Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Heads-On, Hands-On Learning: Key to Student Motivation, Improved Achievement and Higher Graduation Rates Ten Actions Districts and Schools Can Take Gene Bottoms Senior Vice President

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Why improve graduation rates and achievement? The current focus is on meeting minimum achievement levels, not graduation. Many students enter high school unprepared. 2

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Why improve graduation rates and achievement? Many high school graduates are unprepared for college and work. Dropouts are costly to local communities, states and the nation. 3

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Why do high schools exist? The purpose of high schools is to: Graduate more students. Graduate them prepared for a next step – postsecondary studies, career training, the military, employment, apprenticeships, etc. Graduate them prepared to be responsible adults and to promote the common good. 4

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Why do high schools exist? Graduates should meet a common threshold-level of knowledge and skills in reading, writing and math. Students should leave high school meeting college- readiness standards, work- readiness standards or both. 5

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Actions Districts and Schools Can Take Action 1: Give equal priority to graduation and achievement in school improvement strategies. 6

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Actions Districts and Schools Can Take Action 2: Set ambitious goals for improving graduation rates. Set a graduation goal of 90 percent with annual incremental targets. Report results annually. 7

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Action 3: Set achievement goals for high school students beyond minimum competency. Identify students who exceed minimum by recognizing those who: Passed readiness exams for college and training Passed industry certification exams – #7, #20, #302 Passed AP courses and exams – #10 Are eligible for merit scholarships Exceeded the state’s minimum graduation requirements Earned college credit through dual or joint enrollment Actions Schools and Districts Can Take 8

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Action 4: Develop the will and capacity to implement necessary reform strategies. Teachers are willing to learn new practices – #285, #384, #427, #438, #322, #549 Principals are willing to lead and support – #198, #281, #526 School board and district staff support the reform – #41, #46, #139, #250, #577 School and teacher leaders take ownership of problems and solutions – #42, #90, #141, #189, #242, #379 Actions Schools and Districts Can Take 9

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Significant changes in graduation rates and achievement will require: A successful start in grade nine – #169, #222, #310, #356 A planned program of study leading to stated goal – See guidance sessions. Successful transition from high school to next step – #568 Making success, rather than failure, the option – #101, #393, #581 Recognizing that one path does not fit all 10

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Action 5: Strengthen middle grades students’ transition into high school and reduce failure rates in grade nine. Agree on ninth-grade readiness standards – #285, #340, #440 Identify and accelerate instruction for low-performing students – #3, #13, #165, #351, #386, #404 Redesign the ninth grade Actions Schools and Districts Can Take 11

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Develop indicators and annually improve on the percentages of students who: Enter grade nine ready to succeed in high school courses Earn enough credit as first-time freshmen to be classified as sophomores the following year Earn enough credits as sophomores to be classified as juniors the following year 12

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Redesign the Ninth Grade Assign experienced and effective teachers to grade nine. Keep the student-teacher ratio at or below the ratio in other grade levels. Engage students in heads-on and hands-on learning. Teach study skills and other habits of success. Sessions #121, #166, #169, #233, #310, #356, #401, #459 13

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Redesign the Ninth Grade Design CT courses for students to use reading and mathematics skills to complete projects and activities. Allow flexible scheduling to provide the support students will need to succeed. Assist students to develop an individual graduation plan with parent involvement tailored to students’ specific interests, skills and aspirations. Sessions #121, #166, #169, #233, #310, #356, #401, #459 14

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning To motivate students to succeed in school, we must connect what we ask them to learn to their present and to their future. Questions teachers should ask: How will students use this content in their world? How will my course deepen students’ current interests? How can my course help students achieve their goals? How will the course help students explain their experiences? What will students gain if they pass my course (or lose if they do not)? Sessions #26, #126, #365, #412, #463, #541 15

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Engaging Students Emotionally with Heads-On Assignments Student report having to: Revise essays several times to improve quality Make an oral presentation on a project or assignment Solve mathematics problems outside textbook Orally defend a process for solving math problems Prepare written science lab reports Use mathematics to solve problems in science 16

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Engaging Students Emotionally with Heads-On Assignments 17 Sessions #24, #25, #80, #127, #175, #318, #506

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Action 6: Recognize that one path to graduation does not fit all students. Grade recovery – #15, #16, #264 Credit recovery – #201, #220, #221, #355, #455 Web-based instruction – #201, #287 Extended time – #352, #496 Alternative setting – #408 Actions Schools and Districts Can Take 18

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Actions Schools and Districts Can Take Action 7: Broaden the definition of academic rigor to include career/technical (CT) programs of study that join a solid academic core with a sequence of quality CT courses. Sessions #64, #149, #172, #299, #300 19

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Broader Definition of Rigor Application-based learning (authentic problems) – #263 Higher-order, problem-solving learning (knowledge in context) – #79, #127 Depth-based learning (deeper, rather than broader, coverage of content) Blended programs of academic and technical studies – #541 Demonstration-based assessments beyond reading, writing and mathematics – #173 20

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Design Career-Focused Programs of Study to Help More Students Graduate Prepared for Postsecondary Options Four years of challenging language arts courses – #273, #322, #394 Four years of mathematics – #214, #216 Three years of inquiry- and lab-based science Four courses in a planned sequence of CT courses with challenging assignments and embedded academic content Sessions #110, #149, #297, #298, #300, #395, #397, #445 21

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Students are most engaged academically when they are challenged with demanding learning goals and when they have opportunities to experience a sense of competence and accomplishment. Session #331 22

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Design Hybrid Academic and CT Courses Schools should take steps to ensure that: CT courses are equivalent in content and complexity to traditional academic courses Teachers are qualified and have special training Students achieve at a level comparable to students in traditional academic courses Time is scheduled for academic and CT teachers to work together Sessions #128, #164, #232, #336, #436 23

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Make CT Courses Intellectually Demanding Schools must establish criteria to redesign CT courses that require students to: Do substantial reading and reflective writing in the career field Describe orally what they have learned through class projects Develop their analytical thinking skills Demonstrate trouble-shooting and problem- solving skills Sessions #51, #59, #156, #442 24

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Make CT Courses Intellectually Demanding Schools must establish criteria to redesign CT courses that require students to: Develop research and organizational skills to address a problem or task Use mathematics to support decisions and complete a class project Learn the habits of the mind for inventions, experimentation, design, etc. Sessions #51, #59, #156, #442 25

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Engaging Students Socially with Heads-On Assignments Students report: Debating topics from material read in English and other classes Solving challenging mathematics problems Completing a challenging science assignment/project 26

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Engaging Students Socially with Heads-On Learning 27

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Engaging Students in Hands-On Assignments to Advance Heads-On Learning Students report: Using science equipment to do science activities and labs related to a local environmental problem Collecting, analyzing and developing charts, graphs and diagrams to explain the benefits for a youth center in gang-riddled community Researching local ordinances for constructing a new house and filing the necessary paper work 28

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Engaging Students in Hands- On Learning to Complete Heads-On Assignments 29

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Actions Districts and Schools Can Take Action 8: Make better use of the 12th grade to prepare more students for graduation and for postsecondary options. Give college-ready students an early start Help unprepared students become college-ready Help career-bound students become work-ready Prepare students to graduate Session #20, #123, #268, #270, #312, #313, #361, #407, #466, #568 30

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Actions Districts and Schools Can Take Action 9: Target the most at-risk students to raise their achievement and graduation rates. Provide identified students with support Restructure the school to create a more personalized and relevant learning environment Sessions #190, #192, #197, #307, #331, #383, #479 31

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning Actions Districts and Schools Can Take Action 10: Bring dropouts back into the education system. Make the 13th year more attractive Work with other institutions to return students to school Adopt flexible schedules Sessions #102, #239, #341, #352, #459, #478, #558 32

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW Heads-On, Hands-on Learning In summary, districts and schools can raise BOTH achievement and graduation rates: Give equal priority to raising student achievement and high school graduation Set ambitious goals Broaden the definition of rigor Target the lowest-performing students Support proven practices to improve achievement and graduation rates 33