February, 2016
Teaching and Learning Newsletter
2015 ~ 2016
Message from Heidi...
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As Lake Orion Community Schools work to align instruction to these expectations and the more challenging standards adopted by the State of Michigan, we may at times see lower than expected outcomes on the state assessments. With fewer multiple choice rote memory type test items and more questions that require deeper thinking skills, educators need to identify where our student and teacher strengths and weaknesses are so that together we can develop professional development plans that support expected growth in teaching and learning.
NEWSLETTER
TEACHING AND LEARNING
If you have not already received your child’s, (students in grades 3-8 and 1) M-STEP results, you will very soon. In the spring of 2015, our students participated in the first newly constructed state assessment in forty-four years. This new online assessment, the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or M-STEP replaces the Michigan Educational Assessment Program also known as MEAP. During the past ten years, education has been more focused on preparing students to compete in the 21st Century global economy. There is little argument that the knowledge and skills needed for current and future jobs is ever changing, therefore, teaching and learning must also change.
Professional
Development Math Department
Heidi Mercer
Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
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ELA
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Science
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ATTACHMENTS
These 2015 M-STEP results are our “baseline” data. As teachers, administrators, support Early Childhood staff, and students work to address areas of academic strength and weakness, we will moniPrograms tor growth. One area of strength can be seen in the reading and writing of our students. For the past five years, the district has worked tirelessly to align the reading and writing curricuKindergarten prolums while supporting an English Language Arts Instructional Coach to strengthen teaching gram information and learning. We believe that this maintenance of effort has resulted in continued success of students on the state reading and writing assessments. As the district works through the On the Right challenges of new assessment expectations and on-line testing, we feel strongly that efforts Track for Kinderto work together will result in improved learning. A content area that we currently see a garten need for focused professional development is in mathematics. During the past two years, teachers from all grade levels have collaborated to develop a uniform and consistent apLibrary Events proach to teaching mathematics. This year, 2014-15, is our first full implementation year for this new curriculum. With support from a Math Instructional Coach and internal conversations around math and student progress, we expect to see more students deeply engaged in understanding and learning about mathematics. This will support growth on the 2016 MSTEP much as our consistent work with readWe are pleased that Lake Orion performed above both estate and couning and writing has done. We are also working ty averages for grades 3-11. on aligning our curriculum and teaching to new science standards that were recently English Language Arts: 4th overall in County adopted this winter. Updated state social Math: 7th overall in County studies standards are being worked on. The timeline for state adoption is uncertain. Science: 4th overall in County In an effort to support teachers, parents, and Social Studies: 3rd overall in County students throughout this transition to higher expectations in state assessments, the Michigan Department of Education developed a video which summarizes the M-Step and walks viewers through how to read and interpret student scores within the M-Step Parent Report. The video is available on the Lake Orion Community Schools website or on the M-STEP web page http://www.michigan.gov/mstep
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Professional development On Monday, January 18, 2016, Lake Orion Community Schools hosted a professional development day for 500 staff members. Staff members spent the day learning with each other, from each other, as well as networking and collaborating among each other. The learning topics included technology sessions, as well as, a plethora of topics to support Educating All Learners. Thank you to the community for all of the donations to provide the
midday lunch break, which allowed teachers time to connect with colleagues. The Lake Orion Community School district applauds each and every staff member, our school board members and the very supportive community as we work together to provide the best education for all students!
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...from the Math Department Supporting your child’s math development at home Parent’s Beliefs about Math Change their Children’s Achievement By Jo Boaler (youcubed.org) We now know that the messages we give students can change their performance dramatically, and that students need to know that the adults in their lives believe in them. Researchers are learning that students’ ideas about their ability and potential are extremely important, much more than previously understood. As well as the messages we give students about their potential, brain research is now showing that messages students pick up from their parents about math and their parents’ relationships with math can also change students’ math learning and achievement. In an important study, researchers found that when mothers told their daughters they were not good at math in school, their daughter’s achievement declined almost immediately (Eccles & Jacobs, 1986). In a new study neuroscientists Erin Maloney and colleagues found that parents’ math anxiety reduced their children’s learning of math across grades 1 and 2, but only if parents helped their children on math homework (Maloney, Ramirez, Gunderson, Levine, & Beilock, 2015) If they did not help them on homework, the parents’ math anxiety did not detract from their children’s learning.
The parents’ math knowledge did not turn out to have any impact, only their level of math anxiety.
Both studies, again, communicate the importance of the messages students receive, as it was not math knowledge that harmed the students’ performance but the parents’ anxiety. We do not know what parents with math anxiety say to their children but it is likely they communicate the negative messages we know to be harmful, such as “math is hard” or “I was never good at math in school.” It is critical that when parents interact with children about math they communicate positive messages, saying that math is exciting and it is an open subject that anyone can learn with hard work, that it is not about being “smart” or not and that math is all around us in the world. For more parental advice on ways to help students with math see the parent page. Teachers also need to give positive messages to students at all times. Many elementary teachers feel anxious about mathematics, usually because they themselves have been given fixed and stereotyped messages about the subject and their potential. When I taught in my online teacher/parent class that mathematics is a multidimensional subject that everyone can learn, many of the elementary teachers who took it described it as life-changing and approached mathematics differently afterward. Around 85% of elementary teachers in the United States are women, and Beilock, Gunderson, Ramirez, & Levine (2009) found something very interesting and important. The researchers found that the levels of anxiety held by women elementary teachers also predicted the achievement of the girls in their classes, but not the boys (Beilock et al., 2009). Girls look up to their female teachers and identify with them at the same time as teachers are often and sadly conveying the idea that math is hard for them or they are just not a “math person.” Many teachers try to be comforting and sympathetic about math, telling girls not to worry, that they can do well in other subjects. We now know such messages are extremely damaging.
Teachers and parents need to replace sympathetic messages such as “Don’t worry, math isn’t your thing” with positive messages such as “You can do this, I believe in you, math is an open, beautiful subject that is all about effort and hard work.” References: Beilock, L. S., Gunderson, E. A., Ramirez, G., & Levine, S. C. (2009). Female teachers’ math anxiety affects girls’ math achievement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(5), 1860–1863. Boaler, J. (2015). Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students’ Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Eccles, J., & Jacobs, J. (1986). Social forces shape math attitudes and performance. Signs, 11(2), 367– 380. Maloney, E. A., Ramirez, G., Gunderson, E. A., Levine, S. C., & Beilock, S. L. (2015). Intergenerational effects of parents’ math anxiety on children’s math achievement and anxiety. Psychological Science, 0956797615592630.
February, 2016
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Embracing Mistakes in Math Leads to Brain Growth Mistakes happen. It’s what we learn from them that allows us to grow. This mindset is one to follow in life, but also a major shift in classroom instruction. Many life-changing inventions were the result of mistakes and what was learned in the process. Penicillin, potato chips, the slinky and the Post-it Note are just a few inventions that resulted from scientists that were on a different quest. Although our math instruction is not a new invention, students are working with different strategies and applying prior knowledge in order to arrive at new knowledge. Sometimes, along the way, students make mistakes. It is these mathematical mistakes that we now take advantage of as an opportunity for students to learn. These errors can give teachers insight into misconceptions and can enable students to develop deeper understanding of the mathematics they are learning. Research on brain growth has revealed there are two types of mindsets. A fixed mindset believes intelligence (the brain) is fixed and does not change and therefore, avoids challenges. A growth mindset sees difficult tasks as opportunities for growth and that with effort, they can learn. The research states that with a growth mindset, struggling to learn and grasp new problems, your brain actually grows. It grows new neurons and new connections between them (synapses) (Miller, http://www.mathmammoth.com/lessons/value_of_mistakes.php).
Teaching children to value mistakes and learn from them encourages the growth mindset. Having students value their mistakes in a math classroom involves changing the culture of making mistakes. Many students don’t think about their mistakes rationally-they think about them emotionally ( Maats, 2014). Mistakes historically make students feel “stupid”, a feeling of shame. This can cause students to disengage, avoid future challenges, and make the conclusion that they don’t have a “math brain.” Using the growth mindset, teachers are beginning to help students see mistakes are part of the learning process. Students do not need to revisit all their mistakes and correct them in order to experience brain growth; brain growth comes from the experience of struggle. When student struggle with mathematics, their brains grow (Boaler, 2014). Some math lessons begin with a mistake and students are required to diagnose the error and then give specific feedback to the student/ teacher in order to have better success not to make that error again in the future. This type of learning helps students understand that the goal of learning mathematics does not solely rely on always getting the correct answer. Mistakes can be in the form of careless errors or misreading directions, the mistakes that promote learning fall into a category called productive mistakes-these are misconceptions of larger math concepts that when cleared up, lead to deeper understanding.
Through professional development, teachers have learned the value of mistakes in math learning and have begun to incorporate them into lessons and assessments. More students are being asked to communicate their reasoning and critique the reasoning of others as an effort to increase the growth mindset. Encourage your child to bring home math assignments, quizzes, test and discuss the mistakes. Remember that how you respond to “good” mistakes has the potential to help them become more confident in their ability to do mathematics. This new confidence can transform student attitudes toward learning mathematics.
For more information and some videos about growth mindset and the value of mistakes in the math classroom, please use the following links and resources: Boaler, Jo. 2014. “The Mathematics of Hope: Moving from Performance to Learning in Mathematics Classrooms”, http:// bhi61nm2cr3mkdgk1dtaov18-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wpcontent/uploads/The-Mathematics-of-Hope-5.pdf Goljak, Linda. 2013. “The Power of a Good Mistake”, http:// www.nctm.org/News-and-Calendar/Messages-from-the-President/ Archive/Linda-M_-Gojak/The-Power-of-a-Good-Mistake/ Maats, Hunter. 2014. “Teaching Students to Embrace Mistakes”, http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-students-to-embracemistakes-hunter-maats-katie-obrien Miller, Maria. “Growth Mindset and the Value of Mistakes in Math Learning.” http://www.mathmammoth.com/lessons/ value_of_mistakes.php
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What’s In LO’s Book Bag? Kate DiMeo, K-12 Instructional Coach and Literacy Consultant for Lake Orion Community Schools
Bird and Squirrel on the Run
Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers School We the Children
By James Burks By Andrew Clements
Grades K-3 Grades 4-6 There are 3 books in this comic style series. The series is a Hi/Lo series, while it’s perfect for our younger kids whom are a little stronger readers it also appeals to older kids who find reading challenging. The series will entertain readers of all ages (even mom and dad). Bird and Squirrel outwit Cat and become best friends in this zany adventure. Squirrel is afraid of his own shadow. Bird doesn't have a care in the world. And Cat wants to eat Bird and Squirrel. Of course, he'll have to catch them first, and that's not going to be easy. Join
Noggin’ John Corey Whaley Grades 7-12 2014 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST Travis Coates has a good head…on someone else’s shoulders. It’s a touching, hilarious, and wholly original coming-of-age story. Travis can tell you that, at some point or another, his head was put into a freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he’s still sixteen, but everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she’s not his girlfriend anymore? If the new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, there are going to be a few more scars. A great teen read about living more than once!
This 6 book series combines mystery and adventure to keep you in suspense! Sixth Grader, Benjamin Pratt’s school is about to become the site of a new amusement park. It sounds like a dream come true! But . . . Ben knows it will change his town for the worse. Ben loves his school. It’s over 200 years old and sits right on the harbor with ocean breezes and classrooms that have million dollar views-literally. Ben and his friends uncover a plot that exposes the sale of the school for all the wrong reasons. As much as the town wants to believe it, the school does not belong to the local government. It belongs to the CHILDREN and these children have the right to defend it!
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In November of 2015, the Michigan State Board of Education passed new Michigan Science standards for kindergarten through twelfth grade students. The standards can be found at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/K12_Science_Performance_Expectations_v5_496901_7.pdf The Michigan Science Standards were based off three dimensions; cross cutting concepts, disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices. Not only will students learn science content but they will practice being a scientist or engineer by using the following eight instructional practices: 1. Asking questions (for science) and defining prob lems (for engineering) 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information Lake Orion is in the process of reviewing our current science programming and aligning to the new standards. We will begin at the elementary with several elementary teachers to pilot new science materials. This pilot will continue through the fall. Details are still being worked on for middle and high school. Overall, these changes will enhance classroom instruction and better prepare our students for the future.
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early childhood programs Programs to meet every family’s needs. Early Childhood Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Community Educational Resource Center 455 E. Scripps Road, Lake Orion, Michigan 48360 248-693-5439 www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us/earlychildhood/home
INFANT/TODDLER Ages 6 weeks to 3 years Monday-Friday 6:30 am—6:00 pm Full Days
COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL 3 and 4 year olds Monday –Friday AM and PM Sessions
2016-17 Registration FOR ALL RETURNING FAMILIES... and kindergarten children attending prekindergarten rather than kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year. Siblings of current students may also register during this re-registration period. Re-registration: February 29-March 10, 2016 *School Age Child Care Enrollment for current families will take place at the program site. The enrollment manager will be at each site during the enrollment period. Enrollment dates will be posted at each site in January.
EARLY CHILDHOOD OPEN HOUSE & NEW FAMILY “OPEN REGISTRATION” LOCATION: CERC Building, 455 E Scripps, Lake Orion 48360 DATE: Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIME: 5:30-8:00 pm Meet the teachers, visit classrooms and register For more information call 248-693-5439 or visit our website: www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us (Click on Schools and select Early Childhood)
PRE-KINDERGARTEN 4 and 5 year olds Monday-Thursday AM and PM Sessions
PRESCHOOL CHILD CARE 3–5 year olds Monday-Friday 6:30 am—6:00 pm Full/Half Day
FREE PROGRAMS EARLY HEAD START Early Head Start combination home and center based program is a federally funded program for low-income families with infants, toddlers and pregnant women.
HEAD START Head Start is a federally funded program for low income families with children who will be three or four on or before December 1st.
GREAT START READINESS PRESCHOOL (GSRP) A state funded preschool for children who will be four on or before September 1st and who qualify. Call for information: 248-693-5687
SCHOOL–AGE CHILD CARE
Grades K-5 Monday-Friday 7:00 am-6:00 pm Blanche Sims 248-693–5460 x 2440
Pine Tree 248-693-5454
Carpenter 248-391-5483
Stadium Drive 248-690-8222 x 2740
Orion Oaks 248-393-0016 x 4035
Webber 248-391-5472
Paint Creek 248-814-1727 www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us (Click on Schools and select Early Childhood) 6 - Winter 2016— Register at (248) 693-5436
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2016-2017 Lake Orion Kindergarten Program Options
DATES TO REMEMBER Kindergarten Information Nights for Residents Webber
March 2, 2016
6:00 - 7:00 P.M.
Blanche Sims
March 2, 2016
7:15 - 8:15 P.M.
Paint Creek
March 3, 2016
6:00 – 7:00 P.M.
Pine Tree
March 3, 2016
7:15 - 8:15 P.M.
*Carpenter (Year Round)
March 7, 2016
6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
*Orion Oaks (Multiage)
March 8, 2016
6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
*Stadium Drive (Fine Arts)
March 10, 2016
6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
*Focus School lottery for those students who have submitted applications is March 17, 2016. Applications for the lottery can be picked up at any Focus School after March 7, 2016 and are due back to any Focus School by 4:00 P.M. on Monday, March 14, 2016.
DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN AND KINDERGARTEN RESIDENT ENROLLMENT Wednesday, March 23, 2016 11:00 A.M.—1:00 P.M. 2:00 P.M.—6:30 P.M. Room 109 Community Educational Resource Center 455 East Scripps Road Registration for the School Age Child Care program will also be available for incoming kindergarten students.
PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING FOR DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN AND KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Enrollment begins with InfoSnap, our on-line enrollment system. Please visit www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us and click on
Original, certified birth certificate
Immunization records
Parent identification (driver’s license, passport)
Divorce decree/Custody papers (if applicable)
If you are unable to attend registration or have questions regarding enrollment, please contact the Central Enrollment Office
Proof of Residency - Two pieces of proof are required. Proof may be a purchase agreement, mortgage statement, lease agreement, closing statement, property tax statement, utility bills (driver’s license is not proof of residency).
Kindergarten students will need a health appraisal and vision screening prior to the start of school. An age waiver form is required for students born between September 2nd and December 1st, 2011. This form can be found on our website under Central Enrollment - Kindergarten Waiver Form 2016-2017.
at 248-814-0215.
If your child needs before/after school care, please call the Early Childhood Office at 248-693-5439. Register online anytime at http://rp.lakeorion.k12.mi.us - 5
As a parent, reading to your child is one of the most important activities that you can do to prepare your child for success in school. By sharing stories with your child you create a stronger relationship and increase their language and listening skills. Books are also a great way to talk about change and the new expectations of Kindergarten. Below are wonderful selections of books that can assist you in easing your child into the Kindergarten experience.
Children’s Books about the Transition to Kindergarten
Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner, Amy Schwartz Pub: Orchard Book 1991 ISBN: 0531070271
Barbara Bunny Goes to Kindergarten, L.E. Baptist Pub: Publish America, Inc. 2003 ISBN: 1413701779 Busy Bear Goes to Kindergarten, Hartmut Bieber Pub: Park Lane 2004 ISBN: 1593840497
Visit the following sites for more information on Kindergarten readiness: National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for Families http://families.naeyc.org/ Great Start Collaborative-Oakland www.greatstartforkids-oakland.org
Michigan Department of Education Early Learners www.michigan.gov/mde/
Countdown to Kindergarten-Scholastic www.scholastic.com/parents
If you have questions about your child’s development or learning, call our parenting and preschool infoline: 844.456.KIDS Special thanks to the Early Care and Education Subcommittee for their contribution to this document.
Count Down to Kindergarten, Alison McGhee Pub: Silver Whistle 2002 ISBN: 0152025162 First Day, Dandi Daley Mackall Pub: Silver Whistle 2003 ISBN: 0152165770
Going to School, Tammy J. Schleppber Pub: Cooper Beech Books 2001 ISBN: 0761322973 Learning is Fun with Mrs. Perez, Alice Flanagan Pub: Children’s Press 1998 ASIN: 0516207741
Little Miss Spider at Sunny Patch School, David Kirk Pub: Scholastic 2000 ISBN: 0439087279 My Name is Yoon, Helen Recorvits Pub: Farrar Straus and Giroux 2003 ISBN: 0374351147 The Night Before Kindergarten, Natasha Wing Pub: Grosset & Dunlap 2001 ISBN: 0448425009
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2111 Pontiac Lake Road Waterford, MI 48328-2736 Ph: 248.209.2519 Fax: 248.209.2522 www.oakland.k12.mi.us This publication made possible through a grant to Oakland Schools from the Office of Great Start, Michigan Department of Education. Oakland Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation (subject to the limits of applicable law), age, genetic information, or disability in its programs, services, activities or employment opportunities. Inquiries related to employment discrimination should be directed to the Director of Human Resources at 248.209.2059, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48328-2736. For all other inquiries related to discrimination, contact the Director of Human Resources at 248.209.2429, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48328-2736.
On the right track for Kindergarten
Kindergarten is the beginning of an amazing journey for your child What a fun time this is, as your child learns, explores and makes new friends. Great Start CollaborativeOakland is dedicated to helping you prepare your child for success in school and beyond.
Communication is important
Make sure you meet with the Kindergarten teacher, school principal and bus driver to talk about the needs of your child. Remember to read newsletters and other notes sent home from school. A good idea is to set a time with your child to empty their backpack and talk about the day. Be sure to attend parent teacher conferences, visit the school periodically, and volunteer in the classroom. These are all great ways to keep communication open with teachers and school staff.
Join the community of parents and teachers that share an interest in your child’s education
Nearly every school has a parent-teacher organization. These groups usually have meetings that allow you to meet other parents, school staff, and community partners while giving you necessary information about the school and community events. It is a fun way to stay connected while supporting your child’s education.
Parents are important!
Make sure that your child keeps a daily routine that begins with a healthy breakfast and ends with a consistent bedtime, allowing for 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. Encourage your child to play with other children, learn new words, work with puzzles and sing songs! This will create a loving and nurturing relationship and help get them ready for the Kindergarten experience.
In order to get your child on the right track for Kindergarten success, try some of these activities at home with your child Early Literacy and Language • Have your child draw you a picture and tell you about it • Connect letters with sounds • Sing songs together • Read with your child every day • Use the library to find new stories to share • Help your child learn the letters in their name • Allow time for your child to scribble with chalk, paint, pencils, and markers
Early Math Skills
Social and Emotional Skills
• Sort objects by color, shape and texture • Recognize patterns and repeat them using crayons (Example: blue, red, blue, red) • Count items and point out numerals 1-10 in the environment
• Use books or situations to discuss feelings and how to handle them • Encourage friendships and allow time to play with other children • Promote respect and appreciation for all people • Make a few simple rules with your child • Encourage your child to put on their own coat, wash their hands and feed themselves independently
Early Problem-Solving Skills
• Explore cause and effect. (Example: What do you think will happen if...?) • Ask open ended questions: (Example: How do you think we can fix this?) • Help your child complete a task… even when it is difficult • Use blocks with your child to have an understanding of position and direction (Example: over, under, top and bottom)
Physical Skills • • • • • •
Skip, hop, jump and run with your child Create obstacle courses for fun outdoor play Throw and catch a ball with your child String beads for hand and eye coordination Be creative with play dough or clay Supply scissors and glue so your child can cut and paste with supervision
ATTACHMENT 4
15 Annual th
Preschool & Childcare Open House ORION TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
825 Joslyn Road Lake Orion, MI 48362 Phone: 248.693.3000 Fax: 248.693.3009 orionlibrary.org
Our Mission To serve and engage a thriving community of lifelong learners Our Vision To be known for more than books
Wednesday, February 3 4:00p-7:00p Parents, are you searching for the right preschool or childcare? Meet Lake Orion and Oxford area providers, ask questions, and gather information at this special open house. Receive a checklist of what to look for in preschool or childcare, along with information on the programs that each facility has scheduled throughout the year. Drawings for raffle prizes!
All parents welcome to drop in!
Contact youth@orionlibrary.org or 248.693.3002 with any questions