Kris's+page

Ideas for Wickliffe book: When the MLV project was in it’s infancy at Wickliffe, I knew I wanted to be involved. For Gosh Sake, the highbrows from Harvard were coming to impart their wisdom on us. The first introduction to the actual “project” was the viewing of “The Race”. A short film about the documentation process and the group work that was undertaken by a group of kindergarteners in Massachusetts. I remember thinking, “do you see what those kids accomplished.” Absolutely Amazing. My involvement consisted of WIG meetings and a meeting or two with Mara and Mo. I remember the great conversations we would have and how I would always leave feeling so empowered as a parent and so elated to be a part of this great school. I did not participate in the documenting process in the classroom, I don’t have stories about watching the actual “making learning visible” through documentation but I was able to see how it really caught hold with the staff and how they were using it. Whether at a presentation where the process was talked about and reflected upon or in the hallways of the school as you watched the Wickliffe walls really speak to MLV. My story would have to be about watching things unfold at Wickliffe as MLV was introduced to the staff. Watching the changes at the school and with parents involved. How I personally looked at this project. The way it made me think about my parenting a bit more. How I could impact things my kids were working on or contemplating by asking certain questions. By looking at their work and helping them to “think through” what they accomplished and learned during the project. . MLV as a parenting tool.

When we were having groups discussions during our WIG meetings, I always came away with good information but more questions then answers. I began to look at this process as a way for me to help improve my parenting skills. I am a very black and white, visual learner. I want concrete answers to questions and an end-point to the journey. I have always been a parent who gives my kids answers to questions, never allowing them to explore and “think” for themselves about what the answer might be. Being a part of MLV has changed that for me. I very rarely answer my kids questions now. I use their questions to open up dialogue and make them think and work for the answer. Sometimes I suggest more research on their part but oftentimes it is a way to engage them in dialogue instead of providing them an answer which leads to more questions and more dialogue. The whole point of the "lifelong learning" philosophy. It is much more fulfilling as a parent and such a confidence booster for the child to have them answer their own question.

As I read through the letter I had written several years ago as to why we chose Wickliffe, it occurred to me that we chose Wickliffe because they were Making Learning Visible back then. When they applied for the Harvard Grant I’m sure they realized they were already doing some of the things that make MLV stand out. What amazes me as I think about that is that they were not afraid to try to learn more. To look closely at what they were doing right and what they were not doing at all and what they could approve upon. I know some of the teachers (and parents as well) probably thought that there was not much to be learned from this project. Now I am sure that every single educator that was involved took something aaway from the experience. Probably a whole lot more than they expected. It was a great thing to see happen over my years at Wickliffe.

The refrigerator magnet was developed because the Parent WIG wanted to give other Wickliffe parents some concrete information about MLV and ways it could be used at home.