Engaging with the school speaks volumes to the students

By Alan Bailey

In the third of a series of articles on parent assistance in class we look at some ways in which parents can help in the middle grades.

Actions often do speak louder than words. And, as at any level in Chugach Optional, parent involvement at the school in the middle grades – grades three and four – sends an unspoken message to the students about the importance of education.

“Parents’ presence in the classroom speaks volumes about what they value and the kids adore having their parents in class,” said middle grade teacher Sharon Lee Jones.

Coming into the school at the beginning of the day, rather than just dropping your child off, sets the right tone and provides opportunities to visit with other parents and to check in with what is happening in our learning space, said Pam Rowell.

“We’re a community,” Pam said. “We greet people and model an inviting tone. Not only is the learning attitude set for the day, but it’s also a welcoming time for the kids with their friends and other adults.”

However, parents are welcome to come in to help in class at any time during the school day. And, contrary to what some may think, there’s at least as much parent involvement needed the middle grades as in the primary grades – it’s just that the nature of the help changes, Pam said.

Take reading and writing, for example.

When students enter the middle grades they already have the building blocks of reading and writing in place, ready to move forward with independent work on more advanced material. So, there is more of a focus on grasping the meaning of a narrative, and understanding the subtleties of a story.

“The nature of the reading changes because they’re not learning how to read. They are now learning to understand what they’re reading, so it’s more about the comprehension and conversations of their understandings of their reading selections,” Pam said.

Class work typically involves book groups and writing workshops, with parents interacting with groups of students, or with individuals. The parents act as reading or writing coaches, coaxing out ideas, perhaps bringing thoughts into focus.

“In my class we do a lot of writing workshops, where the kids are at different stages of the writing process,” said Heidi Edwards. “That requires a lot of parent help and time.”

For example, a parent can work with a student on the final edits of the student’s work, guiding the student on how to tidy up the piece, pointing out any technical problems such as missing periods at the ends of sentences, and giving the student the kind of individual attention that is only possible through parent involvement in the lesson.

“I can’t do it all on my own because it literally takes hours to have the one-on-one time with the children,” Heidi said.

In a book-group session, each group of students reads the same book and parents can guide the students through the reading process, asking questions that encourage the students to think about what an author is saying.

Pam said that different students tend to have reached different levels of reading ability, thus requiring the teacher to flexibly arrange groups of readers. Then, while the teacher is working with a group on one book or independent selections that are “just right” for each student, a parent can help keep other readers on track or lead their own group as a reading coach.

This type of approach becomes especially important in math, with different students moving through different grade-appropriate subject matter at different times in a multi-grade family group, said Sharon Lee. A student will typically feel overwhelmed when faced with a too-advanced math problem, she said. So, with the teacher helping some students through a new math concept that is appropriate to them, a parent can keep other students on task.

“It’s a huge benefit when we’ve got a parent in class during math time … seeing who needs help, sitting down at a table and asking them what they’re doing,” Sharon Lee said.

In math, in particular, parents should resist the temptation to tell students the answers rather than asking questions that guide the student through the struggle of arriving at the solution. A developing student needs to try different strategies, different methods, finding ways to understand and solve a problem, Sharon Lee said.

“When that all comes together, and it will, they’ll be much better off than they would be if they were just told,” she said.

There is a completely different dimension to parent help when it comes to assisting with the theme studies that thread their way through the middle grade program and that add great richness to the students’ learning experience. Projects such as the Middle Ages fair, a highlight of the Middle Ages theme that recurs every couple of years, require an army of parent helpers, sewing costumes; cutting wood and other materials; and purchasing various supplies.

“Middle group could potentially put on a medieval fair without parent help but it wouldn’t look the same,” Heidi said. “The fair has evolved through the years to become what it is today, an exceptional enrichment to our study of middle ages history, only because we have so much help, guidance and preparation from parents."

Then there are the home projects, such as model castle construction, that come with the themes. These projects, a type of student homework, give the kids experience in planning and time management, as well as in doing research and using math skills. Parents perform a vital role by providing support, by helping with planning, and by making sure that the project progresses.

Assistance done at home in other areas of the curriculum includes guidance with word study, where students have to sort sets of words into groups. Word study would not work without parent help, Heidi said.

But in whatever way parents become involved, they should treasure the all-too-fleeting years when their child delights in seeing them at school, Sharon cautioned. Time is short, she said. And that parental involvement sets a solid foundation for a student’s continuing school career.

The optional philosophy in art, music, physical education and the library

By Mariah Oxford

The student artwork lining our hallways greets visitors and makes a bold visual statement about Chugach. Pieces are grouped together, effectively highlighting their similarities and differences. It’s a powerful display of community.

It’s also a visual example of the optional philosophy at work. Nurturing growth of the whole child is a core belief at Chugach, and that underscores the importance of our childrens’ art, PE/health, music and library experiences as a complement to their regular classroom curriculum.

In each area you can find concrete examples of how the optional philosophy informs and inspires the learning environment. Here are just a few:

Encouraging teamwork and problem solving

“In Physical Education we incorporate life long fitness goals and skills into games, team challenges, and individual activities. There is always an emphasis on cooperation and the students are encouraged to problem solve whether that is through strategies, team initiatives, or other activities. We work a lot on social skills such as teamwork, getting along with others, and how to be inclusive in everything we do.” –Polly

Integration with the classroom curriculum

“In music I base much of what we do on the units being covered in the classroom. From songs and musicals to group projects, there is so much to be gained from linking music lessons to what kids are already studying. A perfect example is in Upper when the students are studying structures we do structure compositions in music. Students work in groups to come up with a composition or a sound painting that reflects the structure they have chosen. When the projects are finished, each group presents their project to the class and talks about how their piece is like their structure. This gives us a chance to not only work with musical composition, but to compare vocabulary used in both architecture and music such as composition, variation, form, repetition, and so on.” –Kelly

Developing the “incharge” learner

One of the goals of the Chugach library is to develop in charge learners by teaching students how to use a variety of tools. “The list is long, but includes appropriate book selection and location skills, using our computer catalog and online databases, how to review a book, book handling skills, Internet Safety, writing a bibliography, ABC and number order and how to use the dictionary, atlas, encyclopedia, telephone book and almanac. Our hope is that when students leave Chugach and head off to middle school they will be well prepared to successfully handle any assignment that comes their way. By being “incharge learners” our students will know how to find the information they need, make sense of it, and present it in a variety of ways whether it be orally, written, or in a project form.” –Alice

Building a community

Parents also play a key role in nurturing the whole child, and they either help with or initiate events that are tied to physical education, art, music and the library. These include Running Club, Ice Skating, Art Night, African Drumming and Dancing, World Celebration Day, and more!

The Chugach school community has worked hard to reflect a common philosophy, no matter what the subject or student event. You can see it every day, just on a stroll down the hall!

A mindset for success

By Susan Joling

At Chugach, excellent work is modeled and expected. There is an ethic of excellence where children are often given detailed verbal feedback on their work-in-progress. Our hallways proudly exhibit their final work. Most importantly, students are offered phrases and encouragement that offer a “growth mindset” rather than a “fixed mindset” that leads to quality work and high achievement.

I have been dwelling on the book, Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck and how it relates to the Chugach learning community. In her book, Dr. Dweck contrasts people who have a growth mindset, where they believe intelligence can be developed, versus people with a fixed mindset, who operate under the presumption that intelligence is static.

Our kindergarten and primary teachers go out of their way to teach parents important phrases: “I like the colors in your drawing, tell me more about it” rather than “You’re an incredible artist!” Or, “Your hard work and focus helped you do well” rather than “You’re smart, you caught on quickly.” “You tried lots of different strategies to solve that math problem. Tell me your thinking.” rather than “You got the answer right the first time. You’re an awesome mathematician.”

Of course we want to praise children and children certainly love to be praised for their intelligence and talent. But Dweck says that type of praise is short-lived because when children’s work is not so successful, their confidence dims and their motivation lessens. If success equals smart, then failure means they’re not so smart. This fixed mindset tells children they shouldn’t try drawing anything hard or people will find out they aren’t Renoir. It tells them if they don’t do something quickly, they’re not smart. The growth mindset asks about their work in a way that appreciates their efforts and choices. It praises children for what they accomplish through practice, persistence, and hard work. It says to a child, you are a developing person and I’m interested in your development.

A growth mindset leads to a desire to learn and to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, learn from criticism, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others. Contrast this with a mindset that leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency to avoid challenges, get defensive or give up easily, see effort as fruitless, ignore useful critical feedback, and feel threatened by the success of others.

This Spring, I am alert to words that encourage growth. Certainly, I am paying closer attention to the kind of phrasing I use with children. I’m grateful my kids attend a school filled with growth-mindset teachers who are themselves learners who encourage students to embrace challenges and show responsibility for their learning.

Helping to build a learning community

By Alan Bailey

In this article, the second of a series examining the ways in which parents can help at the school, we consider parent help in the primary grades.

While kindergarten provides the foundation to a student’s progress through school, the primary grades, grades one and two, are where the building bricks of emerging in-charge learners slot into place, as the students begin to focus increasingly on their individual learning needs and achievements.

Parents need to be involved in the building process, both at school and at home, helping the kids see where bricks need adjustment, and perhaps spotting where a little more mortar is needed. And primary is the stage where students really work intensely on learning to read and write fluently.

The start of the school day is particularly important, both as a time for parents to check in on what their children are doing and as an opportunity to talk to the teacher, if there are any issues requiring discussion, said primary teacher Leigh Whitaker. Parents can also visit with each other, figuring out what tasks need to be done and offering mutual help.

“One of the nicest things is having parents coming in the morning, into the building, into the room, and just helping the kids get settled in,” said primary teacher Kass Friend. “It makes a huge difference in how their day goes.”

Parents can, for example, ask their children to show them their writing journals, documents that the students work on continuously but which never go home.

“That’s a nice way for parents to keep in touch and to also let their child feel supported,” Kass said.

The exact help needed as the school day progresses depends on the skill area, reading or math, for example, that is the focus of that particular day. When the focus is on reading, it is particularly valuable for parents to act as reading coaches, listening to individual students and providing a new pair of ears for the student to read to.

That is especially important for beginning readers, Kass said.

The teachers provide parents with notes about the various reading strategies that the students are using – certain kids may be working on particular strategies.

“You teach them a strategy and then kind of scaffold their practice, so they’re reading books at just the right level,” Leigh said.

Parent coaches can also prove invaluable in assisting students with their writing skills.

“We also have writing coaches that come in at the writers’ workshop time,” Leigh said.

Parents can help students develop their story ideas as part of the writing process, Kass said.

“They often have an idea of what they want to talk about but they don’t know how to get started, or they’re not sure what to say,” she said.

And just commenting on what a student has written can provide much needed encouragement.

“It’s invaluable to have somebody say ‘I hear what you’re saying here. Oh I get what you’re telling me,’” Leigh said.

Parents can also help with math coaching, asking students how they figured something out, or perhaps asking them to take a second look at a solution that’s not quite correct.

In the classroom, whatever class is in progress, a parent helper can move around, asking individual students about what they are doing, particularly if there is unfinished work or work that needs more attention. Just asking simple questions such as “What were you doing here?” can help a student navigate a problem, perhaps finding that “Ah ha” moment of understanding, Leigh said.

But when helping in class, parents should avoid the temptation to provide students with solutions, Leigh said. Instead, the students should have the space to explore problems for themselves.

“Guide them, don’t show them,” Leigh said. “Lead with questions – don’t just pound out an algorithm and tell them the answer.”

Help can and should extend beyond the classroom, with parents encouraging their children to read to them at home, for example.

“We can’t give them enough reading practice in school every day,” Kass said. “They really need to spend some time at home reading.”

Kids love to be read to, with family book time providing an excellent opportunity to introduce more advanced material, perhaps extending a child’s vocabulary.

And working through some of the more mechanical aspects of learning, such as math facts and Dolch words, can usefully be done at home or in the car, thus freeing up class time for activities where the teacher can add most value to the students’ learning experience.

Another vital aspect of parental involvement in the primary grades is the preparation of materials for use in class.

“We are so lucky in the school that parents come in and do the copying, and do the cutting, and sort the beans, and do a whole range of seemingly minor tasks,” Leigh said. “I would like to know the number of hours we get to spend working with the kids, to do the enrichment projects, that parent help affords us. I know it would be a very big number.”

Parents who’ve only sent their kids to Chugach Optional may not realize just how enriched the school’s curriculum is, thanks to parent help in class preparation, she said.

Perhaps nothing illustrates this aspect of Chugach education more than the rain forest program that the primary teachers organize every couple of years. It’s a huge project where the parents come in and totally transform the room with festoons of paper undergrowth, luxuriant trees and exotic wildlife – the kids become so jazzed and excited about it, Kass commented.

It would not be possible to do this activity without parent help, Leigh said.

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON CHUGACH

Editor’s Note: The Parent Education Committee asked Dagmara’s family group to comment on how some key aspects of our program have worked for them personally. Here are some of the quick essays the students wrote for us. They show the students really understand the Chugach Philosophy and how it works in their lives. And they also show that the philosophy works, because these 5^th and 6^th graders express themselves clearly and well. The essays have received very little editing.

Thank you, kids. You are an inspiration to us adults!

Not Having Grades
by Ursula

I like not having grades, because they don’t put extra stress on your shoulders. I always try to do my best and when I feel good about my work, that is enough for me. I don’t want anyone to put a value on my work. If my teacher graded it a C, I would feel horrible. I would doubt my ability and my work would possibly get worse, not better. At the same time, getting a bad grade might make me try harder.

Lately 5th and 6th graders have been put in wagon trains for pretend travel across the west with fate cards (either good or bad). In a wagon train, each member relies on every other member. Everyone has to get their work in on time and we get points, kind of like a grade. I have noticed that more students are getting our work in on time. Although sometimes it is rushed and sloppy, sometimes it is amazing work. The point I am trying to make, is that someone’s opinion sometimes can make you feel down in the ditch. Getting no grades but comments from the teacher, is just fine for elementary school. Extra stress in elementary school is not necessary.

Why is it Valuable to have Parents Work in our Classroom
by Kipp and Coltrane

It’s very important to have parents in our classroom because when parents are in the Classroom they can help us kids do our math work and help us learn new things. They can also work with the teachers and help them with jobs so they have more time.

Parents can also help with the writing work when we are having trouble. Teachers are good, but having your dad work with you is best. I think that having your parent in the room motivates you because when your parents are here you want to show them that you can work hard without stopping. I would want my parents to be in the room.

We think parents are very helpful in this school and that without them I would think that I would not be doing as good well I am doing right now.

Parents Are Part of Learning
By Rachael

My parents are part of my learning at Chugach because they come into the school and work with my class on big projects and sometimes they help with math lessons. And they volunteer to help with the big parties like the Halloween Carnival and the Science Fair. Parents also help at home with homework or if you’re sick and need to get work done for the next day. Occasionally there is some concept that I don’t understand so I ask my mom and she explains it to me in a different way than my teacher did. That always helps.

All parents help in some way even just getting kids to school on time. And everyone's parents have been helping them since they were born, school is just somewhere they need to step up a level of help. Parents have a pretty big part in our school because it provides opportunities for lots of different events, like minicourses, world celebrations, and Outdoor School, which couldn’t happen because teachers don’t have enough time to run everything.

What being an in charge learner means to me
By Grace
I think being a in charge learner is getting work done, by planning what you’re going to be doing for the week, and doing it. In charge learners challenge themselves, they put their ideas into their work and find opportunities to share their ideas with others. Anybody can be an in charge learner; you just have to work harder and put your mind to it.

At Chugach, you really have a chance to participate in our learning and you take it or you don’t. I think I am still working for my goal which is being a in charge learner, but I have one more year and once I achieve my I goal I will feel good about myself and my teacher will smile and when she does, it will make me feel even more happy. Being an in charge learner is not impossible. You just have to try, do your best and you will probably be an in charge learner.

How I feel about working with older and younger kids
By Maya Stevens

I think working with older and younger kids is a really great opportunity. I’m in 5th grade and I have been at Chugach ever since Kindergarten. Here at Chugach we have combination classes with different types of kids, and even different grades.

I have an older sister, who has been in Chugach and is now in 7th grade. She has helped me a ton with making friends, and stuff like how to solve problems with friends. I also have a little sister in kindergarten and I hope to do the same for her. Chugach has taught me that you should help the younger, and listen to the older.

How I feel about working with younger and older students.
By Roxanna J. Reynolds

I mostly love working with all kids and it helps me have fun with my work. It’s like working with my little brother or my older sister. This is a great thing when you help other kids (older or younger) and it might help you. I took a survey a few weeks ago about this same topic and hardly any kids said they don’t like it, so it must be helpful in this school. I do like this school and I hope it stays that way.

There are so many things I want to learn out there in the world and some of those things I can learn from other kids in my school, like my sister. I have so many friends here and they really help me and show me how to do this and that, so maybe working with younger and older kids can help you because they help me.

Guys, Dudes and Hombres needed in the classroom

By Charles Wohlforth

Chugach Optional needs more men volunteering in the classroom and in all the aspects of our kids’ education.

Don’t get me wrong: I have nothing against women. No one likes them better than I do.

But our children do not see enough men during their school day. And it matters, especially to our boys.

This is not a guilt trip. The truth is, guys are missing out on some of the best fun they’ll ever have, spending time at school and getting to know their children’s friends. You kid’s childhood goes by incredibly fast, and it make no sense to miss the third of it that happens at school.

In earlier generations, dad’s never held a baby bottle or changed a diaper. In many families, fathers were distant disciplinarians and rule-givers. Ask your dad what his dad was like.

We’re not that way anymore, but school still remains a mostly female realm. I have theories for that. In part, culture teaches us what our roles are. But we’re also influenced by the social environment. Women tend to ask women to volunteer, and men feel funny entering an all-female workplace.

My message to guys: Man up! There is no feminine wall around our school!

When boys have men in the classroom, they often behave better. Their respect for the school and what they are working on can increase. Their sense of teamwork and mission can be activated in a way they may not feel with a female leader.

I first experienced this working in kindergarten. I worked with boys and girls on a project that involved drilling holes in a piece of wood. The boy’s clumsy little hands needed a lot of guidance, but they approached the task with total seriousness.

In the hallway the next day, one of these tiny dudes gives me a manly nod and fist-pump of greeting. We had bonded like war buddies. And now that he’s almost done with Chugach, he’s still a bud.

Volunteering is easy. There are many ways to do it. You don’t have anything going on in your day that is more important.

Why we have theme studies

By Susan Joling

Theme studies are an important part of the Chugach curriculum. This approach to learning addresses 21st century skills, interdisciplinary study and individual student interests. Projects and problem-based learning are keys to 21st century learning. Theme studies provide a venue for the “4 C

ʼs” of the 21st century learning and innovation skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. Consider how the 4 Cʼ

s are woven into two theme-based projects in the intermediate grades.

At Chugach, third and fourth graders become castle engineers as they apply what they learned during their Medieval Studies to a historically accurate depiction of a community living space for those times. Those duct-taped, sometimes edible, sometimes astounding architectural feats tell a story of applied learning, problem solving, and planning a project from beginning to end. Never mind the thoughts of a few parents who stayed up late with their castle builders: Can I sell this to a primary parent in the name of recycling??

Another third/fourth theme, Alaska Studies, starts with an “essential question” connected to our state

ʼs history: How did Alaskansʼ

environment shape their customs, beliefs and traditions? To answer this question with deep understanding, students must study Alaska geography, Native ways of knowing, Alaska history, ethnobotany, and traditional Alaska art forms. They must read, write, speak, and listen to create scripts for their Native village performances. They must collaborate and think creatively to communicate their understanding through their presentation. Responding to the essential question requires “uncoverage” of a theme rather than coverage. Depth and complexity supersede coverage. Leading with a question encourages students to tailor their own interests within the theme by asking more questions.

Theme studies not only provide interesting contexts for learning but weave in many content areas. It isnʼt the nature of knowledge to be divided into little compartments called content areas. No subject is an island. By stressing connections across the curriculum and using themes, learning becomes more engaging and meaningful for students.

Reviewing progressing and celebrating achievement

By Alan Bailey

On the basis that nothing succeeds like success, a student led conference, a hallmark of education at Chugach Optional, celebrates student achievement rather than chastising student shortcomings. Like a proud gardener in the summer sunshine proudly showing people colorful flower beds and neatly trimmed lawns, the results of months of painstaking labor, a student at a conference presents attentive parents with a portfolio of recent work.

“It’s a celebration. That’s the bottom line,” said middle grade teacher Sharon Lee Jones.

A student led conference is very different from a traditional school conference, typically involving a review of a report card and an assessment against standard grades. Essentially, in the student-led approach the student works with the teacher to prepare a portfolio of work and then the student reviews the portfolio with his or her parents. And following the Chugach principle of building in-charge, independent learners, the students take primary responsibility for choosing and organizing the material that they want to present.

“It makes them responsible,” explained upper grade teacher Linda Biddle. “They’re not just sitting and listening to someone else’s expectations.”

In addition, conference preparation gives each student an opportunity to review work done in recent months, looking back through the results of projects, remembering science experiments and perhaps recalling math problems tackled and conquered.

But the process does vary a bit as the students grow older.

Below third grade, with the students finding the portfolio reviews quite intimidating, the teacher facilitates the meeting with the parents, steering the student through the portfolio material. From third grade onwards, however, each student meets for 30 minutes with just the parents, a situation that ensures that the student can take charge without the temptation to keep glancing at the teacher for help.

“We practice it beforehand,” Sharon Lee explained. “They go through the list of things they want to share. I think that the ownership that we see with them doing that is fabulous.”

After the portfolio review, the teacher comes into the conference to help review the student’s own assessment of progress and achievement.

And, whereas in third and fourth grades students tend to select work that they particularly want to share, fifth and sixth grade students share almost everything they have done, showing more of a complete collection of work rather than focusing on specific pieces, Linda said.

Maximum benefit from a conference arises from parents actively listening and asking well focused questions, a dynamic that requires the conference to take place at an appropriate time and in a suitable setting.

Although most families face conflicting demands on their time it's important that parents demonstrate their interest in their child's work, show that they value the work, by taking time out to participate in the conference at the school during the regularly scheduled conference periods. Trying to conduct the portfolio review at home, or in a rushed 15 minute period before school in the morning, doesn't allow for the quality of interaction between parent, child and teacher and doesn't resonate in the same way, commented middle grade teacher Cami Dalton.

With no grades and an emphasis on successes rather than problems, some anxious parents may worry about how the conferences help them assess their child’s progress. That’s where the Chugach philosophy of continuous parental involvement at the school comes into play, Linda explained. Long before a conference takes place, parents should have been engaged with their child’s school career, visiting with the teacher as necessary and generally keeping abreast of what is going on. A teacher will alert parents to any serious problems with their child’s progress, with this type of intervention being completely separate from and inappropriate to the child’s conference, Linda said.

But what about the lack of grades?

Evaluating work through standard grades is like telling the gardener exactly what to grow and then judging the results by evaluating how closely the flower beds match the standard, Linda said. Why not instead set some expectations for how the garden should look, provide guidance on how to proceed and then let the gardener use some self-directed independence, growing the required plants while also moving creatively beyond what has been asked, seeking new possibilities, perhaps adding an unexpected couple of rose bushes or finding a way to deal with an awkward patch of weeds?

The conference, the student’s garden show, can then become, not just a recognition of success in what the student is expected to do, but also a celebration of the student’s unique achievements. In fact, Cami said, a common problem with a grade-based evaluation system is that students can become so focused on achieving grades that they stop working and thinking for themselves.

In addition, different children develop at different rates, in different subject areas at different times, making a one-size-fits-all standard an ineffective way of assessing student progress. The beauty of the Chugach Optional approach to education is that students have space to develop in their own ways, with a conference providing a venue to dwell on achievements, some small, some large, that a student can feel proud of.

“They know that they have accomplished something that is of great value to themselves,” Linda said.

Making drop-off and pick-up time count

By Charles Wohlforth

When I lead tours for prospective students, the one fact that always causes some of them to gape with amazement is the news that at Chugach we don’t give grades.

Why would children ever do their best unless trying to earn grades? How else can teachers communicate with parents? How can parents know what their children are accomplishing?

The Chugach Handbook, which is the best statement of our philosophy, states that we believe the best measure of a child’s work is the work itself. Instead of waiting for a teacher to give a grade a few times a year, Chugach parents need to be looking at what their children can do all the time.

The communication link from student to teacher to parent can be stronger and certainly richer at Chugach than at a school that relies on grades to report on children’s progress. But keeping that link healthy requires effort from parents.

The information paths are many. Conferences with students and teachers. Completed work that comes home and homework completed with parent supervision. Performances and presentations at school and work posted on the walls at school.

One of the best ways of assessing a Chugach kid is less formal than all of these: checking in when you drop off and pick up your child.

The minutes at the end of the school time when I come in to gather up my children can be the warmest and most social of my day, when I see many friends and lots of smiles and energy from happy kids. But it’s not fun only. I also use the time to touch base with teachers and find out how we’re doing. Often a few sentences can let me know where problems lie and get us motivated in the right direction.

Coming in 15 minutes early to pick up creates an opportunity to watch the classroom in action, and to see how your child fits in and works with the group.

The morning drop-off can be even better for that (in our family it’s usually not my job). Getting kids into the class, settled, and started with work can give a parent and excellent feel for how they handle the school environment and their abilities in concentrating and completing tasks, as well as particular academic strengths and problems.

What I like most is the human connection of these moments in the school. Chugach parents can know much more about their children’s progress, and know it much more deeply, by being part of the child’s world. That’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy while it lasts, during these short years.

Starting to grow as a school family

By Alan Bailey

This is the first of a series of articles exploring how parents can help in their children’s family group. The type of help needed changes as the students move through the school – this article looks at how the Chugach Optional philosophy of parental involvement works in kindergarten.

There’s always some excitement in the air on the day towards the end of August when the year’s new intake of kindergarten students arrives at the school with their parents. Like explorers in a new land, both parents and children are often apprehensive as they walk down the corridor to the unknown territory of a kindergarten classroom, and so into to a new chapter of family life.

Children wonder what school will be like, while parents, having agreed to help at the school, may feel nervous about what they’ve committed to.

Sometimes parents – business people used to working in an office, for example – are unsure about what they should do when dropped in the middle of a group of energetic five- and six-year-olds, said Jean Ward, Chugach Optional’s long-time kindergarten teacher. But people talk to us and to each other, and soon get into the swing of things, said kindergarten teacher Caycee Rezola.

As the school year moves ahead parents really should come into the class at the start of school, rather than just dropping their kids off, said Jean. Better still, stay for at least a short while and work with the students as the first project of the day starts up, she added.

The morning sign-in and settling down period helps parents become acquainted with children besides their own in the family group, as well as enabling people to find out what will be happening in class.

“Sometimes there are some math-related sign-ins. Sometimes there’s the memory book or language arts,” Jean explained.

Besides the start of day, parents are welcome in the classroom at any time, perhaps to help with a lesson, or to help guide students through an activity.

“We hope that we share with the parents in our daily communications that they’re always welcome to come in at any time,” Caycee said.

And parents do not need to schedule their appearances in class ahead of time.

Sometimes people walk in saying “hey, I was on this side of town and I thought I would pop in,” Caycee said, adding that she and Jean always welcome that.

On the other hand, a pre-arranged visit enables Jean or Caycee to plan tasks and activities in advance, often enabling parents to make more efficient use of their time. The teacher may schedule an activity of particular interest to the parent helper, or arrange something that the parent is comfortable doing.

Preplanning can also be more productive for the classroom.

“If I know I’ll have three adults, I could play a new math game that I couldn’t introduce without their help,” Jean said.

Jean described how she will often put a parent in charge of a small group of students, with some general guidance of what is expected. However, it is important that parent helpers observe the teaching philosophy that Jean and Caycee follow, with parents modeling the way in which the teachers interact with the students, ensuring a consistent approach to encouraging the students through the kindergarten program.

Sometimes a parent will work on a home project, perhaps constructing some new structure for a science experiment or a study theme.

Parents also help out by taking on tasks from the kindergarten “task basket.” In fact, the way in which tasks magically disappear from that basket, as willing volunteers line up to see what’s needed, is a hallmark of the spirit of “pulling together” at Chugach, Jean commented.

“You work together, and you grow together, and you’re that family,” said Caycee.

Jean said that some parents worry that they don’t do enough.

“I would share with them that just their presence here and their interactions with the children are so important,” Jean said.

By being in the classroom, parents send a message about how much they value formal education, she said. It’s important to everyone in the school. But, most of all, it’s important to the child.

What I tell prospective parents

By Susan Joling

Last week I watched "Waiting for Superman," a documentary about public schools. The title refers to a Harlem educator’s childhood belief that a superhero would fix the problems of the ghetto. One painful scene was of families crowded into inner-city gyms waiting to see if their lottery number came up for a charter school with an excellent reputation and high academic standards. There were ten slots and hundreds of applicants. When all the spots were filled, the "losers" shuffled back to their neighborhood schools, billed as drop-out factories.

In Anchorage, we are fortunate to have lots of good schools. Besides some excellent neighborhood schools, we have charter and optional schools, each with a particular philosophy. Some parents shop for any school with high achievement scores when they should be looking for a philosophy they can embrace.

The lottery season is under way, which means there will soon be tours of Chugach Optional with anxious and curious parents trying to navigate through a sea of school choice. I've led school tours and you never know what questions will come up. Once, after I mentioned the required 36 hours of parent volunteer hours, a parent asked if there was a book in the office where parent volunteer hours were recorded. I said I didn't think so. He looked relieved, but I haven't seen him around since.

Inevitably, touring parents want you to compare Chugach to other schools; in essence they're asking for help in making a decision by comparing Chugach to other schools that you know nothing about. This is always dicey and it seems better to talk about what you know. Often parents will talk about how they've put in lottery applications to Chugach, Northern Lights ABC, Winterberry, etc. This is when I take my opportunity to talk about what I know.

I tell parents about the first time I entered Chugach with Jan Bronson. My children were still in pre-school. Within five minutes, I knew I wanted my sons to attend. I saw that it was a child-focused place where students were given choices. I heard respectful interactions between adults and students. Worthy, high quality, student work was displayed on every inch of the hallways. Interdisciplinary projects were in progress. The library was the heartbeat of the school, and though it was ten minutes before school would be out, every single student was engaged in a learning activity.

I tell parents that I want my children to have the benefit of being in a multi-age classroom because there aren't the limitations of a single-grade curriculum. Skill and concept development are more likely to happen at a child's own pace. Classrooms can focus on learning from day one and not on classroom logistics and routines. Half the class already knows how the classroom works and the older students quickly and efficiently pass this information on to the grateful other half. I'm glad my older son has the experience of being a younger student in a class. I'm grateful my younger son has the opportunity for leadership as an older student every other year.

I tell parents that Chugach teaches responsibility by giving students responsibility. Students are encouraged to be in-charge learners who direct their own learning. I wasn't sure the "in-charge" part was ever going to happen with one of my kids, but by fifth grade he was the master of his learning.

I tell parents to think about what they want for their own children. What I know is that Chugach teachers teach students to take charge and lead their own learning in elementary school and beyond.

From manipulatives to abstraction: learning math at Chugach

I sat down with Linda Biddle, my son Joey’s teacher, to ask how she teaches math in a classroom of students in charge of their own learning. Here is what she told me.
–Charles Wohlforth

Most Chugach Optional students learn math differently than their parents did. A Chugach parent may wonder when his or her child will adopt certain familiar algorithms, or procedures, for doing arithmetic, or even become nervous if it doesn’t happen ‘soon enough.’

At Chugach, ‘soon enough’ is different for each child. Our students are introduced to math through visual representations and manipulatives. Each child transitions to abstract computation methods when ready as an individual. As long as he or she understands and can accurately complete mathematical problems, that’s success.

Math concepts begin with manipulatives, such as interlocking blocks, strips, or grids written on paper that represent units and groups of units. Being able to see the units helps children understand the concepts behind operations and develop number sense and mathematical intuition.

Most adults initially learned pencil-and-paper processes and memorization. These techniques are abstract representations of underlying mathematical concepts. It’s possible to be a whiz at computation without really understanding what the numbers mean. That’s what we don¹t want.

Students with a deeper understanding of mathematics often grow more easily into the advanced math concepts they will encounter in algebra, geometry and calculus. They also are more likely to recognize calculation errors or improbable results, because they have a feel for numbers.

The switch from concrete manipulation to the use of abstract computation could come at any age. We introduce a variety of abstract methods and let the children decide which strategies to use and when. Sometimes they make the connection and adopt the shortcuts right away, sometimes they wait, and sometimes they invent their own algorithms that work better in their own
minds.

Linda’s son made it in high school mathematics while still using visual methods of strips and mats, arranging them in his mind’s eye rather than with physical materials. A high school teacher thought he was cheating because she couldn’t see how he got his results. He proved in a parent-teacher conference that he was solving the problems, but doing it in his own way.

My older son and daughter also have excelled at math in high school and college. Their computation seemed slow and painful at times in elementary school, but they emerged with a strong understanding of math concepts that have made higher level work a breeze.

Parent should have confidence even if the switch to traditional computation methods takes time. Chugach works!