Perhaps it's fitting that this video appear sideways. Our temporary room has been gutted, and, if not turned upside down, then at least tipped over. On Wednesday afternoon, students unloaded the contents of our cabinets and shelves, and got them into marked boxes. A smaller crew of stalwarts continued to help us packing and labeling on Thursday. Now we await the certificate of occupancy (Friday, we hope!) and on Saturday we know some of you will be back to transport our boxes and furniture from one building to the other. On Monday, Cynthia and I will be in the new space preparing for our first school day of what feels like a new era. Many thanks out to all our helpers, and especially to Karen and staff who have shepherded us through a difficult renovation project and into a spectacular new space. See you Tuesday!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Announcements and Updates, 2/28/08
We thank the parents who were able to make our last meeting. It's so important for any Montessori school to have a strong parent-teacher partnership, but even more crucial in our case. Here are some key announcements made at that meeting.
FIRST AND FOREMOST:We handed out recommitment letters for the 2008-2009 school year at the meeting. The form at the bottom of that letter is due back by Monday, March 5th. After the 5th we will be beginning the work of recruiting our class for next year from our waiting list. One equally crucial piece of information contained in the letter is our Montessori Program-wide change in schedule for next year to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday.
Upcoming parent meetings:
March 19
April 21
May 21
Upcoming whole class field trips:
~Seattle Art Museum, Roman Art from the Louvre; Tuesday, May 6th --more information to follow.
~Seeds of Compassion youth day, Key Arena, Seattle; Monday, April 14th: This Seattle based organization is putting on a weeklong conference on the themes of compassion and social justice, a great tie-in to the Montessori peace curriculum. Included in this day, which will draw students from across the greater Puget Sound area, will be addresses from several key figures, including the Dalai Lama--Nobel Peace Prize winner, as well as a chance to hear from representatives of various charitable organizations doing compassionate service work in our area. Please speak to Cynthia and/or Andy for more info, web site address, and Parent Map magazine article on the organization.
~All parents should also have already seen an orange permission form for a future non-school day (Thursday) visit to the Intiman Theater in Seattle to see "The Diary of Anne Frank".
Other announcements:
Don't forget: student presentations at the Multicultural Fair, Wednesday, March 26, 12-2 pm. Come support your student presenters!
Andy handed out 6 trait writing rubrics as a home FYI—tools for self analysis in writing, which will also be shared with students as they revise their written portion of the History of Humanity project.
Millersylvannia State Park is the new destination for the end-of-year all-program camp-out, Monday and Tuesday, June 16-17. The Junior High will have a special serving role this year.
We'd like to request any yarn or knitting/crocheting supplies as donations to students working towards creating items for our future school store.
We also are seeking parent chaperones for the Monroe Relay for Life overnight camp-out and walkathon on behalf of the American Cancer Society, May 31st-June 1st.
Andy and Cynthia checked in with how things are going in the classroom.
~We are seeking parent help with more home accountability structures for elective work. The electives seem to be working as discrete experiences during our three days together, but there is as yet not much follow-through on the part of students beyond those 1 hour sessions. Andy has recently provided a home French CD along with accompanying vocabulary sheets so students can do listening and speaking practice 15 minutes a day.
~Cynthia invites all interested in joining her in an adolescent brain development literature review group, to meet periodically through the year.
~We are projected to be moving in to our new space in the next few weeks. We will keep you posted on moving days.
~We are looking for more mentor-pairings for students. Paul Toutonghi, a professional woodworker, will be helping students to assemble and finish some tables for our new space, and has already come in twice to share expertise and consult with students in the design and economical aspects of furniture-building. Karen Rosencrans has offered some regular time for guiding student knitting projects. We are especially interested in some community service mentors and in some outdoor gardening mentors. Extra parent support for the student cooking group will be important after the move, as that group is in the midst of planning eagerly for a possible hot and/or sack lunch program offered to residents of the new building.
~We will be working shortly with Polly Muller, upper elementary teacher, to build partnerships in elementary classrooms, so our students can give lessons to younger students. A "little buddies" outreach to the lower elementary students is also in the planning stages. Slowly we grow outward into the community, seeking our true identity as a program.
Please stay in touch. Don't hesitate to share your concerns, your questions, your successes with us.
Andy and Cynthia
FIRST AND FOREMOST:We handed out recommitment letters for the 2008-2009 school year at the meeting. The form at the bottom of that letter is due back by Monday, March 5th. After the 5th we will be beginning the work of recruiting our class for next year from our waiting list. One equally crucial piece of information contained in the letter is our Montessori Program-wide change in schedule for next year to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday.
Upcoming parent meetings:
March 19
April 21
May 21
Upcoming whole class field trips:
~Seattle Art Museum, Roman Art from the Louvre; Tuesday, May 6th --more information to follow.
~Seeds of Compassion youth day, Key Arena, Seattle; Monday, April 14th: This Seattle based organization is putting on a weeklong conference on the themes of compassion and social justice, a great tie-in to the Montessori peace curriculum. Included in this day, which will draw students from across the greater Puget Sound area, will be addresses from several key figures, including the Dalai Lama--Nobel Peace Prize winner, as well as a chance to hear from representatives of various charitable organizations doing compassionate service work in our area. Please speak to Cynthia and/or Andy for more info, web site address, and Parent Map magazine article on the organization.
~All parents should also have already seen an orange permission form for a future non-school day (Thursday) visit to the Intiman Theater in Seattle to see "The Diary of Anne Frank".
Other announcements:
Don't forget: student presentations at the Multicultural Fair, Wednesday, March 26, 12-2 pm. Come support your student presenters!
Andy handed out 6 trait writing rubrics as a home FYI—tools for self analysis in writing, which will also be shared with students as they revise their written portion of the History of Humanity project.
Millersylvannia State Park is the new destination for the end-of-year all-program camp-out, Monday and Tuesday, June 16-17. The Junior High will have a special serving role this year.
We'd like to request any yarn or knitting/crocheting supplies as donations to students working towards creating items for our future school store.
We also are seeking parent chaperones for the Monroe Relay for Life overnight camp-out and walkathon on behalf of the American Cancer Society, May 31st-June 1st.
Andy and Cynthia checked in with how things are going in the classroom.
~We are seeking parent help with more home accountability structures for elective work. The electives seem to be working as discrete experiences during our three days together, but there is as yet not much follow-through on the part of students beyond those 1 hour sessions. Andy has recently provided a home French CD along with accompanying vocabulary sheets so students can do listening and speaking practice 15 minutes a day.
~Cynthia invites all interested in joining her in an adolescent brain development literature review group, to meet periodically through the year.
~We are projected to be moving in to our new space in the next few weeks. We will keep you posted on moving days.
~We are looking for more mentor-pairings for students. Paul Toutonghi, a professional woodworker, will be helping students to assemble and finish some tables for our new space, and has already come in twice to share expertise and consult with students in the design and economical aspects of furniture-building. Karen Rosencrans has offered some regular time for guiding student knitting projects. We are especially interested in some community service mentors and in some outdoor gardening mentors. Extra parent support for the student cooking group will be important after the move, as that group is in the midst of planning eagerly for a possible hot and/or sack lunch program offered to residents of the new building.
~We will be working shortly with Polly Muller, upper elementary teacher, to build partnerships in elementary classrooms, so our students can give lessons to younger students. A "little buddies" outreach to the lower elementary students is also in the planning stages. Slowly we grow outward into the community, seeking our true identity as a program.
Please stay in touch. Don't hesitate to share your concerns, your questions, your successes with us.
Andy and Cynthia
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Some Notes on Note-taking
Below are some guidelines for students and families for getting sufficient information from your research resources. But first some reflections from me (Andy).
I'm noticing two difficulties in this research work with our students.
First is the difficulty of being able to separate out the ideas from the style of the source material. If the writer is really good with words, or if the writing is filled with really difficult vocabulary, or jargon, then it can be hard to figure out what the important ideas are and how to get them into our own words.
The second difficulty is linked to the first. If we're having difficulty understanding the source material, or analyzing it for important facts, AND it's an internet resource, then it can become a huge temptation to just cut and paste a passage that seems important into our own writing. Changing a word here or there by using the synonym function in Microsoft Word does not alter the fact that the passage we've cut and pasted still follows the sentence and paragraph structure of the original. In other words, we have not completed the transition into our own form of thinking, into our own ideas and voice. Students relying heavily on internet resources should print out the pages they are using from the site and submit them with the notes.
There is a third difficulty, and that is locating our curiosity. Research that is not driven by one's own curiosity is painful. That is why we as guides try to offer as broad a scope of interest and choice as possible within the disciplines that have come down to us in the Adolescent Syllabus. We are still learning how best to establish this. We also want to be clear that we encourage students to negotiate their own forms of expression within the research/project model. Nevertheless, every student has to find their own curiosity by their own process. All we can do in adult support is to try and pay attention and nurture curiosity where we find it. We can attempt to be inspirational, but we cannot expect to be. Inspiration is perhaps more of an internal process than an external agent. As a guide I am reminded daily of Thomas Edison's statement, after another failed experiment, "Now I know another way how not to do it." (Or words to that effect.) Of course, what drove Edison forward was his incredible curiosity and hope. I need to remember that daily as well.
Note-taking when doing historical research:
1. First Reading: Getting the main and most important points from a chapter or article.
a. Write down the title and the author’s name; also the page numbers of the article or chapter.
b. Read the first paragraph (the Introduction) and the last paragraph (the Conclusion).
c. Highlight or underline the Theme Sentence in the first paragraph. Do the same for the last paragraph.
(The Theme, or Topic, or Focus Sentence, is the one sentence that provides the key piece of information in a paragraph. Without this sentence, the paragraph loses its strength, and makes less sense.)
d. In your own words, rephrase the main point of the chapter or article as set forth in the introductory paragraph. Do the same for the concluding paragraph.
(“In your own words” means more than just replacing an adjective or a verb here or there. It’s important to rethink the paragraph or sentence structure as well. Your writing needs to have the structure of your own thinking in it—that’s what gives your writing a unique voice and point of view!)
2. Second Reading: Reading for important details.
Read to answer the following key questions, if appropriate, marking your notes with the question you’re dealing with before making short notes to answer each question (No need to copy whole sentences or try to rephrase every detail at this point.):
a. Who is this about: an individual? And/or a group of people, a nationality, etc.?
b. When did this take place?
c. Where did this take place?
d. What happened? List at least three points of interest that describe the events taking place. (Again, briefly, in your own words.)
e. How did these things happen?
f. Why did these things happen?
g. Why did the author include the information they provided?—Does this author have a particular point of view or bias that you can gather from what they’ve written?
3. Third Reading: Reading for quotes or citations.
a. If there are specific sentences or passages that the author has written that you wish to include in your writing, make sure to put quotation marks around them, and to list the page number in brackets after the quote. (p. 42)
b. Sometimes you have translated an author’s words into your own, but the idea is an original opinion of the author’s. In this case, you need to credit the author with the idea, and again list a page number in brackets.
Outlines and Graphic Organizers
I'd like to recommend a home writing reference for you and your students, in terms of doing Montessori support at home. It's called WriteSource 2000. Some of you may already know it. Clear guidelines plus great examples make it a helpful resource when you're undertaking a lot of different kinds of writing, from letters, to essays, to creative fiction. There's also a great conventions section in the back (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.), and an accompanying workbook for practicing those conventions. I have a copy at school if you're interested in perusing it.
For written outlines, and graphic organizing of ideas for reports, there are also several good sites on the web.
Here's a page that shows clearly two basic styles of outline: the Topic and the Sentence outline.
www.fairfield.k12.ct.us/wardehs/cwardehs03/outlining.htm
Note that apart from stating the theme in an outline, the introduction and conclusion are not represented in the outline stage. These are best written when the first draft of the body of the report has been roughed in.
Once you know what your writing is about, an introduction is your best way of hooking the interest of your readers. "Start with a BANG!"
Likewise, the conclusion will be your way of reminding your readers how they need to stay hooked. You want them to carry away with them something they'll remember. "End with a BOOM!"
For some of us, a graphic, or visual, organization of our ideas can be most helpful in designing a report. The first link below offers several more links of templates for graphic organizing.
www.fairfield.k12.ct.us/wardehs/cwardehs03/graphorganizers.htm
This next link, composed of PDF files, is easy to follow and access. Pay particular attention to the three Cluster/Word Web templates.
www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
I'm noticing two difficulties in this research work with our students.
First is the difficulty of being able to separate out the ideas from the style of the source material. If the writer is really good with words, or if the writing is filled with really difficult vocabulary, or jargon, then it can be hard to figure out what the important ideas are and how to get them into our own words.
The second difficulty is linked to the first. If we're having difficulty understanding the source material, or analyzing it for important facts, AND it's an internet resource, then it can become a huge temptation to just cut and paste a passage that seems important into our own writing. Changing a word here or there by using the synonym function in Microsoft Word does not alter the fact that the passage we've cut and pasted still follows the sentence and paragraph structure of the original. In other words, we have not completed the transition into our own form of thinking, into our own ideas and voice. Students relying heavily on internet resources should print out the pages they are using from the site and submit them with the notes.
There is a third difficulty, and that is locating our curiosity. Research that is not driven by one's own curiosity is painful. That is why we as guides try to offer as broad a scope of interest and choice as possible within the disciplines that have come down to us in the Adolescent Syllabus. We are still learning how best to establish this. We also want to be clear that we encourage students to negotiate their own forms of expression within the research/project model. Nevertheless, every student has to find their own curiosity by their own process. All we can do in adult support is to try and pay attention and nurture curiosity where we find it. We can attempt to be inspirational, but we cannot expect to be. Inspiration is perhaps more of an internal process than an external agent. As a guide I am reminded daily of Thomas Edison's statement, after another failed experiment, "Now I know another way how not to do it." (Or words to that effect.) Of course, what drove Edison forward was his incredible curiosity and hope. I need to remember that daily as well.
Note-taking when doing historical research:
1. First Reading: Getting the main and most important points from a chapter or article.
a. Write down the title and the author’s name; also the page numbers of the article or chapter.
b. Read the first paragraph (the Introduction) and the last paragraph (the Conclusion).
c. Highlight or underline the Theme Sentence in the first paragraph. Do the same for the last paragraph.
(The Theme, or Topic, or Focus Sentence, is the one sentence that provides the key piece of information in a paragraph. Without this sentence, the paragraph loses its strength, and makes less sense.)
d. In your own words, rephrase the main point of the chapter or article as set forth in the introductory paragraph. Do the same for the concluding paragraph.
(“In your own words” means more than just replacing an adjective or a verb here or there. It’s important to rethink the paragraph or sentence structure as well. Your writing needs to have the structure of your own thinking in it—that’s what gives your writing a unique voice and point of view!)
2. Second Reading: Reading for important details.
Read to answer the following key questions, if appropriate, marking your notes with the question you’re dealing with before making short notes to answer each question (No need to copy whole sentences or try to rephrase every detail at this point.):
a. Who is this about: an individual? And/or a group of people, a nationality, etc.?
b. When did this take place?
c. Where did this take place?
d. What happened? List at least three points of interest that describe the events taking place. (Again, briefly, in your own words.)
e. How did these things happen?
f. Why did these things happen?
g. Why did the author include the information they provided?—Does this author have a particular point of view or bias that you can gather from what they’ve written?
3. Third Reading: Reading for quotes or citations.
a. If there are specific sentences or passages that the author has written that you wish to include in your writing, make sure to put quotation marks around them, and to list the page number in brackets after the quote. (p. 42)
b. Sometimes you have translated an author’s words into your own, but the idea is an original opinion of the author’s. In this case, you need to credit the author with the idea, and again list a page number in brackets.
Outlines and Graphic Organizers
I'd like to recommend a home writing reference for you and your students, in terms of doing Montessori support at home. It's called WriteSource 2000. Some of you may already know it. Clear guidelines plus great examples make it a helpful resource when you're undertaking a lot of different kinds of writing, from letters, to essays, to creative fiction. There's also a great conventions section in the back (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.), and an accompanying workbook for practicing those conventions. I have a copy at school if you're interested in perusing it.
For written outlines, and graphic organizing of ideas for reports, there are also several good sites on the web.
Here's a page that shows clearly two basic styles of outline: the Topic and the Sentence outline.
www.fairfield.k12.ct.us/wardehs/cwardehs03/outlining.htm
Note that apart from stating the theme in an outline, the introduction and conclusion are not represented in the outline stage. These are best written when the first draft of the body of the report has been roughed in.
Once you know what your writing is about, an introduction is your best way of hooking the interest of your readers. "Start with a BANG!"
Likewise, the conclusion will be your way of reminding your readers how they need to stay hooked. You want them to carry away with them something they'll remember. "End with a BOOM!"
For some of us, a graphic, or visual, organization of our ideas can be most helpful in designing a report. The first link below offers several more links of templates for graphic organizing.
www.fairfield.k12.ct.us/wardehs/cwardehs03/graphorganizers.htm
This next link, composed of PDF files, is easy to follow and access. Pay particular attention to the three Cluster/Word Web templates.
www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Winter Trimester History of Humanity Report
Winter Project 2008 – Calendar
* Students are asked to find a topic of interest in the area of human history and culture, within the time range of 3,000 BC to 600 AD, approximately. Written reports will be composed individually, but students may research collaboratively. Students are encouraged to present collaboratively at the Multicultural Fair on Wednesday, March 26th.
* For example, a group of students might be interested in the Greek Theater. Individually they might research and write on an individual playwright or play, or the architecture of theaters, or the dress and masks worn by actors. Collectively they might present a scene from a play, or construct a model of a theater with actor-puppets. Ideally, reports representing a common culture will be presented collaboratively, so that students can design displays together in small groups. Each student will also be responsible for some typed information to hand out to visitors at the Fair. Table display groups might choose to collect their individual information together in a shared brochure to hand out.
* Please note that this calendar is divided into Parts A (written report) and B (hands-on display), which run concurrently, NOT consecutively.
Part A: Written Report Calendar:
Monday, January 14th: Topic ideas due from all students (group or individual projects)
Tuesday, January 22nd: Three resources for written report due from all students. Typed, as follows:
* Two print resources, listed by author last name, title, publisher, and date.
[e.g. Adler, M.J., Aristotle For Everybody; Simon & Schuster: 1997
* One educationally credible internet resource, listed by URL (web address). [e.g, http://www.seedsofcompassion.net/]
To find most credible sites, include “edu” and “K12” in your search, as they will lead to school district or university sites.
* Reading and note-taking should begin as soon as resources have been decided upon. Notes can be handwritten or typed, but all notes should be in student’s own words. Cutting and pasting directly from internet sites is not an acceptable research practice.
Monday and Tuesday, January 28th and 29th: All students should have their notes-in-progress available at school these two days--Andy will be checking in with students’ progress on these days.
Wednesday, February 6th: Completed notes and outline for written report due from all students.
Wednesday, February 27th: First draft of written report due, typed and double-spaced.
Wednesday, March 19th: Second draft of written report due, reflecting Andy’s comments and editorial suggestions on first draft. Typed and double-spaced. Typed handouts to display visitors will be due this day as well.
Monday and Tuesday, March 24th and 25th: Practicing presentations and setting up table displays.
Wednesday, March 26th: Multicultural Fair. More information on how this will be arranged is forthcoming.
Part B: Hands-On Presentation and Display Materials Calendar:
Monday and Tuesday, January 28th and 29th: Students meet in common culture groups to begin designing shared displays for the Multicultural Fair.
Tuesday and Wednesday, February 12th and 13th: Andy will check in with culture project groups on their progress.
Tuesday and Wednesday, March 4th and 5th: Andy will check in with culture project groups on their progress.
Wednesday, March 19th: Completed hand-out materials and presentation displays are due from all students / culture groups.
Monday and Tuesday, March 24th and 25th: Practicing presentations and setting up table displays.
* Students are asked to find a topic of interest in the area of human history and culture, within the time range of 3,000 BC to 600 AD, approximately. Written reports will be composed individually, but students may research collaboratively. Students are encouraged to present collaboratively at the Multicultural Fair on Wednesday, March 26th.
* For example, a group of students might be interested in the Greek Theater. Individually they might research and write on an individual playwright or play, or the architecture of theaters, or the dress and masks worn by actors. Collectively they might present a scene from a play, or construct a model of a theater with actor-puppets. Ideally, reports representing a common culture will be presented collaboratively, so that students can design displays together in small groups. Each student will also be responsible for some typed information to hand out to visitors at the Fair. Table display groups might choose to collect their individual information together in a shared brochure to hand out.
* Please note that this calendar is divided into Parts A (written report) and B (hands-on display), which run concurrently, NOT consecutively.
Part A: Written Report Calendar:
Monday, January 14th: Topic ideas due from all students (group or individual projects)
Tuesday, January 22nd: Three resources for written report due from all students. Typed, as follows:
* Two print resources, listed by author last name, title, publisher, and date.
[e.g. Adler, M.J., Aristotle For Everybody; Simon & Schuster: 1997
* One educationally credible internet resource, listed by URL (web address). [e.g, http://www.seedsofcompassion.net/]
To find most credible sites, include “edu” and “K12” in your search, as they will lead to school district or university sites.
* Reading and note-taking should begin as soon as resources have been decided upon. Notes can be handwritten or typed, but all notes should be in student’s own words. Cutting and pasting directly from internet sites is not an acceptable research practice.
Monday and Tuesday, January 28th and 29th: All students should have their notes-in-progress available at school these two days--Andy will be checking in with students’ progress on these days.
Wednesday, February 6th: Completed notes and outline for written report due from all students.
Wednesday, February 27th: First draft of written report due, typed and double-spaced.
Wednesday, March 19th: Second draft of written report due, reflecting Andy’s comments and editorial suggestions on first draft. Typed and double-spaced. Typed handouts to display visitors will be due this day as well.
Monday and Tuesday, March 24th and 25th: Practicing presentations and setting up table displays.
Wednesday, March 26th: Multicultural Fair. More information on how this will be arranged is forthcoming.
Part B: Hands-On Presentation and Display Materials Calendar:
Monday and Tuesday, January 28th and 29th: Students meet in common culture groups to begin designing shared displays for the Multicultural Fair.
Tuesday and Wednesday, February 12th and 13th: Andy will check in with culture project groups on their progress.
Tuesday and Wednesday, March 4th and 5th: Andy will check in with culture project groups on their progress.
Wednesday, March 19th: Completed hand-out materials and presentation displays are due from all students / culture groups.
Monday and Tuesday, March 24th and 25th: Practicing presentations and setting up table displays.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
ANNOUNCEMENTS, NOVEMBER 11, 2007
§ FALL PRESENTATIONS AND NOVEMBER PARENT MEETING:
At 3 pm on Wednesday, November 28th, our students will be sharing presentations of their organ system reports. They will be divided out into two spaces, depending on their hands-on illustration work. The model-builders and poster-makers will be presenting in the classroom, and the PowerPoint Slideshow designers will be in the Computer Lab. We suggest parents divide themselves into two groups and take half-hour turns in each space. At around 4, we will call a shortened Parents' Meeting to order.
§ CLEARING SPACE IN GYM:
We need a small army of parents (ATTENTION ALL DADS) to help us, under the supervision of our custodian, Dan, to move several large crates containing the white boards for the new building, from their present location in the gym to the office space in the new building. Gloves, muscles, and several sturdy flatbed dollies will be necessary. The frred up space in the gym will allow us some room for a few furniture building projects in December. Please contact Andy by email, fremont63@msn.com and let him know when would be a time or two during the week that you could help, and whether you have a flatbed dolly to lend.
§ HAMLET AT SCT:
§ HAMLET AT SCT:
A parent in the elementary class has offered to be a liaison for us with Seattle Children’s Theater, in case a group of our students would like to attend a school performance of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. (For ages 11+)
Details below:
Seattle Children's Theatre is performing Hamlet from Jan 25 - Feb 24. Tickets are $10.50 each and a minimum of 10 people are needed in order to qualify for school group pricing. School shows are offered at the following days/times:
§ Tuesday, 10:30 am
§ Wednesday, 10:00 am
§ Wednesday, 12:30 pm
§ Thursday, 10:00 am
§ Thursday, 12:30 pm
§ Friday, 10:15 am
Seattle Children's Theatre is performing Hamlet from Jan 25 - Feb 24. Tickets are $10.50 each and a minimum of 10 people are needed in order to qualify for school group pricing. School shows are offered at the following days/times:
§ Tuesday, 10:30 am
§ Wednesday, 10:00 am
§ Wednesday, 12:30 pm
§ Thursday, 10:00 am
§ Thursday, 12:30 pm
§ Friday, 10:15 am
If interested in attending, please e-mail/call Sarah Rosenbloom at sarahrosenbloom@yahoo.com / 425-890-4164. Please include your preference for day/time when e-mailing. She will contact everyone interested with a specific date and time after tickets are requested and confirmed.
§ ASSIGNMENT CALENDARS:
HISTORY OF HUMANITY
§ ASSIGNMENT CALENDARS:
HISTORY OF HUMANITY
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS STORY CALENDAR:
(This is a back-up copy of information already shared.)
(This is a back-up copy of information already shared.)
Stories should be from the time period that stretches from the beginning of writing (around 3000 BC) to the establishment of the classical civilizations (beginning around 600 BC).
The reason to do the research is to share with the whole group the aspects of ancient human culture that interest us as individuals. Learning alone, we learn according to our own scope and vision and patterns of thought. Learning together as a community, we can learn more, we can learn faster, and we can challenge our minds to see things in new ways. And our way of seeing things can challenge others to grow as well.
Each person is responsible for writing up three stories in their own words.
-Stories may be researched alone or in small groups, but each group member needs to do their own writing.
-Stories may be presented alone or in small groups.
-Group presentations should include the input and voices of all group members.
-Each written story should be at least a paragraph in length and should include the following:
Each person is responsible for writing up three stories in their own words.
-Stories may be researched alone or in small groups, but each group member needs to do their own writing.
-Stories may be presented alone or in small groups.
-Group presentations should include the input and voices of all group members.
-Each written story should be at least a paragraph in length and should include the following:
- A topic sentence, summarizing the main point of the story. Topic sentences can be at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph, as long as their placement within the paragraph makes sense.
- An organized sequence of information. A good story has a clear beginning, middle, and end, and the sentences should flow smoothly from one to the next.
- Necessary info: WHAT is this story about?
- Necessary info: WHO is this story about?
- Necessary info: WHEN did this story take place?
- Necessary info: WHERE did this story take place?
- Necessary info: WHY is this story an important one for us to remember?
- Interesting additional info: HOW did this story change humanity
-Stories can be illustrated:
- with timeline cards (see Andy’s “Phoenicians” examples)
- with pictures
- with objects created by students (If a student spends a long time with a particular handmade object, that student can research and write three short stories related to the one object. For example, one could easily tell three stories about what pyramids were for, who built which ones, and how they were made, using the same detailed pyramid model as an illustration.
-We will use classroom time in November to get our stories written:
- Story #1 typed and handed in by the end of week 5th - 7th November.
- Story #2 typed and handed in by the end of week 12th - 14th November.
- Story #3 typed and handed in by the end of week 26th - 28th November.
- All illustrations/ hands-on objects are to be completed by Wednesday, 28th November.
Andy will gladly help you with resources, questions, story writing, hands-on work, presentation practice, etc., IF YOU JUST ASK HIM!!!
Story presentations will be shared amongst the whole class in early December. Some of you may even want to share stories with some elementary students as well.
Friday, November 9, 2007
PORTRAIT OF A CLASSROOM
A delicate drawing of fall gourds inches into view across a rectangle of white paper; a short poem or prose piece read aloud holds a circle of listeners in its spell; a cardboard model or clay pot takes shape under patient hands. There is a flurry of activity in one corner of the School Commons as overhead projectors flash on and many hands pitch in to render the sleek musculature of a human form, or the complex networks within a patch of skin tissue; math circles spontaneously gather at round tables, then as mysteriously disperse; a recumbent figure sprawls across a couch, deeply absorbed in a science fiction saga, while across the room a voluble cluster of experimenters creates homemade litmus paper strips from a stinky but gorgeously purple vial of cabbage juice; a raucous melée of wigglers and gigglers attempts to respond to the command en français, “DANSEZ!”
Just a sample, in the form of a word collage, of what you might observe as our Junior High students engage in their three-day week together. They are mostly busy, except when they are not, and they seem to be enjoying each other a great deal, even though there are times when they are not enjoying some of the challenges of research, note-taking, and report-writing, or the physical challenges our crowded, noisy space imposes.
You may visit the classroom to take your own core sample of student activities, but we ask that you call or email beforehand and make an appointment to do so. We have a set of guidelines for your visit that we ask you to follow—the same guidelines set by the lower and upper elementary classrooms. (See guidelines below.)
We two guides are continuing to establish the academic program as we observe and at times referee the social program. Our community meetings are often labored, but we are encouraged and inspired by flashes of insight and maturity. Adolescence, to borrow from the title of one of my favorite books on this developmental stage, is a Lost and Found time. A “season of mists" suddenly dispersed by sunbursts of elation, enthusiasm, focus, and clarity. We are taking it on faith and experience that this time in your children’s education is a time for us as adult guides to raise the bar a little, to begin to challenge them to engage their gifts and curiosities in deeper, project-oriented work. It is also a time for stepping back, in awe at the energy produced, expended, well-directed, misdirected, or out of respect for the fragility of forming personalities. We know how much further we still need to travel towards each individual student, building trust and providing just the right kind of support.
So, our fall trimester is coming to its completion, and with it, the core curriculum Study of Nature report on human organ systems. By the end of November, students will also have collected and written up three short narratives—in their own words—about some aspect of ancient civilizations, for our core study of the History of Humanity. In three weeks, on Wednesday, November 28th, from 3-4 PM, we hope to have all our families gather for an hour of presentations of students’ organ system report work, in the classroom and in the Computer Lab. Afterwards there will be a shortened parent meeting in the classroom.
PARENT / STUDENT CONFERENCES:
We have many families signed up for parent/student conferences during workshop week. There will be a regular full day of classes on Monday, November 19th, but then a schedule of conferences lasting a half-hour each on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 20th and 21st. These conferences will be an opportunity for students to share their work with parents and to set goals for themselves in the second trimester (December 3rd to March 12th). Some of you have not yet signed up, but we have free slots available on those two days, as follows:
TUESDAY, 20TH:
- 11:30 AM - 12 NOON
- 2:30 PM - 3 PM
WEDNESDAY, 21ST:
- 9 AM - 9:30 AM
- 2 PM - 2:30 PM
- 2:30 PM - 3 PM
CLASSROOM VISIT GUIDELINES:
You are welcome to visit us! By following the four guidelines below you will be able to observe the students undisturbed as they pursue their normal daily activities.
- Please remain in the visitor's chair.
- Please refrain from initiating interaction with the students.
- If the students approach and introduce themselves, please tell them your name. Use a quiet voice. Refrain from lengthy conversations.
- At the close of your visit, please exit the room quietly.
If you are a parent of a student in the classroom you may or may not observe a normal day of activity for your student. It is difficult for some students to manage their emotional attachment to you and sustain their independence in the classroom simultaneously. Adolescents can be particularly self-conscious when parents and peers are in proximity.
Here are some aspects of the Montessori environment you may wish to watch for:
- Observe students' response to the total classroom: people, materials, etc.
- Notice how they initiate activities (independence).
- Note how the ability to concentrate and to be absorbed varies from student to student, and from material to material.
- Note how certain activities can serve to focus a student's attention on an isolated stimulus.
- Notice how some children, even when distracted, can return easily to their work.
- Look for spontaneous gatherings in small groups around new activities, discoveries, stimuli, etc.
- Observe the variety of small group work vs. individual work.
- Watch the interaction between students. Is there courtesy, teamwork, dialog, negotiation, etc.?
- Observe how the guides present lessons, and how students may react differently to a given subject matter.
If you would like to talk with one of the guides about your observations, questions, and discoveries, please call or email us and set up a time outside of class hours to do so.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
ENTRY, October 25th, 2007
Dear students and parents of SVEC MJH:
After a blog hiatus, we are back, with some announcements, and a review of our first parents’ meeting. We need help transferring our blog to a new school online tool called MOODLE. Any student or parent webmasters who are interested in getting us set up with this communication tool, please contact Andy or Cynthia!
FIRST:
Here is a heads-up on our expectations for work to be completed for the week of October 29-31. (NEXT week.)
Monday, 10/29
FRENCH: Practice your conversational phrases and numbers, and your first vocabulary words. Use each other as practice partners!
“ENDERS SHADOW”: Group meets 11:45-12:30 to discuss through Chapter 16 (up to page 303).
Quinton has agreed to be the discussion leader.
STUDY OF NATURE TERM PROJECT: Bring your organ system notes and outline to school. Be prepared to discuss what you have learned about its parts, its function, and how it works, with your classmates who are studying the same system.
NOTE: Everyone should have completed their notes (in their own words) and an outline by now. If not, complete that work by Monday!!
Tuesday, 10/30
WRITING GROUP: You can pick up the next list-sentence writing challenge from Andy on Monday. We will be looking at this exercise in class on Tuesday.
“GATHERING BLUE”: Book review (critique) or epilogue (your thoughts about what could happen next) due today. We will also finish our book discussion.
Wednesday, 10/31
STUDY OF NATURE TERM PROJECT: Visual aid check-in with Cynthia or Andy. Visual aid to be finished the following Wednesday, November 7th.
MATH: Check in with Cynthia. Plan for at least 2 hours of math work a week.
DRAWING SKILLS CLASS: Keep developing any of your unfinished exercises: grey scale landscape drawing, line-pattern drawing, or paper-clip drawing. Can you think of a drawing exercise that applies the concepts we have been practicing so far? If so, the materials await your itchy fingers!
After a blog hiatus, we are back, with some announcements, and a review of our first parents’ meeting. We need help transferring our blog to a new school online tool called MOODLE. Any student or parent webmasters who are interested in getting us set up with this communication tool, please contact Andy or Cynthia!
FIRST:
Here is a heads-up on our expectations for work to be completed for the week of October 29-31. (NEXT week.)
Monday, 10/29
FRENCH: Practice your conversational phrases and numbers, and your first vocabulary words. Use each other as practice partners!
“ENDERS SHADOW”: Group meets 11:45-12:30 to discuss through Chapter 16 (up to page 303).
Quinton has agreed to be the discussion leader.
STUDY OF NATURE TERM PROJECT: Bring your organ system notes and outline to school. Be prepared to discuss what you have learned about its parts, its function, and how it works, with your classmates who are studying the same system.
NOTE: Everyone should have completed their notes (in their own words) and an outline by now. If not, complete that work by Monday!!
Tuesday, 10/30
WRITING GROUP: You can pick up the next list-sentence writing challenge from Andy on Monday. We will be looking at this exercise in class on Tuesday.
“GATHERING BLUE”: Book review (critique) or epilogue (your thoughts about what could happen next) due today. We will also finish our book discussion.
Wednesday, 10/31
STUDY OF NATURE TERM PROJECT: Visual aid check-in with Cynthia or Andy. Visual aid to be finished the following Wednesday, November 7th.
MATH: Check in with Cynthia. Plan for at least 2 hours of math work a week.
DRAWING SKILLS CLASS: Keep developing any of your unfinished exercises: grey scale landscape drawing, line-pattern drawing, or paper-clip drawing. Can you think of a drawing exercise that applies the concepts we have been practicing so far? If so, the materials await your itchy fingers!
SECOND:
PARENTS’ MEETING#1:
Our parents meeting on the 17th of October was well attended. Minutes were graciously kept by Kim Olszewski, Kennedy’s mom.
We shared our assessment of the challenges (cramped quarters, lack of adequate storage space, noisiness) but also some of the successes so far. The community of adolescents seems to be forming well. We have a great and very lively group, led by four focused and mature ninth graders.
We shared an overview of the still-developing weekly schedule. Our core classes, the study of nature and the study of the history of humanity, are up and running.
The fall classroom project is a biological investigation of human organ systems. Students will have their presentations ready by Workshop Week in November.
Our fall Festival of Stories at the end of November will be a practice run for the History of Humanity project in March. For the time being, students are researching ancient civilizations from the time of the dawn of writing, and will write short stories to share with each other about those long ago and far away people. This year, the History of Humanity work will track human progress from the invention of writing to the invention of the printing press.
We listed the fall trimester electives that had begun:
~French and Hands-on Science on Monday afternoons
~Creative Writing on Tuesday afternoons
~Two book discussion groups: one Tuesday PM, one Monday lunch
~Math and Drawing Skills on Wednesdays
We spoke to our needs for parental involvement in areas such as our Occupations, Field Trips, kitchen oversight on Pot Luck Days, etc., and passed around a sign-up sheet with some requests for parent help.
We shared some further specific requests:
~Some students may need help organizing their work weeks to get done at home what is not completed at school.
~Some students may need some home help in various aspects of research, writing reports, finding appropriate resources at a local library or online, creating hands-on visual aids.
~All students need to have a personal calendar, in book, pocket, or palm-pilot form, to track their own work goals and completion targets.
~Many students need help making healthy nutritional choices for themselves at lunch time and throughout the day. Sugar, rich and fatty foods, additives in snack food, and caffeine can all combine to promote restlessness and hyperactivity.
~Many students need support in finding a healthy sleep schedule. New studies suggest that lost sleep cannot be made up adequately, and that too little sleep impairs brain development. Adolescence is a crucial period for adequate sleep. Check these links to recent sleep articles:
http://nymag.com/news/features/38979/
http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/
Please let us teachers know as soon as you are able to do so when your child will be absent, by phone or email. [Andy’s cell: 206-446-1708; email: fremont63@msn.com; Cynthia’s email: cyostnwm@hotmail.com] It helps us plan our days, and relieves our worry about missing students.
We ended with some parent questions and concerns:
~A request has been made that we end our day at 3:20, with the rest of Sky Valley, so that people with longer commutes can beat the traffic. Henceforth students will be released, provided they have completed their classroom care responsibilities for the day, at 3:20 PM.
~There was a discussion about fundraising, carpeting, and other issues related to the new space we are moving into. Messages relating to these issues will be ongoing. Dana Strickland, Avery’s mom, has graciously agreed to be our liaison for the Montessori Parents Committee now forming. She has called our attention to a new bulletin board with items of import for all Montessori parents, posted outside the entrance to the Lower Montessori classroom.
~There are parent sign-ups in the Junior High classroom for:
Parent/Teacher conference times during November Workshop Week.
Community Service options and ideas parents might be willing to facilitate.
~Our classroom wish-list: (Needed Item not on list—a used but functioning toaster oven for baking students’ projects in Sculpy Clay.)
Please call us with your concerns. We are happy to meet, when we can, either before or after our school day. (8:15-8:45 AM; 3:30-4 PM)
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