Schools have forever been trying to increase student learning. High schools want their students to make it to college, colleges want students to stick it out for the full four years. Let's face it. In order for this to happen, we've got to start taking a deeper look at the students who don't make it and figure out why.
An article in USA Today poses the question: "If large numbers of students aren't making it through, it's a question of, is the program structure successful?" Bingo! This college is trying something new called "learning communities" which encourages students to make personal connections with other students who are working toward a common goal. In this case, it's passing math, a subject in which they struggle.
My first year at Valley City State University I was put in a learning community with other freshmen called "Learning to Live, Living to Learn." The common goal? To get through our first year. We discussed alcohol, grades, laptop computer problems, dorm life, etc. Basically every obstacle that came into the life of a first time college student. Did it work? I guess I don't know. I still keep in touch with some of my classmates via email and Christmas cards. Others, however, didn't even make it to second semester.
Most of the resources I've consulted have listed learning communities as something in higher education, not really at the high school level. I wonder if it would work at the high school level. Kids at the school where I teach often have "Math Parties" before a big test. This must be a type of learning community. Students banding together with a common goal. Our incoming freshmen class are grouped and assigned to a couple of older students in order to help them make the transition to high school. These are more social learning communities rather than academic ones. High schools are less likely than colleges to cluster or link students in such a community formally, but I think it would be a good idea to take a look at these groups. What are some ways we could incorporate academic learning communities into high schools to help improve academics?
What's the lesson here? I think the key is to realize that an emotional connection important in the learning process. Will a learning community work for every learner? I'm sure not. Is it worth a try to attempt to reach struggling students? Absolutely.
I guess you know by now that Heather is my wife, and we are both VCSU grads. But for the most part, we live in a house divided. I guess you could say that most of the time, we agree to disagree.
ReplyDeleteI don’t buy into the whole learning communities thing, at least how it is being forced down upon educators. I agree that most program structures are not up to par. But I think that a simple fix for this would be for educators to be more rigorous in their courses; refuse to give A’s unless kids to above and beyond the class syllabus. Nothing brings people together better than hardships, and your class could be one of them.
I liked Living to Learn because when I now see fellow classmates, we say, “Hey, you were in my class!” But lets not forget why we remember each other; I had their life in my hands at some point. If I were to not catch this person or let go of the rope at the Kathryn Center, it would seem like I didn’t care and the person would go careening to their death. The same can be done in a classroom on a smaller scale.
I say, lets look at the curriculum and not create another job for teachers.