log

On Tuesday we will explore the Documentation log of or educator effectiveness system. 
This provides a chance for you to share with me some of the things that you are doing that I may not see in your classroom.  

Before the meeting, think about 1 thing you would like me to know about you as an educator and be ready to share it.  

What standard would it align to?
1- Professional Knowledge
2- Instructional Planning
3- Instructional Delivery
4- Assessment for/of learning
5- Learning Environment
6- Professionalism

What standards would be hard for me to observe in your classroom?  
These would be areas to add artifacts.  They are highlighted above in red.
At our staff meeting we will brainstorm possible artifacts here.  You may begin to add ideas before the meeting.

Please bring your laptop so you can practice adding an artifact.

Student Portfolio

A student portfolio and a documentation log are comparable.  They both demonstrate and showcase learning.
Think about how this could be used with your students.  
How could your students use a portfolio to demonstrate their learning?  

This is a powerful assessment tool that can demonstrate growth and can be used for students to share their learning at student led conferences.
Strengths of portfolio assessment
• They allow the teacher to see the student as an individual, each with his or her own unique set of characteristics, needs, and strengths.

• They help students be more accountable for the work they do in class and the skills and knowledge we are asking them to acquire.

• They involve students in the assessment process, thus giving them a more meaningful role in improving achievement.

• They invite students to reflect upon their growth and performance as learners.

• They involve parents and the community in taking measure of their children's academic achievement in the context of the school curriculum rather than as measured by more ambiguous standardized tests and grades.

Here are some examples of elementary student portfolios.
Primary  
Primary

Here are web tools that you could use for electronic portfolios.

Please let Sue or I know if you would like to utilize portfolios in your classroom and we can support you in the process.  In the International Baccalaureate Program, we used portfolios for all students in grades K-6 and it was a powerful tool for students to take ownership in their learning and show growth over time.