SHARING EF SKILLS EXPERTISE Benchmark Hosts Lansdowne Friends School Teachers

When you want to learn more about teaching executive function skills, you come to Benchmark School.

In February, a team of teachers from Lansdowne Friends School (LFS) visited Benchmark to observe and gain firsthand insights into improving their own classroom practice. Lauren Frantz, a former Benchmark Lower School teacher and now reading support teacher at Lansdowne Friends School, initiated the visit.

In addition to welcoming Lauren back to her former school, we were pleased to meet Spanish teacher Julia Slater, 1st/2nd grade teacher Kate Grant-Day, 5th/6th grade teacher Rich Hendricks, and 3rd/4th grade teacher Chris Paynter.

The teacher team from LFS observed two Lower School classes and spent an afternoon in discussion with our supervisors, counselors, and teachers on the topics of executive function skills instruction and classroom practice. They talked about how to use goal-setting to involve children deeply in making improvements in attention, organization, reflection, and mindfulness, as well as how to make goals more sophisticated over time. The LFS team was particularly struck by our characteristics of student success, a list of executive function skills which posit that successful students are flexible, attentive, persistent, reflective, organized, and active.

The visit was a fruitful one, as the Lansdowne Friends team walked away with new ideas and tweaks to bring to their own classroom practice. Rich Hendricks said, “I took away a lot. Most notably the focus on target characteristics that are a focal point for students’ social-emotional learning and academic instruction. I plan on using this same practice with my class. The individual goal focus is something I plan on implementing as well. I’m eager to think more about all we experienced and how to incorporate other practices into my class.”

Kate Grant-Day commented, “As a teacher, it was helpful for me to step away from my classroom and take time to reflect on supporting my students for their success. A few particular ideas were not entirely new to me, but thinking of them with fresh eyes was useful. I expect to incorporate the following into my current classroom as a result of yesterday’s visit: student goals (for select students), highlighting explicit strategies for school success (as you do with your characteristics), more opportunities to turn and talk to a neighbor, and more opportunities for mindfulness.”

We extend thanks to the thoughtful and dedicated LFS teachers for spending time with us and engaging in mutually valuable reflections on teaching practice.