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Last updated: 5/20/10
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Denise Lindner's Site
The Nancie Atwell Experience
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1. Last Day
Sigh--today was my last day of school at CTL, and it was hard to leave. Really hard. For the last week I witnessed students who love to learn, who are curious, who challenge their teachers to keep current in their own fields so they can, in turn, help the students grow, and who are proud of the learners they have become because of the teaching practices at CTL.
As an educator, this experience forces me to reflect on my teaching practices--all of them--and figure out what I hope to accomplish as an educator. The kids at CTL can pass any state assessment put forth; their learning does not stop there. In fact, that's just the beginning.
I come back armed with the educational theories discussed and implemented at CTL, ready to share them with R-H teachers who are interested.
"Things could change, Gabe. Things could be different. . ." The Giver, Lois Lowry
posted 12/4/2008 12:39 PM
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2. Responses to Postings
Thanks for your posts! To expedite time for all of us, I will answer the questions, as best I can, here. Will asked me about technology. There isn't a mandate like in NY, but all Mainers in public schools, in grade eight, get laptops. CTL is an independent school, so they don't qualify.
Matt, to comment on your inquiry about boys, I will ask tomorrow because Nancie mentioned they will conduct their next study group on boys. However, I observe the boys at this school as active readers and writers. The teachers make sure to booktalk lots of titles that boys would enjoy. Since we've been here, boys have given booktalks every day. But I will check.
Denise, their school day ends sooner than ours, so teachers meet after school, but I don't know if that is the only time they meet. I will ask tomorrow!
Today I learned that one of the keys to success in this school is a strong, consistent focus on student self reflection and evaluation. Every twelve weeks students spend a week reflecting on their classes--all classes-- and their growth in each area. Then, they create a portfolio as proof of their learning, what lessons helped most, and captions why these elements helped. Finally, students set goals for each class for the next twelve weeks. A final component is a narrative written by the teacher detailing what he/she observed in the student's progress. These reflections are clear, specific, and comprehensive. This portfolio is then presented at a parent/teacher meeting, with the student leading the conversation.
My brain is so full I forgot to thank Denise and my team for the thoughtful send-off. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your confidence in me.
posted 10/1/2008 9:19 PM
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3. Tuesday's Findings
We spend our day observing teachers, questioning their methods, and reviewing their research. Being happy, skillful, habitual, and passionate readers and writers is the basic goal of the reading/writing program here at CTL, and it shows. There are no teacher desks in the classroom, but books and exposure to texts are everywhere, both physically and in every conversation between students and teachers.
This school works, I believe, due to a number of factors that I notice. The teachers at this building read and write about their content area, both for their kids and for their own professional development. Students make many decisions about how to pursue their understanding of concepts within classes--choice is a foundational element of this program. The school abounds with predictable structures kids count on--and appreciate. Today I ate lunch with a table of seventh and eighth-grade boys; we discussed reading, and all of them said the time to read in class was crucial to them being habitual readers. Teachers loop with their students here, and the bonds formed are obvious. Chunks of space and time are dedicated to specific tasks (a humanities room, a math/science lab, etc.). Teachers plan in a longitudinal setting, and conversations about common themes happen regularly. Lots of content-area reading happens; in fact, today in history Nancie delivered a mini lesson on how to highlight a nonfiction text effectively. In essence, this school has defined what their priorities are, and every moment in the school day adds to those priorities. No time is wasted. Everything has quantified research to prove validity. But most importantly, the tone of the school is that of genuine, joyful respect for each other and for the serious, mature learning that happens.
posted 9/30/2008 10:16 PM
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4. Monday's School Experience
No hurricane news to report, but what I saw today blew me away nonetheless. The Center for Teaching and Learning is an independent school, run by teachers, who dedicate their professional lives to discovering and implementing the best practices in education. This intern program helps CTL disseminate their teaching methods to schools all over the country via us, the interns.
Because teachers make all major decisions, one can imagine the unique facets they are able to control, in addition to curriculum: the design of the building, which does not feel like a school at all--an art studio is the closest I can come to describing the feeling, and scheduling (snack time @ 10:15; recess after lunch). But every moment spent inside the walls of CTL focuses on pure, genuine, hard work. And the students enjoy getting their hands dirty; they know the expectations of writers, readers, mathematicians, historians, and scientists, and they live up to them.
Through all this, I remind myself that Nancie Atwell, the school's president, reading, writing, and history teacher for grades seven and eight, began her work at a public middle school in Tonawanda, NY. She has been where we are--and she found ways of nuancing the rigidity of traditional school structure.
At 8:45 this morning, we had already heard the kindergartners recite Christina Rossetti's poem "The Swallow," heard the school perform the song "Fall Comes to New England," and had a conversation about the electorial college, the current polling numbers, and students' observations about Friday's presidential debate.
Tuesday will find us observing more reading and writing instruction in grades five through eight. I hope to observe a history lesson tomorrow. They use a spiral curriculum in math, science, and social studies, and thematically link those subjects together. Overall, everything fits like pieces in a puzzle. Teachers plan together as a team--each grade level speaks with one another about instruction, and one can feel that each grade level feeds off the last.
Teachers loop with students, and grade levels are combined (1 and 2; 3 and 4; 5 and 6; 7 and 8), but there isn't a creepy Little House on the Prairie schoolhouse feel. It works. And it works because all classes are inquiry based and teachers use responsive teaching.
Before I sign off to do tonight's homework, I need to thank Dina Strasser for posting the links to Nancie's work on our conference board and on her blog.
posted 9/29/2008 10:06 PM
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5. Travel Day
One reason Denise supported this experience is the exposure to interdisciplinary planning and teaching I hopefully will encounter. However, the trip has barely begun, and I already have a science connection to share. . . Hurricane Kyle! The weather isn't horrible, yet, but the rain keeps pouring down. Chances are good that Kyle will push past us; if not , this will be the first time in seventeen years that a hurricane bites into Maine.
Another observation is that people in Maine boil over with passion--for their education, their environment, their politics, and their blueberries.
posted 9/28/2008 4:43 PM
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6. In the beginning. . .
As of Monday, September 29, I will be in Maine studying with Nancie Atwell.
posted 9/25/2008 12:29 PM
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