HARMONY DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS

HARMONY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) PROGRAM AIMS TO PREPARE EACH STUDENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STEM TEACHERS. HARMONY STEM PROGRAM IS A PART OF HARMONY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT THAT INVOLVES A TEAM OF CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS, INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, AND LEAD TEACHERS IN HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYSTEM. HARMONY STEM PROGRAM HAS THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS: PROJECT BASED LEARNING PROGRAM (PBL): HARMONY PROVIDES CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES, AND PBL TRAINING TO THE TEACHERS. INSTRUCTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS AND STEM COORDINATOR SUPPORT TEACHERS ON SITE TO ASSIST THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PBL. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: HARMONY BELIEVES THAT CONTENT-FOCUSED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS A CRITICAL NEED TO ENSURE THE QUALITY OF TEACHING SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS. OUR STEM TRAINING MODEL HAS TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS; THE MASTERY OF CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND DELIVERY OF THE CONTENT WITH EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES. STEM CULTURE: THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PROVIDES STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS TO BUILD STEM SCHOOL ATMOSPHERE CONNECTING THE STUDENTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. WE DESIGN A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE STEM EDUCATION BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND SEE HOW TODAYS INSTRUCTION CONNECTS TO CAREER AND LIFELONG LEARNING. APPROACH WE ARE KNOWN FOR OUR PROJECT-BASED, HANDS-ON APPROACH TO LEARNING. OUR APPROACH IS BORN OUT OF THE BELIEF THAT KIDS LEARN BEST BY EXPLORING, DISCOVERING, AND COLLABORATING IN CAREFULLY MATCHED SMALL GROUPS. THIS IS EQUALLY TRUE IN SCIENCE AND MATH AS IT IS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE OR ART. THIS CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH IS A LOT LIKE TINKERING. IT ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO DRAW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DISCIPLINES AND BUILD ON THEIR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. IT GIVES THEM THE TIME AND SPACE TO TEST THEIR IDEAS AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW THINGS IN THE WORLD WORK. IT SHOWS THEM THAT YOU HAVE TO FAIL A LOT IN ORDER TO LEARN AND THAT FAILURE IS AT THE HEART OF INNOVATION AND INVENTION. THIS IS THE WAY 21ST CENTURY SKILLS ARE BUILT. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR SMALL CLASSROOMS AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING STYLE CREATE AN INVITING, SAFE, AND PURPOSEFUL ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS THRIVE. WALK INTO ANY CLASSROOM AND YOU WILL SEE CHILDREN PEACEFULLY SOLVING THEIR CONFLICTS WITH THE LOVING SUPPORT OF OUR DEDICATED TEACHERS. OUR BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEAR AND OUR STUDENTS HAPPILY RISE TO MEET THEM. HARMONYS FRIENDLY AND RESPECTFUL ATMOSPHERE IS CONTAGIOUS AND CARRIES ON WELL AFTER SCHOOL IS OVER. THE SCHOOL HAS AN EXTENDED DAY MODEL. STUDENTS RECEIVE AN EXTRA 5 HOURS OF MATH AND ELA INSTRUCTION WEEKLY. TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO DELIVER DATA-DRIVEN, INDIVIDUALIZED, CENTER-BASED INSTRUCTION. MATH AND READING INTERVENTIONISTS ARE ABLE TO MEET ACADEMICALLY STRUGGLING STUDENTS TWICE A WEEK IN SMALL GROUPS OR ONE-ON-ONE TO GIVE INTENSIVE ACADEMIC SUPPORT TO THE STUDENTS. ASSESSMENT WE USE AMPLIFYS DIBELS NEXT AND READING 3D, NWEA'S MAP, CURRICULUM ASSESSMENTS, AND BI-WEEKLY TESTS TO MEASURE STUDENT GROWTH AND GRADE-LEVEL PROFICIENCY IN MATH, READING, AND LANGUAGE USAGE, TAKING A BASELINE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND ONE AT MID-TERMS. PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENTS ARE USED ONCE A MONTH TO TRACK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT MORE CLOSELY. THE RESULTING DATA GIVES OUR TEACHERS ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT EACH STUDENT KNOWS SO THAT THEY CAN CREATE TUTORING ROSTERS, SMALL GROUPS, AND TARGETED INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS TO REINFORCE, DEVELOP, OR INTRODUCE SPECIFIC SKILLS AND CONCEPTS. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUOUS AND EMBEDDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS THE KEY FOR RAISING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AT HARMONY. EVERY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON OUR TEACHERS COLLABORATE IN A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY (PLC) TO SHARE THEIR STRUGGLES AND WHAT WORKS IN A FOCUSED AND POWERFUL WAY. OUTSIDE OF THE FORMAL PLC STRUCTURE, OUR TEACHERS SHARE THEIR PLANNING PERIODS EVERY DAY. INFORMALLY, YOU WILL OFTEN SEE OUR TEACHERS WORKING TOGETHER AFTER SCHOOL INTO THE EVENING HOURS. CUSTOMIZABLE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING MAPS ARE BUILT-IN ONLINE TO OUR MATH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, AND SCIENCE CURRICULA. IT ALLOWS TEACHERS TO REFLECT ON AND TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR OWN PD, BUILDING CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND INSTRUCTIONAL CAPACITY THAT THEY CAN TAKE DIRECTLY TO THE CLASSROOM.