Inquiring Minds Want to Know - Grade 9 Physical Science - Guided Inquiry: @ the WHS Library!

With the new school year, begins Science Inquiry! This year, I am working with 4 physical science teachers and 210 students to journey through the Guided Inquiry process!  Over the summer, a team from our school participated in the Summer Inquiry Institute at Rutger's University to expand our knowledge about inquiry based research over compilation based projects.  

Creativity is imperative when working with this many students and classes!  For our "Open - creating curiosity for students" we doubled up on some classes.  It was sometimes loud, sometimes chaotic and always high energy.  The students seemed to really enjoy working together with another class during their Inquiry Circles and this activity.  

The objective for today was to provide a way for students to be exposed to Science topics that they may have been unaware of.  It was also a way to get students curious about a topic that they will research by using the Guided Inquiry process. We are taking the students on this journey with a carefully planned activities and lessons.  Much of the plan involved technology use for reflection, assignments and research.  Today was all about low-tech connections with content, students and learning. 

Students read a current article about obscure Science topics. They reflected on the article, pulling out the main ideas.  They also wrote opinion statements regarding how the article relates to Science and what about the article was interesting to them. This was used as the basis for an Inquiry circle in small groups. One of the students began the discussion and each member of the group had the opportunity to share their own thoughts.  Students were eager to share their new knowledge with their inquiry circles.  The topics brought up many questions for the students.  

To culminate the day's activities, students presented their Inquiry Circle discussion to the rest of the group. Many of the groups divided the speaking by their personal opinions. 

Messages are everywhere...

Wise owl and Cheery Bird Welcome

Balance: The place where we find our deepest peace is the place where we discover our greatest strength! 

Respect and Tolerance - expected for and from ALL 

I am not asking you to do anything that I don't take the time to do!
I'm a reader and I want you to be too! 

And so it begins - Welcome back!

Welcome back!  Seniors arrive with their blur of tie-dye on the first day.  One thing for sure, there is always an excitement in the air that is contagious to everyone in the building during the first day of school.   This year I am hoping to take a picture a day to capture the essence of our school, our library, our community.  So far I am behind by 3 days - but that's also something that can always be counted on! Here we go.... 

Reflecting on advocacy

  Over the last several weeks I have been preparing to hold a Massachusetts Library Legislative Breakfast in my high school library. Save the dates, invitations, reminder emails and Facebook posts and events were created and sent. This event also coincides with our NEASC (New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc.) accreditation next week.  The entire school has been focused on showing what we do on a daily basis. I used both to reflect on the image I would like visitors to take away.  I believe I was successful in accomplishing my vision. 

Here is why: 

• The program began with the High School Administrators, the town Library Director, the Town Manager and myself welcoming the guests of the breakfast. 
• Four teachers and three students  spoke of the critical role that a library has in our community and in their daily lives.  Each of the speakers contributed an element of personal growth, worth, learning outcomes and community. 
• MBLC, MLS, MLA, CW/Mars and MSLA were all represented and given a few minutes at the podium to raise awareness of the bills that are in need of support from constituents. 
• Legislative Representatives spoke regarding the ways that they do and will support libraries. 
• A Declaration for the Right to Libraries Signing Event was also held during the event. Those attending the advocacy event, as well as students, teachers and staff members were asked to add their signature to the poster. The poster will continue to be available for signatures throughout the month of March. 
• An art project that was a collaboration between the digital photography teacher and the library teacher was on exhibit in the library. 
• Journalism students were more than willing to help by greeting guests, handing out programs, and guiding visitors throughout the event.  These students also served as photographers and a videographer. 
• At the end of the event, people did not want to leave and many stayed to continue the conversation.   

 But here is what I learned from this experience....

• Everyone needs to feel that they matter and are worthy.
• Even those who are convicted in their beliefs may be open to listening to the "why". 
• The "to do" list isn't as important as the "to be" list:  Be realistic in what can be accomplished.Be able to delegate and accept help. Be kind - it really can cure most situations. Be grateful for those who are willing to trust in your ideas. 
• Access IS the bottom line  - to libraries, to information, to the digital world, to learning, to equality, to chances... 

  

  

The Power of Performance Poetry

Performance poetry is a unique venue that provides a way in which students can communicate and feel connected with their peers, local community and greater Boston area. Performance poetry is an art specifically geared toward a visual audience. The term became popular in the 1980's to describe poetry composed for performance versus print. There is a continued need for teens to explore areas of creativity in which their voices are validated and celebrated.  Poetry Slam offers this opportunity.

Although I had heard of the genre, I was first exposed to a poetry slam at my district middle school. The librarian, Linda Kimball, and the English teachers collaborated during Poetry month annually to bring a Poet in Residence to the school.  It was my first year in the district and I was invited to see the Slam on the last day of the residence week.  Middle School students were totally engaged in the performance. I immediately began thinking about how to bring this to my high school students. After speaking with Alex, the Poet in Residence at Gibbons Middle School, I realized  that this would be a vehicle to empower high school students to find their voice.  

I continued my research with the resources that were provided from Alex Charalambides, Co-founder and Continuing Events Co-Chair of The Massachusetts Literary Education and Performance Collective (also known as Mass LEAP). Mass LEAP is sponsored by Mass Poetry.  MassLEAP brought Louder than a Bomb (LTAB) Teen Poetry Slam Festival to Massachusetts  in 2012.   I started tossing the idea around with English teachers and at this point understood that an entire experience would be most beneficial to our high school students.  As I explored the teacher guides and coach information regarding the annual poetry slam, I had a better idea of how to put this all together. Alex came to the school and met with us about what our program could look like. He was willing to be our Poet in Residence in the Spring.  All of our planning for the program happened the year before implementation. Now  we just  needed to find funding for the program. 

In our district, the Education Foundation offers Grants to educators. The Westborough Education Foundation (WEF) is a nonprofit organization of citizens committed to the support of innovative educational programs within the Westborough Public Schools. WEF grants are intended to provide the initial funding for such projects, with the idea that successful programs might later be integrated into the regular school curriculum. 

We wrote the grant and included the following: 

This initiative will be accomplished through bringing the transformative power of the spoken word to students in grades 9-12 through innovative workshops and interdisciplinary activities supported by MassLEAP (Literary Education & Performance) a collaborative with MassPoetry.  Students will participate in a series of interactive and performance based seminars and workshops throughout the school year that will culminate in a statewide Teen Poetry Slam Festival at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. 

·         In school events provided through collaboration with MassLEAP:

o   Poetry Slam 101 session                                                       

o   Demonstration Poetry Slam                                                  

o   Poet in Residence Intensive Workshop                           

o   Louder Thana Bomb film Screening and discussion       

·         Afterschool  Seminars  facilitated by Kathleen Stoker, English Teacher and Anita Cellucci, Library Teacher 

o   8 Seminars -

§  Team building

§  Poetry writing

§  Performances 

The Grant was approved for $2680.00 for the 2011-2012 school year. We began implementing at the beginning of the school year with a Demonstration Poetry Slam that was presented to all Grade 10 students. We gained initial interest and held afterschool workshops and seminars.  Promotion was on Library Posters, website, school announcements, online school newspaper and interviews. 

The 2012-13 program has been well received at WHS.  There have been 8-10 students consistently involved in the after school workshops.  The Demonstration Poetry Slam Assembly was held in October for grade 10 students and created an avenue for conversation surrounding the program.  Students were excited by the poets who shared their creativity on that day. Several students spoke with the poets after the assembly.  The excitement was continued with the October afterschool event, Poetry Slam 101, which allowed students to gain insight into the history of poetry slam and to work independently with a slam poet.  The Louder than A Bomb film screening in February was attending well, with about 35 students enjoying the 90 minute movie. Conversation after the film revealed that students were eager to share their own thoughts through the creative art of performance poetry. These students have worked hard on their poems in the afterschool workshops facilitated by Anita Cellucci and Kathy Stoker.  The Poet in Residence Program was also a catalyst to build further excitement.  Several English Teachers brought their classes into the library during the week long program to work with MassLEAP poet, Alex, in dynamic interactive lessons.  Alex was in the library for four full days, seeing classes every period of the day and also for four drop-in sessions after school.  Many students came into the library for advice from Alex regarding their poetry.  Alex was extremely adept at offering positive advice for each student individually in the after school sessions. Students were engaged, amazed and connected.

Here area few of the positive outcomes after the Poet in Residence:
**Students willingly performed their original poetry during classes and after school.
**One student performed from our new "stage" area in the library allowing her classmates to see another side of her personality.
**Several students stopped Alex, the poet, in the hallway to show him their latest poems.
**A diverse group of teens came  to each of the after school sessions.

Our goal was to have a solid team after our Residence week in March. We did accomplish this and brought a group of 4 students to LTAB held at MassArt after much encouragement to the students that were interested.  Our team competed individually and as a group.  It was a joy to watch the other teams welcome and encourage our newbie students. It was truly a day of community. We all left incredibly lifted by the spirit of the poetry slam experience. 

Looking ahead to the next school year (2013-2014), we have again been awarded a Grant to continue the program.  We plan to do much of the same but with more of a focus in the beginning of the year to create our team.  Three of our members from last year will be rejoining and have promised to bring friends.  With the connections that were made throughout the experience, we hope to offer Poetry Slams and open them up for friendly competition with nearby schools.