Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/693801
ISEA Communiqué • isea.org June 2016 3 OPINION We now have a tremendous opportunity to have input on fifth grade transitions and many other aspects of our students' lives with the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) June 2016 – Vol. 53 No. 7 The ISEA Communiqué (ISSN 0019-0624) is published seven times a year (monthly except July & August; plus combined in October/ November, December/January, and April/ May) by the Iowa State Education Association, 777 Third St., Des Moines, IA 50309, 515-471-8000 or 1-800-445-9358. $3.87 of membership dues is for a year's subscription; for nonmembers, the annual subscription is $10. Periodical postage is paid at Des Moines and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address corrections to ISEA Membership Records, 777 Third St., Des Moines, IA 50309. Advertising: To advertise, contact Kimberly Hupp at 515-471-8000 or email khupp@isea.org. ISEA makes no representations regarding advertised products or services that are not endorsed by ISEA or NEA Member Benefits. Duplicate mailings? To stop duplicate mailings to the same household, contact Casie Tindell at 515-471-8000 or email ctindell@isea.org. President: Tammy Wawro Vice President: Mike Beranek Treasurer: Tom McLaughlin NEA Director: Joshua Brown Executive Director: Mary Jane Cobb Editor: Mike Wiser Editorial Assistant: Kimberly Hupp Visit us on the web at isea.org My youngest will enter 6th grade this fall. We've been talking about this big step for a long time because, for most kids, middle school is a huge deal. Even at the end of a summer of playing, they are still 5th graders at heart. The activities in 5th grade -- Connect Four games at indoor recess, art projects that involve Mother's Day cards and Stories About Me -- give way in the 6th grade to no recess and more refined directions in art with lessons in pottery making, or still life with fruit and charcoal. Or in the case of a district in budget cuts, art only in the second trimester. My son will make the school transition long before he makes the mental transition, but then again, that will catch up too. All of this is in my heart because I am a fifth grade teacher and I know this is a golden moment. More importantly, I know students need to be gifted a little more grace to make the evolution from elementary to middle school so their 5th grade senses can catch up with the 6th grade expectations. We expect kids who , in many cases, been in one classroom with a single focused and familiar instructor to immediately adapt to hallway transitions from classroom-to- classroom and teacher-to-teacher. We expect them to keep track of all of their papers, books and supplies and carry them around in a backpack rather than leave them behind in a desk of their own. Most significantly, they no longer have an outlet to stretch and laugh, to move and squirm during a recess either outside or in a gym with free or alone time during the day. Despite all these changes, we expect them to stay focused on what we teach them. And educators work tirelessly to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible in the parts we actually can control, which too often, is not much. Don't get me wrong. I know 5th graders must transition to a new environment. I understand that for some people, big change all at once is the best way to absorb it. However, for many of us, gradual transitions are needed - especially for the youngest among us who are not yet accustomed to life's ups and downs. Still, transitions are part of life, whether you're a fifth-grader or an educator. We now have a tremendous opportunity to have input on fifth grade transitions and many other aspects of our students' lives with the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which is the new Elementary and Secondary Education reauthorization. The legislation calls on states to create systems in their schools to quantify and track the things that really matter when it comes to student success. Rather than just measure a student's score on a standardized test, ESSA will measure a host of indicators, including student access to quality teachers, student access to fine arts, foreign language, daily physical education, library and career technical education, the quality of professional development for educators, and a long list of other ideas that attempt to get at what drives great schools. The best part about ESSA is this list is driven by the local community. Parents, teachers and administrators are the ones who will shape the direction of what opportunities are fundamental to the success of the school in their local area. Maybe you're like me and are an educator with children in school and are active in your community. Maybe you, too, have ideas on how we can impact students in positive ways. Now is the time to get involved. The ISEA is encouraging our local associations to start this summer with meetings about ESSA. Make sure your district administrators understand ESSA will change your professional world by Tammy Wawro, ISEA president, twawro@isea.org - 9 - 9 - 9 Untitled-2 1 11/16/09 7:33:41 PM - 9 see TRANSITIONS on page 15