MOT Charter School teachers continue to work diligently to refine and extend our curriculum.  One aspect of this that I would like to share with parents is some of the research we have been reading.  Below are a few links to articles that we have discussed or which align with our practices.  My eventual hope is to build a library of educational resources that will allow teachers and parents to work even more cooperatively that we already do.  Underlining in any articles is added to show emphasis and is not part of the original documents.  If you have questions about any of these resources, please follow up with an email or call.  Thank you again for being an involved MOT parent. 

Posted November 2011 - Some research reported in Education Week reflecting the advantage that middle school students in K-8 schools have over students who have to transition from an elementary school building in fifth grade to a new middle school building in sixth grade. 

Middle_School_Transition_Article.pdf

CNN article on overcoming reluctant readers, particularly boys: 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/28/opinion/patterson-kids-reading/index.html

An article on number talks, 5-15 minute conversations that students have using mental math strategies and which occur at several of our grade levels.

Number_Talk_Artical.pdf

An article from the National Association of Independent Schools that discusses how schools and families can foster a growth model of intelligence with children (hard work will make me smarter) instead of a fixed view of intelligence (some kids are just smart, while others are not).  The PDF that follows the link is a diagram of how students with a growth model of intelligence view the world differently than those with a fixed intelligence model.

http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?Itemnumber=150509&sn.ItemNumber=145956

Growth_Mindset.pdf

Mitch Weiss, Principal of Curriculum and Instruction

mitch.weiss@mot.k12.de.us

(302) 376-5125 x 1103