Columbia University's Teachers College Chooses OBEN Schools

Almost ten years ago, when Superintendent of Schools Dr. Laura Seinfeld was the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Schools, she helped establish a relationship with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project of Columbia University. 

The OBEN schools were chosen by Teachers College to show how effective the reading and writing workshops can be when taught properly.  Scores of teachers and administrators from all over Long Island visited our schools to observe and learn from OBEN teachers.

The relationship with Teachers College remains strong to this day.  The liaison has expanded to include educating parents in effective teaching techniques.  This has become popular and is now an annual event.

This February, Ms. Katie Clements, a Teachers College staff developer, visited the Vernon School to lead a workshop to explore a growth mindset. 

She shared with OBEN parents the research about why having a growth mindset is critical to students' success.  Ms. Clements spoke of the work Vernon teachers are doing around growth mindset and goal setting.  She also focused on practicing methods parents can implement at home to support their child’s growth mindset.

Lucy Calkins is the preeminent authority on teaching reading and writing and the architect of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project of Columbia University.  Ms. Calkins commented during her visit to the OBEN schools, that the work at Roosevelt and Vernon is “beautiful” and that Oyster Bay is “a place to learn from.”

Watch for the Teachers College to hold its next Teachers College Annual Parent Workshop in early 2018.