Strategies to Create a College-Going, Globally Focused School Culture:Pathways to Global Competence

By Sarah Straub & Brian McCormick

•Agenda or Summary LayoutPromoting Student Choice: Bring the University Experience to Campus

Making the Dream a Reality

“f you could teach your students how to do anything what would it be?” Participants will discuss their ideas and place “dream” classes on a Parking Lot

What would you do?

Introduction to seminar and participants will be able to select their top 3 choices from a sample course list.

Practice Makes Perfect

Participants will work to create a similar ISSN U experience or a new idea in groups.

Group Presentation Whip Around

Participants will share out their ideas and provide/accept feedback from peers.

3:40pm

3:45pm

4:30pm

3:55pm

4:10pm

Discussion & Presentation

What does Ogden U and YES U look like at respective schools. (Logistics, teacher opinion, student opinion)

Close Out & Final Questions, Comments, Concerns

.4:50pm

•Course Selection GuideParticipants will view the Course List (shortened) to select their class.

• A new planet has recently been discovered. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to build a robot that can perform three tasks:

• explore this newly discovered planet and collect specimens that signal life is possible on that planet;

• Locate and store water samples to determine if the water is safe to drink on that planet; and

• take and record at least 5 temperature readings to determine if it will be too hot or too cold to live on that planet

• NASA also wants to continue using these robots here on Earth when they are finished exploring the new planet. As you design your robot, you’ll also plan for how this robot can be used in everyday life here on Earth. Part of the competition will also judge everyday tasks like cleaning house, grocery shopping, and cooking.

• Supplies will be provided… but they might not be the supplies you expected

•Houston… we have a problem. And we need YOU! - Knight/Green

7th

It’s time to step it up… again. There has been an introductory course for girls and one for boys –now is the time to test your strength and your strength of mind. Please, consider signing up for this physically and mentally demanding course.

•Self-Defense 201- McRae

8th

Welcome summer vacation by embracing your inner artist! Come create a beautiful painting that you can take home and enjoy forever. You will be led step by step through this summery painting, while enjoying some iced tea and music. Hope to see you there!

PAINTING- Stellato

• Interested in making a piñata? Then join the Piñata Class! In this class you will:

- Make a homemade piñata for yourself

- Learn a little bit about the history of piñatas

- & eat some chips and salsa while waiting for our piñatas to dry!

•Let’s break a Piñata!- Campos

• Baking can be a blast........ BUT the decorations are what make the cake! Learn how to make homemade icing, decorate cakes using different decorating techniques, and have a Cake Off to see who the Next Great Cake Decorator will be!

•The Next Great Cake Decorator-Hosack/Byeseda

Course Options

Houston, We Have a Problem…

Self-Defense 201

The Next Great Cake Decorator

Summer Vacation Painting

Let’s Break a Piñata

Choose courses based on your personal interest.

Rather than trying to get the same class as your friends, divide and conquer to share what you’ve learned later!

•Course Selection GuideOn a Post-It Note, please indicate your TOP 3 choices.

What is YES U/Ogden U?Purpose, Logistics, Teacher Opinion, Student Opinion

Ogden U.’s Perfect StormThe Fates Align and a New Seminar Program is Born

•Esans Plants the Seed

• Faculty members see robust seminar program in place during 2008 visits

• Why can’t we do that?

•The Problem: District-Directed Half Days• 20 minute class periods very unproductive

• Alternating class periods on half days throws off class pacing

• Middle school student attention spans particularly challenged on half days

• Ogden moved all half days to Fridays: pros and cons

•Proposed Solution: Three-Hour Seminars

• Small group offerings (10-12 students)

• All hands on deck (administrators, teachers, ESPs, clerks all offer seminars)

• Goal: create learning experiences that are appropriate, engaging and FUN!

•Selling the Staff• All offerings staff directed, based on each member’s

interests

• Opportunity to work with students in a small group setting

• Opportunity to work with students we don’t usually see

• Preferable to the “traditional” use of half days

• Competition to offer the “best” seminar

•Selling the Students

• Choices!!!

• Course catalogues create buzz

• Collegiate feel

• Lottery day

• Great lesson in prioritizing

• Opens students up to new areas of exploration

• Climb Every (Indoor) Mountain

• Inside a Major Metro Newsroom

•From the Course Catalogue: A Sampling of Titles

• WEEEEE! Designing and Building an Amusement Park Thrill Ride

• French Chef’s Guide to a Perfect Hors d’oeuvre Party

• Dancing with the (Ogden) Stars: Latin Edition

• The Ultimate Ultimate Tournament

• Making Pizza the Neapolitan Way

• Inside Iraq

• On the Front Lines in Afghanistan: A Soldier’s Story

• Tennis Anyone?

• Urban Gardening

• Field Exploration: Flora of the Prairie

•Measures of Success

• Ogden U’s offered 2-3 times yearly since 2008

• Frequently cited by students and parents in surveys as “one of my favorite things” about Ogden

• Ogden U cancellation in May of 2012 spurs griping by students and staff

• Culture Building

• Students are paired by interest

• Heterogeneous by gender and by grade-level

• Teacher/Student relationships based on shared interests

• Identity Building

• Differentiates your campus from surrounding schools

• Students have opportunities to articulate language of ISSN schools

during mini-lesson times

• Provides opportunities that would otherwise not exist

• Potential for students to learn new things about themselves

•Purpose of YES U

ISSN MINI LESSON

• What is ISSN?

• What are PBLs?

• What is SAGE?

• Why is Language Learning So Important?

• Why is Reflection So Important?

• Invite community members to come out for festival

• AFS and Girl Scouts of America developed festival with food and culture sharing (study abroad students)

• Scholarship discussion before and after festival

FESTIVAL

•YES U Has 2 FocusesISSN Mini-Lesson & YES U Course

Can any participants think of an additional

opportunity?

• Teachers identify and email in course descriptions (2 weeks out)

• Students select courses during one class period (1 week out)

• Organizer creates spreadsheet for front office/teacher use

• Courses are posted 3 days in advance to allow students to see classes and plan for necessary materials

• Organizer develops ISSN Course and teacher plan (1 week out)

•LogisticsIt takes planning, but it gets easier every time!

Staff Notes Post – Weekend Before•Examples of Documents for YES U

Reflection Sheet for Students – Page 1 of 2•Examples of Documents for YES U

Room Assignment Chart – Weekend Before•Examples of Documents for YES U

Permission Slip– Weekend Before•Examples of Documents for YES U

Course Selection Sheet – Week Before•Examples of Documents for YES U

•Enjoy the day!!!

• Logistics Crew (planning for 500 students, 28 teachers)

• Community Partners Crew (develop a list of potential partners to co-teach courses)

• Student Choice Crew (developing a survey and a method for placing students in classes that is fair and allows education access and success for all)

• Reflection Crew (brainstorm list of challenges this will present to teachers on a campus, beneficial reflection process for students and teachers post International University Day)

•Group Planning Time

• 2 Minute Presentation• Main Focus for ISSN Class

• Identify Challenges to Logistics

• 2 Minute Clarifying Questions• Audience questions

• Reflection

•Share Out

•Teacher and Student Quotations:“I love YES U because it lets the students see a different side to me. I’m not the most popular teacher, but I think having the students see my talents helps me identify with them more.”

“YES U is great because I get to talk to other people who go to this school that I never have talked to before. I now know some 6th graders even though I’m in 8th grade.”

“Right before holidays always have students checking out… this is a great way to check them back in.”

“I feel like I’m in college. We are always told that we get to choose our own paths, but we always have the same classes as everyone else. It’s fun to have a day when we really do get to choose our own classes.”

“I like how YES U days have us reflect. We really saw Ms. Straub take what we told her from our first YES U in December to make this YES U even better!”

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Thank you for your time!

Sarah StraubSarah.Straub@yesprep.org

Brian McCormick BJMccormick@cps.edu