What Makes Whittier Work

1
What Makes Whittier Work

• Lynne Anderson-Loy
• Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat
• Carrie Schmillen

2
ATypical Day in the Life of Whittier Students
and Staff

• Students and staff meet in the gym for morning
  announcements.
• Students are reading silently in classroom rows.
• Teachers and Mrs. Kherat arrive for Pledge of
  Allegiance.
• Announcements are given to both students and
  staff.
• Student and staff birthdays and Word of the
  Week are announced.
• Principal dismisses students to classrooms.

3
ATypical Day in the Life of Whittier Students
and Staff

• Students are greeted in their classroom by a
  posted daily schedule and warm-up activity on
  their desk.
• Computerized attendance and lunch count is done
  while students are completing warm-up activity.

4
ATypical Day in the Life of Whittier Students
and Staff

• Each classroom follows their daily program,
  minimizing classroom disruptions and maximizing
  student achievement.
• School climate supports no down time, office
  respects teaching time and screens interruptions.

5
ATypical Day in the Life of Whittier Students
and Staff

• Students transition from classrooms to enrichment
  classes quickly and quietly.
• Hallway and restroom procedures are followed.

6
ATypical Day in the Life of Whittier Students
and Staff

• Mrs. Kherat relays end of day announcements,
  including reminders for students and staff.
• Children pack up and are dismissed to the bus and
  their parents while the principal and teachers
  are stationed at highly visible locations.

7
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• School-wide procedures give students consistent
  expectations no matter where they are in the
  school.
• Teachers are empowered to enforce expectations
  and procedures for each student.
• This minimizes time for teaching different
  expectations at each grade level.

8
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• There are differences between rules and
  procedures.

• Rules what the expected behavior is. (HAS
  penalties)
• Procedures how things are to be done in the
  classroom. (NO penalties or rewards)
• Routines what the students do automatically.

9
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• Quiet Signal- The school wide quiet signal is
  Give Me Five. Posters are in each classroom and
  hung throughout the school. Give Me Five stands
  for eyes on the speaker, lips closed, ears
  listening, sit up straight, and hands and feet
  quiet.

10
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• Hallway Procedure- The hallways and stairs
  operate like a road. Classes need stay on the
  designated sides of the hallway and walk quietly
  with their hands at their sides or behind their
  back.

11
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• Bathroom Breaks- Students line up in two lines
  and sit on the opposite sides of the hallway and
  wait for their turn in the bathroom. Four
  students from each line should use the restroom
  at a time. Student should be doing a quiet
  activity like reading or flashcards.

12
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• Lunchroom- Students line up in the hallway in ABC
  order. When they are told they should walk in the
  gym with their lunch card ready. Students should
  wait until they are dismissed and walk to the
  playground.

13
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• Messengers- When students are in the hallway they
  should be walking in the hallway with a partner
  following hallway procedure.

14
Whittiers School-Wide Procedures

• Assemblies- Each class has an assigned place in
  the gym. Teachers need to seat classes in their
  place and leave an aisle in the middle.

15
What Makes Whittier Different?

• Extended Day Reading/Math Program
• America Reads Program
• Bradley University Buddies
• Parental Involvement
• Strong PTO
• Parent/ Office volunteers
• Picture Person
• Enrichment activities by parents

16
What Makes Whittier Different?

• Teachers are life-long learners
• High percentage of Masters degrees
• Bi-weekly Grade level meetings
• Staff genuinely likes each other and socializes
  often (Sunshine Committee)

17
What Makes Whittier Different?

• Teacher-designed grade level handbooks
• Professional learning communities
• Well-designed classroom environments
• Print environment supports state assessments
• Customized Workshops determined by assessments
• Teachers use assessments to guide student
  instruction and interventions
• Parent surveys are distributed to acquire input
  from parents point of view

18
What Makes Whittier Different?

• We build relationships.
• Whittier teachers truly care about their students
  and are empathetic to their needs. Teachers who
  build relationships with their students have
  students who want to learn for them and then
  eventually for themselves.

19
What Makes Whittier Different?

• Whittier teachers are responsible for student
  achievement.
• When a child fails it is our responsibility.
  Children come to us with a great deal of baggage.
  Our responsibility is to set that aside and teach
  them. If a child does not do well in our
  classroom, we reevaluate our teaching rather than
  making excuses and never give up.