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MY STORY, MY VOICE

Springs’ parents, teachers, and staff, we want to hear from you! Use your voice and share your story as part of our “My Story, My Voice” series. There is so much wisdom and joy to share among our community members and we invite you to share your experiences.

There are many stories to tell and general categories include:

Testimonials-how Springs made a difference.
What matters to you?
What did you do to have a great summer vacation?
What did you learn during the pandemic?
What brings you joy?
Have you solved a problem working with your child or with your class?
What has touched your heart over the years?
How have your students/children taught you lessons?
How have you used your voice for change?
What lessons have you learned in life?
Why is it important to advocate for your students? For school choice?
What's important to you? It could be as simple as "I found a way to improve my child’s focus.”

There are many ways to share your story and remember, everyone loves practical tips that we can use right away. Check out the following guidelines and please share your stories. Submit a written story with optional photo (no more than one page in length)

Send an audio clip with optional photo (3 minutes max)
Send a short video (3 minutes max)

We will edit all formats and are happy to help polish up your story! Your voice matters!

My Story, My Voice - Submission Form

Christina Laster, Springs Grandparent

Part of Springs Nation since 2010!

The Pandemic learning experience was hard on so many parents and I am grateful that wasn't our experience at Bear River Springs. One person I'd like to highlight is a teacher named Mrs. Havers. She did such an excellent job with my Grandson. She was his Special Education teacher and made sure that he didn't miss any services or support during the COVID-19 mass school closures. So many of my friends didn't share in this experience, especially with students who have disabilities. I feel fortunate that we didn't have learning loss or regression but instead saw growth.

Everyone worked hard together and we've seen good progress. I attribute this to the family style environment of the school and the care we have as a Springs Nation family. I expect future success for my Grandson as this has been my experience since having multiple options to choose from in Springs Public Charter School personalized learning program.

Christina and her Grandson

My Story My Voice: Rachelle Smiley

Let's hear from one of our Springs' 4th Grade Teachers!

ASK THE EXPERTS

In this monthly column, parents and teachers can submit questions and our experts will answer them!

Use your VOICE and submit a question for a future column by filling out this form.

This month, we hear from three of our expert teachers.

No matter what I do, there always seems to be kids chattering during work time.

How can I get kids to stop talking and get to work?

Matt Ramey says:

If students are chatting during work time, first assess whether it is disruptive and/or counter productive. If not, then perhaps nothing should be done. If it is detracting from work, you can try the following:

Create seating assignments or move the chatting students.
Have a talkative student work near a teacher or other education professionals in the room.
Have a discussion with the student about what they are accomplishing that day and set clear expectations of the outcomes and timelines of the period.
Take special interest in the student's work with frequent check-ins.
Conference with parents/guardians about goals the student has set, and let them know that the in-class talking is delaying progress.

Tamara Bos says:

Teach procedures and expectations for independent work.
During independent work, play classical music and maybe even have an anchor chart with the expectations during independent work.
Can the assignment be more interactive such as a gallery walk, jigsaw, or station notes? This allows talking and movement during the lesson.
Remember, not all talking is bad. This is how a lot of us learn. We just want productive and on-task talking so see how you can create that with how you structure the lesson.

I have a student who does the bare minimum each day, which is never enough to succeed.

She keeps getting further behind, and gives me an "I don't care" attitude when I discuss it with her. What should I do?

Tamara Bos says:

Meet with the student to create a catch-up plan. If possible, have the parent/guardian also attend.
Set up a weekly meeting with the student and parent/guardian to review the progress on the catch-up plan. This should be a short 10-15 minute meeting where the student will discuss what they completed and then determine the next steps. Make sure you also schedule the next meeting at this time.
Celebrate progress.
Use these meetings to get to know the student and find ways to motivate them.

Nikki Wakelin says:

The first thing I would do is consider the possibility that the student has an undiagnosed learning disability that is preventing them from being able to complete assignments. Perhaps they are reading far below grade level and cannot access the curriculum. After ruling out that possibility, if conversations with the student were unsuccessful, I would reach out to the parent or guardian to collaborate and also to see if I can determine any underlying issues at home that may be preventing the student from completing assignments.

If neither of these attempts help to alleviate the issue, I would meet with the student and let them know that I am here to help, that hope in catching up is not lost. I would work with the student to come up with a clear and reasonable plan to catch up on missing work. I would make sure the student knows that I will not give up on them while also making them fully aware of the consequences of not completing the work (not graduating from high school, for example). I would acknowledge the student's effort and celebrate successes when observed (however small) while continuing to encourage them to keep working.

SPEAKING THE SPRINGS WAY

Things we say and things we don't say at Springs. This month our focus is on words we say when TEACHING.

We say “personalized learning” instead of differentiation.

When it comes to personalized learning, it might be helpful to think of a tree analogy.

Check out this graphic "An Analogy for Personalized Learning"

We say I CAN!s instead of State Academic Content Standards or Common Core Standards.

The I CAN!s are foundational grade-level skills written in student friendly language. We at Springs Charter Schools believe that students benefit when they take ownership of their learning. I CAN! is also an acronym for the outcomes we want for our graduates. I - Independent Learner, C - Capable Communicator, A - Analytical Thinker, N - Noteworthy Citizen. The “I CAN!” program encourages students to set educational goals and create plans to achieve those goals.

Instead of “pass” we say “master.”

At Springs the goal is not to simply cover concepts, skills, and materials. Students aren’t just taught new material and pass to the next unit or grade, our goal is that they master what they learn. At Springs, we engage in a learning cycle that ensures deep understanding and evidence of mastery.

Instead of “mistakes” we say “opportunities for growth”.

Students need to build self confidence so they can move from being passive receivers of learning to active drivers of learning. Drivers know where they are and the destination for where they are going. Springs' students are supported to embrace challenges, view mistakes as learning opportunities, and move out of their comfort zone to reach their goals.

Instead of pacing, we encourage goal setting and tracking.

Instead of universal pacing and having all students learn the same thing at the same time, we encourage goal setting and tracking. Students are invested in their own learning. They pursue their interests and ICANS! in creative ways that align with their unique learner preferences. They set their own goals and monitor their progress. Learners are encouraged to take an active role in their education through goal setting and to advocate for their own learning needs. It allows students to grow at their own pace while collaborating with their peers and relying on the teacher for guidance.

WHY IS FEEDBACK SO IMPORTANT?

Providing feedback to learners is one of the top three effective teaching strategies. And yet, so many teachers provide spotty, late and ineffective feedback. Learn more about why feedback is so powerful in this article.

The Importance of Feedback for Student Learning

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