“What does the Options program look like at the classroom level?”

1. MANSON SCHOOL DISTRICTOptions Program “Choice is a catalyst for change.  By providing the benefits of a tailored learning experience for students, school choice provides parents access to opportunities for their children to thrive and succeed.”Chairman of the State Board of Education in Florida, T. Willard Fair

2. “What does the Options program look like at the classroom level?” • Dynamics of a multi-age classroom • Key concepts of a constructivistlearning environment or learner-centered classroom • Progression based on proficiency with students as active participants in the assessment process • Integrated artscurriculum

3. The desired outcome of tonight’s presentation is to answer questions like… • Would this be a good option for my child? • Would it meet my child’s needs? • Would this be a good option for my family? • Can I see my child in this learning environment? • Can I see myself actively involved in this program?

5. Options-like programs are seen throughout our state: • 51 Elementary and Middle Schools educating 2,355 students • Northshore School District P.A.C.E http://www.nsd.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=48451 • The OPTIONS Program at Lincoln Elementary (Olympia, WA) http://lincoln.osd.wednet.edu/0who_we_are • North Kitsap Options Program http://www.nkschools.org/15891072810340250/site/default.asp?1591Nav=%7C&NodeID=2267 • Pathfinder K-8 School (West Seattle) http://www.seattleschools.org/schools/pathfinder/index.html • A.P.P.L.E. K-6 Program (Spokane) http://www.spokaneschools.org/1742202178530980/site/default.asp • Eagle Rock Multi-Age Program (Duvall) http://www.chs.riverview.wednet.edu/erma/about.htm • Visions Sedro Woolley http://www.swsd.k12.wa.us/cl/site/default.asp

6. P.A.C.E. Northshore School District • P.A.C.E. was started in 1973 by 15 families who wanted more for their kids than what they were getting from the basic Northshore School District curriculum. It started as the Northshore Alternative Program (NAP) with one K - 3 classroom at Lockwood Elementary School. • Today it has expended to 14 classrooms in 3 different schools. • Parents Active in Cooperative Education. • Volunteer requirements: 80 hours/year

7. North Kitsap Options Program • In the spring of 1988, a group of North Kitsap parents got together to talk and plan. They were looking for a way to introduce some changes in the education of their children . • “The mission of the Options Program is to provide NK students with community‐based education that fosters the development of self‐directed, life‐long learners through significant family involvement; interdependent, multi‐age learning groups; and curricula that are responsive to the needs and interests of our students.” • Volunteer requirements: 10 hours/month

8. Lincoln Options Program - Olympia • The program began as two multi-age classrooms at McKinley Elementary School in 1984. The program was popular, expanded, and now includes twelve classrooms with a total enrollment of about 300 students. • The Options Program encourages active parent participation and offers an educational choice for families in the Olympia School District. • Volunteer requirements: 1 hour/week

9. Room Nine in Meridian Park • The Room Nine Community School, established in 1974, is located in Meridian Park Elementary School in the Shoreline School District. • It enrolls 100 students grades K-8. Room Nine addresses student learning requirements through use of standard curriculums, community resources, field trips, projects, and teacher/parent/student-generated activities. In addition, learning is integrated through thematic units, applying skills to real-life problems and having students work in multi-age groups. Students take ownership of their learning through self-assessment.

10. Chelan Valley Independent School • Community educators and families founded Chelan Valley Independent School in 1992.  They recognized the need to establish an alternative educational choice in the Chelan Valley. They wanted an environment that encouraged family involvement and fostered an excitement and love of learning in a multi-age setting. • Volunteer requirements: 5 hours/month

11. Overview of the Dynamics of a Multi-age Classroom: • History of the Multi-age Classroom • What Is a Multi-age Classroom • Benefits of Multi-age Classrooms • Disadvantages of Multi-age Classrooms • FAQs

12. History • Multi-age was once the norm- One room schoolhouse • In 1852, congress passed the compulsory attendance law for elementary students • Created influx of students attending public schools • By 1860, this influx, along with the assembly-line concepts of the industrial revolution, resulted in single grade classrooms.

14. History • In the 1960’s, educational psychologists challenged the benefits of single grade classrooms • Public schools around the country started creating multi-age options

15. Trend • No one is tracking the number of multi-age classes operating nationwide, but the number peaked in the late 1990s. • Multi-age classes continue to operate in every state and in public, private and charter schools. • Multi-age education is more prevalent in Canada, Europe and parts of Asia. • Marzano et al suggest multi-age classroom may be the best avenue for implementing the most current researched-based practices for effective highly engaged classrooms

16. What is a multi-age classroom? • The classroom includes two or more grades working together. • Each student remains in the same classroom with the same teacher(s) for at least two school years, and often longer. • The classroom generates more profound relationships between the teacher and students, among students, and between the teacher and parents.

17. What is a multi-age classroom? • The teacher focuses less on grade grouping and more on individual qualities and capabilities, not all of which are at the same level of development. • Teachers move from “teaching to an imaginary middle of the class” to conceiving and structuring learning activities that meet the needs of diverse individuals.

18. What is a multi-age classroom? • Units or activities are planned for participation by the whole group much of the time. • But the individual student’s work may be more individualized; the expectations will vary, depending on the individual’s needs and abilities. • Differentiated instruction is at the heart of instruction.

19. Independent Work

20. Small Group Instruction Large Group Instruction

21. What is a multi-age classroom? • The children perceive each other in terms of specific personal qualities and capabilities and are less concerned with grade differences. • Chronological age becomes less important as a determinant of children’s relationships, while developmental age becomes more important. • The metaphor of family characterizes the social qualities of the classrooms.

23. What are the benefits for students in multi-age classrooms? • An increase in the quality of the relationship between the teacher and student: • Greater knowledge of the student’s capacities and needs • Greater consistency of teacher behavior and expectations • Greater felt comfort and security in the classroom • Greater mutual caring and concern

24. What are the benefits for students of multi-age classrooms? • Social climate is more positive • Recognition of diversity of capabilities by the students increases their acceptance and even valuing of difference among their peers • Reduction of negative norms • Students of different ages become increasingly interdependent because they often teach or mentor each other

25. Climate of the Classroom • Children in a multi-age classroom experience a much wider range of group roles than in single grade experience • Each child has the opportunity to be “an elder,” a leader, and role model • Modeling, peer tutoring and interdependence leads to better learning and enhanced self-esteem

26. What are the benefits for students in multi-age classrooms? • With less new students entering the classroom each year the teacher is able to pay more attention to the new students • Helps teachers to address the dilemma of failing a student in a way that gets them “out of the box” of two poor choices, failing or social promotion.

27. Benefits For Teachers • Deeper, more profound relationships with kids • Greater personal rewards in seeing students’ growth and learning • Minimizes the stress of starting a new school year as it supports productive use of school time right from the first week of school

28. Benefits For Teachers • Stronger and more productive relationships with the parents of their students • Continuity from year to year • Get to apply/must apply best educational practices, including learner-centered learning and differentiated instruction

29. Benefits For Parents • Increase in comfort when they can get to know a teacher over more than a year • They know the routine and benefit from it just like the child • Greater likelihood that the parent and teacher can work together to support a child’s growth and learning

30. Disadvantages For Students • None - Unless a poor teacher with poor instruction

31. Disadvantages For Teachers • It’s a tremendous amount of work • Curriculum changes year to year • Students needs change from year to year • Parents don’t always understand the classroom so it’s more work to educate them • It’s a greater commitment so more responsibility to the whole program

32. Disadvantages For Parents • Same as for students • None - Unless a poor teacher with poor instruction

33. FAQ:Are multi-age classrooms less structured? • Structure is an interesting concept based on one’s perspective and comfort. • Multi-age is highly structured • To orchestrate large group instruction, small group instruction, student-centered learning and independent projects, there has to be a set of negotiated rules and routines worked out between the teacher and students.

34. “Charodic” • Chaordic – term coined by top educational experts to describe most effective student centered classrooms where every student is on task. • Goal - Students are on task and engaged in a learning activity a large percentage of the day

35. FAQ: Are multi-age classrooms less structured? • ‘Structure’ is teacher specific, not classroom type specific. • Some teachers can manage more freedom and flexibility than others. It doesn’t have to do with multi-age or single-age classes necessarily. • There are teachers of single-age classes that offer more movement than the traditional model of classroom; and there are multi-age teachers that limit the amount of movement and noise within their class.

36. Middle School

37. FAQ: Will multi-age students end up with gaps in the curriculum? • When student learning is being monitored by one teacher over a number of years, it is less likely that they will end up with gaps in their conceptual and skill development. • Over this span of years, students in multi-age classes will cover the same topics as their peers in single grades. • If teachers and students alike are conscious of power standards, the multi-age years give more time for some standards to be reached by struggling students but all goals remain the same.

38. FAQ: Will the oldest age group in the multi-age class get behind their peers in a single grade class? • Multi-age teachers focus instruction on students’ learning needs rather than on grade-level curriculum. • The question to be addressed is “what is the student’s next step?” even if it is several grade levels above their current placement. • The teacher’s attention is not divided between the age groups (as in some multi-grade classes). Therefore, students have the advantage of continuous learning, and in many cases will be ahead of their peers in a single grade class.

39. Key Concepts of Constructivism Confucius Say… “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

41. Key Concepts of Constructivism • Constructing understanding • Students must construct knowledge in their own minds. • Students must be active learners, finding connections between new information and existing knowledge and building up new understandings. • The teacher’s role is to facilitate this process.

42. Key Concepts of Constructivism • Learner-centered classrooms • Each student comes with different levels of understanding, different developmental capabilities, different modes/learning styles for constructing understanding. • Students must work in their appropriate “zone of proximal development.” • Students must be involved in the assessment process. • Students must participate in individualized learning plans

43. Key Concepts of Constructivism • Meaning requires the understanding of wholes as well as parts. • Students learn lower order skills in the context of higher order problems that require them. • Conceptual understanding is important for retention and across the board application.

44. Key Concepts of Constructivism • Social interactions support learning • Cooperative grouping • Mixed-ability • Homogeneous grouping • Peer mentoring • Sharing responsibility • Challenge each other, stimulate thinking, talk self and others through problems

45. Learning is Social

46. Key Concepts of Constructivism • Teacher’s role: facilitator of learning: • Create environment that promotes construction of understanding • Facilitates students’ active involvement and ownership in learning • Asks questions to promote inquiry, discovery and debate • “Workshop” style of instruction • Individual conferencing • Thematic instruction to create relevance to learning and to open up pathways for connections

47. Workshops in action

48. Progression based on Proficiency Students need to know what the target is.

49. Progression based on Proficiency • Power Standards • Essential skills, concepts, and processes to be mastered at a given grade level • Fewer, more powerful standards • Readiness for Further Study • Leverage • Endurance

50. Progression based on Proficiency • “I Can” statements • How far or how close to the target am I? • Personal binders to track power standards and “I can” statements • Students move on to the next level when 80% proficiency reached • Students take strong ownership in their achievement and progression