1st meeting, January 29, 2010 - Bailey and Lena's

Met with Bailey and Lena on Friday, January 29, 2010. This is what got started:

Took Notes on School years and times...most of this section taken from Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" so some research needs to be corroborated:

Average Schoolyear (by days)

United States - 180 Days

South Korea - 220 Days

Japan - 243 Days

How does this translate into the kids learning abilities. The argument is that the kids in the foreign countries get more schooling and thus have more of a chance to learn. Does year round schooling automatically mean better schooling? If that's the case, how many hours a day can a school day be? The KIPP(sic) in the Bronx is the example that Gladwell used in his book.

One point of this school is to teach kids how to teach others. How to teach kids to protect those who need protection and help those who need help. To give them the ability to do this while at the same time teach them that they have the ability to do it themselves.

A second point is to teach the parents of our kids how to be parents. How to live and function as a family. In discussions with Bailey and Lena, we went over how parents just don't know how to deal with their own children.

A third point is teach each other, kids with kids in their own classes as well as others, and the parents of these kids, teaching each other. All involved will have the chance to learn.

Lena made the point of making sure that the parents who needed help with education could get it. Similar to the idea of teaching the parents the classwork that their kids are learning so that they would be able to help them with their homework. In addition, we have the following rules that need to be followed:

• Parents are required to attend classes 2 nights a week with their children. These classes would involve things such as parenting classes, financial classes. and general classes that would revolve around keeping their home lives safe and secure.
• Parents would also be accountable to one another. The parents would be taught in a manner that would encourage them to become a parenting group...similar to what Bailey said his elementary school PTA was all about.

We would need to promote Authenticity, Honesty, and Transparency. People need to know where we come from, why we do this, and need to be shown EVERYTHING we do and why we plan out the curriculum the way that we do.  Along with those-Quality, Communication, Respect, Honesty, and Teamwork.

What is our Noble Cause? We need one...we need to make sure that we put together something that we can strive for but that is near impossible to achieve. something like "Teaching the future how to teach each other through Honesty, Respect, and Communication.

*Transitional system (Lena) -Child Welfare - how to achieve the necessary skills to live a productive life...Utilizes the surrounding community in this regard.

Parenting is the issue....Parents can be the problem.

This is why they learn the same time as the kids...They can be the best staff. They can have online studies with the kids in the same learning areas as well as be available to teach and discipline the kids.

LSCI training specific for schools. Bailey says that this is essential. Notes about IEP (Individual Education Plan)

Parents need to be taught that Teachers are not substitute parents and teachers need to teach the parents that the parents are the best teachers.

FIELD TRIPS & BAILEY'S PTA - MENTORING

Field trips consist of activities in the home. Teaching parenting moments. How to organize a home. I wrote How to organize your heart accidentally but that works too.

Daily processes (KIPP school 1st period)

1/2 hour - Problem solving, Conflict resolution, and Thinking Skills....Bailey's chess story

Lena's community...350 max...I was thinking at 150 max

Bailey's parenting class

• Parents start parenting too late. Effective discipline is not addressed until it is too late...Lena brought up her mom's saying about parenting effectively between 1 and 5 and you won't have to parent after that.
• Teaching Parents to establish boundaries...kids can't be cursing out their parents without consequences.
• TEASPOT - Take Everything Away for a Short Period Of Time
• Structure is Consistency is Safety

School - Strength of Family

"What are you good at?"

"What's your strength?"

Hypothetical 1st day of class (Orientation)


Lena - Dry Erase Board. "What is parenting to you?" (Where are they?) Gap Baseline assessment


Bailey - Need to make sure the parents believe in the school and what they think separates our school from any other school


David - Have them figure something out as a family. Possibly have them bring ingredients for a dish that they can make together. When they come in they actually see how the class runs. Amongst the hustle and bustle of the cooking or whatever activity it is, the parents see how the shool will work and without realizing it are involved in an orientation.