MS Parent Info & Update Session Agenda

Welcome to New Families!

Opening

Solicit Parent Input and Questions

MS Program Overview (expressly for families new to MS)

MS Program Shift including Integrated Math with Individualized Math Maps

Evolving Parent/School Communication for Middle School

Next Steps

Dialogue / Q & A

2Source: National Association for Gifted Children website.

PARENT INPUT

PARENT INPUT What is an outline of the principle concerns?

Open Brainstorm Additional Questions about MS Program? What do you like about new ideas and program in general?

Illuminate and Post Questions / Concerns Opportunities / Hopes Out of Scope for Discussion Now 3

ACERA MISSION

Enable high ability students to learn based upon ability and motivation, not age. Safeguard the spirit and innate curiosity of each child

Focus on inquiry, creativity, and complex thinking

Emphasize STEM learning areas, developing native capacity

Create educational partnerships with Universities and Academic Institutes. Foster inspiration and education in emerging fields

Enable student’s to pursue their passions and talents. Provide a runway for learning so that students can fulfill their potential.

Operate as a Lab School - pilot approaches / strategies. Be a microcosm for Education Innovation.

Develop the next generation of scientists, mathematicians, creative thinkers, and leaders

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THE SOLUTION: NURTURING THE INNOVATORS

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Traditional Model =

Age Based Standards

Acera’s Model = Individualized

Discovery

o Learning = Coverage of state specified content, defined by age based standards.

o Focus on Foundational Knowledge. o Teach to the Middle. Cover content.o Teacher as lecturer and primary source of

information. o Convergent Thinking. Memorization of

Facts. Predefined Methods & Approaches.o Advanced concepts and acceleration

opportunties introduced in middle and high school.

o Learning = Inquiry based, built around student passions and capacity.

o Focus on Complex Thinking. o Individualize. Cultivate curiosity. o Teacher as facilitator with access to world

class scientists and mentors.o Divergent, Creative Problem Solving Links

to Real World Challenges. Meaningful Work.

o Engage students in multi-disciplinary learning and innovation in elementary school to shift the learning trajectory.

APPROACH OF ALL ACERA PROGRAMS

Focus on creative, divergent problem solving, not convergent thinking & execution

Early STEM exposure / engagement in leading and emerging fields without fear for not knowing it all

High engagement learning & projects, not worksheets & textbooks

Cross disciplinary learning & thinking (Harder to hire for and to prove “coverage”, but more accurate training for the future.)

Individualized programming based on potential, needs, interests, not standards based which can limit access

Never teach to standardized tests

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LEARNING APPROACH

Map inquiry and projects to themes and real world needs

Pre-assess students and individualize learning to match abilities and needs.

Multi-age classrooms with flexible ability groups and high expectations.

Leverage partnerships with area experts and organizations to enrich learning.

Porous walls to the world of ideas, inventions, new fields, and great thinkers.

Emphasize STEM and core capacities needed for 21st century citizens

Raise the next generation in the “soup” of the sciences and creative thinking.

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CORE LEARNING STRATEGIES

Pre Assessment Evaluate each student’s abilities at start of school year. Include nationally normed, on-line assessment by STAR Renaissance which adapts to student ability level during testing. We attempt to find the ceiling on what students are capable of in reading, math, writing so we can determine the right learning level for each student.

Individualized Learning Plans & Differentiated Instruction Collaborative, flexible approaches that serve each student’s needs through the school year, built and planned with input from pre assessments, teachers, parents, and student. Teachers support students in ways which align to their skill level and learning style.

Dialogue & Inquiry Emphasis Students exchange ideas with like ability peers in an open, inquiry oriented environment. Expansive, systems oriented thinking and perspective taking emphasized. Complex ideas and ethical discussions abound.

Flexible Groups Students grouped with like ability peers for math group instruction and for book groups. Students grouped by interests in Passion Projects.

Thematic & Contextual Activities relate to the real world. Thematic learning helps address wide ability ranges. Problems can be seen as opportunities for impact.

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OUR CULTURE

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What We Are What We are Not

Inspire Curiosity & Voice. Enable Freedom to Thrive. We safeguard the spirit of each child and their intrinsic spark to learn. We believe in student ownership of their projects and learning. We train skills and judgment. We hold students accountable for being a kind, responsible member of community.

Meaningful work. Doing what you think is right because you are using your judgment and creativity to solve problems. Developing thinkers and leaders.

Focused on coverage of curriculum or standardized norms.

Pressure to perform.

Authoritarian. We do not punish students.

Busywork. Doing what you are told because that is what you are supposed to do. Developing box checkers.

PHILOSOPHIES & CULTURE

Goals for Understanding. Freedom not Pressure. Freedom to understand. Engagement and ability to dive deep and spend

more time in areas of passion. Emphasis on big picture, meaning and freedom, not pressure, copious output, and coverage of content

Discipline = Clear Expectations, Accountability & Accommodation

Understand and respond to each child’s needs is a supportive way not a punitive one. Focus on self awareness and skill development. On a continuum from rigid / teacher directed to open and student centered, we are open and student centered.

Parental Orientation -Collaborate & Support Approach problems and needs with an open heart and generous spirit, not

through judgment or blame. Work as a whole community to learn and grow.

Homework Authentic extension of school learning. No busywork. Minimal teacher

directed homework through grade 5.

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ACERA MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM Purpose: Develop a sense of identity, voice and confidence.

Build students’ perspective taking and systems thinking skills.

Enable students to step into being the best version of themselves, invested citizens who can make a positive impact within our world.

Foster emotional intelligence, accountability and organizational abilities to concur with this middle years stage and age.

Optimize the transitional time between child and adulthood, developing creative problem solving, leadership, collaboration and innovation capacities.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM APPROACH Extension of our Elementary Program; increased developmental readiness students enables students to take on increased accountability. Increased opportunities to initiate and follow through on their own ideas, interests and projects.

Our program evolves, responding to student interests, needs and passions. Inquiry Learning approach takes a lead from student questions. Students’ observations and questions emphasize-- If I see a need, how can I create / invent / solve it?

Dialogue enables student discovery and deduction of concepts from first principles

Teachers customize challenging STEM and humanities learning opportunities, embracing inter-disciplinary learning. Students gain skills and knowledge to solve meaningful problems while developing their creativity and leadership.

Significant focus on writing and organizational skills.

Eclectic pedagogy; whole class instruction with science labs, flexible math and elective groups intermix explicit instruction with discussions and assignments.

Individualized learning goals align to each student’s potential and interests.

Technology tools enable a window into the outside world and hatch digital natives.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM OUTCOME We focus on preparing students for life.

We believe this emphasis on learning to ask good questions, engage in teams productively, write, organize and initiate, and take responsibility for yourself, your work, your impact on a community – is the best way to prepare students for success in any high school program.

We emphasize self knowledge about their own shortcomings and strengths- and habits of accountability. Focus is to develop EQ, frustration tolerance, and positive persistence.

We engage students to initiate and lead in a way which aligns with their unique potential as problem solvers, innovators and leaders who can make a positive impact in the world. 13

21ST CENTURY TOOLKIT ACERA FOCUSES ON CAPACITIES, NOT JUST SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

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MS Program: Inquiry Mode Taps Intrinsic Motivation

COMPONENTSInterdisciplinary thinking and development of

capacities. Student voice, choice and discovery. Electives Ability Based Math with Individual Learning Plan/Map & Math

Dialogue w/ Peers Science Labs Student Initiated Projects Creativity Morning Social / Emotional Learning / SEL Organizational skill building Writing skill building Sex Education (Holistic Health) Mindfulness / Yoga Optional After School Model UN/ Political Science Club Optional Before School Foreign Language

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What is Inquiry Time?

Montessori- like “Freedom in a Prepared Environment”

Students Determine How To Invest Their Time within Rich Offerings and with invitation to initiate their own projects.

Core teachers coach, enabling organizational and writing skills, good choices & academic, social and emotional growth

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The Prepared Environment of Acera MS What It is Not Electives (political science/history, engineering, neuroscience, human behavior, art, music?) Quests, built from student interests and questionsIndividual Passion Projects Group ProjectsWhole Class Projects (Musical? Civilization Project?)Mentor Coaching Time (in math, science, art, literature, engineering, history, etc.) School Stewardship Projects Flexible Math GroupsMath Problem Sets / Assignments

Drift Time No Structure Inappropriate Laptop Use No accountability

MS PROGRAM SHIFTS: WE ADAPT

Electives Will Be Open To All (No longer need to choose just one. Possibilities may include Intro to Aeronautical Engineering, Islam, Philosophy, others tbd)

Integrated Mathematics + Individualized Math Map

New Evaluation System based on Experience Points

Curriculum Collaborator Presence, & Mentor Involvement (Possible because of schedule flexibility. New Mentor Program launched this fall. )

Acera will have Full Time Engineering Teacher / Mentor to Bring Innovation Lab to Life

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Integrated Math Program Overview Agenda

Why It Is Needed Philosophy What It Is Individualization Math Maps Staffing of Math Specialists Challenges with Traditional Secondary Math Acera Integrated Math Program Advantages Admissions to High School

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Integrated Math Program: Why It Is Needed

Increase in math avoidant behaviors (esp. in last 4 months)

4 hours / week of math is not enough

Students falsely limit math discussions and learning to fit into the math time block “What is next?” asks student. “Nothing. It is

10:00” peer replies.

Despite copious attempts to bring mathematics into interdisciplinary projects, students exhibit a rigid and limited mindset that math is only to occur in math block.

Students are often not able to apply math as a toolset in situations as one would expect, given what they’ve learned and demonstrated in math class. Math class learning often does not carry over.

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Integrated Math: Why It Is Needed (Kate)

Math Learning is often NOT sequential.

Forcing it into a sequential framework can erode student engagement, excitement and limit depth of understanding

Click to Math is Non Linear – https://prezi.com/aww2hjfyil0u/math-is-not-linear/

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Integrated Math Program Philosophy

Intrinsic Motivation Student Identify Interests to for their Math

Learning Map Mentor Advice, Input and Coaching helps

shape their path Student Ownership in What They Want to

Learn / Achieve Increase in Motivation. Expectation for Students to Follow Through on

The Commitments they’ve made and Path They’ve Defined.

Get Re-direction if/ when they Veer Off Course Students learn more and retain more when

they are driving it, when it is meaningful to them, when its contextual

THEORY X vs THEORY YCONSTRAINED vs UNCONSTRAINED

The Art of Teaching

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Integrated Math Program: What It Is

Enables Math Learning and Dialogue to Happen More Often - Any Time, Any Day, and for Multiple Hours in a Row.

Math Learning / problem solving happens in context when it is meaningful and relevant.

Individualized Math Maps Student initiative frames math learning goals Mentor’s advice embedded in students’ math

maps Removes the barrier imposed by a rigid schedule Empowers math mentors, core teachers,

and students to organize math groups and explicit instruction opportunities

Math Mentors clump aligned needs / lead math groups for explicit instruction and assignments

Math Groups Can be One-time, multiple weeks. . . Or more.

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Integrated Math Program: What It Is

Go to Video of Project-Based Math Learning Discussion - from Sean and Gus’ merged math groups

(these videos are also available via our Parent Log-in on the MS Page. Access passcode is pascal1415 – this parent log in for all classroom blogs, family directory and more can be accessed from the public website. )

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Integrated Math Program: Individualization

Math Mentor Assigned to Each Student Based Upon Abilities, Interests, Learning Style

Student Initiates formation of interests, learning goals and hopes for math learning for the year – a Math Map

Math Mentor gives advice to help shape the plan

Math Mentors support student self awareness of their needs, capacity, and foundational precursors needed to get to where they want to go . . . and to where they can go

Math Mentor and Student Partner throughout the year to evaluate and track progress, and create a great and appropriate set of experiences to achieve learning goals

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Integrated Math Program: Maps (Kate)

Maps Are In multiple Levels. Show interconnections in content.

Identify where foundational knowledge is needed. Identify math learning areas that are not linear.

Foundational Skills and Conceptual Thinking Which is robustly

applied. That which is used on a daily basis in the world.

Middle School Mathematics

Exploratory Mathematical Reasoning, Very Interesting Tangents

often not taught in traditional programs

Formulization Learning Framed Around Specific Secondary Math

Courses.

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Integrated Math Program: Maps (Kate)

Go to SAMPLE NON LINEAR MATH LEARNING MAP

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Integrated Math Program: Staffing of Specialists

Math Mentor Assigned to Each Student Specialists present across different timeframes

so flexible math groups can be coalesced and can run during inquiry timeframes.

Staffing Schedules can evolve if / as needed Gus and Sean Both Can Both Teach high levels of

math Current Plan = 3 math specialists will be on deck

focused on middle school each week (in addition to math teaching and discussion skills of core teachers.)

Math mentor specialist presence will be for about 20 add’l teaching /mentor hours / week (beyond Sean and Gus full time). Can be deployed in a more customized and contextual way than the current model.

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Challenges -Traditional Secondary Math (Kate)

It is focused on teaching students to execute formulas, not to solve problems

Does not provide room for formulating math models

Assumes inaccurately that all math learning is sequential

Some of the most useful and important aspects of math adults use and need are not necessarily taught at all Finance Statistics Discrete Math

Is not seen as useful

Absence of Joy and Beauty !28

Integrated Math Program: Acera’s Proposed Program’s Advantages

It engages students to use math in “non math” situations

Students deduce ideas from first principles

You can’t get them to stop talking about it. . . And when they don’t have a bell (even if its only in their head. . .) they don’t have to stop just because of an arbitrary time limitation

Practice Using Math as Tools for Problem Solving

We Have Proof – from other disciplines of study, from earlier years, from the literature, and from the merged math groups this spring – that this will solve the problems and assure that our students are better at mathematics application . . . While getting an even more custom program.

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New MS Evaluation System

Gus’ Background & Passion in this Area

Our Intention to be a “Lab School” setting to partner, test, implement innovative solutions to meet student needs

Results of This Year’s Pilot to grade in electives

Experience Points System Philosophy

Role of Math Mentor to Evaluate and Track Progress

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Draft: Experience Points System to be Adapted

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MS Parent / Communication

There is a Desire for Evaluation and Tracking Progress by Subject and holistically against age based peers

Gus’ background and beliefs and the overall national picture

For now though. . .

Results of This Year’s Pilot to grade in electives Plan to Implement Experience Points System Example, Role of Math Mentor to partner with

student to evaluate and track progress against learning goals

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MS Parent / School Communication

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What Is / Has Been Tried New Ideas for Next Year

•MS Website / Parent Page •Twitter •3X Year Scheduled Conferences •Add’l Conferences As Requested •Periodic Email Updates •Written ILP (fall) + 2 narrative reports (Feb & June)

•Open Invitation to Come By, Observe, or “Drop By” at 8am, 3pm

•Twice Yearly MS Parent / Teacher Whole Group Meetings re: Program Update & Expectation Setting (September & May)

•Philosophy Sharing (posts to Website)

Additions: Malcolm will lead & upgrade our approaches

Re-launch more context rich email updates

More frequent MS Class Group Meetings

OUR VALUES Curiosity & Innovation

Discover, innovate & learn with a voracious mind. Maintain a sense of wonder in our world. Enable freedom and joy in learning. Engage challenges as opportunities.

Community Respect others. Support others to become the best version of themselves. Use

talents to make a positive difference. Respect perspectives of others. Openness

Have a humble heart and an open mind. Communicate with truth & compassion. Embrace diverse ways of seeing the world.

Leadership Model our beliefs for each other. Be flexible about roles. Be flexible about roles.

Enable ownership in others. Be flexible and resilient. Find your inner tenacity. Inspire a shared vision.

Integrity Be accountable: do what you say you will do, and do the right thing. Make

decisions based upon your values. Honor yourself and your own personal potential by challenging yourself to do your best.