Friday...But We Don't Have Any More Dreams...

With great thanks, it is Friday. Compared to my old school, it's been all calm on the western front--mostly. 

But for our up and coming school, there have been some rough times this week. 10D has paper ball issues and 9D two afternoons ago was a living nightmare. I even had to "break formats" in that 9D class, not able to sit with either Unison Reading group (sorry to Principal Nariman and C., originator of Unison Reading, who may be reading this). 

Meanwhile, a nice freshman girl, C., from 9D was with Mr. R. today in his class, talking about dreams. While writing down her dreams, she told Mr. R.: "Mister, you're a teacher. You don't have dreams anymore."

Knowing this was said in a purely naive way made it funny. And, I'm pretty sure she meant that becoming a teacher was achieving one of his goals. Although I'm not sure that this was meant as his sole goal in life. 

No More Sage on the Stage

That's the opposite of our school's philosophy. 
Never heard that term before today but now it's stuck in my mind:

"Sage on the Stage."

Whereas in the vast majority of schools, students are in audience to the teachers--learning primarily from them--in our school teachers are in audience to the students, learning more from them. 

No more Sage on the Stage.

We now have "AA Sponsors," as well. Adults in the school--from the Parent Coordinator to the School Aides and Supplies Secretary--are acting as point people for specific students who have had interventions. This method will help ensure students are followed up with and their progress is monitored accordingly.

A New Year

Recommitted. At least a couple of posts per week are promised for the new year. Ever since just before Hurricane Sandy, I've been totally off track with this blog. But I'm rededicating myself to the task.

I feel it is important to archive the innovations our school is making:

~placing a ninth grade student, O., in a tenth grade class (10A) in an effort to influence him positively and form him into a "productive citizen"

[So far, his behavior is vastly improved, as 10A does not entertain much craziness---although someone in there passed serious, disturbing gas today which overpowered the room for about ten minutes. Smelled so bad it was like a stink bomb, but I think it was actually gas.]

~switching another ninth grader, A., from 9C to 9D

[Not quite as innovative, but hopefully will help 9C refocus and not disrupt the structure in 9D.]

~another updated and revised Ladder of Consequences, which I will outline in detail perhaps next week

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L. shared at the conclusion of 10A's class today. She struggled to speak English and it was very endearing; especially when she told everyone how a "strength" of hers was receiving an "E" (exceeds expectations) in the Scientific Revolution multiple choice segment of her test, on December 20th.

L. then stated that her "challenge" was writing a thematic essay in English. Her "revolution" for that would be... She began laughing, as did others, at her substitution of a major turning point which leads to lasting change for a resolution.

This is Who We Are:

High School of Language and Innovation [HSLI]

There it is. The name is now out there.

And now, finally, for part II of the interview with Principal Julie Nariman. Yes, her name is out there now, too.

What is HSLI's major goal for the 2012-2013 school year?

"Making every student twice as independent as they were when they started."
For teachers, "Every teacher would be a competent teacher of another teacher learning Learning Cultures."

[Editor's Note: Learning Cultures is the guide our school employs in structuring its foundational formats, such as Unison Reading time, independent work time, and student share time each period of every school day.]

How will HSLI implement the new federal Common Core learning standards?

A New York State visitor said last year: "He'd never seen Common Core implemented to such a degree as here...I think we're doing the Common Core, 3-5 elements per Unison Reading session. We need to improve alignment more between writing standards and practices."

"Being a Learning Cultures principal is fun and delightful. It's the most fun job I've ever had in my life."

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In today's daily Common Planning period for teachers, Principal Nariman stated succinctly how for "millennia teachers have been the holders of knowledge. Now, little HSLI" is upending that entire history.
The base--students--are becoming the new holders of knowledge at least to the degree that teachers are.

"It Smells Like...

...mad shredded cheese in here."

----student in hallway a minute ago (from another high school in the building)

Here are some more quotes, from Mrs. W., a math teacher. This should provide more insight into what teachers do during Unison Reading time. Statements were made on Wednesday, Nov. 21st. Three boys were in this Unison group:  B., from Kosovo; R., from the Dominican Republic; M., from Bangladesh.

"That's okay. You can explain by pointing."

>>M. points to paper.
He soon asks, "Do you understand?"

"If you understand something, you need to share. Right?"

"Wait, wait, wait. When you asked, 'Do you understand?' I'll always say, 'I understand.' How can you rephrase your question?"

>>B. asks, "Can I give a suggestion?"

"Wait, wait. If you are answering this question, you want to ask him (R.) this question, right?"

"You asked, 'Do you understand?' Who did you ask that question to?"

"He (B.) just rephrased and you (R.) were about to say because..."

>>Students go back and forth discussing strategies for solving linear equation: y= mx +b

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Mr. S. just now to one of our students in the hallway:
"I'll let you in on a little secret: Your teacher's not going to like you buying Dorritos during class. Put those away, all right?"

High Tension

My first period class today was stacked. During the mini-lesson, Principal N. asked if it was okay that C.M. and two teachers came in to help coach my Unison Reading groups. I was happy about the prospect of getting extra coaching. Students in groups A & B, on the other hand, may not have been so excited.

Instead of just me in their faces during Unison Reading, they had the originator of the theory herself there with them. Rather than speaking with the students directly, however, the professor communicated with a teacher coach who then communicated with me who then communicated with the students. It was an interesting process of "active coaching."

Personally, I wouldn't have been stopping the students as much as the coaches do, nor for as long.
But the coaching is teaching me a lot about how to better check for understanding and the social processes therein. As it turns out, the processes are more critical to the Unison format than the reading itself.

Meanwhile, consternation exists among teachers regarding Writing CBM's. These assessments are not fun to grade, to say the least, and debates are in motion relating to how important these assessments are. I was just told the next round are to be graded by next Monday, which seems like a very tall order indeed.



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Something new I learned today:
Nearly 80% of people in upstate New York live within 25 miles of the Erie Canal.

We Are Back...Hurricane Sandy has passed

Well, that's that.
Not for everyone, of course. A lot of suffering continues.
But our school campus escaped the wrath of Sandy.

I should have probably updated readers during the storm and its immediate aftermath.
But we are okay. The vast majority of our students and staff were not impacted directly. Three teachers lost power, one of whom was evacuated from her place on the Lower East Side. One student I know of lost power for several days.

These past few weeks have been really crazy with Parent-Teacher Conferences (I met with the parents of 28 students), the hurricane, and then grades due. But a certain sense of normalcy is returning as we head into Thanksgiving.

My primary goal now as it relates to this blog is to get anecdotals weekly from fellow teachers. I want to share their stories with the wider world.

Stay tuned and get ready for a ton of great stories--as well as part II of the principal interview and an upcoming interview with the mastermind behind this entire operation of a school...