Sunshine Coast Educators visit Opal School

The Sunshine Coast School District sent a group of 10 teachers, administrators, and StrongStart facilitators to visit Opal School in Portland, Oregon to participate in a three day visitation.  Opal School serves as a resource for teacher-research by supporting and provoking fresh thinking about learning environments that inspire playful inquiry, creativity, imagination and the wonder of learning in children and adults.

We observed Story Workshop, Partner Sharing, and a number of projects in process with children from ages 3 – 11.  Teachers from the school joined us every afternoon to participate in discussions and reflection.  Opal Charter School is grounded in the belief that education opens opportunities for all children to participate in creating and shaping their own lives and to contribute to the quality of life around them.

Every member of our group came back inspired by our visit, and look forward to implementing much of what we learned in our own settings.

Ready-Set-Learn & Kindergarten Play Kits

This year to support schools in planning their Ready-Set-Learn events we provided them a menu of kits which they could choose to spend their RSL money on.

The kits are sourced from catalogues and Vancouver area suppliers. There's an Aboriginal Kit, an Artistic Expression Kit, a Dramatic Play Kit, a Forest Block Kit, and a Light and Colour Kit. Complete sets ranged in price from $340 to $560 and schools were able to not order any items if they didn't want them.

The idea was to help teachers and schools source learning materials that could be used at their RSL as a play area and later be incorporated into the Kindergarten and StrongStart rooms.

Kit Details and Ordering Info

Story Workshop

May 23, 2014
Story Workshop
Richmond School District sent a group of teachers, administrators, and StrongStart facilitators to visit Opal School in Portland, Oregon to participate in the two day symposium called, "Reading the World".
This session gave participants time to observe in classrooms while story Workshop was taking place.  Everyone who participated in the sessions came away with new insights about story workshop and many of these could be put into practice.  Teachers were inspired by the collaborative nature of the classrooms and the mutual respect by both teachers and students.  Opal school has a very comprehensive blog and website that can be easily viewed.

Vancouver School District continues to focus on Early Intervention in addressing the literacy needs of at risks students in Kindergarten to Grade 3. Presently, about half of the schools in the district (49 schools) are implementing the Early Intervention Model where Reading Recovery (one to one, 5 times a week) addresses the most at risk learners, small group reading/writing groups (4 students 4 times a week) focus in on tier two students and a comprehensive literacy program in classrooms for all learners. The district continues to support the ongoing professional development of over 65 Reading Recovery teachers to support this EI Model. The District EI Team has concentrated on facilitating and building collaboration and professional learning among members of school teams.

"Catching Readers Before They Fall" Conference with Pat Johnson and Katie Keier is well subscribed for Friday, January 31st at the Croatian Cultural Centre. We look forward to a full day of literacy learning through addressing whole class practice and differentiated reading instruction for diverse learners in the classrooms.

Pat Johnson is returning to continue the conversation with the Changing Results for Young Readers (CR4YRs) Network session on Thursday, April 10th and Friday, April 11th at the Sheraton Airport Hilton Hotel in Richmond. The presentation on April 10th will be for CR4YR's district teams.  Registration is open to all for the Friday, April 11th through  http://catchingreaders.ourconference.ca/

Changing Results for Young Readers (CR4YRs)  - We have two cohorts from Kindergarten to Grade Three and one cohort focusing on Grade Eight to Twelve (Changing Results for Adolescents). Teachers are looking closely at many complex learners who are struggling in reading, learning, engagement and motivation in our schools. Many teachers are examining how to meet students' needs with through differentiated instruction in small groups and one to one conferences.

Regie Routman Reading and Writing Connection video based series is supporting a group of teachers to delve deeper into building the reciprocity between reading and writing. Highlights of learning include the following:

• It is important of providing enough opportunities for students to work through "We Do" stage of the Optimal Learning Model (Gradual Release Responsibility) by gradually shifting greater responsibility of learning to students before moving to the "You Do" stage.
• Including students in the organization and set up of the classroom library gives them greater ownership of books and materials.

Reggio Emilia Inquiry Team with over 30 teachers are meeting five times over the year to inquiry further into applying different aspects of Reggio inspired teaching and learning in classrooms from Kindergarten to Grade Five. Teachers are exploring:

• documentation of student learning, 
• inquiry base learning through the arts,
• environment as a third teacher
• Geography of Story Workshop (based on the Opal School model)

A poem for teachers to reflect upon their practice ...

Click on the title to read the whole poem!

Two Voices within a Teacher 

I’m an early childhood teacher

I think of my work as

Very demanding                  Very stimulating

It’s as if I am

An air traffic controller trying to keep everyone on course and prevent collisions A body guard teaching the children how to share and get along with others

An architect designing an environment for discovery A gardener tilling the soil, planting seeds for a love of learning

Opal School

Opal School of Portland Children’s Museum is a private preschool (ages 3-6) and public charter elementary school (grades K-5). Opal School serves as a resource for teacher-research by supporting and provoking fresh thinking about learning environments that inspire playful inquiry, creativity, imagination and the wonder of learning in children and adults.


Opal School at Portland Children's Museum

The Opal School is an example and resource for Reggio inspired teaching