Preschoolers for Peace - Polk County Public Schools

“Preschoolers for Peace”
For further information contact…
Kelly De La Cruz
Lakeland Montessori
Middle School
[email protected]
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
n PROGR AM OVERVIEW
Bullying and student conflict are
hot issues in schools. Schools have
responded by implementing a variety
of anti-bullying programs. The ability to
appreciate other’s differences including
their point of view is a challenging skill
to develop.
The Polk County Preschool Program
curriculum includes daily implementation
of the Peacemaking Skills for Little Kids
curriculum, which provides a framework
for addressing several focus points
including appreciating other’s differences
and similarities, understanding and
expressing our feelings, and dealing with
conflict in a nonaggressive way. The
program is implemented in daily large
group instruction. Unfortunately, the
curriculum provides lessons plans that
cover only half of the year.
Preschoolers for Peace is a
program which extends the peacemaking
curriculum. It was implemented in a
blended preschool unit with 1 school
readiness student, 9 voluntary preschool students, 5 ESE preschoolers,
and 2 ESE kindergartners.
The group lessons are, of ten,
supplemented by small group lessons
that extend the objective. In almost
all cases, the students have access
to extension activities during their
independent center time, and skills are
reinforced by teachers during this time.
Although the program was initially
developed for preschoolers, it could
easily be implemented with students
through third grade, possibly even
higher. Some of the students with
whom it was implemented are ESOL
students.
The Preschoolers for Peace
program provides lesson plans that
can be implemented over three to four
weeks, in 20 minute large group lessons,
30 minute small group lessons, and a
peace center which is accessible during
the day when needed. One week of
lessons teaches students to appreciate
differences. The purpose of this is for
students to develop the ability to take
and appreciate another’s view point.
The sec ond week of lessons
addresses understanding and expressing
our feelings. This is an essential skill in
conflict resolution, the ability to express
one’s feeling about a conflict clearly.
The third week of lesson plans
covers ways to create an atmosphere
of peace.
The final week covers conflict
resolution by presenting a very concrete,
child friendly system of using I-feel
messages and identifying what one
wants. This teaches students to be
assertive, but to use a communication
method that is less likely to create
defensiveness in the receiver because
it doesn’t place blame.
If you are interested in more activities,
contact the developer, and she will send
you a copy of a 40 page power point
presentation which includes activity
ideas for all areas of the curriculum.
Highlands Grove Elementary, where
the program was implemented, achieved
AYP last year, and is graded as an A
school. Preschool students are not
identified as “substantially deficient”.
Many of our students are additionally
served by Arbor Early Learning, which
subsidizes preschool tuition for families
with financial need. Approximately
53% of the students in my classroom
are served by the free or reduced lunch
program.
“Preschoolers for Peace”
n OVER ALL VALUE
Conflict happens daily. A large part
of conflicts seem unavoidable, the effect
of people with differing points of view. In
the schools, student inability to deal with
conflict causes huge disturbances in
classroom management. Administrative
r e s o u r c e s a r e ove r w h e l m e d by
student aggression in response to real
and imagined slights, bullying, and
disrespect.
Like every area of child development,
early introduction to social skills and
conflict resolution has a huge impact
of student’s future behavior. Students
who are taught, early on, to express
and negotiate conflict lead others who
observe their choices to make good
choices as well.
Preschoolers for Peace teaches
several impor tant skills, and also
demonstrates to students (and their
parents) our commitment to setting
the conditions for a safe, positive
environment for them to learn. Students
who feel emotionally and physically
safe are free to dedicate their energy
to learning the academic skills we’re
teaching them. Teaching these skills in
early childhood affect a student’s ability
to make positive choices through his
entire educational career.
n LESSON PLAN TITLES
n ABOUT THE DEVELOPER
1.We’re All Different… We’re All
Special
Kelly De La Cruz graduated from
the University of Florida with a B.A.
in Communication Processes and
Disorders in 1996 and a Masters in
Special Education in 1998. In her
first year of teaching, she was the
county recipient of the Miami Dade
Rookie Teacher of the Year award. She
earned an additional certification from
Association Montessori International in
primary education in 2007.
2.The Story of My Feelings
3.Creating Peace
4.Let’s Talk It Out
n MATERIALS
The materials for each lesson are
listed with each lesson plan. Overall
materials budget including pricing and
vendors follows the lesson plans. Some
materials, such as a digital camera, are
optional, and this is indicated on the
materials list.
Kelly has served as a preschool
ESE teacher in a blended unit in PCSB
for three years. She serves as an
adjunct professor in the Early Childhood
department of Polk State College, and
has presented an expanded version of
this program to the preschool teachers
of Polk County during their summer
training.
HHH
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plan No 1: We’re All Different. We’re All Special
n SUBJECTS COVERED
•
Mathematical and Scientif ic
Thinking: A (f) 2. Represents and
analyzes data, B. (a) 3. Makes
comparisons among objects, A (c)
4. Orders and compares objects
according to a single attribute.
•
Social Studies and The Arts: A
(a) 1. Identifies similarities and
differences in personal and family
characteristics; B (a) 1. Uses a variety
of art materials for tactile experience
and exploration, 2. Participates in
group music experiences.
Language Arts, Art, Peacemaking Skills,
Math
n GR ADES
Pre-K
n OBJECTIVES
1. Students will identify differences and
similarities between themselves and
their classmates.
2. Students will use Venn diagrams
to represent their differences and
similarities between themselves and
their classmates.
3. Students will use visual discrimination
to grade colors from darkest to
lightest.
n MATERIALS
• 2 hula hoops
• Nametags for each student
• Patricia Shih “The Color Song”,
can be downloaded at http://www.
songsforteaching.com/store/thecolor-song-download-pr-6535.html
(.99)
• Paper plates or circle cut outs
• Multicultural paint or crayons
• Free paint chips in various shades
of peace, beige and brown from
Lowes or Home Depot
• Book The Colors of Us by Karen
Katz
• We’re Different... We’re the Same,
By Bobbi Kates
n SUNSHINE STATE
STANDARDS
Florida Voluntary Pre-K
Education Standards:
•
Social and Emotional Development:
A. 1. Demonstrates self-concept
n DIRECTIONS
Procedure and Time Required
Presentation 1, Large Group
(Circle Time) 30 minutes:
1.During circle time, play the song
“The Color Song”.
2.Use two hula hoops to create a Venn
diagram on the floor. Provide each
student with a nametag. Set up a
different Venn diagram on student’s
characteristics, for example, eye
color, hair color, clothing they are
wearing, languages they speak,
etc. Have the students place their
nametag in the appropriate spot on
the diagram (i.e. both, one or the
other and neither).
3.Read the book “The Colors of Us”
by Karen Katz.
4.Discuss the idea that everyone is a
shade of a color, not simply black or
white. Using paint samples, have
the students figure out a new, more
specific name for their skin color.
Presentation 2, Small Group,
30 minutes:
1.Read We’re the Different, We’re the
Same. Discuss the fact that even
though we have differences, we
are all the same, too. Talk about
common characteristics we all
share.
3.Using multicultural paints or by
mixing brown, white and orange,
students will create a paint sample
that matches their skin color. They
will use the paint to paint a paper
plate. Then, using construction
paper, googly eyes, yarn, etc.
They will arrange the features that
we all have (nose, eyes, hair, and
mouth).
4.The students will arrange the faces
into a “rainbow” from darkest to
lightest, using visual discrimination
to grade the colors.
n EVALUATION/
ASSESSMENT
Students will be assessed on their
participation in large and small group
activities.
n EXTENSION
Place multicultural paint at the
easel during center time and encourage
students to make representations of
themselves. Place all paint samples in
science center for grading from lightest
to darkest.
You can also take pictures of the
students, print them out, and play sorting
games with their pictures using a Venn
diagram. This could be places on the
shelf in either a math or peace center.
Older grade students can survey
peers on their experiences in different
cultures or with racial discrimination.
They can research biases in different
racial groups, and write up their
findings. They can research famous
peacemakers who helped overcome
racial discrimination, research laws
against discrimination, and write essays
about the similarities and differences
between all people.
2.Give each student a small Dixie cup
or similar paint container.
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
HHH
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plan No 2: The Story of My Feelings
n SUBJECTS COVERED
Emergent Literacy, Art, Peacemaking
Skills
n SUNSHINE STATE
STANDARDS
Florida Voluntary Pre-K
Education Standards:
•
n GR ADES
Pre-K
•
Social Studies and The Arts: B (a)
1. Uses a variety of art materials for
tactile experience and exploration,
2. Par ticipates in group music
experiences.
•
Language and Communication: E.
1. Uses language to express needs
and feelings, share experiences,
predict outcomes, and resolve
problems.
n OBJECTIVES
1. Students will recognize and name a
wide variety of feelings.
2. Students will list ways to appropriately
express angry feelings.
3. Students will create a class book
which expands their vocabulary
about emotions.
n MATERIALS
• Tucker Turtle story-download for free
http://www.challengingbehavior.
org/do/resources/teaching_tools/
ttyc_toc.htm
• CD It Starts in The Heart by Jack
Hartman and Becky Bailey
• On Monday When It Rained by Tom
Bertheaume
• Magazine cutouts or pictures
from books depicting a variety of
scenarios that would cause people
to have different feeling, e.g. a boy
taking another boy’s ball, someone
hitting someone else, someone not
sharing a toy, etc.
• The Story of My Feeling, CD and
book set, by Laurie Berkner
• Digital camera (may be borrowed
if not available as school
equipment)
Social and Emotional Development,
D. Relationships with Peers, 4.
Shows empathy and caring
•
Emergent Literacy: B. Emergent
Writing 1. Shows motivation to
engage in written expression, 2.
Uses letter-like shapes, symbols
and letters to convey meaning.
n DIRECTIONS
Procedure and Time Required
Presentation 1, Large Group
Circle Time, 20- 30 minutes:
1.Play the CD Laurie Berkner, The
Story of My Feelings
2.Read the book On Monday When
It Rained. Using chart paper or
white board, have students dictate
all the feeling words they know.
Throughout the week, every time
you’re reading a story that has a
new emotion word, add the word
to the ongoing list.
3.Ask students to use their face to
model a “fancy” emotion word for a
class book modeled on On Monday
When It Rained. Take their picture
making a face that represents a
variety of feelings. Invite each
student to dictate which feeling
they were feeling and what caused
them to feel that way. For example,
“On Tuesday, when Kelly saw a
spider right next to her foot, she felt
terrified.”
4.At a later time, print out student
photos and pair them with the
student dictation. Bind them
together in a class book. Make
this available to the students in the
peace center or the class library.
Presentation 2, Large Group,
Circle Time, 20-30 minutes:
1.Invite students to share a time
they have felt very angry, and what
caused them to feel that way. Allow
them to discuss times when people
have been really angry with them.
2.Review class rules, especially ones
related to “Hands are for helping not
hurting.”
3.Play the “STAR song” by Jack
Hartman and Becky Bailey, which
lets children know that when they
are feeling very angry, they can stop,
take a deep breath and relax.
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plan No 2: The Story of My Feelings (cont.)
4.Read the book Tucker Turtle Take
Time to Tuck and Think.
5.Brainstorm with the children on
what one can do when they are
feeling very angry. Elicit responses
such as: walk away, take a deep
breath, play with someone else,
ask an adult for help, get a hug, go
to the beanbag and cool off, etc.
Teach students the technique of
“ballooning” which is basically filling
your lungs up with as much air as
possible, holding it for a second,
and then letting it go.
Presentation 3, Small Group,
20-30 minutes:
1.Students will cut out of magazines
(or alternately, draw) pictures of
things that make them angry.
2.The teacher will take dictation
from the students on their “when
I’m angry“ plan. For example, “If
someone takes my toy, I will ask an
adult for help.”
3.Students will share their plans
with the rest of the class, and the
pictures will be posted in the peace
center or put together as a class
book.
n EVALUATION/
n EXTENSION
Students will be assessed by teacher
observation of their participation in small
group and large group activities, and
by their ability to make a plan for an
alternative to violence when they are
angry.
As an at home extension, the
teacher can send home a large paper
heart with each student. Parents will
assist students in cutting out things that
make them feel happy, sad, angry, etc.
and glue them on the heart, labeling
how they feel.
ASSESSMENT
The teacher can also extend the
emotions curriculum, making emotions
bingo or creating artworks reflecting
different emotions. One favorite, of
my students, was when we looked at
Picasso’s Blue Period artwork, and
created a “blue period sadness artwork”.
Students used oil pastels to draw either
a sad self-portrait or a drawing of a sad
scene. Scenes included cemeteries,
men with sad faces standing in the rain
under umbrellas, and pictures of being
hurt. Then, using blue water color paint,
we washed over the pictures, creating
our own blue period artwork.
Students in older grades can create
a feelings thesaurus, to be used in their
writing. They can research other artists
who consistently depict a specific feeling
in their artworks. They can create art
portfolios that represent their feelings
over time, or can keep journals of their
feelings about different things. Writing
prompts can be given to help students
become aware of their feeling triggers.
HHH
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plan No 3: Creating Peace
• A photo album with a picture of each
child in the class and how to write
his or her name, as well as other
vocabulary words or sentences that
the children ask how to write.
n SUBJECTS COVERED
Emergent Literacy, Social Studies,
Math
n GR ADES
• Visual aide for how to listen, can
be downloaded at http://www.
connectability.ca/connectability/
pages/si_tipsheets/listening-toothers.pdf
Pre-K
n OBJECTIVES
1. Students will generate several
ideas of ways that they can make
a positive impact on the classroom
atmosphere, including acts of
random kindness.
2. Students will par ticipate in a
fundraiser to raise money for less
fortunate people.
3. Students will sort coins into pennies,
nickels, dimes and quarters, and will
use correct vocabulary to refer to the
coins.
n SUNSHINE STATE
STANDARDS
Florida Voluntary Pre-K
Education Standards:
•
Social and Emotional Development,
D. Relationships with Peers, 3.
Participates in the group life of the
class.
•
Social Studies and The Arts: A. (b)
2. Describes some people’s jobs
and what is required to perform
them: B (a) 1. Uses a variety of art
materials for tactile experience and
exploration, 2. Participates in group
music experiences.
4. Students will par ticipate in a
classroom mail system, writing
letters and placing them in their
classmates’ mailboxes.
n MATERIALS
•
Language and Communication: E.
1. Uses language to express needs
and feelings, share experiences,
predict outcomes, and resolve
problems.
•
Emergent Literacy: B. Emergent
Writing 1. Shows motivation to
engage in written expression, 2.
Uses letter-like shapes, symbols
and letters to convey meaning.
•
Mathematical and Scientif ic
Thinking: A (b) 3. Begins to develop
an understanding of separating a set
into a maximum of four parts.
• Sorting mats with four columns
• It Starts in the Heart CD by Becky
Bailey and Jack Hartman
• Book - Listen to the Wind: The Story
of Dr. Greg and the Three Cups of
Tea by Greg Mortenson & Susan L.
Roth
• Book - How Full is You Bucket
for Kids by Tom Rath and Mary
Reckmeyer
• Empty coffee cans, one per student
(or other mailbox “bucket”)
n DIRECTIONS
Procedure and Time Required
Presentation 1, Large Group
Circle Time, 20-30 minutes
1.Play the song That Was Helpful on
the Jack Hartman and Becky Bailey
CD, It Starts in the Heart
2.Read the book How Full is You
Bucket for Kids by Tom Rath and
Mary Reckmeyer.
3.Discuss things that happened in the
story which were “drip” behaviors,
those that made the boy’s bucket
lose water, and those that were
“drop” behaviors, which made filled
his bucket up. Using pictures of
kind deeds and unkind deeds, sort
the pictures, with the children, into
the two categories. Have children
draw more on post-its, if there is
time.
Presentation 2, Small Group
15 minutes, Center Time extended
access
1.Give each child a pre-cut plain
piece of paper that wraps around
a coffee can. Invite them to write
their names and decorate. Glue the
piece of paper around the coffee
can, and explain that this will be
their “bucket” or mailbox.
2.Introduce the children to the letter
writing. Tell them that they can
fill each other’s buckets with nice
letters, encouraging words and well
wishes. Show them the photo album
with their classmates’ pictures and
demo how they can copy the name
onto the envelope and then find the
matching box. Set these materials
in the peace center or the literacy
center.
• Envelopes, paper and colored
pencils or crayons
• Pictures of being doing kind things
or unkind things, to be sorted
into “drop” behaviors and “drip”
behaviors
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plan No 3: Creating Peace (cont.)
3.Give students access to this
area during center time. When
available, offer to take dictation for
the students who want to write a
letter to a classmate. At the end of
the week (or day), have the students
check their mailboxes, and assist
them in reading any letters they
have in there.
Presentation 3, Large Group
Circle Time, 20-30 minutes
1.Read the book Listen to the Wind:
The Story of Dr. Greg and the Three
Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson &
Susan L. Roth
2.Discuss how one person can make
a big difference in the classroom…
or in the world. Invite the children
to think about what kinds of people
they would like to help. Tell them we
are going to collect money for the
cause they decide on. (Our class
raised money for Haiti.)
n EXTENSION
Use the digital camera to take
pictures of students making choices that
make the classroom environment more
peaceful. Post in the peace center, or
bind into a class book.
Older students c an research
different organizations to whom the
money can be donated, and/or the
various humanitarian efforts across the
globe. They can also research recent
and past Nobel Peace Prize winners and
the issue they are helping to resolve.
HHH
Presentation 4, Small Group,
20 minutes
1.After sending home a note to
parents explaining that we will be
collecting “pennies for peace” and
collecting coins from the students,
collect all coins in one container.
2.Give each child a sorting mat. Tell
the children vocabulary for each
coin. Give each child a handful of
coins to sort and count. Ask them to
line up coins under each category.
Ask questions such as, “Which coin
do you have the most of? Do you
have more pennies or dimes? How
many quarters do you have?”
3.Donate the money to the chosen
cause. If possible, show the
children what effect their efforts
has made, e.g. pictures of where
the money is going.
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plan No 4: Let’s Talk It Out
n SUBJECTS COVERED
n DIRECTIONS
Conflict Resolution
Procedure and Time Required
n GR ADES
Pre-K
n OBJECTIVES
Students will bring conflicts to the peace
table, and will follow four steps,
take turns talking and listening, use
I-messages, make suggestions for
solutions, and end it peacefully.
n MATERIALS
• Song T.I.M.E. at the Peace Table by
Paulette Meier can be downloaded at
http://www.songsforteaching.com/
paulettemeier/timeatpeacetable.
htm
• Book - The Peace Rose by Alicia
Jewell
• Peace Table set up with a paper or
fabric rose
• Conflict resolution cube, downloaded
from http://printables.scholastic.
com/content/collateral_resources/
pdf/00/SPB00_372.pdf
n SUNSHINE STATE
STANDARDS
Florida Voluntary Pre-K
Education Standards:
•
Social and Emotional Development,
E. Social Problem Solving, 1. Seeks
adult help when needed to resolve
conflicts
Presentation 1, Small Group,
20 - 30 minutes:
1.Discuss what a conflict is with the
students. Allow them to talk about
conflicts they’ve had, and write
them down. Stress that this should
be a generic conflict, not a specific
conflict with a classmate, so that
this doesn’t turn into blaming.
2.Explain the rule to the children, “We
are responsible for what we say
and do.” Remind the students that
they always have choices in how
they are going to react. Review the
idea that we all have a way we say
a problem, and that it’s important
to listen to someone when they are
expressing their feelings to us.
3.Teach the rules of listening:
a. Look at the person speaking to
you.
b. Stay still. Don’t move all over,
look around or talk over the
person.
c. Think about the other person’s
words.
4.Play the song T.I.M.E. at the Peace
Table by Paulette Meier
5.Read the book The Peace Rose
by Alicia Jewell. Discuss the book.
Ask the children if they notice the
way that people in both the book
and song address problems.
6.Introduce the peace table. Use
puppets to model peace talk
(T.I.M.E.). Invite students to take
puppets and give them a pretend
conflict to work out. The steps of
peace talk are:
a. T- Take turns talking and listening.
The person holding the rose is
the speaker. Make sure to pass
the rose back and forth.
b. I- I-messages are messages
that express a feeling without
blame. For example, “I feel
sad when people take my toys
from me,” or, “I feel angry when
people hit me.”
c. M - M ake suggestions and
choices. This often works best
if you encourage the children to
say what they want, not what
they don’t want. For example,
“I want you to give me back the
truck,” is significantly better than
“Stop taking my toys.” Introduce
the conflict cube, to be used if
the students have a hard time
coming up with suggestions to
solve the conflict.
d. E- End it all by each putting a
hand on the peace rose and
saying, “Friends.”
7. Give the students ac c ess to
the peace table whenever they
are experiencing a conflict. For
example, if students come to you
to tattle or if you witness a conflict,
walk the students over to the
peace table. In the beginning,
stay with the students, and help
them remember the steps and the
language to use. Gradually, phase
out your participation, and only
accompany children when they are
having a hard time resolving their
conflict without your help.
n EVALUATION/
ASSESSMENT
Students will be assessed by teacher
observation of their participation in small
group and large group activities, and by
their ability to talk out their problems at
the peace table.
n EXTENSION
The Teaching Tolerance website,
www.tolerance.org, has a variety of
activities geared towards older students.
Older students could form peer mentor
programs to assist each other in colflict
resolution effor ts. Morning circle
exercises can help students work
through issues as a group.
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
HHH
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Kelly De La Cruz
Lesson Plans Materials Budget
Materials Budget
Supplier
Item Description
Cost
Quantity
Total Cost
The Dollar Store
White paper plates
1.00
1
1.00
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Small photo album
1.00
2
2.00
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lowes or Home Depot
Paint chip samples
free
0.00
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Office Depot
Crayola Washable Multi-cultural Paints, set of 8
23.99
1
23.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Amazon.com
We’re Different, We’re the Same by Bobbi Kates
3.99
1
3.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Samsung SL30 10MP Digital Camera with
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3x Optical Zoom and 2.5 inch LCD (Pink)
69.99
1
69.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
17.73
1
17.73
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CD: Jack Hartman & Becky Bailey, It Starts in the Heart
17.98
1
17.98
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On Monday When It Rained by Tom Bertheaume
6.99
1
6.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and the Three
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth
11.55
1
11.55
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How Full is Your Bucket for Kids
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
16.99
1
16.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Story of My Feelings CD and book set
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
by Laurie Berkner
12.99
1
12.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
www.Songsforteaching.com Download of Patricia Shih’s “The Color Song”
.99
1
.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Download of T.I.M.E. at the Peace Table by Paulette Meier
.99
1
.99
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Child Press
The Peace Rose by Alicia Jewell
16.00
1
16.00
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$203.18
Subtotal
____________________________________________
Kelly De La Cruz
Teacher’s Name___________________________________
Lakeland Montessori
School:__________________________________________
Middle School
__________________________________________
0.00
Tax if applicable
____________________________________________
0.00
Shipping if applicable
____________________________________________
TOTAL
BUDGET
AMOUNT
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence
$203.18
“Preschoolers for Peace”
Rubric
Kelly De La Cruz
2010 - 2011 Idea Catalog of Excellence