Rusch Elementary is a K-6 Elementary school in rural Wisconsin with 18 full-time teachers and 268 EC-6 grade students. In January of 1999, the teachers and administrators at Rusch submitted a Comprehensive School Reform Grant with 4MAT as its key component.
Dyann Miller, Director of Instruction for Portage Community Schools in Wisconsin describes the role of 4MAT in the CSR Project: "4MAT combines the fundamental principles of several long-standing theories of personal development with current research on brain function and learning. This framework provides a structure for re framing traditional teaching and assessment strategies."
4MAT methods and objectives, consistent with research, are intended to change the school by changing the behaviors of the people that are vital to that school, beginning with its teachers. 4MAT also provides an organizational framework for dealing with the entire instructional system.
"4MAT offers a systems-framework that provides teachers with a common language for curriculum, instruction and assessment. Through training and application of new strategies, the classroom environment will change as a result of student-centered activities becoming the norm."
The Results at Rusch
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Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test
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After two years of implementation of 4MAT within Rusch Elementary, a number of positive results are already being seen. Science and Social Studies Scores on Standardized test are higher than State standards, in a school with 46% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunches.
Rusch Third graders on the Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test improved in the proficient and advanced levels from 53% in 1999, to 64% in 2000, to 76% in 2001. Our focus of 4MAT lessons and units has been on Reading over the past three years. Rusch 4th graders improved in reading and writing on this year's Wisconsin Knowledge and Concept Exam. With a focus in reading and writing this past year, Rusch students, in reading went from 61% to 77% proficient or advanced. In writing, they went from 67% to 80% proficient or advanced.
Our focus in the 2001-2002 school year is math. 4MAT lessons and units will be focused in the math area. We believe 4MAT model gives teachers a tool for reaching out to all learners, regardless of content area. Our research shows that students are more engaged in curricular lessons with 4MAT. We've also see our EEN students become more successful with this model. In fact, when we dis-aggregated our data this year, we found that with EEN student scores included, the % was higher in Social Studies than without their scores.
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Discipline referrals
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In addition, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of discipline referrals from 53% down to 34% and an increase in student attendance to (95%) Rusch went from 12 serious attendance problems in 99-00 to 5 in 00-01 after implementation of 4MAT Training.
Robin Kvalo, Principal of Rusch Elementary describes the impact of 4MAT: "Other benefits Rusch staff see using the 4MAT system is the honoring of one another and how each person's differences make a stronger school. We attribute the positive nature of our school to understanding one another and working with our differences to become better. We have had many more in-district transfer requests by parents over the past two years from those who've heard about Rusch and the 4MAT system. Parents want teachers who understand how their student's learn (actually embracing them) and who challenge them to develop a variety of skills.
The CSR grant has provided monthly implementation days for teachers to collaborate on 4MAT units (coaching and mentoring one another). These days allow teachers to discuss research they have collected, driving the direction of instruction and school activities for the following month. Annually, Rusch does a weekend retreat to discuss the implementation of 4MAT. Rarely does anyone miss this two day event even though it is on non-school, non-salaried time. It is the commitment to the system and success of the students that drives the professional staff to do what is needed to make sure all students succeed. All staff are being trained in 4MAT to the Intermediate level, with many going on to the Advanced level. When a teacher is interviewed, he/she is introduced to the 4MAT model. In their first year, they receive Level I Training in 4MAT. This allows them to have a common language of instruction that they can share with the existing staff.
When Rusch was established as an elementary school, teachers requested to transfer there, knowing that it would be a school based on the 4MAT model. Since opening in 1998, there has been no turnover among staff who originally started at Rusch. There have been yearly requests by teachers, who currently teach in other elementary schools in the district, to come to Rusch when there are openings. 'Rusch is a Great Place to Be' is what our school sign and shirts say and we firmly believe this. It has become a great place because of teacher, parent and student commitment to a model for learning that benefits all. Each year, our staff grows in its commitment to the 4MAT model and ongoing staff development. Learning is ongoing in our school world. It is also evident as we see About Learning evolving the 4MAT model to include the knowledge they are gaining in brain research, suggestions they gain from model users and their attention to the areas of assessment, leadership and management
TEACHER TESTIMONIALS
"My sixth grade students are finishing a 4MAT unit on biographies. The final project allows them to choose a person to research. We spent many days in the computer lab. Students were able to conduct their own research with almost no teacher assistance, and to do it appropriately. The projects were of excellent quality-the best overall work I've seen all year."
–Sixth Grade Teacher
"I have several children who struggle with self control in group situations. They have, in the past, had many behavior issues. They've improved 100% this year. I've seen a dramatic reduction in playground referral slips. Students are much more respectful and responsible. Looping and 4MAT have made a big impact on these children especially relating to behavior issues in and out of the classroom."
–2nd Grade Teacher
STUDENT PREFERENCES
801 students were asked to rate their favorite steps from among the eight instructional 4MAT steps. The eight steps and student responses were as follows: Connect (115), Attend (64), Imagine (131), Inform (62), Practice (74), Extend (112), Refine (109), Perform (134). This data is noteworthy for two reasons. First, the steps defined as "right mode" were preferred by a 61 to 39 percent margin over the more traditional "left mode" steps. Secondly, the portions of the lesson in quadrants one and four, where learners are engaged at the outset of a lesson and where they are given an opportunity to creatively express learning were preferred over the more traditional "tell and practice" steps in quadrants two and three. This is not to suggest that these steps should be de-emphasized or omitted. But it definitely does suggest the importance of the right mode, motivational, and creative aspects of 4MAT, often overlooked in our haste toward content coverage.
