SCHOOL CHOICE

Last fall my daughter started Kindergarten and the reality hit me like a ton of bricks. As a parent I was processing a myriad of emotions and as an educator, I am acutely aware of the importance of a proper placement. In addition to ruminating over the warp speed of the last five years, I became immersed in data and inundated with paperwork for school admissions, open enrollment, charter school lotteries and private school applications. Here’s what I took away from my weeks of soul and school searching.

First visit your school district’s main office. It is a good place to start your research because they will have information on all the public schools in your district. When deciding on a school, assess your family’s requirements, especially if there are any special needs. The most common inquiries include; is there before and/or after school care provided and at what cost? Is transportation available? Are friends or siblings attending the same school? In case you decide on a school outside of your designated one, ask about the procedure for an intradistrict transfer.

I highly recommend visiting a school of interest. If a school isn’t friendly about a pre-enrollment visit, that might be a sign of how they’ll respond when you’re a parent there.

While at the school, try to meet the principle, vice principle, teachers and any parents helping around campus. Check out the work on the walls, overall cleanliness, and how adults and children interact. Also, ask what type of involvement the school wants from parents.

You may also want to ask:

What extra-curricular activities and outreach programs are available?

How much homework is assigned?

How are behavior problems handled?

Is there a dress code?

Is there a handbook?

What is the deadline for enrollment?

Are there any other dates that need to be adhered to?

What is the student-to-teacher ratio?

What is the school’s API (Academic Performance Index) score?

I warn against getting too caught up in the numbers. While a high API is telling (a preferred score is anything over 800) there are other considerations to a well-rounded education. I find, as a public school teacher, that the emphasis on scores has become so significant that teaching the test often becomes a primary goal. I believe the love of learning needs to be at least as important.

To compare schools in your area, you can go to www.schooldigger.com. Great Schools, www.greatschools.org, also rates schools and has lots of other information and advice for parents.

Make sure you’ve got all the necessary documentation when the time comes to enroll. Public schools will require proof of residency, a copy of your child’s birth certificate and vaccination records. Parochial schools may ask for additional information regarding religious affiliation and documentation.

If you are looking at private schools, there may be extra steps required, like interviews, testing and letters of recommendation. If you are concerned about the expense, inquire about financial assistance.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so have a backup plan. Have a second or even third school choice.  

Getting your child in the right school is only half the battle. Staying actively involved and communicating often with your child and his teacher is also key to academic success.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTIVATION AND LEARNING?

With so much attention on test scores and budgetary
concerns, it's refreshing to learn some folks are keeping their focus on what
matters most to parents and teachers - figuring out the best practices to
motivate and educate children.

In 2007, Redwood City School District and Stanford's John W.
Gardner Center continued a longstanding partnership in their efforts to gain a
deeper understanding of the practices that effectively promote student motivation,
engagement, and ultimately, achievement.

They surveyed all Redwood City School District middle school
students in the spring of 2009 and again in 2010 regarding their experiences in
their classrooms and their beliefs about themselves as learners.

The research is ongoing and they have already completed a
third round of data collection this month. They have learned some interesting
and encouraging information about the relationship between student's classroom
experiences, motivational beliefs, and academic achievement.

The data clearly showed that a safe and caring setting is
the ideal climate for learning. Caring classrooms have students that treat each
other with respect and teachers who foster this by letting students know they
are not allowed to make fun of each other for a wrong answer or mistake,
stating that mistakes are part of the learning process.

They also set aside time for individual conferences and provide
individual feedback regarding the student's growth and areas for improvement (versus
public feedback that make comparisons between students) and create
opportunities for students to revise their work, give private feedback about
grades and also time for students to work with each other.

These classrooms tend to inspire student motivation and
benefit all students, especially and inclusive of low-income students.

Test scores back up these results. The JGC analysis showed
that there is a relationship between higher motivation and higher achievement
evidenced by elevated California State test scores. This is true for all
students - regardless of prior achievement. This means that if teachers can
improve student motivation, then they are also very likely to see improvements
on standardized tests.

The JGC staff are encouraged by the outcomes hitherto.

"These results remind us that motivation is not a static
trait. Motivation is not something that a student simply has or does not have.
Rather motivational beliefs are malleable and very responsive to classroom
practices. Perhaps even more exciting is the evidence that students'
motivational beliefs can shift within the course of less than one academic
year. It is also important to highlight that these motivating and caring
practices are doable and already present in many classrooms in Redwood City. We
hope these findings will serve as a catalyst for more reflection and
conversations between researchers, teachers and parents about specific
strategies for motivating students to deeply engage in their learning."

When planning the 2012/2013 school year administrators and
teachers should, in conjunction with analyzing and disaggregating test scores, have
another conversation. Is the designated curriculum backed up with constructive strategies
and teaching practices that improve proficiency as well as foster curiosity in
a welcoming environment? What does that classroom look like?

BUSTING THE SUMMER TIME BLUES!

Good News! There IS a cure for the summer time blues. In fact, there are loads. Stop the “I’m bored!” lament by engaging the kids in activities that are chock-full of art, science, math and other smart lessons.

Inspire the next Ansel Adams. If you don’t trust your children with the digital camera, buy some disposable ones. Send them clicking around the neighborhood and your house - just not inside the neighbor’s house! After developing, pick some favorites and make a thematic scrapbook.

Teach the kids some entrepreneurial skills by helping them set up a lemonade stand at the front of your driveway, or have them go into business with a friend who has a better location. A lemonade stand is a lot more fun to run with a buddy. Having big brother or sister help is a good choice too. Prove the importance of advertisement by plastering leaflets around the neighborhood, including times and dates. Rip up an old box and construct a capacious, colorful, cardboard sign in front of the stand with prices and products available. Charge a lot, giving a break to seniors and kids. Adults, even in these difficult economic times, won’t bicker about paying a buck instead of 75 cents; especially if you’re giving part or all of the money to charity. Offer cookies and brownies to sweeten the deal and increase income. Running the stand for two days will allow kids to learn from mistakes. Saturday and Sunday are ideal.

Retro the whole families’ wardrobe by creating some tie-dyes t-shirts. In the garage (or somewhere else that can get real messy) twist a wet t-shirt and tie it with rubber bands. Put on some rubber gloves and mix ½ cup of liquid dye in a quart of hot water or follow the directions on the back of a of Rit dye box. Go to www.ritdye.com and click on tie-dyeing for some cool patterns and creative designs. Soak for about twenty minutes then rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. Take off the rubber bands and rinse again. Hang the shirt out to dry in the sun.

Instead of putting a message in a bottle, spread lots of love by putting messages in balloons. Brainstorm a bunch of positive, inspiring messages like, “the best things in life are free.” or “all you need is love” and insert the messages into helium balloons. You can rent a helium tank at any party supply store. Tie them up and let em’ loose. 

Give back to the community. Advocating charity and compassion at an early age is truly priceless. It also nurtures the appreciation of your family’s fortunate status. Help your kids help an elderly neighbor with house or yard work, contact your local church, senior center or go to www.thevolunteercenter.net for other volunteering opportunities in the bay area.

These are just a few suggestions that have a bit of an educational bend. Whatever your family decides to do, do it with enthusiasm, love and kindness. Summertime is brief, and within a blink of an eye your little ones will be all grown up. Just ask your parents.