Another superman is Adrian Fenty. He probably sacrificed his bid for re-election as Mayor of DC, in part, because of his appointment of Michelle Rhee as Schools Chancellor and their public school overhaul.

A cautionary tale for politicians who lack, oh, what's the word? Convictions, nerve, verve?

Almost none of the Education Reform's efforts actually address - let alone fix - the problems in US K-12 public education.

Charter schools do nothing to fix bad schools, in fact, they make bad schools worse.

Merit pay does nothing to replace bad teachers nor does it do anything to make teachers better.

Top down standardization discourages innovation.

We know the solutions; we just don't want to pay for them.

Why the insistence that every student go to college? Not everyone is suited to college and even many who go do not finish, nor do they enhance their career prospects. It seems to me insisting that everyone go to college only discourages those who might much more enjoy and profit from a vocational program or some other alternative....perhaps even a national service corps as an alternative to the military. Insisting that everyone must go to college, or else you are a "loser", is vaguely like insisting everyone ought to be straight - it only helps to create a marginalized underclass.

@ alisone.

Think more expansively about the word "college." Let's use it for a shorthand for some form of education or training after high school. It includes apprenticeship, workforce education at a community college and vocational certificate programs. A recent report by the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (see http://cew.georgetown.edu/JOBS2018/) predicts that 2/3 of all jobs in WA by 2018 will require SOME FORM of post-secondary education. All students need to graduate from high school prepared for both work AND further education. Short of that, they will not be able to find work and support themselves and their families.

I should have said a cautionary tale for politicians who have the convictions and nerve to push reform, not politicians who lack it. Politicians who lack it should be fine.

Adrian Fenty said around the day of his defeat that he was finished being a public servant, he has been serving the public in some fashion for 25 years(he's 40) and he's done. What is going to happen to those kids? I think the voters in Washington, DC have just shot themselves and their children in the foot.

alisone, we have a marginalized underclass. Every student in the United States should be prepared and capable of college level work when they graduate from high school. It's about equal opportunity and self-determination. No one is saying every student should go to college, but they should have that option.

Charlie Rose did a series on Education two years ago, you can youtube short parts of the interviews, or you can go to his website and watch the entire interview. I like the one with the National Teachers of the Year. Michael Geisen, the 2008 Teacher of the Year, is from Prineville, Oregon. Teaching is his second career, he worked for the forest service before he became a teacher.

Charlie Rose interviews everyone, Geoffrey Canada, Randi Weingarten, Michelle Rhee, and more. There is a lot of information, passion, and insight in those interviews, as well as divergent perspectives. Well worth your time.

In 1990, I spend one year at Boeing's expense in Japan working on an collaborative research project at Japan's equivalent of NASA. Many of the Japanese that I worked with were recent graduates of a technical high school. It was an enlightening experience to see what these technicians were capable of and how they worked together.

The technicians were tasked the basic design of the test fixture, fabrication of the fixtures (including welding), installing and checking out instrumentation, running the data acquisition system, writing software for the data acquisition system, and writing test reports. I observed more experienced technicians mentoring the younger ones as they learned how to weld and fabricate components. You might consider this as how an apprentice would learn his craft. The breadth and depth of the technicians' knowledge was very impressive considering only a "high-school" education.

The point that I would like to make is that there wasn't an expectation that every student be prepared for college upon leaving high school. The Japanese school system acknowledges that the majority of students won't go on to college and thus prepares non-college track students for appropriate post-secondary school careers. So maybe that is the reason for the poor outcomes for many students. At some point they reach the conclusion that they aren't a good fit for college and if the school is focused solely on that outcome, there really isn't a good reason to continue with their education.

If we look at the world's best education systems (e.g. Singapore, Finland, etc.), few to none of the characteristics that make those systems so great are being suggested in the United States. No one should persist under the delusion that American education can improve unless some of those characteristics are adopted, specifically these six core things:

1. American education cannot improve unless teachers command social respect in their communities, education majors are looked up to and not down at at universities, and teachers are paid a ton of money commensurate with their importance (and to attract talented individuals to teaching from other areas, particular in the sciences).

2. American education cannot improve unless teacher education programs become competitive. Countries with the best education systems admit only 10-20% of applicants into teacher education programs (e.g. Finland). However, such programs are also free, i.e. paid for by the government. As a corollary, teacher education programs would have to be intellectually and academically rigorous and avoid the busy work and useless content that pervades most of them right now.

3. American education cannot improve unless teachers have to have a master's or doctoral degree in their specialization BEFORE ever starting a teacher education program.

4. American education cannot improve unless teachers forgo automatic tenure. Bad and ineffectual teachers need to be firable.

5. American education cannot improve when "local control" means that the Texas board of education, and the like, can impose religious requirements on textbooks and curricula. Students who graduate from Texas public schools thus don't have a science and social studies education that is appropriate for a college education or to become a globally competitive workforce.

5. American education cannot improve when preschool and childcare are inaccessible to most people because of financial considerations. In countries with the best education systems, children and families are prioritized such that parents get subsidized or free childcare and preschool (and in Finland regular school doesn't even start until age 6 because the Finns understand the educational importance of play at a young age).

6. American education cannot improve the Farm Bill is modified to subsidize healthy food instead of corn and soy. The ramifications of cheap corn and soy are artifically inexpensive junk food, prepared food, and the like, and relative or perceptually expensive healthy foods. Kids on junk and prepared-food diets cannot do as well at school. Kids in other countries eat some junk food, too, but substantially less than American kids.

“We are mistaken if we believe that discipline, dropouts and drugs are what is wrong with today’s schools. Serious as these are, they are symptoms of a much larger underlying problem, which is that far too many capable students make little or no effort to learn. ……”

Choice Theory in the Classroom; William Glasser, M,D.

1.0 What’s the matter with kids today? Why can’t they be like we were?

First, the world has changed. There was a time when:
good jobs were available if you dropped out of school,
schools were responsible for selecting and focusing on the college-bound,
the college bound had stable, less scheduled lives, secondary school populations were more homogenous in basic skill acquisition

Second, growing up in this new world has the same challenges we all have faced under much different circumstances. Kids ARE like we were but we are on the outside looking in. We have forgotten what it’s like being on the inside looking out.

Watching kids for over 35 years has led me to ask, Is there a basic drive behind this obvious intense activity that I see? From my own adolescence and observation of countless others, my gut knew that control was the issue. Recently I happened upon Dr. William Glasser with his Choice Theory.

Choice Theory proposes that the needs: to network, to learn, to be in control, and to be free are programmed by our genes. We all seek a life that reflects these needs. For many children, these life requirements do not match the current realities of school. Unpredictable behavior results and students become increasingly independent and hard to control. These are the students that we call "irresponsible", "disruptive" or ADD. We could drug them AND we do! Many of these students drug themselves when not under supervision by adults who care. These drives are so strong that students will construct their own world and inhabit that world whenever they can, both inside and outside of school. We label many of these students “At Risk”.

Choice Theory power is seen in the student obsession with cell phone and computer technology. Why do they spend so much time in the networked world they have constructed with their friends and strangers? It is frightening to think about the amount of time spent making important decisions in this world without adult mentors. Can schools compete with this world? It is tempting to outlaw this networking at school. What would happen if we structured schooling around meeting these student needs? What if we integrated the favored technologies around educational goals?

2.0 Manufacturing “Kids At Risk”
I am proposing a new definition. “Kids At Risk” are individuals who may not reach their full potential because of limited access to quality schooling. What limits student access?

Our current secondary schools are based on the assumption that life is secure, predictable, and stable. We all know that this assumption is patently false for the majority of our children, especially those in the urban setting.

"Serious harm, I am afraid, has been wrought to our generation by fostering the idea that they live secure in a permanent order of things. … They have expected stability and find none within themselves or in their universe". Helen Keller

The 7 periods/day-5 day/week-4 years/graduate schedule is the norm that our students face. If this schedule is combined with the expectation that all students attend, learn at the same pace, place, and time, we have the perfect recipe for generating curriculum casualties.

Historically high schools had little response to curriculum casualties, as schools were charged with ranking students for higher education. It was expected that some students would fail. Students had other comfortable options in the US economy at that time. Our new age brings NCLB to the table, along with the realization that post-secondary education is mandatory for all of our children. These demand a fresh look at the way our curriculum is structured and delivered.

I experienced the “dumbing-down” of the urban curriculum during the 1990’s when we teachers responded to urban student spotty attendance. In order to deal with the difficulties of building on yesterday’s learning, we moved to lessons that did not require depth. At its best, this was done out of kindness. At worst it was “soft bigotry”! The mile wide inch deep urban curriculum flourished.

In the game Dodge Ball, those with least skills get eliminated first. As a result, those with the most skills get the most practice. Our schools practice academic “Dodge Ball”! Observations show that the best get more practice in the direct instruction classroom. Poor academic performers are eliminated from the high rigor classrooms and tracked with other failures. Once placed in the lower track, there is little future access to the rigor. Less practice with high rigor results in a greater number of curriculum casualties. How many people would participate in a marathon if the race ended after the first runners finish?

Teacher says “Student, guess what I want you to learn?” Student says “I wonder if Teacher will figure out if I know it?” This “gotcha” academic dishonesty between teachers and students clog the necessary communication channels for learning the “tough stuff.” High Stakes low standards testing, dropping student enrollment, and reduced budget are diminishing student options for rigor at every turn. The results are pitiful! Graduation rates and test results tell the story of this slow motion train wreck.

Let’s take a look at one possible alternative to manufacturing “kids-at-risk.” My thirty-year struggle to use computer technology in support of learning physics and mathematics finds me in the midst of a new paradigm under construction. I call it the "Hybrid School”.

3.0 The Hybrid School Tour

The Hybrid Virtual High School is a small urban high school of 305 students, 12 faculty, and 6 classrooms. Our mathematics classroom has 24 computer stations with two licensed mathematics faculty. Using a rigorous online curriculum, we offer Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus, and AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics.

All faculty were trained in the use of the Online Learning curriculum and are the teachers of record for all subjects in their certification. Our students are required to attend the morning or afternoon 3 hour blocks of instruction. Students enter our school anytime during the year and can begin classes one day after arriving at our door. What’s a day like for students at our school?

For the morning school, students generally arrive anytime from the 8:30 AM to 9:15 AM. School officially starts at 9 AM. Students usually check-in with their homeroom teacher, move to their lab of choice, logon to their Learning Dashboard, and begin their work. For the next three hours, students are free to determine the length of time they spend working on a particular subject. Some students feel comfortable working in one room on all subjects, but they are encouraged to touch base with each subject area teacher to insure that progress is made in all scheduled classes. Due dates for assignments vary from student to student.

Generally, students take only three classes and they are expected to complete a semester class in one quarter. Disruptive students are few and usually settle down when asked to move to another lab. The tone in the labs is relaxed and students are on task with minimal structuring statements by faculty. What’s a day like for me in the math lab?

As the lab begins to "wake up," I’m busy welcoming my homeroom students, signing their attendance tracking folders and requesting that they show me their "green." They respond to the green request by logging in to their learning dashboard and bringing up their summary progress report which shows a green, yellow, or red light above each subject, indicating whether they are meeting their assignment deadlines. The report also includes total points earned, a list of activities not complete on time, and percentage grades for amount of work completed and the quality of work. After the first week, I know which of my homeroom students need intervention. My homeroom math students usually start work immediately, but some move to other labs.

A steady stream of questions about math learning begins. I face quite a range of questions as my Algebra 2, Pre-calculus, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics students are mixed together with my lab partner’s Algebra 1 and Geometry groups. I never know what lesson I will give next. I do not worry about being replaced by technology. In this setting, I face a range of skills, interests, learning styles, and learning speeds. Some students just need a hello and a quick intervention. I try to answer all questions with a question intended to clarify the problems they are facing.

Many students need my "driver’s education" intervention to learn how to learn in this setting. I sit down, shoulder to shoulder, and we take a lesson and/or a quiz together. This is my favorite activity. I can learn an extraordinary amount about a student in 10-15 minutes. Whenever I take the time to sit down, I end my intervention with two questions and a statement: "Did I enjoy helping you?," "Did I show you respect?," and "You deserve respect because learning this way is difficult." By now students know what I will say; they still smile because they know I mean it. As I get to know students, our conversations about math learning can diverge into general academic or personal goals. Relationships are precious in this lab.

During the three hours, I periodically stop by my computer to complete some test grading and to check the progress of my students on site but not in the room. With two faculty in the lab, I’m free to touch base with my charges in other labs. I’ve learned where they gravitate. Lunchtime comes quickly. Eating a lunch and taking a 30 minute power nap prepares me for the PM block. This, I believe, is teacher heaven. Great! But what is a Hybrid School?

4.0 The Hybrid School Definition

I define the Hybrid School as a place where the synergy of the best distance learning technology and a new secondary classroom promotes individual scholarship and achievement. It is a "bricks and mortar" place with a new hypothesis about learning. In our design, VIRTUAL becomes REAL!

Hybrid//Synergy: Something of mixed origin or composition.//The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Yes, we are striving for more Learning Per Student using a hybrid of technology and teachers. For 35 years, I struggled to find the time and opportunities in the standard secondary classroom to change what we do, knowing what we know to be true about student learning. There has been a wealth of ideas introduced to improve student learning, but little time provided to give them a true test.

The current secondary school model teaches our students to be "time servers." The bell rings and students ask, "Are we doing anything important today?" They met their responsibility by showing up. 45-55 minutes later, the bell rings and students move to the next time block. The Hybrid School encourages students to take responsibility for their learning and begin today where they left off yesterday.

I believe the Hybrid School can give both teachers and students a new kind of productive learning time that they control - without additional cost. Using this new time wisely requires a set of guiding principles. I propose that we adopt the new secondary school 3 R's: Rigor, Relationship, and Relevance.

Rigor

At our school, we believe that all students should take the both the core academic and the Advanced Placement courses. We recognize that high academic standards are necessary to prepare students for college learning, high-tech work places, and 21st century citizenship.

As a math and science teacher in the inner city, I’ve lived the challenges defined by Robert P. Moses in his Algebra Project.

"The main goal of the Algebra Project is to impact the struggle for citizenship and equality by assisting students in inner city and rural areas to achieve mathematics literacy. Higher order thinking and problem solving skills are necessary for entry into the economic mainstream. Without these skills, children will be tracked into an economic underclass"

With a rigorous curriculum being delivered on line, teachers have extensive opportunities to focus on learning rather than on teaching. I believe that shifting our focus to what, when, and how individual students are learning is the key to maintaining high standards for all. The Hybrid School model can help reverse the tendency to “dumb down” the curriculum for urban school students. This “soft bigotry” must cease! We have found that higher standards improve attendance and academic performance, when attention is given to individual learning needs.

Relationship

I find it curious, but understandable, that the use of a quality distance-learning curriculum may ultimately be the key to developing closer relationships with students. Distance learning products are designed for effective learning with minimal teacher intervention. We all know that successful online learning also requires highly motivated independent learners. This feature ordinarily limits participation to just a few who have these qualities.

We are pursuing the idea that, if we bring teachers and students together in a subject-area learning lab with access to a rigorous online self-contained curriculum, teachers can devote more time helping all individuals to meet their academic challenges. Working with each student using "just in time" teaching methodology can actually happen! Timing delivery of instruction to students with different learning rates and styles is built into many online Learning systems.

With a focus on individual learning rather than on group teaching, we can expand our roles as facilitators and mentors. Opportunities abound in the Hybrid School for one-on-one interactions, higher order thinking, project and thematic learning. Teachers are also free to bring small learning-teams together one at a time. These activities are just beginning to appear as teachers master this new learning environment. Time is there for teachers to join the learning-teams as a facilitator. Our intervention specialists are already exploring the effectiveness of the small group modalities.

I believe that working with individuals can speed up the learning for all in the group. When we transfer responsibility to students for their learning, most tend to speed up with timely frequent contact by adults. I am not suggesting that we abandon students to learn alone from LCD screens. I am suggesting that, with the support of this technology, we will have more time for effective instruction when each student needs it most.

We are discovering effective intervention strategies and modifications for adolescent learners. In a typical secondary school, all students start out in group instruction. Most students do not receive intervention until the group classroom train has traveled pretty far down the tracks. A student is then targeted for support. At our Hybrid School, we believe all new students should be considered "under intervention" until they prove themselves effectively engaged in this new environment. Progress is easily charted for each individual using our Learning systems. Additional support can be directed immediately, without waiting for the first midterm progress report.

Not only can teachers and students know the details of academic progress every day, but parents also have access the Learning dashboard. Parents can determine the performance on each lesson activity. The actual lessons are always available for home intervention.

Relevance

Our school structure and reliance on technology for learning directly reflect the challenges students will face in college or the workplace. Coaching our students to be effective online learners also opens the door to a lifetime of learning.

Many of our current students are "curriculum casualties" of secondary school group instruction. They understandably question the relevance of academic learning. . The Hybrid School model amplifies a natural "student-success-promotes-relevance" connection. Our use of mastery models of learning that match individual learning styles demonstrate the "Horton process relevance theorem": If I believe a subject is challenging and I experience success, then it is relevant.

I therefore propose that there is a definite connection between motivation and relevance but not in the usual sense. Conventional wisdom states that relevant content generates interest, which surely increases motivation, and may result in success. I am finding that individual success in any subject is a potent motivator, which elevates that subject in the student's eyes. This seems especially true for the fragile learners. We all know that a student’s perceived risks in learning content diminish as confidence grows. The confident student views schooling as relevant. We are obligated to provide a classroom setting that builds confidence!

I am also finding that the pride coming from honoring students as they finish as individuals is a powerful motivator. A group finishing together, with varying degrees of individual success, does not seem to generate the same passion. In our math lab, students ring a ship's bell when they finish a semester course. Initially, when students balked at the ritual, I told them it was not for them, but others needed to know that students actually finish these courses that, to some of them, seem to go on forever! The ritual evolved into a celebration of individual achievement where others cheer when the bell sounds. The posting of the "blue," yellow," and "green" on a wall of honor demonstrates that we value student progress.

Although HVHS does not require homework at this time, students are encouraged to accelerate or reinforce their learning at home. Finishing AP classes in a reasonable time requires most students to work outside of school hours. Students may also work on classes throughout the year, including summers and holidays if they wish. The Hybrid School may present the opportunity for a 24/7 year round school with minimal cost.

At any time of the year, students may finish and begin a new class. Yes, we are ready when they are ready. Both quickness of mind AND persistence find rewards here at Hybrid Virtual High School. Students clearly benefit from this approach!

The Future

I am confident that online curriculum products will continue to work towards supporting the Hybrid School concept. Another important requirement will be the continuing training of teachers towards the goals of rigor, relevance, and relationship. Currently new secondary teachers develop their group teaching skills in survival mode. Many times they are assigned to the "Teacher X" schedule that includes those classes left over after returning teachers have been assigned. Many good teachers do not survive the "hazing" that I faced as a new teacher.

I would propose a radical idea that addresses the challenges that new teachers face. Why not have teachers focus on student learning rather than teaching large groups during their first years in the profession? New teachers should be assigned to a Hybrid School learning lab with a mentor teacher. I have no doubt that new teachers with the requisite mastery of technology will experience the joy of student success, a powerful motivator for longevity. Individual student instruction could become the norm rather than an illusive goal that is rarely achieved in a traditional secondary school.

What is the future of the Hybrid School? I'm not sure, but somewhere in these ideas are new places for our energies as educators, and opportunities for students as learners. The current NCLB legislation cries out for a better solution than group instruction. We educators must join The Digital Democracy movement to ensure that all our children may have access to this essential resource of the 21st century. As educators, we also must face the challenges presented by the question I have asked for 35 years: How can we continue to do what we do, knowing what we know?

Appendix 1: Hybrid School Advantage

Let’s imagine that a high quality rigorous curriculum was delivered online to each student in my secondary classroom.

What could content teachers do in this setting?

Help each student learn how to learn!

Increase awareness of student progress and requisite skills!

Encourage each student to work at their own pace!

Insure that each student masters required content!

Employ just in time teaching strategies for each student!

Offer access to a wider variety of courses in areas of expertise.

Establish a high rigor, low risk learning environment.

Enrich lab, project, and group work by students.

Develop a mentor/coach approach to teaching.

What could students do in this setting?

Take responsibility for their learning.

Build confidence in their learning.

Take the rigor risk.

Adjust their program to meet external demands.

Seek increased opportunities for peer teaching.

Increase participation in post secondary options.

Evolve as life long learners.

What could school leaders do in this setting?

Minimize issues of equity across classrooms.

Expect more teacher time focus on individual students.

Eliminate scheduling conflicts for students.

Allow smooth transition for transient students.

Insure a focus on 21st century skills.

Eliminate the need for separate credit recovery programs.

Reduce the academic penalty for discipline infractions.

Track individual, classroom, department, school performance throughout the year.

Increase student productivity during teacher absence.

Reduce transition time for new teacher adjustment.

Increase student access to quality distance learning.

Enhance school to home communication.

Evolve a year round school format.

3.0 The Hybrid School Tour

The Hybrid Virtual High School is a small urban high school of 305 students, 12 faculty, and 6 classrooms. Our mathematics classroom has 24 computer stations with two licensed mathematics faculty. Using a rigorous online curriculum, we offer Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus, and AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics.

All faculty were trained in the use of the Online Learning curriculum and are the teachers of record for all subjects in their certification. Our students are required to attend the morning or afternoon 3 hour blocks of instruction. Students enter our school anytime during the year and can begin classes one day after arriving at our door. What’s a day like for students at our school?

For the morning school, students generally arrive anytime from the 8:30 AM to 9:15 AM. School officially starts at 9 AM. Students usually check-in with their homeroom teacher, move to their lab of choice, logon to their Learning Dashboard, and begin their work. For the next three hours, students are free to determine the length of time they spend working on a particular subject. Some students feel comfortable working in one room on all subjects, but they are encouraged to touch base with each subject area teacher to insure that progress is made in all scheduled classes. Due dates for assignments vary from student to student.

Generally, students take only three classes and they are expected to complete a semester class in one quarter. Disruptive students are few and usually settle down when asked to move to another lab. The tone in the labs is relaxed and students are on task with minimal structuring statements by faculty. What’s a day like for me in the math lab?

As the lab begins to "wake up," I’m busy welcoming my homeroom students, signing their attendance tracking folders and requesting that they show me their "green." They respond to the green request by logging in to their learning dashboard and bringing up their summary progress report which shows a green, yellow, or red light above each subject, indicating whether they are meeting their assignment deadlines. The report also includes total points earned, a list of activities not complete on time, and percentage grades for amount of work completed and the quality of work. After the first week, I know which of my homeroom students need intervention. My homeroom math students usually start work immediately, but some move to other labs.

A steady stream of questions about math learning begins. I face quite a range of questions as my Algebra 2, Pre-calculus, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics students are mixed together with my lab partner’s Algebra 1 and Geometry groups. I never know what lesson I will give next. I do not worry about being replaced by technology. In this setting, I face a range of skills, interests, learning styles, and learning speeds. Some students just need a hello and a quick intervention. I try to answer all questions with a question intended to clarify the problems they are facing.

Many students need my "driver’s education" intervention to learn how to learn in this setting. I sit down, shoulder to shoulder, and we take a lesson and/or a quiz together. This is my favorite activity. I can learn an extraordinary amount about a student in 10-15 minutes. Whenever I take the time to sit down, I end my intervention with two questions and a statement: "Did I enjoy helping you?," "Did I show you respect?," and "You deserve respect because learning this way is difficult." By now students know what I will say; they still smile because they know I mean it. As I get to know students, our conversations about math learning can diverge into general academic or personal goals. Relationships are precious in this lab.

During the three hours, I periodically stop by my computer to complete some test grading and to check the progress of my students on site but not in the room. With two faculty in the lab, I’m free to touch base with my charges in other labs. I’ve learned where they gravitate. Lunchtime comes quickly. Eating a lunch and taking a 30 minute power nap prepares me for the PM block. This, I believe, is teacher heaven. Great! But what is a Hybrid School?

4.0 The Hybrid School Definition

I define the Hybrid School as a place where the synergy of the best distance learning technology and a new secondary classroom promotes individual scholarship and achievement. It is a "bricks and mortar" place with a new hypothesis about learning. In our design, VIRTUAL becomes REAL!

Hybrid//Synergy: Something of mixed origin or composition.//The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Yes, we are striving for more Learning Per Student using a hybrid of technology and teachers. For 35 years, I struggled to find the time and opportunities in the standard secondary classroom to change what we do, knowing what we know to be true about student learning. There has been a wealth of ideas introduced to improve student learning, but little time provided to give them a true test.

The current secondary school model teaches our students to be "time servers." The bell rings and students ask, "Are we doing anything important today?" They met their responsibility by showing up. 45-55 minutes later, the bell rings and students move to the next time block. The Hybrid School encourages students to take responsibility for their learning and begin today where they left off yesterday.

I believe the Hybrid School can give both teachers and students a new kind of productive learning time that they control - without additional cost. Using this new time wisely requires a set of guiding principles. I propose that we adopt the new secondary school 3 R's: Rigor, Relationship, and Relevance.

Rigor

At our school, we believe that all students should take the both the core academic and the Advanced Placement courses. We recognize that high academic standards are necessary to prepare students for college learning, high-tech work places, and 21st century citizenship.

As a math and science teacher in the inner city, I’ve lived the challenges defined by Robert P. Moses in his Algebra Project.

"The main goal of the Algebra Project is to impact the struggle for citizenship and equality by assisting students in inner city and rural areas to achieve mathematics literacy. Higher order thinking and problem solving skills are necessary for entry into the economic mainstream. Without these skills, children will be tracked into an economic underclass"

With a rigorous curriculum being delivered on line, teachers have extensive opportunities to focus on learning rather than on teaching. I believe that shifting our focus to what, when, and how individual students are learning is the key to maintaining high standards for all. The Hybrid School model can help reverse the tendency to “dumb down” the curriculum for urban school students. This “soft bigotry” must cease! We have found that higher standards improve attendance and academic performance, when attention is given to individual learning needs.

Relationship

I find it curious, but understandable, that the use of a quality distance-learning curriculum may ultimately be the key to developing closer relationships with students. Distance learning products are designed for effective learning with minimal teacher intervention. We all know that successful online learning also requires highly motivated independent learners. This feature ordinarily limits participation to just a few who have these qualities.

We are pursuing the idea that, if we bring teachers and students together in a subject-area learning lab with access to a rigorous online self-contained curriculum, teachers can devote more time helping all individuals to meet their academic challenges. Working with each student using "just in time" teaching methodology can actually happen! Timing delivery of instruction to students with different learning rates and styles is built into many online Learning systems.

With a focus on individual learning rather than on group teaching, we can expand our roles as facilitators and mentors. Opportunities abound in the Hybrid School for one-on-one interactions, higher order thinking, project and thematic learning. Teachers are also free to bring small learning-teams together one at a time. These activities are just beginning to appear as teachers master this new learning environment. Time is there for teachers to join the learning-teams as a facilitator. Our intervention specialists are already exploring the effectiveness of the small group modalities.

I believe that working with individuals can speed up the learning for all in the group. When we transfer responsibility to students for their learning, most tend to speed up with timely frequent contact by adults. I am not suggesting that we abandon students to learn alone from LCD screens. I am suggesting that, with the support of this technology, we will have more time for effective instruction when each student needs it most.

We are discovering effective intervention strategies and modifications for adolescent learners. In a typical secondary school, all students start out in group instruction. Most students do not receive intervention until the group classroom train has traveled pretty far down the tracks. A student is then targeted for support. At our Hybrid School, we believe all new students should be considered "under intervention" until they prove themselves effectively engaged in this new environment. Progress is easily charted for each individual using our Learning systems. Additional support can be directed immediately, without waiting for the first midterm progress report.

Not only can teachers and students know the details of academic progress every day, but parents also have access the Learning dashboard. Parents can determine the performance on each lesson activity. The actual lessons are always available for home intervention.

Relevance

Our school structure and reliance on technology for learning directly reflect the challenges students will face in college or the workplace. Coaching our students to be effective online learners also opens the door to a lifetime of learning.

Many of our current students are "curriculum casualties" of secondary school group instruction. They understandably question the relevance of academic learning. . The Hybrid School model amplifies a natural "student-success-promotes-relevance" connection. Our use of mastery models of learning that match individual learning styles demonstrate the "Horton process relevance theorem": If I believe a subject is challenging and I experience success, then it is relevant.

I therefore propose that there is a definite connection between motivation and relevance but not in the usual sense. Conventional wisdom states that relevant content generates interest, which surely increases motivation, and may result in success. I am finding that individual success in any subject is a potent motivator, which elevates that subject in the student's eyes. This seems especially true for the fragile learners. We all know that a student’s perceived risks in learning content diminish as confidence grows. The confident student views schooling as relevant. We are obligated to provide a classroom setting that builds confidence!

I am also finding that the pride coming from honoring students as they finish as individuals is a powerful motivator. A group finishing together, with varying degrees of individual success, does not seem to generate the same passion. In our math lab, students ring a ship's bell when they finish a semester course. Initially, when students balked at the ritual, I told them it was not for them, but others needed to know that students actually finish these courses that, to some of them, seem to go on forever! The ritual evolved into a celebration of individual achievement where others cheer when the bell sounds. The posting of the "blue," yellow," and "green" on a wall of honor demonstrates that we value student progress.

Although HVHS does not require homework at this time, students are encouraged to accelerate or reinforce their learning at home. Finishing AP classes in a reasonable time requires most students to work outside of school hours. Students may also work on classes throughout the year, including summers and holidays if they wish. The Hybrid School may present the opportunity for a 24/7 year round school with minimal cost.

At any time of the year, students may finish and begin a new class. Yes, we are ready when they are ready. Both quickness of mind AND persistence find rewards here at Hybrid Virtual High School. Students clearly benefit from this approach!

The Future

I am confident that online curriculum products will continue to work towards supporting the Hybrid School concept. Another important requirement will be the continuing training of teachers towards the goals of rigor, relevance, and relationship. Currently new secondary teachers develop their group teaching skills in survival mode. Many times they are assigned to the "Teacher X" schedule that includes those classes left over after returning teachers have been assigned. Many good teachers do not survive the "hazing" that I faced as a new teacher.

I would propose a radical idea that addresses the challenges that new teachers face. Why not have teachers focus on student learning rather than teaching large groups during their first years in the profession? New teachers should be assigned to a Hybrid School learning lab with a mentor teacher. I have no doubt that new teachers with the requisite mastery of technology will experience the joy of student success, a powerful motivator for longevity. Individual student instruction could become the norm rather than an illusive goal that is rarely achieved in a traditional secondary school.

What is the future of the Hybrid School? I'm not sure, but somewhere in these ideas are new places for our energies as educators, and opportunities for students as learners. The current NCLB legislation cries out for a better solution than group instruction. We educators must join The Digital Democracy movement to ensure that all our children may have access to this essential resource of the 21st century. As educators, we also must face the challenges presented by the question I have asked for 35 years: How can we continue to do what we do, knowing what we know?

Appendix 1: Student Case Studies

My 6 year experience at the Hybrid Virtual School helped me to better understand my students’ lives. Early in my teaching career I tended to categorize a certain group of students as “at risk”. The more I took the time to mentor those under my care, the more I realized that most kids have difficulties the structure of our schools .I began to view these kids as “the canaries in the mine”. They were telling us, with their performance, the faults in the entire system. Let’s take a look at the opportunities that a Hybrid School Provides.

Belinda had average performance in 9th grade. She ran away, had a baby, and struggled through tenth grade in a foster home. After watching Belinda persist in figuring out an Algebra 2 problem, I knew I’d found a diamond in the rough! We talked about the potential for college. Belinda had always wanted to be a nurse and I had the time to walk across the street with Belinda to the University of Cincinnati to talk about college opportunities. After two years Belinda graduated on time and was admitted to a satellite campus with open enrollment. She transferred back to UC and finished her nursing degree. After Belinda, I knew the system to get financial aid for late bloomers and used my knowledge to help all that deserved it. Many of our students faced similar challenges of broken families but when they were ready we were!

Norman was a superb student who was starting his senior year. His dad was traveling to Norway to work at the university lab for 2 months. We agreed to allow Norman to begin his online courses in Norway with his dad and finish them at the HVHS. Norman took 4 AP Courses and scored the top grade in each and bonded with dad in a superb setting.

Jacob was the best 8th grader in the districts most competitive school. By 10th grade, intense family pressure led to a depressed lad who could not get out of bed. HVHS allowed him to take 1 class at a time for a semester and his confidence returned. By the end of his 11th year, Jacob was my best student. He took AP Physics and AP Calculus and top scored the exam. Because of a poor 10th grade average, Jacob did not qualify for a full scholarship. On a need basis the school would pay tuition but I talked to the head of the engineering department about this bright scholar and she found a private donor for his room and board. Jacob completed a five year program near the top of his class.

We discovered that artists and top athletes found their regular school schedules too rigid to allow for the intense practice necessary for a “performance”. Many could not maintain the rigor of the rest of the program so they chose easier classes. Our enrollment began to grow with students looking for the opportunity to take rigor and still focus on their gifts when the time demanded it.

Appendix 2: Hybrid School Advantage

Let’s imagine that a high quality rigorous curriculum was delivered online to each student in my secondary classroom.

What could content teachers do in this setting?

Help each student learn how to learn!

Increase awareness of student progress and requisite skills!

Encourage each student to work at their own pace!

Insure that each student masters required content!

Employ just in time teaching strategies for each student!

Offer access to a wider variety of courses in areas of expertise.

Establish a high rigor, low risk learning environment.

Enrich lab, project, and group work by students.

Develop a mentor/coach approach to teaching.

What could students do in this setting?

Take responsibility for their learning.

Build confidence in their learning.

Take the rigor risk.

Adjust their program to meet external demands.

Seek increased opportunities for peer teaching.

Increase participation in post secondary options.

Evolve as life long learners.

What could school leaders do in this setting?

Minimize issues of equity across classrooms.

Expect more teacher time focus on individual students.

Eliminate scheduling conflicts for students.

Allow smooth transition for transient students.

Insure a focus on 21st century skills.

Eliminate the need for separate credit recovery programs.

Reduce the academic penalty for discipline infractions.

Track individual, classroom, department, school performance throughout the year.

Increase student productivity during teacher absence.

Reduce transition time for new teacher adjustment.

Increase student access to quality distance learning.

Enhance school to home communication.

Evolve a year round school format.

I believe the I propose that we adopt the new secondary school 3 R's: Rigor, Relationship, and Relevance.

Rigor

At our school, we believe that all students should take the both the core academic and the Advanced Placement courses. We recognize that high academic standards are necessary to prepare students for college learning, high-tech work places, and 21st century citizenship.

As a math and science teacher in the inner city, I’ve lived the challenges defined by Robert P. Moses in his Algebra Project.

"The main goal of the Algebra Project is to impact the struggle for citizenship and equality by assisting students in inner city and rural areas to achieve mathematics literacy. Higher order thinking and problem solving skills are necessary for entry into the economic mainstream. Without these skills, children will be tracked into an economic underclass"

With a rigorous curriculum being delivered on line, teachers have extensive opportunities to focus on learning rather than on teaching. I believe that shifting our focus to what, when, and how individual students are learning is the key to maintaining high standards for all. The Hybrid School model can help reverse the tendency to “dumb down” the curriculum for urban school students. This “soft bigotry” must cease! We have found that higher standards improve attendance and academic performance, when attention is given to individual learning needs.

Relationship

I find it curious, but understandable, that the use of a quality distance-learning curriculum may ultimately be the key to developing closer relationships with students. Distance learning products are designed for effective learning with minimal teacher intervention. We all know that successful online learning also requires highly motivated independent learners. This feature ordinarily limits participation to just a few who have these qualities.

We are pursuing the idea that, if we bring teachers and students together in a subject-area learning lab with access to a rigorous online self-contained curriculum, teachers can devote more time helping all individuals to meet their academic challenges. Working with each student using "just in time" teaching methodology can actually happen! Timing delivery of instruction to students with different learning rates and styles is built into many online Learning systems.

With a focus on individual learning rather than on group teaching, we can expand our roles as facilitators and mentors. Opportunities abound in the Hybrid School for one-on-one interactions, higher order thinking, project and thematic learning. Teachers are also free to bring small learning-teams together one at a time. These activities are just beginning to appear as teachers master this new learning environment. Time is there for teachers to join the learning-teams as a facilitator. Our intervention specialists are already exploring the effectiveness of the small group modalities.

I believe that working with individuals can speed up the learning for all in the group. When we transfer responsibility to students for their learning, most tend to speed up with timely frequent contact by adults. I am not suggesting that we abandon students to learn alone from LCD screens. I am suggesting that, with the support of this technology, we will have more time for effective instruction when each student needs it most.

We are discovering effective intervention strategies and modifications for adolescent learners. In a typical secondary school, all students start out in group instruction. Most students do not receive intervention until the group classroom train has traveled pretty far down the tracks. A student is then targeted for support. At our Hybrid School, we believe all new students should be considered "under intervention" until they prove themselves effectively engaged in this new environment. Progress is easily charted for each individual using our Learning systems. Additional support can be directed immediately, without waiting for the first midterm progress report.

Not only can teachers and students know the details of academic progress every day, but parents also have access the Learning dashboard. Parents can determine the performance on each lesson activity. The actual lessons are always available for home intervention.

Relevance

Our school structure and reliance on technology for learning directly reflect the challenges students will face in college or the workplace. Coaching our students to be effective online learners also opens the door to a lifetime of learning.

Many of our current students are "curriculum casualties" of secondary school group instruction. They understandably question the relevance of academic learning. . The Hybrid School model amplifies a natural "student-success-promotes-relevance" connection. Our use of mastery models of learning that match individual learning styles demonstrate the "Horton process relevance theorem": If I believe a subject is challenging and I experience success, then it is relevant.

I therefore propose that there is a definite connection between motivation and relevance but not in the usual sense. Conventional wisdom states that relevant content generates interest, which surely increases motivation, and may result in success. I am finding that individual success in any subject is a potent motivator, which elevates that subject in the student's eyes. This seems especially true for the fragile learners. We all know that a student’s perceived risks in learning content diminish as confidence grows. The confident student views schooling as relevant. We are obligated to provide a classroom setting that builds confidence!

I am also finding that the pride coming from honoring students as they finish as individuals is a powerful motivator. A group finishing together, with varying degrees of individual success, does not seem to generate the same passion. In our math lab, students ring a ship's bell when they finish a semester course. Initially, when students balked at the ritual, I told them it was not for them, but others needed to know that students actually finish these courses that, to some of them, seem to go on forever! The ritual evolved into a celebration of individual achievement where others cheer when the bell sounds. The posting of the "blue," yellow," and "green" on a wall of honor demonstrates that we value student progress.

Although HVHS does not require homework at this time, students are encouraged to accelerate or reinforce their learning at home. Finishing AP classes in a reasonable time requires most students to work outside of school hours. Students may also work on classes throughout the year, including summers and holidays if they wish. The Hybrid School may present the opportunity for a 24/7 year round school with minimal cost.

At any time of the year, students may finish and begin a new class. Yes, we are ready when they are ready. Both quickness of mind AND persistence find rewards here at Hybrid Virtual High School. Students clearly benefit from this approach!

The Future

I am confident that online curriculum products will continue to work towards supporting the Hybrid School concept. Another important requirement will be the continuing training of teachers towards the goals of rigor, relevance, and relationship. Currently new secondary teachers develop their group teaching skills in survival mode. Many times they are assigned to the "Teacher X" schedule that includes those classes left over after returning teachers have been assigned. Many good teachers do not survive the "hazing" that I faced as a new teacher.

I would propose a radical idea that addresses the challenges that new teachers face. Why not have teachers focus on student learning rather than teaching large groups during their first years in the profession? New teachers should be assigned to a Hybrid School learning lab with a mentor teacher. I have no doubt that new teachers with the requisite mastery of technology will experience the joy of student success, a powerful motivator for longevity. Individual student instruction could become the norm rather than an illusive goal that is rarely achieved in a traditional secondary school.

What is the future of the Hybrid School? I'm not sure, but somewhere in these ideas are new places for our energies as educators, and opportunities for students as learners. The current NCLB legislation cries out for a better solution than group instruction. We educators must join The Digital Democracy movement to ensure that all our children may have access to this essential resource of the 21st century. As educators, we also must face the challenges presented by the question I have asked for 35 years: How can we continue to do what we do, knowing what we know?

Appendix 1: Student Case Studies

My 6 year experience at the Hybrid Virtual School helped me to better understand my students’ lives. Early in my teaching career I tended to categorize a certain group of students as “at risk”. The more I took the time to mentor those under my care, the more I realized that most kids have difficulties the structure of our schools .I began to view these kids as “the canaries in the mine”. They were telling us, with their performance, the faults in the entire system. Let’s take a look at the opportunities that a Hybrid School Provides.

Belinda had average performance in 9th grade. She ran away, had a baby, and struggled through tenth grade in a foster home. After watching Belinda persist in figuring out an Algebra 2 problem, I knew I’d found a diamond in the rough! We talked about the potential for college. Belinda had always wanted to be a nurse and I had the time to walk across the street with Belinda to the University of Cincinnati to talk about college opportunities. After two years Belinda graduated on time and was admitted to a satellite campus with open enrollment. She transferred back to UC and finished her nursing degree. After Belinda, I knew the system to get financial aid for late bloomers and used my knowledge to help all that deserved it. Many of our students faced similar challenges of broken families but when they were ready we were!

Norman was a superb student who was starting his senior year. His dad was traveling to Norway to work at the university lab for 2 months. We agreed to allow Norman to begin his online courses in Norway with his dad and finish them at the HVHS. Norman took 4 AP Courses and scored the top grade in each and bonded with dad in a superb setting.

Jacob was the best 8th grader in the districts most competitive school. By 10th grade, intense family pressure led to a depressed lad who could not get out of bed. HVHS allowed him to take 1 class at a time for a semester and his confidence returned. By the end of his 11th year, Jacob was my best student. He took AP Physics and AP Calculus and top scored the exam. Because of a poor 10th grade average, Jacob did not qualify for a full scholarship. On a need basis the school would pay tuition but I talked to the head of the engineering department about this bright scholar and she found a private donor for his room and board. Jacob completed a five year program near the top of his class.

We discovered that artists and top athletes found their regular school schedules too rigid to allow for the intense practice necessary for a “performance”. Many could not maintain the rigor of the rest of the program so they chose easier classes. Our enrollment began to grow with students looking for the opportunity to take rigor and still focus on their gifts when the time demanded it.

Appendix 2: Hybrid School Advantage

Let’s imagine that a high quality rigorous curriculum was delivered online to each student in my secondary classroom.

What could content teachers do in this setting?

Help each student learn how to learn!

Increase awareness of student progress and requisite skills!

Encourage each student to work at their own pace!

Insure that each student masters required content!

Employ just in time teaching strategies for each student!

Offer access to a wider variety of courses in areas of expertise.

Establish a high rigor, low risk learning environment.

Enrich lab, project, and group work by students.

Develop a mentor/coach approach to teaching.

What could students do in this setting?

Take responsibility for their learning.

Build confidence in their learning.

Take the rigor risk.

Adjust their program to meet external demands.

Seek increased opportunities for peer teaching.

Increase participation in post secondary options.

Evolve as life long learners.

What could school leaders do in this setting?

Minimize issues of equity across classrooms.

Expect more teacher time focus on individual students.

Eliminate scheduling conflicts for students.

Allow smooth transition for transient students.

Insure a focus on 21st century skills.

Eliminate the need for separate credit recovery programs.

Reduce the academic penalty for discipline infractions.

Track individual, classroom, department, school performance throughout the year.

Increase student productivity during teacher absence.

Reduce transition time for new teacher adjustment.

Increase student access to quality distance learning.

Enhance school to home communication.

Evolve a year round school format.

Although HVHS does not require homework at this time, students are encouraged to accelerate or reinforce their learning at home. Finishing AP classes in a reasonable time requires most students to work outside of school hours. Students may also work on classes throughout the year, including summers and holidays if they wish. The Hybrid School may present the opportunity for a 24/7 year round school with minimal cost.

At any time of the year, students may finish and begin a new class. Yes, we are ready when they are ready. Both quickness of mind AND persistence find rewards here at Hybrid Virtual High School. Students clearly benefit from this approach!

The Future

I am confident that online curriculum products will continue to work towards supporting the Hybrid School concept. Another important requirement will be the continuing training of teachers towards the goals of rigor, relevance, and relationship. Currently new secondary teachers develop their group teaching skills in survival mode. Many times they are assigned to the "Teacher X" schedule that includes those classes left over after returning teachers have been assigned. Many good teachers do not survive the "hazing" that I faced as a new teacher.

I would propose a radical idea that addresses the challenges that new teachers face. Why not have teachers focus on student learning rather than teaching large groups during their first years in the profession? New teachers should be assigned to a Hybrid School learning lab with a mentor teacher. I have no doubt that new teachers with the requisite mastery of technology will experience the joy of student success, a powerful motivator for longevity. Individual student instruction could become the norm rather than an illusive goal that is rarely achieved in a traditional secondary school.

What is the future of the Hybrid School? I'm not sure, but somewhere in these ideas are new places for our energies as educators, and opportunities for students as learners. The current NCLB legislation cries out for a better solution than group instruction. We educators must join The Digital Democracy movement to ensure that all our children may have access to this essential resource of the 21st century. As educators, we also must face the challenges presented by the question I have asked for 35 years: How can we continue to do what we do, knowing what we know?

Appendix 1: Student Case Studies

My 6 year experience at the Hybrid Virtual School helped me to better understand my students’ lives. Early in my teaching career I tended to categorize a certain group of students as “at risk”. The more I took the time to mentor those under my care, the more I realized that most kids have difficulties the structure of our schools .I began to view these kids as “the canaries in the mine”. They were telling us, with their performance, the faults in the entire system. Let’s take a look at the opportunities that a Hybrid School Provides.

Belinda had average performance in 9th grade. She ran away, had a baby, and struggled through tenth grade in a foster home. After watching Belinda persist in figuring out an Algebra 2 problem, I knew I’d found a diamond in the rough! We talked about the potential for college. Belinda had always wanted to be a nurse and I had the time to walk across the street with Belinda to the University of Cincinnati to talk about college opportunities. After two years Belinda graduated on time and was admitted to a satellite campus with open enrollment. She transferred back to UC and finished her nursing degree. After Belinda, I knew the system to get financial aid for late bloomers and used my knowledge to help all that deserved it. Many of our students faced similar challenges of broken families but when they were ready we were!

Norman was a superb student who was starting his senior year. His dad was traveling to Norway to work at the university lab for 2 months. We agreed to allow Norman to begin his online courses in Norway with his dad and finish them at the HVHS. Norman took 4 AP Courses and scored the top grade in each and bonded with dad in a superb setting.

Jacob was the best 8th grader in the districts most competitive school. By 10th grade, intense family pressure led to a depressed lad who could not get out of bed. HVHS allowed him to take 1 class at a time for a semester and his confidence returned. By the end of his 11th year, Jacob was my best student. He took AP Physics and AP Calculus and top scored the exam. Because of a poor 10th grade average, Jacob did not qualify for a full scholarship. On a need basis the school would pay tuition but I talked to the head of the engineering department about this bright scholar and she found a private donor for his room and board. Jacob completed a five year program near the top of his class.

We discovered that artists and top athletes found their regular school schedules too rigid to allow for the intense practice necessary for a “performance”. Many could not maintain the rigor of the rest of the program so they chose easier classes. Our enrollment began to grow with students looking for the opportunity to take rigor and still focus on their gifts when the time demanded it.

Appendix 2: Hybrid School Advantage

Let’s imagine that a high quality rigorous curriculum was delivered online to each student in my secondary classroom.

What could content teachers do in this setting?

Help each student learn how to learn!

Increase awareness of student progress and requisite skills!

Encourage each student to work at their own pace!

Insure that each student masters required content!

Employ just in time teaching strategies for each student!

Offer access to a wider variety of courses in areas of expertise.

Establish a high rigor, low risk learning environment.

Enrich lab, project, and group work by students.

Develop a mentor/coach approach to teaching.

What could students do in this setting?

Take responsibility for their learning.

Build confidence in their learning.

Take the rigor risk.

Adjust their program to meet external demands.

Seek increased opportunities for peer teaching.

Increase participation in post secondary options.

Evolve as life long learners.

What could school leaders do in this setting?

Minimize issues of equity across classrooms.

Expect more teacher time focus on individual students.

Eliminate scheduling conflicts for students.

Allow smooth transition for transient students.

Insure a focus on 21st century skills.

Eliminate the need for separate credit recovery programs.

Reduce the academic penalty for discipline infractions.

Track individual, classroom, department, school performance throughout the year.

Increase student productivity during teacher absence.

Reduce transition time for new teacher adjustment.

Increase student access to quality distance learning.

Enhance school to home communication.

Evolve a year round school format.

Offer access to a wider variety of courses in areas of expertise.

Establish a high rigor, low risk learning environment.

Enrich lab, project, and group work by students.

Develop a mentor/coach approach to teaching.

What could students do in this setting?

Take responsibility for their learning.

Build confidence in their learning.

Take the rigor risk.

Adjust their program to meet external demands.

Seek increased opportunities for peer teaching.

Increase participation in post secondary options.

Evolve as life long learners.

What could school leaders do in this setting?

Minimize issues of equity across classrooms.

Expect more teacher time focus on individual students.

Eliminate scheduling conflicts for students.

Allow smooth transition for transient students.

Insure a focus on 21st century skills.

Eliminate the need for separate credit recovery programs.

Reduce the academic penalty for discipline infractions.

Track individual, classroom, department, school performance throughout the year.

Increase student productivity during teacher absence.

Reduce transition time for new teacher adjustment.

Increase student access to quality distance learning.

Enhance school to home communication.

Evolve a year round school format.

Reaction? dirk@mathonmonday.com