AGENDA
Helping School and State Leaders Understand Deeper Learning
In Mississippi there is an interest among superintendents, principals, and research and education faculty to gain a clearer understanding of Deeper Learning – the mastery of rigorous core academic content; critical thinking and problem solving; teamwork and collaboration; effective communication; learning how to learn; and cultivation of an academic mindset. Participants want to learn how to prepare students for postsecondary success, ensuring that they know how to apply knowledge and are ready to enter the workforce. As an ever-expanding global market demands a more skilled workforce, educators, employers and policymakers are realizing the important role career-readiness plays in preparing students for a range of postsecondary options while still in school. They are also increasingly convinced that this preparation needs to include not only knowledge, skills, and dispositions but also hands-on workplace experience. They are interested in learning what this kind of learning necessitates regarding instruction and assessment, as well as the preparation and ongoing professional development of teachers.
On this study tour participants will visit two schools that are providing students with deeper learning and career preparation. At the start, participants will receive an introductory briefing providing an overview of deeper learning. They will visit two schools in the Washington, DC area. At one school, Capital City Charter School, the focus will be on deeper learning and how teachers and administrators are providing students with rich academic learning alongside deeper learning skills. They will also learn how this school is developing teachers’ professional capacity. Through conversations with students, teachers, and administrators, participants will witness first-hand how a culture is created that supports students as they acquire deeper learning competencies in real-world settings that lead to career- and college-readiness. At the second school, Arlington Career Center, the focus will be on career preparation and how students are exposed to hands-on learning with real world application. Following each school visit, AYPF staff will conduct debrief sessions that will provide participants an opportunity to reflect on the learning and relate it to their own efforts in Mississippi.
The goals of the study tour would be to:
- Allow Mississippi school and district leadership, as well as researchers, to observe effective classroom practices that exemplify deeper learning. They will visit schools that engage in project-based and interdisciplinary instruction, and use multiple measures to determine student mastery and learning, including portfolios and exhibitions. Participants will also hear firsthand from students, teachers, and school leadership about their experiences within a deeper learning environment.
- Have participants hear from school and district leaders about the policies and capacity building supports they put in place to support deeper learning.
- Expose participants to the importance of school-employer-postsecondary partnerships that undergird work-based learning and that are required to make career preparation while in high school work.
- Learn about the process by which one district is putting in place a new all-day, full-time high school focused on career exploration. This will assist participants as they plan on a similar initiative in their own state.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
DoubletreeWashington Hotel, 1515 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005
3:00 – 3:30pmWelcome, Introductions, Study Tour Overview
3:30– 4:30pmOverview of Deeper Learning
Speaker: Loretta Goodwin, Senior Director, American Youth Policy Forum
Loretta will lead an interactive overview of what the deeper learning competencies are.
4:30pmParticipants free to explore dinner options
Thursday, May 26, 2016
6:30 – 7:30amBreakfast at Hotel
7:45 – 8:45amTravel to Capital City Public Charter School
100 Peabody Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011(202) 808-9800
Middle School Principal: Laina Cox
High School Principal: Belicia Reeves
9:00am – 2:00pmSite Visit at Capital City Public Charter School
Capital City was founded as an EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) school in 2000. The school serves close to 1,000 schools in Pre-K through 12th grade. The instructional approach throughout the school hinges on four core elements: Deeper Learning, Authentic Experiences, Personalized Instruction and a Whole Child Approach. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about all these elements from the principals, teachers and students.
2:00 – 3:00pmTravel to Hotel
3:00 – 3:45pmDebrief Capital City Site Visit
3:45pmParticipants on break/on own for dinner.
Friday, May 27, 2016
6:30 – 6:55amBreakfast at Hotel
7:00 – 8:00amTravel to Arlington Career Center
816 S.Walter Reed Dr., Arlington, VA 22204703-228-5730 (office)
Principal: Margaret Chung
The Arlington Career Center offers vocational, technical, academic and enrichment programs to high school, middle school, elementary and adult students Monday through Saturday, during the school year, and again during a six-week summer enrichment session. Since all Career Center classes are electives, the Career Center works in close collaboration with all of Arlington's schools and alternative programs.
The Career Center prepares students to realize their potential in a changing technological society. The program helps students develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes that encourage them to become lifelong learners through a collaborative learning environment that promotes individual growth and builds upon each student's strengths, abilities and career interests.
8:00am – 11:00amSite Visit at Arlington Career Center
11:00am – 12:00pmDebrief Study Tour at Arlington Career Center
12:00pm Lunch and return to airport