New Schools Project

Funded by:Jessie B. and Clement W. Stone Foundation

McCormick Tribune Foundation

McDougal Family Foundation

Perkins Malo Hunter Foundation

The New Schools Project asks…

how can we help CPS schools createoptimal PK- Grade 3 learning environments so that children enterthe fourth grade with knowledge, skills, and motivation to be self-directed learners?

Responsive Classroom Communities

PK-3

Communities of Practice

Home Community Connections

High Quality Instruction

Child Development

and Learning

Communities of Practice

Knowledge of Child Development and Learning

High Quality Instruction

Pk-3

• Age related child characteristics

• Strengths and interests of individual children

• Knowledge of social and cultural contexts

• Providing ABC’s:

autonomy, belonging,

competency

Child Development

and learning

Responsive Classroom Communities

Home/ Community Connections

Communities of Practice

Communities of practice

High Quality Instruction

Pk-3

Child development

and learning

• Strong Leadership

• Relational Trust Trust

• Shared Values and Goals

• Collective Focus on Student Learning

• Reflective Dialogue

• Tendency Toward Innovation

• Collaborative Practice

Responsive Classroom Communities

Home/ Community Connections

Responsive Classroom Communities

High Quality Instruction

Pk-3

Child development

and learning

• Sense of community: respect for the ideas, questions, and contributions of all members of the classroom

• Curriculum focused on self-control, social participation and problem solving

• High expectations for academic success

• Equal access to learning for all students

(Charney, 1995,, Weiss & Pasley, 2004)

Home/ Community Connections

Communities of Practice

Responsive Classroom Communities

High Quality Instruction

High Quality Instruction

Pk-3

Child development

and learning

• Intellectually engaging curriculum that builds academic understandings and social skills required for collaborative learning

• Curriculum, instruction, and assessment aligned vertically and horizontally across PK-3

• Formative assessment to "read" students’ level of understanding and adjust instruction accordingly

• Questioning that helps students make connections and understand concepts across domains

Home/ Community Connections

Responsive Classroom Communities

Communities of Practice

Home/Community Connections

High Quality Instruction

Pk-3

Establish threads of communication

• Home visits

• Letters

• email, DVD’s of classroom activities

• Phone calls

Bring home culture into the school

Provide formal and in-formal learning activities

• Parent-child activities at school and home

• Parenting classes

• Formal parent education (ESL, GED)

• Community/city wide activities

Child development

and learning

Home/ Community Connections

Responsive Communities of Practice

Responsive Classroom Communities

Full Partnership Schools

Erikson facilitators …

…to develop

Communities

ofPractice

Responsive Classroom

Communities High

Quality Instruction

Consult

Collaborate

use Cognitive Coaching

Full Partnership Schools

Schools at different places in each category

Home/School

Connections

• Commitment of Administrator/Teacher/Institute

• Trusting relationships

• Joint accountability for student success

• Efficacious as change agents

• Shared vision of teacher candidate

Murrell, 1998, Bryk & Schneider, 2002, Chan, Lau, Nie, Lim, Hogan, 2008

New Schools Project Full Partner Schools

A Full Partnership…