Opal School Blog
The Role of Intention
In the following article, Opal School Teacher-Researcher Kerry Salazar gives us a sense of the approach a teacher-researcher might use to engage in intentional design…
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Playful Inquiry, Materials and Dialogue
By Carole Burton, Visual Arts Specialist Last year in Opal 2, the children thought hard about questions about themselves. Using materials, they wondered about the…
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Science, Research and Synthesis
The collection in this post brings together both formal documentation that was created at the end of a school year in our classroom for 6-8…
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This week’s contents
Welcome to Module Four! Here, we focus on documentation and what it means to take a stance as a teacher-researcher. These articles, videos, and reflection…
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Organizing for Instruction: A Painting Story
While reading this entry, ask yourself: What are the organizational strategies that support the experience, and support children's thinking and learning? by Marcy Berkowitz, Early…
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Mission, Values, and Guiding Principles — Organizing for Open Systems
What is an open system? An open system is one that is constantly exchanging feedback with its environment. An open system finds new information interesting,…
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Organizing for Instruction: A Story from Kindergarten
One of Opal School's values is stated this way: A view that learning happens in an environment where people form relationships with one another, with…
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Connections Through a Shared Experience
“A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.” –Tim Cahill “I think this is our destination… Yes it is!” –…
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Organizing the Opal School Environment
By Judy Graves, Opal School Founder Opal is a small school of 117 students that is operated by the Portland Children’s Museum. The school exists…
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Organization as Fundamental
There is an underlying order and beauty in the design and organization of all space in a school and the equipment and materials within it.…
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