November 17, 2017

What we are learning...

Mr. Mike Finch, Director of Athletics and Middle School Math Teacher
What is your favorite color? Pink.

What is your favorite book? Dracula by Bram Stoker.  

What is your favorite movie? "The Godfather, Part 1"

If I hadn't been a teacher, I probably would've been... an attorney.

Who is your favorite song? "22" by Taylor Swift.

If you could travel anywhere in space and time, where and when would you like to visit? Mars, 1,000 years into the future.

Where were you born? Tacoma, WA, 1983, at Tacoma General.

Any interesting trivia about you? I got frost bite on my left hand in 8th Grade from holding a scoop of ice cream too long in the month of February.

Where did you attend Middle School? Truman MS, Tacoma.

Who was your favorite or most influential teacher? Mr. Richardson, 10th Grade Chemistry.

In this unit of 7^th Grade Math, we’re solving equations. BUT…we’re not just solving equations, we’re solving every possible different type of equation that a MS’er could have to solve. It’s been fun since most 7^th Grade Math students are solving complex equations for the first time in their math careers. There have been a lot of “aha!” moments, and an equal amount “uh what?” moments. Just this week we introduced the reason why solving equations is necessary in terms of geometry: to find out where lines intersect one another. Again, 100% of the class exclaimed “uh what?” followed by an “aha!” 10 minutes later in the lesson. It was pretty cool to see.

First Semester Finals

First Semester Final Assessments are scheduled for the week before Winter Break. Students have received the overall Finals schedule, and it's included below as well. This year we are trying something new with our finals schedule.

Traditionally, finals took the form of cumulative examinations at the end of a term that assessed content acquisition and application. This follows the model set by universities. As educational models and programs evolved, the administration of final assessments has too, informed not only by the experience of students and teachers but also by the insights of neuroscience. Cramming content into one's brain might be effective to be able to regurgitate once or twice, but there's no guarantee that information will "stick" or transfer to different contexts. In our program, assessments are designed with mastery and application in mind, not content cramming, and the format of formative and summative assessments varies with each subject and unit, as the assessments are designed for students to demonstrate mastery in a variety of intellectual contexts. Likewise, our finals are neither "cumulative" (in the sense of capturing all of the content from throughout the term) nor "culminating" (in the sense of being the last chance to demonstrate master). Instead, our finals are more of a "peak experience," a significant opportunity to assess progress toward mastery.

This year, our faculty have mapped out a sequence for final assessments. The goal of this sequence is both to provide students a variety of finals to check for mastery and to develop the study skills of organization, long-term planning, and reinforcement that are not only essential to learning but also helpful in preparing for high school and beyond. In Grades 6 and 7, students will have 3 finals each semester; in Grade 8, students will have 4 each semester. Students will have a Math final at the end of each semester and a Language Acquisition final at the end of each year. Other subjects vary from grade to grade. The specifics might change over time, but the general progression will stay in place.

6th G	First Sem	Second Sem		7th G	First Sem	Second Sem		8th G	First Sem	Second Sem
I&S		X		I&S	X			I&S	X	X
LA		X		LA		X		LA	X	X
L&L	X			L&L		X		L&L	X
M	X	X		M	X	X		M	X	X
S	X			S	X			S		X
	3	3			3	3			4	4

Scheduling finals before Winter Break affords a number of benefits. The most obvious benefit is that it gives students a real break over the holidays. Moving finals away from the end of the semester will potentially avoid spiking stress levels as the term wraps up. On a very practical level, building a few weeks between finals and the end of the term also allows time to make-up a final in case of a student's absence due to illness or unanticipated events as well as time to review finals and provide essential feedback.

The full schedule for finals is here. As this schedule demonstrates, each day includes a mix of finals, other classes (Arts, Design, PHE), Athletics, and special occasions like our MS Holiday Celebration and annual Holiday Tea. The week culminates in Grandparents' & Special Friends' Day, which includes a special musical performance by our MS ensembles and the MS Expo, which highlights projects from throughout the curriculum. The inclusion of Arts, Design, and PHE not only help us meet the minimum hours required by the MYP for these subjects but also to provide some active, kinesthetic balance to what might be long testing sessions. Blending special events like our informal Holiday Celebration and our more formal Holiday Tea will make for a busy week, for sure, but it also intends to keep students active and engaged right up to their vacation.

As we move toward First Semester finals, I invite you to help students prepare for finals by keeping these things at the fore:

• Remind your student that finals are about demonstrating mastery and growth, and preparing for finals is about organization and preparation. Finals are not "make it or break it" moments in the school experience. 
• Keep the temperature low - don't put any more pressure on your student's performance during finals than you would on any other assessment.
• Maintain your routine as much as possible. Don't throw any curve-balls or surprises that might affect your student's plans, and don't schedule off-campus appointments during finals days.
• Ensure that your student is sleeping and eating well in the days leading up to finals. 

If you have any questions about finals or preparation for them, please contact your student's Advisor or Mr. Bill Hulseman. 

November 10, 2017

What we are learning...

Ms. Elizabeth Gettel, Middle School Music & Drama Teacher
What is your favorite color? Royal blue.
What is your favorite book? Vanity Fair.  
What is your favorite movie? "Gone with the Wind."
If I hadn't been a teacher, I probably would've been... an actress.
Who is your favorite musical artist? Arthur Rubenstein.
If you could travel anywhere in space and time, where and when would you like to visit? The Renaissance
Where were you born? Ft. Worth, Texas.
Any interesting trivia about you? I'm a huge USC football fan.
Where did you attend Middle School? Duchesne Academy, Houston, Texas.
Who was your favorite or most influential teacher? Miss Bessie Griffiths.

I love teaching Music to The Annie Wright Middle School students. They have a real appreciation for Music and are willing to take every kind of risk. This week, we are completing a Unit on the Middle Ages in 6th and 7th Grade Music. The students are able to identify Music from four different historical periods and know how to write and record a Neumonic composition in Monophonic Chant. 8th Grade students are continuing the journey into the world of Jazz and began studying New Orleans Jazz. They learned drum, bass, keyboard and vocal parts for The House of the Rising Sun and will perform with their band.

November 3, 2017

What we are learning...

Ms. Emma Hartmann, Middle School Science, Math, and PHE Teacher
What is your favorite color? Teal.  
What is your favorite movie? "Captain Ron"
If I hadn't been a teacher, I probably would've been... a physical therapist.
Who is your favorite musical artist? The Killers.
Where were you born? Annapolis, MD.
Where did you attend Middle School? Woodward Middle School, Bainbridge Island
Who was your favorite or most influential teacher? Ms. Devis, 1st and 2nd Grades.

Sixth Grade Science allows for Sixth Graders to explore aspects of Earth Science, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. One of the reasons why I love teaching Science is because we use models, do simulations, practice experiments, and engage in group activities that allow for students to get out of their seats and interact with the content in a variety of ways. Our introductory unit focuses on the Scientific Method. Throughout the unit students performed mini-labs to focus on various skills needed to be successful in implementing the Scientific Method. Currently, we are beginning our Earth Science unit. This unit focuses on change - particularly Earth’s changing surface. Throughout the unit we get to focus on our local geography and explore why the Northwest has so many earthquakes and the potential for volcanic eruptions. Like the Scientific Method unit, students will explore the content in a variety of ways. For example, we recently compared the layers of the Earth to oobleck, honey, water, and soil. I’m looking forward to simulating earthquakes, exploring the drive behind plate tectonics, and looking into the technology that scientists use to detect earthquakes and the beginning stages of a volcanic eruption. 

October 27, 2017

Pumpkins!

This week, Advisory groups competed in our annual Middle School Pumpkin Decorating Contest! Voters, including Lower School students and faculty & staff from throughout the school, will determine the winners for 5th Grade Favorite, Scariest, Most Original, and Best Overall! To get a glimpse of this year's creations, click on this link.

What we are learning...

Ms. Shannon Leenstra, Lower & Middle School Art Teacher
What is your favorite color? Fuschia.  
What is your favorite book? Where the Red Fern Grows.
What is your favorite movie? "On Golden Pond"
If I hadn't been a teacher, I probably would've been... an archaeologist.
Who is your favorite musical artist? John Denver.
Where were you born? Renton, Washington
If you could travel anywhere through space and time, where and when would you like to visit? Machu Picchu, 15th century.
Who was your favorite or most influential teacher? Mrs. Hillger, 4th Grade, hands down bar-none the best!  

I always love the beginning of the year in Visual Arts. Students who have been at Annie Wright for a while all know what is coming in the next year, and most are pretty excited to be able to learn about the things that they have seen hanging in the halls over the years. Sixth Grade gets excited about learning to draw in linear perspective. It is a dramatic project that allows the students to really see their progress on paper. I send them out into the corridors to draw on the very first day of the unit and they are usually pretty proud of the work that they do. Then we spend some time in the classroom learning about linear perspective, practicing it, and looking at art work  by the some of the masters such as Leonardo de Vinci and Pietro Perugino. We look at how Brunelleschi experimented with mirrors and paintings in order to prove the concept in the 1400’s and how fresco painters in Pompeii may have had an understanding of it long before that, but it was buried in the ash of Mt. Vesuvius. Finally they take their new found knowledge and head back out to draw their corridor again. The results are amazing to say the least. I get goosebumps when I see how much progress the students make in such a short amount of time. The best part is their own reactions when they place their first drawings next to their finished drawings and they get goosebumps! It is a truly wonderful experience to witness the rise of student confidence before your very eyes. I am truly blessed to be a part of it. 

October 20, 2017

Human Rights

In MS Chapel this week, we returned to our year-long theme of service learning. Over the course of the year, we’ll explore different arenas of service learning, including Poverty & Homelessness, Stewardship of the Environment, Care & Concern for the Elderly, Childcare & Education, and Understanding & Supporting People with Disabilities, but this week we focused on a sixth arena that touches each other category and which is really the foundation of service learning - Human Rights. 

Our engagement with the topic was inspired first by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, who, after serving as First Lady of the United States, committed herself to the establishment and support of human rights. Roosevelt's legacy includes not only representing the United States in the newly established United Nations but also the development of the Declaration of Universal Human Rights. An excerpt of her speech to the UN in 1958, shared below, sparked our reflection on the definition of Human Rights. We also watched a short video about the development of the idea over thousands of years and across cultures, from Cyrus the Great to the United Nations. Each Advisory group took one of the 30 rights declared by the UN and applied it to our community, taking seriously Roosevelt's insight that human rights begin "In small places, close to home." 

For us, understanding Human Rights can play a foundational role in the continuing cultivation of our strong community. These rights relate to choices each of us makes and the ways we interact with each other the norms and culture of the Middle School; on a more intellectual or programmatic level, the concept of Human Rights resonates with all six Global Contexts defined the MYP framework (Identities & Relationships, Fairness & Development, Orientation in Space & Time, Personal & Cultural Expression, Scientific & Technical Innovation, Globalization & Sustainability). Consider reflecting on Roosevelt's words (below), watching this video, and continuing the conversation about how each of us can support and uphold human rights in our relationships, in our community, and in our region. 

Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

In small places, close to home -

so close and so small that they cannot be seen

on any maps of the world.

Yet they are the world of the individual person;

the neighborhood he lives in;

the school or college he attends;

the factory, farm or office where he works.

Such are the places where every man, woman and child

seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity

without discrimination.

Unless these rights have meaning there,

they have little meaning anywhere.

Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home,

we shall look in vain

for progress in the larger world.

from "The Great Question," delivered by Eleanor Roosevelt to the United Nations in 1958

What we are learning...

Ms. Jessica Paço, Middle School Spanish and PHE Teacher
What is your favorite book? There are so many - but it is a toss up between The Missing Piece and The Giving Tree, both by Shel Silverstein. I'm a sap when it comes to simple and poetic metaphors. 
If I hadn't been a teacher, I probably would've been... an FBI agent. Now I know what you're thinking...no really, I know what you're thinking - what's why I would have made such a good agent.
Who is your favorite musical artist? Picking a favorite song feels a lot like trying to pick a favorite dish. Some days the palate requires a bit of George Michael, Missy Elliott, Eros Ramazotti, or Lily Allen. Other days it is Aerosmith, Jovanotti, Green Day, Nick Cave, or Salt n’ Pepa. Years ago when my grandfather passed away, I inherited all of his old classical, jazz, and opera records. Being able to listen to the same music that my grandfather did, and to share that with my children has been a magical way to feel connected to his memory.
Where were you born? I was born in Richmond, California. Home of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that shoot the Bay Area in 1989. I was eight years old (please don’t do the math).
Any interesting trivia about you? I’ve had a handful of quirky experiences, so perhaps one qualifies as interesting trivia. I lived in Albania for four years and learned the language [cough]. Often, I would try to show off my savvy language learning skills while walking my dog in the park. Since locals loved to ask about my big dog (qen i madh), and I wanted to assure them that he was just a big playful pup, I would make sure to tell them that he just loves to play all the time… at home, in the park, on the beach. “He plays all the time!” (“Ai luan shumë!”) I would say. I figured the weird looks I was getting was just an indicator that they didn’t believe that my dog could be gentle. It wasn’t until months later that a friend taught me that I was actually saying, “He reads all the time!” (“Ai lexon shumë!”). So, according to countless Albanian park-goers, an interesting piece of trivia might be that I had a dog that could read.
Who was your favorite or most influential teacher? My high school Theory of Knowledge teacher, Mr. Lancaster. He once stood in a garbage can (empty) just to get our attention. He was inventive, honest, and truly interested in creating independent thinkers.  

This year I am excited to be part of something fresh and new in the language acquisition classroom. In our sixth grade, we are pushing the boundaries on what it means to speak in the target language. Using a new framework (AIM) as a tool to increase fluency, has changed everything from classroom organization to even the most traditional interaction. Within the AIM framework, students listen and speak orally, read and write, communicate non-verbally, as well as view and present visually in the target language. AIM incorporates the IB learner profiles through the use of gestures, stories, songs, dance, and cooperative learning. Students (and myself) are sometimes exhausted when they leave class because their brains, voices, and often hands have all been engaged for a full class period. Currently, we are also reading a small chapter book, Miguelito, in order to keep our brains stimulated at home. Miguelito is a lively ten- year-old Venezuelan mouse who travels abroad to America to attend school and make friends.

October 13, 2017

National Bullying Prevention Month

Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? Sometimes called the “Test of Three,” this set of questions is attributed to very different authors, from Socrates to the Buddha to Rumi, and it has been adapted widely as sage advice by poets, advice columnists, before speaking. October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and to call students’ attention to the impact of their words, we asked them to keep these questions in mind.

We're lucky to be in a community that values respect and kindness, and this is reflected in every aspect of our community life, from our Mission & Key Characteristics to classroom and co-curricular experiences. In and outside the classroom, the Middle School is built around structures that enable community-building at every level - Advisory groups, Family groups, Grade level experiences, small class sections, athletics teams, performance ensembles - and our teachers pay very close attention to the dynamics that emerge with each group. When people act in a way that is disrespectful or aggressive, we strive to address it directly and quickly. This is a real point of pride for us, and this is reinforced by affirmation from strangers who encounter our students on Experience Days, on field trips, or on Journeys and who go out of their way to compliment our students' kindness, politeness, and manners that we encounter.

However, our teachers can't see and hear every interaction between students, and many students are engaged with each other via social media and other communication platforms many hours after they have left campus. Students are increasingly exposed to mature and sophisticated language and actions, whether interacting with older siblings or being exposed to language via social media or entertainment. While pre-adolescent and adolescent behavior hasn't changed much from generation to generation, methods of communication have - email, texting, and social media facilitate intense connectivity, which can both do much to fight a sense of isolation but also shrink the distance between home and school. It is increasingly harder for students to leave things behind at school, making it that much more important to develop healthy boundaries, resilience, and self-advocacy, and making attention to choices in words and actions urgent.

The Test of Three is a good starting point for each student - really, for anyone - to apply as a filter before speaking. When speaking to or about someone else, first ask:

• Is it true? Is what I'm saying actually verified? Did I witness it? Do I have evidence to say this? Any veering away from validity risks promoting (or starting) gossip.
• Is it necessary? Is it helpful to say this right now? Is this the right moment to say this? Being aware of the timing and relevance of what we say is an essential function to be able to build trust and credibility with others.
• Is it kind? What will the impact of my words be? If I know they will be hurtful, should I still say it? What does that do to the reputation of the person I'm talking about? What does that do to my reputation? On the kindness element, it's important to remember that kindness doesn't mean avoidant or non-confrontational. Sometimes, speaking the hard truth, providing direct and critical feedback, and speaking truth to power is the ultimately kind thing to do, and here, intention and tone make all the difference. 

Whatever the medium - whether in person, via text or email, or via social media - these questions could provide a barrier to, at best, making a gaffe or, at worst, spurring a devastating line of gossip or chipping away at another person's self-esteem. As we move through the month, we encourage you to engage your students in a conversation about the power of our words, about what each of us can do to apply a healthy filter to our communication with each other, and how we can respond when we witness or are the target of language that is anything less than true, necessary, and kind.

What we are learning...

Ms. Jennifer McConnell, Middle School Learning Support Specialist and Individuals & Societies Teacher

What is your favorite color? Blue
What is your favorite movie? Gladiator
Who is your favorite musical artist? Chris Isaak
If you could travel anywhere through space and time, where and when would you like to visit? Renaissance Italy
Where did you attend Middle School? Cedar Heights Junior High, Port Orchard WA 

In 8th grade Individuals & Societies, we start out the year by looking at philosophies of the Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment period and how they influenced the Founding Fathers. As you may have heard, it has been some pretty heavy reading from Sir Thomas More and John Locke. Our Statement of Inquiry for this unit is: Government Systems are formed when shared Cultures and Ideologies create working Relationship. We have just finished our Utopia project in which the students were put in random groups and had to create a Utopian society. I must say, this group definitely rose to the challenge and presented some very thorough and interesting projects. The project really focuses on collaboration, communication skills, and compromising. From here we will continue to look into the philosophies and cultures that shaped America with readings from Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. The students will be working on their first essay on a significant individual from the American Revolution and participating in debates and mock social media activities. This unit will lead into discussions on the election processes just in time for election season.

October 6, 2017

What we are learning...

Mr. Kyle Price, Language & Literature, Individuals & Societies, and Design Teacher 
What is your favorite book? I used to say Peter Pan, but that's really more for the idea that the book represents. I don't really want to grow up, at least not completely. But I really don't have a book I can call my favorite. There are so many great books, and they are great for such a huge variety of reasons, that it's hard to narrow my answer to just one book. The Book Thief? Ella Minnow Pea? The Great Train Robbery? Seabiscuit? Pajama Time? The Fault in Our Stars? The Book of Three? And there are so many more. Too hard to pick just one.
What is your favorite movie? Star Wars. I saw it in the theater, more than once, when I was five or six. The movie has its flaws, but it made a deep impression on me, maybe leaving a more indelible mark than any other movie.
If I hadn't been a teacher, I probably would've been... A tour guide? I love seeing the world and love showing neat things about the world to others. Or maybe I would've been a project manager. I like cobbling together a community of people around a common goal. Maybe that's why I was so excited about the creation of the Milk Boat Project.
What is your favorite song? My very first favorite song that I can remember was "Sailing" by Christopher Cross.
If you could travel anywhere through space and time, where and when would you like to visit? I guess I would like to visit the future. There must be other life in the galaxy, but I don't expect to see it in my lifetime. Maybe that desire to see it is the mark of watching Star Wars at such an impressionable age.
One of the units the 7th Graders currently have on their plate is Analytical Essays. The unit uses short stories and literary elements to help the students learn to analyze a text and to argue for a topic sentence in just one paragraph. The 7th Grade year in Language & Literature focuses a lot on the organization of writing, and one of my favorite features of this unit is the weekly feedback cycle. Because of the feedback and the opportunities to try again, the students end up looking at feedback as formative rather than just summative. A lot of students make clear goals from week to week, particularly with organization, and even among the students who don’t make clear goals, there’s still a clear emphasis on growth. The Statement of Inquiry for the unit is the following: Communication requires structure. The unit ends at the Thanksgiving break, and by that time, there’s usually a lot of evidence of improvement in analysis and organization skill.