iZone Project - Bronx District Schools
Background:
The iZone project harnesses today’s resources to design schools around
the unique strengths, interests and needs of each student. It looked at
innovative ways schools could engage 21st Century learners within their
context. Al, the AP at Compass High School had worked on the iZone project. He
explained that he had worked with 50 schools on 25 distinctly different
projects. As I have found on this tour innovation is very contextual. The most
innovative ideas have been tailored or designed specifically for the learners
at that school/ school district. I was keen to visit schools in New York in a
lower socio-economic area to see how the iZone programme had improved outcomes
for students in this tough area. It doesn't come any poorer in New York than
the Bronx. The Bronx is the poorest district in America. 90% of the students
that attend the schools in this area live below the poverty line. Most come
from broken homes, some from no homes. Many students' parents are in prison and
health care is poor.
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| The reality for many in New York |
The Bronx has the highest rate of
Asthma in the US and most student asthmatics have no medication. While we were
visiting one of the schools they had a "Code Blue." This is where a
student had a severe asthma attack and they had to call 911 for medical
assistance. This was the third Code Blue that week.
The teachers escort the students out of Middle School at the end of the
day to protect the children from gangs who will try to recruit, sell drugs, or
intimidate students.
Entering Compass High School Maggie and I were shocked at the level of
security. I had heard about it but to experience it first hand was disturbing.
I had to remove my shoes and belt, hand over my wallet, phone, watch etc as did
Maggie. This all went through an X-ray Machine, meanwhile, we had to walk
through a metal detector. The entrance area had four armed police officers
present as well as a number of school staff. It was sobering and quite a
contrast from the other schools I had visited.
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| High security in school Foyer |
Both schools I visited were relatively small in US terms. This was not
always the case. Both Schools were in buildings which contained several
schools. Originally the building would have been one large school but the
academic results were so bad and teacher quality and morale so low, the New
York School District broke up the schools into smaller, often specialist
schools. Compass High School was in the Stevenson High School Building.
It was one of 9 schools on the Campus. The Original Stevenson High School had
4000 students (Grades 10-12) and a 10% graduation rate!
Compass High School:
After the shock of the high security welcome I wasn't sure what I was in
for but the moment I entered Compass High Schools fourth floor home you could
see things were very different. The relaxed friendly tone extended through both
staff and students. As mentioned the school is one of 9 schools in the old
Stevenson High School building. The school shares the resources such as the
gym, music rooms, labs, and sports facilities with the other schools. Compass
High School has the fourth floor and is really just a collection of classes and
a couple of offices for staff and interns. The school has been part of the
iZone project and they are an internship school. With a roll of 330 students it
is a relatively small high school.
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| Quest, my host at Compass High School |
All 11 and 12 Grade students spend two days a week working on their
internship. This would be what we call work experience but is more in depth
than this type of programme in New Zealand. A number of students have
internships within the school. They may be an assistant to the Assistant
Principal, and IT maintenance technician or in a clerical role. This idea is to
give them a "Real World Experience.” Many students had particular projects
they were working on within their internship. The students I spoke to enjoy the
responsibility of the internship and were focused on going to college or into
the workforce. All students need to develop a Learning plan and track their
learning and their personal goals on this. The plan belongs to the student and
is based on the students’ needs both academic and social. Each student has an
advisor/ mentor on the staff who helps them stay on track with their plan.
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| Teacher Profile outside the classroom. |
The relationship between staff and students was evident. The environment
was relaxed. Students know all the teachers by their christian names and
outside the classes is a profile of the teacher, written by the students. While
visiting compass my tour guide was a student named Quest. He was an articulate
young man who was doing an intern in the IT department. You could see he was
the "Go To" guy for IT issues and he showed me where he worked with
pride. While talking to Quest he spoke with wisdom beyond his years. He said,
"For a long time I felt all the learning should come from the teacher but
now I realise I'm the one responsible for my learning and the teachers are there
to help guide me." Quest plans to go to college and study computing when
he graduates from High school.
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| Quest's Learning Plan |
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| Restorative Justice Planning |
Students all have Google accounts and share their work with staff and
peers. Al, the AP said that they are developing a Restorative Justice Model
with the students as it fitted well with their student-led philosophy. When I
was in the school the school interns were working on their Restorative Justice
model and discussing it with staff and each other. It was clear the end product
would have true student ownership.
Attendance could be better at Compass but Al felt this was because many students were doing extra work for their internship or were having to stay home to support their mothers with younger siblings. He felt their next big step was to try and capture the learning that goes on outside school.
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| Masters Academy for Grades 11/12 |
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| Explorers academy for Grade 10 |
When you consider the 10% graduation of the old Stevenson High School,
Compass High School's 92% graduation rate is pretty impressive and a strong
testament to the work they are doing.
Sound View Academy
Sound View was quite a contrast from the almost laid back environment at
Compass High School. With two weeks to go in the school year a middle school in
the Bronx in spring can be a lively place. The week had been eventful for
Principal, Will Frackleton, with three 'Code Blue' health alerts, and a teacher
in jail for assaulting a child. However within the school, there was something
special about Sound View. Like Compass High School, Sound View is one of three
schools within the building. The 400 student school occupied the fourth floor,
with around 40 students in a class. The school has sacrificed some of its
in-class student ratio to utilise some more community based positions.
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| Will Frackleton, a committed and caring Principal |
Like the School District on Vancouver Island, Sound View operates a
Community of Learners. They invest a great deal of staffing and funds linking
and ensuring a finger in the pulse of the community. Not just what is happening
in families but also things like what the local gangs are up to, who are they
scouting, or in liaising with local law enforcement. They employ a community
coordinator, who knows the community and is well respected both in the school
and in the community. He was not a counsellor but clearly the students had an
excellent relationship with him. As mentioned teachers go out of the
school at the end of the day to ensure students get home safely and protect
them from gangs.
One of the keys to student engagement at Sound View is the use of
eLearning. The School employs a full time IT teacher. The school is well
resourced with large pods of Mac Book Airs and IPad. The school has been
recognised for its innovation in this area and have recently received an Apple
Connected School Award. Their plan is to "Create a Digital Culture within
their Physical Culture." All students have Google accounts and students
collaborate on projects. The school has also made a big commitment in digital
media - visual arts, audio media, and movie making.
Sound View provides a stable, consistent, engaging environment for their
students and this is reflected in the lowest suspension rate in the district
and 92% attendance. As a school they have a high expectation of achievement for
their students. The staff try hard to instil pride in the school and in student’s
achievement. This includes having a uniform that creates a school identity. The
staff work hard, most work from 7am to 7pm and this has led to a high turnover
but in recent years staffing has stabilised and Will, the Principal, was very
proud of the committed team he had created.
Each staff member has 10-15 students they support in an advisory role.
Clearly this school is built around strong relationships. This was
obvious as we visited classes and saw the way students were responding to their
teachers and at the end of the day as I stood with Will and the Community
Coordinator it was great to see the interactions between these guys and the
students. High fives, jokes and conversations about what they were up to in the
weekend.
My Reflections:
Relationships, relationships, relationships! These schools quality,
genuine student / teacher relationships are the key. Teachers knew their
students not just as learners but as individual people. Without these kind of
relationships things would no doubt be chaos and students outcomes poor. By
splitting the large impersonal schools up the school district has created
schools where teachers can get to know each student well. Employing staff specially
to link with community has allowed these schools to understand and monitor
their communities. This role is something some of our lower decile schools need
to consider as they may be more accepted in homes than a social worker or Principal
when it comes to sorting out home/school issues.
The teacher advisor provide someone within the school who is looking out
for individual needs and student directed programmes, such as the internship
programme to ensure that work is relevant and engaging. ELearning had a strong
influence in both schools as a tool to engage learners and as key links with
the world outside their tough community.
Visiting the Bronx schools was a rich experience. It reminded me of what
we take for granted and the trivial things that we sometimes get ourselves
wrapped up with at our school. It left a similar impression on me as did
visiting the slum school in Jakarta. Too often we seek the next big thing
whether it be an IT tool, a course, or a new teaching model or we complain
about extra activities interfering with "teaching time," lack of CRT,
or slow networks. These things are trivial compared with what the teachers in
the Bronx face every day and when it all breaks down the key is for teachers to
really know their students and to take time to build strong relationships with
them. They reflect the type of person we want the students to be - positive,
problem solvers, who are good communicators and genuinely care for
others.
Implications for HSS:
We have been talking relationships for a number of years and this is
vitally important. As a school we must continue to emphasise this and provide
opportunities to up-skill staff, particularly new staff on our school ethos
around this. Maybe as we review our modern teaching pedagogy we should start
with relationships at the core because when you know your children well we can
better provide that self-directed programme they need (demand) and you can
ensure your programme is relevant and authentic as you understand what it is
that engages and motivates each child.
Once again I am reminded of the importance of having teachers who are
advisors / mentors for some of our at-risk students. We have discussed setting
this up but never formalised the programme. I feel this is a must-do when I'm
back on board.
Maybe we don't have the need for a full time community coordinator but
even as a part time position a community coordinator would be useful position
at HSS. It could be the role is a
combination of sports coordinator, family worker and the community role.
I liked the teacher profiles on the doors. It was a nice friendly way to
introduce the teacher and particularly effective having the student
voice.
This is something teachers could do at the start of the year. What a
great idea for High Schools!!
I think it's important for all teachers to take a deep breath and take
stock of what we have. Maybe refocus on why we do what we do - the kids!
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