Millennial Students and Middle-aged Faculty: A Learner-centered Approach | Faculty Focus.
A very interesting bit of insight from a “Digital Immigrant” English teacher facing “Digital Natives” every day. I think we can ALL relate to this in some way, regardless of the level we teach! Posted in Faculty Focus. March 18, 2013
Since I last posted, I have visited The Warrensburg Career Center, the Warrensburg Middle School, and Ridge View. Every one of them was interesting and showed its own unique personality, points of excellence, and individual challenges. I apologize for not getting these posted sooner, but as I said, it has been a time! 🙂 I can’t wait to be able to sit down and just write – like tomorrow night – but until then, please remember I am still out here, and I so want to hear from YOU – please send me questions, comments, or observations. How can I be the representative YOU would like to see on your School Board? I know a school board member is only one of many, but if I can be a voice for parents, teachers, or administrators, that is what I want to be.
Thanks so much for your consideration – and take care! I’ll be back tomorrow night!!
OH – And Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🙂
I just learned the name of the woman responsible for Maple Grove’s “Autism spectrum classroom” – Ms. Sheree Grelle.
(To be honest, Mr. Finnane did tell me her name, but in my hurry to take notes, I did not get it written down, and I owe her an apology for that. I guess I would never make it as a reporter! )
So, to rectify my oversight, I have to say I wish I could take all the parents (not just those with Special Needs kiddos) into this room and show them the wonderful work she has done. I only got to see it very briefly, but I hope that my other projects (an online information “hub” for Special Needs families) will allow me to see more of this, and maybe even visit with her a bit in the future. In Mr. Finnane’s words, ” She has so much knowledge and passion[; she] is really the individual responsible for this great initiative.”
And a great initiative it is – Thank you, Ms. Grelle, our kids really need your insight.
Now how do we clone you for our other schools…. 😉
I know – two posts in one night – But I didn’t want to put off sharing the wonderful visit I had prior to visiting Maple Grove on Friday when I was able to spend some time at Warrensburg High School with Ms. Simone Dillingham. Even at 8:00 in the morning, her enthusiasm and passion for her school came through with every word she uttered. Although there were a few areas where more funding would certainly come in handy (a new fine arts center, more science labs, and athletic fields, for example), what they have out at this facility really is very exciting. Warrensburg High School students are able to study agriculture, video production, foreign language (French and Spanish), drafting and production, and stagecraft, in addition to the more traditional subjects. The Career Center (which I will be visiting tomorrow) supports a number of classes that the high school takes advantage of as well, including a full working shop, personal finance, and web design. These are courses that will help students further themselves professionally as well as help them succeed in their personal lives.
In addition to these educational options, there are some newer facilities that are quite impressive as well. There are two fully functional computer labs, one Mac, one PC, a working Greenhouse, CAD computers, and a new auxiliary gym with a weight room and an aerobics room. There is also a distance program through WeMet, but the logistics of this program need a little support. Due to the fact that the classes are often full to capacity and beyond, and a teacher would have to be pulled from a full classroom to serve the WeMet class, it can not always be utilized to its fullest. There are a couple summer offerings of personal finance, and Plato is available for at-risk students, but there is so much more possible with this kind of program. This is something that I think should be addressed. Distance education, even at the High School level is very important. If nothing else, the ability to collaborate with other schools needs to be realized. It was clear to me that Ms. Dillingham would like to take advantage of such an opportunity if it were presented, and I hope some day I might be able to work to help make it happen!
Warrensburg High serves just under 1,000 students, with approximately 100 special needs students and a number of gifted individuals. Because I had recently seen the presentation on the gifted program that I mentioned in an earlier post, I asked Ms. Dillingham if the current method of serving gifted high school students was adequate. Her true passion for her job immediately showed as she told me about the dual credit, AP, and honors programs. She described how the university works with the students, even offering independent study when it would benefit them. She made it very clear that not only is there a very good gifted program at Warrensburg High, but that she is very proud of it. In fact, when I asked what a new Board Member could offer her, her response was communication – encourage people to ask questions of those that have the answers. There is good communication among the members of the district; I have seen numerous examples of collaboration between faculty, administrators, and schools, but communication between the parents and the schools could probably be improved. I have seen this myself, and my questions to Ms. Dillingham about the gifted students was a very good example how miscommunication can happen.
In closing tonight, I want to reiterate one of my primary goals – building an maintaining communication – I hope to keep this avenue open right here, with Positive Connections. We may not always like what we hear, but we like not hearing a lot less!
I promised I would catch this up, and here it is – my accounts of my very interesting and enjoyable visits to Warrensburg High School and Maple Grove Elementary. This was truly a day of opposites, as I got to see both our students’ first and last stops on their journey through Warrensburg’s school system.
First, Maple Grove is, well, cool. There is no other way to say it – it’s just cool. It’s our newest building and appears to have been built with safety, sustainability, and, of course, usability in mind from the very first brick. As a testimony to its success, the building was awarded the U.S. Green Building Council 2012 LEED Gold Award. From the rain-fed water feature to the sustainable paint choices, this is by far the “greenest” building in the district, and the pride that the k – 2 students and staff have in their building is evident from the very first step through the doors.
Mr. Finnane, the principle of Maple Grove, met me at the entrance with two absolutely wonderful and very energetic children who were to serve as my guides. As they showed me around, he explained how they choose the shyer children, the ones who need that little extra support, as their student ambassadors. The whole philosophy of this school is that kids need to be kids, and that is the most effective way to teach them, so the hallways are active, the children and teachers are smiling, and hallways and even Mr. Finnane’s walls are absolutely covered in well-labeled artwork done by the students.
If I had to pick two things that really stood out to me, they would have to be the “magic mentors” – the policy that each adult (not just teachers, but staff as well) are discretely assigned to a child with whom they then connect daily, quite often just saying “hi.” The whole point is for the child to ask “why is this person always so nice to me?” and the answer is always the same – because you are you. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The other thing I saw that just amazed me was the classroom that was designed to be the most effective for Autism spectrum students. As the parent of a special-needs child, this impressed me. The blue lighting, padded floors, and sensory integration have led at least one non-verbal young person to become vocal during his time at Maple Grove. That is nothing short of amazing.
When I asked Mr. Finnane what he would like to see from a new board member, he responded by saying support for a continued policy of “broad-spectrum autonomy” and trust for the administrators and employees of the district to try new things. I think that the record at Maple Grove and the success of the children there is clear evidence that they should have that freedom, and I would absolutely support that kind relationship. My own teaching background leads me to value academic freedom – I think that teachers, and administrators, have to have leeway to express themselves so the children can express themselves, thereby become the best that they can be. At the same time, he asked that the board maintain it’s support, especially during the tough times like we see today. There are often unpopular changes that have to be made, especially in economic times like these, and it is imperative that the board support its schools with, as Mr. Finnane said, “fair-minded and practical assessment of the situation,” and a willingness to share the information quickly and accurately. Freedom is a great thing to have in a job, especially in one that tends to be so regulated as education, but when that freedom can not be had, support and communication are absolutely essential for an effective district.
This past Friday and today I have had the pleasure of visiting three wonderful schools: Warrensburg High School, Maple Ridge (our newest addition), and Ridge View. Unfortunately, I have also had an incredibly busy weekend into today (Monday). It’s now midnight, and since I really want to do justice to these three facilities and the people who populate them, I am going to put it on hold for one more night and catch it all up tomorrow. I hope everyone will bear with me, and tune in tomorrow night when I will fill everyone in on my latest adventures, what I liked, and what I think I might be able to help with.
Have a good evening – and remember, the election is coming up!! April 2, only 21 more days to go!!
Sterling Elementary
Today I visited my younger son’s school, Sterling Elementary, and had a very enjoyable visit with their principle, Ms. Monda Reynolds. She showed me all over the building, and I was able to see a number of areas that I had not been in before. I do have two children in the school system, and they have both attended Sterling; therefore, I am somewhat familiar with it, but Ms. Reynolds was kind enough to show it to me anyway. One of the things that has always struck me about Ms. Reynolds is her relationship with the kids of Sterling – I know my son loves her, but it is always nice to see the interaction that she has with them. Today I had an even better glimpse into what she means to “her kids” when we went into a computer lab (that I had not seen before, btw), and no less than 4 Middle Schoolers jumped up and gave her a hug, and the rest of the visiting class waved and called to her. As I said above, it was really wonderful to see.
Of course, as any administrator would, Ms. Reynolds had her “wish list,” but hers was especially short. I’m sure she has many other things that she would like, but her real wish appears to be for an awning for the front entrance. She is concerned about our children being out in the weather – sun in summer, and rain and snow in fall and winter. She knows it’s in the works, but her hope is that it will happen soon. This is a good cause, I think. It’s not extravagant, but it would improve the appearance of the school as well as the comfort of our children.
I have to admit, I was a little surprised that this awning was really her biggest request. I had imagined her asking for support for more technology, or more assistance with Special Needs, but they actually are set up pretty well in these areas. I know from experience that the Special Needs program is good, although I did not realize how many kiddos there were in it – 50 in the SpEd rooms (not counting the Language/Speech rooms), and 20 in the Gifted program. I have had plenty of experience with this program with my own son, and while I can not say it’s always been smooth sailing, I can honestly say that they are always trying to to do what they believe is best for the kids. Any rough patches we have experienced seem to have developed from differing opinions of what “the best” is, or from a lack of communication and understanding between the vested parties. This is something I really hope to help bolster from within the School Board.
The technology in Sterling is very impressive. They have 1 portable laptop cart, 2 classrooms with Netbooks, 3 eMints classrooms, and 1 iPad room. Next year will hopefully bring another iPad cart so those can be more mobile within the school building, and at least one classroom that will have an iPad for every child. This is a school where the children are learning on line – they are getting invaluable experience that they will take with them into Middle and High School, and I would love to be able to support efforts to technologize every classroom in the building (if not in the district!).
In closing my account of this very enjoyable visit, I would like to note that Ms. Reynolds mentioned the communication that she has seen between the schools in glowing terms – from Sterling to the Middle School, especially. It certainly sounds like our experience with this transition should move very smoothly, with lots of planned meetings and discussions, and I am truly looking forward to that. Some of our experiences have not been quite so smooth in past years, and much of that is from ignorance on our part, as well as assumptions made on the part of the schools. I hope as part of the School Board I will be able to help with the communication and support that ALL parents and staff need – not just those with special needs.
REESE EDUCATIONAL CENTER
I had my first tour in one of our facilities today – Reese Educational Center, and I got to visit with a wonderful woman doing an amazing job. Reese’s Director, Ms. Leslie Brown, took some time out of what I know is a very busy schedule to show me around her facility, and I am very grateful for her hospitality. If you haven’t been out there, you should check it out. This small building houses 4 very important programs: AIM (for OSS), Solutions (for SpEd kids with some pretty serious emotional and behavioral issues), and Gateway for those teenagers who are not thriving in the regular high school environment. Parents as Teachers (PaT) and the Gifted program also have offices in this building, and PaT has a very colorful, toy-filled room for their use. The staff at Reese, 1 Director (Ms. Brown), 1 secretary, 2 teachers, and 1 para for the Gateway program;1 teacher and 1 para for the Solutions program, and and 1 custodian for the building, spend their days caring for and educating as many as 34 students (28 Gateway students and 6 Solutions students) from all over our region – not just our Warrensburg rVI district!
During our tour, I saw a group of people working very hard with what they had – outdated computers, a dated, unused kitchen (which is put to classroom use because there is no kitchen staff budget – meals are bused over from Warrensburg Middle School, showing some wonderful intra-district collaboration), a safe room that still needs padding, and a shortage of teachers, to bring positive influences and opportunities to a number of young people who really need it, whether they appreciate it or not. This team has taken this old building and turned it into a safe place for these very important members of our student population, and the fact that individuals as far away as Blue Springs are sending their kids to Ms. Brown speaks volumes for what they do.
I listened as Ms. Brown told me what was coming: renovations to the safe room, new security measures, and how she planned to make the Diner (the lunch/recreation area) into a cyber-diner using existing computers. She shared what she had done herself – remodeling an existing shower and paying for Senior pictures, and what she would like to see, a 3rd teacher, kitchen staff, cable for educational TV, and 5 more computers for the AIM (OSS) room. Very early on in my visit, she had shared her dream of bringing at-risk elementary and middle school kids into the fold – a goal I must say I can support given what I have seen of what she has done and the need I know exists at those levels. There are many other things I saw that would benefit this school as well, but Ms. Brown’s hopes are realistic. She knows she can’t “have it all,” but she is certainly hoping for some of it, and rightfully so!
I have to admit, I knew very little about Reese before my visit today, and I’m sorry that was the case. This is the kind of place I can get behind. That’s not to say in any way that the “mainstream” schools do not deserve our attention, or that the students in those schools don’t have some of the same needs. Nor am I insinuating that Reese has been neglected. I was strongly and repeatedly reassured that was not the case. The District and the other schools do seem to look out for Reese Educational Center, but there is always more that needs to be done in these situations. As Ms. Brown emphatically pointed out, these kids are smart – they are capable – they are just really beat up, and need someone to show them that they CAN succeed. Does it always work? No – it absolutely does not. But if there weren’t the Ms. Browns-and-Company in the world, and School Districts with Boards like our to back them up, these kids wouldn’t even have the chance.
I not only welcome the chance to advocate for these kids, I ask for it!!
Someone recently asked me a great question about the Gifted Programs in our schools. To quote: this person is “concerned about continued support and funding for the gifted program, which [she sees] as Special Needs, because so many of these students need a particular type of learning environment in order to be engaged with their studies and to thrive socially and academically. Your thoughts?”
Interestingly enough, I was just at a School Board meeting on the 19th that had the “Gifted Program Evaluation” on the agenda. I was a little disappointed because I was hoping to see how successful the program was, and that’s not really what it was. Instead, it was a very nice video presentation that showed a number of students who clearly enjoyed and benefited from the program. It was wonderful, just not exactly what I had hoped to see. 🙂
That being said, I don’t think I could agree with this person any more about the Special Needs of gifted students – they are just different needs. And another serious part of this issue is that these gifted students can find themselves on the other side of the Special Needs continuum if those needs are not addressed. The challenges and frustrations of dealing with non-challenging work can lead to all kinds of behavioral and emotional issues that eventually have to be addressed. Regardless of the need, the end goal is the same: we are all striving for our students’ success (to borrow a phrase).
So – to try to answer the question more specifically – I absolutely believe that Gifted programs need continued support and funding, and in this current economic situation, this may not be an easy thing to maintain. I do, however, think it may be a bit easier to handle the difference than some of the programs for the “challenged” kids (for lack of a better term). Whereas students like my son need personalized, all day, all week paras and SpEd teachers, the Gifted students may be able to expand beyond the brick walls of their own schools – and they may be able to do it at much less cost with much greater rewards! I would be very interested in doing some research into some of the advanced collaborative programs I have seen using local businesses, universities, (other than dual credit for HS), and even the internet. I think there is some great potential there, not just in collaborating with relatively local schools, but on both a national and international scope.
I have to say, I was very surprised to learn that the High School does not have any kind of gifted program, relying on dual-credit and similar programs to fill that need. I got the impression that this might have been a financial decision, but I am curious if this is something that could be expanded. I haven’t had the chance to talk to anyone yet, but I am interested in learning more. I did learn that there are a total of 94 elementary and middle school students in the Gifted programs, but I am concerned about what is happening to them when they leave the middle school – I will have to do a little more research into it, but it has given me some food for thought. What I can say absolutely is that the special needs of all the students in Warrensburg need to be addressed.
On of my personal goals is to make my actions count for those kids. As I have said before, we need to move forward, no matter how good things are now. So whether I’m on the School Board or not, I want to help make good things come for all our kids, challenged, gifted, or mainstream.
I just had a conversation with another mother of a special needs child. Hers is now an adult, in his late 30’s, but she has gone through many challenges in her years with her son and hers is the voice of experience. Talking to her has really shown me that the need to help the families of our Warrensburg students is not a new thing. There is no denying that things have gotten much better since her son was a child in the school system, but we still need to encourage and maintain the support and communication we do have, but a the same time we should always strive to make it better. I hope that I can do that as I become more active in the District.
I have to admit, I was having some problems coming up with something to write about for my next posting, but after talking to my friend, I think I’ll talk about the support system that we have here, and what I think it could be. Yes, I tend to be very interested in the support for special needs family, but I have a 7th grader as well, and I realize that my special needs child is not the only one who needs positive connections with the world around him. We, just like all families, have idiosyncrasies and challenges that we deal with every day. Whether it is an actual diagnosed Special Need, or just that miraculous affliction called TEENAGER; we all need support and guidance, and a network that will build us up and hold us there. So that’s what I want to talk about today – the positive connections between families and schools, and the support that we provide each other.
Here’s how I see it.
None of these bodies can function well on their own, and the key to all of this is communication. The stronger the communication is between them, the better they can function over all. Families need to know what the teachers are doing; teachers and professionals need to know what’s going on with the kids; and everyone needs to know what’s happening with the district. There is no reason why families shouldn’t be very aware of the services that are available to their children (special needs or not), and there’s no good reason the schools should be kept in the dark regarding any child’s personal needs. The district should make a point of publicizing information that is of interest to the public – the teachers and the families – and not necessarily just on line or by special request. Some families don’t have internet, and some don’t know who to call to get the information. And families and teachers should make a point of attending meetings so they know what’s going on and can tell someone what they need.
As good as our district really is, sometimes there seems to be a bit of an adversarial relationship between these vested parties, and there shouldn’t be. We are all working towards the same end – the success of our students – and we can work together to make it happen, as long as we stay connected and communicate.
A collection of ideas and thoughts on technology in education.
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A Fusion of Creativity and Education
Truth-telling in Motherhood
IEP: Individual Education Program for special education students. Tips for navigating and negotiating IEP meetings, and paperwork. Being heard and participating is key to being a member of the team.
Positive Connections 
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