At Classical Charter Schools, we believe that any scholar can rise to excellence if they are given two essential tools: clear instructions and feedback. So, before any academic material is taught and before we have a full week of instruction, we have three days (from Wednesday-Friday) for scholars to reacclimate themselves to the school building before the difficult academic work begins.
While our administrators have been planning this years’ programming since before last year ended and our teachers have been training before the start of the school year, we believe that these first three days give each scholar a chance to be more successful. As many other schools do, we spend the first day getting to know each scholar’s name and a little about him. We introduce them to the space, and give them important information about what their days will consist of. In the second and third days, scholars experience the deep emphasis that we put on scholar and teacher accountability and are shown the care that we take in preparing them academically.
The second day of instruction consists of baseline assessments in Math and English Language Arts. The reason that we take these baselines is so that teachers can establish where each scholar in our classroom starts the year. This is important because it both informs where teachers will begin their instruction and allows them to plan for each scholars’ development and what growth they can expect in each month. These results are then shared with families so that our school can begin our essential partnership with our scholars’ families and so that we are transparent in exactly how our instruction will help scholars grow. When scholars are not taking the baseline, they are participating in mock classes. In these, they get to practice their habits of discussion and begin to understand what it will feel like to go through their day. During this time, each teacher puts a special emphasis on 100% of scholars meeting every expectation, and our Deans and Coaches actively observe to make sure teachers are setting expectations clearly and following through each time. Scholars respond and are quicker to adjust as they know that, until the expectation is met, teachers will not proceed with the lesson. When teachers mean the words they say, they establish that relationship of trust necessary for a safe classroom.
On the third day, all scholars will go through one mock lesson per subject that precedes our scripted curriculum and prepares scholars for the rigor that they will experience in the first day of their academic instruction. On this day, all teacher go over their syllabus for their subject, each of which is sent home and contains the expectations and the test dates for each assessment. While teachers will continue to communicate these throughout the year, the syllabi help our families understand how the year will progress. After that, in all grades, scholars are given the materials that they need for the class and are taught how to organize them. Teachers instruct our scholars on organization and the use of the notebook as a tool because this practice sets scholars up for success not only at Classical but as they go on to High School and College.
Every year, as we move forward as a network, we learn more how these first three days set us up for the year. Through feedback from scholars and families, we revise to build on our previous successes. By emphasizing clarity and by sharing exactly what we will expect of them, we give scholars the tools necessary for a strong year. As with all other aspects of Classical, we know that the planning and preparation of adults sets every scholar up for success.
