IALA » High schools

How To Videos: Extraordinary Resource

Wayne Jennings — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 02:18:28 +0000

EdVisions Schools have made their Design Essentials videos available to all. These are profoundly helpful in seeing how a variety of educational practices are conducted in project-based learning and non-course based schools or others moving toward student-centered learning. Here are examples from the category Self-Directed, Project-Based Learning:

Self-directed, project-based learning primary focus; driven by constructivist pedagogy (Adults explain; Students explain)
Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) for all students emphasizing student needs and interests (view video)
Personalized work space for each student; Internet access (view video)
Technology infused environment; technology as a tool
Individual/group projects complemented by multiple teaching approaches based on student needs and interests (view video)
Achievement demonstrated publicly; highest work place standards are quality goal (view video)
All students prepared for post-secondary education, workplace and active citizenship (view video)
All students and staff engage in quiet reading every day (view video)

Other major categories with numerous videos include:

Authentic Assessment
Teacher Ownership/Democratic Governance
Small Learning Communities

The Design Elements professional contributions shows student-centered learning in action, the best I have seen! Thanks to the award winning New Country High School and Avalon School students and staff for their exemplary videos.

Multiple Assessments: Hope Survey

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:41:07 +0000

What effect is the current standards movement and teaching to the test having on our students? What do you know about how students at your school view the school environment? Now your school can find out by seeing the school from the eyes of your students based on their responses on the Hope Survey. This diagnostic tools assesses the school environment and culture based on the developmental needs of adolescents including: autonomy, belongingness, goal orientation and academic press. These four variables also lead to data around student engagement and overall hope (psychological well being). Schools can then use this longitudinal data to test out appropriate interventions on a whole school level and/or individual student basis. The instrument has been in use for nearly a decade and has national norms for comparison.

One of the developers Dr. Mark Van Ryzin has not only proved that taking a more “whole child” approach with students is good for them psychologically but also showed a correlation to raised achievement in students. In short, giving students hope can literally last a life time. For more information on the Hope Survey, check out the new website at: http://hopesurvey.org or contact Aaron Grimm: aaron@edvisionsschools.org or 507 248-3738 x7.

Blueprint School

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:00:53 +0000

I’ve waited for years for this marvelous book, Lives of Passion, School of Hope: How One Public School Ignites a Lifelong Love of Learning. It tells a story of a K-12 progressive school (Jefferson County Open School, Colorado) that combined the best features from research and practice such as: strong advisory system, personal learning plan, learner centered environment, world as classroom, service learning, travel study and competency based graduation. I began such a school in 1971 but it did not have sustained progressive leadership after my first seven years as principal. Nor has it documented its successes, both immediate and long term in the graduates’ lives. This book does all that with statistics and a rich assortment of anecdotes. If ever we needed a blueprint about schooling, one could hardly do better than this book. Every student is expected to become an effective communicator, a complex thinker, a responsible citizen, an ethical person, and a quality worker. How’s that for a set of outcomes? This is one of the most important books I have read and I highly recommend it. The author, Rick Posner worked in the school and has produced a most readable and essential book for educators and the public.

High School Graduation in Four Years – Why Not Two Years or Even Six?

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:57:15 +0000

High Schoolers have many more options today then they did even a decade ago. There are Alternative, Charter, Private and On-Line options, and now there are options in many states to graduate early or if necessaryto stay one, two or even three additional years. Recently both the New York Times and U.S. Today had articles reflecting these new options.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-02-25-senioryear25foronline_st_N.htm

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/a-diploma-in-10th-grade/

Cell Phones in the Classroom?

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:57:54 +0000

In a recent article in Principal Leadership, October 2009, the principal of a large high school discussed the use of cell phones at school. She was using cell phones to text with her students as another way to increase communication. She stated that texting helped student report things like fights and other personal issues that students didn’t necessarily want to talk about in person. Recently there have been other publications including Curtis J. Bonk’s The World is Open, and an article from the New York Times “Industry Makes Pitch That Smartphones Belong In Classroom.” B0th Bonk’s book and the article suggest that cellphones are no longer simply instruments for talking or even texting, they are similar in speed and power to many classroom computers. Plus many schools have extremely limited computer to student ratios. The book and the article argue that it is time for administrators and teachers to join the 21st century and welcome cellphones, especially the new generation smartphones, into the classroom and let students use them for the learning tools that they have the potential to be.

I would like to know what others have to say about the use of personal technologies such as smartphones in the classroom.

Valuable Resources on Alternative Education

Wayne Jennings — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:01:02 +0000

Here are useful resources with links to other sites:

Brief descriptions in Summary of Educational Models include: Accelerated Schools, America’s Choice, Big Picture, Communities in Schools, EdVisions, Job Corps, Youth Build and 17 more.

The Alternative High School Initiative (AHSI) is a network of youth development organizations with over 258 sites nationwide for creating educational opportunities for young people for whom traditional school settings have not been successful. AHSI was launched in 2003 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Financing Alternative Education: Profiles and Policy by The National Youth Employment Coalition with the support of major foundations and the U.S Dept. of Labor recognizes that some of the most promising and innovative practices are taking place in our nation’s community-based and alternative education schools and programs serving youth between the ages of 16 and 24 and describes innovative practices and funding mechanisms.

Questions Raised about High Standards/Testing

Wayne Jennings — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:55:33 +0000

‘Restoring Value’ to the High School Diploma: The Rhetoric and Practice of Higher Standards, a new report raises serious questions about the standards and testing movement as a vehicle for reforming high schools. It starts, “Four themes emerge from the fray: that standards and rigor are too low; that the high school has lost its relevance, particularly to future employment; that the high school is inequitable; and that the high school is simply boring.”

It finds the arguments of “rigor” simplistic. Most standards and tests measure the narrow curriculum confines of the late 19th Century and stress breadth rather than depth. They suggest:
-New models of rigor aside from conventional test-based and course-based conceptions.
-Examining the inequality of standards as applied to neglected issues of raising achievement for the lowest-performing students.
-Alternatives to the conventional academic program be more seriously considered. They recommend “multiple pathways through high school.

The authors W. Norton Grubb and Jeannie Oakes, both professors at the U. of California, prepared the October, 2007 report and an executive summary for the Education and the Public Interest Center (EPIC) and the Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU).

A Second Side to the Story

Wayne Jennings — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:06:48 +0000

Many students identified as at-risk become dropouts from school. Most of the discussion about dropouts focuses on characteristics of the students with little examination of the policies and practices of schools that contribute to student failure. Those policies and practices represent the second side of the story about why so many students dropout or give up. Revision of school policies can contribute greatly to student success.

The Iowa Dept. of Education and the Iowa Association of Alternative Education created the Inventory of Policies & Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out defining over 50 policies and practices that contribute to student failure. This powerful tool helps in the review of school policies and in creating new policies to increase student success. This carefully developed inventory is free and can be modified to fit local needs. Also included is a student questionnaire for their views.

Dr. Ray Morley on a recent webcast (see below) reported on this excellent tool on crucial factors impacting student dropouts and what unfortunately may result in “push outs.”

Options for the High School Student

Wayne Jennings — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:39:27 +0000

Dave Lehman, former IALA board member and long-time former alternative school administrator recommends, Choices for the High School Graduate: A Survival Guide for the Information Age by Bryna Fireside. The present universal call for all students to prepare for and attend college obviously doesn’t work for all students. The book helpfully and honestly points out a variety of choices students may make as part of their high school education and the options beyond high school.

It describes Earthwatch, travel, overseas, military service, special academic programs, apprenticeships, internships, volunteer work, online and distance learning, deferred admission, part-time work, trades

Student Centered High Schools

Wayne Jennings — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:55:43 +0000

“A school ought to be a magical place where you are queen or king, and where what you get to do is to focus on your intellect, and on what you can accomplish as a human being, and you come to understand what your life can be. That

Advanced Ideas for Educational Choices

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:52:22 +0000

Charter schools are a familiar choice but the latest development is charter DISTRICTS. For example, several school districts in Georgia are using the state law (20-2-2063.2. Charter systems) that allows the entire district to convert all of its schools and the district itself to charter status. The advantage is greater autonomy and freedom from restrictive state and federal regulations. “The main impetus is allowing them to approach things in a more innovative fashion unrestrained by state laws,” said Andrew Broy, director of charter schools for the Georgia Department of Education. Florida and California have similar provisions in law.

Another approach to providing choices is that taken by the Mapleton School District near Denver.The school district’s motto is to give parents the maximum choice, and let them choose the style that’s best for their children. This 5,500 student district now has 17 distinct programs. For example, a single high school has been replaced by seven schools. Another example of this trend is the Appleton Public Schools (Wisconsin) a small district which offers 13 unique choices.

The times are changing. More students are being given choices of educational models to fit their needs. The day will come when every child has learning alternatives!

UPDATE JUNE, 2008: The Georgia State Board of Education approved 3 entire districts and all of their schools as charter districts: the Decatur, Marietta and Gainesville school districts.

Getting Able Low Income Students into College

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:38:58 +0000

Nancy Hoffman and Joel Vargas in “The College Gap” (Education Week 10-10-07) write that only 25% of high achieving low income high school students attend college and only a fraction graduate in four years. They propose two solutions either separately or in combination:
1. They list three essential steps: success in high school academic classes to avoid college remediation, free or reduced financial aid for college, and a web of support from school, families and communities through high school and into post secondary education.
2. A system of early college high schools (sometimes called middle colleges: search this website) for integrating high school and postsecondary education. Some 150 early college high schools have started since 2002 and have proved highly motivational for students.

Their book, Minding the Gap details how strong academics, financing and support can sustain an integrated secondary-postsecondary program. The Early College High School Initiative website coordinated by Jobs for the Future offers resources and an eight minute explanatory videotape on the web.

Empowering Students: How Georgia College Early College Changes Student Aspirations (2008) gives an update on a succesful program beginning with seventh graders. This 10 page report highlights the program’s critical features.

Highly Successful Alternative

Wayne Jennings — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 21:00:43 +0000

For 30 plus years Ombudsman Educational Services has contracted with local school districts to provide a complete accredited education for students that were not successful in their former schools. Ombudsman provides the whole program with a more personalized approach in three hours per day at about half the usual per-pupil state funded cost. Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois they serve students at 60 sites in 13 states and have graduated more than 100,000 students. Much of the program is self-paced on computers. It is impressive to see the engagement of students and the long-term dedicated teachers. The founders, Lori Sweeney and James Boyle, (deceased 2001) humanistic educators, developed an effective and efficient approach to serving at-risk students. You will learn much on seeing this program in operation. Their website contains much helpful information.

Service Learning Alternatives

Wayne Jennings — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:12:02 +0000

Numerous studies testify to the power of service learning. Community service brings students into contact with adult activity and all of its complexities–excellent fodder for the brain’s development. Everyone understands that much learning occurs outside the classroom in the crucible of life. The National Youth Leadership Council offers a wide variety of excellent materials including examples, reports, conferences, free newsletters, training and links to other organizations to increase knowledge and skills for using community service for learning. Service learning can be incorporated into courses or offered as an alternative learning experience for part or all of the school day or for part or all of the year. Other good sources on info include Learn and Serve America and Campus Compact.

We should not forget that service learning can also occur within the school’s walls. One 500 student elementary school gives every student a job in school through an application process. For example, each three-foot section of the library shelves is labeled for a student who keeps it in good order. One student who was habitually tardy now comes early because his job is to raise the flag in front of the school. The school principal said the service program contributes greatly to the school’s smooth functioning and to students’ sense of well-being and school affiliation. Service powers learning!

New High School Design

Wayne Jennings — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:11:14 +0000

The New Hamshire Department of Education released a committee’s report,