International Center for Leadership in Education

1. Creating Small Learning Communities International Center for Leadership in Education

2. “Learning is about constructing relationships in which students connect with teachers or subjects. Small schools foster the personalization strategies to support those relationships. ” Tom VanderArk

3. SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

4. Bigger isn’t always better!

5. Components of Successful School Reform 6. Create multiple pathways to rigor and relevance

6. Parent SurveyFocusing on Characteristics of Successful Schools

7. Small Learning Communities What • School within a School • Clusters of Students • Organized around Areas of Interest • Students with Same Group of Teachers

8. Small Learning Communities Types • School-within-A School • House Plans • Freshman Academy • Magnet Schools • Academies

9. Small Learning Communities Structure • School-Within-A School • Small, Autonomous Program • Groups Students & Teachers • Increases Student Support • Self-governing • Own Physical Space • Curricular Theme/Set Combination of Courses

10. Small Learning Communities Structure • House Plans • Groups Students Across Grade Levels or by Grade Levels • Students Stay w/House Members and Teachers • Personalized School Experience • Limited Effect on Curriculum and Instruction • Governed by School Principal • May/May Not Have Own Space

11. Small Learning Communities Structure • Freshman Academy • Eases Transition • Own Academy/House Setting • Same Staff • Team Teaching—Core Areas • Extra Support Services • Mentoring • Career Exploration

12. Small Learning Communities Structure • Magnet School • Public Choice—Encourages Cultural Diversity • Separate Location • Transition Activities • Additional Admission Requirements • Focus—Students’ Interests and Academic Strengths • Governance…Autonomous or Larger School Leadership

13. Small Learning Communities Structure • Career Academies • Broadly Defined Career Themes • Integrated Learning • Work-based Learning • Real-world Applications • High Academic Standards with Career Applications • Business Partnerships • Governance—Overseen by Larger School’s Principal

14. CAREER ACADEMIES Typical Themes • Business & Finance • Information Technology • Health Services • Construction, Engineering & Design • Environmental Technology • Arts & Communication • Law, Government and Public Service • Media, Design and Production • Travel, Tourism and Hospitality • Human Services • Math, Science, Technology • Biotechnology

15. CAREER ACADEMIES Four- Year Typical Sequences • Arts Academy • Information Technology Academy • Health Science Academy

17. Readiness SurveyNeed for Small Learning CommunitiesChecklist

18. Small Learning Communities Research • Increased attendance • Increased student achievement • Increased student participation • Increased student and parent satisfaction • Increased positive student behavior • Greater focus on student interests and aptitudes • Relevancy leads to high achievement

19. Small Learning Communities Unsolved Opportunities • Lack of specific goals • Failure to address literacy • Unchanged curriculum and instruction • Too much emphasis on belonging • Ignoring staff concerns • Uninformed student assignment • Timing • Focusing only on teachers

20. Small Learning Communities Issues • People • Teaching and Learning • Campus-Wide

21. Small Learning Communities Key Elements • Autonomy • Identify • Personalization

22. Small Learning Communities Key Elements • Autonomy • Space…Separateness • Schedule…Flexible • Budget • Curriculum/Instruction • Personnel

23. Small Learning Communities Key Elements • Identity • Vision/Mission • Thematic Focus • Self-selection of Teachers & Students

24. Small Learning Communities Key Elements • Personalization • Student Involvement--Opportunity for All • Teacher Involvement/Continuity • Parent and Community Involvement • Support through Student-Teacher Relationships

25. Small Learning Communities Key Elements • Instructional Focus • Focus on Student Learning, “Academic Press” • Heterogeneous Grouping • Professional Development & Collaboration • Integrated Curriculum/Teaching Teams, No Subject Area Boundaries, Thematic Focus, Aligned across Grade Levels • Large Repertoire of Instructional Strategies

26. Curriculum • Create a school focus • Strive for higher levels of Rigor and Relevance • Interdisciplinary • Differentiation

27. IntegrationInterdisciplinary

28. Interdisciplinary Instruction Performances • Work-based • Knowledge-based • Literacy-based • Inquiry-based • Project-based

29. Interdisciplinary Instruction Work-based Units • Food preparation • Construction • Human services • Equipment operation • Plant production

30. Interdisciplinary Instruction Knowledge-based Units • Economic Cycles • Ecology Issue • History of Technology • Industrial Revolution

31. Interdisciplinary Instruction Literacy-based Projects • Literature Depicting Work/Economy • Exploring Life’s Work: Specific Careers • Biographies of Industrial Leaders

32. Interdisciplinary Instruction Inquiry-based Units • Best Products Analysis • Community of the Future • Genetic Code • Local Ecology Issue

33. Interdisciplinary Instruction Projects-based Units • Construction • Models • Robotics • Industrial Design • Plant or Animal Projects

34. Instructional Planning Planning Steps • Definition of Theme • Brainstorm Possible Performance • Student Work • Standards and Priority • Levels of Expected Knowledge and Performance • Content Knowledge • Assessment and Instruction

35. Student Work Student Work Bus ELA Student Work Student Work Sci Art Math F&CS Student Work Student Work Theme-based Planning Tool Theme

36. Student Work Student Work Bus ELA Student Work Student Work Sci Art Math F&CS Student Work Student Work Theme-based Planning Tool Standards Standards Standards Theme

39. CurriculumReadiness for Interdisciplinary Instruction Checklist

40. CurriculumInterdisciplinary Worksheets

41. Activity—Designing Interdisciplinary Instruction InterdisciplinaryPlanning Wheel

42. Small Learning Communities Key Elements • Accountability • Detailed Planning • Multiple Forms of Assessment • Total Implementation of Key Small Learning Community Elements • Networking with Other Small Learning Communities

43. Small Learning Communities Common Strategies • Alternative Scheduling • Freshman Transition Activities • Student/Teacher Advisory System • Adult Advocacy System • Parent Outreach • Academic Teaming

44. Small Learning Communities Development Steps • Goal Setting • Parent/ Community Discussion • Selection of Structure • Staffing • Facility Changes • Student Selection • Curriculum • Schedule • Budgeting • Implementation Timeline • Implementation Teams

45. Small Learning Communities From Successful Practices Study • Personalized Learning • Organized around Student • Teacher with Students—4 Years • Time to Talk • Time to Integrate • Types: Career Academies, Houses, 9th Grade, Magnet Schools

46. Small Learning Communities From Successful Practices Study • Found in Nearly All the Schools • Provides the Platform to Focus Instruction around Student’s Interests, Learning Style, and Aptitude • Permits Educators to Develop a Personal Relationship over Time with Students • Personal Relations Prove to Be Essential in Motivating and Nurturing Students • 27 of 30—Career Academies—Primary Delivery System

47. Small Learning Communities From Successful Practices Study • Informal—Band, Student Leadership, Arts, Hip Hop University • Other—World Languages, Finance, Technology, SCOPE (Student-Centered Opportunity for Personalized Education • Great Networks and Resources

48. Small Learning Communities From Successful Practices Study • 9th Grade • Looks Different • Not Remediation—Enrichment • Catch Up—Collapse Soph., Jr. Years • No Credit • Train Staff—Reading, Math, Science • Believe in Themselves—Learn Culture of the School • Study Skills Course • Advisement Period • Upperclassmen—Mentors • Separate Location

49. Small Learning Communities From Successful Practices Study—9th Gr. • Great Attention and Resources are Focused on 9th graders • Many Have a 9th Grade Academy or Freshmen House • Students Lacking Adequate Academic Skills are Enrolled in Enrichment Courses Designed Around Student’s Interest Rather Than Remediation • Dramatic Improvement by End of 9th Grade • Students Indoctrinated into the Culture of High Expectations and Caring Adults

50. Small Learning Communities From Successful Practices Study • 12th Grade • Motivation Same—Poor/Performing Students • Transition 9th– Out, 12th • Senior Projects • Community Service Programs • Work-based Programs • Articulation Programs with Post-secondary