Livingston Manor School Scene 2016

SCHOOL SCENE A Special Supplement to the Sullivan County Democrat

A look at activities in the Livingston Manor School District SECTION L, MARCH, 2016 • CALLICOON, NY

LIVINGSTON MANOR SCHOOL SCENE

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SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

MARCH, 2016

District adopts ‘departmentalization’ for 4th grade ELA and math STORY AND PHOTOS

BY KATHY DALEY

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ourth grader Maggie Ross has no problem doing each morning what older kids do: she leaves her homeroom for English Language Arts one day and Math the next.

"I like having two different teachers in the morning," said Maggie.

Along with her class, Maggie serenely packs up the possessions she needs for the next class, moves onto a quiet line in the hallway and heads for another classroom around the corner and down the hallway.

In September, Livingston Manor Central School began "departmentalizing" its fourth grade teachers.

Teachers Mari Martin, a veteran of 26 years at the school, and newcomer Janine Neumann, teach math and English respectively until 10:30 a.m.

At that point, they continue the day

Fourth grade teacher Mari Martin works on math projects with students Hunter Banks, Brooke Hessinger and Cian Meyer.

in their own homerooms, teaching social studies and science and support work in ELA and math to their own classes.

The shift was prompted by the fact that fifth graders undergo departmentalization, moving from classroom to classroom with different teachers for each subject – and that sometimes the students struggle a bit. "[The school] found that fifth graders were having a hard time keeping up with the expectations of different teachers and with organizing materials for the next class, and so on,” said Martin.

With only 13 students in each of the two fourth grade sections this September, the time was right to make the shift for the younger kids as well, giving them a heads up on the rigors of fifth grade.

Martin and Neumann met this CONTINUED ON 4L

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School Scene: A Look at Activities in Livingston Manor Central School Published by

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summer for curriculum planning and for finding ways to ease the process for their students. They designed an organizational packet for each child that provides a flexible pencil case-type pouch for important tools like protractors and highlighters that are carried from one classroom to another.

The students were also provided with color-coded folders, a purple folder for math and an orange folder for ELA. After the first week under the new routine, the fourth grade had mastered the process.

Happily, the change allowed for a solid one-hour period for math and one hour for ELA, as compared to much shorter sessions before departmentalization. The longer period allows more time for enriching projects and presentations, the teachers said.

As new learning standards require much more on the part of students and teachers, many districts are moving toward departmentalization, asking teachers to become

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experts in specific content areas, Martin said. “With the Common Core,� she said, “we had adopted new curriculum and materials for both ELA and Math, and it was overwhelming.

[Departmentalization] has allowed me to get solid knowledge, practice, implementation and evaluation of students. �

Districts that do make the change often find that students learn more.

In larger districts where numerous teachers teach the same grade, “it's hard for the districts to make sure that material is being covered at an even pace by each teacher, in other words, that all classes are at the same spot in terms of learning,� said Martin.

"Because I teach each (English Language Arts) lesson twice," adds Neumann, "I'm able to master the lessons. Mari and I find ourselves learning from the first lesson and critiquing for the second time.�

The two teachers meet for common planning sessions during lunch each day and then again at the end of the day.

Both said they feel renewed.

MARCH, 2016

Janine Neumann is the fourth grade expert on English Language Arts, teaching to all 26 students including Makayla Dutcher.

"Taking on math was fantastic," said Martin. "It's wonderful to be able to hyper-focus on just one subject. And since I'm the math teacher for all the students in the entire

grade, I'm responsible and that's nice.� “Our students,� said Neumann, “will definitely be more prepared for next year.�

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Earning college credits without leaving high school

STORY AND PHOTO

BY KATHY DALEY

Before using a spectrophotometer to determine the “absorbance” of various solutions, senior Tara Carlson studies the “blank” solution, which is the solvent used to dissolve a specimen.

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rigorous new biology course at Livingston Manor High School drives students like Tara Carlson and Wesley Gerow to work overtime in order to excel in class. But they don't seem to mind.

Principles of Biology, taught by Manor science teacher Paul Favata, is a college-accredited course offered at the high school through SUNY Sullivan.

“I love this class,” said Gerow. “I wanted to get ahead in my college credits, and I thought this was the best way to do it.

Gerow hopes to go into chemical engineering.

“This is more difficult and challenging than other high school courses,” he said. “We go into more deep concepts, like entropy ... and free energy ...”

When Tara Carlson graduates from Manor, she will enter the U.S. Army as a chaplain assistant.

“I feel this course is bettering me as a whole,” said Carlson. “It's teaching me discipline and it helps to have the college credits.”

“I spend hours after school doing outside research, looking for videos to give me better understanding. I'm learning that you can't just be in class and not pay attention. I feel like this is preparing me for the future.”

At SUNY Sullivan, Principles of Biology is a prerequisite for students who want to pursue biology, explained

Favata.

“What we're doing here is giving our students an opportunity to get that one course out of the way in order to get started (on their college careers),” he said.

In order to teach the course Favata had to be certified as a SUNY Sullivan adjunct professor. He uses the college's syllabus, reports grades to them and outreaches to college instructors and lab technicians.

The course opened at Livingston Manor in September with 11 students “who are willing and capable of doing a fantastic job,” their teacher said. “They view it as a benefit and a great opportunity.”

SUNY Sullivan also offers collegeaccredited classes in math and English at Livingston Manor High School.

Students range from those who might go into the pure sciences, or into health fields, or who are still in the process of deciding.

In Principles of Biology, they learn about chemical relationships, cell biology, reproduction, respiration, molecular and classical genetics and evolution.

“They are learning through the lens of original research, through published scientific journals,” Favata pointed out.

Independent reading, round table discussions, writing pieces for peer critique all make the college class “a big step for us here,” he said.

Accompanying the new course are a number of other initiatives in the high school science department. They include an increased amount of time in science classes in general; a revamped earth science class to an upper level; and the addition of new science teacher Raychale Smith who is a physics specialist and also teaches seventh and eighth grade science.

Smith joins Favata and teacher Jessica Freidenstine, who is the instructor for the Regents course Living Environment and for forensics, which is an elective.

The teachers are excited about the link-up with the local college.

“These students,” said Favata, “can step onto a college campus and be responsible for their own learning.”

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MARCH, 2016

Counselor changes lives by teaching ‘Emotional Literacy’ STORY AND PHOTO

BY KATHY DALEY

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with following rules, directions and planning,” said DalCero. “We've also talked about caring and kindness and being 'bucket fillers,'” that is, people who help without being asked, who give compliments and who make others feel good.

Teaching perseverance, setting goals and establishing priorities are also important.

Now, DalCero and her students are involved in a unit on bullying, which identifies what bullying is and how students can be “upstanders” – those who see or hear someone being bullied and actually speak up about it.

“We are also covering issues of cyber-bullying along with passive, aggressive and assertive communication and gossip and rumors,” said DalCero.

Later in the school year, she will touch on friendship, careers, feelings and emotional awareness. She'll lead talks and projects on trustworthiness

and good citizenship, on problem solving and self-control, and on transitioning to the next school year.

The younger children benefit from a feature called the PATHS Kid of the Day. Selecting a name randomly, DalCero invites the child to act as her assistant with the lesson, calling on classmates to answer questions.

“We begin each lesson by applauding the PATHS Kid of the Day,” said the counselor. And the day ends with compliments for that lead student.

Short videos, role-playing, discussions with partners and making presentations are also part of PATHS. “Students in 5th and 6th grade do a lot of group and team activities,” DalCero explained. “We also do a lot of written work including reflection on a particular activity, or reflections on feelings about a certain activity.”

In the upper grades of seventh and eighth, students work on setting goals, communication and networking,

study skills, post-secondary options, careers, money matters (budgeting and savings) and identifying personal values.

“Growing their intelligence” is an important aspect for those kids.

DalCero teaches that practice and putting time into studying the way one would with TV or video games can result in the same kind of growth represented, for example, in the movie “Stand and Deliver.” In that film, a teacher gets his inner-city kids to immerse themselves in higher math to win a calculus competition.

Feedback from teachers on PATHS is exceptionally positive. “It's such an important program,” said third grade teacher Selena Ross. “PATHS teaches students that all feelings are a natural part of life. It teaches children how to handle different feelings in a healthy manner and gives them strategies and skills they can use in everyday situations in their lives.”

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School counselor Danielle DalCero works with kindergarten through eighth graders on recognizing and dealing with emotions and other factors that might inhibit success in school. Here, DalCero is surrounded by teacher Selena Ross' third graders, back row: Joseph David, Angelina Avila, EmmaRae Owen, Edwin Peet, Tyler Roberts, Cahl Darling, Jackson Krause, Sophie Wilkin. Front row: Gabriel Rampe, Cassie Wolcott, Ciarra Staudt, Kyle Hendrickson, Michael Benson, McKenna Barry.

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hen children experience emotional problems, they can't focus well on academics. So a child in crisis might fall through the cracks.

But not with school counselor Danielle DalCero on the job.

At Livingston Manor Central School, DalCero has helped students work on their “emotional literacy” for the past eight years, with great results.

“There are some days when I am in a class that the students move me to tears with their insights on a certain topic, their compliments for their classmates, or sharing something that is meaningful to them,” said DalCero.

DalCero runs the PATHS program (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) for students from kindergarten through eighth grade, a weekly class that empowers children to develop the social and emotional learning skills that will enable them to make positive choices throughout life.

Kids love PATHS. “We learn about not teasing people,” said Kyle Hendrickson, a third grader. “And how to not say mean things,” adds fellow student Angelina Avila. Tyler Roberts says it's helpful to learn that sometimes feeling scared and unhappy is normal.

Social-emotional learning – the term used for creating an environment inside and outside a student that helps them achieve academically and socially – is based on research that shows how emotions can either enhance or hold back a student's ability to learn.

“In K-6 this year, we've focused on starting the year off on the right foot

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Harking back to Socrates, a class that questions (almost) everything you.”

“What kind of person do you have to be to be a leader in non-violence?” asks Loeffler.

"Nice, patient," says one student.

"Strong," responds another.

Once a week, the Socratic method of questioning, named after the queryloving philosopher Socrates, rules the roost in Loeffler's tenth grade Global History classroom.

Getting students to think about what they are learning, think about what they are asking, and think about their answers develops new skills, said the teacher.

“If you read and don't think about what you read, will you remember it?

Probably not,” he said.

By contrast, delving in and then asking questions invites students to question premises and examine possibilities. There are no wrong answers.

“It helps clarify thinking and encourages collaboration. They learn from one another,” said Loeffler.

Student Lindsey Hefele agreed.

“I like this – it's more interactive,” she said.

“It makes you use your head more,” added Jason Gorr.

Socratic questioning also enhances reading comprehension and listening and speaking skills. Students become less hesitant about speaking aloud in front of their peers as they move toward independent thinking and taking ownership of their own learning.

Using the transcript of an actual speech by Gandhi in 1942, the students continue to discuss his work and his effect on the world.

“If Gandhi's method of non-violence were used more nationally and globally, would everyone be non-violent?” asks one of Loeffler's students.

Good question, says the teacher. He responds with another: “Is it the nature of people to be violent?”

A resounding no arises from the class.

Resorting to violence as a solution does even more harm, they agree.

“How do you lose hate?” asks their teacher.

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Social studies teacher Jeff Loeffler employs the Socratic method of questioning to develop in his students the excitement of learning

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY KATHY DALEY

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n social studies teacher Jeff Loeffler's class, a simple question serves as one of the most powerful strategies for learning.

Loeffler is teaching a unit on postWorld War I nationalism, and the class is studying the non-violent work of Mahatma Gandhi, the leading figure in

C

hildren spend a substantial part of their lives asleep. In fact, in early childhood, the developing brain seems to need more time asleep than awake. This underscores the importance of sleep to the overall well-being of a child. Teenagers need between 8.50 and 9.25 hours of sleep each night – much more than commonly believed.

Adolescents and older children may suffer from lack of sleep simply by not sleeping an adequate number of

“Teenagers need between 8.5 and 9.25 hours of sleep each night – much more than commonly believed.”

India's struggle to gain independence from Great Britain.

Student Jason Gorr poses the question "Can people who use non-violence be easily dominated?"

There is a perceptive silence in the room, where an onlooker might almost hear the wheels in the brains turning.

“It's a trade-off," offers student Treas Clingenpeel, “but yes, you could be put down. But people would come to help

hours, or they may lack good-quality sleep.

With the typical school and afterschool activities, homework and evening activities (e.g., TV watching and Internet involvement), a lot goes on in the older child’s life. Add weekend social obligations and, perhaps, a job, and you have a recipe for sleep deprivation.

Late bedtime hours are not, however, due solely to these activities. With the onset of puberty, adolescents begin to experience a delay in the “phase” of their biological clock. As a result, they fall asleep later in the evening, which makes it more difficult for them to wake up in time for school.

In fact, the timing of the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin, is delayed. No wonder then, despite being sleep deprived, adolescents cannot seem to fall asleep earlier in the evening, even if forced to their

“. . . Only about half the physicians who care for children address sleep-related issues in their clinics . . .”

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