Building Relationships
"No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship."
I still haven't figured out how to embed music on my blog, so you'll have to play this Youtube video and listen to the song (and sing along!) as you peruse this post.
A song we sing at All School Meeting
Welcome back to school! These first weeks have gone quickly as we eased back into school routines with an emphasis on building important relationships. At Renaissance we intentionally design learning experiences that support building relationships to create an environment where learners will take risks, challenge themselves and feel a sense of belonging in their community.
It's difficult to pinpoint what is so different at Renaissance. All students, parents, staff and visitors will acknowledge that from the minute they step through the front door they feel something very special at Renaissance. No two people explain it the same way, but I think it boils down to a strong sense of community - Crew - that is developed from intentionally building strong relationships.
I want to share with you some of the ways we intentionally build relationships at Renaissance. Some things you have probably noticed or heard about, and others may still be a mystery. Below, are some of the things that have transpired since we started school, just two and half weeks ago! If you have lingering questions, I'll bet your child could answer them!
I'm sure you've seen the Circle of Courage painted in the main hallway. The Circle of Courage is a model that encompasses four core values: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. The central theme of this model is that a set of shared values must exist in any community to create environments that ultimately benefit all. The circle suggests the interconnectedness of life.
Drumming is one way for learners to begin to feel a sense of belonging. All Crews drum every Monday morning. If you would like to experience the power of a drum circle, come join a Crew and participate on Monday morning at 8:40 a.m.
Drum Circles are one way we take the Circle of Courage off the wall as a concept, and put it into action.
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| Photo taken by Josh Smiles |
Two students share why we drum.
We create a sense of belonging in our Crews during Fall Voyages. To date, six Crews have already participated in their voyage - 9 more voyages to go! If you asked kids, they would certainly tell you that Voyages are fun! However, the purpose of Adventure Education is to push students out of their comfort zone and empower them to meet challenges and to transfer those skills to other areas of their life. Real learning occurs when you are pushed out of your comfort zone and are challenged to try things you have not done before.
For more information about Adventure Education:
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| Building a shelter |
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| Solitude and Reflection |
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| Team building |
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A second grader reflects before her voyage. |
Learning Expeditions are a unique way of organizing curriculum. The subject matter of a learning expedition is a compelling topic derived from content standards. Learning expeditions feature linked projects that require students to construct deep understandings and skills and to create products for real audiences. Learning expeditions support critical thinking, promote character development, create a sense of adventure, spark curiosity, and foster an ethic of service.
Parents are often confused between Adventure Education and Expeditionary Learning. In the simplest terms, when you hear Adventure Education think 'challenge', when you hear Expeditionary Learning think 'social studies and science'.
Field work is part of Expeditionary Learning, and unlike the field trips of our youth, field work is not an enrichment trip, it is students working like scientists and historians in the field, collecting data.
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| Expert Speaker at Bent's Fort |
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| 3rd grade historians during field work on site at Bent's Fort |
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| Our main hallway features documentation panels of the learning expeditions in grade level Crews. |
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| Constructing new understandings |
At Renaissance, we follow the philosophy of Love and Logic for our school wide discipline plan. We believe that each student is a unique individual with unique personal, social, and educational needs. As a result, every disciplinary situation becomes unique in nature. Consequences for misbehavior provide the best learning value when matched to the unique student and the unique situation.
Since these core beliefs provide the guiding light for our professional decisions, the staff encourages parents to bring concerns and questions to us in the event we operate in ways that appear to be inconsistent with these core beliefs.
We have three guidelines for student behavior. These guidelines put the power of decision making into the hands of the students. There are consequences for poor choices.
For more information and to see the core beliefs:
Guidelines for student behavior:
· You
may engage in any behavior that does not create a problem for you or anyone
else in the world.
· If
you find yourself with a problem, you may solve it by any means that does not
cause a problem for anyone else in the world.
· You
may engage in any behavior that does not jeopardize the safety or learning of
yourself or others. Unkind words and
actions will not be tolerated.
Safety is critical in creating an environment of belonging. We have a team devoted to monitoring and teaching skills to students so they feel empowered to handle unkind actions. All Crews have had a skill and strategies lesson from either Mr. Bill Dowdle(our social worker) or Mr. Chris (our school psychologist) as a proactive step in supporting students to handle any bullying incident. If you want to know more about our bullying prevention, you can find more information at the link below. We have a comprehensive plan for monitoring and supporting students all year long.
For more information and a definition of bullying:
For more information and a definition of bullying:
http://tinyurl.com/9pjryea
All School Meeting is a ritual at Renaissance that builds belonging at a community wide level. All School Meeting are on designated Wednesday mornings (see dates below) where our entire school community comes together. Each ASM is hosted by a different Crew. The components of All School Meeting are:
* Pledge
* Welcome to visitors
* Wellness challenge
* Birthdays
* Great Reads
* Sharing
* Announcements
* Special Events
* Going out song
Dates of All School Meetings through Fall Break:
August 29, September 12, September 26, October 3
August 29, September 12, September 26, October 3
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| Pledge of Allegiance |
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| Live music at All School Meeting (that's our very own Mr. Tyler and Ms. Cheryl) |
Research shows that the partnership between school and home maximizes success in school. We intentionally have created opportunities for parents to build relationships and belonging.
We started the year off with Listening Conferences. These conferences provide the opportunity for you to share your hopes and dreams for your child's education and feel connected to the teacher and environment.
REA (Renaissance Educational Alliance) was created to coordinate involvement opportunities for the families at Renaissance. Most of you remember the PTO's of your elementary schools. REA is much like a PTO. We know parents want to be involved and REA provides the information to 'get tied in'. Check out the REA link - an easy way for you to fulfill your volunteer commitment. You'll recognize REA by its carabiner logo. Be sure to bookmark this google site!
The Events Committee of REA (Renaissance Educational Alliance) hosted the Back To School Carnival on the first Friday of this school year. What fun that was! I'm wondering if maybe the rain was intentional so that we all had a chance to get acquainted while huddled under tents?! A big thank you to this committee for a great time!
The Fund Raising Committee of REA will have two formal fund raising events this year. One in October and one in April.
Bootcamp is a 2-week fundraising campaign, commencing with a fun-filled event for all students on Friday, October 5th. This year's Bootcamp includes an outreach aspect, kicking off with a canned-food drive, supporting our local community. Renaissance kids are at the heart of Bootcamp and they are celebrated for their participation throughout the campaign. Please look for ways to volunteer and more information coming home September 12th and 13th.
Bootcamp is a 2-week fundraising campaign, commencing with a fun-filled event for all students on Friday, October 5th. This year's Bootcamp includes an outreach aspect, kicking off with a canned-food drive, supporting our local community. Renaissance kids are at the heart of Bootcamp and they are celebrated for their participation throughout the campaign. Please look for ways to volunteer and more information coming home September 12th and 13th.
This year, REA's Fundraising Committee will be raising funds for the following:
* Scholarships $6,000.
* Technology rejuvenation fund $16,000.
* Building enhancements (OLE, Sound System) $20,000.
(Listed in priority order)
Details of these can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/8sgfylg
The School Accountability Committee (SAC) is an advisory committee to the principal. We examine the school's Unified Improvement Plan, school safety, budget and initiatives. This is the committee to join if you want a voice in school decision making. These meetings are always open to the public. Our first meeting is Tuesday, September 11th at 5:30 p.m. in the library if you would like to attend.
The 21st Century allows us to communicate in modern and efficient ways. It is my hope that this blog, posted monthly, will be a useful tool for communicating with all of you. I recognize that this current post is exceptionally long! I'll be exploring ways to create blog posts to share what happens at school until I discover what best meets your needs. In addition, I'm working on creating an adobe webinar quarterly, throughout the year, to open up a question/answer dialogue with the community.
I welcome your feedback and questions as they give me insight into the needs of our adult community.
Please consider following this blog by email (see top right).
Please consider following this blog by email (see top right).
Warmly,
Deborah
