Announcer (00:01): Highlighting the amazing stories from inside the North Clackamas school district. This is the Proud To Be NCSD podcast, hosted by longtime principal and current community relations director, Curtis Long.

Curtis Long (00:14): The doors have just opened on another day at Oak Grove Elementary School. And while many students shuffle through the cafeteria line to get a quick breakfast bite and others say goodbye to siblings and scamper down the hallways into their classrooms, down the corner of one hallway, a small group of students patiently waits outside their colorful classroom door. And when we say small, we mean it in the nicest possible way. Just because they may need a stool to reach the water fountain and their backpack just might weigh as much as they do. Because if you thought the youngest students in our district were 5-year-old kindergartners, you might wanna try that math again. Maybe even using a funny smelling magic marker.

Preschool Student (01:00): I smell apple.

Curtis Long (01:01): Your marker does smell like apple. Is it magic? Yeah. What does your marker smell like?

Preschool Student (01:06): It smells like lemon. Mm-Hmm.

Curtis Long (01:08): <affirmative> It does smell like lemon. Welcome to the magical world of NCDs only preschool classroom where thriving three and four year olds arrive with big smiles on their faces each day. And big ideas about what they're learning. Whoa. What are you painting?

Preschool Student (01:22): I painted a triangle with a

Curtis Long (01:24): You're painting a triangle. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. What color is your triangle?

Preschool Student (01:27): Pink.

Curtis Long (01:28): You're painting a pink triangle.

Preschool Student (01:30): I'm making pink triangle.

Curtis Long (01:33): You're a good painter.

Preschool Student (01:35): Thanks.

Curtis Long (01:35): But before this line of precocious pre-Ks even walks through the classroom door, each morning they each meet one-on-one and face to face with their kneeling teacher in the doorway who makes them an offer they can't refuse.

Melinda Hayward (01:47): How do you wanna say Good morning today? Ooh. You chose all the choices. Okay. A hug, a high five, A handshake, and a smile. Welcome friend.

Curtis Long (01:58): That's the voice of the always energetic, always reassuring.

Preschool Student (02:02): Can I take off my shoes?

Melinda Hayward (02:02): We aren't gonna take our shoes off at school, but you can pretend.

Curtis Long (02:07): Teacher of the youngest classroom of students in our district today on the Proud To Be NCSD podcast. We sit down in some tiny chairs to meet "Miss Melinda," Melinda Hayward, whose days consist of a lot of guiding.

Melinda Hayward (02:20): She has a thumb on her heart, that means she has a plan. Stand up Kiki and tell her

Curtis Long (02:24): A lot of singing.

Melinda Hayward (02:26): I Had a Little Turtle his name was Tiny Tim.

Curtis Long (02:31): But best of all, a lot of loving

Melinda Hayward (02:33): My friends. Today we will continue practicing show care, say with me. Show, show care. And guess what? I have seen evidence of showing care everywhere in our classroom.

Curtis Long (02:47): And we've got evidence to show today's classroom visit won't be one. You'll soon forget.

Melinda Hayward (02:52): Good Morning, Mr. Long.

Curtis Long (02:54): Why thank you. The Proud To Be NCSD Podcast "Preschool Edition" starts right now,

Curtis Long (03:03): And once again, we've taken the podcast out into one of our 32 schools. And I've gotta say, this is the liveliest most colorful, most engaging classroom I've ever seen in one of our elementary schools. It's our district's one and only preschool program here at Oak Grove Elementary. And as you heard off the top of the show, kids in here are drawing. They're painting, they're building, they're singing. And perhaps most importantly, they are learning how to show care for each other. And the person who leads this group of the youngest students in all of our school district, it's Miss Melinda herself, Melinda Hayward, who is kind enough to join us after a full day of teaching preschool. Yes, those three and four year olds, they're here all day long, just like the other students at Oak Grove. Belinda, thanks so much for joining us. How are you doing as you sit down with us after a full day of preschool?

Melinda Hayward (03:46): I'm doing well, thank you. Tired, but still inspired <laugh>. Good day.

Curtis Long (03:50): That's a good way to put it. It's a good tired, I would think.

Melinda Hayward (03:51): Yes. It's a good tired.

Curtis Long (03:53): Now we're gonna talk all about what goes on each day in this incredible classroom. 'cause I think our listeners will be amazed, but this one of a kind program doesn't work without you here to lead it. Tell us a little bit about your background and what led you to this preschool teaching position here in NCSD.

Melinda Hayward (04:06): Yeah, sure. I started the Playful Inquiry practice about 10 years ago in partnership with Teaching Preschool Partners, which is a nonprofit organization that was founded by Judy Graves, who also started the Opal School up at the Museum for Children, you might remember. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. So since that close, her mission was to bring this practice to kids that needed it the most. And she approached me about 10 years ago, and we started that together. Then I had the opportunity to invite Jen Burkhart to my classroom about, ooh, maybe six years ago. And she was intrigued by the practice also. So when the opportunity came to North Clackamas, I thought, wow, I would love to start it here. And this is our second year doing it here. And we are up and running and inspiring our youngest learners. And it's, it's just a joy.

Curtis Long (05:02): And we're gonna talk about that a little bit. Inspiring our youngest learners, I got to visit this morning. And you heard about that at the beginning of the podcast. You heard some of the things that I caught on tape. Really fun to listen to. We talked a little bit before we began our interview. This is a free program that's right. For students throughout the district. Talk a little bit about maybe some parents who maybe have a two or 3-year-old at home and said, I think that's something I might be interested in starting next year.

Melinda Hayward (05:25): Yeah so the way that families are accepted is they apply through the Preschool Promise Program and that application is online. And when you do that, you select the sites that you would like to apply for. And our site, Oak Grove is on there. So when families choose that, the Preschool Promise Program aligns them with their choices. And if there is space and they qualify economically, then they get to come.

Curtis Long (05:50): And you were talking about some of the kids in the class this year are actually Oak Grove students. They will go to Oak Grove kindergarten, others nearby neighborhood schools, and maybe others are across the district a little bit.

Melinda Hayward (06:00): Yeah, that's right. We have two buses for friends that are close by in the catchment area of Oak Grove. And then if families are further away, they can choose to transport their child to our program.

Curtis Long (06:11): Now, I know as a former elementary school principal, sometimes during the summertime we'd need to adjust which grade levels teachers would teach for the upcoming school year. Now I work with lots of teachers who would say, I'll teach any grade level, but kindergarten kind of scares me. <laugh>. Now you teach kids every day, even younger than kindergarten. Yeah. These kids are three and four years old. What do you love so much about teaching kids at such a young age?

Melinda Hayward (06:32): Well, I think it's their openness to take learning risks. I think at this age, we haven't really defined what our gifts are. And so everyone coming in, they're just exploring materials, using them as thinking tools and being super brave with things that older students might be hesitant, you know? So we remove the shame and the judgment when it comes to our work in here. And we just emphasize the curiosity over the compliance. And we challenge students in ways that I think our youngest learners are really excited to show their capabilities with. So yeah, that's, that's what I love about them. It's just their spark, <laugh> and their, and their enthusiasm for learning risks.

Curtis Long (07:18): Well, we certainly saw a lot of that enthusiasm this morning, that's for sure. Now, of course, all teachers in NCSD care for their students, but you really approach this job with a lot of love, don't you? I witnessed kids were entering the classroom today. They got to choose how they're greeted at the door by you, <laugh>. Yeah. Tell our listeners about that.

Melinda Hayward (07:33): Yeah. So each day, I mean, I think consistency is, is really key to lowering the affective filter and making students feel safe in taking learning risks. And one of our routines is greeting at the door each morning. And some of our friends don't use words yet. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. So we have a welcome mat and the choices are a smile, a high five, a hug or a handshake. And as you saw this morning, many of our friends choose all of the choices. <laugh>,

Curtis Long (08:00): <laugh>, they step on all of them.

Melinda Hayward (08:01): Yeah. And towards the end of the year, you'll see friends playing with the idea of doubles too. They'll step twice <laugh>.

Curtis Long (08:08): Okay. Yeah. So they can get a double hug. They in the morning then, or a double high five could I never thought of that.

Melinda Hayward (08:13): Yeah they could.

Curtis Long (08:14): Now, on the Proud To Be NCSD podcast, we don't stream any video as we record. But that doesn't do this classroom justice. People can't see what's set up in this room. Aside from the photos in our description, would you give our listeners a tour around the classroom? Just kind of from where you're seated now, what happens at each of these workstations where kids rotate throughout the day?

Melinda Hayward (08:31): Yeah, sure. So we have different areas that have different identities, and those identities stay the same, but the materials within them change depending on the interests of the child and, and the focus of the day. So we're sitting now in our studio and you can see we're on, you know, the hard floor close to the sink. So this is where we do our big messy artwork. And it's gonna be potter's clay or tempera paint, or liquid watercolor like you saw today. We also have a connecting table. So we're using materials to find connections with the materials and also with each other. We have a sensory table that right now has some insects and mad matter that you got to experience this morning. <laugh>, uhhuh, <affirmative> students. Um, we have a sand table, a small dollhouse area. We have a small world which changes based on whatever animals we have over there.

Melinda Hayward (09:25): It might be a forest or an ocean or a river. We also have, right now a house area. And that that's a dramatic play. It changes. Last year it ended up being a science lab. Oh. For quite some time. We were very interested in being scientists. We have a message center where we can create messages for friends and family and a tinkering station. And the tinkering station is pretty open-ended, lots of art materials available and recycled materials. And basically there the rule is if you have a plan, you can do it. So if you have a plan and you need a pipe cleaner for your plan, then great. You have a plan. We'll make it happen. <laugh>, we'll give you the material you need. We have a light table for exploring light and color. We have a water table, which is another sensory experience. And then of course our rug area is the big block area.

Curtis Long (10:15): Now were you in on the planning of this room? Did you get to help order the furniture or advise on what furniture, because this doesn't look like, say a kindergartn or a first grade classroom. This is probably the lowest chair I've ever conducted a podcast interview in

Melinda Hayward (10:27): <laugh>. Yep. 11 inches. Yep. Yep.

Curtis Long (10:28): So they're all, it's, it's much smaller tailor made for preschoolers. Were you involved in that?

Melinda Hayward (10:33): Yes. So basically in our playful inquiry pedagogy, we like to look at the classroom or the environment as the third teacher. So the goal is to invite, be super inviting, challenging, and offer opportunities for them to use materials as thinking tools. So playful inquiry at this level looks like lots of little areas that have varieties of opportunities for working with maybe just by yourself, maybe a partner, maybe a larger group. And has opportunities for quiet concentration and opportunities for big physical gross motor play. So you're looking to create a situation where they can take ownership and they can assert their agency and just watching and noticing and challenging them along the way.

Curtis Long (11:21): Speaking of noticing and challenging, it's amazing how much Ms. Melinda notices about her playful preschoolers as she gently challenges them throughout a full day within an elementary school coming up. Do her students access the same fun activities as the big kids at Oak Grove?

Melinda Hayward (11:35): I mean, it is exciting to see them walk into the gym and participate with Mrs. Dorsey and go to the library. Yeah. It's a great experience to be, you know, the teacher of the youngest learners here and feel so welcome. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> in the larger community. We even had last year, some fifth grade big buddies, they would come. Oh wow. Yeah. They would come and join us once a week. And our kids just love that connection.

Curtis Long (11:59): And the thoughts from three year olds that instantly melt her heart.

Melinda Hayward (12:02): I think the, the deep empathy that they show for each other and the deep acceptance. Yeah. The inclusion. We have a lot of friends here that are identified and have special needs and are significantly impacted. And all of our friends see all of our other friends in this classroom. Sure. As capable members of our community that bring their own gifts.

Curtis Long (12:24): And what a gift to continue our visit with Melinda Hayward as this preschool edition of the Proud To Be NCSD podcast continues right after this.

Announcer (12:34): Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? The North Clackamas School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire before and after school caretakers, custodians, and bus drivers in North Clackamas. We promise it won't take you long to learn why our employees say they're proud to be in NCSD. Apply today on the North Clackamas School district website or call 5 0 3 3 5 3 6,000. That's 5 0 3 3 5 3 6,000.

Curtis Long (13:28): So there's a lot of thought that's gone into the structure Yeah. Of this room. It's not just random placings of furniture and chairs and where these things go. Yeah. There's a lot of thought that goes in behind where everything is located and I can see different tables in different areas. As you mentioned that the house is over in the corner, there's a light table with kind of a tent over the top of it. Yes. I saw some kids find a bubble area before there was some water over there.

Melinda Hayward (13:51): Yeah. We're creating these cozy nooks where we can encourage the development of habits of mind, which is really our strongest focus. So what people ask us, what is our curriculum? It's really an emergent curriculum, but under the umbrella of the development of the habits of mind. So we are, we're looking at that when as we create areas, what can we put out there that's gonna offer them practice to practice the traits that will then lead to the development of these habits of mind.

Curtis Long (14:19): And I saw that going on. I, one of your focuses right now is on teaching your young students how to show care. Right. Why is that so important at ages three and four?

Melinda Hayward (14:28): Yeah. Well this is the first time most of these friends have been out of the home setting. Right. And with other people their age in a classroom setting. So there's a lot of discussion, reflection. We have reflection meeting, our morning meeting where we sent the intention of the day around this time of year showing care. So we're looking at what does that look like? What does that sound like? How does it feel? What words show care for our friends? And we're noticing and capturing evidence of when we see that in different areas for different friends, we're noticing and capturing that on charts and then reflecting that evidence back to them. So spotlighting it. We might take a photo and put it up on the screen and have a conversation about how this is showing care. What do we notice about that? So internalizing that is gonna help us create a classroom community where we feel safe in taking these learning risks. We feel safe with each other and we're excited to practice that. Those habits of mind of focus, attention, communicate clearly, making connections, collaboration, and thinking strategically.

Curtis Long (15:37): You mentioned before a classroom community, it's really evident what a community that you are developing in here. I noticed too when I was visiting that each student, even without them maybe knowing they all have a little one-on-one time with you as they rotate between explorations. Are you using that one-on-one time for any kind of assessment? What are you looking for when you work exclusively with one of your students for just a even a short amount of time?

Melinda Hayward (15:57): Yeah, so it depends on the student. Of course, I have in the back of my mind these, these habits of mine. And what I'm looking for is documentation of evidence that they're practicing at a certain level. Now that level might be emerging, it might be achieving, it might be practicing. And the different levels are really more dependent on how much adult interaction and support is necessary for them to be able to feel successful in that. So I take photos. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> and I document with a lot of transcribing of their language. And then I use that to input into our habit of mind assessments.

Curtis Long (16:32): And are there parent teacher conferences? Just as there are schoolwide, our preschoolers scheduled at the same time the K through fives are?

Melinda Hayward (16:38): Yeah, so we follow the same schedule. Uhhuh <affirmative> as our Oak Grove K through five teachers. And the same schedule for conferences and the same schedule for reporting. Our reports just look a little bit different. Sure. We base them on the gifts that we're noticing their child exhibit and the strengths that we're seeing in their child based on the traits that they're practicing in the classroom. So we call them learning stories. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And we take photos and we share with the families, here's what we see your child doing, here's ways to support them in their development in that next stage.

Curtis Long (17:11): Well this is our district's only preschool classroom among 18 elementary schools. Yet I know the hope is to eventually expand to more schools. But you are, and you mentioned this before, you're truly a part of the Oak Grove School day. These students have recess, they have lunch, they have pe, they have music, they have library time. How do your students enjoy those times?

Melinda Hayward (17:28): Yeah, I mean, it is exciting to see them walk into the gym and participate with Mrs. Dorsey and go to the library. They feel a part of this school community. We even participate in our electives with our kindergarten team, so they Oh gosh. Can visit other kids.

Curtis Long (17:45): Okay. So they're in with the bigger kids.

Melinda Hayward (17:46): Oh yes. So they get to visit the other classrooms and participate with the other teachers. So yeah, it's a great experience to be, you know, the teacher of the youngest learners here and feel so welcome. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> in the larger community. We even had last year, some fifth grade big buddies, they would come. Oh wow. Yeah. They would come and join us once a week. And our kids just love that connection. Yeah.

Curtis Long (18:08): And for families who might be wondering, oh my goodness, do these little three and four year olds go out to the playground with the bigger kids? Kind of, you guys have your own playground area.

Melinda Hayward (18:14): Yes. Yes. We have our own playground area and it's built for our size <laugh>. So we did get to participate last week in the Johon. So we do get out there. Oh gosh. Okay. We ran the track and you know, one of my friends came back and told me that she ran 30 miles and I, I bet she did run 30 preschool miles, but <laugh>

Curtis Long (18:33): 30 preschool miles. That's right. Yeah. We don't know how far that was, but 30 preschool miles for sure. Yeah. I know you talked about this a little bit before Melinda, but what's the most important thing you're trying to develop with your students? Is it a certain level of academics? Is it social skills, ability to get along with others? Or is it more of a little of all the above?

Melinda Hayward (18:49): A little of all of the above. We do embed our academics within the use of materials as thinking tools. But really, I mean, above all, I want them to find the joy and learning and feel what it looks like to be a student. To really internalize I am capable. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. You know, the image of myself is I am a learner and I can do hard things. Right. So that persistence, perseverance, and above all finding joy in learning

Curtis Long (19:17): And what a gift for these kids to be able to get that in their very first school experience. You're getting kids who have never been a part of a classroom before. That's right. Yeah. Oftentimes don't have siblings at home. Yeah. 'cause they're probably the oldest in their family. Yeah. So they're getting that experience here. Well, anybody who's worked in an elementary school knows, well I, I guess I should say anybody who's worked in any school knows kids can sometimes say things that you have to do everything you can just to hold in your laughter. What do you hear from three and four year olds that kind of make you wanna laugh out loud sometimes?

Melinda Hayward (19:44): Hmm. There are lots of things that they say. Usually having a strong imagination for pets at home. Okay. That's a fun one, right? Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. Like you might have a shark that lives at home or, and you know, we just encourage that imagination. Like we just encourage that storytelling. 'cause that's a gift really. Yeah. So I think the things that we hear the most are just really embellished stories. <laugh>. Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. Yeah.

Curtis Long (20:08): Of what their pet could do at home. Right.

Melinda Hayward (20:10): Exactly. Or, or you know, that the T-Rex comes alive. Oh, okay. You know, and it plays games with them and all sorts of things like that. Yeah.

Curtis Long (20:18): That's so great. Yeah. On the flip side of that, what are some things outta the mouth of these students that melt your heart immediately?

Melinda Hayward (20:24): Well, I think that the deep empathy that they show for each other and the deep acceptance. Yeah. The inclusion. We have a lot of friends here that are identified and have special needs and are significantly impacted. And all of our friends see all of our other friends in this classroom as capable members of our community that bring their own gifts. And so I feel like that's what melts my heart. Just the deepest empathy from our youngest learners.

Curtis Long (20:53): Yeah. And they're very welcoming of guests, I could say firsthand. Yes. I, I was part of a table for a little while and a little girl thought it was just so fun to put all of the plastic bugs on top of my head at one time to see what I would do.

Melinda Hayward (21:04): Yes. And you were a very good sport. Yes.

Curtis Long (21:06): <laugh>. Well, lots of years in an elementary school. Lots of years in kindergarten, but not in preschool. It's so much fun to be here. Well of course you couldn't do this job without some amazing adult helpers. How important are they in accomplishing your daily goals with these students?

Melinda Hayward (21:17): Yeah, we have a great team, Miss Emma. Miss Naomi. It's a great team. We are always giving each other silent cues across the <laugh>, across the room and, and figuring out where's the most important place for us to put our body in proximity. And they're just super positive members of our team. And the kids just, they love them. So I'm so thankful <laugh> to have them. I mean, it wouldn't work without them. Yeah.

Curtis Long (21:43): Now I came in, you were visiting with some of your adult helpers and you were talking about a rest time. You do have a rest time built in to the day, right? Yes. These kids don't go all day long without a little break.

Melinda Hayward (21:52): That's right. We have the same hours as the regular elementary school, but we do offer a rest time after our last special of the day. And it's a time when they can lay down on their cot. Most of our friends sleep. 'cause we are so...

Curtis Long (22:05): I was gonna ask that. How many of them actually go lights out?

Melinda Hayward (22:08): Okay. I mean, most of them do sleep. They can bring a stuffy and a blanky Uhhuh and they work so hard. <laugh>. Yeah. You know, all morning long. And so it is a big day when you're three years old to be in a classroom all morning. So most of them do sleep. If they don't, they can quietly look at books and puzzles and we offer other quiet time activities for them to do in their little area. But to be honest, most of them fall asleep. Yeah. Yeah.

Curtis Long (22:31): I bet. Well, they worked pretty hard in the time that I was here. Yeah. In the morning. And these kids go four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Okay. That's right. Yeah. Monday through Thursday. Well, Melinda, as we start to wrap up, I'm curious what brings you the most joy as the teacher of the very youngest students in our school district?

Melinda Hayward (22:47): I think just practicing living in the uncertainty and the wonderful surprises that come with working with young children each day. I've been a teacher for over 20 years. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And I've taught many grade levels and been an ELD teacher and taught all the way through fifth grade. But this age level keeps you on your toes, <laugh>. And it keeps you honest uhhuh and it keeps you, you need to reflect every day. Where does your integrity lie? What is your purpose for the day? Because they will hold you to it <laugh>. So there's no, uh, there's no fooling a 3-year-old, no <laugh>.

Curtis Long (23:21): Nope. You cannot fool these kids, that's for sure. Yeah. Anything else you'd like to add that we haven't touched on?

Melinda Hayward (23:26): I just would welcome anyone who would like to come and visit our classroom. We are open to that. You can come and schedule a time to see. We had some opportunity last year to do some cross grade level PLC work and some first and second grade teachers got to come and see Mm, what does it look like to use how to language in preschool? And I feel like that's super valuable. Sure. Even if you're not teaching preschool, come and see what does it look like to use high level language and vocabulary at the youngest level and how it might translate to your grade.

Curtis Long (23:59): Well, as we reach the conclusion of this podcast and I look around this amazing classroom, I immediately think about a famous quote I've seen many times. I'm sure you have too. It says, "A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child." Melinda Hayward, you are certainly important in the lives of the lucky children in this classroom. Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast today.

Melinda Hayward (24:22): Thanks for having me.

Curtis Long (24:24): Thanks for listening to The Proud To Be NCSD podcast. In North Clackamas. We know that education is a community effort and we're so thankful that you and your family are a part of our community. Until next time, remember, there are always great things to see wherever you go in NCSD.