West Junior High's National Endowment for the Humanities Schools for a New Millennium Implementation Grant evolved from collaborative planning and projects initiated by participants in the NEH Planning Grant. That planning phase leveraged a process for accessing electronically some primary resources not available within the walls of West Junior High. Our team representing local museums, educational institutions, technology centers, and the print media continues to produce a Web site containing local history materials. The growing database provides information to the public and serves as the focus of student projects. Access to authentic information, professional collaboration and training, and support for student leadership in the area of technology profoundly impacts lesson design and instruction quality. As the Community Connections project reaches more students, it increases enthusiasm for humanities studies and enhances academic achievement. Continuation of our efforts helps establish a prototype for best practices in the area of humanities education through the integration of technology within the core academic curriculum.
In this second year of the implementation grant we have expanded our focus
to include all faculty. (Appendix 1) The original participants continue to develop
projects; to share their experiences and to support colleagues who are becoming
involved for the first time. This year's 8-member steering committee met once
per semester to facilitate meeting our goals: 1) develop the Web site database
of community resources, 2) develop teacher Web pages, 3) develop collaborative
projects, and 4) increase individual teachers' technology skills. These areas
were selected as focus points in the vision-building sessions ending January
2001.
During the spring semester, focus shifted from establishment of Quality Performance
Accreditation goals (part of the Kansas school accreditation cycle begun this
year), to how our NEH grant goals could support movement to a block schedule
in the upcoming school year. Faculty new to the building became more familiar
with their curriculum and began finding ways the grant could support their instruction.
We continue to work toward realization of two larger collaborative projects
identified in 2001. The first is an oral history project culminating in a multi-media
presentation/performance replacing the traditional spring play. Community members
and school staff were interviewed and videotaped, students wrote scripts to
dramatize significant events based on these interviews. The project involved
Drama and Media students as well as the extra-curricular drama club, Junior
Plays. A performances of "Life Stories" was given April 17. Another
oral history project was initiated by new American history teacher Angela Adams.
Eighth-graders investigated World War II or the Korean War via interview. (Appendix
2)
The second area of collaboration will develop projects within the thematic umbrella
of the Underground Railroad. We continued compiling community resources about
the role Lawrence played and adding them to our Web site. We will use this topic
as a basis of contacting other schools who share locations linked to this history.
It will provide us with a reason for sharing student projects. (Appendix 3)
As the new block schedule was designed, great care was given to maintain structures
that facilitate professional collaboration: Wednesday collaboration time (using
an early dismissal schedule) and daily team planning time. Both contribute to
ever-increasing levels of collaboration across the curriculum. Collaboration
takes place more frequently, and includes a broader range of issues than in
the past. The following were especially significant examples of cross-curricular
planning this semester: 1) regularly scheduled assignments using 6-trait writing
as the evaluation rubric, 2) application of reading strategies identified by
the QPA reading task force, 3) application of computation and problem-solving
strategies identified by the QPA math task force, 4) the Tolerance/Holocaust
unit in 8th grade, 5) a Decades (60's, 70's, 80's) unit to end the year in 9th
grade, 6) planning for instruction in the block schedule, and 7) School-to-Career
activities.
Four teachers, the gifted facilitator, and two counselors planned and executed
the first full rotation of activities within the School-to-Career Plan for all
students at each grade level. The project began in Janet Fike's 7th grade Family
and Consumer Science classes when the counselors conducted an individual interest
survey. Students completed an interest inventory, then compared it to career
information contained in "Futures/ Choices" software. They researched
three careers of greatest interest and saved results both in their electronic
folder and as a hard copy. Each student had a one-on-one career-based conversation
with an adult regarding information in his/her folder. In 8th grade, activities
continued in Communications classes. Brandi Wegner conducted a personality survey,
taught how to create a résumé, and held mock interviews with community
members. In 9th grade Social Studies classes (teachers Carolyn Derusseau and
Angela Adams) students updated their résumés based on "Futures/Choices",
completed a more detailed search for appropriate careers, completed a career
shadowing experience, and participated in Career Day. Although several of these
activities have been used previously, this is the first year that the sequence
has been mapped for all three years. Connections between these activities at
three grade levels provides a structured context for discussion of careers.
(Appendix 4)
We began to apply our newly adopted plan to improve student performance during
a five-year cycle in the Quality Performance Accreditation process required
by the state of Kansas. The plan is monitored by the Continuous Improvement
Team and three taskforces: Reading, Writing, and Problem-Solving. Each taskforce
held training or tutoring sessions concerning their chosen strategies. To facilitate
school-wide implementation of the strategies this semester, a task force member
met at least once with each department for training and for assigning specific
use of strategies to particular curriculum areas. Integration of specific strategies
into specific units was discussed and practiced by department.
Refinements, variations, and improvements were made to units that have already
been implemented by grant participants: Introduction to 7th Grade, Tolerance
(8th grade team), Germans in Lawrence (German 2), Concerned Constituent Letters,
Pick-a-country, Titanic Trial, Career Interview, Native-American Project, and
Territorial Diaries (9th grade Social Studies), and Historic Places in Lawrence
(Photo 2)
Several new units were developed. A "Lawrence Leaders and Heroes"
project for 7th graders was developed by Michelle Andersen. In groups, the students
researched past and current "heroes" and leaders from Lawrence then
reported on the person in newspaper format. The list ranged from politicians
to educators to human rights activists, some of whom are already included in
the Community Connections database, others for whom information must be added.
(Appendix 5)
Both 9th grade teams (original grant participants, Derusseau and Austin-Janousek,
and new staff members, Angela Adams and Karen Cochran) ended the year with a
"Decades Project". The classes were divided into groups whose task
it was to create a presentation based on research about the 50's, 60's, 70's,
80's, or 90's. (Appendix 6)
Former photo teacher and project director, Phyllis Farrar, and current photo
teacher, Jessica Pegues, team-taught the "Historic Places of Lawrence"
unit in Photo 2. This unit, now in its fourth year, has been refined and improved
and resulted in quality student work ready for publication. The best four were
published on "Community Connections" (http://history.lawrence.com/project/student/historicbuildings.htm).
(Appendix 7
Technology is integrated into an ever-widening circle of school faculty and
support personnel instructional routines. Lesson planning integrates use of
computers, a wide variety of word processing and software, on-line catalogues
and internet research to such a degree that it will soon be taken for granted.
All 7th graders were oriented to the library and computer lab and trained to
save their files in their own account on the network. All 7th graders on one
team used PowerPoint. All 8th graders created a PowerPoint presentation in Communications
classes. Several teachers in grades 8 and 9, including Spanish 2, Social Studies,
English, and Science teachers used PowerPoint as a mode of presentation of student
projects. Presentations were also videotaped.
Those teachers who have Web pages diligently maintained, updated and expanded
their information. Michelle Andersen added an extensive teacher portfolio section
to her Web page (http://history.lawrence.com/project/teacher/mandersen/220index.htm).,
which will serve as a prototype.(Appendix 8) Regularly updating Web sites for
assignments, using a Web site called "Schoolnotes" (http://www.schoolnotes.com,
then enter zip code 66049) were four teachers: Gyles, Lewis, Mehl, and Wheeler.
Six teachers who maintain their Web sites on the Journal-World server provided
through the grant are: Andersen, Derusseau, Dyer, Gyles, Farrar, and Schnose.
Courtney Pence, a para-professional, also maintained a page for Burlingham &
Parr on the Journal-World server. Austin-Janousek regularly maintains her site
on a commercial server. The next step in the development of teacher Web pages
will be to publish all of them on the school district server now available,
with a faculty directory. That process will begin during the summer of 2002.
On the Burlingham & Parr Web site for gifted services, two independent student
research projects in women's studies were prepared for publication. We now have
six teachers following protocols for publishing student work. We have begun
to prepare a handout or small handbook as a guide for student publication, so
that all teachers will be able to publish according to safe use and copyright
guidelines. (Appendix 9)
A variety of teachers bringing classes to the computer labs requested "bookmarks"
added to "West Favorites" (these appear directly above Programs in
the start-up menu on all networked personal computers in the school.) This task
became a routine for Bonnie Briscoe, technology lab assistant. It facilitated
immediate engagement in class assignments using internet research. (Appendix
10)
Choral music teacher, Craig McCauley, discovered that his vision for a Web site
was beyond his skill level and time availability, even though he learned the
software quickly. He did not publish his site yet, but will develop it on a
smaller scale and publish soon.
Two sets of guides are being developed. One set provides orientation to teachers
creating Web pages. It includes a PowerPoint presentation, a handout containing
the specific FTP protocol for publishing, and a handbook "Becoming Dreamweaver
Savvy" by paraprofessional Courtney Pence. (Appendix 11)
A handbook for teachers bringing their classes to the computer lab has also
been created by lab assistant Bonnie Briscoe. It will be printed and distributed
to all teachers at the beginning of the coming school year. (Appendix 12)
Teacher in-service training on technology continued on a regular basis during
collaboration time every Wednesday afternoon during early release time. A specific
"Technology Topic" was identified each week and someone with a particular
skill or knowledge of software demonstrated it to other teachers. Everyone was
encouraged to bring real tasks to the session, so that they could actually apply
the skill to work they needed to do. Topics this semester included more training
using MSWord, creating posters, PowerPoint presentations, and teacher Web site
orientation. These sessions not only increase skills, but contribute to a collaborative
atmosphere surrounding technology. (Appendix 13)
The Kansas University Continuing Education department offered a course, "Lawrence,
Kansas: Phoenix in the Ashes". Three teachers were able to attend various
lectures; out of four two-hour sessions including five lecturers and a tour.
The tour conducted by Katie Armitage focused on sites related to Quantrill's
raid on Lawrence in 1863. This experience was excellent, a 'must' for all Lawrence
residents, especially our students. As a result, we will invite Armitage to
become a consultant on our grant project, to plan a tour for all 9th graders
next year and explore the possibilities of videotaping it as well. (Appendix
14)
One grant participant, Michelle Andersen, is currently working toward a Master's
in Educational Technology and Leadership from George Washington University in
DC. It is entirely taught online. Her coursework contributes to grant participation
as a member of the steering committee, on a 7th grade core team, and as the
sponsor of Technohawks.
"Technohawks," is our organization using the GenY program as its
model for developing student leadership in technology and matching students
with teachers who wish to improve technology skills or incorporate technology
in their classrooms. It's major accomplishment for the school year was the development
of a prototype teacher Web page. As the group learned html and the html authoring
software, "Dreamweaver", a contest began for creating the prototype.
The prototype was chosen based on elements of design and ease of use. Ten students
were matched with teachers who wanted to start a Web page. They met about content,
then the students created the teacher pages using the prototype. In April, at
a meeting after school, each student presented their teacher/partner with customized
Web page files. Those teachers will develop their pages further, adding content
and adjusting design in order to publish before the next school year starts
in August, 2002.
Computer club officers, serving as the editorial staff of the WJHS student Web
site (http://schools.lawrence.com/wjhs),
have not accomplished an update since November. They struggled with malfunctioning
equipment in the student-made computer lab. Solving ongoing equipment failures
requires skills and finances beyond the scope of this group. Problems in upgrading
this lab to meet the district network requirements will be resolved before the
next academic year.
Students with advanced technology skills continued to provide leadership in
such classes as newspaper, yearbook, media, and independent studies.
For the coming school year Technohawks and Computer club will merge. The next
project for Technohawks is to establish and maintain a content-rich student
Web page. They will target specific teachers with whom to collaborate for content
and will divide responsibilities among members of the group, like a newspaper
or yearbook staff.
The School-to-Career unit depended heavily on community resources. Mock interviews
with 8th graders were conducted by community members located in our Business-Education
partners. Twenty-some community representatives served on panels to talk about
their profession during the Career Day for 9th graders. Kathy Musick, from the
Douglas County Extension agency, provided materials about interviewing skills
and talked to Communication classes.
Our Lawrence Community Connections site where learners access and contribute
information is now fully functional. It is hosted by the Lawrence Journal World
server (http://history.lawrence.com).
Site design and organization are complete. It contains two sections, one called
"Topics" and the other called "Projects." Projects include
"Student ," "Special Interest Collections," "Teacher,"
and an information section called "About Us." Maintenance of the site
has become a routine requiring a "team" meeting about once every six
months, rather than the monthly meetings needed during the development stage.
"Topics" contains a resource database of items found at Watkins Community
Museum, at Spencer Research Library, or donated by private citizens. Procedures
for requesting and finding materials, verifying copyright, digitizing, crediting,
editing, and publishing, are being followed. The collection now numbers more
than 350 items. Preparation is truly a collaborative effort, including research
by assistants and word processing by students. Refinements of the process to
avoid inconsistencies in entries continue. The critical step of processing large
amounts of text in preparation for publishing a document on the Web site is
now furnished by keyboarding teacher, Stan Frantz, and his students. The project
director gives Frantz a folder containing photocopies of the document with specific
directions. When the students type text, it is saved on a disk; when all sections
requested are complete, the disk and folder are returned to the director, who
then enters them into the database. Twelve sections of Eudora "Community
Heritage" were published in this manner this spring. (http://history.lawrence.com/project/community/eudora/index.htm)
(Appendix 15)
The "Community" section of "Projects" was relabeled "Special
Interest Collections". The page was reorganized and has grown significantly.
Two major additions, from Spencer Research Library, completed this semester
were a composite photograph of Turnverein members (http://history.lawrence.com/project/community/1881turnverein/1881members.html)
and an Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railway poster encouraging German immigrants
to come to Kansas (http://history.lawrence.com/project/community/germanmap/german-map.html).
Both have clickable sections for close viewing. The German 2 project to transcribe
sections of the poster began in Spring 2000. Three student transcriptions are
now linked to the poster sections. (Appendix 16)
Andersen, 7th grade English teacher, researched and identified people in the
category of "hero" or leader for whom we seek biographical information
to be added to the database. This search has produced initial results from Watkins
Community Museum and will continue there, in Spencer Research Library and Lawrence
Journal-World archives. (see E-mail correspondence in Appendix 5)
For the first time since the "Community Connections" Web site was
begun, a German student responded to an invitation in class by bringing a family
document worth adding to the database. A personal military record book of one
7th grader's German-American great-great-grandfather is now published in the
Topics database on the site at (http://history.lawrence.com/res/resource/311.)
Several inside pages are included and linked to this resource. A personal document
of this nature adds to the quality of the collection and to student interest.
(Appendix 17)
Central States Conference for Foreign Language Teaching, a16-state
regional language convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri, in March. Phyllis
Farrar gave a 75 minute presentation titled "Community Connections".
She presented the development of a cross-curricular unit, "Germans in Lawrence,"
using community resources, technology, and a student project model for instruction
in a foreign language. The session was well attended and well received. (Appendix
18)
Counselors Clough and Leichti presented the School-to-Career curriculum to a
district-wide meeting of school counselors late this spring. It is hoped that
the program can be duplicated at the three other junior high schools in the
district.
A short presentation in the form of a collection of announcements and handouts
was made at both the April and May faculty meetings to bring attention to grant
goals and support for staff who would work toward those goals.
Steering committee members are discussing appropriate district, state, and regional
conferences where presentations would be useful to humanities colleagues. Plans
for a summary presentation to the school board and to community collaborators
have also begun.
By the middle of this second year of the grant it became clear
that we still have much work to complete. Our conservative use of funds would
allow the continuation of efforts to expand the work toward grant goals to all
faculty and to continue using assistants to build the community database. We
wrote NEH to request a one-year extension. Phyllis Farrar will serve as project
director, and assistants John Jewell, (at Watkins), and Brandon Weber (Web site
assistant) will continue in their positions. Our community collaborators welcomed
this news. We will continue to explore other avenues for community involvement
in this project's future. (Appendix 19)
As the database on the "Community Connections" Web site grows, it
can be somewhat overwhelming. A review by teachers who have used it this year
will help us make adjustments during the summer. The home page icons leading
to and explaining the five sections of the site are not as effective as we would
like and need to be rearranged. Student photos or graphics will eventually be
selected to replace those icons.
The site is becoming known in the community. We have received our first "to
webmaster" letter of appreciation from a community member whose restoration
project is featured in a student project. (Appendix 20)
Unfortunately, the Web site is not particularly well known in our own student
body until the end of the 9th grade year when it is being used in several classes
simultaneously. Better efforts to acquaint 7th and 8th graders with it would
help more students aspire to contribute their projects to the site. Publication
of student work, success is student technology assistance, or new teacher Web
pages needs to be celebrated more 'publicly' in forums such as daily announcements
and the school paper.
Teacher awareness is increasing from the eight original participants to the
entire faculty. Grant goals are integrated into lesson planning, from the core
teams to special education classes. (Appendix 21)
The grant team, which was a group with excellent continuity for three years
experienced several changes last fall due to new core team members or new combinations
of personnel, at all three grade levels. Orientation to new staff delayed initiating
projects incorporating all the humanities teachers and their teams into the
grant. As the spring semester progressed, more projected-based integrated curriculum
goals were communicated. Emphasis on these goals will parallel technology goals
in the coming year.
The new block schedule (three 'blocks' with core subjects on alternating A/B
days and two 'skinnies') will be implemented in the fall of 2002. This schedule
will allot 90 minutes to each instructional period; allow the continuation of
teaming in the core classes (English, Social Studies, Math, and Science); and
will increase the amount of instructional time considerably. This engenders
support of all the goals of this grant. Our focus on project-based instruction,
integration of technology, collaborative projects, and integrated humanities
curriculum for the past four years makes the transition to teaching in long
blocks of time more natural for this staff than in comparable schools. Grant
participants provide leadership in staff development to prepare for the schedule
change.
Successes with grant goals continue to accumulate. The creation
of a Web site database of community historic resources has been accomplished
and the process it takes to maintain and enlarge it is understood by more staff
each year. The database is organized in general topics, is searchable, can grow
with contributions from a variety of sources, and lends itself to a variety
of student projects. The potential exists for growth in both quantity and quality
of resources, and is serving to inspire teacher involvement in the project.
The collaboration of West Junior High Staff with community institutions is increasingly
rewarding. Mutual goals and reciprocal support epitomize the meaning of the
Community Connections grant title.
The integration of technology into the fabric of staff collaboration and into
instruction is becoming our 'way of life'. Skill levels of all staff have so
greatly improved that technological problems are solved quickly and with little
disruption of routine. More teachers are bringing more classes to the computer
lab and library, time on task is more productive, and problems arising from
these activities are solved more collaboratively and creatively.
As we look forward to a schedule using longer blocks of instructional time our
staff is primed for using all innovative methods of instruction fostered by
this grant. The successful implementation of QPA strategies in reading, writing,
and problem solving results from a collaborative attitude of all staff and the
sincere belief that our curriculum must be fully integrated in order to effectively
reach students. Grant participants feel revitalized and eager to continue our
efforts in teaching.