Dixons Allerton - Day 1

Friday was the most energizing work day I have had with a school, so far. At Dixons Allerton in Bradford, three teachers (a science, humanities and English teacher) have been given the full day on Fridays with twenty-five Year 9 students to trial project-based learning. Rachel Taylor brought our team together in the morning to meet each other and begin a full day of project development. I presented briefly on what project-based learning looks like at High Tech High and how our school is based on three integrations: integrating diverse students, integrating hands and minds, and integrating the school and community (connecting school with the outside world). Project-based learning is one of the tools we use to achieve these integrations and to help students become collaborative, problem solvers ready to change the world for the better and feel prepared for further education and their chosen careers. While High Tech High's design principles are personalization, real-world connection, teacher as designer and common intellectual mission, Dixons Allerton's design principles are all about celebrating diversity, aspiration and achievement. High Tech High and Dixons Allerton share very similar goals for our students, and both profess to focus on personalization to push all of our students to grow and achieve their dreams. The challenge for us as teachers and schools, in general, is really sticking to these design principles and pushing ourselves every day to do what is best for our students. The teachers and school leaders at Dixons Allerton definitely seem dedicated to their vision.

Half-way through the day, our project-based learning team steered away from just looking at the big picture and grand goals of project-based learning and we jumped into the specific project planning for the group of 25 students we will be kicking the project off with, next Friday. The three teachers, who had not worked closely together before, jumped into collaborating and decision-making with ease and efficiency. After exploring countless HTH project cards and examples of projects, they decided on creating their own variation of Chris Wakefield's and Diana Sanchez's Comic Super-Heroes project - incorporating the history of heroes and comics, the art of plot structure and character development, and the science and physics behind super-powers. They felt confident that the project would inspire and excite their students. We worked on developing the project planning packet and then we jumped into our six-hour plan for the first Friday of the project. One of the key tools for measuring student growth, goal setting and progress will be an interactive, reflection journal (inspired by the reflective journal students keep at Hartsholme Academy). I can't wait for next Friday! I am really excited to get to know the students we'll be working with and see how our first day plan unfolds. You can view the plan here.

* I didn't take the photo included with this section, but it's my favorite photo from the Dixons Allerton web page. It includes Rachel Kidd, a really inspiring, energetic and dedicated school leader, along with students and the school chickens that roam the enclosed quad.