I had a really fun conversation with my principal and a couple of fellow teachers on Twitter last week. It was about an idea that my principal (@phsprincipal for you Twitterers or www.davemeister.net for those who like his blog) and I have talked about before, but this time it felt more realistic, like we could actually give it a try. Anyway, we decided to throw the idea out to a larger audience to get more feedback and maybe even more ideas as we look further into trying to implement this on a small scale to see how effective (or ineffective) it is. Here is the basic idea:
1. Form a teacher team of four or five teachers- Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Sciences, and Special Education if we can swing it.
2. Assign that team a group of 50-75 students. Students would be enrolled onto teams based on interests or maybe desired educational outcomes.
3. The team would operate almost entirely outside of the traditional school schedule. The idea of bell schedules and set patterns for moving from one room to another would be out the window. The team would spend the majority of the day working together as a whole. There would be times when the teachers could pull smaller groups of students aside to provide specialized instruction within their content area, but for the most part, learning would be viewed as a collaborative process that does not recognize the boundaries between subjects. They would tackle projects or explore all aspects of a given topic. For example, instead of kids learning about ancient Greece from a purely historic perspective in history class, the team could spend a large unit exploring the history of the time period while also reading the literature and exploring the mathematic and scientific discoveries of the period. The whole unit would be geared towards some final project/product, maybe a student-created documentary about ancient Greece.
4. There would be time built into the schedule to allow students to leave the team and participate in courses still maintained within the traditional school structure. This would be used to allow students to take classes that wouldn't be available within the team (foreign languages, drivers ed., etc.). The team would also coordinate with vocational and fine arts teachers to incorporate those areas as much as possible.
5. With the emphasis on Common Core Standards, the team would obviously make sure that they are meeting learning standards in the core subjects over the course of the year, and on paper at least, students would be enrolled in separate classes, but in reality, they would be taking all of the classes simultaneously.
This is our basic idea right now. I hope I didn't leave out any key details. Let us know what you think.
Sounds pretty interesting. You never cease to amaze me with the stuff you dream up man. Sounds like you've got a cool group of people to work with there and I will be interested to hear about the outcome of this experiment.
ReplyDeleteWe already know how the traditional works.....time to give some alternatives a shot.
ReplyDeleteThank you Matt and Alicia. I get excited when I think about the possibilities this model would bring to the classroom. Hopefully, I will be writing about how it is working in the not-so-distant future.
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a good idea. Normally, it gets confusing learning about eight different things going on and trying to remember it all. This would help focus on one unit throughout our classes and our interests. I look forward to seeing the outcome of this idea.
ReplyDeleteSounds like some innovative thinking going on at PHS! I hope you are able to implement your plan. It sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog through the 101 blogs project. I really like this idea and would love to see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a bad idea. because not all students can understand everything teachers try to explain. and now we are allowed more one on one time with teachers
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a good idea except i think that moving classes and learning different things in those class times is more effective because it divides up the different subjects into equal times that way we are not learning about math or other subjects longer than others and the bell keeps all the subjects divided up into equal time periods. i also think it would be better to keep the bells because if we didn't change classes the day would seem like it was dragging along just like middle school but with other kids. i feel that the day goes a lot quicker and helps me pay more attention if we leave it the way it is it probably doesn’t seem like it but you are also getting a little bit of exercise in the day by walking to and from classes every forty-five or so minutes
ReplyDeleteJoey and Tyson, I see your concerns, but I think this approach, or something similar to it, would actually do what you are talking about better than what we are doing now. Project/Product/Process-based learning would allow teachers the freedom to work one-on-one with the students who need it when they need it while the rest of the class is engaged in whatever project is being done. It also means less time sitting in desks and more time getting up and out interacting with the world around us rather than just sitting around talking about it. I like getting feedback from students because you guys are the reason we do any of this stuff, so keep it coming.
ReplyDeletei like the idea but its a little to much to ask for that many things going on at one time and trying to rember all the stuff. it might help us be more into things tho, but great idea!
ReplyDeleteKoter LaBaume
4th hour
Ya i think this would work but it might get confusing
ReplyDelete-Alexis Peterson
I think the idea your comin up with would be the best idea mr. ogle.. Doing like dual classes with 2 teachers with longer periods... it would be more difficult with longer classes... but getting two classes done at a time means less schooling and getting the classes you need to get done over with quicker... i like your idea
ReplyDeleteMICHAEL MORESChi
I really like this idea. I feel that learning this way would give us more of an understanding on how the skills we learn can be utilized in real life, not just on pen and paper. Also, I beleive Pumpkin Palooza sort of reflects this idea, and so far Pumpkin Palooza has been a sucess.
ReplyDelete- Xavier Holt, 6th Hour, English II
This is a really great idea. Students would be able to bond with other students with the same interests. They are able to work together as a team, and help each other get the job done, and say while your in your groups, and the teacher is explaining something, and you don't understand it, another student in your group can help you understand it, if you don't get what the teacher is say.
ReplyDeleteKylieKnight
I feel like this idea is a little too idealistic to actually work in the end. And even if we did manage to get the system working at a high school level it would undo years of scheduling that has been hard wired into us. If this idea were to really be successful we'd have to stop breaking up classes at middle school and blend better in elementary. Otherwise you'd take those kids who are hard wired to work class to class out of their comfort zone too quickly to accomplish anything. This whole process would have to be a gradual thing, like getting into a chilly pool on a hot summer day.
ReplyDeleteGoing along with the total restructure of school from elementary up, middle school kids tend to be nightmares and don't exactly want to all work in groups all the time. And they have no reason to. Everyone has to learn how to do everything on their own for every once and a while otherwise how are you to support yourself? I don't know what the best method is but no matter how you teach, the cream will rise to the top and some kids will not ever reach their potential and that problem lies in the home. We can't make up for what was a parents job that didn't come through.
Here's a different suggestion. Why don't we stick to a normal class to class schedule but instead we just organize the curriculum so we all talk about the same thing at the same time and have a meeting once or twice a week to discuss all of the things we have learned and make those connections then. Break it up more like a college class and work on connecting everything we do to what lies ahead for us.
Still if we do many projects, no matter how large or small our groups are, the cream will rise to the top and then there are those who sink to the bottom. With every project there comes the problem of work division, which never comes out fairly. I, myself, have tried absolutely everything. Assigning work in manageable bits, doing everything myself to make it right, even depending on others to pick up the slack and in the end, some people will just never do their share. This is a hugely frustrating problem for me and many of my peers who have had to deal with this injustice for years. With larger groups, even with more one on one time, some students will still never speak up for help and will not do their part.
I know these ideas are kind of jumbled but mostly because the idea of breaking out of the routine that works for me is pretty terrifying. I guess because I'm so comfortable this way. Maybe, if everyone knew what they were getting into and could commit to a decision, there could be some kind of choice between which method works best for you. In a perfect world everyone could learn in an environment that worked best. But I think it would be a mistake to replace the tried and true, however flawed, method we have and jump completely into a unknown waters without years of trial and error and a total rebuilding of the educational system from the ground up. I don't want to be a downer but I feel like this option is a little too optimistic and will have to be refined to a point where it might not even be recognized anymore. Sorry but that's how I feel.
Leslie Rush
I Like The Just of What you Are getting At. I Do Beilieve That Some Students Need The Extra One-On-One Time With Teachers. However Not Everyone Needs The Extra Help. We Do Have The Braniacs out There That Would Probably Just Get Bored Just Sitting In A Class For Longer Than The Regular 43 Minutes.
ReplyDeleteAll In All i Do Think It is An Excellent idea.
;Abby Coates xD
I agree and disagree. I personally like the way that it is set up now. I also think that we should give that idea a try and see how many students like it. It's all up to you guys tho. :)
ReplyDeleteDavida Holderman
I agree that maybe some of the students would do great with this idea. I really think you should try it. but maybe put out a survay to pick out the students becasue if you do this you don't want a person who isn't going to take it seriously and try.
ReplyDelete--chelsea witmer hr.3
I think this will be a really good idea. More one on one time with people of the same interest and it would help us apply things we learn in school to things in the real world. Also, this is sort of like Pumpkin Palooza. After this was a sucess, I think we should do it more.
ReplyDeleteAleah Smith - 2nd hour.
I like this idea, but then again I don't. I would get super confused with the switching back and forth from subjects. It would be a challenge to keep up. I really like the set up though, but I like the exchanging of classes. I can't stand staying still for a long period of time. I like to mooovvveee.
ReplyDeleteKelsey Keller; 2nd hour.
I think this is a good idea. Some students learn at different levels and it takes some time to actually learn a certain subject for some people. It is also a good idea because people can get up and move around. If I am more active in school with the moving from class to class in a short amout of time, I am going to be more energetic and eager to learn. I think we should give this a try.
ReplyDelete-- Cassie Kemper; 3rd hour.
Personally I feel like this would be really fun. Sometimes when you are learning something in a history class, let's say Greece like your example, you don't always learn about the stuff that's interesting. You learn about a few people who did something important, but you really don't actually learn much. I think it would be a great learning experience for everyone.
ReplyDelete-Brianna Blair 5th hour
I remember last year when you would talk about this too us. I really enjoyed the idea and honestly I still do - I thought it was a very well thought out plan and it's a very well written post. I'd love if we made some changes like those.
ReplyDelete:)
-maddie johnson
This is a really great idea. Students would be able to bond with other students with the same interests. They are able to work together as a team, and help each other get the job done, and say while your in your groups, and the teacher is explaining something, and you don't understand it, another student in your group can help you understand it, if you don't get what the teacher is say.
ReplyDeleteKylie Knight --- Applied Comp --- 7th hour
I think this is a good idea as long as people can understand what is going on and not get lost. Students could help each other out and work as a team and get along better. This school needs some changes and i think this would work out really well.
ReplyDeleteBrittany Swanson :) 1st hour
I like it because i need help in most of my classes and it would help me understand things more. It would be a really cool thing.
ReplyDeleteTony Harris 7th hour.
who can actually know if it would work unless it is tried. it sounds like it would help more i say lets give it a chance i think it would really help in teh learning process for me.
ReplyDeleteRonnie Brown
I think it could work. You would just have to try it and see how many students you could actually get to try this. I think if you could get them to do it, you would have a really good chance of doing it.
ReplyDelete-Erin Marietta 2nd hour
I like the idea, then again i dont. I think it'd be fun to try something different and go through with that idea. I also like how we would be learning all the subjects simultaneously. But i didnt always like being in the same room all day in grade school. I like to move around and be surrounded by a different enviornment every hour. It sounds like it'd be fun and a little bit easier, but im kind of leaning towards keeping it how it is. But very good idea nonetheless. I could really live with either!
ReplyDelete- 7th hour English I J.S.
I think that's a good idea because kids need to learn from other kids and it might make some of the borning classes more fun.
ReplyDeleteJk-7th hr
I really like this idea because there would be more interaction with the different teachers. It would be a lot more fun than the way it is now. I think the students would learn more this way too.
ReplyDeleteJeff Robinson
I like this idea because I think it would be great to try something new. I like the idea of interacting with different teachers, and the students learning from each other. I think it’s a great idea to group people with the same interest, I think it would help with communication and teamwork skills tremendously.
ReplyDeleteMallory Henn - 2nd Hour