Polaris Expeditionary Learning School
Fall 2015
For one of my final practicums I was responsible for team teaching a classroom of kindergartners. My teaching partner and I were responsible for teaching every Friday morning for an hour and a half for most of the Fall semester. Our responsibilities included planning and preparing for the weekly lessons. Each of the lessons taught had to include objectives and meet the Colorado State Standards. We were also responsible for keeping a blog that was used to document the learning going on during each lesson. This blog was set up in such a way that it explained each lesson then had documentation in the form of videos and pictures. At the end of the semester we were also responsible for setting up and tearing down a small art show.
Through working with these kindergartners I learned that it much better to be over prepared than under prepared. It is also important to not have a strict idea of what projects should look like at the end of the project; it is important to give students artistic freedom when they are working on their projects.
To learn more about this practicum experience please visit: kreativekindergarten2015.weebly.com
Below and in the pullout tabs above is the Teacher Work Sample I worked on during my time at Polaris.
Through working with these kindergartners I learned that it much better to be over prepared than under prepared. It is also important to not have a strict idea of what projects should look like at the end of the project; it is important to give students artistic freedom when they are working on their projects.
To learn more about this practicum experience please visit: kreativekindergarten2015.weebly.com
Below and in the pullout tabs above is the Teacher Work Sample I worked on during my time at Polaris.
Setting and Context
-Culture and Community Context-
Polaris is unique because it is an expeditionary learning school. There is a lot of home renovation going on in the neighborhood. The school gives children the opportunity to learn through hands on experiences. The school has a saying “we are crew; not passengers.” According to the Poudre School District website, “The fundamental idea behind Expeditionary Learning is that students learn more by experiencing the world around them. Expeditionary Learning harnesses the students’ natural passion to learn and helps children develop the curiosity, knowledge, skills, and personal qualities they need for successful adulthood.”
Polaris is located in an older neighborhood, but the neighborhood seems to be becoming a place for newer families. While it is in a neighborhood, Polaris does not serve a specific neighborhood, it is a 100% school of choice program within Poudre School District. Classes are capped at 18 at the elementary level and hover between 22 - 29 students at the secondary level.
Polaris is located in an older neighborhood, but the neighborhood seems to be becoming a place for newer families. While it is in a neighborhood, Polaris does not serve a specific neighborhood, it is a 100% school of choice program within Poudre School District. Classes are capped at 18 at the elementary level and hover between 22 - 29 students at the secondary level.
-Support Structure-
Parent and community participation is highly encouraged through intensives, adventure and fieldwork and Parent Action Crew. There is little information on the website about the PAC but it seems like it would be similar to a PTO or PTA. There is a nurse at the school; she is listed under health technician on the school website. There are two to three paraprofessionals in the school and there is also a counselor for students to talk to if needed.
-Demographic Characteristics-
The average student to teacher ratio at Polaris is 16:1. One percent of the students at Polaris are Asian, three percent are Hispanic, 87% of the Polaris population is white and five percent is of two or more races. This describes most schools in the Poudre School District and speaks to the kind of community Fort Collins is. There are about 23% of student who receive free lunch at Polaris and five percent of the students are available for reduced lunch. These numbers do not factor in the elementary school students that attend Polaris, these numbers apply to grades 6 through 12.
-Classroom Environment and Students-
In our current classroom at Polaris, there is a door where all the students enter from, it is located by a small hallway within the classroom that houses all of the cubbies where students place their backpacks and coats as soon as they walk into the room. The sink is located against the east wall by the door of the classroom. There are five small round tables where students sit, three to four at a table. The names of students are in specific spots, but they are not required to sit at those spots. There is a smart board at the front of the classroom, by a purple rug where students sit at the start of class. There are benches in a small room that is on the east side of the class, there is a small tree house inside this room, and it is a room used for reading. There are books all around the room. There is also a science area, a costume area, and an art area in the classroom. A bathroom connects the kindergarten room to another classroom.
There are seventeen students in the classroom and each student is different from the next.
Student one: This student is very quiet but he has great ideas.
Student two: This student is a student who is always very willing to share stories about her art.
Student three: This student is quiet but always willing to share his thinking.
Student four: Always has very interesting and elaborate stories behind his art.
Student five: Always willing to share her thinking. She has great ideas for her projects.
Student six: He is quiet but works hard and has great ideas and stories.
Student seven: Always has an elaborate story behind his work.
Student eight: She works well and likes to know what other people are making.
Student nine: Quiet but always willing to share his thinking behind artworks.
Student ten: She has a lot of ideas, always has something interesting to say.
Student eleven: He is quiet, but works hard and creates great work.
Student twelve: She has good ideas and very willing to share her thinking.
Student thirteen: He is always very excited about the activities. Gives it his all.
Student fourteen: He is quiet and is not always willing to share his thinking.
Student fifteen: She is not always invested in activities. She is always willing to share.
Student sixteen: She always has something to share and can be a good worker.
Student seventeen: She is very quiet but has great ideas. Thinks a lot about what she is going to make.
Student one: This student is very quiet but he has great ideas.
Student two: This student is a student who is always very willing to share stories about her art.
Student three: This student is quiet but always willing to share his thinking.
Student four: Always has very interesting and elaborate stories behind his art.
Student five: Always willing to share her thinking. She has great ideas for her projects.
Student six: He is quiet but works hard and has great ideas and stories.
Student seven: Always has an elaborate story behind his work.
Student eight: She works well and likes to know what other people are making.
Student nine: Quiet but always willing to share his thinking behind artworks.
Student ten: She has a lot of ideas, always has something interesting to say.
Student eleven: He is quiet, but works hard and creates great work.
Student twelve: She has good ideas and very willing to share her thinking.
Student thirteen: He is always very excited about the activities. Gives it his all.
Student fourteen: He is quiet and is not always willing to share his thinking.
Student fifteen: She is not always invested in activities. She is always willing to share.
Student sixteen: She always has something to share and can be a good worker.
Student seventeen: She is very quiet but has great ideas. Thinks a lot about what she is going to make.
-School-wide Policies for Management, Safe Schools, Conflict Resolution and Student with Special Needs-
Polaris operates with a Site Based Management Team using one Site Based Management Plan. The SBMT is responsible for upholding the beliefs and structures of our K-12 Expeditionary Learning Schools by providing input and feedback as stated in the Decision Making Matrix. Through discussion and voting, the team works to create maximum agreement when giving input to other school entities. The team may also establish subcommittees as needed to address issues.
Conflict management is something that is used very rarely in the classroom I am in at Polaris. Issues are not ignored; they just do not come up. The teacher has set very specific guidelines as to what will be tolerated in the classroom, and disrespect of any kind is not tolerated. The teacher is very upfront about how her classroom is going to run. She does not baby her students. They are responsible for their learning. If they forget something or do not finish an assignment correctly they must work on it until it is finished, even if it means missing recess. Students are also expected no to talk while someone else is talking. Even if the student thinks that their story is relevant they cannot share until their teacher or classmate is finished. There is a para in our classroom that is there to help with students.
Conflict management is something that is used very rarely in the classroom I am in at Polaris. Issues are not ignored; they just do not come up. The teacher has set very specific guidelines as to what will be tolerated in the classroom, and disrespect of any kind is not tolerated. The teacher is very upfront about how her classroom is going to run. She does not baby her students. They are responsible for their learning. If they forget something or do not finish an assignment correctly they must work on it until it is finished, even if it means missing recess. Students are also expected no to talk while someone else is talking. Even if the student thinks that their story is relevant they cannot share until their teacher or classmate is finished. There is a para in our classroom that is there to help with students.