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Frank Elementary student work has increased in complexity, authenticity, and craftsmanship over time.
Frank Elementary student work has increased in complexity, authenticity, and craftsmanship over time.
Throughout the past several years, our school has evolved in our understanding of how to structure learning to grow our students' ability to produce work that is complex, authentic, and well crafted. Over time, our students have demonstrated a deeper understanding of these attributes through consistent practice, daily work, routines and scaffolded long-term projects. The attributes of high quality student work have transferred into high quality products. This is specifically evident through the use of multiple drafts and critiques in which students show pride and demonstrate craftsmanship. Click Here to see our Quality Work Protocols from the last five years. Our school sets the standard starting in preschool. Our preschoolers are able to create high quality work with a connection to a bigger world. Here is a public service announcement on safety and nutrition the four year olds created for Frank School. The documentation of student work below represents our journey in our endeavor to guide our students to create work which is complex, authentic, and demonstrates craftsmanship, as this is vital for success in school and beyond. Teachers use practices such as demonstrations, models, think-alouds, self assessment techniques, background knowledge protocols and reflecting techniques to help students synthesize their learning. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for student success such as designing different tasks based on learning styles and by providing additional support and intervention when needed. Teachers regularly plan and implement activities in which students will receive the needed background knowledge in order to be successful.
Before EL...
For several years prior to our implementation of EL, our school used an instructional program called Direct Instruction. This program was extremely scripted at each grade level and did not allow for much student voice or original student work. Most of the student work consisted of worksheets in younger grades that were primarily fill in the blank. Simple projects in the upper grades were only used as a check for understanding. Click on the arrow on the picture to see an example.
CRAFTSMANSHIP THEN...
CRAFTSMANSHIP THEN...
As our school transitioned to the use of more EL practices, we began to see more elements of craftsmanship in our student work. Still, students were producing simple pictures without revision or precision. Final products were mostly used as a check for understanding as evidenced by this second grade ABC book and first grade Farm to Table book. Click on the arrow to see evidence of student work from 2013-2014.
CRAFTSMANSHIP NOW...
CRAFTSMANSHIP NOW...
Our school has grown tremendously in the attribute of craftsmanship as evidenced by the student work from 2015 - 2018. Notice how our students have developed the ability to produce well crafted work that displays accuracy, detail, and beauty. Student work is now going through a rigorous process of multiple drafts and critique both with teachers and peers. By clicking on the pictures, you can see even in the preschool self portraits, the draft process is evident. All students create artwork that is detail oriented and complements their writing as well. Our second graders demonstrated beautiful work with their bird product. Our fourth graders rehearsed their presentation on Wisconsin product information many times before presenting it for use within the brochure. Through perseverance and attention to detail protocols, our students are developing responsibility for their own learning and taking ownership of their own work.
COMPLEXITY THEN...
COMPLEXITY THEN...
As Frank school developed final products in the early years, we found that the attribute of complexity needed a lot of work. Notice how our initial products contained limited writing and mostly focused on simple concepts such as labeling, as seen on the first grade bird drawing. The writing was not held to rigorous expectations and usually did not exceed grade level standards, as seen in the ABC book. Students writing was limited and there was not much connection to larger concepts.
COMPLEXITY NOW...
COMPLEXITY NOW...
Each year we continue to see growth in the complexity of our final product work and it becomes increasingly more rigorous. As evidenced through many products, including our second grade community business pages and fifth grade Space True/False book, our students' products prioritize a transfer of understanding to new contexts. Notice how our students are making connections to the larger community in our fifth grade recycling study. This product is evidence of our students making concrete contributions to the world around them. Our students are incorporating higher order literacy skills through the use of evidence-based writing in our kindergarten plant product writing.
AUTHENTICITY THEN...
AUTHENTICITY THEN...
The final products in our initial years as an EL school lacked many of the attributes of authenticity. As demonstrated by the products to the right, most student work consisted of projects to take home or books to keep in the classroom. Products did not give students the opportunity to express creativity or their own ideas, which can be seen in the kindergarten placemat. Most products were informational in nature and did not connect to real world issues or contribute to a larger community. The Great Lakes class book and Farm to Table student book are examples of this. Our students began to create more authentic products in 2015-16, as evidenced by the Kenosha brochures our third graders created.
Jaylen - Business LetterCopy of Vanessa - Native American EditorialAUTHENTICITY NOW...
AUTHENTICITY NOW...
Developing authenticity in our final products has continued to be an integral part of our expeditions at Frank. Notice the creative thinking our students display in their letters. Their thoughts reflect in-depth thinking around a topic that matters. It matters not only to them but to the global community around them. Notice the use of professional formats embedded in our expeditions:
Brochures, such as our 4th grade dairy brochures handed out at the community's dairy breakfast
Presentations, as evidenced through our students work in the bee study
Business letters, written to inform and persuade local leaders to make changes that will contribute to a better world
Our students at Frank are finding that their voice and ideas matter and can make a positive difference in their community and world.
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