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Our School
TEAM TEACHINGWhat is team teaching? Team teaching is a strategy used at many grade levels in many schools. Its success depends on how teams are structured and how well each team stays on task. At Phoenix Military Academy the English and Social Studies teachers comprise a team, and the Mathematics and Science teachers comprise another team. In a concerted effort to tie together content areas and promote across the curriculum learning and activities, team teaching can achieve great success. Team members should have common planning time, work together to develop lessons, and create strategies that benefit their students. Here at Phoenix, it would behoove us to share positive information and work habits about students and any other information that may affect student learning. It has been said that students take over more of a responsibility for learning when they know their teachers are working together. For tips on strengthening teams and practical tips for team teachers, check out the following websites: www.educationworld.com, www.twu.edu/hs/hs/baker/taetpres.htm, www.todaysteacher.com/TeamTeaching.htm, or www.happen.org. SERVICE LEARNING ORGANIZATION Service Learning is organized around the platoon/advisory structure and scheduled according to company teams. The teams, Red, Silver and Gold, hold the service learning courses during the same periods within the teams. Each class is identified as an elective within the discipline of the platoon advisor teaching the course. The courses are identified as:
Upper level cadets are assigned to service learning courses which will have the Academy Service Learning Coordinator as the teacher. This will allow their advanced responsibilities to be more closely monitored for project management skills. Upper level cadets consist of seniors and those juniors in platoon leader and other leadership positions. SERVICE CORPS OUTLINE JROTC/Small School Initiative-Service Corps Academy/Service Learning Recommendation Background. Within the parameters of the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative (the initiative) and in response to the request for proposal (RFP) for a small school-within-a-school plan, initial preparation has resulted in the initiation of a small school proposal for JROTC Service Corps Academy at Phoenix Military Academy. The goals of the Initiative are to: (1) increase academic achievement for all students, (2) significantly increase high school graduation rates, and (3) prepare students for a wide-range of post-secondary educational opportunities. The RFP requires several governance issues to be addressed in addition to eleven specific design criteria. The governance issues to be addressed separately. Within the design criteria guidelines are points addressed by this proposal: Identify the unique and significant needs of its student, parent and community population and address those needs in the design of the small schools. Focus on research-based strategies and models for curriculum and classroom instruction that promote high quality teaching and learning, and will dramatically improve student outcomes, including achievement on Standardized tests, graduation rates, and preparation for post-secondary education. Promote a curriculum that affords students multiple opportunities to engage in authentic intellectual work, and gain deep disciplinary knowledge. Foster a professional learning community for teachers. Evidence of ongoing professional development and time for teachers to meet during the school day around curriculum, instruction and assessment should be apparent. Purpose. The Phoenix Military Academy proposal addresses the four criteria (above) as they are incorporated into the program of instruction and design of the JROTC Service Corps Academy. It outlines how service learning will be included into the curriculum to achieve both student and teacher development requirements. Further, as a research-based approach to instruction, the project-based science and math activities support and enhance standard lesson planning and testing. Additionally, hands-on, experiental learning will integrate core academic learning activities with service learning projects and proposed student employment initiatives. Information. Several recommendations are included, which address the four criteria discussed.
Within the program, city, state and federal governmental agencies will facilitate student problem solvIng exercises as service learning experiences. While working toward the goal of creating a better community through service, student groups (platoons) will determine issues of community concern and possible solutions. Identifying responsible agencies will be essential as the students develop courses of action to correct community problems. Example 1: Potholes and inconsistent road repair, if identified as a community problem, will require working with the Department of Transportation and Streets and Sanitation. Solutions will address skills in English, civics/government, civil engineering, etc. Perhaps as a field trip to Planning and Zoning offices would assist in the project development. Example 2: Should crime be identified as a community problem, students will necessarily contract the local police district headquarters for research and problem solving. A crime prevention project will isolate a specific area of concern wherein the student group (platoon) will formulate causes of action and present them to the responsible agency, whether that agency is the Police Department, the School Board, or the Mayor's Office. Students will demonstrate organizational skills. Individual aptitude in English, math/statistics, government/public administration will be required. Example 3: if the student group (platoon) decides to tackle the difficult dilemma of neighborhood unemployment, a project might research employment statistics to .determine root causes. Visits to such agencies as the Illinois Department of Employment Security will provide insight into state and local initiatives already underway in which the students might participate. Further examples of community concerns will direct the students to the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, the Fire Department, the Department of Parks and Recreation and others. In all cases, the students will utilize a variety of research tools including the Internet, the Chicago Public Library, teachers and government experts. Project will require skills mapping inventories, learning logs and after action reviews - all completed by the students involved. Each student group (platoon) will have advisory teachers as dedicated advisors. Advisors will oversee the activities of the group, being careful not to over direct. Because the Service Corps projects will be central to the student curricula, advisors are encouraged to work with other teachers/advisors to facilitate complementary planning. To this end, interdisciplinary common planning time should be utilized to coordinate instructional activities to create a synergistic approach to all concurrently operating Service Corps projects. Career aspects of the educational experience will be reinforced through associations with city, state and federal governmental agencies. As a prospective career, civil service is, perhaps, the most positive of all careers in the vast array of possibilities. Not only does this provide the community spirit of giving as a life's work, it encompasses all types of specialties and education levels. In this manner, there is no exclusion to a student unable to achieve academic prowess. However, a civil service link to JROTC/Small School Initiative school does not imply that graduates of the school will be placed with government agencies. On the contrary, students will be afforded opportunities to pursue a variety of career interests in the private, as well as the public sector. The emphasis will be on members of their communities, regardless of their personal career goals. As a matter of policy and for those students with sufficient aptitude, the school will encourage students to further their education beyond high school. In this sense, the school will have a college preparation format. It will be assumed that incoming freshmen will have college as their goal upon high school graduation. The school will make every attempt to prepare and encourage students to that end. Education-to-Careers approach will assist in preparing students for life beyond the classroom. The school will combine academic learning with real-life work experience. This association will be accomplished, in large part, via service learning projects showing students how things get done in government and allowing them to accomplish project goals as well. Students will be expected to achieve minimum academic standards, acquire basic workplace competencies, and report on the relationship between them. |
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