Great Unconventional Ideas!!!

School Fundraising Ideas: 13 Unusual Ways to Raise Money for Your School

Posted by Andrianes Pinantoan on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Do you need money for new musical instruments or equipment for the science lab? Before you order those candy bars, consider doing something out of the ordinary. You can make your fundraiser stand out by doing something no other group at your school has done before.
Here are 13 unconventional ways to raise money for your school.

1. Sell your students. Think of a service that is related to the department you’re raising money for and sell your students’ talents and skills. A choir, for example, could charge $10 for a student to serenade someone, $25 for a trio to sing Christmas carols at a person’s home, or $100 for the entire choir to sing at an event. Adjust the products and prices to work for your organization, and you’ve got a unique fundraiser that also gives your students real-world experience using their gifts.
2. Tacky yard decorations. This fundraiser involves doing sneak attacks in the middle of the night to cover someone’s yard with tacky lawn decorations, such as plastic flamingoes or gnomes. Your students get people to pay them to place the decorations on someone else’s lawn. In the evening, the decorations are removed so they can be re-used for the next victim. It’s best to leave a note or post a corrugated sign explaining that this is a fundraiser to make sure the victim realizes that it’s all in fun.
3. Adult spelling bee. This can be a lot of fun if done right. It’s best to have the adults work in teams of 3-4 so that no one is singled out for getting a word wrong. Each team has 30 seconds to hold up a white board with their spelling after the MC announces the word. If there are more than a few teams, the competition should be split into several rounds. Any team misspelling more than one word in a round is eliminated from the competition. To raise money with this event, you can charge an entry fee to each team, ask them to get sponsors who will pay a certain amount for each word they spell correctly, charge admission to the audience, or sell refreshments.
4. Blind auction. Everyone brings wrapped gifts as donations to be auctioned off. An inspection period should be offered prior to the start of the auction, during which time bidders can pick up the gifts to feel how heavy they are. The gifts are then auctioned off, still wrapped. After all items have been sold, everyone opens their gifts to see what they have won.
5. Hole in one contest. Set up in a location about 175 yards from the green and charge $5 for 3 chances. Find a local business to donate a nice prize for anyone who makes the shot. This type of fundraiser can be done on a basketball court too, with the shooting area far enough away from the hoop to make it a real challenge.
6. Slave auction. Teenagers are the best age group for this type of fundraiser. They are capable of doing most odd jobs, such as washing cars, cleaning houses, and mowing lawns. There should be a minimum bid set for each slave and a specific time and date that they are available. It should be made clear that the slaves may only be asked to do odd jobs that they could legally be hired to do at their age. In other words, no operating dangerous equipment or machinery.
7. Kiss the mascot. Set out collection jars for the principal and each teacher in the office. Students collect money and put it in the jar of the teacher they would like to have kiss the school mascot. The faculty person who gets the most money in their jar has to kiss the mascot at the next school assembly. This works best if your mascot is an animal. If you don’t have an animal mascot, you can use a pig instead.
8. Helicopter drop. Find a large, open field and paint a grid on it. The paint used for marking lines on a football field works well. Sell the blocks and have a helicopter pilot circle around a few times, then drop a bag onto the field. The person who bought the square that the bag lands in wins a prize. To make the event more fun, you can sell helicopter rides or have some field games with prizes.
9. Embarrassment cards. Make up some cards with crazy but embarrassing things people can do, such as doing the Hokey Pokey or singing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Have someone pick a card and read it, then tell them they can either do what the card says or make a donation.
10. The penny project. Give each child a roll of pennies and have them ask people they know if they have anything they can buy for a penny. The goal is for each child to end up with 50 items to sell. Allow a week or two for the kids to get the items, then host a well-publicized rummage sale in the gym on a Saturday. Anything that doesn’t sell can be donated to a charity.
11. Art show & auction. Have each of your art students donate one project to help raise money for the department. Host an art show and auction the students’ artwork at the end of the show. The auction could be done through silent bids if desired.
12. Potty protection plan. This is similar to the yard decorations, but you use a brightly-painted toilet and have your students sell “potty insurance” before you start. Buying insurance keeps the potty from showing up in your yard, even if someone else pays to have it placed there.
13. Seed money. Instead of asking students to collect donations, give each student a small amount of “seed money” and ask them to use their ingenuity to come up with a way to turn the initial $5 or $10 into a larger amount.

As you can see, fundraising doesn’t have to be about selling candy and popcorn. Get together with your group and see if you can come up with even more creative ways to raise money and have fun at the same time.

This is a guest post by James Renault, who enjoys writing about school fundraising ideas such as the adidas School Fun Run, which helped raise over $2.5 million for its partner schools last year.

Read more: http://newsroom.opencolleges.edu.au/trends/school-fundraising-ideas/#ixzz2As5N31O8

Life Success

This article reinforces why we are doing some of the things we are doing at Esperanza! :) 

5 skills to teach your children to help them be successful in life

By Sean Parker , Deseret News

Published: Monday, Oct. 29 2012 2:41 p.m. MDT

Though it is not known whether good leaders are naturally qualified or trained, leadership traits can be recognized and cultivated in children. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

Though it is not known whether good leaders are naturally qualified or trained, leadership traits can be recognized and cultivated in children, according to Michael Lewis, a retired corporate executive and entrepreneur who contributes to Money Crashers.
1. Reading and writing
These skills not only foster creative thought and improve understanding, but they necessary for succes in any career.
2. Communication
Proper pronunciation, enhanced vocabulary and comfortable public speaking skills can help children express themselves more clearly.
3. Bilingualism
Studies have consistently shown that children who know a second language have higher levels of comprehension. It is also easier for children to learn a second language early in life.
4. Exercise
Exercise makes children feel good and reduces the likeliness of obesity. Sports can teach children the value of teamwork. Children should spend at least an hour exercising every day.
5. Music
Good music reduces stress and increases focus. It has been shown to decrease drug use and unleash higher brain functions. Even among adults, music eliminates stress and depression.
While we can’t change the future, we can manage our children’s ability to handle it, Lewis writes.

EMAIL: sparker@desnews.com TWITTER: @SeanRParker

Copyright 2012, Deseret News Publishing Company

Instagram

Felt these were great ideas!!!

 

20 Out of the Box Ideas to Use Instagram in Your Classroom

Posted by Julie DeNeen on Monday, October 29, 2012 ·  

It is no secret that the up and coming generation is hooked into social media.
Teachers who want to reach their students must continue to evolve their curriculum for the world now- not as it was five or ten or fifteen years ago. Despite the negative connotations that Facebook and other such platforms have (specifically in regards to distracting students), there are all kinds of positive ways that social media can play a role in learning enrichment.
Instagram may not be as well known as Facebook or Twitter, but this photo-sharing social media platform could be a great tool in your classroom.

1. Reading

Students can make a photo collage of all the books they’ve read throughout the year. Every time they finish a book, they take a picture of it, post it to Instagram, and at the end of the year, there is a shared record of your class’ book list. Sharing these photos can spark others to read books they may not know about.

2. Math

Turn a dry subject with numbers and formulas, and connect it to art through visual expression. Younger students can capture mathematical concepts through visual problem solving re-enactments (like word problems) or even snapping photos of complex formulas designed on poster board.

3. Geography

Have each of your students take a photo of themselves in different parts of their town and city. Use the photomap feature during a geography lesson.

4. Nature

If you are doing a unit on ocean life, take a field trip to the ocean and have students take photos of all the things they find. Then you can share them on Instagram and create a Facebook page with all your findings.

5. Classroom Instagram Account

Every month, take a few photos of the student’s progress. Families can follow the classroom account and keep up with what their child is learning and doing.

6. Pen Pals

Connect your classroom account with other classrooms across the country. Students can share photos of each other (as part of a pen pal program). This builds connections with different cultures and races.

7. Physical Education

Host a field day for your class. Partake in various sporting events and have a few photographers standing by to document the occasion. Add statistics captions to your photos.

8. Media

As a journalism assignment have your students interview a business or community organization. With the write up (which can be posted to a classroom blog or other website), have them take a bunch of photos with Instagram to go along with the piece.

9. Community Awareness

Get your class out into the community. Do a fundraiser for a local shelter, and photo-document the process from design, strategy, implementation, and achievement.

10. Tag Photos

If you are doing a unit on physics, take a few photos of your experiments, tag them with a famous physicist on Twitter, and send the photos with his or her Twitter handle. You may just get someone famous involved in your project!

11. Teacher Photos

Parents and community members love to know about the teachers who work in the schools. Have the kids interview all the teachers in a school, writing up a bio of each instructor and tagging a photo of them on Instagram. The filters make even the poorest photos look professional!

12. “How It’s Made”

Creating a project in art? Document the process and post it on Instagram. Tag it with strategic keywords so people who are interested can check it out. If your classroom has a website, add the link in the comment section.

13. Marketing

This could be used for a math or marketing lesson. Have students run a virtual “store” and use Instagram as a marketing tool for showcasing products and generating buzz. Teach advertising principles and how they work with social media.

14. Student Instagram Account

Have each student open an account at the beginning of the year, specifically to document his or her individual progress. Take pictures of group work, projects, new haircuts, workspace, awards, and presentations. At the end of the year, the student will be able to see all the changes.

15. Science

Photo document the changes seasons with Instagram, or use it to follow the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. Many scientific units require observation as a key component, and photos are a great way to capture the process.

16. Feedback

Instagram is a social media site, so students will enjoy the process of feedback from followers. Have them post a photo of a seemingly unsolvable problem and then use follower feedback to create a solution through brainstorming.

17. Art

Offer a fun and creative scavenger hunt. Send students out to take photos of different shapes (like finding isosceles triangles in architecture). Then post a collage and invite followers to identify the common denominator in every building.

18. Behind the scenes

When working on a chorus concert, band performance, or theater show, use Instagram to generate buzz and give loyal fans a “behind the scenes” peek at the student’s preparation.

19. School Instagram

An entire school could have one account. Each month a classroom could feature their best projects. If the school is equipped with a website, photos from the account can be shared each month to the public. The community can give feedback to the student’s who are showcasing their work.

20. Food

Photograph recipes that you design, write, and experiment with in the classroom. You can also do a nutrition unit at the same time. After all the photos are uploaded, create a class cookbook.

 

About Julie DeNeen

Julie DeNeen has her bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Haven. She spent several years working for a local Connecticut school at the district level, implementing new technologies to help students and teachers in the classroom. She also taught workshops to teachers about the importance of digital student management software, designed to keep students, parents, and teachers connected to the learning process.

Be Yourself

"We can strive to improve ourselves, but we need to accept who we are and focus on our strengths. The more we try to become someone we're not, the sillier we may look."

"Podemos esforzarnos en mejorar, pero debemos aceptar quienes somos y enfocarnos en nuestras fortalezas. Mientras más intentamos ser alguien que no somos, podremos vernos más tontos."

This picture and quote shared by Rossana Quiroz on FB this morning reminded me of the book Animal School. 

Pledge of Allegiance

Thanks to Charlene Farnsworth for sharing this picture on FB this morning. 

This is something we will do every day at Esperanza.  We will also say it in Spanish.    I can't remember the term she used, but when doing my student teaching many years ago, my supervisor, Della Provost, suggested that we teach something every day about the flag or other American symbols.  For instance, talking about what each color of the flag symbolizes, what the words of the pledge mean, why the bald eagle is our national bird, etc. 

Writing Resources

Larry Ferlazzo has some excellent ideas.


http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/10/25/good-writing-resources/

21st Century

An article posted in Education Week. 

Nine Lessons on How to Teach 21st Century Skills and Knowledge

By Anthony Jackson on October 24, 2012 4:46 AM

How do we teach 21st century skills? Well, it turns out there's a science to it. Anna Rosefsky Saavedra and V. Darleen Opfer at the RAND Corporation explain.
By Anna R. Saavedra and V. Darleen Opfer

As Thomas Friedman put it in a recent New York Times column, globalization compounds the urgency for students to develop the skills and knowledge they need for economic and civic success in the 21st century. Yet despite widespread agreement among parents, educators, employers, and policymakers worldwide that students need skills like critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and creativity, these skills are stubbornly difficult to teach and learn.

The "transmission" model, through which teachers transmit factual knowledge via lectures and textbooks, remains the dominant approach to compulsory education in much of the world. Students taught through this method typically do not practice applying knowledge to new contexts, communicating it in complex ways, solving problems, or developing creativity. In short, as our new paper lays out, it is not the most effective way to teach 21st century skills.

Decades of empirical research about how individuals learn, however, provide valuable insight into how pedagogy can address the need for 21st century skills. Indeed, the research suggests nine lessons that inform how to teach these skills:

1. Make it relevant. The relevance of learning specific knowledge and skills is much clearer to students—and much more motivating—if they understand how a given topic fits into "the big picture," or a meaningful context.


2. Teach through the disciplines. Students develop their 21st century skills and knowledge as they learn why each academic discipline is important, how experts create new knowledge, and how they communicate about it.


3. Develop lower and higher order thinking skills—at the same time. Students need to comprehend relationships between given variables and how to apply this understanding to different contexts.


4. Encourage transfer of learning. Students need to develop the ability to apply skills, concepts, knowledge, attitudes, and/or strategies they develop in one context, situation or application to another, reflexively (low-road transfer) or after deliberate thought and analysis (high-road transfer).


5. Teach students to learn to learn (metacognition). Since there is a limit to how much students learn through formal schooling, they also must learn to learn on their own.


6. Address misunderstandings directly. People have many misunderstandings about how the world works that persist until they have the opportunity to develop alternative explanations.


7. Promote teamwork as a process and outcome. The ability to work collaboratively is an important 21st century skill, not to mention an important condition for optimal learning of other key skills.


8. Exploit technology to support learning. Use of technology is another critical 21st century skill, essential to help develop many of the other skills mentioned here.


9. Foster students' creativity. Creative development requires structure and intentionality—the ability of the mind to form representations—from teachers and students, and can be learned through each of the disciplines, not just through the arts.

Progressing from the outdated "transmission" model to the "21st century" model will involve entire educational systems. As educational purposes change, curriculum frameworks, instructional methods, and assessments must also. The changes demand increased teacher and administrator capacity and affect many facets of human capital, including teacher training, professional development, career mobility, and the teaching profession's cultural standing.

While there has been progress in preparing students for the 21st century, the remaining work will require of teachers, administrators, and policymakers precisely the skills that we deem critical for students—as well as the political will to ensure that educators directly involved in transitioning to the 21st century model have the time, support, and resources they need.

This study was presented as part of Asia Society's Global Cities Education Network Symposium in May at our new Centre in Hong Kong. Anna R. Saavedra is an associate policy researcher at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation, and V. Darleen Opfer is director of RAND Education.

Becoming A Better Writer

Thanks to Joan Wink for sharing this, too!

Thanks to Joan Wink for sharing this!

The New York Times
July 26, 2012

How to Write

By COLSON WHITEHEAD

The art of writing can be reduced to a few simple rules. I share them with you now.

Rule No. 1: Show and Tell. Most people say, “Show, don’t tell,” but I stand by Show and Tell, because when writers put their work out into the world, they’re like kids bringing their broken unicorns and chewed-up teddy bears into class in the sad hope that someone else will love them as much as they do. “And what do you have for us today, Marcy?” “A penetrating psychological study of a young med student who receives disturbing news from a former lover.” “How marvelous! Timmy, what are you holding there?” “It’s a Calvinoesque romp through an unnamed metropolis much like New York, narrated by an armadillo.” “Such imagination!” Show and Tell, followed by a good nap.

Rule No. 2: Don’t go searching for a subject, let your subject find you. You can’t rush inspiration. How do you think Capote came to “In Cold Blood”? It was just an ordinary day when he picked up the paper to read his horoscope, and there it was — fate. Whether it’s a harrowing account of a multiple homicide, a botched Everest expedition or a colorful family of singers trying to escape from Austria when the Nazis invade, you can’t force it. Once your subject finds you, it’s like falling in love. It will be your constant companion. Shadowing you, peeping in your windows, calling you at all hours to leave messages like, “Only you understand me.” Your ideal subject should be like a stalker with limitless resources, living off the inheritance he received after the suspiciously sudden death of his father. He’s in your apartment pawing your stuff when you’re not around, using your toothbrush and cutting out all the really good synonyms from the thesaurus. Don’t be afraid: you have a best seller on your hands.

Rule No. 3: Write what you know. Bellow once said, “Fiction is the higher autobiography.” In other words, fiction is payback for those who have wronged you. When people read my books “My Gym Teacher Was an Abusive Bully” and “She Called Them Brussels Sprouts: A Survivor’s Tale,” they’re often surprised when I tell them they contain an autobiographical element. Therein lies the art, I say. How do you make that which is your everyday into the stuff of literature? Listen to your heart. Ask your heart, Is it true? And if it is, let it be. Once the lawyers sign off, you’re good to go.

Rule No. 4: Never use three words when one will do. Be concise. Don’t fall in love with the gentle trilling of your mellifluous sentences. Learn how to “kill your darlings,” as they say. I’m reminded of the famous editor-author interaction between Gordon Lish and Ray Carver when they were working on Carver’s celebrated short story “Those Life Preservers Are Just for Show,” often considered the high-water mark of so-called dirty realism. You’ll recall the climax, when two drunken fishermen try to calm each other after their dinghy springs a leak. In the original last lines of the story, Nat, the salty old part-time insurance agent, reassures his young charge as they cling to the beer cooler: “We’ll get help when we hit land. I’m sure of it. No more big waves, no more sharks. We’ll be safe once again. We’ll be home.” If you examine the Lish papers in the Lilly Library at Indiana University, you’ll see how, with but a few deft strokes, Lish pared that down to create the now legendary ending: “Help — land shark!” It wasn’t what Carver intended, but few could argue that it was not shorter. Learn to kill your darlings, and don’t be shy about softening them up in the hostage pit for a few days before you do.

Rule No. 5: Keep a dream diary.

Rule No. 6: What isn’t said is as important as what is said. In many classic short stories, the real action occurs in the silences. Try to keep all the good stuff off the page. Some “real world” practice might help. The next time your partner comes home, ignore his or her existence for 30 minutes, and then blurt out “That’s it!” and drive the car onto the neighbor’s lawn. When your children approach at bedtime, squeeze their shoulders meaningfully and, if you’re a woman, smear your lipstick across your face with the back of your wrist, or, if you’re a man, weep violently until they say, “It’s O.K., Dad.” Drink out of a chipped mug, a souvenir from a family vacation or weekend getaway in better times, one that can trigger a two-paragraph compare/contrast description later on. It’s a bit like Method acting. Simply let this thought guide your every word and gesture: “Something is wrong — can you guess what it is?” If you’re going for something a little more postmodern, repeat the above, but with fish.

Rule No. 7: Writer’s block is a tool — use it. When asked why you haven’t produced anything lately, just say, “I’m blocked.” Since most people think that writing is some mystical process where characters “talk to you” and you can hear their voices in your head, being blocked is the perfect cover for when you just don’t feel like working. The gods of creativity bless you, they forsake you, it’s out of your hands and whatnot. Writer’s block is like “We couldn’t get a baby sitter” or “I ate some bad shrimp,” an excuse that always gets you a pass. The electric company nagging you for money, your cell provider harassing you, whatever — just say, “I’m blocked,” and you’re off the hook. But don’t overdo it. In the same way the baby-sitter bit loses credibility when your kids are in grad school, there’s an expiration date. After 20 years, you might want to mix it up. Throw in an Ellisonian “My house caught fire and burned up my opus.” The specifics don’t matter — the important thing is to figure out what works for you.

Rule No. 8: Is secret.

Rule No. 9: Have adventures. The Hemingway mode was in ascendancy for decades before it was eclipsed by trendy fabulist “exercises.” The pendulum is swinging back, though, and it’s going to knock these effete eggheads right out of their Aeron chairs. Keep ahead of the curve. Get out and see the world. It’s not going to kill you to butch it up a tad. Book passage on a tramp steamer. Rustle up some dysentery; it’s worth it for the fever dreams alone. Lose a kidney in a knife fight. You’ll be glad you did.

Rule No. 10: Revise, revise, revise. I cannot stress this enough. Revision is when you do what you should have done the first time, but didn’t. It’s like washing the dishes two days later instead of right after you finish eating. Get that draft counter going. Remove a comma and then print out another copy — that’s another draft right there. Do this enough times and you can really get those numbers up, which will come in handy if someone challenges you to a draft-off. When the ref blows the whistle and your opponent goes, “26 drafts!,” you’ll bust out with “216!” and send ’em to the mat.

Rule No. 11: There are no rules. If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too? No. There are no rules except the ones you learned during your Show and Tell days. Have fun. If they don’t want to be friends with you, they’re not worth being friends with. Most of all, just be yourself.

Colson Whitehead’s most recent novel is “Zone One.”

Children

This wisdom from Kahlil Gibran is not only for parents, but for educators, too.  :)

On Children
Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Quality After School Program

These are some great resources for us as we implement a quality after school program at Esperanza. 


http://qualityafterschoolprograms.org/

http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/issue_47_quality.cfm

http://www.wallacefoundation.org/cost-of-quality/quality-strategies/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.lpfch.org/afterschool/

http://everychildmatters.org/about/issues/after-school-programs

http://www.usdreamacademy.org/about

Gratitude

I listened this morning to the BYU Devotional speech given by Ray Huntington on an "attitude of gratitude" given on October 2, 2012.  As we face numerous Esperanza challenges, it was counsel I definitely needed to hear. I also feel that it would be beneficial to do things that encourage our future Esperanza staff and scholars to have this "attitude of gratitude." 




The life-lifting benefits of an “attitude of gratitude” framed Tuesday’s campus devotional remarks offered by BYU religion professor Ray Huntington .
He spoke of a scientific study where three groups of people were analyzed, and the group that expressed gratitude daily was 25 percent happier than the two groups who did not.
“Indeed, over the past decade, there has been a growing body of scientific literature linking the practice of consistent or ‘chronic’ gratitude with a host of positive outcomes for our lives,” Huntington said.

He suggested that we do the following:   First, try keeping a gratitude journal. Second, add more “thank you” to everyday vocabulary. Third, take time to write thank-you notes and letters of appreciation to people. 

Exit Slips

Robert J. Marzano had a great article in the October 2012 edition of Educational Leadership on exit slips--an index card or slip of paper on which individual students respond to a prompt from the teacher.

Marzano suggested using for kinds of prompts for exit slips. 

#1 Prompts that provide formative assessment data
Example:  What are you most confused about regarding what we did in class today?

#2 Prompts that stimulate student self-analysis
Example:  How hard did you work today?  Explain why you think you worked at the level you did.
Example:  What could you have done today to help yourself learn better?

#3 Prompts that focus on instructional strategies
A teacher might select one instructional strategy each week on whih to receive student feedback.
Example:  How did the group work today help you understand the content?  What are some things you'd like to see during group work in the future?

#4 Prompts that are open communications to the teacher
Example:  What is something I should be doing to improve your understanding of the content?

Exit slips are easy to use and take little time away from instruction.  Many teachers use them routinely--even daily--and attest to their positive influence on student achievement. 

Learning From the Wongs

I went to the UEA Convention this morning to hear the presentation by Harry and Rosemary Wong, authors of The First Days of School. 

Their excellent presentation was focused on the three characteristics that make an effective teacher:

These are the three most important characteristics of effective teachers:

1. They are extremely good CLASSROOM MANAGERS.

DISCIPLINE concerns how students BEHAVE.
PROCEDURES concern how things ARE DONE.

DISCIPLINE has penalties and rewards.
PROCEDURES have no penalties or rewards. 

It is the teacher's responsibility to have procedures clearly stated.  Students need to keep practicing them until they become routine:  Teach, Rehearse, Reinforce 

2. They know how to teach a lesson for student LEARNING and MASTERY.

Learning has to do with what the student accomplishes.  Tell them upfront what they are going to learn so both teacher and learner are moving toward the same goal. 

Assessment purpose:  Gather info to improve instruction.  Give students a scoring guide (rubric) so they can learn to self-assess.  [Sounds like Dr. William Glasser!]

3. They have POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS for student success.

Not only do I highly recommend that all potential Esperanza educators read their book, I also recommend go to their website http://teachers.net   I also have the videos "I Care" by them if anyone wants to borrow them. 

My good friend and mentor, Fern Wilkerson, gives a copy of the book to all her first year teachers.  That sounds like a great idea. 

Effective Discipline

There is an article--"How Other Countries 'Do Discipline' " by Richard Arum and Karly Ford in the October 2012 edition of ASCD's Educational Leadership that is of particular importance to Esperanza because of the learners we are targeting. Some excerpts:

School Discipline, Achievement, and Poverty

Nations with higher than average school discipline problems--such as the United States, Israel, and Chile--consistently show lower test score performance. 

Although the socioeconomic background of a school's populations was indeed related to the level of challenging student behaviors within that school, we also found that the greater the differences among students' backgounds within a school, the higher the level of discipline problems.  ...when there's greater economic inequality and social distance in a school--or a nation--discipline problems occur more frequently.  [Highlight added]

Teacher Authority and Zero Tolerance

The degree of authority that a society grants its teachers is a key factor in how the country's schools maintain good learning climates.  Countries in which teacher authority is the strongest, like Japan and Korea, tend to rely on informal ways of imposing order, such as regulating students' dress. 

In U.S. schools, formal policing is common.  [Bold added]

Many U.S. schools have adopted zio tolerance policies--rigid guidelines requiring suspension or expulsion for a range of offenses.

Canada also widely adopted zero tolerance in the 1990s.  As research demonstrating the bias and ineffectiveness of such policies has surfaced, however, Canadian schools have slowly dismantled them. 

Cultural Norms and Laws

Although it's important not to overgeneralize, case studies revealed that the norms and values inherent in a society affect how its schools cope with discipline.  For example, Israelis idealize sabra culture which values defiant, independent, daring behaviors.  Such traits were considered necessary for survival in the early years of Israel's founding. ...the norms of Confucian culture in South Korea that emphasizes hierarchical relationships and values collective needs over individual ones may have an opposite effect. 

Some research has found fewer discipline problems in sex-segregated schools. 

U.S. students are afforded explicit legal rights to a signifcantly great extent than are students in any other country. ...Although students as individuals are protected in America, teacher authority and traditional forms of school discipline are contrained.

Social Controls versus Rules

Some countries keep student behavior within guidelines by enforcing social controls and show less need for explicit rules and punishments. 

Lessons for the United States

We would expect discipine problems in the United States to be relatively high because of the nation's level of economic inequality and diversity.  But rather than addressing underlying causes of discipline problems, recent reforms have done the opposite.  Education reforms have focused on organizational management, school personnel, and curriculum.  Relative little policy attention has focused on problems associated with school discipline, and what attention has gone to the issue has often been counterproductive. 

As our findings illustrate, reducing discipline problems in schools will not likely be accomplished by relying on greater formal sanctions and stricter enforcement. [Highlight added] For discipline to be effective, students and others need to perceive it not just as strict, but also as fair. 

Dictionary Day--October 16th

We will definitely want to do something at Esperanza next year on October 16th to celebrate Dictionary Day.  Be thinking of some fun things to do!

 

Dictionary Day is October 16

Posted: October 3rd, 2011

Noah Webster, 1758-1843

At the Dictionary Project, our favorite day in October is October 16, Dictionary Day. Dictionary Day celebrates the birthday of Noah Webster, the writer of the first American dictionary. Noah Webster, a lawyer from Hartford, Connecticut, believed that American schoolchildren needed their own reading and spelling books, so that all Americans could learn to spell words the same way, with their own unique American spellings. He first wrote A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a reading textbook used in American schools for 100 years. When he was 43 years old, he started writing his dictionary. He finished 27 years later in 1828, and it included over 70,000 words, including some words such as “skunk” and “squash,” which weren’t in English dictionaries. He also standardized American spellings of words such as “color.” All over the United States, many generous volunteers will be delivering dictionaries to children this month in honor of Noah’s birthday.

Edible Schoolyard

My FB friend, Marianne Hoffman, told me about this book, and I just ordered it.  It fits so well with what we want to do at Esperanza!

Overview

One of America's most influential chefs, Alice Waters created a revolution in 1971 when she introduced local, organic fare at her Berkeley, California, restaurant, Chez Panisse. Twenty-five years later, she and a small group of teachers and volunteers turned over long-abandoned soil at an urban middle school in Berkeley and planted the Edible Schoolyard. The schoolyard has since grown into a universal idea of Edible Education that integrates academics with growing, cooking, and sharing wholesome, delicious food. With inspiring images of the garden and kitchenand their young caretakersEdible Schoolyard is at once a visionary model for sustainable farming and childhood nutrition, and a call to action for schools across the country.

Student's Emotional Well-Being

This came from informEd--an online commentary for the education industry. 

 

Holistic Teaching: 20 Reasons Why Educators Should Consider a Student’s Emotional Well-Being

Posted by Julie DeNeen on Monday, October 15, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Educators and policy makers are starting to realize that the current educational system doesn’t necessarily guarantee a well-balanced and healthy adult, even if grades show that a student has learned the concepts. Psychologists especially, insist that education models take into account the whole person.
Here are 20 reasons why.

1. Emotions impact learning

The brain is a complex organ that cannot be fractured into separate parts and pieces. A student who is feeling confident and healthy will be better able to “hear” a lecture or absorb new material if their emotional state is balanced.

2. Learning is not just about the acquisition of facts

Learning doesn’t just mean that a person has memorized a concept. Knowledge must be applied to real world situations where there are other people to connect and converse with.

3. Emotional health is crucial for success

Success in the world means that an individual can interact with his or her environment in a meaningful and helpful way.
When depression or anxiety sets in, this cripples a person’s ability to share their learning with others. The knowledge is lost behind a wall of mental illness.

4. Creativity is necessary for innovation

New ideas are birthed from creativity. Creativity cannot be expressed unless the student is engaged and able to commit brainpower to applying the knowledge in an innovative way.
It is like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Creativity will not be allowed to work if other needs and problems aren’t dealt with first.

5. Inspiration drives the desire to find out more

Inspiration is another emotional feeling that propels students to dig deeper. When an online course inspires someone to do his or her own research, it further cements the learning process.
Inspiration is rare in an individual who is emotionally unwell.

6. Positivity promotes productivity

“Feel good feelings” give a student the sensation that helps promote concentration. This in turn leads to an increase in productivity.
The more a student can get done, the more opportunity there is for more learning!

7. Depression reduces the ability to finish what you’ve started

Depression kills all feelings of confidence, inspiration, and creativity.
If educators don’t monitor their student’s emotional well being, people may drop out of courses when life events cripple them emotionally.

8. Memories can be altered with lack of sleep and/or trauma

It does not matter how organized a course is if a student is not in good shape emotionally. Memory function is reduced, as the person must use 100% of their brain to just get through the day.
Fatigue is also a side effect of emotional sickness, and this impacts memory too.

9. There are layers of intelligence

The ability to spout off facts is only one type of intelligence. In fact, people with solid emotional health can often function better in the world, even if they are not as intelligent or well educated as others.
Isn’t this a form of intelligence, to be able to live in the world in a meaningful way?

10. A person’s worldview is colored by their emotional wellbeing

Individual perception is a crucial component to success. If a student cannot see himself as someone who can offer the world anything, the knowledge acquired throughout their education will not reproduce itself in any tangible goals.

11. Connecting life, knowledge, and emotions makes learning more meaningful

Learning does not happen in a vacuum. A student is more likely to continue his education when he sees the concepts and values affecting his life in a meaningful way.
When boredom, despair, or frustration set in, has a course succeeded in its goal to educate? It cannot always be the fault of the student.
Sometimes it is a sign that a course needs to rethink its curriculum.

12. Holistic teaching can help those with learning disabilities

More attention needs to be paid to those students who don’t learn with the same speed or productivity as the average person.
Courses that take into consideration the abilities (or disabilities) of its students, can then help tailor the course in a way that gives everyone the best chance of success.

13. Education is only useful if the student has a well-developed “voice”

Courses should consider how a student will then communicate the knowledge they’ve learned in a work environment. Helping students develop their own voice will ensure that the concepts learned in the course will impact a person’s ability to make a difference. After all, this is the reason for education in the first place.

14. School doesn’t always help emotional well being

Unfortunately, some school environments do the opposite of promoting wellbeing. Online courses don’t have to contend with a classroom full of students, but how the course is laid out (its accessibility to an instructor, materials, other students, etc.) will impact a person’s experience. You want them to walk away feeling like they “belonged” in the class.
This is an important part of learning that can’t be ignored for online educators.

15. Online learning can be adapted to those with mental disorders

Throughout history, those with mental illness have been isolated and ostracized because of their disability.
Online learning has the ability to reach this population of people, but great care needs to be taken to help reduce frustration and hopelessness for those who join a class. Since mental disorders require a holistic approach to healing, education can be a part of that process.
What a profound opportunity.

16. Emotional health can signal the effectiveness of the learning that is occurring

In some cases, online educators can evaluate the success of their courses based on the emotional health of their students. For example, an online psychology course could also have a practicum that gives the students the opportunity to do some of their own internal work. Not only are the concepts being taught, but also a student’s emotional well being is enhanced.

17. Happiness gives people the perception of success, encouraging them to keep moving

Even if a student is struggling to pass an exam, a happy and balanced mindset will give them an edge over another student who may be excelling grade wise, but miserable emotionally.
The happier person will continue onward, taking more classes and doing his or her best, even if the obstacles seem overwhelming.

18. Evaluating failure with the whole person in mind helps to measure the effectiveness of a course

If a student passes an online course but then struggles to hold down a job, has the course been successful? It brings to light the purpose of education.
Teachers may argue that the course material has nothing to do with job responsibility, but what point is there in educating an individual on advanced mathematics if he can’t hold down a job?
Isn’t it just as important to teach people responsibility? Educators must evaluate their courses using more than just grades.

19. Emotional wellbeing as part of the curriculum helps with developing interpersonal skills

Every course should have a component in the curriculum that gives students a chance to try out their concepts and knowledge in an interpersonal setting. Knowledge should have exponential impact, growing with each person that hears and applies it.

20. Education will continue to succeed if it takes a holistic approach

More and more, people are starting to see the gaping holes in the current educational system. Online education has a unique opportunity to take the lead in the world of education by adopting a holistic approach.
Without the restraints of traditional education, the potential is there for online courses to transform the way society handles the educational process.

Image by Jetheriot

About Julie DeNeen

Julie DeNeen has her bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Haven. She spent several years working for a local Connecticut school at the district level, implementing new technologies to help students and teachers in the classroom. She also taught workshops to teachers about the importance of digital student management software, designed to keep students, parents, and teachers connected to the learning process.

Staying Optimistic

I listened this morning to the BYU devotional speech given by Jeff Wilks on 9-25-12.  He made some great points about how to stay optimistic that we can apply to Esperanza.  I have tweaked his points to fit Esperanza:

1. Quality and excellence do not mean perfection.
2. No matter what struggles, challenges, or adversity we may face, keep trying anyway.
3. Stay focused on the goal.
4. Only seek the approval of those who matter.
5. Find and remember the joys

Wilks also gave an idea about journal keeping that he learned from Henry B. Eyring that can be applied to Esperanza:  Keep a journal to record each day the answer to the question:  "What happened today that proves that Esperanza is a worthwhile cause to pursue?" 

How Much Is Enough

There is another section in the book Life 101 that really struck me.  The authors said, "If your goal is not reached in the time frame you set, set a new time frame.  Do what else needs to be done to get it.  When you've done all that, and that's still not enough, do some more.  When do you stop doing?  When you've gotten what you want...Do whatever it takes to achieve the results you want...When you have what you want, that was enough." 

Poetry Joys

Sharing poetry with children--both in English and Spanish--can not only entertain them, but also enrich their language skills...and their lives.

I read one from Jack Prelutsky that I thought was fun.

The New Kid on the Block

There's a new kid on the block,
and boy, that is tough,
that new kid punches hard,
that new kid plays real rough,
that new kid's big and strong,
with muscles everywhere,
that new kid tweaked my nose,
that new kid pulled my hair.

That new kid likes to fight,
and picks on all the guys,
that new kid scares me some,
(that new kid's twice my size),
that new kid stomped my toes,
that new kid swiped my ball,
that new kid's really bad,
I don't care for her at all.

This poem is especially fun because of the surprise ending!

Lesson From the Honeybees

Elder Russell M. Ballard shared these thoughts at the LDS General Conference last Saturday--October 6th.  I feel the message is great for us to remember in any endeavor, including our building of Esperanza.

"...each time I enjoy a fresh, vine-ripened tomato or eat a juicy peach right off the tree, my thoughts go back 60 years to when my father owned a small peach orchard in Holladay, Utah. He kept beehives there to pollinate the peach blossoms that would eventually grow into very large, delicious peaches.

Father loved his gentle honeybees and marveled at the way thousands of them working together transformed the nectar gathered from his peach blossoms into sweet, golden honey—one of nature’s most beneficial foods. In fact, nutritionists tell us it is one of the foods that includes all the substances—enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water—necessary to sustain life.

My father always tried to involve me in his work with his hives, but I was very happy to let him tend to his bees. However, since those days, I have learned more about the highly organized beehive—a colony of about 60,000 bees.

Honeybees are driven to pollinate, gather nectar, and condense the nectar into honey. It is their magnificent obsession imprinted into their genetic makeup by our Creator. It is estimated that to produce just this one pound (0.45 kg) of honey, the average hive of 20,000 to 60,000 bees must collectively visit millions of flowers and travel the equivalent of two times around the world. Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee’s contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon.

Though seemingly insignificant when compared to the total, each bee’s one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey is vital to the life of the hive. The bees depend on each other. Work that would be overwhelming for a few bees to do becomes lighter because all of the bees faithfully do their part.

All of this [beehive] symbolism attests to one fact: great things are brought about and burdens are lightened through the efforts of many hands “anxiously engaged in a good cause” (D&C 58:27). Imagine what...[we] could accomplish in the world [at Esperanza]if we functioned like a beehive in our focused, concentrated commitment..."

Chess

www.chessguru.net

http://www.learnchessrules.com/

These are both great links for Esperanza chess program. 

No "Normal" Brain: Neurodiversity

I have been reading the October 2012 edition of ASCD's publication Educational Leadership.  An article "First Discover Their Strengths" by Thomas Armstrong has intrigued me.  He recommends using the term neurodiversity for learners who struggle rather than deficit terms.  He also suggests ways to build on their strengths.  Armstrong says, "There is no 'typical' mental capacity--no 'normal' brain to which all other brains are compared." 

Your Word

How to keep your word:  1) make only agreements you plan to.keep. 2) make every agreement important, 3) keep the agreements you have made--even if it is uncomfortable, outrageously expensive, or seemingly prohibitive in any way, 4) write agreements down--review calendar at least once a day, 5) communicate-- ASAP if you have to rearrange an agreement.  Your word is one of the most precious things you own. Do not treat it lightly.  Once given, do everything within your power to keep it                              
These ideas came from the Book Life 101 by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams

Winners

Winners only do a few percentage points more than everybody else. The winner of a marathon need only be a few seconds ahead of all other runners to win.  It is not necessarily volume or speed that makes a difference I athletics OR life. It may be explained by the 80/29 Theory--80% of your effort produces 20% of your results, and 20% of your effort produces 80% of your results.

Etiquette That Is Inviting

Felt these were excellent suggestions on how to be "inviting" even though the author didn't use that term. 

Here are a few business etiquette rules that matter now—whatever you want to call them.

1. Send a Thank You Note

I work at a paper company that manufactures stationery and I'm shocked at how infrequently people send thank you notes after interviewing with me. If you're not sending a follow-up thank you note to Crane, you're not sending it anywhere.
But the art of the thank you note should never die. If you have a job interview, or if you're visiting clients or meeting new business partners—especially if you want the job, or the contract or deal—take the time to write a note. You'll differentiate yourself by doing so and it will reflect well on your company too.

2. Know the Names

It's just as important to know your peers or employees as it is to develop relationships with clients, vendors or management. Reach out to people in your company, regardless of their roles, and acknowledge what they do.
My great-grandfather ran a large manufacturing plant. He would take his daughter (my grandmother) through the plant; she recalled that he knew everyone's name—his deputy, his workers, and the man who took out the trash.
We spend too much of our time these days looking up – impressing senior management. But it's worth stepping back and acknowledging and getting to know all of the integral people who work hard to make your business run.

3. Observe the 'Elevator Rule'

When meeting with clients or potential business partners off-site, don't discuss your impressions of the meeting with your colleagues until the elevator has reached the bottom floor and you're walking out of the building. That's true even if you're the only ones in the elevator.
Call it superstitious or call it polite—but either way, don't risk damaging your reputation by rehashing the conversation as soon as you walk away.

4. Focus on the Face, Not the Screen

It's hard not to be distracted these days. We have a plethora of devices to keep us occupied; emails and phone calls come through at all hours; and we all think we have to multitask to feel efficient and productive.
But that's not true: When you're in a meeting or listening to someone speak, turn off the phone. Don't check your email. Pay attention and be present.
When I worked in news, everyone was attached to a BlackBerry, constantly checking the influx of alerts. But my executive producer rarely used hers—and for this reason, she stood out. She was present and was never distracted in editorial meetings or discussions with the staff. And it didn't make her any less of a success.

5. Don't Judge

We all have our vices—and we all have room for improvement. One of the most important parts of modern-day etiquette is not to criticize others.
You may disagree with how another person handles a specific situation, but rise above and recognize that everyone is trying their best. It's not your duty to judge others based on what you feel is right. You are only responsible for yourself.
We live in a world where both people and businesses are concerned about brand awareness. Individuals want to stand out and be liked and accepted by their peers--both socially and professionally.
The digital landscape has made it even more difficult to know whether or not you're crossing a line, but I think it's simple. Etiquette is positive. It's a way of being—not a set of rules or dos and don'ts.
So before you create that hashtag, post on someone's Facebook page or text someone mid-meeting, remember the fundamentals: Will this make someone feel good?
And remember the elemental act of putting pen to paper and writing a note. You'll make a lasting impression that a shout-out on Twitter or a Facebook wall mention can't even touch.

Eliza Browning is the vice president of Crane Digital, where she oversees the company's online business and digital strategy. Before joining Crane & Co., Eliza worked in digital media for news organizations including CNN, ABC News and the AP.

Dare

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever." --Thomas Aquinas, Italian priest, philosopher and theologian

Language and Emotional Development

Child's Emotional Development Can Be Influenced By Speaking Multiple Languages  06 Aug 2012  

On the classic TV show "I Love Lucy," Ricky Ricardo was known for switching into rapid-fire Spanish whenever he was upset, despite the fact Lucy had no idea what her Cuban husband was saying. These scenes were comedy gold, but they also provided a relatable portrayal of the linguistic phenomenon of code-switching.

This kind of code-switching, or switching back and forth between different languages, happens all the time in multilingual environments, and often in emotional situations. In a new article in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, psychological scientists Stephen Chen and Qing Zhou of the University of California, Berkeley and Morgan Kennedy of Bard College delve deeper into this linguistic phenomenon.

Drawing on research from psychology and linguistics, the researchers seek to better understand how using different languages to discuss and express emotions in a multilingual family might play an important role in children's emotional development. They propose that the particular language parents choose to use when discussing and expressing emotion can have significant impacts on children's emotional understanding, experience, and regulation.

"Over the past few years, there's been a steadily growing interest in the languages multilingual individuals use to express emotions," says Chen. "We were interested in the potential clinical and developmental implications of emotion-related language shifts, particularly within the context of the family."

Existing research from psychological science underscores the fact that language plays a key role in emotion because it allows the speakers to articulate, conceal, or discuss feelings. When parents verbally express their emotions, they contribute to their children's emotional development by providing them a model of how emotions can be articulated and regulated.

When parents discuss emotion, they help their children to accurately label and consequently understand their own emotions. This explicit instruction can further help children to better regulate their emotions.

Additionally, research from linguistics suggests that when bilingual individuals switch languages, the way they experience emotions changes as well. Bilingual parents may use a specific language to express an emotional concept because they feel that language provides a better cultural context for expressing the emotion. For example, a native Finnish speaker may be more likely to use English to tell her children that she loves them because it is uncommon to explicitly express emotions in Finnish.

Thus, the language that a parent chooses to express a particular concept can help to provide cues that reveal his or her emotional state. Language choice may also influence how children experience emotion, such expressions can potentially elicit a greater emotional response when spoken in the child's native language. Shifting from one language to another may help children to regulate their emotional response by using a less emotional, non-native language as a way to decrease negative arousal, or to help model culture specific emotional regulation.

Overall, the authors argue that research from psychological science and linguistics suggests that a child's emotional competence is fundamentally shaped by a multilingual environment. These findings may be particularly useful in the development of intervention programs for immigrant families, helping intervention staff to be aware of how the use of different languages in various contexts can have an emotional impact.

"Our aim in writing this review was to highlight what we see as a rich new area of cross-disciplinary research," says Chen. "We're especially excited to see how the implications of emotion-related language switching can be explored beyond the parent-child dyad - for example, in marital interactions, or in the context of therapy and other interventions."

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References:
Association for Psychological Science

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Citations:
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Association for Psychological Science. "A Child's Emotional Development Can Be Influenced By Speaking Multiple Languages." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 6 Aug. 2012. Web.
7 Aug. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/248613.php>

APA

Association for Psychological Science. (2012, August 6). "A Child's Emotional

Support for Chess

A commentary article in Education Week.  I have read books by Salome Thomas-El and have heard him speak.  He truly is inspiring!

 

Chess: The Best Move for Students

By Salome Thomas-EL

 

 

The next time President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are sitting together discussing education reform, I hope that it will be across the table from one of my elementary or middle school students. If so, there will inevitably be a chessboard between them, and I am certain my students will win every match.
My inner-city students, many of whom come from some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del., have traveled the country to compete in, and win, local, state, and national chess championships. Gov. Jack Markel of Delaware and former Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania, all smart men, have challenged my students to chess matches and lost. A host of mayors, members of Congress, senators, and school superintendents—anyone brave enough to visit city schools and spend time with my students—all made the same mistake of taking them on, with similar results. These are the same children that most of society has forgotten. Yet they have gone on to attend magnet and private high schools, competitive colleges, and graduate and law schools.
Unfortunately, most of our nation's urban and rural students won't have the same opportunities as my chess players because, as a general rule, we don't teach our children to think critically or to think ahead. We don't teach them to use logic and reason or to consider rewards and consequences before they make decisions.
In the United States, we have become so focused on test scores that we have forgotten to teach our students to appreciate the process of learning, to embrace struggle, and to build self-efficacy and resilience.
Students must learn that they are not born smart, but become smart through hard work and the process of growth. Chess can help establish that foundation for students as young as 5 and 6 years old, and it is simple enough to learn quickly. Students can use a few pieces, or all of them, as they gradually learn the game. Imagine young kindergartners or 1st and 2nd graders beginning to learn to anticipate moves, think ahead, and solve multistep problems. All children need to learn how to make difficult and abstract decisions independently and think logically and efficiently. And teaching these skills to them at an early age can make a big difference to them as they progress through their education.

"In the United States, we have become so focused on test scores that we have forgotten to teach our students to appreciate the process of learning, to embrace struggle, and to build self-efficacy and resilience."

I have used chess as a teaching tool in the three schools where I have worked as a turnaround principal. In each instance, most of the students were city kids, poor and minority. My mission has been to teach the game of chess to every student I have known over my 25-year career.
My current school, Thomas Edison Charter, in Wilmington, Del., serves students in grades K-8, 96 percent of whom are living at or below the poverty level. Many of our students are seen as at risk of not meeting with academic success before entering our charter school, yet they excel, in part, because of our instructional curriculum and the support they receive from the administration, teachers, and staff. But the success of our students is also a credit to our after-school chess program, which has had a tremendous impact on how our older students think and problem-solve.
This past school year, we received Delaware's Academic Achievement Award for closing the achievement gap in a high-poverty school, improving our state test scores, and moving those scores closer to the state average. In addition, this past summer, our 8th graders were recognized for scoring over 90 percent proficiency in math and 85 percent proficiency in English/language arts on our state tests.
A year ago, I met with my teachers, and we decided to give our 2nd and 3rd graders the opportunity to learn and benefit from chess with our First Move program. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are doing the same in our Algebra Through Chess course. In total, we have almost 100 students who participate in our after-school chess program every day.
It goes without saying that exposing children to academics in the classroom advances cognition; however, games like chess, played in the classroom, can foster memory, skill at planning and strategizing, and development of cognition. Much of the traditional U.S. curriculum in the early grades does not allow for students to learn and teach themselves. Chess permits students to think on their own without the assistance of adults.
Students exposed to chess are much more optimistic about overcoming obstacles and struggles on a regular basis. Research supports the idea that schools that establish innovative programs like chess playing develop high expectations for their students and the atmosphere in which their students can achieve them.
America has much to learn from the rest of the world regarding education. Countries as small as Armenia have made chess a mandatory school subject for children over the age of 6, with the goal of teaching strategic thinking to all elementary students. As an advocate for this course of instruction, the chess grandmaster and former world champion Gary Kasparov is challenging countries around the globe to adopt chess as part of their elementary curricula. Implementing chess in the U.S. curriculum could be the low-cost answer to many of our education woes.

 

So many young people are raised to question their intelligence. Chess helps shatter that doubt. Chess teaches our young people about rewards and consequences, both short- and long-term. It challenges young people to be responsible for their actions. It cuts across racial and economic lines and allows poor kids to excel at a game thought to be reserved for the affluent. It boosts self-confidence. It is the great equalizer.
When a school redefines its culture by building a vision and commitment that is innovative and creative, based on increasing self-efficacy and resilience, it has the power to serve as a protective shield for all students. It can become a beacon of light for impoverished communities.
I believe that all children are entitled to success in learning and life, regardless of their gender, race, or socioeconomic status.
Mr. President, it's your move.

Salome Thomas-EL is the principal of the Thomas Edison Charter School in Wilmington, Del., and the author of The Immortality of Influence: We Can Build the Best Minds of the Next Generation (Kensington Publishing, 2010). Widely known as Principal EL, he is a national board member of America’s Foundation for Chess, which is based in Bellevue, Wash.

Butterfly Lesson

I have heard this story numerous times, but it was still a delight to hear it again from my good friend Ellie Mooney who sent it to me with beautiful pictures.

http://www.doyoubelieve.org/Butterfly.htm

It is often a challenge to know when to step in to help and when it is better to stand on the sidelines being a cheerleader.  I imagine that it would behoove us to do the latter more often.