Dutch Fork Elementary
Academy of Environmental Sciences - Week of December 4th -
DFES Beliefs
- We believe all people deserve to feel safe, valued, and loved.
- We believe all children are naturally curious about the world around them.
- We believe learning is a social process.
- We believe inquiry fosters an environment of noticing and questioning.
- We believe in learning from multiple perspectives.
- We believe in learning from authentic primary and secondary sources.
- We believe in encouraging learners to be risk takers.
- We believe reflection should lead to change and growth.
- We believe learning should lead to social actions.
- We believe our actions should be aligned with our beliefs.
DFES Goals 2017-2018
- Excellent customer service.
- Effective use of small group instruction.
- Building teacher capacity with environmental science content.
Feedback from Friday's fall conference
1) How did this event and program come into fruition? What are some of the positive impacts that this event could have on visiting teachers and staff?
The Consortium for Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning grew out of a focused collaboration among a range schools with a shared vision and mission. It began informally with casual site visits to the Center for Inquiry (CFI) in Richland School District Two. Teachers and administrators from schools across South Carolina came to CFI eager to grow new beliefs and practices. It made all the difference in the world for them to see the power and potential of inquiry first-hand by observing in classrooms then debriefing with the faculty. Because I worked closely with many of the schools who sent teachers for CFI site-visits, I decided to institutionalize our collaborative efforts ten years ago by inviting partner or sister schools to a Fall Gathering in December and Spring Conference at the Center for Inquiry entitled Inquiry Matters. The Center for Inquiry in Richland Two hosted all of the initial gatherings. Since I have been working closely with Dutch Fork Elementary over the past five years, I knew they were poised to host the event. This is the first time we decided to hold the Consortium meeting outside of the Center for Inquiry and I am overjoyed that we did. The teachers, children and leadership team at Dutch Fork Elementary exceeded my expectations! TRULY. They brought tears to my eyes over and over again. It’s astonishing to bear witness to the transformation that has taken place in that school in just a few years. Today Dutch Fork Elementary clearly demonstrated what is possible when teachers and the leadership team join hands to deliberately live into a shared set of beliefs that are grounded in genuine inquiry. Inquiry permeates their professional development as well as classroom instruction.
We created the structure of visiting classrooms across Consortium schools to foster professional collaboration and offer opportunities for teachers to see what inquiry looks, sounds and feels like in action. So many teachers at Dutch Fork simply take my breath away. I learn from them every time I enter the building. I wanted my colleagues in other schools across the state to have the same privilege. Most of the schools present today are striving to create cultures of inquiry within and across classrooms. A few schools who attended are exploring the possibility of transitioning to inquiry-based instruction.
Consortium schools are united by a commitment to teach and assess readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists and social scientists in joyfully rigorous, and authentic ways. We share common beliefs about how to best nurture growth and change. The following list represents a sampling of the beliefs we hold. We believe:
- Teachers make responsive instructional decisions using formal and informal assessment data and careful kidwatching strategies.
- Teacher create curriculum with and for children by teaching the skillfulness of inquiry (how to learn) and content (how to learn) in concert
- Teachers and children use the language of inquiry and the disciplines to deepen their understanding and share their thinking in interesting, compelling ways
- Children learn best in nurturing classroom communities where teachers give them voice and choice, while building strong identities that promote a sense of agency
- Teachers create the conditions for children to reflect on their learning in order to take new, strategic actions and to set thoughtful learning goals
- Teachers and children move in and out of mentor and apprentice roles as they teach and learn from one another.
2) Where did all of the visiting teachers come from? (Name some schools, Districts)
Center for Inquiry, Richland School District Two
Greenwood School of Inquiry, Greenwood 50
Ebenezer School of Inquiry, Rock Hill
Irmo Elementary, Lexington-Richland School District 5
BC Grammar, Lexington Two
West Pelzer, Anderson One
Burnside Elementary, Richland One
Concord Elementary, Anderson Five
Plain Elementary, Greenville
We often host visitors from Charlotte Mecklenburg and the Cape Fear Center for Inquiry as well. Sadly they couldn’t make this event. They are going to be so disappointed when they hear reports from their sister schools.
3) What do you hope visiting teachers, Dutch Fork Elementary staff, and students will take away from this event?
It is my hope and dream that the Dutch Fork Elementary staff and students will feel a sense of validation and appreciation. Exemplary schools from across South Carolina were overwhelmed by their classroom visits and the ways the teachers and leadership team so passionately and articulately described what they do and why. Five years ago, DFES attended their first Fall Consortium Gathering at CFI. They found it informative and inspiring. Then they put their heads down, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They actively and enthusiastically invested in ongoing professional development. The teachers are passionate learners who are truly invested in children’s academic success. The leadership team is exceptional. As you could tell from the teachers’ reflections, they are beyond grateful for the vision and support Julius Scott offers them. Their heartfelt comments revealed their love and admiration of him and the support Sally Somerall, their literacy coach offers day in and day out. Just think… Five years after attending their first Consortium meeting, the DFES teachers and leadership team are now significant mentors for inquiry-based instruction across SC.
Visitors appreciated the honesty, authenticity and integrity of teaching and learning across classrooms. They valued the seamless nature of instruction and the depth of understanding exhibited from children in kindergarten through fifth grade. I feel confident the visiting teachers will reflect and rethink some of their beliefs and practices based on the brilliant demonstrations across the DFES classrooms. I am going to visit the Greenwood School of Inquiry on Dec. 12 and can’t wait to hear how they are planning to bring insights and strategies from DFES to life in their classrooms.
I am grateful you spent the morning with us and are devoted to capturing and sharing the important work going on moment by moment, day in and day out at DFES. I have fallen in love with the school and am thankful to be a part of their journey.
Heidi Mills, Professor Emeritus
University of South Carolina
Shout Outs
- S. Knowles and her husband celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this past week.
- K. Claytor, T. Poston, M. Creech, J. Sparkman, B. Blackwell, V. Gustafson, S. Crouch, K. Donald, K. HIll, T. Randolph, M. Drayton, and N. Jefferson for opening the classrooms to be observed by our visitors.
- Staff who covered classes so that the above mentioned teachers could participate in a panel discussion for the fall gathering.
- S. Beckman who worked with and organized our student ambassadors to greet and escort visitors.
- A. Newman who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure logistics were taken care of.
- S. Copeland's class for leading our learning celebration which helped us learn more about relationships across curricular structures.
- We had 2 SCEA reps (one from the upstate and one from the low country) that were at our school on Friday. They asked me to share with you all how impressive they were with DFES. These two individuals have the opportunity to visits schools weekly and said that what they witnessed her should be shared both locally and nationally.
PTO Holiday Store
Monday, Dec 4, 2017, 08:30 AM
Mini Theater
Scott out of office Tuesday
Certified staff will meet at 3:15 Tuesday in the cafeteria.
2nd Cup of Coffee
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2017, 07:30 AM
Media Center
Scott out of office Wednesday
5th Grade (Drayton/Garrett) Harbison State Forest Field Study
Thursday, Dec 7, 2017, 09:00 AM
Harbison State Forest, Columbia, SC, United States
Favorite Things Party
Thursday, Dec 7, 2017, 03:15 PM
Media Center
5th Grade (Jefferson/Sadler) Harbison State Forest Field Study
Friday, Dec 8, 2017, 09:00 AM
Harbison State Forest, Columbia, SC, United States
Dutch Fork Magnet Open House
Wednesday, Jan 10, 2018, 06:30 PM
DFES
Birthday Wishes!
- 12/4 B. Blackwell
- 12/5 T. Randolph
- 12/6 L. Nimmo
We develop students who care about the world we live and express critical thinking through natural curiosity and wonder.
Email: jscott@lexrich5.org
Website: www.lexrich5.org/dutchfork/cfm/
Location: 7900 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC, United States
Phone: 803-476-3901
Twitter: @dfes_principal