Classroom

Loving learning and Living Large

We appreciate the need for and teach the Arizona Academic Learning Standards and value children and childhood. Our classroom approaches feature explicit instruction of the standards at the child’s current level of performance. We also seek out instructional methods that mirror the needs for children to have a supported and nurtured life. The pictures below reflect this continuous quest for 'balance'.

Visions Unlimited Academy offers comprehensive special education services to students of all categories of disability. The program, of course, follows the guides set down in IDEA, but more importantly we base our services on an understanding of the child and his/her needs.

The student below benefits from “One-on-One” instruction--this kind of pull out service is focused on 'just' right ability level. We also have Sped students we monitor; some are partially integrated into regular class and those who are completely integrated with peers. Some students receive services in the classroom and enjoy the benefits of peer interaction but with a curriculum specific to their IEP.

The Focus is on the Child In the picture to the right we see the students with para pro and teacher learn specific interventions from our speech therapist (in purple). We offer Speech, Occupational and Physical therapy and Counseling as the child’s needs require.

Reader’s workshop requires that students read, reflect, and interact with reading (spelling and phonics) instructional objectives. In guided reading pictured here we see students receiving explicit instruction specific to the ability level of the students. Mr. Glazerman is a master teacher supporting the learning of the student and the staff.

We use the Diagnostic Reading Assessment to determine the precise reading level of each student and then group them into Guided Reading Groups to receive explicit reading instruction on that level. Here we see Ms. Bowen eliciting student predictions during a picture walk. This pre reading involves the student and makes the reading more meaningful. Other Reader’s Workshop activities include: reading aloud, independent reading, shared reading and focus poetry.

Writer’s workshop encourages students to develop writing skills through mini lessons, draft writing revisions, conferences, presentations. Here upper grade students are collecting entries to their “Writer’s notebooks” for later use. Students respond better if their writing has an authentic purpose and meaning for the student. Below we see the student conferring with the teacher having developed the seed idea from the previous lesson.

Writing is expression. Below we see an eighth grader exercising his pencil and his mind by refining his thoughts. For Revision or revision of thought, Visions teachers and students use the Six Traits Rubric.

Our students benefit from writing instruction that Is inspired by our work with Writer’s workshop at Columbia University. Here is an interesting blog that describes the opportunity and success offered by this approach: Click Here

Look over some the comments to better understand your student’s thinking and hopefully learn why we think the writing process provides more opportunity to teach and to learn than simply assigning a prompt or topic.
 

Visions Unlimited Academy has a very active and Committed Parent Teacher Organization. To the left we See Susan Hall and Rebecca Coleman staff the booth at the 2008 Butterfield Days. The festival was fun for all and provided an exposure and fund rasing opportunity. The PTO has built a fence in the past and now wants to Provide a newer and more varied playground structure. Please call the office and talk to Ms. Susan if you want to be involved or contribute to the effort. Parents are involved in volunteering, Christmas program, field trips and just supporting childhood.

A Random Act If you are a student or a parent consider Visions as a community that will be a helper as you grow and learn. These third graders are learning responsibility and taking care of the adult who failed to raise the flag on time. The boys are doing well and are growing into responsible persons in a safe place to do so. They are proud of themselves. You can use Arizona’s Tax credit support student activites; Go to Visions’ parent page and click on Tax Credit link for information and the donation form.