Oscar: [speaks Spanish].

Thinking and feedback helps students be engaged in their work, and also collaborate with others. Our students are able to see that collaborating with each other helps us with an end product that is more elaborate and more details.

Student: Thanks.

Sarah: Coming to a two way immersion school is a lot of work. At Amigos, I tell parents this when they enroll their children at age four. They will be doing high level, rigorous, academic work in two languages. We definitely want students to be active partners in their learning. We want them to be metacognitive. We want them to think about what they’re doing. So at Amigos, we look to support that in the early years.

Oscar: Center Time is a time where kids can explore.

Student: I’m going to do the dark brown. Like, do this for the dark.

Oscar: Oh, I can’t wait to see it.

Student: And then do circle, circle, circle.

Oscar: [speaks Spanish].

They’re reflecting on what we’re studying, and right now it’s the plants. So they bring all these ideas into these different centers. As I’m looking at each student and each center, I select an artefact that the student is able to explain what they have done, and also if they might need help for the next steps.

[speaks Spanish].
So first we put the artefact in the center, and our first step is just to look at the artefact. Nobody says anything, we just look.

Clarice, what do you notice?

Student: I notice that the artist–

Oscar: So our next step is to notice.

Student: I notice–

Oscar: Students take turns to tell us what they see.

So the browned pipe cleaners, you’re saying? What do you think it is?

Student: The dirt.

Oscar: You really took a look at it then. You’re noticing very important details.

After we have noticed, we listen to the person that made the artifact.

Student: The brown ones are the dirt and then the white ones are the roots.

Oscar: So they start explaining what they have done.

Student: On the stem, there’s leaves.

Oscar: There’s leaves.

Student: I wonder–

Oscar: Then after that, we have wondering.

Student: I wonder why you put the pipe cleaners white for the roots.

Student: Because then–

Oscar: Wondering is a time where students ask questions to the person that made the artefact.
What’s our last step in the thinking and feedback? Suggestion or, and you have an idea?

Student: Inspire.

Student: Comment.

Oscar: Say the word again.

Student: Inspire.

Oscar: If you were inspired by something.
We have inspiring and suggesting.

Student: I think you should put another brown pipe cleaner for some more dirt.

Student: All right. I just used two, so I think I should.

Oscar: Kids give each other ideas.
Are you finished?

Student: I’m just going to put what Teresa said.

Oscar: And thinking as a group works well with kindergartners, because they work in a lot of social skills.

Let’s give an applause to the artist Azeli with her sculpture. Good job.

Our students are able to work with others, to receive feedback and work with a suggestion. They’re able to make elaborate things. They’re able to think critically and production the next day becomes more elaborate.

Schools That Work

Amigos School