By Courtney Maher, 9th grade English I teacher at Rhodes School of Environmental Studies

In November, I learned that I would be going on a school learning tour in the Bay Area the following month led by Springpoint. I was excited by the opportunity and eager to see the school sites’ community and culture building practices through the eyes of its students. Forming a deep understanding of the student’s experience would allow me to gather useful insights into what could work for our students too. And I wasn’t disappointed; I saw over and over at these schools how a strong school culture can promote learning and bring a deep sense of belonging and pride to all stakeholders. This primed me to think about how my school, Rhodes School of Environmental Studies, which opened in July 2017 in Cleveland, OH, can strengthen our school culture and youth development practices.

Preparing for the visits

Before we stepped foot on a school campus, Springpoint gave us readings and facilitated a robust group discussion to help frame our experience. An article on user-centered design stuck out and deepened my understanding of how organizations can iterate on programming in a way that truly personalizes experiences for users based on their unique needs. We learned that, following our visits, we’d debrief on the things we saw and learned. Then, each group would present an action plan for implementation.

Seeing the schools: Leadership Public Schools, Hayward

Our first stop was Leadership Public Schools, Hayward, (LPS Hayward) where I was most struck by the authentic environment, which was clearly driven by the principal. He described his philosophy as “I lead from who I am.” He was realistic and passionate about students and their success and his perspective pervaded the school culture from consistent morning greetings to Friday Family Meetings to student retreats to celebratory class recognition and more. Students at the school are regularly recognized for growth and achievement. For example, students can earn school swag (e.g., shirts, hoodies) to signify an exemplary demonstration of a habit of success, like leadership or peer collaboration.

The school also focuses on strong communications to foster community, like a weekly email to students, staff, and parents. They also issue a survey at the end of each quarter to ensure that student voices are heard, which is an incredibly authentic way to incorporate students into the school design process.

Seeing the schools: New Technology High School

At New Technology High School in Napa (New Tech Napa), their project-based learning approach was not only interesting to see but a key way that they school creates community connections. For example, students do 60 internship hours, 30 hours of community service, college coursework, and senior portfolios in order to graduate. Rich community partnerships and real-world learning allow the school to weave itself into the fabric of the community.

The school also had a commitment to flexible learning. I noticed their easily accessible tech helped facilitate anytime learning. For example, each class had an up-to-date Google calendar available to students anytime they want to refer to it to understand course expectations and daily agenda. Students who are absent can see what they miss and quickly catch up so as not to fall behind.

Debriefing & planning

Following these rich visits, Springpoint helped us digest the experience and start to plan for how we would bring the exciting practices back to our own community immediately. I focused on the culture and community building areas, which were clearly cultivated and protected every day by all stakeholders. Springpoint helped us codify our key takeaways and start thinking about relevant practices.

Some specific practices I surfaced include teacher access periods (like office hours) that could bolster our student support options and flexible scheduling that can allow students to learn at times that work best for them. I also saw positive affirmations as an important approach. Teaching students how to give productive feedback to each other to both build the school community and strengthen the crucial skill of giving and receiving peer feedback, a skill that will serve them well beyond high school.

Applying new learnings at my school

Back in Cleveland, I’ve started to identify how we might adjust our advisory program, which is currently held at the end of the day when students might be tired and checked out. What I saw work well at these Bay Area schools will directly inform our school’s implementation plan for a new advisory approach.

We are also looking to create a version of LPS Hayward’s Friday meeting with “call outs” (areas for improvement) and “shout outs” (positive feedback). We are also planning a spring retreat for students and hearing about LPS Hayward’s retreat was helpful, specifically their culture building activities, which help frame the experience to maximize learning for students. I was also inspired by these school’s expert use of common spaces—for workshops and small group instruction—to ensure that learning is not siloed in classrooms.

Tips for educators going on school learning tours

I recommend that educators who are preparing for school visits think critically about their school’s strengths and weaknesses. Examine how your school cultivated those strengths and explore what’s keeping key decision makers from implementing new ideas and changes to address the areas of growth. This visit cemented something I already believed, which is that we as educators need to be willing to try more things as we design and iterate on our school models. And I saw again the importance of asking students what changes they want at their schools. I believe that student engagement is the foundation of a successful school. They have rich insights to offer.

Courtney Maher is thrilled to be a 9th grade English I teacher at Rhodes School of Environmental Studies in its inaugural year as a school. It is her fourth year teaching at the Rhodes High School campus in urban Cleveland, OH. She has taught English I for two years and has also taught English II, Journalism, and Public Speaking. Outside of the classroom, she is the boys head track and field and cross country coach. Courtney grew up in Cleveland, OH and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in English Secondary Education degree from Miami University in 2014. Her most important role as an educator is to teach students to think and speak for themselves. Through her teaching practices, she strives to show the relevance of reading and writing to students’ lives by engaging their interests. She believes each of her students deserves to see her commitment to their success, inside and outside of the classroom.