Innovative Education in Vermont
Exploring innovative, personalized, student-centered school change
What if there was a way to spend less time grading your students’ writing, while also providing a valuable writing experience for them?
What if there was a way to bring interested, wise community members into your classroom on a regular basis? I think I discovered a way: student blogs with readers from the local community.
Continue reading “Students blogging for an authentic audience”
Every year, I watch in awe as students take ownership of their films and are challenged to exercise new skills and proficiencies: self direction, creative expression, and problem-solving. I’ve seen this assignment throw some of our most academically-capable and motivated students off-balance.
I’ve also watched many diverse groups pull together to create some powerful, beautifully-shot films.
This may be the most challenging course we offer.
As the end of June nears and students take their final exams, clear out their lockers, and begin sleeping in until noon, teachers are gathering their remaining energy, and administrators are giving them space, to take stock of the year, celebrate the successes and challenges, and together learn from them.
But what’s the best way to assess technology-rich instruction and the 1:1 environment?
At The Compass School in Westminster, Vermont, students advance through grades by producing evidence of their accomplishments from the year, using the previous year’s reflection to inform the current one. We had the chance to sit down with a student just finishing 11th grade at Compass, and hear not just about his Y.E.A.R. (year-end academic reflection) but how it’s going to prepare him for the all-important graduating Roundtable.
Continue reading “Mathew’s Y.E.A.R. at The Compass School”