Best Practices for Successful High Schools

1. Best Practices for Successful High Schools

2. J. “Moms” Mabley If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.

3. Current Characteristics • Traditions that have Become Ruts • Attendance Required Learning Optional • Isolated Teacher Centered Instruction • Shining Successes but Some Students “Falling through the Cracks” • Some students overwhelmed while some are bored

4. Discussion Reflect on high school?

5. Exemplary Characteristics • Personalized Learning • High Expectations • Data - Driven Decisions • 9th Grade Transition • Challenging 12th Grade • Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum • Effective Leadership • Relationships Driven by Guiding Principles • Sustained Professional Development

6. Personalized Learning • Multiple Pathways • Early Intervention • Disaggregation of Data • Leveling w/ Respect • Small Learning Communities

7. Changes That Are Easier in SLC • Building Relationships • Identifying Student Needs • Articulation of Curriculum • Staff Collaboration • Creating Positive School Culture • Contextual Learning

8. Pitfalls Lack of Specific Goals Failure to Address Literacy Unchanged Curriculum Too Much Emphasis on Belonging Ignoring Staff Concerns Uninformed Student Assignment Bad Timing Focusing only on Teachers

9. High Expectations

10. Expectations • Expectations are Behaviors • Collaborative • High Levels of Support

11. Data is Powerful • Assess the current and future needs of students • Decide what to change • Determine if goals are being met • Engage in continuous school improvement • Identify root causes of problems • Promote accountability

12. Core Learning Stretch Learning Student Engagement Personal Skill Development Types of Data • Student Learning • School • Class • Demographics • School Processes • Curriculum and Instruction

13. 9th Grade Practices • Transition Procedures • Social Activities • Early Interventions • Avoiding Front Loading • Differentiation • Parent Relationships • Adult Advisory • Peer Relationships

14. 12th Grade Practices • Early College • Full Scheduling • Advanced Placement • Dual Enrollment • College Application Support • Senior Projects • Community Service • Internships

15. Curriculum • Focused

16. Teachers struggling to teach an overloaded curriculum!

17. Curriculum • Focused • Standards vs. Curriculum vs. Instruction

18. Curriculum • Focused • Standards vs. Curriculum vs. Instruction • Constantly raising Rigor and Relevance

19. Ask Me..... “How will I ever use what I’m learning today?”

21. Leadership • Problem is more people than Technical • Not Charismatic • Entrepreneurial vs. Bureaucratic • Performance vs. Compliance • Department Chairs • Focus on Instruction

22. Guiding Principles • Responsibility • Contemplation • Initiative • Perseverance • Optimism • Courage • Respect • Compassion • Adaptability • Honesty • Trustworthiness • Loyalty

23. Professional Development • Directly related to school goals • Ongoing • Personalized • Culture of Collaboration

24. Exemplary Characteristics • Personalized Learning • High Expectations • Data - Driven Decisions • 9th Grade Transition • Challenging 12th Grade • Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum • Effective Leadership • Relationships Driven by Guiding Principles • Sustained Professional Development

25. Action Items - Where to Begin • Instruction vs. Structure (Rigor/Relevance) • Relationships • Start with Special Education • Data-based decision Making • Transition Years • Systems

26. International Center for Leadership in Education Build Relationships

27. “In the years to come, your students may forget what you taught them. But they will always remember how you made them feel.”

28. Increasing Rigor/Relevance D C RIGOR High B A Low Low High RELEVANCE

29. Everyone needs support when they take new risks

30. Essential RelationshipsIn Schools • Learning • Staff • Professional • Community

31. Relationships are Essential to Student Learning Result of combination of support from: • Family • Teachers • Peers • Community

32. Relationships Clearly Important ? How to Quantify? How to Develop?

33. Relationship Model 0. Isolation 1. Known 2. Receptive 3. Reactive 4. Proactive 5. Sustained 6. Ubiquitous

35. Research on Relationships

36. Metlife Survey of the American Teacher New students are bullied or teased? very often/often 18% sometimes 33% New students are helped by other students ? very often/often 52% sometimes 37%

37. Survey of 10-12th Grade Students on Relationships Metlife Survey of the American Teacher 2005

38. Quality of School’s Role Encouraging Parental Involvement My school does a good job of encouraging parental involvment. Metlife Survey of the American Teacher 2005

39. HESSE - Survey 2005 • More that half (52%) had not discussed ideas with a teacher outside of class during the year. • Three fifths (60%) had not communicated with a teacher by email. • However, 70% agreed they had many opportunities to ask questions about their work. • Less than half (48%) had frequently discussed grades or assignments with a teacher. • Half never or only sometimes received feedback from teachers on assignments.

40. Responses to “I Feel Supported and Respected by Teachers.”

42. The special importance of encouragement highlights the likely importance of strong teacher-student relationships in affecting achievement, especially for African American and Hispanic students. Ronald Ferguson

43. Supportive RelationshipsSuccessful Practices • Behaviors • Activities • Structures

44. What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.

45. Supportive Behaviors • Showing Respect • Taking Interest • Active Listening • Frequent Contact • Encouragement • Avoiding “Put Downs • Displaying Student Work • Writing Encouraging Notes • Identifying Unique Talents

46. Supportive Behaviors cont’d. • Celebrating Accomplishments • Serving As Role Model • Using One-to-One Communication • Encouraging Students to Express Opinions/Ideas • Creating Inviting Classroom Climate • Exhibiting Enthusiasm • Using Positive Humor • Students Praising Peers

47. Supportive Activities • Character Education • Beginning of the Year Student Social Activities • Team Building • Mentoring • Rewards, Recognition, Incentives • Student Advocacy • Advisement Program

48. Supportive Initiatives, cont’d. • Peer Mediation • Students as Teachers • Family, Community, Business Partnerships • Service Learning • Extra and Co-curricular Activities • Sports Programs

49. Supportive Structures • Small Learning Community • Alternative Scheduling • Team Teaching • Teacher Continuity • School-based Enterprise • Professional Learning Community

50. REFLECTION What will you do in your classroom/school as a result of today’s session?