Message from Principal   |  Mission Statement  |  Philosophy


Philosophy

Environmental Education  | Thinking Maps^®  |  Assessment

I. PHILOSOPHY

1.     Instructional Philosophy:  

      As evidenced by our strong instructional program, the Yates Mill Elementary School, YMES,  staff is dedicated to educating all students.  The staff utilizes a variety of instructional techniques and strategies to reach all learners.  Our guiding beliefs are four fold and driven by research-based knowledge and practical experience.  We believe that:

                *    Learning is the making of meaning through connections

                *    Learning is individual; everyone has their own way of perceiving and processing information

                *    Learning is created by action and reflection 

                *    Learning needs a balance of didactic teaching (i.e. lecture) and interactive teaching (i.e. application,  engaged learning).

      These core values/beliefs are the foundation of all instructional practices in the classroom and decisions within the school.

      Learning is the making of meaning through connections.  All learners are constantly trying to make sense of their experiences and then do something with their new information.  Skills are mastered more readily and deeply when they are taught in a meaningful way rather than when they are taught and practiced in isolation.  Real world connections have been shown to enhance long term retention.  The brain likes experiences where it can see patterns and resists whatever seems meaningless and lacking in connections or personal involvement.  

"Our rewards come not from having brains but in using them."

      Learning is individual; everyone has his, or her, own way of perceiving and processing information.  Although we are all alike as human beings, research has found that we are each unique in how we understand new information and perceive experiences.  All individuals have different styles that they prefer.  Some children are most comfortable with lecture while some children prefer hands on experiments.  Our job as educators is to provide experiences that tap the strengths of individual learning styles.  It is also critical that we build skills in areas that are not the child's most comfortable approach.  Knowledge is constructed uniquely and individually.  Creativity is emphasized in order to honor children's uniqueness.  Educators are responsible for providing time for children to shine and to strengthen areas that are weaker.

"It is not how smart you are, but how you are smart."  

     Learning is created by action and reflection.  Though we learn by doing, constructing, building, talking and writing, we also learn by thinking about events, activities and experiences.  This balance of first hand experiences are guided reflection is essential for new learning and memory.  The best learning environment provides sufficient time for both action and reflection.  Students create meaning as they talk about their experiences.  Engaging students in dialogue where they are allowed to honestly share is critical for long-term memory.  Through reflection, students build upon and develop existing understandings to generate new knowledge.  

"I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand."  

      Learning needs a balance of didactic teaching (ex. lecture) and interactive teaching (ex. hands-on).  Didactic teaching (often lecture) is teacher directed or modeling to the children.  Didactic teaching poses questions that ask for single and short answers.  Students listen to the teacher and recite answers without making their own understanding.  Comparatively, when students are involved in interactive teaching, they discuss answers and ideas with teachers and peers.  They apply and interpret knowledge into what they already knew.  Interactive teaching involves coaching, listening and guiding students.  This approach has teachers posing questions that ask for explanations and which have multiple answers.  Dialogue is valued as an opportunity to hear the student and provide adult guidance.  We believe that teaching should focus on learning and balance the approach of direct and interactive teaching.  Students remain interested and excited about learning when both approaches are blended together.  

"Variety is the spice of life and the key that engages the mind and maintains attention."

    Feedback is an essential ingredient for growth and learning.  Children cannot improve if they are not encouraged to reflect on the quality of their work.  Students need specific feedback to guide the quality of their work.  The staff at YMES is committed to providing opportunities for self-evaluation and extensive teacher feedback to support students learning while also giving the children the tools they need to be successful.  The students must assume personal responsibility to apply the feedback more. 

      At YMES the staff is working to provide a BALANCED instructional program that takes into account our children, Best Practices from National Education Standards, and practical experience.  As the staff moves toward meeting all children's needs they will continue to refine their program, add strategies and work to recognize children's uniqueness.  We aim to honor the quote; "The learner must own the learning."  This is a challenge in an era when children are comfortable being entertained and directed.  Self-direction, developing their own voice and taking their own learning seriously are inherent in the balanced approach.

      We believe, "The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating.  The paths are not found, but made and the activity of making them change both the maker and the destination."

2.  Assessment:

      An important part of the instructional program is evaluation, assessment, and testing.  Both informal classroom tests and formal testing programs are used to determine students' instructional needs.  Teachers will be sharing student progress through conferences and weekly folders.  Portfolios (collections of student work) are kept and shared with parents at conferences.  Portfolios also provide feedback to the student for personal goal setting.

      Assessment is defined in this handbook as a judgment of student progress.  Teachers collect assessment evidence through observation, observational check lists, paper & pencil tasks, writing samples, and rubrics for projects as they determine the students' progress and develop future plans.  Students are also encouraged to judge their own work and develop a good understanding of the characteristics of quality work.  The staff guides students to improve through the teacher's specific feedback.  Self-assessment and reflection are emphasized for all students.      

      A.  Grading Practices and Report Cards:

      Wake County's Elementary Report Card measures progress of the children against a uniform standard, rather than other subjective assessments.  Information related to growth and overall strengths and needs is captured in the teacher comment section.

      The report cards provide a consistent grading scale; work habits and conduct are separate; and teacher comments are specific.  The student performance levels of 1 to 4 indicate whether students have met the expectations set by the state in the Standard Course of Study and indicate whether the student has the necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next quarter or next grade.

Student performance levels:

      Level 4 - Extends targeted grade level standards: represents the student exceeding grade level expectations set by the state.  Curriculum would need to be enriched for the next quarter or year.

      Level 3 - Demonstrates proficiency of targeted grade level standard: represents the student meeting the grade level expectations set by the state.  

      Level 2 - Inconsistent and needs support to meet targeted grade level standards: indicates that the student has not yet met the grade level expectations set by the state and that a student does not have the necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next grade or quarter.

      Level 1 - Insufficient performance of targeted grade level standards with support: indicates that the student has not yet met grade level expectations set by the state and that the student does not have the necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next grade or quarter.  This should alert parents that close communication is needed for further student support.

      Grades are provided twice a year for weekly special classes such as art and music, instead of quarterly.  In addition, the new report card provides space for teachers to list the individual interventions.

      At YMES, teachers work together to align their assessments with each other and the county and state standards.  For example, as they grade writing papers, the teachers sit together, discuss, and come to agreement regarding the assessment of the writing.  The grade level teams develop samples of work that show the parents and students what "on level, and below level" work looks like.  This supports a clear understanding of the grade level goals.

      Classroom behavior: The report card includes reports on the students' conduct and work habits.  In reporting on conduct, the teacher can indicate whether the student meets expectations in cooperating with each other, respecting others, and observing the rules and procedures.  In reporting on work habits, the teacher can indicate whether the student uses time wisely, listens carefully, completes assignments, writes legibly, works independently or seeks help when needed, and completed work.  Work habits and conduct are rated with a 1 through a 3 grade.  A rating of a 3 represents meeting expectations and a 1 represents not meeting expectations.  

      The report card, work progress portfolios, bi-monthly progress reports and self-evaluation are all designed to communicate with the student and parents about the students' success in meeting state standards for that grade level. 

      B.  Formal Assessment:

      End of Grade Tests are given late in May.  The North Carolina End of Grade Testing Program consists of a series of tests in reading and mathematics given to students in grades 3 through 5.  The test uses a multiple-choice format, which has become the hallmark of large group testing efforts over the past several decades.  Specifically, the tests are designed to measure student achievement in the knowledge and skills, which comprise the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.  Results will be shared with parents at the end of the year.  (Scores are reported in levels 1 to 4.  The State of North Carolina considers levels 3 and 4 sufficient for grade level expectations.)  The scores are one measure considered in the placement of students in instructional groups.  Students' performance in the classroom is also considered in class placement.  Students should perform at level 3 or 4 in order to be promoted to the next grade.  State guidelines beginning with the school year 2000-2001 restrict promotion without appropriate mastery. 

      The North Carolina Writing Assessment is administered annually in fourth grade.  This test requires students to respond in essay form to a prompt.  Students' essays are scored with a range from 1 to 4, with 4 being the highest possible score.  Scores of 3 or greater are considered demonstrative of appropriate writing skills for fourth grade.  Students not scoring at the 3 or greater level will have to retake and master the test in fifth grade in order to be promoted to the next grade.  At YMES every grade level administers an independent assessment of writing quarterly in addition to the day of the fourth grade writing test.  This provides our school with consistent assessment data for our grade level samples and a consistent grading system.  

      The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is given to high performing third graders in Wake County Public Schools during the spring.  This test assesses the level of cognitive development of students.  It measures both general and specific cognitive abilities similar to an IQ test.

      Children that perform well on the CogAT are also assessed with the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in the area of reading and math.  The ITBS and CogAT results are used as part of the criteria for qualifying for Academically Gifted Services.  Parents are notified throughout the processes. 

      C.  Informal Assessment:

      Teachers assign creative, practical application, and analytic activities and projects.  As creative and practical application projects are designed, how to assess the projects becomes a question.  Rubrics are scoring guides that teachers use to assess activities that can be subjective.  Assessment through observation, checklists, rubrics, tests, and work products will be shared with parents through bi-monthly progress reports and in conferences.  Please read your children's report card for interpretation of the grading system.  Many items that you may receive will have a P for practice.  Suggestions will also accompany P papers.  P is used for all homework.  Homework is an opportunity to practice previously introduced concepts.  It gives students a chance to develop responsibility.

      Our goal is to have all children do well on formal and informal assessments and to be able to show us their learning.  We have been studying research on the brain and learning.  The brain research has shown protein to have significant effect on alertness and brain efficiency.  Calcium has been found to enhance brain growth.  Sleep deprivation has also been found in research to have a negative affect on performance.  Needless to say we encourage all families to provide protein and calcium rich diets and ensure our children have proper sleep.  Poor sleeping habits have also been connected to discipline problems.  Physical activity has been found to improve mental concentration.  Balancing physical activity and concentration periods is a goal of the staff. 

3.  Environmental Education:

      YMES is located on the watershed for Swift Creek.  This unique location has provided the school site with extensive landscaping as a part of the building plan.  Swift Creek runs through the back of the school property an is protected by fencing around the ball field.  Access to the creek will be available to staff for instructional purposes.  

      Environmental education emphasizes citizenship, respect, responsibility, problem-solving and issues identification.  Individuals and communities are continually forced to make decisions that affect the environment.  The goal is to help our children realize their responsibility to understand the ecosystem where they live and the impact humans have on the environment.  Our children will be responsible for making decisions that help us preserve or enhance a healthy environment.  We believe children need to know what a healthy environment is and how their decisions to pick up trash or improve an erosion problem on the playground.  

YMES staff continues to develop outdoor education activities for the children, which will incorporate the basics through the study of the environment.  Each grade level is assigned a specific "ZONE" of the campus that they use as their outdoor classroom.  The school celebrates their Zones through Town Meetings and numerous activities throughout the year.  Earth Week in April becomes a culmination for all of the school's environmental studies.  The focus of respect and responsibility for the environment is a major emphasis for all community members.  The PTA has work committees that are dedicated to working on the grounds and improving our campus.  They host Saturday morning Zone Days to accomplish specific goals. 

4.  Thinking Maps:

      Thinking Maps, developed by Dr. David Hyerle, are visual-teaching tools that foster and encourage life-long learning. They are based on a simple yet profound insight; the one common instructional thread that binds together all teachers from K through 12 is that they teach the same thought processes. 

      In Kindergarten we may call one of these processes grouping or sorting.  Later we call it categorizing main idea, supporting ideas and details. Whatever the label is, the thought process of classification is on the the eight distinct Thinking Map processes.

      YMES continues to emphasize the implementation of Thinking Maps as the common visual language that will be familiar part of the students' education.  Students learn to us the Thinking Maps as tools to analyze information, systems and events.  They have become an important tool that supports retention of information and deep understandings of complex information.  Thinking Maps are used successfully in all content areas and across the school as a common language. 

5.  FISH! Philosophy: 

      YMES began to implement the FISH! Philosophy in 2003 based on the book FISH! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results.  It portrays stories from Seattle's world-famous Pike Place Fish Market, where fishmongers spent stinky grueling 12-hour stocking, selling and packing fish.  However, remarkable results occurred when they began to accept the invitation to: 

                        1) Be There for their coworkers, customers, classmates;

                        2) Play - be lighthearted;

                        3) Make someone's day, and;

                        4) Choose their attitude about how they show up for work or school.  

Based on The FISH! Philosophy®, which is alive in organizations throughout the world, FISH! helps educators build:

                      * development of the “whole student” as an engaged learner
           * rewarding relationships
           * positive classroom management
           * personal responsibility and internal motivation for staff and students
           * a safe and playful learning community
           * respect for diversity
           * conflict-resolution skills

We began this journey as a staff and realized the power FISH! had in our own lives.  Because of this, we have chosen to implement FISH! school wide teaching and modeling the four principles with the students.  The goal is for each staff member and student to internalize the four principles to make their interactions with others more meaningful and positive. 

English:        

All students are responsible for complying with and are expected to be familiar with the WCPSS Code of Student Conduct and school board policies governing student   behavior and conduct.  All Code of Student Conduct policies are contained in the WCPSS Student/ Parent Handbook, which is distributed to all students and parents at the beginning of each school year or upon enrollment in the WCPSS.  If there is a conflict between the rules expressed in this handbook/agenda/planner and the Code of Student Conduct policies, the WCPSS Code of Student Conduct policies shall take precedence.

Spanish:         

Todas las políticas del Código de Conducta Estudiantil se encuentran en el manual de WCPSS de Estudiantes/Padres, el cual se distribuye a todos los padres y estudiantes al principio de cada año escolar o al matricularse en el WCPSS. Si hay un conflicto entre   las reglas expresadas en este manual de Estudiantes/Padres y el manual/agenda/planificador de la escuela de su hijo(a) las reglas expresadas en este manual deben tomar prioridad.