in the spring of 2013, I (Gene) had the good fortune of
meeting Donna Dunson, essential at Lake Wales high college in Lake Wales,
Florida; of her school members; and
Serita Winthrop, an avid supporter. It was Serita who reached out to me, as she
knew that The Clay center team might be excited to pay attention of the
innovations important Dunson had initiated on the faculty.
The synergy was best.
Lake Wales
high faculty is a charter faculty about forty five mins inland from Orlando.
The network of Lake Wales
is extremely underserved from almost every monetary indicator. moreover, of the
1,500 college students who include the scholar body, fifty one% come from
minority populations, and as a minimum one hundred are homeless, living with
households within the community through cautious business enterprise via some
of nearby churches.
Serving this kind of various population can, at first, seem
formidable to any educator. in spite of everything, how can one probable shape
a curriculum to match the specific needs of all the ones inside the network?
when Donna Dunson took over as foremost of LWHS, she added
along with her a long records of public, non-public, and worldwide college
management. but, Lake Wales’
fame as a charter faculty might allow her to work with a public college
populace without the limitations of a massive forms. moreover, it would permit
radical adjustments to be made to the college curriculum and mind-set. A
redecorate changed into desperately wished, ant this is in the long run what
developed—a entire redesign of Lake Wales
excessive college.
major Dunson named her new technique the Keystone layout,
referencing an architectural metaphor to encapsulate how the students could
grow to be the designers in their own training. In reality, predominant Dunson
expected the version reaching past a curricular layout; she hoped it'd
additionally serve as a vehicle to illustrate how students should end up the
architects of their lives.
The Keystone framework changed into also the organizing
structure applied to the college’s operation. every administrative selection
made took under consideration the vocabulary and ideas of layout. in many
approaches, the school directors and instructors could for that reason emerge
as architects as well—adopting a new way of searching at their lives each in
and outside of the faculty surroundings.
most important Dunson’s version, once placed into practice,
proved transformative for the complete network.
The framework is not a contrived or superficial educational
fashion; rather, it’s supposed to have interaction every student in an
authentic way. For every issue region—math, technology, social research,
English—educational additives create a common thread of layout that spirals via
the curriculum. college students are challenged to keep in mind the principles
of structure, and follow them within the educational discipline. The curricular
elements require that students study a brand new design vocabulary and
conceptual version, inclusive of “basis,” “patterns,” “stability,” “symmetry,”
“cohesion,” “harmony,” “scale,” “proportion,” “rhythm,” “assessment,”
“structure,” “coherence,” and “perspective.” And, peculiarly, they're to
contain factors from their non-public life reports—recognition of social
forces, relationships, artwork, and culture—into the mixture.
Sounds complex, proper?
however keep in mind an instance: permit’s say a student is
reading a ancient event. she or he will be taught and expected to locate
underlying patterns within the problem or state of affairs worried; to describe
the principles of his/her investigation; to comprehend the occasion’s place in
the material of social systems; to apprehend the development of the problems to
hand; to look for parallels in other events; and to take into account the
relative scale, proportion, and perspectives of the event compared to others.
perhaps most essential, students are anticipated to recognize how the subject
count pertains to experiences in their own lives. they're taught to search for
parallels within their personal conflicts and triumphs.
This version, of route, does not put off the requirement for
fundamental mathematical standards, clinical information, or center factors of
literacy. students nevertheless want the “3 Rs.” but, important Dunson
understood that students will simplest master academics if they're interested
and invested within the educational method. The manner of engagement within the
Keystone design presumes that students will be attracted to academic fabric if
supplied in an modern, creative, and personal way that captures their precise
hobbies, draws upon their creativeness, calls for intensive social
interactions, and is applicable to their lives.
The Keystone layout additionally takes into consideration
self-rule and self-law. this is, first and primary, it appreciates that
students are living in an environment and subculture that has a huge impact on
their ability to feature. therefore, the tradition of the faculty need to
foster safety, admire, cooperation, and well-being, and the faculty community
need to empower college students to take duty for their attitudes and conduct.
organization recognition of regulations and expectancies is crucial.
Upon her arrival, most important Dunson accordingly set up a
President’s Council of college students, elected via the scholar frame, that
could meet along with her and senior college individuals to check all the
school’s factors requiring instantaneous interest, and to craft a center set of
values for college students to operate by. in addition to the students elected
with the aid of their friends, she brought to this council those with
disciplinary troubles, and people whom she concept would possibly otherwise be
left out in such conversations. This numerous organization provided her vital
perception into how the distinctive segments of the school were feeling about
the modifications being carried out.
The school’s motto, advanced through the President’s
Council, became “you are Your Brother’s Keeper,” and set forth 10 expectations
for every student:
• Be effective
and fantastic in the whole lot you do. completely engagement with the procedure
of getting to know.
• the respect
for this workforce is non-negotiable; they're right here that will help you
shape your destiny.
• Be
open-minded and admire the thoughts of others. Dig deeper for reality and
knowledge.
• admire the
space and show that admire via your mind-set, movements, and appearance.
• Be honest
and always do what is proper. searching for to understand who you are and find
your region in this international.
• You have to
no longer count on rewards for matters that you are predicted to do. strive to
be glad with a activity nicely-completed (intrinsic pleasure).
• maintain
your self and your peers to a high standard. strive to apply a high stage of
discourse in all of your conversations.
• fulfillment
is proportional to effort. Albert Einstein: “Genius is 1% talent and 99%
difficult paintings.”
• locate
approaches to present lower back to this community and the community of Lake
Wales. Pay it ahead.
• absolutely
interact with each second; throw yourself into the challenge to hand—the
consequences will be there. it's miles approximately the method!
This code of ethics and conduct is published anywhere inside
the college—in every and every hallway. the students take ownership for it and
live by using it.
within the 12 months previous to foremost Dunson’s
transition, the statistics at Lake Wales high school were mediocre at
first-class. inside the beyond 4 years, but, those associated with grades,
college attractiveness fees, rude conduct, and bodily fights have substantially
stepped forward—and, the ranges of student/student and student/group of workers
appreciate have improved notably.
Over the route of approximately five years, more than 1/2 of
the college’s instructors have been replaced (based on scholar reviews);
tardiness, absenteeism, and badmouthing have dropped precipitously; and the
graduation and college recognition fees have risen into the high 80% variety.
This demonstrates just how a ways we will development thru
incorporating creativity into our tutorial models, and collaborating with our
college students to sell shared governance and behavioral adjustments.
Lake Wales
high faculty student film On Bullying & Sexting
I got here to Lake
Wales by way of invitation in 2014
to talk with the student body. essential Dunson and that i had decided that a
talk on bullying and sexting was terribly crucial—so, I spent approximately 20
mins reviewing with them the records on use and misuse of digital media, after
which facilitated an open forum wherein the scholars could weigh in on how they
and their friends need to properly navigate the virtual world. i used to be
simply astounded by using the scholars’ honesty, integrity, and willingness to
proportion their personal stories.
I concluded my presentation with a very last undertaking:
for the scholars to create an academic product—a video, a music, a story, a
piece of artwork—that would educate other youngsters approximately the troubles
referring to bullying and sexting. in spite of everything, their friends are
far much more likely to concentrate to them than to any grownup.
As you may see, the students at Lake
Wales do no longer regard their
roles as educators and citizens as corny or unimportant. They recognize,
certainly they understand, that they can actually make a distinction. this is
the most crucial lesson that all and sundry can study, and the students at Lake
Wales are fortunate to were shown
their personal ability in such a unique and positive manner. What a perfect
model for the future of training.
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