This year's fifth graders are experiencing some exciting innovations in their academic program, including a partnership with a school in Ecuador, student-led parent conferences, a monthly spirit day, and an opportunity to make guided choices during part of the school day.At the January Board of Education meeting, the fifth grade team explained how these new approaches strengthen their students sense of community, self-reliance, and social responsibility. Curriculum Leader Adrienne Laitman and Erin Cramer, representing their colleagues, made the presentation. In addition to Laitman and Cramer, the fifth grade team includes Lisa Britvan, Stephanie Kennedy, and Bruce Meyers. Micki Kennedy and Karen Albers provide special education support.
The teachers highlighted the most significant aspects of their work together. The students developed five guiding principles ("Try your best.") as a fifth grade community, not by individual classes. This approach has led to a positive identity and fewer behavior problems. The organization of the daily schedule reflects a planned transition between the self-contained classroom at grade four and the secondary model in which the students change teachers every period. During a portion of the day the students have an opportunity to select activities that best meet their needs, ranging from extra help, to technology enrichment, or time to work on long-range projects. The student-led conferences have given parents, teachers, and the students themselves a new perspective on student's assuming responsibility for their own learning. These programs - and others - reflect the benefits of team planning and collegial support among the teachers.
