Through modeling and guided practice, our staff teaches children about the schedule and daily routines for the coming year. Similarly, using the same instructional techniques, students are taught about their physical environment and use of classroom materials. Expectations regarding the manner in which they will learn together, the routines for Morning Meeting, the Hopes and Dreams Classroom rules, and logical consequences are all established within the first six weeks of school.

Clear essentials for acceptable behavior at “ middle of the day” (lunch and recess) are modeled and practiced within the initial six weeks as well. Lunch recess occurs before students eat lunch. Teacher schedules are adjusted to enable them to share lunch time with their students for four consecutive days at the very beginning of the school year. This enables modeling of appropriate lunchtime conduct. Each class develops a short list of rules and procedures for a successful lunch period with their teacher. Lunchroom aides and our two physical education teachers remain outside, teaching the designated games and activities which are available for children when they are outdoors. This outdoor instruction continues for nearly six weeks, at which time children are permitted to select an activity independently, trusting the social and physical environment.

As we continue to subscribe to a strong start, we assign Buddy Teachers to each homeroom. A buddy teacher includes basic skills staff, special subject teacher, counselor, and CST members, who become part of the homeroom family. This practice serves to unify the adult community, and to give children one more adult in the building whom they may get to know well. Buddy teachers will attend morning meetings and special class events throughout the year.

Administrators take an active role throughout the school year in the “middle of the day”. Additionally, they take an active part in establishing expectations and rules for our thirteen bus communities at Lore School.

 

At the end of this valuable six-week period, we hold our school-wide Constitutional Convention, and delegates from each homeroom meet to decide on school-wide rules for Lore. At our final convention, school-wide assembly in October, delegates sign the school constitution and school-wide rules are posted throughout the building, and in every room.

In addition to the set framework for the first six weeks, established by Responsive Classroom tenets, daily lessons and school projects that model our twenty-six core value words are begun. Our UNITY Families, consisting of students from each grade level, begin meeting in October. Six times per year, each family unit designs and implements service projects, while they share experiences and bond with one another.

One fifth grade student, Matt, was recently quoted as saying,

“Our teachers really care about us here;
it’s rare to see an unhappy face at Lore.”

Former school board member, and now STAR (Seniors Teaching And Reinforcing Skills) volunteer, Mrs. Mary Lou Kramli, sums up the caring spirit at Lore:

“ There’s something special about this school
that envelopes everyone who walks in. ”

Every adult member of the Lore School Family remains committed to establishing a “home” where children will thrive academically and socially. Our program, or prescription for doing this, remains dynamic, and we evaluate, assess, and plan, in order to continue to improve each year.

Quick Tip: Rejuvenate your faculty meetings!

Make them into Morning Meeting style events, and save dispersal of information for email or small

grade level meetings. You must build your school community before you establish school-wide goals.

Patricia Womelsdorf is the principal at Lore Elementary School.
Lore Elementary School
13 Westwood Drive
Ewing NJ 08628
609-538-9800 ext 6102
http://www.ewing.k12.nj.us/ewingweb/Schools/Lore/lore/index.html

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References

Responsive Classroom. Turner Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.

Website: www.responsiveclassroom.org.

Denton, Paula; Kriete, Roxann; The First Six Weeks of School, Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc., 2000.