Small group discussion -

• "you know what you want to cover...there are projects in place" but being able to navigate the technology would be the thing to learn
• start with the 9th grade or 9th and 10th grade - but you have to have something that would give the students a choice. If students were forced into this from the start, where would the student buy-in be? We would have to have a selection process.
• We would have to look at the numbers we have and see how many teachers we could actually pull in
• $$$ to cover computers, travel, training, construction?????
• REDESIGN the building in some way
• what students would we target? average students? honors students? struggling students?
• the middle of the road kids get fewer choices - more courses for GT, more help for Special Ed.
• How many kids? you have to balance your demographics? So what about ESOL kids? Can we do a break up of our demographics?
• What about the academy (AAST)? Aren't they already doing this? Why not just expand this? Theirs is more focused on the major, rather than the inquiry method (more liberal arts)
• Whatever we do - in order to do project-based learning, we HAVE to have the resources separate from the rest of the building. We can't gobble up all of the technology in the building just for OUR classes. Could we guarantee use for all students every day.
• Would the teachers be just New Tech or could they also teach an "out" class? Would that take AP teachers out? Can we find out from other schools?
• Learning styles - the kids that do well in AP usually do well in school, in general - this should be targeting those students who don't always do well with school
• If we adopt this for 9th and 10th grade, do they other teachers in the building have access to the online materials? Would those of us who are NOT New Tech teachers still be able to use the materials (bits and pieces).
• If the state funds it, what accountability do we have? Do they take the computers back? the funding? the resources?
• technology is not the biggest part of this - we need the coach and resources
• non-EOC courses - best place to start? More flexibility, less accountability
• down side - 11th graders not as trainable, some EOC scores might actually go up - English I EOC is less about literature than informational texts these days.
• Classroom space - availability of labs, a wing of the school?
• need to see it in action - could we go to NC?
• what is the time frame for this? in the spring - Nona and lead teacher would go for 1 week to work with a school; then the teachers would shadow for a few days; training in the summer for 5 days.
• Application for those who are interested? then a lottery that would match the demographics
• teachers - application process - teachers need to be on board for this
• team teaching doesn't have to ALWAYS be done - would we be able to do both methods?
• What about the majors? These students have to finish within 4 years - could they be a part of the New Tech school?
• students would take their core classes so they would have other "out" classes when they could take their electives
• you may have low numbers the first year
• what is guidance's role - what stops guidance from just putting people in who need a class?

SUMMARY

• teacher application
• student application - lottery - need something to educate the 8th graders, something in the curriculum guide, publicity
• target a group to market it to - it is open to everyone, but we're going to invite specific ones and market it to them
• we need to visualize how this is ACTUALLY done - we need to SEE this done
• where is all of this $$$ going to come from - this will require a lot of $$$

New Tech Network Presentation

The title of the presentation: Powering the Future of Learning Presenters: Matt Williams and Kelley Yonce Every lesson starts with two things: 1) What you know and 2) what you need to know What we know:

• Student-centered
• project-based
• cross-curricular
• teacher collaboration
• student collaboration
• student/teacher buy-in
• anyone welcome
• technology-based

What we need to know

• how do teachers find time?
• how do we incorporate students with special needs?
• how do we accommodate various pacing/scaffolding?
• how do we teach collaboration?
• what types of technology do we need in our building?
• how do we address learning styles?
• what is project based learning?
• where do we get the materials?
• how do we design a project?
• how do we keep them on task?
• how much direct instruction is involved?
• how much of it leaves the classroom and moves into the community for something more authentic?
• what components do we already have?
• can we see an example of how a high school like this works?
• how much redesign is involved - what are we looking at for as an end result? stand alone school or school within a school?
• how does the lab component fit into the science aspect?
• how does the guidance aspect work in new tech?
• how do you get the student buy-in? is this assigned or do they self select this?
• discipline problems?
• student/teacher ratios
• teacher accountability - standards based learning and assessments - standardized testing??? HSAP? EOC? etc.

How have the goals of education changed?

• agriculture = subjects; industry = workers; service = citizens; knowledge = entrepreneurs
• We are in a society that stands between service and knowledge - creating citizens and entrepreneurs

In the 21st cent

• Information is abundant
• students learn to create and problem-solve

Top 5 New-Hire Skills

1. Oral communication
2. teamwork/collaboration
3. professionalism/work ethic
4. written communications
5. critical thinking

New Tech High was started by the business community in Napa Valley. It was designed to mirror the workplace through the use of real-world projects, relevant technology, and "professional" interactions. It became an engine for economic development.

The New Tech Approach

Culture That Empowers

• Trust, Respect, and Responsibility
• students "own" their school
• students consider the school their community
• openly and actively involve students in the government and decision making process
• students are respected - no passes or bells
• teachers collaborate with one another

Teaching That Engages

1. Project information phase: 1) starts with an entry document - introduces the project and provides real-world context; end result 2)knows and needs to know (don't only focus on the content but also the execution
2. Group Planning
3. Research and Investigation
4. Formal Teaching

These things keep going through the wheel (process)- they keep going through the process as needed.

Then it moves to

1. Drafting solutions
2. Final presentation
3. Reflection (and then you might go back through the process if needed)

Non-traditional requirements

• digital media
• college courses
• senior projects
• professional digital portfolios
• internships and community service
• integrated courses (some courses are stand alone courses)

Technology That Enables

• technology is the tool, not the focus
• PeBL - Web portal - Online tool for teachers and students at New Tech high schools
• grading - common assessment practices (rubrics - weighting) across the curriculum. For example, having a common rubric for oral communication no matter what class you're in (math, science, English, etc).

From a teacher's perspective

• bring the community in to the classroom and allow them to evaluate
• small group workshops (for direct instruction)
• kids work in teams and have team leaders
• leader sheets/team collaboration sheets - what the group accomplished for the day, what the plan is for the next day, grade teammates on professionalism skills, etc.
• Project briefcases - administrative things first, contains entry documents, other pieces of the projects, resources, lectures, articles, websites [all is transparent for students to see - unless you lock them, i.e. tests, quizzes, etc.]
• new tech coach - someone that helps develop projects?
• Sharing space - where teachers can share any and everything
• Project library - projects that have been evaluated and approved by New Tech
• Resource library - rubrics, documents, tutorials, procedures, group collaboration documents, etc.