Rose Ferrero School
Week Of: May 23-June 3, 2022
This week, Kudos go out to FSSL, Gabriel Almanza, Librarian, Lety Rivera, and Attendance Clerk, Flor Canety for all they did this week pitching in where needed when we were missing Classified staff on the playground and in the cafeteria. In addition, Kudos also go out to Secretary 3, Blanca Camarena, for her diligence this week in procuring substitute teachers when we had days with as many as six teachers out. And finally, Kudos go out to Secretary 1, Lorena Sanchez, for all the work she has done finding proctors for testing, as well as classified aides when numerous aides were out. Thank you, all of you, for all you do daily, as well as the extra you did to make us successful this past week.
High Quality Professional Development Continues at Rose Ferrero!
QUOTES OF THE WEEK WE SHARED WITH OUR STUDENTS
LCAP GOAL 2: PROFICIENCY FOR ALL – Seven Strengths and Twenty-One Abilities for Students to be Ready for the Future
I recently read an article that talked about “future-proofing” students. What they were referring to was making sure the things we do with students in our classrooms will prepare them for a future that is ever-changing. I mean, when one would mention robots, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality, it used to sound like science fiction; however, the fact is that they will be a routine part of our students' lives going forward. Drones will deliver purchases. Autonomous cars will replace driving. Jobs will constantly change. This generation will need more than grades and scores to thrive in an automated, accelerated, unpredictable new world. To prepare students for a tech-intensive future, we cannot hold on to 20th-century learning practices. We must reimagine education and cultivate an updated skill set. Lessons led by caring educators will continue to help students be strong learners and critical thinkers; but human skills will equip them to handle an uncertain world. Which competencies and practices will "future-proof" students—or at least prepare them to the best extent possible?
Rather than a one-dimensional trait, future-readiness comprises seven strengths that are not fixed nor based on scores, IQs, or zip codes, but teachable abilities that can be woven into daily lessons and help prepare kids for life. Thrivers are made, not born. Let's look at how some schools are approaching this work.
1. Self-Confidence
Abilities: Self-Awareness, Strength Awareness, Finding Purpose
Confidence is the quiet understanding of “who I am” that nurtures inner assuredness and appreciation of one's unique strengths and interests, as well as areas in need of improvement. Confident students are more capable of navigating life and rebounding from setbacks. The World Economic Forum (2016) estimates that 65 percent of today's children will work in a job that doesn't yet exist. These students will need to continually reinvent themselves to keep up with rapid change. Future success will require that they develop a solid awareness of their assets. Studies show that confidence is a key trait recruiters look for in the interview process and it influences who they hire. To build self-confidence early on, schools can have students—starting in kindergarten—keep digital portfolios of their learning progress to help them (and the adults in their lives) recognize their strengths. Studies find that students are most engaged and in a state of "flow" when activities involve real-world problems, are under their control, and are relevant to their lives. Plus, when students are confident in who they are, they tend to be more motivated to take on challenges and learn from their mistakes.
2. Empathy
Abilities: Emotional Literacy, Perspective Taking, Empathic Concern
Empathy is essential to future-proofing because it boosts human traits like trust, creativity, communication, prosocial behaviors, and resilience. Empathy allows us to feel with and understand others, setting us apart from the machines we create. Its cultivation will be crucial to successfully navigating life in a world dominated by artificial intelligence and augmented reality. Empathy gives individuals a job market edge. That's why Forbes urges companies to adopt empathy-building principles and cited them as an essential ingredient for success in the workplace. The good news: empathy is teachable. Schools should continue teaching emotional literacy—the gateway to empathy—and social-emotional learning, in combination with daily feeling check-ins. But they should also find ways to strengthen students' perspective-taking abilities. Practices and programs that focus on teaching empathy help students expand beyond their usual circle of friends, recognize others' strengths and feelings, and stretch their thinking to “we” instead of “me.”3. Self-Control
Abilities: Attentive Focus, Self-Management, Healthy Decision-Making
Our students will be living in times of unprecedented change, and uncertainty triggers anxiety. The U.S. Surgeon General warns that almost one-third of high school students now struggle with persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness. COVID-19 exacerbated the mental health crisis to the point that a panel of leading experts recently declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Among the U.S. Surgeon General's recommendations was a call for more research on the link between technology and youth mental health. Long before the pandemic hit, 50 percent of teens admitted to “feeling addicted” to their mobile devices; most couldn't focus on assignments for more than two minutes without checking social media. Remote learning only increased students' reliance on technology. Some schools are devising creative ways to counter attention-depleting forces, like 15 minute “quiet time” rituals in which students sit silently or practice mindfulness. This exercise improved student attendance, test scores, and self-regulation.
4. Integrity
Abilities: Moral Awareness, Moral Identity, Ethical Thinking
Students with integrity are true to themselves and honest with others, as well as responsible, hardworking, and resilient—the graduates we need in our brave, new world. Students don't learn integrity through osmosis; it must be intentionally taught, and we have work to do. Fifty-seven percent of teens agree that “successful people do what they have to do to win, even if it involves cheating.” Yet 92 percent of kids feel “quite pleased” with their ethical standards and conduct; 77 percent even say, “When it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know”. It's no wonder that a 10-year study found that most high school graduates lack sufficient moral reasoning and have difficulty considering moral problems in their everyday lives. Former Yale professor William Deresiewicz warns that we are graduating “excellent sheep”, that is, “brainy but soulless students who lack purpose, moral compasses, and critical thinking abilities”. One way to counter this and help students develop ethical reasoning would be the Socratic dialogue. My 6th Grade mentor in Visalia used to use the Socratic lesson model with questions drawn from the book The Outsiders. Her rules were clear: “Be respectful, speak clearly, participate a minimum of five times, and come prepared to have a scholarly conversation.” For the entire period, her 6th graders collaboratively reflected on and discussed powerful moral issues about inclusion, racism, and equity.5. Curiosity
Abilities: Curious Mindset, Creative Problem-Solving, Divergent Thinking
Curiosity opens minds and drives kids to continuously learn. If adversity strikes, this strength helps kids stay open to possibilities and find solutions. Curiosity stretches resilience but also builds future readiness. The World Economic Forum (2020) predicts that curiosity and the skills of critical thinking and problem solving will top the list of what kids need for a rapidly evolving employability market. Google seeks to employ “smart creatives”—those who test and find solutions and aren't afraid to fail. Curiosity also boosts learning: a meta-analysis of 200 studies found that curiosity is as important as intelligence and noted that it is a key determiner in academic performance, as well as greater engagement and performance at work. Science says challenging lessons and open-ended questions as well as interesting answers encourage curiosity and increase student engagement. In other words, students are more engaged when they confront topics whose questions and answers make them pause and wonder. So how can educators boost creative risk-taking in an era of conformity, test-obsession, and safety-consciousness? Teachers might pose brief, daily challenges like: “How many ways can you use a paper clip?” or “How many ways can you create things from a circle?” Students could also work in small groups each day to brainstorm solutions to world problems (like how to stop bullying or climate change) or tinker in a school makerspace.
6. Perseverance
Abilities: Growth Mindset, Goal Setting, Learning from Failure
An uncertain world demands knowing how to adapt and endure. Success in school and life will hinge on personal effort. Students who attribute gains to their inner drive are more creative and resilient than those who think they have no control over outcomes. A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2017) found that 100 percent of employers expect employees to have tenacity, professionalism, and a strong work ethic. Parenting trends like helicoptering, snowplowing, and coddling rob kids of their resilience. External rewards also reduce grit, which is why some educators are cutting back on the endless trophies and stickers. Motivation is an inside-out process. Focusing on efforts, not end results, helps build grit, agency, and an “I got this” attitude that kids need to handle challenges. We must continue helping students develop growth mindsets. In addition, teaching skills like goal setting, staying on task, managing time, and handling unpredictable obstacles helps stretch perseverance.7. Optimism
Abilities: Optimistic Thinking, Assertive Communication, Hope
Optimistic kids view challenges and obstacles as temporary and able to be overcome, and so they are more likely to succeed in school and life. Pessimists see challenges as permanent, like cement blocks that are impossible to move, and so they are more likely to quit. A review of 19 studies found that teaching students how to improve their outlook on life can protect them against depression, increase their life satisfaction and resilience, and improve their learning power. But this seventh strength also boosts work productivity and engagement. A survey of more than 11,000 employees found that those with highly optimistic mindsets were 103 percent more likely to love their jobs than those with low levels of optimism. To boost optimism, some schools include stories of everyday kids bettering the world during morning announcements. In addition, student-driven service projects can also increase optimism.
The world is changing and so must our instructional practices. Our moral obligation is to equip this generation with the content and abilities they will need to handle an unpredictable future and thrive. Doing so may be our most important educational task.
Year-End Events Are Coming Soon
As we slowly creep our way out of the Covid Era restrictions that did not allow us to gather and meet in large groups for “celebrations”, this year, in-person, Year-End Events, like the Year-End Awards Assemblies, the Kinder Celebration, and a Sixth Grade Celebration will take place as described below:
*Year-End Awards Assemblies
K-1st Grade (Thursday, June 2nd, 8:15 start time)
2nd-3rd Grades (Thursday, June 2nd, 9:15 start time)
Awards:
1)Perfect Attendance (cutoff date is May 31 ... Flor will provide these names to Lorena)
2) Language Reclassification (we already have the names)
3) Your Most Improved Student (Your choice of what/why you consider this student the most improved ... YOU provide this name to Lorena)
4) The R.O.S.E. Award (Your choice of what/why you consider this student the one who best modeled respect ... YOU provide this name to Lorena)
5) Your Bobcat Scholar (Your choice of what/why you consider this student the one who exemplified a scholar ... YOU provide this name to Lorena)
4th-6th Grades (Friday, June 3rd, 8:30 start time)
Awards:
1)Perfect Attendance (cutoff date is May 31 ... Flor will provide these names to Lorena)
2) Language Reclassification (we have the names)
3) Your Most Improved Student (Your choice of what/why you consider this student the most improved ... YOU provide this name to Lorena)
4) The R.O.S.E. Award (Your choice of what/why you consider this student the one who best modeled respect ... YOU provide this name to Lorena)
5) Your Honor Roll Students ... (YOU provide the names to Lorena)
6) Principal's Award (Lorena will figure this out once you get her the third Trimester Honor Roll Names [for 6th grade students])
7) Rose Ferrero Student of the Year (we know who they are)
*Celebrations:
Kindergarten Celebration (recognizing all our kindergarten students for completing their first full year of school) is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7th, at it will begin at 9:00 AM.
Sixth Grade Celebration (recognizing all our sixth-grade students for completing their sixth-grade year, and their final year of school at Rose Ferrero) is set for Thursday, June 9th beginning at 9:00 AM.
Three Reminders:
1). Teachers: Please remember to be outside on the yard for the 10 minutes of Yard Duty you share with your Grade-level Team. Sometimes we are short Pupil Supervisors, and we are counting on your presence out on the yard to keep our students safe. Thanks.
2). Teachers: When you are out (absent), please make sure to add your YARD DUTY or AFTER SCHOOL DUTY to your sub plans.
3). Please make sure we close and lock all entrances to the school after we enter to ensure the safety of everyone on campus.