WEBVTT

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>> Tony Caputo: Expanded
Learning Day was an opportunity

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to totally redesign the
school day and bring it

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into the 21st century.

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You know, it's really not
rocket science to understand

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that if you give a kid more
time in school, and you make

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that time engaging, that
children are going to benefit.

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>> Martha Dewer, to
students: I want it finished.

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>> Caputo: When we began
the planning process

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for the expanded learning
time, we decided that we needed

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to put the emphasis this year

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on the English language
arts and writing.

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So when we designed our program,

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we designed a two-hour
uninterrupted literacy block

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very first thing in the morning.

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>> Dewer, to students:
Now, what is this again,

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and what is this problem?

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>> Dewer: Having them read
every day has helped them a lot.

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They have to take a
computerized test every fall

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and every winter, and I
already saw a difference just

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in the fall, the
fall's test scores.

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>> Teacher, in fourth-grade
team meeting:

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A couple of you were
talking about some

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of your students are
still having trouble...

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>> Dewer: Once a week,
we meet as a team,

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the fourth grade
meets as a team.

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>> Dewer, in meeting: So they
didn't really have trouble

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with the timeline.

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They did pretty well.

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>> Teacher, in meeting: They
did, actually, very well on it.

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>> Dewer, in meeting: Yes.

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>> Dewer: So now we are
looking at student data,

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and we are trying to analyze it
in order to improve teaching.

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>> Teacher, in meeting:
...sequence of events,

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so that was one after another.

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>> Dewer: Teachers really
need a lot of time to talk

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because when we talk,
we are reflecting,

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and then we get ideas
from each other

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and then we become
more effective.

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>> Caputo: Our relationship

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with the teacher union
is pretty typical.

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It's not always an
easy relationship,

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but it was very interesting

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in that the teachers were 100
percent behind this program.

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We developed a very
good relationship

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with the teacher union, and they
were able to be very supportive

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of expanded learning time, even
though they were in the process

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of a difficult negotiation
for teacher contract

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for all of the teachers.

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>> Dewer: It is a longer day,
and it could be tiring at times.

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Obviously, I get paid
more to work longer hours,

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but what I get out of it
as an educator is more

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of the satisfaction that the
children are learning more.

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>> Adults playing guitar
and singing to students:

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...be a real nice fellow
all dressed up in...

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>> Students respond: Yellow!

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>> Singers: Good!

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>> Caputo: Expanded Learning
Day really gave us an exciting

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opportunity to bring
community and cultural partners

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into the school and
integrate them right

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into the core curriculum,
making learning a lot more fun.

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>> Teacher, to student: ...was
born in 1822 and he died

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in 1822, so they named
their second son...

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>> Dewer: In the
past, I always wished

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to have maybe half an hour
more for those children

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that needed the extra help.

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Now I have that time.

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>> Caputo: We are
redesigning school days

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to meet the needs
of the 21st century.

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We can't continue to
expect students to achieve

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at higher levels and not give
them the tools that they need,

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and one of the tools
that teachers

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and students need is more time.