Whole Schooling Self-assessment Tool

WHOLE SCHOOLING:
Principles and Practices

A Self- Assessment Tool For Educators

DIRECTIONS: This purpose of this document is to provide a simple tool that a school can use to indicate the degree to which it is implementing the Five Principles of Whole Schooling. This tool can be used as a checklist and/or rating scale.

1. Summarize key practices under each of the five principles of Whole Schooling being implemented in your school.

2. Please indicate the estimated percentage of teachers who are using a particular practice in their classroom instruction.

3. Attach any available reports or documentation that illustrate how your school is implementing these principles.

1 2 3 4 5
0% of teachers 25% of teachers 50% of teachers 75% of teachers 100% of teachers

Name of School: __________________________

Principal: ________________________________

Address: ________________________________

________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________

Email: __________________________________

1. Empower citizens in a democracy.

________________________________________________________________________________

1.1 _____ In classrooms students make choices and work in collaborative working groups in which they ENGAGE IN DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING.
1.2 _____ Teachers and the administration MODEL DEMOCRACY in the way school decisions are made with staff, students, families, and the community.
1.3 _____ The ideas and contributions of ALL STUDENTS ARE VALUED AND ENCOURAGED.
1.4 _____ CARING AND RESPECT for others is modeled and fostered.
1.5 _____ Efforts are made to CONNECT STUDENTS with members of other cultures, ethnic groups, and socio-economic status.
1.6 _____ Students STUDY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY to identify patterns of equity and inequity, power relationships, and cultural patterns.
1.7 _____ Students are encouraged to identify and study local, state, national, and international issues and to TAKE ACTION to have input in solving problems.
1.8 _____ Students are provided opportunities for COMMUNITY SERVICE as part of the curriculum.

2. Include all.

________________________________________________________________________________

2.1 ____ The school has made a commitment to HETEROGENOUS groupings and is seeking intentionally to move away from separate programs of classrooms for special students to integrated programs..
2.2 _____ Students with SEVERE DISABILITIES (students who have severe mental retardation, physical disabilities, multiple disabilities, severe emotional impairments) are included in general education classes with staff support and resources.
2.3 _____ Students with MODERATE DISABILITIES (students who have educable and trainable mental impairment) are included in general education classes with staff support and resources.
2.4 _____Students who have LIMITED HEARING, VISION, AND MOBILITY are included in general education classes with staff support and resources.
2.5 _____ Students with MILD DISABILITIES (students with learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, mild emotional impairments) are included in general education classes with staff support and resources.
2.6 _____ Students who are BILINGUAL or have LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKING abilities are included in general education where they get assistance and support for language learning.
2.7 _____ Students served through TITLE I are provided help in the general education classroom.
2.8 _____ Students who have been identified as GIFTED obtain opportunities for expanded learning in the context of the general education classroom.
2.9 _____ The school is MULTI-RACIAL and classes are mixed racially in ways that reflect the surrounding community.
2.10 _____ Classes are MULTI-AGE and allow for interactions and mutual learning among students across age groups.
2.11 _____PULL-OUT services for students are MINIMAL. Supports are provided using a PUSH-IN approach.

3. Teach and adapt for diversity.

________________________________________________________________________________

3.1 ____ The school intentionally seeks to design its learning practices to ACCOMMODATE a wide range of styles, abilities, cultures, and other human differences.
3.2 ____ ACTIVE, AUTHENTIC LEARNING in which students learn skills through active engagement in meaningful activities is a core instructional philosophy and approach.
3.3 ____ Teachers use MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES to design instruction.
3.4 ____ THEMATIC / INTEGRATED instruction is used within and/or across classrooms.
3.5 ____ Teachers use COOPERATIVE LEARNING.
3.6 ____ In LITERACY INSTRUCTION strategies are used that give students an opportunity for peer support and authentic use of language.
3.7 ____ PROJECT BASED learning allows students to work together to struggle with actual materials and community issues.
3.8 ____ DRAMA, ART, MUSIC, & PHYSICAL EDUCATION is integrated throughout the school curriculum.
3.9 ____ Instruction is CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY through mentorships, service learning, community projects, and other strategies.
3.10 ____ ADAPTATIONS & MODIFICATIONS are made in the curriculum expectations and learning activities for specific students.
3.11 ____ Students with disabilities are included in DISTRICT AND STATE-LEVEL TESTING.

4. Build community & support learning.

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4.1 ____ Teachers focus on building COOPERATION AND COMMUNITY in the classroom, moving away from competition as the central educational model.
4.2 ____ PEER SUPPORT is used informally and formally in the school and classroom.
4.3 ____ Emphasis is placed in helping students develop EMOTIONAL & INTERPERSONAL SKILLS.
4.4 ____ Teachers are given SUPPORT by specialists and the school administration.
4.5 ____ Teachers engage in TEAM TEACHING, CO-TEACHING, & CONSULTATION with other teachers.
4.6 ____ A BUILDING BASED SUPPORT TEAM is used to provide support to children, families and teachers.
4.7 ____ SPECIAL EDUCATION teachers and related services personnel (OT, PT, speech therapist) provide IN-CLASS SUPPORT for students with disabilities.
4.8 ____ PARAPROFESSIONALS provide assistance in classes.
4.10 ____ School staff have valuable PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT regarding inclusion and the other principles related to Whole Schooling.

5. Partner with families & community

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5.1 ____ Teachers and the school REACH OUT in many pro-active ways to the school and community.
5.2 ____ Parents are INVOLVED IN CLASSROOMS providing instruction and support.
5.3 ____ Parents of students with SPECIAL NEEDS are included in all typical activities of the school.
5.4 ____ The school is involved in interagency WRAP-AROUND SERVICES or other methods of connecting with outside helping resources for families.
5.5 ____ The school has special programs to help parents in knowing how to CONNECT HOME LEARNING WITH THE CURRICULUM OF THE SCHOOL.
5.6 ____ The school functions as a COMMUNITY CENTER and has many programs operating at night and on the weekend.