School Setting
I've taught in the private and public sectors for ten years. I'm entering my eleventh year of teaching in the United States and my sixth year teaching in public schools. I have always approached educating children in a holistic fashion, meaning integrating all subject matter, especially incorporating movement, music, and art into all subject areas whenever possible.
I've been teaching in a tiny public school district that has recently started to share our superintendent temporarily with another school district to cut costs. Our humble district originally consisted of two elementary schools, with a dual principal, and one middle school. Although there is one district, only one of the elementary schools and the middle school are located in one town and the other sister elementary school is separated by a small mountain or "hill." This elementary school has a more diversified student body — multiple cultures, religions, and socio-economic situations. A large population of the students at the school where I teach qualifies for free or reduced lunch and a portion of the students is English Language Learners (ELL). All the elementary school students from both elementary schools merge into one middle school when they enter sixth grade. The middle school has incorporated the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program into its curriculum.
The three schools in the district adopted and continue to implement Susan Kovalik's Highly Effective Teaching/Integrated Thematic Instruction (HET/ITI) model. All schools remain active in creating a common vocabulary with the Lifelong Guidelines that are continually reflected upon during interactions within classrooms and assemblies. The Lifelong Guidelines are trustworthiness, truthfulness, active listening, personal best, and no put-downs. In addition to the Lifelong Guidelines are the Lifeskills which when modeled, practiced, and given space to integrate as a vocabulary help the students assimilate and understand the Lifelong Guidelines. The Lifeskills are Integrity, Initiative, Flexibility, Perseverance, Organization, Sense of Humor, Effort, Common Sense, Resourcefulness, Problem-Solving, Responsibility, Patience, Friendship, Curiosity, Cooperation, Caring, Courage, and Pride. 2 The school district's intention is to create responsible and productive world citizens.
On our school website we include the description of the body-brain compatible elements of HET/ITI: "absence of threat / nurturing reflective thinking, meaningful content, movement to enhance learning, choices, adequate time to learn content, enriched environment, collaboration between students, immediate feedback, mastery and the ability to use concepts and skills in real life." 3 All these elements have distinguished our students who practice these guidelines consistently both in their K-8 classrooms and at home from other students in other school districts who enter their freshman year in high school. High school teachers appreciate our students who have acquired this system into their vocabulary and behavior.
Comments: