Posted 2:11 am Monday, February 28, 2011
JISD Applied-Learning Community Harnesses New Strategies In Education
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Every student learns differently.
That's one reason why East Side Elementary School in Jacksonville is launching an applied learning community that will focus on integrating technology and providing real-world experiences.
The program, which begins this fall, is open to students who will be in kindergarten or first grade in 2011-12. It will consist of up to two kindergarten classes and up to two first-grade classes.
Judy Terry, assistant superintendent of instruction and curriculum for Jacksonville ISD, said the program will involve three areas -- brain-based research, technology-based instruction and project-based instruction.
Among other things, she said, it will teach students how they learn, whether that's by listening or through more visual methods.
"All things in the applied learning community are strategies teachers already use, but they'll be used more extensively in these four classes," Ms. Terry said. "We're teaching them a lot of things we know as teachers so they can learn at their own pace. The strategies are good for all students, but some students learn differently, so this is a different opportunity for students."
Students also will connect to real-life experiences by completing hands-on tasks. That could include practicing problem solving skills or developing presentation skills by using media, visual, oral, and written communication, according to a presentation about the program.
"As education is changing, with the students we have come to us, they come with a lot of advantages as far as being able to have media and other experiences," Ms. Terry said. "The children we have today, I think this will be a great setting. We need to keep them involved. They need to come and be involved in what they're learning."
East Side Principal Chuck Lowery agreed, saying the challenge is that not all children are given equitable experiences before they come to the classroom.
So the applied learning community is "about creating another stimulating learning environment where students are engaged in a different way," he said.
"Schools today feel a lot of pressure from high-stakes testing. (The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) has been important in measuring success as educators. (But) sometimes that accountability translates into lesson plans and to instruction ... We need to keep one eye on the test and one eye on what students need."
Lowery said while the program will focus on technological skills, it will also create opportunities where students can pose real-life problems and think about ways to solve them.
He said individual interests will also factor in, and a small group of students might work together on one problem that includes a common interest.
For instance, Lowery said, a group of fourth-grade students last year expressed concern about trash and debris in the field behind East Side. He then gave them the challenge of finding a solution.
"They talked about adding trash cans, and that was a real world scenario that fit those fourth graders but also a concept in our world today we're concerned with," he said. "We'll create scenarios like that ... We want to make it as applicable to their lives as possible.
"They're our future politicians, attorneys, (and) doctors. We want to present those kids with as many opportunities to explore their natural interests and their natural curiosity about education."
Lowery said the expectations for the program will be high, but the hope is that students will be motivated and get more out of their personal education experience.
Students will not be the only ones involved in the program.
Ms. Terry said each student's family must perform 15 hours of volunteer service to the school, although a list of volunteer service opportunities has yet to be developed. According to a presentation on the program, the parental involvement is designed to create a partnership between home and school.
The district began preparing for an applied learning community in May.
Superintendent Dr. Joe Wardell and others visited several Texas schools to look at examples of non-traditional education methods, after parents initiated the idea of bringing similar methods to JISD.
And now that the applied learning community is set to launch later this year, the district will train teachers in all of the involved strategies.
Ms. Terry said teachers in different grades will also team up to work with the program, which is known as vertical teaming.
Lowery said East Side's new campus, slated to begin construction as early as this summer, lends itself to vertical teaming, where different grade levels can talk about how the curriculum aligns.
Each corridor in the new facility will also serve as its own learning pod with the necessary resources for those teachers, he said.
Ms. Terry said the district already has good programs in place, such as the dual language program at Fred Douglass Elementary School, so it's exciting to add the East Side applied learning community to the list.
Parents who are interested in the applied learning community must complete an application for their child. The child must score "developed" on pre-kindergarten and kindergarten end of year testing.
Ms. Terry said 50 percent of students will be chosen on a first come, first serve basis and 50 percent will be chosen through a lottery draw.
If necessary, a waiting list will also be started, she said.
Applications will be available beginning April 1 and will be accepted April 11-22.
