International Alliance for Invitational Education
Changing How Instriction for Learning is Delivered
The Institute for School Innovation (ISI) www.ifsi.org has become an affiliate of the International Alliance for Invitational Education® (IAIE) based upon our shared core values of trust, respect, optimism, care, and intentionality, as well as our mutual aspirations to bring forth human potential. ISI is a private, non-profit organization based in Tallahassee, Florida that disseminates the Project CHILD® instructional delivery system for elementary schools. ISI provides professional development for teachers, along with extensive classroom materials to effectively implement the CHILD transformational teaching model, aligned with invitational theory and practice (ITP). See A Brief Description of Project CHILD in the Appendix for more details.
ISI will collaborate with IAIE to connect the CHILD National Conference with the 2011 IAIE World Conference, October 26-29 in Richmond, Kentucky. ISI will be a major financial sponsor, and will coordinate Project CHILD breakout sessions for the CHILD educators in attendance. These sessions will be open to all conference participants, and CHILD attendees may also choose to attend the IAIE breakouts. All attendees will join together for the general sessions, social events, and meal functions. ISI is excited about this opportunity to introduce Project CHILD educators to invitational education.
Project CHILD seeks to create democratic classrooms where students share power with the teacher. The classroom ambiance is designed to assure that every student’s experiences lead them to perceive that they are valued and respected. The classroom routines and procedures build self-concept by allowing children to set goals, make decisions, and take responsibility for putting forth effort to achieve their goals. The basic assumptions of self direction and collaboration are embedded into the CHILD design, systematically requiring collaboration among teachers as well as among students. The basic assumption of untapped potential is nurtured through the differentiated station work that enables students to use multiple learning styles to uncover their best ways of learning. The routines and procedures for visiting the learning stations reinforce the intentionality of helping students uncover their untapped potential.
The Project CHILD 20 Essential Components intentionally reinforce the ITP values of trust, respect, optimism, and care through daily practice at the collaborative learning stations. Project CHILD classrooms trust that children will engage in positive behavior when out from under the teacher’s thumb. CHILD teachers learn to share power with the students and trust their ability to work independently with their peers while the teacher works with small groups at the Teacher Station.
Building this trust begins with a ten-day student orientation to intentionally teach students how to work independently and follow the CHILD procedures. Teachers encourage students to assume leadership roles by becoming the “Station Patrol,” with all students trusted with access to supplies and technology. CHILD classrooms exude an optimistic attitude that everyone can learn when given enough time and appropriate work that motivates and challenges. Project CHILD creates a caring community by allowing teachers three years to build relationships with their students and families.
The CHILD implementation practices and procedures lead to classrooms that are intentionally inviting for students, teachers, and parents. Teachers engage in self-reflection by observing students in each other’s classrooms to uncover practices that may be disinviting, whether intentional or unintentional. They also use a structured meeting form to discuss successes and problems and grow together as a cluster team to engage in intentionally inviting practices. CHILD teachers and principals also refrain from engaging in practices that are unintentionally disinviting such as interrupting class time with intercom announcements, using a pull-out model for students with special needs, and interrupting class with unannounced visitors selling raffle tickets, etc. CHILD also invites parents to participate in their child’s education by providing a parent orientation video, as well as procedures for reviewing their child’s Passports every six weeks and providing feedback to the teachers.
The Project CHILD system encourages teachers to be professionally inviting with others and with self. The CHILD triad cluster design intentionally fosters being professionally inviting with others, as teachers work every day as a collaborative team. CHILD teachers are encouraged to continue their professional development by becoming certified CHILD consultants who have the opportunity to train and mentor new CHILD teachers each year. ISI hosts a Consultant Training Workshop each year at no charge and invites all certified CHILD teachers to apply.
Having teachers specialize in one of the core subjects of reading, writing, and mathematics also encourages being professionally inviting with self, as each teacher can focus their continuing professional development in their area of expertise. They do not get stretched so thin trying to keep up with multiple subjects. As one CHILD teacher said, “I no longer feel like a jack of all trades and master of none.”
All 20 of the CHILD Essential Components relate to the five P’s of invitational education. The people (students/teachers/parents) and the places (classrooms) have been mentioned earlier with their connections to ITP. The CHILD model includes a program of intensive professional development for teachers, including a three-day implementation workshop, a one-day follow up workshop, three classroom coaching visits, and online resources updated monthly by ISI. Project CHILD also includes carefully designed lesson planning resources and classroom management materials to successfully implement a thoughtfully designed program. In addition, the school leadership must establish policies and processes to support full and faithful implementation of Project CHILD. When all five P’s are routinely practiced within the CHILD 20 Essential Components, a Project CHILD school truly becomes an inviting school.