Eliza Blaker School 55
A Butler Lab Reggio-Inspired School
Academics
Approach
Our Approach to Teaching and Learning
We believe learning should be engaging, hands-on, inquiry-based, relevant, and relational. As we design learning experiences for students, families, and educators, we feel it is important to collaborate and think deeply about the process of what we are doing. Why are we doing what we are doing? How does it connect to our children? How does it weave into other parts of the day so it is not compartmentalized, but rather, integrated into deep and rich meaning that shows construction of understanding? We are always processing to deepen our thinking about the work we do and why we do it.
Integrating The 100 Languages
The 100 Languages are an important piece of our approach to teaching and learning. Children come into the classroom with a rich history, a wide range of knowledge, and developed theories about the world around them. They are competent, capable, and creative and show this in diverse ways. When we say 100 Languages, we are referring to the work and beliefs of educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy, that value the infinite ways in which children experience and communicate what they think and know. The 100 Languages informs how we set up spaces, design curriculum, and gain insight from the work of our children.
Our Approach to Literacy
We believe in developing well-rounded readers and writers, who love books, think deeply about what they read, and understand the impact texts have on our world. Children need to develop specific literacy skills to be able to do this deep thinking. The Reading Rope demonstrates the reading skills we explicitly teach in whole group and small group lessons during our English Language Arts block. We also teach technical writing skills (structure, conventions, grammar, paragraphing, etc.) and creative writing skills (expression, story-telling, process, etc.) needed to craft persuasive, informative, and narrative texts. We believe children need many opportunities to create and practice applying these skills. We want children to see themselves as authentic readers and real authors who will continue this work throughout their life.
Our Approach to Math
We want children to see themselves as lifelong mathematicians. We use whole-group and differentiated small group instruction to support our students. Inquiry, real-world connections, and joy are essential to the learning in our math instruction. We have four parts of our math block that build mathematic proficiency: fluency, number work, expecting equations, and problem solving. We encourage "math talk", where students write, converse, question, and debate their mathematical thinking. We believe the process and reasoning children use to solve a problem, is just as important as the answer or result at which they arrive.
Our Approach to Science & Social Studies
Curriculum
Butler Lab School Curriculum
MORNING MEETING
We begin our day with morning meeting as a way to gather and build community in our classrooms. We meet in a circle, greet each other, and listen and respond to each other’s news. We do a group activity that builds social or academic skills, and read a morning message to reflect on our learning and prepare for our day.
Curricular Resources: Responsive Classroom, Second Steps
READING
By thinking about the authentic habits and strategies of readers, teachers can make informed decisions about delivering explicit, quality lessons that include the art and science of reading. We establish joyful practices around high-interest books and literacy-rich environments that inspire children to develop and cherish their own reading practices.
Curricular Resources: CKLA in English Language Arts, UFLI and Heggerty for phonics, Lexia for intervention
PROJECT WORK
Projects are long term, in-depth studies that integrate content (such as science and social studies) in meaningful ways. Field trips, experts coming in, digging into the questions, reading books, connecting with the studios, exploring languages help us weave all our units of study as much as possible together to create a single thread of connection.
Curricular Resources: teacher-created, Project Lead the Way, My World Social Studies, Foss Science
WRITING
Writing is a powerful language that provides students with agency and voice in their community. Throughout the year, children learn how to write for a specific purpose and audience, making their work authentic and meaningful. Narrative, informative, and persuasive writing are explored, often times in connection to our reading units.
Curricular Resources: skills are integrated within CKLA
MATH
Our math block is made of four components: numberwork, inspecting equations, math workshop (mini-lesson, problem solving, share), and maintenance and fluency. You will see students working around the classroom independently or playing a math game with a partner. Students share their mathematical thinking and learning with one another.
Curricular Resources: Eureka Math, DreamBox
STUDIOS
The studios are an opportunity for students to dive deeper in understanding and developing the languages of visual arts, music, movement, and media/STEM in collaboration with others. In these spaces, we invite students to experiment, play, invent, discover, build skills, create, think, and reflect.
Curricular Resources: teacher-created units, Project Zero: Habits of Mind
Grading
Butler Lab School Grading System
At the Butler Lab Schools, we believe grading should be an authentic reflection of learning and provide all students with opportunities to grow. There are many ways different schools grade and give feedback. Many of us are familiar with the traditional A through F grading scale. This type of grading uses cumulative point totals to give students their overall performance on an assignment or in a subject area. However, it often does not typically tell the child which particular skills/standards they are mastering and which skills/standards they need to improve on. To provide more targeted feedback to stretch all children, our schools use what is called Proficiency Grading. Students receive grades and feedback to show where they are currently performing on various grade-level standards and skills within each assignment, test, or rubric. They may also receive a grade for their participation or effort that is separate from their academic performance. In addition to grades, it is important that we provide each student with specific feedback on what they need to do to move towards proficiency or beyond.
Our Proficiency Grading Scale
The proficiency grading scale ranges from significantly below to significantly above grade level, which allows students to see where they are on the continuum of learning and how they can continue to grow. The language we use for each grade carries meaning. We define proficient as where a student should be on a particular standard or skill at that time in the school year. When a student is still working on a standard, we would consider their progress developing. When a student is unable to show evidence of the standard because they are working far below grade level, we consider their progress not evident. And when a student is working beyond the grade level skill, we consider their progress strong or exemplary. We teach this language to our students, so that when they receive a grade, they understand where they are performing on this scale.
NE - Not Evident |
D - Developing |
P - Proficient |
S - Strong |
E - Exemplary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Significantly below grade level |
Consistently below grade level |
On grade level |
Consistently above grade level |
Significantly above grade level |
* NA - Not assessed this grading period
Report Cards
We determine grades using work samples, rubrics, and in-class evidence. We provide students with transparent expectations on each assignment or assessment, as well as feedback on progress and opportunities for revision. When teachers and students share an understanding of progress, it fosters ownership and continuous improvement in learning. Grades are stored in our gradebooks, which are used to determine our report card grades.
Report cards document student’s learning and progress through the year and provide consistent and regular feedback to children and families. It is important to note that as students improve throughout the year, more recent evidence replaces previous evidence (we do not average grades). So a student who is developing in one skill at the beginning of a unit, may be proficient in the skill by the end of the unit. Quarterly report card grades are a reflection of where your child is performing on the grade-level standards at that point in the school year. Throughout the school year, the expectation of what students can do within each standard increases. Grade-level standards can be found on the IDOE website: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/indiana-academic-standards/
How Do We Communicate Progress to Families?
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Work samples, assessments, rubrics are sent home.
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Gradebooks are updated monthly. You may login through your child’s account by going to Clever → Schoology → English Language Arts or Math course gradebooks.
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Parent-teacher conferences to share your child’s progress take place during the first quarter of each semester. (Quarter 1 & Quarter 3)
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Narrative comments, specific to your child, are included in the report card during the last quarter of each semester. (Quarter 2 & Quarter 4)
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Families are encouraged to reach out to the school or your child’s teacher at any time with questions.
MTSS
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports)
We believe every child comes to us with a rich history and wide range of knowledge. Every child is competent, capable, creative, and they show this in diverse ways. As a school, it is our responsibility to work in partnership with families to develop all students and support their needs. MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) is a framework we use to identify areas for growth and provide layers of support. Our school MTSS team tracks every student’s progress in reading, math, and social-emotional development. Academic interventions are given to students who have not met grade-level benchmarks on Acadience (district reading assessment) or NWEA (district reading and math assessment). If your child has been identified as a student who will benefit from interventions to make progress toward Indiana grade-level standards, you will receive a letter each quarter including their interventions. We want you to feel supported through this process. If you have any questions or would like more ways to support at home, please contact your child’s classroom teacher. We are here to help!
Butler Lab School MTSS Visual
In MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports), a pyramid is used to represent how the tiers build on one another. For example, a student in Tier 3 continues to receive Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports.
Testing
District & State Testing
Testing Overview
Acadience
Acadience is an assessment that consists of several 1-3 minute tests, given to each child one-on-one. We use this data to screen and monitor each child's progress in foundational literacy skills (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension). Acadience helps teachers identify if a student is on track or needs extra support.
Acadience is given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.
NWEA
NWEA measures student achievement in reading and math, tracking student growth kindergarten through grade 5. It is a computer-adaptive test, in which each student gets a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. Teachers receive immediate results that show what students know and what they are ready to learn next.
NWEA is given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.
ILEARN
ILEARN (Indiana Learning Evaluation Assessment Readiness Network) is an assessment required by the state of Indiana to measure achievement on the Indiana Academic Standards for students in grades 3 through 5.
ILEARN Checkpoints are given in the fall, winter, and spring. ILEARN Summative is given at the end of the school year.
More information can be found below and on the Indiana Department of Education's ILEARN website: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/assessment/ilearn/
ILEARN Checkpoints
ILEARN Summative
ILEARN Summative
- summative tests are given at the end of the school year
- comprehensive assessment that measures learning of the Indiana Academic Standards from the entire school year
- results are included in school and district accountability measures
- teachers and families can view long-term progress and areas of need
Summative Tests Include:
- English/Language Arts (Grades 3-8)
- Math (Grades 3-8)
- Science (Grades 4 & 6)
- Social Studies (Grade 5)
IREAD
IREAD (Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination ) is a reading assessment required by the state of Indiana that measures foundational reading skills based on the Grade 3 Indiana Academic Standards. Students begin participation in IREAD at grade 2 and continue to participate until they pass or are promoted to grade 7. Students who do not pass IREAD receive appropriate reading interventions and possible remediation to support their development of those essential reading skills.
IREAD is given in the spring (to students who have not yet passed).
More information can be found on the Indiana Department of Education's IREAD website: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/assessment/iread-3/
How to Prepare Your Child for Testing
How to Prepare Your Child for Testing
1. Plenty of rest-Children ages 6-12 need at least 9-12 hours of sleep a night. Well-rested children can better concentrate on tasks and manage complex information.
2. Eat a healthy breakfast- Significantly improves children's learning by boosting cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and focus.
3. Be present at school on time each day of testing-Arriving on time helps students start the day with a peaceful, predictable routine, reducing stress that can hinder performance.
4. Give your child encouraging and motivating words each day of testing. This gives them a positive mindset before doing something that could potentially be challenging for them.