Discovering the Power of Hard Fun

Oklahoma A+ Schools®

Who are we?

Oklahoma A+ Schools® was conceived in North Carolina where it began as a research model sponsored by the Kenan Institute for the Arts. In 1998, the Kirkpatrick Foundation provided support through the DaVinci Institute to identify the country’s most successful education reform models. When a joint research team from the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University identified the North Carolina A+ Schools’ Program as one with great potential for replication in Oklahoma, the initiative was born.

Since 2002, OK A+ has and continues to advance a quality whole school experience to nurture the creativity in every learner.

Professional Development

Our 3-Legged Stool

Research Networking

60 Schools 2009-2010Serving over 1,800 staff and 19,000 students

Including Urban, Suburban, Rural, Elementary, Middle and High School

Statewide

OK A+ has become the “go-to” network for numerous efforts and entities ready to work on educational issues with like-minded individuals pre-disposed to think

differently about their roles in preparing our students for life in a society we can only imagine.

Dynamic Network

National Partnership

Keeping Score is the San Francisco Symphony’s national, multi-year program designed to make classical music more accessible to people of all ages and musical backgrounds of music.

National Partnership

Mount Vernon is providing Oklahoma educators with access to Mount Vernon’s existing and new educational programs through the use of the teacher ambassador program.

Creating a model exchange program between A+ and London schools.

International Partnership “Like a light being turned on in the discussion of our own practices.” -London Teacher

Dynamic Network

21st Century Skills

•English, reading or language arts •World languages •Arts •Mathematics •Economics •Science •Geography •History •Government and Civics

•Global awareness •Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy •Civic literacy •Health literacy

•Creativity and Innovation •Critical Thinking and Problem Solving •Communication and Collaboration

•Information Literacy •Media Literacy •ICT Literacy

•Flexibility And Adaptability•Initiative And Self-direction•Social And Cross-cultural Skills •Productivity And Accountability •Leadership And Responsibility

A+ Essentials™: A Set of CommitmentsA+ Essentials™: A Set of CommitmentsOriginally created by principals, teachers, and fellows of North Carolina A+ SchoolsEight A+ Essentials

ArtsIn A+ Schools the arts are:

* taught daily*inclusive of drama, dance, music,

visual art and writing*integrated

*valued as essential to learning*included in planning

*practiced*a part of personal experience

CurriculumIn A+ Schools curriculum is

addressed through the use of:*mapping that reflects alignment

*thematic webbing *development of

essential questions*creation and use of

interdisciplinarythematic units

*cross-curricular integration

Experiential LearningIn A+ Schools experiential

learning:*is grounded in

arts-based instruction*is a creative process

*acknowledgesentry points

*includesdifferentiated instruction*provides multi-faceted

assessment opportunities

Multiple IntelligencesIn A+ Schools multiple learning

pathways are:*used within planning

& assessment*understood by students and

parents*studied, and new research is

exploredby teachers

*creating balanced learning opportunities

Enriched AssessmentIn A+ Schools enriched

assessment:*is on-going

*is designed for learning*is used as documentation

*is a reflective practice*helps meet school

system requirements*is used to self -assess by teachers

and students

CollaborationIn A+ Schools collaboration:

*is intentional*occurs within &outside of school

*occurs during planning time: classroom teachers with arts

teachers*occurs with teachers, students,

families,the community,

& local businesses*includes broad-based leadership

InfrastructureIn A+ Schools infrastructure supports the philosophy by:*addressing logistics such as

schedules that support planning time

*providing appropriate space for the arts

*continually developing faculty commitment

* creating a shared vision*providing related professional

development*continual team building

ClimateIn A+ Schools climate improves

because:*teachers can manage the arts in

their classrooms*stress is reduced

*teachers are treatedas professionals

*morale improves*excitement about the program

grows*A+ whole school reform is

invigorating

A+ Essentials™: A Set of CommitmentsA+ Essentials™: A Set of CommitmentsOriginally created by principals, teachers, and fellows of North Carolina A+ SchoolsEight A+ Essentials

Experiential Learning ~ CollaborationMultiple Intelligences ~ Enriched Assessment

Arts ~ Curriculum

Infr

astr

uctu

re ~

Clim

ate

Higher achievement

Better attendance for students and teachers

Fewer disciplinary problems in schools

Happier, more effective educators

Joyful, engaged students

More parent and community involvement

Creative, focused instruction

Oklahoma A+ Schools® Research Results

“…the arts made schools fundamentally more enjoyable places to be and learn.”George Noblit, NC A+ Researcher

Original artworkReflecting on an A+ Essential

for the inaugural Oklahoma A+ Schools® Statewide Conference August 4, 2006.

Created by: Laneta Going © 2006

Reflecting on the Research

A+ Entry Year

2005200420032002

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A+ API

District API

2006 data from Oklahoma

State Department of

Education for Math

Percentages, Reading

Percentages, and Base API for

ALL students indicate

significantly higher average

scores for students in A+

schools in comparison with

their District averages.

A+ Schools with their District AveragesA+ Schools with their District AveragesAPI Scores for ALL studentsAPI Scores for ALL students

School Comparison Research Results

conducted by the Oklahoma City Public Schools’ Planning, Research and Evaluation Department

Do students in OKCPS A+ sites outperform their demographically matched counterparts who attend other OKCPS schools?

June 2006

(Answer: Yes. With statistical significance.)

737.26 727.7

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A+ Students Matched Cohorts

Spring 2005 ReadingOklahoma Performance Index Scores

p = .004 *737.4 724.4

600610620630640650660670680690700710720730740750760770780790800

Ok

la. O

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A+ Students Matched Cohorts

Spring 2005 MathematicsOklahoma Performance Index Scores

p = .001 *

Independent Analysis

Students were Matched

Achievement Race Sex Free Lunch Grade Special Ed Second Language

Student Survey Data

Oklahoma A+ students indicated that they find their schoolwork

(on a scale of 1 = Never to 5 = Always):

Enjoyable (Average = 3.86)

Interesting (Average = 3.57)

Challenging (Average = 3.55)

The My Class Activities survey (MCA) was administered to 1473 students in grades 3-8 in Oklahoma A+ Schools during the 2005-06 academic year.

People learn by actively constructing new

knowledge, rather than having information

"poured" into their heads.

They learn with particular effectiveness when

they are engaged in constructing personally

meaningful artifacts this is known as

“hard fun.” –Seymour Papert

Hard FunA+ Schools’ research team confirms!

THROUGH…• Regional Meetings• School site visits • Fall and Spring Mini-Institutes for principals, coordinators

and new staff• Growing number of schools = growing number of ideas and

resources

Oklahoma A+ Schools Networking Occurs…Teacher to Teacher - Principal to Principal -School to School -State to State

A+ Fellows are practicing teachers, artists, and specialists who spend a year in a guided-training model before they

can become official, A+ Fellows.

How does Professional Development Occur?

A+ Fellows

Developing schools that encourage creativity, innovation and critical thinking for the

21st century learner.

Be Creative