Group 10: Team Analysis

1. What were the values, beliefs, behaviors, rewards, and punishments of the schools
and communities?
. !ow can these aspects of the culture improve teachin" practices and learnin"
processes?
#. $n what ways do you e%pect to use the information and understandin"s that you
"ained from this international e%chan"e in your future teachin" or administrative
practices?
The schools profiled by team 10 envision changing lives by expanding educational
opportunities, especially for underserved and underrepresented minority and low-
income students. The schools believe that all students, regardless of race, ethnicity or
socioeconomic status, can graduate if provided the curriculum, support, resources and
information necessary to do so. However, the results are as diverse as the schools
themselves.
1. &alues
'olle"e Access
Both teve and onya profiled charter schools that were created as alternatives to low-
performing comprehensive high schools in their area. Because the explicit mission of
both schools is college preparation, graduation re!uirements include passing the "-#
courses re!uired for college eligibility and completing applications to a minimum number
of four-year institutions. tudents at teve$s school are encouraged to ta%e both college
admissions exams, the "T and the "&T' the school even registers the students.
However, students at onya$s school are re!uired to ta%e both exams at least once to
receive their diploma. Both schools offer "dvanced (lacement )"(* courses in a variety
of sub+ects for students who desire the challenge of a college-level course that will
boost their grade point average and possibly earn them college credit. &ounselors at
both schools assist students with all phases of college and financial aid applications. "
ma+ority of the graduates of both schools are accepted to four-year institutions, ,-
percent at H." and /0 percent at &1"H 2, for the class of 0011. The numbers are
especially impressive considering both schools serve predominantly low-income
Hispanic students.
The principal at &huc%$s comprehensive high school stated that he transferred there
because the bright and talented students at the school have been forgotten but should
have the same opportunity for college access as those from his former high school. The
mission spea%s of intellectual success but college is not mentioned as it is in the
mission statements of both charter schools. This may be part of the reason why only 0-
percent of 0010 graduates completed all re!uired "-# courses. tudents at &huc%$s
school also have access to a variety of "( courses. The young ladies at &arolina$s
semi-private institution, 3uestra e4ora High chool, are introduced to college firsthand
by touring the different institutions. Those interested in one of the three public
universities must pass a challenging admissions test. (rivate colleges are an option, but
they are expensive and lesser %nown.
Both 5ennifer and "ngeli!ue focused on &alifornia tate 6niversity, 7ong Beach. The
university mission includes providing highly-valued undergraduate and graduate
educational opportunities through superior teaching and research. &67B was
recogni8ed in several reports and publications for their outstanding education and
improving graduation rates, especially for students of color.
"ccountability is a common theme not only for the schools in team 10 but also for the
students at each of the institutions. "ll of the team$s high schools claim to provide a
rigorous, standards-based curriculum with a commitment to academic excellence.
H." is the only &alifornia high school that has %ept up with the "de!uate 9early
(rogress re!uired by the federal 3o &hild 7eft Behind legislation and avoided (rogram
:mprovement )(:* sanctions. High expectations and no excuses is the standard at
H.". tudents are expected to give their best every day, and their hard wor% has led
to admission to some well-regarded universities for them and state and national
recognition for the school.
:n spite of being in (:, ;< percent of &1"H 2,$s first graduating class committed to
continuing their education. These students were accepted to </ colleges and
universities across the country. The expectation at 5ordan High chool is that the
standards of behavior are non-negotiable. &huc%$s syllabus states that he does not
accept late wor% or assign ma%e up wor% unless a student has a legitimate absence and
a readmit form. 6nfortunately, this no-nonsense approach has not yet translated into
academic success.
The curriculum at 3uestra e4ora High chool is regulated by the .inisterio de
=ducacion (ublica, the national institution in charge of educational issues. (assing
scores on the 3ational =xams in a variety of sub+ect areas are re!uired to graduate.
"ccording to 5ennifer and "ngeli!ue$s virtual tours, &67B is committed to excellence
not only for their students but also for the students whose lives they will impact as
educators. tudent outcomes are listed on every syllabus. 1etention and graduation
rates continue to be targeted for improvement.
"ll of the team$s schools develop partnerships with colleges and universities to enrich
their students$ lives through programs, presentations, and visits. .ath, =ngineering,
cience "chievement ).="* at onya$s school is administered by the 6niversity of
outhern &alifornia )6&*. tudents from 6& and other local colleges assist students
at H." with developing academic s%ills re!uired for college success. taff from local
colleges and universities presents information on assessments, admissions, and
financial aid to students and parents. tudents at both teve and &arolina$s schools
visit colleges and universities to build excitement and to help students develop an
awareness of what it ta%es to be admitted to and to graduate from college.
&67B partners with 7ong Beach &ity &ollege to guarantee admission to non-impacted
programs for transfer students who meet minimum re!uirements. The local unified
school district, which includes &huc%$s school, also participates in this 7ong Beach
&ollege (romise. (artnerships are formed among colleges within &67B itself. >or
example, the B-word pro+ect mentioned on "ngeli!ue$s virtual tour was a collaborative
effort between the &olleges of "rts and of =ducation as well as the 7ong Beach 6nified
chool ?istrict.
Both teve and onya shared that the si8e of the staff and limited facilities re!uired
flexibility and adaptability with regard to the instructional program. >or example,
students in physical education at H." run to the local par% because there are no
grass fields on the school grounds. tudent assemblies at teve$s school are held in the
cafeteria. These charter schools are accustomed to doing more with fewer resources, a
phenomenon that will become more common at the other institutions as budgets
continue to tighten. The lone exception is &arolina$s site where some teachers are paid
by the government while others by the high school itself. "ttempts to eliminate this type
of education by the &osta 1ican government have been unsuccessful due to the fact
that many parochial high schools are using this system with excellent results.
'ommunity()ocial *esponsibility for Wi+i Team *eport
:t is of the upmost importance for students to understand the value of reaching out to
others in order to become socially responsible individuals. @hen people begin to help
those in need, they begin to ma%e the world a better place, not only for themselves and
their families, but also for every living being on this planet. ocial responsibility enriches
our lives in so many ways. :t is what connects us to each other, drives our wellbeing,
builds our character, and strengthens our communities.
Aur group was able to clearly demonstrate a variety of activities and programs
implemented within all of our school communities that promote social responsibility and
community involvement. " strong sense of community is evident throughout all of our
schools$ mission and vision statements as well as through the pictures and video we
chose to include on our wi%i pages. "ll of us are a part of diverse educational
communities, yet a common thread is the idea of producing socially responsible lifelong
learners who are prepared to ma%e positive changes in our complex, ever-changing
global society.
The values and belief systems of our school communities emphasi8e such ideas as
responsible citi8enship, awareness of global issues and the ability to use problem-
solving s%ills to fix authentic contextual issues facing all of us. =ffective ways to achieve
this is by participating and volunteering in community-based pro+ects and programs
locally or abroad.
&arolina was able to convey the ideals of community involvement and social
responsibility in her school community wi%i by sharing how students attend an annual
camp Bto strengthen values and grow as a groupC. olidarity of the group is emphasi8ed
in such core values as respect, compromise, love, +ustice, and truth. These values are
deeply engrained in how 3uestra enora High chool functions.
5ennifer and "ngie, who both focused on the &alifornia tate 6niversity 7ong Beach
)&67B* college community, demonstrated how &67B fits into the local and global
community. &67B$s vision is to have an educational community that is globally
engaged and it$s mission is to prepare students to become leaders who are able to
adapt to the complexity of the our changing and transforming world. "ngie$s wi%i page
loo%ed into a specific college, the &ollege of =ducation )&=?*, within the &67B
community. .uch li%e the university$s mission, the &=? also promotes valuable
leadership s%ills and social responsible learning outcomes by preparing students to use
effective pedagogy, advocacy, collaboration, and evidence-based practices in their
professional endeavors.
The &67B educational community is involved in several pro+ects that enrich their
students$ college experiences. >or example, the "lternative pring Brea% )"B*
program gives students the opportunity to go out into the world to be a part of
community-based pro+ects that improve the efficiency of local and federal governments
as well as other organi8ations. The "B program allows students to utili8e the problem-
solving s%ills they are learning in the classroom and apply them in meaningful,
productive ways. "fter they have completed a "B program, students are able to grow
as individuals and bring their experiences into the &67B community. :n addition to
programs such "B, current art installations such as The B-@ord (ro+ect on &67B
campus raise social and cultural awareness of how censorship marginali8es young
people and their families in the 7ong Beach community. 3ot only do collaborative
pro+ects such as The B-@ord (ro+ect raise the consciousness of the community, but it
also ties directly into exhibiting the values of social responsibility.
teve$s school community, "lliance &ollege-1eady (ublic chools, infuses the notion of
respect, responsibility, and caring into their student wor% and pro+ects such the
&ommunity Build (artnership. ince their mission is to get students prepared for
college, social responsibility and lifelong learning is built into their =xpected tudent
7earning 1esults. The new school library, which was recently constructed solely on
donations, is a place for students to be able to study, read, and have access to
technology. The library not only allows students to have a !uite sanctuary to study and
learn, it also promotes students to become good proficient readers, tying into their vision
of producing socially responsible college-bound students.
5ordan High chool in 7ong Beach, &huc%$s school community, also focuses on
preparing students to be responsible productive citi8ens in our complex global society.
Ance again, the reoccurring theme of social responsibility and lifelong learning is
intertwined into the mission of the school and is evidenced through his use of pictures
and videos.
onya$s school, the Hawthorne .ath and cience "cademy )H."* is a charter school
located in the Hawthorne chool ?istrict preparing students to become productive
citi8ens as well. The H." school holds %ey values that instill students to become self-
direct lifelong learners with the s%ills and %nowledge they need to go into the world to
ma%e a difference. Technology usage is strongly upheld as a way to give students the
tools and s%ills needed to be competitive in our increasing globali8ed society.
An a final note, one of the purposes of education is to develop students into socially
responsible people who care about the welfare of their fellow citi8ens. :t is vital, more
than ever, for students, teachers, parents, and administrators to not loose sight of this
vision. @hile it is true that education is about measuring academic successes' this is
+ust a fraction of what it means to be educated. @ell-rounded, educated people are
good stewards of the earth, positive role models to others, and the change they wish to
see in the world.
,hysical and -motional )afety
There was a general theme of physicalDemotional safety across the board with regard to
everyone$s wi%i pages. >or instance, onya$s page includes a statement that Hawthorne
.ath and cience "cademy )H."* is committed to creating a challenging standards-
based curriculum for students with a safe and cooperative learning community in mind.
>urthermore, the 1;;/ creation of the non-profit organi8ation devoted to empower and
educate residents with regard to safety, and other issues, exemplifies the idea that
physical and emotional safety is not only important to H.", but to the city of
Hawthorne as well.
"dditional evidence in onya$s page with regard to physical and emotional safety
includes the fact that there are highly structured rules and protocols to ensure student
safety, such asE school uniform policies, disciplinary log entries, and even regulation of
stairway access. &arolina$s page indirectly spea%s to student physical and emotional
safety through the strong emphasis on team-building and collaborative student retreats
and sports activities. teve$s page also spea%s to this theme through the school$s
school uniform policies and through the wee%ly presentations given in student health
classes regarding effective communication and social s%ills training.
&huc%$s wi%i page included 5ordan High chool$s emphasis that students need to BTa%e
&are of this (laceC and to BTa%e &are of 9ourself.C This expresses the school$s interest
in student physical and emotional safety. >urther, at 5ordan they exhibit pride in the
school and in themselves. They have respect for others, and there is a sense of
responsibility for one$s actions. teve$s page mentioned that &ollege-1eady "cademy
High chool 2 , )&1"H2,* also places emphasis on respect for one another and has
the word painted in the main !uad for every student to see. 5ordan High chool$s
standards of behavior are considered to be non-negotiable, as is the case in all schools
in our team.
5ennifer and "ngie both covered &alifornia tate 6niversity, 7ong Beach )&67B* and it
is also very clear that student physical and emotional safety is of paramount importance
to the institution. &67B delineates the codes of conduct for members of the higher
education learning community. 5ennifer$s page points out that any student found to
violate a safe, health, learning environment will be sub+ected to those codes of conduct.
"ngeli!ue$s page states, Btudents are expected to be good citi8ens and to engage in
responsible behaviors that reflect well upon their university, to be civil to one another
and to other in the campus communityC )&67B tudent &odes of &onduct, 0010*. The
university also offers students counseling services in order to assist in personal crises,
which also exemplifies the institution$s stance on student physical and emotional safety.
@ithin the theme of physical and emotional safety, we identified a sub-theme of diversity
awareness. @e felt that the emphasis on diversity awareness contributes to a student$s
sense of physical and emotional safety. onya$s wi%i page included the fact that
students in panish classes at H." participate in .ulticultural >estival every .ay.
They may bring food or artifacts to share while others give a demonstration that is
representative of their cultural heritage. There is also a gay tolerance club at the H.",
which the club itself can be reassuring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and
!uestioning )7#BTF* youth. &huc%$s page also included a talent show where students
could display their abilities, which can lead to a greater sense of involvement and
attachment to the school community. &1"H2, places value and also mentions not
only heterosexual themes but raises 7#BTF issues in their health-related curriculum.
5ennifer and "ngeli!ue described the plethora of student organi8ations, athletics,
student government, foreign exchange opportunities that students can participate in to
feel connected to the school and be exposed to a diverse experience. "ngeli!ue
highlighted BThe B-@ord (ro+ectE Banned-Blac%listed-BoycottedC in the &ollege of
=ducation )&=?* building that examined the social and political role of censorship in our
lives. This pro+ect emphasi8ed the collaborative effort that was made by the "rts in
=ducation within the &=?, the "rt ?epartment in the college of the "rts, the 7ong Beach
6nified chool ?istrict, and the "rt =xchange of 7ong Beach. :t is clear that at &67B
there is a strong connection to the surrounding local community, and that connection is
undergirded by an appreciation of diversity and a collaborative spirit.
,arent $nvolvement
The theme of (arent :nvolvement was also prevalent in the wi%i pages of our team. The
wi%i pages reflect the idea that parent involvement is central to the successful education
of our students. &arolina$s wi%i page lin%s the website to her school, which places a
ma+or emphasis on parental involvement. (arents are elected to participate in (adres
de >amilia, where they collaborate on everything that has to do with programmed
activities. Their involvement at the school is in four ma+or areasE spiritual, sports training,
and parents program. &1"H2, values parental involvement as evidenced in the
outreach efforts that the school ma%es. There are also wee%ly parent meetings and
advisory councils that they participate in order to have a voice in the matters of the
education of our children. (arents are a driving force that our schools need in order to
implement change efforts or champion new reform policies.
onya$s wi%i page explicitly states, B(arents play a vital role at H.". "ll families are
expected to complete G0 hours of service to the school each year.C (arents clearly play
a ma+or role at H." thought their involvement extensive activities such as
chaperoning of events, school cite councils, =nglish 7earner "dvisory &ommittees,
parent booster clubs, and celebration of excellence and awards ban!uet. "ngeli!ue and
5ennifer$s page indirectly spea% to parent involvement in the education of our students
through the support they provide in housing, paying for partial, or in some cases full
tuition, boo%s, and transportation. (arents often times must attend financial aid
wor%shops with their student as part of certain loan pre-re!uisites. =xplicit parental
involvement may decrease over time as the undergraduate student progresses through
his or her program, but parental involvement will ta%e place indirectly.
. Teachin" ,ractices and .earnin" ,rocesses
The analysis of the team in this area was that the building of bridges between
secondary schools into the university not only needs to be maintained but also nurtured.
&urrently, due to continuous budget cuts there has been some tal% that these
agreements may be eliminated. :f agreements li%e these are dissolved, bridging the gap
of college access between local high schools and community colleges will li%ely
continue to increase. .a%ing the primary goals of a secondary education less
imperative to a studentHs success for life after high school. :n group discussion we
agreed that these types of agreements should be maintained' if not by the
administration, it may also have to be up to university, community college faculty and
high school teachers to encourage the agreement and support the benefits of this
bridge in communication.
"nother factor we considered as a group is that there are some students, even if
provided resources, may not want to attend college but must still be give the tools
necessary to be able to have the survive through their academic education and in their
future life-styles as adults. .any schools are forced to focus their curriculum towards
the preparation of standardi8ed testing and exit exams. "s a result, that often leaves
little room for students to develop academic s%ills that translate into into a career their
will meet the needs of their life-style. The s%ills that students do need are problem-
solving s%ills, learning to collaborate with others, technological s%ills beyond simple
typing, creativity, and practice to communicate both visually, writing and spea%ing. "
primary example, would be develop a curriculum that may involve video or interaction
with media that pertains to cancer. =ducating student on a disease that is very familiar
with them on a personal level but is also pertinent to Ireal-timeI research and issues in
the media today. tudents have an opportunity to see the relevance of this information
and how educating themselves about science will help them to understand and even dig
deeper for answers on their own.
"nother hot topic is the use of technology in the classrooms today. .any schools ta%e
ris%s to incorporating technology in the classrooms, as seen at onya, &huc% and
teve$s schools in ways other than +ust in analysis and evaluation but use to enhance
the learning process. These ris% will need to start being considered as part of the
everyday usage and learning process for students, li%e the graphing calculator. :t
wasn$t +ust used to calculate the formulas but also provided a visual product of what the
student calculated. They could immediately see if the formula they calculated was
accurate or not. :t is an opportunity to learn how technology is a result of our use of
%nowledge and a way to convey our %nowledge others to view.
#. $nternational -%chan"e and Teachin" / Administrative ,ractices
>rom the stand point of an educational professional this was a fun challenge. :t is also
one that involves a great deal of communication to collaborate, which is always a
challenge whether it be face to face or via %ype or another communication tool. The
other challenges were the uses of technologies that are open sourced. "lthough @i%i
paces has outstanding tools for us to use it was not always easy to control the edits
that were made which became frustrating.
:n addition, we found that many of the schools we discussed encouraged a long
standing involvement of investing in the outside community that you earn your
education. This is another value that is touched upon but still needs nurturing for
students to come to understand. As a member of a community wether that be a school,
where you live or an online organization we all have to take part in valuing what we as
individuals take from the community and be willing to give back to it. This was
especially seen at Jordan High school, where the messages of Take Care of Yourself
and Take Care of this Place.