果冻传媒 is a learning school. 果冻传媒鈥檚 unique design as a place where both teachers and children learn, where early career teachers develop their practice, and where experienced teachers research and design curriculum, gives rise to its innovation. In line with its mission, 果冻传媒 uniquely serves to prepare teachers, educate children, and develop innovations in curriculum and teaching. If we are raising the thinkers, problem-solvers and citizens equipped with the skills to work together and lead in the future, we believe the best way to instruct those children is to model inquiry, design, excitement, and collaboration. Critical to our school culture is that everyone views themselves as a learner, a leader, and a teammate.聽

One of the ways that 果冻传媒 facilitates its learning culture is through its Graduate School of Education (GSE). The 果冻传媒 GSE is truly a one-of-a-kind graduate program in Washington state, offering a master鈥檚 degree in education that emerged from and is situated in a practicing school for children, with a faculty composed of highly experienced teachers. The 果冻传媒 GSE takes a progressive educational approach that emphasizes the teacher鈥檚 role as a designer and leader, the child鈥檚 uniqueness as a learner, and the critical importance of a shared learning culture in effective schools.聽

Throughout its schools for children are GSE faculty who, by designing, researching, and facilitating graduate-level classes, are staying current in the field of education. As well, there are graduate students working side-by-side with mentor teachers in the classrooms for children; these adult learners are asking questions, reflecting on their teaching practice, and bringing innovation, modeling, and energy to the classroom. And through this learning culture, innovations such as Mackenzie鈥檚 oracy curriculum take root and have a broad, positive impact on learning throughout ucds.

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Plotting a Course to Uncharted Curricula
by Abby Sandberg and Melinda Deal
果冻传媒 Spark
Issue #17, Fall 2018

At 果冻传媒, every school year is like a road trip.

Our planned destination is that each student finds enthusiasm for learning and that he or she ends the year with a plethora of new academic and problem-solving skills. Getting to our destination may not be as simple as moving in a direct route from point A to point B. 果冻传媒 teachers, however, are well-traveled in the learning journey. We use our teaching expertise, a set of clearly defined goals, and a reliable toolbox of resources to embark on this excursion in a manner that is responsive to the learning needs of the students. By opening ourselves up to the possibility of alternate routes to our destination, we not only accomplish our intended goals but also reap the benefits of the learning that occurs off the beaten path. When we design for responsiveness in the journey, we make ourselves available for unexpected adventures and sometimes unforeseen challenges to conquer. Throughout the school year, the trips down these side roads, sometimes even off road, result in experiences that are more rewarding than we even imagined. Collaboration among faculty is a key component of these successes. Collaborative teaching requires risk taking, develops shared responsibility, and builds deep trust among colleagues, all of which help make it safe to be brave enough to try something new.聽

果冻传媒 teachers are keenly attuned to what must be taught, but the 鈥渉ow鈥� of teaching is constantly up for discussion. With the 果冻传媒 Continua as a guide to the progression of academic skills students will master, we collaborate with one another to design meaningful opportunities that will help students reach this end. Looking with fresh eyes at the needs and interests of our students as well as the resources in the community, we design, test, and redesign our teaching methods. We do not rely on teaching a particular unit or topic at a specific level; thus, we are always bravely inventing new ways to engage students and make connections between content areas through our unique yearly theme. Because this is our educational model, founded on what we believe is best for children, it is easy鈥攔ather than rely on redoing things as they have been done before鈥攖o stir the pot and try it in a new way.

Sources of inspiration are unique to each school year. As such, it is no surprise that each learning experience is novel. We are adept at teaching the discrete academic skills on the Continua, but we do so in a way that is responsive to students. As a result, the route to student mastery of these teacher-generated goals typically includes paths on which we have never trod. Because the path is uncharted, we must be willing to courageously begin these learning journeys even if we cannot always see clearly around the bend.

When we, as teachers, courageously embark on designing emergent curricula, we become excellent models for students to see critical thinking, flexibility, and collaboration first hand. Students witness how we address unexpected challenges and see how we call upon each other鈥檚 unique skills when a particular quandary takes us out of our current wheelhouse. We question one another, express ideas, and share unique areas of knowledge all in the view of students. Many times this collaboration is evidenced by consulting with Specialist teachers, who can enlighten the teaching team with information and strategies from their individual areas of expertise. For example, after reading an excerpt from the current Read Aloud book, a student query about the natural capabilities of the lead animal character spurred a class discussion that prompted a call from the classroom teacher to the Science Specialist. This modeling teaches students that questions are beneficial, seeking resources is wise, and collaborating with those around you can lead to greater understanding. This is another important benefit of brave teaching.聽

Although a willingness to take risks is certainly an important component of brave teaching, the collaborative nature of this style of lesson planning makes it feel safer to embark down an unknown path. During the school week, teachers meet regularly across grade level teaching teams and across Specialists鈥� disciplines. We are courageous in our questioning and project design, posing questions that have multiple solutions, which we have not always worked out ourselves. It is common to hear questioning such as, 鈥淲hat if we鈥�..?鈥� or 鈥淗ow about we try鈥�.?鈥� Many times, our planning prompts projects for which we will have to observe students鈥� responses to determine how best to proceed through. During this process, we weigh pros and cons of potential paths, bravely assert ideas, and reach compromise. The entire teaching team takes ownership over the learning experience. We celebrate successes together, and we solve unexpected challenges collaboratively. This safety net of colleagues provides a platform for courageously forging ahead when you are not certain which path will lead to your goal.聽

Every instance of brave teaching supports future courageous endeavors. The more often we call upon the expertise of one another, the more knowledgeable we become about each individual鈥檚 unique skillsets. As we courageously work with a wide range of colleagues, the more familiar those individuals become and the greater comfort everyone experiences during these collaborations. For example, an upcoming solar eclipse prompted us to design an experience for students to learn about this phenomenon. Classroom teachers and the Science Specialist certainly had knowledge to impart. However, when we discovered that the school鈥檚 Director of Technology was an avid stargazer, we saw a great opportunity to expand the teaching team and call upon his expertise. Collaborations between all of these parties resulted in an afternoon viewing experience that students and parents engaged in together. While this outcome was deemed a success, an even greater benefit of this collaboration was the shared connection among those involved in the experience.聽

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I Made Fire! Teachers Coach Independence,
One-on-One
by Susan Foley and Sally Minerich
果冻传媒 Spark
Issue #14, Fall 2014

Combining red, yellow and orange swirls of color, Jack, a four year old in an Early Elementary classroom shares, 鈥淚 made fire coming out of the volcano. The dinosaur lives near the volcano.鈥� With his illustration complete, he finds a teacher and announces, 鈥淢y word today is dinosaur. I鈥檓 ready for writing!鈥� His teacher takes a moment to acknowledge and discuss Jack鈥檚 independence exhibited through his picture and word choice, and she passes him a pencil, 鈥淵ou get started writing dinosaur and I鈥檒l be over soon!鈥� Jack鈥檚 questioning eyes express some hesitation. Up until now, the writing has always been done with a teacher by his side guiding his practice in letter sounds and formation and assisting him in separating the words into distinct sounds. As Jack鈥檚 writing skills develop, the role of the teacher as a guide adapts. Thus, he has been given the challenge to try writing some letters independently. As he slowly reaches for the pencil, the teacher confidently reminds him that he needs simply to take his best guess and write any letters he thinks are in the word dinosaur. He looks around the table and notices that indeed, some classmates are writing before the teacher comes over to help. He says the word dinosaur aloud a few times and announces his plan to start by writing a D.

In this multi-age classroom, there is a wide range of experience, knowledge and abilities. The writing assignments for each student reflect this. Whether drawing a picture, sharing an idea or writing a few letters, words, or sentences, each student is asked to begin in a place where he or she feels confident and can be successful. Drawing on their own understanding, students are given the opportunity to try things independently to demonstrate what they already know. They are also asked to take a risk on trying something new or not yet solidified independently before their work with a teacher begins. Teachers routinely assess individuals and tailor assignments to include personal challenges that fit each student. They guide each student to build on current skills by coaching him or her through individualized next steps. A student鈥檚 initial attempt or approach is an important way that a teacher may assess and determine what challenges make sense for a particular student. The practice of starting with what you know or giving something a try also sends a powerful message to children that education is not about discrete lessons or facts, rather it is about making connections and decisions about how to apply the knowledge and skills you already have to gain deeper understandings and new insights.聽

This philosophy is a driving force at 果冻传媒 as teachers guide and encourage children, whether working through academic or social challenges and whether in pre-K or in 5th grade preparing for middle school. Classroom teachers and specialists are equally committed to following this model and creating curriculum that provides many opportunities for a variety of entry points and challenges. Additionally at 果冻传媒, teachers have great respect for the enthusiasm and determination children have for learning and are committed to modeling the same curiosity. Teachers become active participants in learning. This provides opportunities for teachers to model thinking through a problem. Free from the constraints of teaching a set curriculum based on age or grade level, teachers are invested in making the most out of their time with students.聽

Teachers ask many questions under this model. “What have you tried?” “How did it go?” 鈥淲hat might work instead or next?鈥� Learning is viewed as a continuous process, where putting to use the skills you have already acquired allows you to move forward, building on past knowledge and understanding is essential to growth. Students are given opportunities to devise strategies to solve problems, and teachers guide them to navigate their own thinking as well as make suggestions and offer possible solutions to try. Successes and missteps are celebrated and examined for the lessons they provide. With guidance and encouragement from teachers, students are asked to work hard and take responsibility for their learning. If a solution comes easily, teachers see that as an ideal opportunity to pose a new challenge. Students are taught to reflect on and modify strategies as they work through more difficult problems. They practice perseverance, learn from mistakes, and in turn build creative and critical thinking skills.

With independence also comes the understanding that not everyone will approach a problem in the same way. Students learn to expect that peers at the same table could be working on a variety of problems and at a variety of skill levels. They also learn to expect that even when they work on the exact same problem, they will likely approach it differently and have a different process for solving it. Opportunities to share strategies give students important practice in explaining their thinking, and as students consider novel ways of solving problems, they build flexibility in their thinking.

From their first day at school, students are actively engaged in their social learning and problem solving. Just like the student who inquires about the spelling of a word, the student who gets help to solve a disagreement with a friend will hear similar questions, “What have you tried?” “How did that work?” 鈥淎re there any strategies that have helped you in the past?鈥� “What do you think you could try next?” As teachers ask guiding questions such as these, the students are learning self-talk and internalizing the kinds of questions they can ask themselves as new situations occur. As novel situations arise, children can draw on these conversations to guide their responses and develop skills that allow them to be independent thinkers and question askers.聽

Students cannot learn problem solving and negotiating skills without taking an active role in this process. They benefit from practice forming questions that move the learning or problem solving process forward, and using a variety of problem solving skills in a hands-on and meaningful way is essential. What is meaningful is different based on the student.. Some students rely on more teacher modeling and direction than others, and some relish puzzling through tricky problems while others are supported by gradual challenges with more frequent teacher check-ins. Teachers adapt to each student鈥檚 style while keeping key elements consistent. When a student is a part of the process, adding his or her skills and knowledge to the conversation, he or she is able to think and reflect and then practice new skills with ever increasing independence.聽

The implications of fostering this independence are great, even for seemingly simple tasks. For example, in a 2nd-3rd grade classroom, students are getting ready for their next activity. The teacher reminds her class to check the schedule so each small group will know if they are going from Science to PE and then to lunch or the reverse (PE to Science and then to lunch). This prompts some to question if it makes sense to bring their lunchboxes with them, to save a trip back to class. The teacher turns the question back on the group, and there is a healthy debate among students based on the locations of the different classes and what makes the most sense, saving time versus managing belongings. In the end it is decided that consensus need not be reached and everyone can find the solution makes sense for him or her, give it a try and modify next time if desired.聽

Even this small interaction has provided an opportunity for independent thought and decision-making, ownership over an action and the potential to modify. Under this model, students are increasingly accountable and aware of their individual needs, learning styles, strengths and challenges. They also learn how to advocate for themselves when they need support and learn to celebrate mistakes as part of the learning process. Students鈥� understanding of mistakes, or unknowns, as a part of learning, is exemplified every year in our science lab. Katie Morrison, our science teacher focuses on scientific practice skills, including making a prediction or hypothesis. She highlights to students that sometimes experiments result in evidence to support your hypothesis, but sometimes they do not and if something unexpected happens in an experiment, we can celebrate it as a discovery. Katie explains, “When I first started teaching, I meticulously tried to control each experiment before I introduced it to students, making sure that it would “work.” I soon discovered that it was unnecessary for me to control the outcomes to such a degree, and when the experiment did not go exactly as planned, it was a meaningful learning opportunity for students. The investigations are authentic and exciting when the results vary and students have the opportunity to troubleshoot technical aspects of the investigation. When it doesn’t work just right, and students have to figure it out, they gain a deeper understanding of the tools, techniques, concepts, and content.”

Recently, the 1st and 2nd graders, upon returning from Science, were asked to share their predictions for the latest rounds of experiments that they were designing. The teacher asked, 鈥淲hat happens if your prediction is wrong?鈥� The kids threw their arms up in the air, laughed and announced, 鈥淭hen you made a discovery!鈥�

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Mentorship Through Collaboration: The Resident Teacher Program鈥檚 Evolution and Practice
by Julie Kalmus and Diane Chickadel
果冻传媒 Spark
Issue #8, Fall 2010

For the past fifteen years, 果冻传媒 has welcomed over 120 teachers to join its Resident Teacher Program. Over the years, many keep in touch, sending stories about the impact that a year of teaching at 果冻传媒 had on their professional lives.聽

Sitting on a 400 acre winery in Napa, a surprise reunion occurs between a past Resident and current 果冻传媒 teacher. She is now running her family鈥檚 business and expecting her first child. Five years has passed since her time at 果冻传媒 and touring the beautiful vineyards, one can鈥檛 help but marvel at the quality of the collaborations and energy between her and the winery staff, 鈥淚 can trace it back to my Resident year,鈥� she offers, 鈥渙ne of the best things I took away from the program was the idea that I should always be thinking about how I can influence those around me to be their best selves and how I should be too.鈥澛�

Days later, a different Resident writes. She is in graduate school now and hungry to have her own classroom. Several years out of the program, she reflects, 鈥淚t鈥檚 funny, a lot of grad school is about how to fix problems and meet standards. To be clear, these are good things to think about. But I know that I don鈥檛 just want to fix problems for kids. I want us to build solutions together. I know what kind of teacher I am going to be and it means so much to know what that feels like and means while I digest all of this pedagogy and philosophy.鈥澛犅�

Through the Resident Teacher Program, 果冻传媒 has been working to refine a unique immersion experience for beginning teachers that is symbiotic with the experienced teachers they work beside. Since its inception, the 果冻传媒 Resident Program has sought to model exceptional team collaborations for its students while asking, What is the impact on new teachers of doing real work in education beside an invested mentor with targeted professional development and a cohort of peers?

The journey started when 果冻传媒 recognized that purposeful, continuing professional support and collaboration amongst its faculty directly impacted the quality of student life. To this end, it looked to recreate and invigorate a traditional teacher assistant program. Because of the inherent hierarchy and lack of consistency, this type of program often felt like an afterthought. The school had some wonderful assistants over the years to be sure but the quality of their work often seemed a reflection of the quality of their personality, as opposed to the school鈥檚 support of their work.聽

Looking back, the school knew that new teachers had so much to offer- energy, enthusiasm, new ideas, new questions and different perspectives. Was there a way to redesign the 鈥渢eaching assistant鈥� program that would give new teachers practical experience while giving the school the benefits of more eyes and minds on individual students? It was time to try something new, something more intentional.聽

We looked to other professions for models that gave beginning professionals an opportunity to partner with more experienced colleagues in purposeful ways. Many of the experiences and structures that made medical residencies work for beginning doctors seemed like they could be applied to teaching residencies for beginning educators. In 1996, the school decided to capitalize on its culture of collaboration and innovation to create a new Resident Teacher Program.聽

With the change in name came a change in culture. It began by looking at hiring, professional development, partnership and Mentorship in new ways. Instead of hiring people who were interested in being 鈥渁ssistants,鈥� the school aimed to hire people who were deeply interested in education and children and partnered them with Mentors who would collaborate and teach beside them, not assign them tasks to perform. Further, to support Residents as they entered a new community and partnership and to support mentor teachers as they developed their skills as partners and Mentors, the school also created a Resident Program Coordinator position. In 1996, the school hired its first Resident Teacher and launched the program.聽

The following year, the first cohort of Resident Teachers was hired to work with the Early Elementary students and faculty. As the program blossomed, ownership and investment grew across the school. Established faculty discussed the value of Mentorship and collaboration and within a five year period, the Resident program grew to include Resident Teachers that worked with each level at the school. Currently, the school employs ten new Residents each year.聽

From the first day of employment, Residents are welcomed as full faculty members. Each Resident works in one to three classrooms, sits on a faculty committee, participates in all curriculum planning and professional development, facilitates large and small group teaching, plans and leads parent conferences and writes student reports. For Mentors, Mentorship has become about listening to ideas, sharing ideas and building classrooms and curriculum together. The expectation for Residents to do the same demands that each one engage more deeply in both the development of ideas and the practice of their work with students. The model showcases a different depth, pace and expectation than student teaching or an assistant position could offer.聽

Over the years, the most exciting consequence of the new model was the least expected. Teaching has changed. To truly collaborate, Mentors and Residents have to have regular conversations about individual students and the class as a whole. The fruits of these conversations lead to more targeted work with individuals, more consistency and follow through in classroom culture and greater depth and cohesiveness in curriculum planning and delivery.聽

On top of the in-class and after school (and often, before school) conversations that Residents have with their teaching teams, they are also a part of a peer cohort of Residents that share similar experiences.聽 The cohort meets three times a month during the school day with the Resident Coordinators to support professional development and a broader understanding of and investment in school culture. Meeting together as peers provides an opportunity to reflect, share strategies and successes and ask questions.聽

Once a month, Mentors meet as a group as well to discuss ways to support Residents. Over time, patterns in conversation paralleled both groups in interesting ways. When Residents were interested in classroom management and how to find the 鈥渞ight鈥� way to jump into tricky situations, Mentors were interested in how to bring language to the 鈥渞ight鈥� ways that they jumped in and share that knowledge with Residents. When parent conferences were on the horizon, both Residents and Mentors wanted shared voices contributing to the dialogue with parents. Curriculum design, report writing and group facilitation all fell into similar alignment. The school also created informal and formal professional development structures to support understanding and success around these topics.聽

It is not always easy. You cannot just ask someone to be a mentor or mentee and expect it to be a perfect marriage. True partnership takes time and effort. It builds itself over conversation, generation, experimentation, laughter and trust. Open communication, flexibility, a strong work ethic, an ability to self-advocate, a true passion for children, high expectations and a good sense of humor have risen as critical qualities for both Mentors and Residents to share. As the school recruits new Residents each year, these are all qualities it seeks.聽

Culturally, the school has continued to recommit itself to the importance of welcoming new Resident faculty each year onto the team. It forces everyone in the community to rearticulate our philosophy, beliefs and approach and requires each team to build community and curricular programs anew.聽 This collaboration is the energy that ignites the excitement and interest of faculty, students and their families as they enter the school鈥檚 doors each day. In this model, Mentorship is a partnership that allows each Resident to 鈥渋nfluence those around me (them) to be their best selves鈥� and identify 鈥渨hat kind of teacher I am going to be.鈥�

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Thinking About Thinking
by Susan Foley and Gretchen Morse
果冻传媒 Spark
Issue #12, Winter 2013

鈥淪uccess is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome.鈥�
Arthur Ashe

At 果冻传媒 we purposely choose the forms of assessment that best serve our students and teachers. Over the years we have researched, gathered and created a variety of assessment tools and practices that guide how and what we teach. 果冻传媒 teachers carefully choose and create assessments that not only give us information about a child鈥檚 academic performance but also provide insight into a child鈥檚 thinking process. In particular, we know that when students reflect on their own thinking they become successful independent learners. Through reflection on one鈥檚 own thinking process, an individual practices learning how to learn. In turn, each student develops independence and the ability to generalize his or her thinking strategies to other problem-solving scenarios. In fact, we consider these reflective skills to constitute the core of our program, providing a platform on which academic growth occurs.聽

Our curriculum is built from a continuum of skills (benchmarks) that describe how we generally expect students to acquire academic abilities. We acknowledge that academic growth is not always a linear process, and the continua documents allow teachers to note where a child鈥檚 abilities currently lie without being constrained by his or her age or grade. These are living documents that we regularly review. Throughout the process of examining our reading, writing, and math continua, we sparked discussions about the problem solving skills that surround academic abilities. These skills seemed to fall under the bigger umbrella of Critical Thinking. As we considered the ways students communicate their understanding, approach and method to solve problems, we decided that these abilities were not unique to one academic content area. And so, with that realization, we were ready to embark on creating a continuum that would give a picture of each child鈥檚 Critical Thinking abilities.聽

Our original plan was to create a fourth continuum, modeled after the reading, writing and math continua we were already using. We didn鈥檛 realize at the start just how long, complex and valuable this journey was going to be. We wanted this continuum to go beyond the list of skills and concepts that were carefully teased out in the other documents. Our ambition was to create a multi-dimensional tool not only to assess a child鈥檚 thinking but also to assess the process of thinking. We devoted many of our in-service days over the next two years to thinking about thinking. The school worked with the staff of ILABS, University of Washington鈥檚 Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, to begin the process of looking deeper at our own practices in light of the exciting, emerging research in the field of neuroscience. Small teams of teachers traveled to attend workshops hosted by Mel Levine, John Ratey, Ron Richhart and the Foundation for Critical Thinking. Upon returning from such workshops, these teachers led the staff in discussions to further understand the thinking process. We filmed students solving puzzles and interviewed them about their processes. As a staff we reviewed and reflected on these videos. We repeated this exercise with teachers working through puzzles and problems. We invited researchers and leaders in the field to visit our school and add their perspectives and knowledge to our discussions. These visitors included Robert and Michelle Root-Bernstein, Ellen Winner, Jennifer Amsterlaw, Ron Richhart, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and John Ratey. We also broke into small groups to read about and share a variety of teaching philosophies including Bloom, Vygotsky, Dewey, Waldorf, Piaget, Montessori, Reggio-Emilia and Levine. These activities helped the faculty create shared language and informed our ongoing discussions. We explored and tested a few versions of the 果冻传媒 Critical Thinking Continuum over the next few years.

One surprising decision that we arrived at was that a Critical Thinking continuum was not serving the purposes we hoped it would. The language seemed to emphasize science and math rather than fitting all domains and the layout implied that the document was tracking linear skills that to us seemed better described as learning traits or habits of mind. We came to the conclusion that one continuum would not suffice. We needed to add information about thinking processes to each of the existing continua (reading, writing and math) to illustrate how an individual鈥檚 thinking and problem solving was often dependent on that specific domain. For example, one child may consistently explain his or her thinking when solving a math problem, but may not do this in a literature group discussion. Having a place on each continuum to document thinking in a specific domain gave a more thorough picture of each student.聽

Although including descriptors of a student鈥檚 thinking process in each academic continuum deepened the way we used these assessment tools, faculty still believed that providing additional information about a student鈥檚 Reflective Thinking with peers and in the community could valuably document how a child鈥檚 social/emotional skills are growing. To this end, faculty began developing a resource to describe Reflective Thinking, which is a snapshot of how a student interacts with the community and approaches situations where problems need to be solved. In order to support this valuable part of our curriculum, we decided to re-envision the fourth planned continuum as the 果冻传媒 Reflective Thinking Profile. This description is a profile because it provides a snapshot in time of a student鈥檚 communication and collaboration style. From year-to-year, these snapshots are an ongoing source of data on how a student is developing as a learner and community member. In addition, this document acts as a guide for teachers as we continually coach students on how to practice and implement these essential skills.聽

The continua and Reflective Thinking Profile are used to assess and track a child鈥檚 growth and are considered living documents. As a faculty we examine these documents regularly, discuss their effectiveness and adjust them to reflect what we value and teach. The useful documents that result from these cooperative efforts are appreciated by all, but by far the most value comes from what we gain taking the journey together. By undertaking this process, it gives us time to delve into theories about learning and thinking and more clearly define what we want to coach and assess in our everyday teaching.聽

The post Six Highlights of an Innovative School 鈥� Authentic Assessment appeared first on 果冻传媒.

The Search for the Elusive Gum Tree
by Sarah Andle
果冻传媒 Spark
Issue #15, Fall 2015

鈥淲hat is that?鈥� exclaimed Matthew as he eagerly pointed to the pages of Lois Ehlert鈥檚 Leaf Man. Matthew and his friends crowded closer to their teacher as she held the book in the air. The teacher looked at the picture and read, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a sweet gum fruit.鈥� The eyes of the five children looking at her instantly lit up, followed quickly by questions of 鈥淲here is that?鈥� and proclamations of 鈥淚 want to find a gum tree!鈥� She didn鈥檛 know it at the time, but this moment had just changed the course of their entire school year.聽

It was the beginning of the school year, and the Studio was exploring the fall changes in their neighborhood. After spotting a particularly large pinecone on a walk near a local college campus, the teacher gathered together five students to search around the Studio for more pinecone examples.聽 Later, when reading Leaf Man, to build on the children鈥檚 interests about the changing seasons, Matthew asked the question 鈥� 鈥淲hat is that?鈥� His three-words changed everything. The quest to find pinecones was quickly abandoned, and the search for the gum tree was on.聽

From the moment the Exploring Relationship and Connection (ERC) group that was focused on the gum tree set out on their first walk, the students were eager to find the elusive gum tree. They stopped at every tree to determine whether it may or may not be the gum tree. Even their teacher, who was as unfamiliar with a 鈥渟weet gum tree鈥� as they were, carefully followed their lead and direction. They used some of the best tools they had available to them, their senses, to search and hunt for the elusive tree. They looked for the 鈥渟pikey balls鈥� that they had seen in Leaf Man and peered up through gorgeous fall colored leaves to look for signs of gumballs and gummy bears. Piles of leaves were excitedly searched through as the children literally immersed themselves in the trees. They scratched and sniffed bark hunting for the sweet smell of gummies and collected examples of what could possibly be evidence of a gum tree. They gathered pictures of data that could be used later as 鈥渟tudy maps鈥� to determine what a sweet gum tree may look like. While the group members never limited the scope of their search, whether it be for a magical tree full of gummy bears and fruit snacks or a tree full of spikey pinecone type balls, the five students made it clear that the tree they were looking for had not been found and the search needed to continue.聽

One morning, about a month into our search, Lily, a member of the gum tree group, came running into school with exciting news. While on a walk in her neighborhood with her family, she had a found a 鈥渟pikey ball鈥� lying on the ground! She and her mother collected examples and brought them in for the group to explore. When the time for ERC groups came, they excitedly gathered on the rug as the balls were passed around. This was the first time that they had something tangible from either the real or imagined gum tree to explore. They examined the balls in their hands, commenting on their texture and smell, and they quickly determined that they wanted to see what was inside. They made their way to the table as their teacher slowly cut open the first ball. Before it opened, the teacher asked the students what they thought they might see inside. 鈥淎 bird!鈥� Lily exclaimed! 鈥淢y mom!鈥� said Matthew. 鈥淎 ball!鈥� called George. Lily pushed back from the table and commented that she felt nervous to see what was inside. As the ball slowly opened, the students leaned into to take a peek. They commented on the smell, how it reminded them of pine trees and mint, and that this could be evidence that the spikey balls may in fact be related to the minty chewing gum they had noticed adults chewing. They continued to open several other balls, carefully examining each one. The students gathered supplies to help them explore, including magnifying glasses to get a closer look and play dough tools to help them cut the balls themselves.聽 The children commented on what the spiky balls reminded them of. 鈥淚t looks like a sea anemone!鈥� shouted Oliver. 鈥淚 think it looks like a fruit,鈥� said Matthew. As George examined the spikey ball he proclaimed that he did in fact see a bird inside. They all gathered closer to see if they could get a better look. Lily suggested, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a tiny bird. You need three magnifying glasses to see it.鈥� The small round ball reminded Oliver of a microphone as he held it to his mouth and started singing a song. All of the children worked together to cut the sweet gum fruit into tiny pieces to share as a 鈥渟nack鈥� with their friends later. As they manipulated and explored the spikey balls, they continued to find connections and build relationships.聽

The following week, the group planned to go out on another search for the gum tree. The students had seen evidence of what a 鈥渟weet gum fruit鈥� looked like, but there were still unknown possibilities for what direction their search might take them. As they gathered on the rug to prepare for the walk, Natalie exclaimed, 鈥淚 know where to find gum!鈥� She rushed away from the rug and returned shortly with her empty hand outstretched towards her teacher. 鈥淗ere鈥檚 the gum!鈥� she said. Lily looked skeptically at Natalie鈥檚 hand and declared, 鈥淭here is nothing there!鈥� Lily reached out to touch Natalie鈥檚 hand to prove it was empty, and Natalie warned, 鈥淐areful! They are fragile!鈥� As Natalie passed her teacher her imaginary handful of gumballs, the children all crowded closer. The teacher offered each child a piece and each accepted. Lily watched as her other friends took a piece of gum. Her skepticism faded and was soon replaced with excitement as she joined her friends in the imaginary game.聽 As they each chewed the make-believe gum, their teacher asked them what they thought it tasted like. Lily, Natalie, and Matthew all said their gum tasted like mint. Oliver described his as watermelon flavor. George had a huge smile on his face as he proclaimed his to taste like cheese! The pretend gumballs lasted for a few chews so the teacher offered to get out the peppermint flavored play dough to build off this interest in working with 鈥済um.鈥� She was interested to see if it inspired more gum conversations and creations. As they gathered around the table, each with their own ball of play dough, a discussion began about how they could make gum.聽

Lily: 鈥淗ow do we make it?鈥�
Teacher: 鈥淗ow do you think we can?鈥�
Matthew: 鈥淚 know! We can mash it up and roll it up.鈥�
Each person tried Matthew鈥檚 method.
Oliver: 鈥淟et鈥檚 make flapjacks!鈥�
Lily: 鈥淚 want to share my idea! We can make it into dough!鈥�
They continued to work with the play dough in their hands.
Teacher: 鈥淣atalie, what鈥檚 your idea?鈥�
Natalie: 鈥淵ou can make some holes in it and then roll it up and then cut it.鈥澛�

The conversation and exploration with the play dough continued. Matthew鈥檚 gum could open and shut like the wheels of an airplane. George wanted to cut his ball into small pieces so that everyone could have a piece. Lily decided to make spaghetti gum. As they worked they continued to talk about the gum tree, the gumballs, and ideas about where they might find a gum tree themselves. The students had now been exposed to the 鈥渟weet gum fruit鈥� they read about in Leaf Man.聽 They had been given opportunities to share their own their ideas about what a gum tree may look like. They were at a crossroads in processing what a gum tree might be. Would it be full of gummy bears and gumballs? Or would it be covered in leaves and the 鈥渟pikey balls鈥� we had collected?

As the group processed what a gum tree might be, an unexpected encounter proved to be a pivotal moment in their journey. One day as Oliver, Natalie, and the teacher returned from the local library after returning some books,聽 Natalie stopped dead in her tracks and enthusiastically yelled, 鈥淟ook! Look! I see some gum!鈥� Sure enough, right in front of them on the path was a 鈥渟pikey ball.鈥� She leaned forward to pick it up and smiled as she showed it to the others. Her teacher asked her where it came from, and she looked to the sky, pointed her finger and said, 鈥淢aybe it came from that one! See there鈥檚 more on that tree!鈥� She paused as she processed what she had found. She exclaimed, 鈥淚t is! THAT鈥橲 THE GUMTREE!鈥� The joy and enthusiasm etched on her face were indescribable. Natalie collected examples from the tree, and hurried back to the Studio to tell her friends. As they returned to the classroom, the group began yelling, 鈥淕um! Gum!鈥� Matthew who was working at the table looked up as they entered.聽

Matthew: 鈥淲hat is your exciting news?鈥�
Natalie handed him one of the gumballs that she had collected.
As Matthew took the gumball he gasped and a huge smile lit up his face.
Matthew: 鈥淎 gumball!鈥�
Teacher: 鈥淲here did it come from?鈥�
Oliver: 鈥淭he gum tree!鈥�
Teacher: 鈥淲e found the gum tree!鈥�
Matthew: 鈥淲here?鈥�
Teacher: 鈥淚t鈥檚 right by the library, would you like to go see it tomorrow?鈥�
Matthew: 鈥淵es!鈥�
George: 鈥淚 want to go see it too!鈥澛�

The day arrived when the entire ERC group would go and see the newly discovered gum tree. As the group set out on their journey Matthew began looking for clues on the ground. As they approached the library, the excitement continued to build. Natalie ran up to the tree she had seen before and said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the gum tree!鈥� The group looked up and saw hundreds of spikey balls hanging on the tree. The children looked at each other and smiled and quickly began collecting gumball samples. While they didn鈥檛 find any gummy bears or chewing gum, the students were still thrilled to have completed their long sought-after quest for a gum tree. Some wanted to climb it, and others asked if we could bring it back to school. In the end, they said goodbye to the gum tree for that day and headed back to school.聽

The Studio children still visit the gum tree often. They also continue to keep their eyes peeled for a gummy bear covered tree. They are building upon the connections, understanding and relationships they made during the searching phase of their long-term investigation as they are now making maps to guide their fellow classmates to the location of the gum tree. While the epic search has come to an end, the kids鈥� desire to continue learning about the gum tree, make new connections, and share what they have learned with others continues to inspire conversations and collaborations throughout the Studio program.聽

The Studio teachers observed through this experience that when they followed the kids鈥� lead, honored their interests and allowed that to guide their next steps, an epic opportunity to make connections, build relationships and conduct research with their students emerged.聽

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What if the Answer is Learning to Ask Questions?
by Paula Smith
果冻传媒 Spark
Issue #14, Winter 2014

Crayton Turner was supposed to be teaching me American History from one of the textbooks that were piled in the back corner of the classroom. He didn鈥檛 even pass them out. Instead, Mr. Turner announced to my class that American History was a recent piece of a much bigger picture and that we were going to back up a bit to cover everything that came before the last several hundred years. We started with the formation of planet earth, and we worked our way forward. Mr. Turner鈥檚 desk was piled with dozens of books that we sampled as we surveyed history through the eons. We took turns reading aloud, engaged in countless discussions and were responsible for research that we each took turns presenting to the class. Mr. Turner challenged us to ask why events unfolded the way they did and to provide evidence that would support our theories.

In truth, I do not remember many of the facts I learned that year, but I did learn how to place information in context; to think about the way one event, or one idea, shaped what happened next; and to question the accepted version of what happened in the past. But most importantly, I got to spend time with an adult who loved to read, to learn, to think, to hypothesize, an adult who inspired me to want to be as knowledgeable, passionate and excited about learning, ideas and history as he was. What I remember about that class 40 years ago was the way that Mr. Turner taught me to ask questions.

While the way we live, work and learn outside of school is dramatically different than it was when a man first walked on the moon, the way we learn in school hasn鈥檛 changed all that much. Although there are several trends that now provide an opportunity to change the way children learn in schools (such as recently adopted Common Core Standards, integrated technology and access to charter schools), for a majority of teachers with no control over curriculum, instructional methods or assessment tools, the professional culture is much the same. It was clear back then that Mr. Turner鈥檚 classroom was different than any other in my high school. He simply shut his door to the hallway and used his own collection of books to create the learning experience that he envisioned for us. It took several years before the administration realized that he wasn鈥檛 sticking to the script, and he was ultimately terminated by the school district.

Today, teachers across the country can face a similar fate if they vary from the district curriculum and instructional guidelines. One difference, however, is the accountability that is now in place in the form of standardized tests at several points in the school year. Teachers must pace their instruction carefully, mindful of performance outcomes that will be posted on the district website. The pressure to cover content leaves little time to explore a big idea and little opportunity to ask questions that are not part of the lesson plan. As a result, students may learn to identify the pre-determined 鈥渞ight answers鈥� without mastering the understanding and skill to derive the solution to a real problem. There frequently is no time for students to generate, research, analyze, debate and evolve questions that they care about. In stark contrast to the drive and curiosity that fuels learning outside of school, students learning in a traditional classroom have few opportunities to consider questions that would cause them to fall in love with learning.

It was really quite by accident that 果冻传媒 came to organize around questions. As a lab school on the University of Washington (UW) campus from 1911 to 1981, we spent our first 70 years serving preschool and kindergarten students. During that time, large curriculum companies had not yet identified early childhood classrooms as a major profit center. Our teachers needed to adapt or create the curriculum that we used with our young students and also needed to evaluate how well it worked. From the beginning it was a collaborative effort. Teachers worked together to design the curriculum, to implement it in the classrooms, and together discussed how well it had worked before designing what came next. We needed to ask ourselves:聽

What should we be asking children to do and why? What do the children know and care about?聽

How well did it work for each student, and why or why not? How do we know, and what is our evidence?

Out of necessity, our teachers developed a professional culture of inquiry. In other words, we were able to create a culture of asking questions by asking questions and by making time to answer them. It is this culture that we took with us when we left the UW campus to establish an independent elementary school. And, it is this culture of inquiry that is the central organizing principle of our school today.

Walking through 果冻传媒, visitors notice immediately that children are highly engaged and working independently. Students lean forward, unaware that we have entered the classroom. The teacher is not immediately visible, and we find her sitting at a table in conversation with a student. In fact, our teachers don鈥檛 spend much time standing at the front of the room as we don鈥檛 鈥渢each the answers鈥� in advance. Instead, a new project is presented by asking the children questions. What is important about this project? What do we know already? What will we need to figure out? What will we have to consider when we approach this problem? The air in the room is electric as the children dig in. They are encouraged to use the core knowledge/ strategies they know, to ask questions when they get stuck, and are encouraged to share their approach with classmates. The teacher moves about the room checking in with individual students, asking questions, making observations and offering tips. Practically speaking, these coaching conversations make it possible to assess a child鈥檚 level of understanding while they are working, and our teachers will use what they learn to design what comes next.

What is not as obvious to visitors is that our work culture for teachers resembles the work culture for our students, and as a result, both teachers and students are constantly learning. Later on as teachers sit together to plan the next lesson, they spend a great deal of time building the questions they will use to introduce the next concept/ project and specific questions to ensure that every child gets a stretch. The discussion is lively as they review any surprises from the previous week and begin to brainstorm ways to build on what the children have learned and are excited to explore further. There are always numerous ideas about how we might proceed and listening to this conversation, one would notice a central feature of our culture: it is expected that we sometimes disagree.

This way of using questions to surface and iterate ideas is not all that different from the process used by a design team in the business world. And as a result, not only is our teaching plan better than each member of the team could achieve on their own, but also, every member of the team develops greater skill as a creative problem solver, communicator and collaborator. It is gratifying to be able to add value in a generative work session and to learn from others. And in contrast to a set work plan handed down from above, everyone has contributed and owns the outcome. As the team matures, the level of creativity increases. Working in this way, both our teachers and our students develop the resourcefulness to learn independently anywhere. Perhaps more importantly, they love their work.

At 果冻传媒, we believe that gaining confidence in one鈥檚 own learning capacity is at the heart of education. As educators in a mission-driven independent school, our teachers have the opportunity to build a culture of inquiry and to work intentionally to achieve this goal. Our teachers spend less time talking and telling, and more time listening and observing students. Our students spend less time listening and observing the teacher, and more time trying to apply and to share what they have learned. Like my experience in Mr. Turner鈥檚 class so many years ago, our students not only learn to provide the right answers, but also to ask the questions that lead to deeper understanding. In doing so, we increase the capacity to learn as well as achieve. As education shifts into the 21st century, we need classrooms like Mr. Turners that engage and inspire. How to achieve this? Let鈥檚 ask the teachers and students.

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I really enjoyed your post on the power of storytelling during this pandemic. I also feel that listening to stories together is one of the most healing and restorative experiences for children. My school moved to online meetings a couple of months ago and lots of things have felt very different compared to experiences in the classroom. But when all the children huddle by their screens to listen to a story read by a teacher or through a screen share, it is almost like nothing has changed.

I wanted to add a book to your list of resources, though. I shared Yumi鈥檚 Rainbows in Windows with our Toddler/Preschool class because I thought it was the most approachable story about Covid-19 for young children. It addresses feelings of loneliness and uncertainty while also acknowledging that it probably also feels fun to wear pajamas all day. We ended our meeting by making rainbows. By providing children (and ourselves) with opportunities to process what is happening, we enable them to start conversations, to express their emotions creatively, and to lean on one another for support. Thanks for the great resources.

Thank you for bringing attention to both the social emotional learning of students and teachers. As we worry about what academics students will be missing out on during their time away from the classroom, it might be easy to overlook the important role that social emotional wellbeing plays in our ability to learn. Children who are scared or anxious will find it difficult to process new information or to focus on lessons or homework. In helping children to navigate those emotions, I think it is important to remember the relationships that students have with one another. Students typically maintain these relationships by chatting between lessons, saving a seat at lunchtime, or playing together during recess. By losing so much of their time together, students also lose the social emotional support and comfort that being with friends provides.

I think when possible it is important to make time and create opportunities for students to laugh together, play games, or do other fun things so that the community that is created in a classroom isn鈥檛 lost during our time apart.

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Whoever thought that one day I would be teaching a group of 3-6 year olds Math through a video call? My first ever virtual math class. My teaching partner and I were introducing the concept of division to our kids and did a lot of pre-planning beforehand to make sure this first lesson would run smoothly. We tested if our video looked all right, we did a sound check, we saw if the lentils we were using as our plant seeds for the day were big enough for kids to see on their screen and we also tested standing up and making sure we were still visible in this class! We learnt all the tricks and trade of the video forum we were using, took turns to experiment who would be in the spotlight and even practiced the full lesson twice before we went live! So much prep for a 30 min lesson. I don鈥檛 think I realized how much this prep would help though. We went live and we had 14 out of our 18 kids come and I cannot tell you how amazing it was! We talked about video rules, agreed to abide by them so we can all use this media safely. Our rules were pretty simple, no backgrounds, no chats and we got to see all their faces. Our kids remembered everything, our way of teaching, my sense of humor, raising a hand and showing us their work through their camera. It was phenomenal.

Just as we adjusted to this virtual lesson, they adjusted too and that鈥檚 what makes this unusual time in history a memorable moment for all of us. As we all stay home and learn many new ways of leading our lives, our students do too. Our virtual lesson was testament to the fact that our students are much bigger risk takers than we shall ever be. Adjusting to not having your teacher in front of you, not seeing friends who mean the world to you, not having your regular routine and not playing outside, these students are full of grit and determination to keep the show going on.

Their enthusiasm and passion has made this virtual teaching as much fun as it was in the classroom, if not more. We miss seeing them of course and hope we all come back soon. Till then, see you at our next virtual class!

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