My City School's Inaugural Year 2013-14

9/25/2014

My City School’s focus for the 2013-14 school was on educating the “Whole Child”. Students celebrated a re-kindled love of learning and their appreciation for all the Bay Area resources that we used to bring experiential reinforcement to the curriculum.

Year End Summaries: in support of the curricular focus on the Whole Child, we created an extensive narrative report system for each student, to help continued learning during the summer or in their next learning environment. Report card narratives for Math and Language arts detail exactly where the student is based on level of mastery. Each teacher provides Teacher Observations Summaries for every student in order to support the ‘Whole Child’ growth and progress. Below is an outline of our standard year end report:

Teacher Observations - Environment:

· Environments that work best for the student (seating location and type, frequency of check ins, fidgets etc.)
· Successful methodologies for learning (visual, auditory, tactile, extra processing time, use of colors etc.)
· Requirements of presentation of lessons (written, hand outs, oral, symbols, pictures etc).
· Testing and evaluation process (what’s needed prior to test; orally or written; time needed etc.)
· Required training and guidance for study skills (executive functioning practice and systems)
· Additional specific support needed
· Notable social-emotional and behavioral triggers
· What to emphasize and deemphasize with student
· Student personal themes
· Social skill recommendations

Teacher Observations – Learning Skills (a combination of executive functioning skills and other performance indicators):

· Completes classwork
· Works to ability
· Works independently
· Works cooperatively
· Completes tasks on time
· Brings needed materials to class
· Listens and follows directions
· Seeks help appropriately
· Demonstrated organizational skills
· Participates in class
· Demonstrates effort

The reports articulate how to optimize their learning environment, and students are also prepared to be agents and advocates for these accommodations.

2 Comments

Stephanie Perry

3/3/2015 08:04:12 am

Do you have a bright and happy child who struggles in school?
Is your child's confidence waning as they struggle to comprehend seemingly easy problems?
Does your child have difficulty reading and comprehending information?
Does your child get frustrated with homework assignments?
Do you find you are doing all, or most, of your child's homework?
Has your child been tested by an educational therapist, been found to have a learning disability, and the results are overwhelming and daunting?
Have you visited numerous schools only to be told they do not have the resources available to help your child?
Have you visited the schools on the peninsula who are perfect for your child but the commute is too long or they have no space?
Have you visited schools in San Francisco specifically for children with dyslexia and other learning differences, only to come away feeling that your well behaved child will be disrupted by the other behaviorally challenged students?
Then look no further!!
I have experienced all the above scenarios and we were at our wits end. What to do with our adorable, sweet, educationally challenged daughter who just needed an environment that would allow her to learn with a multi-sensory program?
We took a leap of faith when signing up for My City School - it was one year in existence and therefore didn't have the years of proof that other schools had. But everything I heard and saw and felt, made me think that it was worth a try, and no worse than where she was being educated at the present time.
My City School has provided everything she needs to be a successful and confident learner. Hands-on, experiential learning so that concepts blossom in her brain. One-on-one tuition by educators experienced in teaching students who think and learn differently. Tools to help her conceptualize so that she can now do homework on her own. Education that allows for thinking outside the box.
Come visit and witness for yourself, the amazing little school that is, My City School. Passionate educators and parents, whose sole purpose is to have their students be successful.
A dream come true for our daughter!!

Beth Sohn

12/9/2015 06:11:37 pm

I was given the opportunity to intern at My City School for the 2015 Fall semester. During this time, I got to experience firsthand what an ideal educational environment looks like.
As a senior Child and Adolescent Development major and Special Education minor at San Francisco State University, I have spent almost the entirety of my degree studying how to best support children in a variety of ways: emotionally, academically, etc.
My City School executes the theories and concepts that I have learned about in school in a very effective, progressive way. These students are being supported by fantastically qualified educators that meet them where they are academically by using creative methods to individualize their learning and drawing on their strengths. As often as possible, the students are given opportunities to focus on topics that interest them, such as in science and in reading. The students are given many opportunities to get out of their seats to learn in the classroom, as well as out of the classroom - whether it be a walk to Golden Gate Park or a field trip to one of the many educational resources in the Bay Area.
This school is far from the traditional style of education which only focuses on the standard core subjects; rather, they go beyond and teach life skills that are so necessary to learn, yet, are not usually taught. Wellness focuses on helping the kids understand themselves, which can further help their learning. Executive functioning teaches a variety of important skills, like organizing their binder, that are concepts that come naturally to some students, but so many others could use this extra help.
I have never seen a team of educators so dedicated to their work, using every free moment to meet and strategize as well as so much outside of class time. As an intern, I felt grateful to be given so much support to meet my professional goals, always being checked in with to make sure I knew the concepts that were being taught and why, and overall just the welcoming and encouraging atmosphere that the school offers. The students also impressed me so much with how hard they work to overcome the challenges they were faced with in the classroom, as well as how loving and kind they were to each other and the staff. I will really miss my experience at MCS and I wish the students and the staff all the best (although, I do not doubt at all that they will not be reaching and achieving their highest goals without me!!)

My City School's Inaugural Year 2013-14

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