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why did you choose to work at campus and also try to make this school better and what is your best thing as a princaple and if you wanted to change something about school what would it be

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Animal Meanings A-Z Elena Harris 2021-08-09T14:11:33-08:00

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Animal Meanings | Spirit Animal Symbolism

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Looking for A Spirit Animal? Spirit Animal Meanings
Spirit animals carry meaning, wisdom, and power. Finding out what your spirit animal or totem means is like a going on a journey. Meanings will be revealed as

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When Harry Potter first took the world by storm more than 20 years ago, American teachers were introduced to a new concept: the British house system in schools.

In short, it's common in English schools for students to be divided up into "houses." Throughout the school year, kids earn points for their houses for good behavior, special accomplishments, and more. Since each house includes kids from every grade, it fosters a sense of community throughout the school, too.

Teachers all over the country are now giving the house system a try, and it's not just limited to Harry Potter. Recently, we asked our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE users to share their best ideas for using the house system in schools.

Choose a theme.
Photo credit: La Marque Middle School
Some teachers love using the classic Harry Potter houses, but others customize house systems in their own ways.

"We use house points in our Harry Potter classroom. It's awesome, and the kids push themselves to earn [points] not just for themselves but for their housemates, too. We do a house champion each quarter to help with buy-in also." -Jessica W.

"My sixth grade teacher used Greek cities to group us, which is how she taught us about Ancient Greece. It was awesome. There was a certain amount of association. I was in Athens, and I FELT like a smartie. I used the same idea in my current sixth grade classroom by assigning a Greek god to each group (we're reading The Lightning Thief), and I assigned most of my most struggling students in each class to Athena. Now whenever I see scholarly habits, I tell them 'Athena would be so proud,' and I give them a point. It's really boosting how they see themselves in my class." -Caelan M.

"As I am a social studies teacher, I would use actual figures in history." -Bailey B.

"I had a competition between my seventh grade math classes, and they were broken into Hunger Games districts." -Robin Z.

"We have split them into houses, but our houses spell K.I.D.S. for Kindness, Integrity, Determination, and Synergy. They were randomly sorted this year and can earn points for going above and beyond." -Katrina M.

Make sorting a magical experience.

Teacher Jessica W. (above) goes all out in her Harry Potter-themed classroom. "For first quarter, they drew a number [between one and four], which sorted them. They put on the hat, and I had prerecorded sound clips of the sorting hat saying each house's name. They thought it was so magical! Over the rest of the year, as I get to know them more, kids can move in and out of houses each quarter." ( See more of Jessica's amazing Harry Potter classroom.)

The random drawing process is ideal for assigning students to houses in any system. Another option is to split kids using free quizzes you can find online, like Jamie Lynne M. does, or group students by class periods, grades, or teacher. However you do it, make it an event and encourage kids to feel like a team right from the start.

Let kids sort themselves.

Make sure students know the defining characteristics of each house, and then allow them to choose. Teacher Melana K., who uses the Harry Potter theme, makes them work for it: "We close read the sorting hat song to determine what characteristics each house is made up of. Then the kids have to persuade me which house they belong in."

Some teachers worry about the effect of having a house like Harry Potter's Slytherin, which is often associated with the "bad kids." But that doesn't mean you can't use it effectively if you're implementing a Harry Potter theme.

"Slytherin isn't a 'bad house.' It was about the choices those students made. Slytherin qualities consist of the ability to achieve goals through out-of-the-box-means, sometimes through cunning, but again it points back to individual choices, which is a good lesson to learn." -Pamela G.

"Honestly, the kids that were sorted into Slytherin were very excited about it. We talked a lot about how Slytherin house is all about being determined and accomplished. We talked about how cunning is not a bad thing. It is more about being able to get the things we desire in ways that others may not think about." -Jessica W.

Create a fun and easy tracking system.
Photo credit: Hylands Primary School
Many teachers report that their house systems break down because it's too hard to keep track of all the points. Try a simple idea like colored glass gems in clear glass vases, like Jessica W. does, or use these other methods.

"I use magnets on a board. The bigger the point value, the bigger the magnet." -Tesa O.

"I have four of those premade progress chart posters that match the colors, and I fill in a square when kids are on task, do their planner for the day, etc." -Jamie Lynn M.

Darsha N. says, " Classcraft is a way to do houses and reward good behavior. I have colleagues who RAVE about how it increases engagement. It's web based, so it works best if you have internet, but it can work if only the teacher has a device. You can customize the rewards and such for your own priorities."

Reward success!
Photo credit: Nunnery Wood Primary School
Be sure to celebrate the house that comes out on top at end of the semester or year, whether it's with a party, treats, or even a cup or trophy the winning house can proudly display.

"At midterms I bring treats for the house with the highest percentage." -Jamie Lynnn M.

"The house with the most points earns a class party." -Jill M.

"Each semester there is a winning house that gets pizza and ice cream. I also bought the Harry Potter Triwizard Tournament Cup as their house cup." -Tesa O.
Top Image Credit: Aspengrove School What are your best tips for using a house system in schools? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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Best of WeAreTeachers HELPLINE: Using a House System in the Classroom

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When Harry Potter first took the world by storm more than 20 years ago, American teachers were introduced to a new concept: the British house system in schools. In short, it's common in English schools for students to be divided up into "houses."

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Miss Hannah Johnston, Head of Houses at WHS, examines why the House system is as important in the modern world as it was in the famous tales of Mr Chips and Harry Potter.
Mention 'Houses' in the context of a school and for a certain generation it is hard not to be instantly transported to 'Hogwarts' and all the connotations of the sorting hat. Originating from boarding schools where students lived in a 'house' the inclusion of a House system is popular among schools, and, thanks to J.K Rowling and those 4 most famous of Houses there is more awareness than ever of the advantages the House system brings.

While we do not rely on a sentient hat, each year we have the 'Stepping In' ceremony where our new girls are warmly received into their House, a pivotal moment in their entry to senior school. As girls and staff cheer from the side-lines, the initial ties of camaraderie and identity are being formed.

The Specialist School and Academies Trust (SSAT) found that in 2008 16% of Year 6 students did not feel ready to begin senior school. They advocated the House system as a way of ensuring students felt supported by their peers from the beginning; "Ensuring students feel comfortable in their new surroundings and making them feel part of their new environment as quickly as possible" (Garner, 2008). By dividing the school into 4 smaller groups (Arnold, Hastings, Meredith and Scott) we allow students to develop their sense of belonging quickly and help to remove the fear of 'small fish big pond' that can often follow, particularly if a girl has joined from a smaller primary school environment.

One of the main strengths of the House system is giving students of all ages the opportunity to work together, creating a truly cohesive environment and ensuring that age is not a barrier to friendship and collaboration. This reflects the life that we are preparing our girls for outside of WHS, nowhere beyond the confines of a classroom will they be required to work / interact with those only of their own age.

As David Tongue (Head, Brighton College Bangkok) said of the value of the House system; "camaraderie and solidarity is second to none and the benefits of this vertical interaction, where the young look up to the elder and where the elder look out for and support the younger, are profound". We see this throughout the year in WHS but perhaps nowhere is it as evident as during House Drama. Watching the Year 7 and Year 12 students plan, rehearse and perform is one of the highlights of the Winter term. The dedication shown by all involved and the support given by fellow House members at each performance is wonderful.

Of course it is not only students who are allocated a House, staff are also involved. The sense of community that pervades throughout the school would, arguably, be incomplete if students were not given the opportunity to interact with teachers beyond those they see in the classroom, thereby encouraging "stronger relationships between adults and students" (Green, 2006). Our recent 'Connections Fortnight' highlighted the importance of celebrating the relationships formed in school. Where better than to see this than through our Houses, small communities within the larger whole formed on shared interests and challenges.

To talk about the House system and neglect to mention competition would be foolish. Potentially it is the competitive element of the Houses that people think of first. The all-important termly round up where the current leader is announced to great fanfare, the selection of mini competitions each term and, of course, Sports Day. Competition is good, it drives our students to improve, improves collegiality and teaches how to fail.

The House system is first and foremost inclusive of all learning types and interests. We have sporting (swimming, netball, hockey and sports day), artistic (Big Draw, House Music and House Drama) and cross-curricular (Robot Wars and the upcoming Spelling Bee and House Escape) events.

As was seen in a study between engagement and performance the sense of belonging provided by House membership, and the opportunity to enter into competitions with your peers can have numerous academic benefits as well as the social-emotional (Lee, 2014). Those who feel comfortable and supported enough to participate in House events are more likely to feel able to commit themselves fully to academia.

The House system allows for the promotion of student's responsibility, "giving pupils the chance to learn and develop leadership skills is an outstanding benefit" (Tongue, 2016). The House Captains hone their leadership skills in the role, managing not only their peers but also learning how to 'manage up' among the staff body.

In another case of preparation for life beyond school, our House Captains rise to each challenge set, developing impressive time management and delegation skills.

In the upcoming House Robot Wars, the Captains have delegated the training sessions to those in KS4 that they have identified as having leadership qualities and the necessary Computer skills. Events such as House Music promote team work and communication. It takes a small army of girls to form the small group, organise whole House rehearsals and teach the choreography, yet everyone throws themselves in with dedication.

While we have our 4 House Captains there are opportunities throughout the year groups to take on smaller leadership roles, recent House Jigsaw saw students in Year 9 take charge and each inter-house sports team has a captain.

The House system searches for ways that students and staff can feel more connected to and involved with the community around them. It facilitates discussions between the most junior and most senior of school and fostering friendly competitive spirit along the way.

Garner, R., 2008. State secondaries urged to bring back the house system. [Online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/state-secondaries-urged-to-bring-back-the-house-system-913930.html

Green, D. G., 2006. Welcome to the House System. Educational leadership: journal of the Department of Supervision and Curriculum Development, N.E.A, p. 63.

Lee, J.-S., 2014. The Relationship between Student Engagement and Academic Performance: Is It a Myth or Reality?. Journal of Educational Research, pp. 177-185.

Tongue, D., 2016. The House System: a typically British educational institution. [Online]
Available at: https://www.relocatemagazine.com/articles/education-the-house-system-a-typically-british-educational-institution

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What role does the House system play in a modern school?

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Miss Hannah Johnston, Head of Houses at WHS, examines why the House system is as important in the modern world as it was in the famous tales of Mr Chips and Harry Potter. Identity Mention 'Houses' in the context of a school and for a certain generation it is hard not to be instantly transported ...

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Principal Hayes believes these mentoring activities are to thank for helping reduce bullying and other behavioral problems. Since the house system was introduced at Lake Canyon, suspensions went from nine to zero, she said, and instances of students being sent to the office for discipline greatly decreased.

A sense of inclusion and engagement in a common enterprise can have academic benefits as well as social-emotional ones, according to Jennifer Kloczko, the principal of Stoneridge Elementary School in Roseville, California. Two teams of her teachers traveled to observe Lake Canyon's house system in action as they launched their own. "When kids are really excited about school," Kloczko said, "they are happier and they tend to learn more." It's a proposition supported by scholarly research tying a heightened sense of belonging to increased achievement.
HELPING KIDS TRANSITION
Another touted benefit of houses is easing transitions. Last year the incoming kindergarten students at Lake Canyon were welcomed by sixth-graders who had planned a new tradition. The big kids formed a cheering tunnel, placed a Hawaiian lei in one of the house colors around each little one's neck, and invited them to play. Jeff Gilbert, the principal of Hillsdale High School in the San Francisco Bay Area, credits his school's house system with helping ninth-graders acclimate to a student body of nearly 1,500 and what can be an overwhelming roster of classes and teachers.

Each Hillsdale ninth-grader spends five periods a day-math, English, social studies, science and advisory-with their 111 housemates. Four teachers coordinate with one another in mostly adjacent classrooms as they teach those subjects, and each takes responsibility for advising 28 of the house's students, whom they follow through the end of sophomore year.

"You talk about students all the time," Gilbert said. "You know every family, and you know every student. You stop dealing with them in these sort of large abstract cohorts." In addition to allowing for "much more individualized responses," he said, the house system helps replicate the coherence of the elementary experience. "Our honors students know our special ed students," he said. "It's not always perfect, but those cliques and those tensions have dramatically reduced."

Modern elementary and secondary house systems aren't just a California thing. The 735 kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Richard J. Lee Elementary School in the small Dallas suburb of Coppell, Texas, eat lunch with their houses. Ottway Elementary in Greenville, Tennessee, provides students with lanyards marked by the colors and names of the school's four houses, each named for a rare gemstone. And at Jackson Road Elementary School in Griffin, Georgia-where houses have not just missions, colors, chants and symbols but also hand signs and mottos-each classroom contains four colored containers. Students who earn a house point are given a bean to place in their house's container which, along with the others, gets periodically emptied into a larger one near the front office.
BENEFITS TO SCHOOLS
Educators at schools like these claim additional systemic advantages. Gilbert said he thinks Hillsdale's house system empowers teachers and in so doing gives the high school an edge in recruitment and retention. Kloczko said Stoneridge's houses help attract parents in Roseville's choice system: "It makes us special." And according to Hayes, the staff at Lake Canyon is more united "because now they have another small group ... they are collaborating with."

Of course, the specific successes of Lake Canyon might have something to do with the way the school rolled out the idea. In the spring of 2016, Hayes, Seamons and six others traveled to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, a nonprofit middle school created to serve as a model school for educator training programs. After observing a house system in action there, the group volunteered to form a committee, calling themselves "the Hags" for "House Advisory Group."

They introduced staff to the concept before school let out for summer and asked for help choosing the six character traits that would determine the house identities. "We really wanted a buy-in from the rest of the staff," Seamons said. "They were familiar with the Harry Potter books," Hayes added, "so it wasn't a completely foreign concept," but she made sure to hammer home the potential benefits. She was also careful not to demand too much extra work from teachers, setting aside about 25 minutes out of each 90-minute staff meeting for planning house meeting activities.

"There was no rhyme or reason" to the way Lake Canyon split students, teachers and staff up into six groups. They didn't even pay attention to gender, but Hayes said, "It all kind of worked out." (One thing the committee did massage: placement of children with special needs to ensure proper support.) Some people anticipated problems with students wanting to switch houses, but Hayes said that hasn't really happened. "With the older kids, maybe their best friend is in a different house, and that's an issue at lunch perhaps," Seamons said, "but not really."
TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
One focus the Hags maintained throughout was positivity. In order for the house system to function as an effective way to reinforce desired behavior, unlike at Hogwarts, teachers and staff at Lake Canyon only award points, never taking them away. Seamons said teachers also take steps to emphasize the "friendly" part of "friendly competition," because students need to be taught "how to compete successfully."

Dan Green helped launch a house system at California's Goleta Valley Junior High in 2003. In a paper on the topic, he wrote that some teachers worried competition might decrease collegiality and self-esteem. Administrators there responded by carefully calibrating the point system "to award participation, effort and growth just as much as achievement," Green reported.

Lake Canyon's experience would seem to provide a roadmap for successful implementation, but it might not be that simple. Hayes paid for things like the banners and T-shirts with a portion of federal funds the district won in 2012. At Stoneridge, Kloczko relied on the financial support of the school's Parent Teacher Club, as well as nine teachers who fundraised to attend the Ron Clark Academy. Gilbert said Hillsdale received a smaller learning community planning grant in the late 1990s and another grant in 2002.

Aside from some expense, "it requires a long-term commitment," Hayes said, as well as whole-school involvement.

There also doesn't yet seem to be reliable data on the efficacy of houses. Lake Canyon's suspensions decreased, yes, but causation is difficult to establish since the school launched a restorative justice discipline model around the same time.

Hayes was careful to add a final caveat: For a house system to succeed, there has to be something substantive behind it, an underlying ethos being reinforced. At Lake Canyon, that's a list of 33 "soft skills" such as "do not brag" and "be courteous."

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How Being Part of a 'House' Within a School Helps Students Gain A Sense of Belonging | KQED

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Principal Hayes believes these mentoring activities are to thank for helping reduce bullying and other behavioral problems. Since the house system was introduced at Lake Canyon, suspensions went from nine to zero, she said, and instances of students being sent to the office for discipline greatly decreased.

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-Is campus a safe & respectful environment?
-Clean?
-Support emotional/psychological issues?
-rigorous instruction?
-collaborative teachers?
-supportive environment?
-effective school leadership (admin & teachers)
-strong family-community ties?
-trust?
-after school programs/clubs/activities?
-How do we stay connected even in virtual setting?

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Why did you choose to work at Campus?
What do you like about Campus?
If you could change one thing what would it be?
How can we generate community and support for each other in the MYP?
Tell them about your plan to create house systems. What are their thoughts? Do they have any advice, ideas, or anything they could help with?

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What is your vision for this school?
What motivates you as a principal?
How can we make our school more inclusive?
For a school to be successful, it needs the support from admin, students, teachers, families, and the community. How can we build these relationships in the MYP?
Do you have any additional resources that could be helpful for our project?

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What would they like to see at the school?
What made them choose Campus?
What would they like to see in ways of community events?
How can we make our school better?
How do we foster the relationships with families?

# data[].attributes.body
What made you want to work for Campus?
What do you like about Campus?
What is your ideal vision for this school?
How do you think we can build inclusion and community into our school at the MYP level?
How can we incorporate IB into these houses?
Do you have any additional resources?