The first definition in a Google search of PASSION results in - “strong and barely controllable emotion.”  

Barely controllable.

That smile that you can’t hide.  The high quality product that results because you’ve given your best effort while losing yourself in the work.  The eagerness to share the joy of what you’re doing.

Passion overflowed this past Tuesday at Almond.  It was evident in our students, staff, parents, and LASD leaders as they highlighted different ways in which we are personalizing learning for all children.  The greatest takeaway by our visitors was the enthusiasm that emanated from each individual with whom they interacted.

The morning began with ministers of education and their delegates (from over 22 countries) arriving with their Google hosts at about 8:15am.  Students, teachers, parents, and LASD administrators were seated amongst the 24 tables - ready to engage in conversation. While feasting on a variety of breakfast goodies that included “personalized” pancakes made by an artists flown in from Washington, we shared our experiences with these distinguished educators. However, more importantly, we gained a global perspective by hearing about the challenges facing these leaders in their own countries.

In a presentation, Mr. Baier detailed the incredible journey on which the Los Altos School District embarked many years ago to revolutionize learning.  He explained the collaborative need finding process that involved every stakeholder group in our community to gain further clarity and focus.  This resulted in our LASD Learning Principles that serve as guideposts around HOW children learn in our classrooms.  Our district has provided the vision, the call to action that guides all that we do at Almond Elementary.

Our visitors then heard about Almond’s site based initiative.  As a staff, we have taken a systems approach to meeting the beautiful challenge of personalizing learning to children born in 26 countries, with different socioeconomic backgrounds, varying levels of English proficiency, and each with a uniquely crafted brain and body that holds its own strengths and areas of need.  We are tackling this from many angles that include: effective and varied assessment measures to gauge student learning, embedded collaboration time to design instruction focused on student needs, a common instructional framework to encourage flexibility in re-grouping for learning, instructional resources aligned with student needs, and professional development to grow our expertise.

To see it in action, our visitors peeked into 14 classrooms.  They were encouraged to interact with the students and teachers.  Our students and their teachers showcased the best of what happens on any given day or week.  Students in a 5th grade classroom modeled chemical reactions by building a Scratch animation that required mastery in the elements of the periodic chart and how those elements build compounds.  Students in a 1st grade classroom worked with geometric shapes and writing to build Stop Animations.  These were only the work in two classrooms!  Each classroom highlighted our belief system around making the learning about the content or skill and not about the technology itself.  Regardless of what is to be learned, the more important task is the ultimate goal of fostering creativity, collaboration, and resilience. These are the qualities our students need to change the world for the better.

Throughout the event, our Almond Film Crew captured the magic.  They planned ahead and determined where they would be positioned.  They adjusted as the day unfolded.  Now the exciting work of editing the hours of film will begin.  I can’t wait to see what results.

The event closed in the multi at about 11am with a panel Q&A session that included three Almond teachers and two students.  The panel fielded questions from the audience and they answered with authenticity, great candor, and humor (which is so very important).  As I watched these 5 representatives of our student body and teaching core, I beamed with pride.  They get it!!!  They’re living and breathing what we’re aiming for!  

Almond Community - please join me in celebrating the most brave and hardworking staff that I have ever known.  They care so deeply about your children!  They dedicate hours to planning instruction that is tailored to the diverse learning needs in their classrooms.  They do it with joy, with PASSION.  It is an honor to partake in this journey with them, your children, and with YOU.