Integrated Program

How can we support play to become more complex?

Reading at Home

Grade 2 is using padlet to build community around reading at home. Students are sharing connections and reflections on the books they are reading, as well as responding to the mini teaching points that Ms. Pew shares in the padlet. Using padlet to establish home-school connections serves as a great way to practice tech skills in preparation for potential distance learning scenarios.

Counting Collections at Home Final.mp4

Counting Collections

Counting collections provide meaningful, engaging and developmentally appropriate math opportunities for students from T&C up to Middle School. Check out this article, or the book Choral Counting & Counting Collections (available in the PYPC office) if you would like to read more.

NZ Math Rich Tasks

This resource is so great for quick math challenges/journal prompts. It includes leveled rich tasks, organized by strand, that are open-ended and engaging!

Coaching Cycles

According to Jim Knight, author of The Impact Cycle, “video is the most powerful tool for professional development… except for maybe the computer and the internet.” But why? And how does this structure called the Impact Cycle help to make it so effective?

One reason is that video offers teachers a “clear picture of current reality.” According to Knight, other attempts to provide teachers with feedback fail in this regard. As a result, educators are surprised to see the reality of their instruction when presented with video evidence.

Check out the Coaching Cycle Roster and sign up here if you are interested in starting a coaching cycle with Tahireh.

Differentiation

Some of the key takeways from our conversations around differentiation this week include:

Keep your eye on the prize (know your learning outcomes)
Build relationships with your students, know them well
Differentiation means being responsive to the needs of all students in our class (not just learners who are struggling)

Student-created "superhero cave" and "superhero car"

Dramatic Play

Dramatic play, also called pretend play, involves acting out real-world situations and taking on the roles of different characters. Providing time, space and opportunities for dramatic play in the classroom offers many benefits for student learning:

Dramatic play teaches self-regulation
Dramatic play gives children an emotional outlet
Dramatic play teaches conflict resolution
Dramatic play supports literacy and language development
Dramatic play allows you to support, empower and encourage the ideas of your students.

Structured vs. Unstructured

Unstructured dramatic play gives children the freedom to choose their own roles and play scenarios. In planning meetings, P&U - Excellence class have been considering ways to support students to have voice, choice and ownership over the direction of their play.

A concept is a big idea- a principle or conception, that is enduring, the significance of which goes beyond aspects such as subject matter or place in time. “ Wiggins 1998

Through the lens of...

The analogy of a lens is used often in the PYP as a way to better understand concept-based learning. The 7 Key Concepts and the conceptual lens of your Central Idea can be explored through so many different topics, subjects and content. Grade 5's current unit centers around Learning Styles. Mr. Steve directed the students towards famous people as a context for unpacking the concept. Students considered how the different learning styles of famous people have impacted their success.

Concept (CI): Understanding different ways of learning...
(Key) Concept: Reflection, Connection
Concept (LoI): Learning Styles
Context: Famous people have different learning styles

Painted Reflection Journals

Grade 5 is using large watercolor paper books to create visual, authentic portfolios of student learning. In Kindergarten we used to use these books as "painted reflection journals" where students could reflect on their learning through painting. Sometimes it would be as simple as asking students to "paint how you are feeling today," and students thoroughly enjoyed revisiting older pages in their book that captured past expressions of emotion. You can read more about these reflection journals here. How are you bringing your physical portfolios to life this year? And here is an example of what they look like in 1st Grade classroom.

Take a look at this article for inspiration:

Portfolio Picks

Anchor Charts

Anchor charts are a class resource that students use and refer back to. In your UoI planner, you can include reference to the anchor charts that have been most helpful to your students on the "yellow" page under resources. Pew is an expert at creating clear and concise anchor charts that center around a teaching point or learning outcome.

To read more about anchor charts, visit:

Anchor Charts: Making Thinking Visible

Anchor Charts as Writing Tools

Class Jobs

Class jobs provide are an amazing opportunity for student agency and leadership skill development. Consider how you are naming and noticing the learner profile attributes that are strengthened throughout the process. Take a look at this Class Job Application form that requires students to apply for jobs and provide justification.

Check out the unique way Grade 3 has displayed their class jobs list!

Morning Routine

Socio-emotional check-ins provide a great way to weave student agency, literacy, responsibility and organization into your daily routines. The two examples above are from Peace & Unity and Creativity & Service. If you are looking for more ideas for your mornings, check out "The Morning Meeting Book" which is available in Tahireh's office.

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