Capturing the Capstone The Capstone Project: State of Tennessee

1. Capturing the CapstoneThe Capstone Project: State of Tennessee Brenda Ables and Janis Kyser brenda.ables@tn.gov jkyser@clevelandschools.org

2. Background and Rationale • The High School Transition Policy: adopted January 2008 by the SBOE • Recommends: a Capstone experience for seniors • Task: To prepare students to be ready for college and for workforce training

3. Effects of The Capstone Project • Emphasizes learning • Engages students • Allows students to learn about themselves • Promotes higher-order thinking skills • Connects new knowledge to what students know • Encourages concrete applications

4. Process for Seniors • Move ideas or dreams toward topics of interest, specialization, community need, or career choices. • Produce showcased products submitted for review and evaluation

5. Administrators Teachers Counselors Project advisors Students Community Parents Share responsibility Advise, observe, dialogue Focus on topic and approach Mentor, provide jobs, and partner in service A Shared Partnership

6. Five Core Components(15-40 Hours Expected) • Approved Proposal • Documented Research and Contact Hours with a Mentor • Short Written Paper of 1200-1500 words • Oral Presentation • Review Panel

7. Capstone Project Proposal • Project Title • Project Topic • Goal(s) • Strategy for Accomplishing the Project • Materials for Oral Presentation • Student and Parent Signatures

8. Contact with Adult Mentor who can advise and assist Knowledgeable and Experienced Willing to have Regular Student Contact Able to give Constructive Feedback Documented Research(under the Guidance of a Mentor)

9. Role of Mentors • Offer guidance, suggestions, feedback, coaching • Provide opportunities to volunteer at program or business • Demonstrate skills, share knowledge • Record progress with the project.

10. Written Paper Rough Drafts Completed Project Journal/Log and Research Short Written Paper • Length: 1200-1500 words, minimum • Format: Word- Processed • Documentation: Modern Language Association (MLA)

11. Seven Capstone Categories • Senior Project • Virtual Enterprise • Internship • Externship • Work-Based Learning • Service Learning • Community Service

12. Oral Presentation • Length: 10 minutes, minimum • Potential Audience: Parents, Teachers, Community Leaders, Mentor, Peers, Project Advisor • Questions: From a Panel of School/ Community-Based Individuals

13. #1: Senior Project • Self-Development through Creation and Construction Example: Model of Repairs Needed for Limestone Dams in Tennessee • Curriculum-Based Independent Study Example: Extended Essay for IB Diploma Programme

14. Senior Project: Local Example Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet, Nashville, TN Welcome to Senior Capstone! We hope you take full advantage of this opportunity to design and partake in a meaningful learning experience that will allow you to explore possible careers/areas of study. . . . It is crucial that you identify and arrange a jobsite/mentor before returning to school in the fall. You will need to do some legwork by making inquiries of your own. Once you have identified a mentor, fill out and submit the “Mentor and Placement Confirmation” forms (see attached). These forms are to be on file before you start at your capstone site (Hume-Fogg Student Capstone Guidelines, 2008-09). Contact John Lee, Faculty Facilitator: john.lee@mnps.org.

15. #2: Virtual Enterprise (VE) • A simulated (virtual) business, set up and run by students with the guidance of a teacher/facilitator and a business partner • No goods produced • No currency actually exchanged

16. Virtual Enterprise (VE): Local Example Blackman High School, Murfreesboro, TN • 2002-03: Established first VE in Tennessee • 2005: Established TN VE International Central Office, in partnership with TDOE and under the guidance of VE Central Offices in New York City *39 TN schools now offer VE. *45 businesses/firms participate. *Contact Cindy Boyd, Director: boydc@rcs.k12.tn.us.

17. #3: Internship • Chooses to Work in a Challenging Setting • Explores Interests and Talents • Volunteers to Help Community Groups/ Organizations • Apprentices to Experience Career Possibilities

18. Internship: Local Example School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt (SSMV) • Integrative four-year program • Joint venture: MNPS + Vanderbilt • Ph.D. instructors • 25 students per grade • Contact Dr. Glenn McCombs, SSMV Director: http://theschool.vanderbilt.edu/

19. #4: Externship • Moves out of the traditional classroom setting • Spends relatively short period(s) of time • Partners with professionals in various fields of interest

20. Externship: Local Example Winterim at Harpeth Hall School, Nashville, TN • Now in its 36th year of implementation • Takes place during the month of January • Choice of possibilities • Conference with Karen Roark, Director: www.harpethhall.org.

21. #5: Work-Based Learning (WBL) • Concurrent work experience and class enrollment • Five hours of required instruction per week • An additional credit earned for WBL

22. Work-Based Learning: Local Example Alignment Nashville The Mayor's Office, Metropolitan Courthouse, Nashville, TN 37201615.862.5009 | audrey.cothran@nashville.gov • Academic interventions to improve college entrance exam results • Prevention of high-risk behaviors • Internships and job preparation • Opportunities for community service • Transportation for before/after-school and Saturday activities

23. #6: Service Learning • 15-40 hours outside school day • Active participation in meeting community needs • Project collaboration between the school and community 1. Identify a problem/project. 2. Provide supervised service. 3. Reflect to clarify values. 4. Celebrate successes.

24. Service Learning: Local Example Governor’s Study Partner Program (GSPP) Michael Pocchiari, Director: study.partner@state.tn.us • Established in 1987 • Matches successful students with those having difficulty • Tutoring available for grades 1-12 • Training manuals provided for tutors • Sponsored by Bell South

25. Students work cooperatively to: • identify a public policy problem in their community, • research the problem, • evaluate alternative solutions, • develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and • create a political action plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt their proposed policy. • Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project in a public hearing showcasebefore a panel of civic-minded community members.

26. Provides a learning model that promotes the perception of young people as community assets. Meets the five characteristics of service learning when it is successfully implemented. Offers mentors and faculty (1) vision and leadership, (2) curriculum, (3) professional development, (4) partnership and community, (5) continuous improvementJennifer Piscatelli, Education Commission of the States (2006),

27. Student Outcomes of Project Citizen • learn how to make connections across disciplines, • know how to use what is learned in school to address real-life issues, • develop people skills that allow them to work effectively in diverse group settings, • build higher-order thinking skills that enhance their problem-solving and analytic abilities, • increase their intercultural competencies [e.g., ability to converse in different languages and adapt to alternate cultural norms], and • are able to effectively organize and utilize sources of information”.

28. #7: Community Service Three Types • Direct Service with those being served • Indirect Service “behind the scenes” • Advocacy to alleviate a community issue through lobbying government officials

29. Community Service: Local Example Father Ryan High School, Nashville, TN Nancy Langdon, Registrar: www.fatherryan.org • Putting values into action • Working in nursing homes • Serving in daycare centers • Helping in schools for the physically and/or emotionally challenged

30. Essential Questions for Schools • What is your infrastructure already in place for The Capstone Project? • Who will coordinate the project and maintain continuity from year to year? • How will student activities be monitored and attendance taken?

31. More Questions • What research and documentation skills have students at our school already acquired? • What community connections are strong for this school: e.g., PENCIL partner(s)? • How will we set up a mentor-match referral data base to link seniors and community members?

32. Key In-House Questions • Group of judges to review and grade • Rubric to assess the oral presentation • Pass/fail rating or other grade • Online project guide for current and rising seniors • Celebration plans

33. Capstone Project Timelines • Seniors achieve the maximum benefit in the college admission process by being able to declare Capstone status in December of their senior year. • Completing The Capstone Project allows students to graduate with a Capstone certification.

34. 8th Through 12th Grade • 8thgrade: Counselors introduce the opportunity of TheCapstone Project to students and parents: High School Transition Policy, p. 4 (3-a,b). • 9th-10th grades: Teachers emphasize and sequence skills, such as writing, research, documentation, oral communication, logging Capstone ideas. • 11th-12thgrades: Students produce The Capstone Project

35. The Capstone Project Manual • Local and national examples • Research findings • Information for seniors: 10 Steps • Sample forms and logs • Glossary • References and resources • Multiple online links

36. Course 3500 • Capstone Project may be taken for credit. • Special course approval process required • Use the Capstone Manual for the course curriculum • One half credit will be awarded

37. Capstone Manual • May be found on our website: • www.state.tn.us/education

38. Top Ten Reasons to Love the Capstone Project • Self-esteem enhanced • Idea as topic • Real-life issues • College readiness • Society needs addressed • Students as resources • Pride in learning • Knowledge combined • Community collaboration • Voices showcased