Northwest Education | Spring/Summer 2008
Student Engagement Takes Center Stage
A Clear Signal
In Washington, student engagement has many faces— from participating in school governance to helping other students plan for high school, writing a school improvement rubric, and planning a garden.
TUMWATER, Washington—When Jim Hainer steps down as principal at the end of this school year, students at Black Hills High School know exactly what they want to see in his replacement. Like Hainer, they want a leader with high regard for student voice.
The head of the search committee, Human Resources Director Bob Kuehl, got an earful when he asked students about the qualities they value in a principal. A packed roomful of kids—from tattooed art students to letter-jacketed athletes—stayed after classes to meet with Kuehl and Student Learning Director Suzanne Hall. Students told the two district officials that they want a top administrator with a passion for the job and a hefty dose of school spirit. Someone who treats jocks, nerds, and student council officers alike, with a consistent approach to discipline. A person who shows up for drama club productions as well as football games.
Besides offering a list of characteristics, students pressed Kuehl and Hall about representation in the hiring process. And, they weren't shy about suggesting potential interview questions such as: "What's your position on the WASL (Washington Achievement of Student Learning) and do you believe it should be the only measure for graduation?" "How much time will you spend walking around and not cooped up in your office?" "How would you establish a sense of community here?" "What do you want students to leave this school with?"
Kuehl and Hall handed out cards, asking students to write down what the district should look for in a new leader. They promised the information would be collated, compared with a similar list from staff members, and used when screening job applicants. "Think about Black Hills moving into the 21st century," Hall advised. "What are your top two priorities for taking this school to excellence? Put that on the card, too."
"I appreciate the fact someone asked us for our opinion," one student—Claire—reflected after the meeting. "A lot of kids at the forum today will tell their friends that there were people from the district actively talking to us," added her friend Megan.
Taking the Lead
It's no surprise that Black Hills students would have a lot to say—and would expect to be heard—on an issue as important as who occupies the front office. After all, this is the school that literally wrote the book on student engagement.
It started with the formation of a student engagement team (SET) in 2005. The group meets weekly before school with social studies teacher Carole Layton acting as the advisor and gently guiding force. Layton views SET as "an opportunity for me to model democracy and teach citizenship." She says, "This is what grass roots is all about: [SET members] understand how bottom up works." Shalom, a SET activist, adds, "This gives you insight and experience you can use in the community as an adult, more than your basic book education. We are the decisionmakers of tomorrow. The people sitting around you here may be the next City Council members. Why wait 10 years after high school to get that started?" In a neon yellow promotional brochure, SET describes itself as an organization that "brings together students who want to learn more about how school works, and how students and adults can work together in partnership to improve school on an ongoing basis." Since its formation, the Black Hills High School SET has written a manual on how to start a student engagement team, conducted schoolwide student and faculty surveys, and testified before the Washington state House of Representatives' Education Committee. The team drafted a strategic plan for the state of Washington that explains why student engagement is important. It asserts: "Students who are involved in their own learning care more about education and do better in school and in life."
At statewide pre- and inservice conferences, hundreds of teachers have heard young presenters from Black Hills explain how adults can make the shift to working with students, instead of for them. Black Hills SET members also trained students at McKnight Middle School in Renton, Washington, who created a "climate and culture" rubric to help their school meet federal accountability goals.
These activities and others were nurtured by the Office of Student Engagement at Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). According to an OSPI report, the student engagement initiative—based upon work that started informally in 1995—was designed to improve student achievement through strategies that "help students take a more active role in their learning, and assist adults in supporting students as they personalize their education." In 2005, OSPI formed the nation's only state-level office representing student voice and action. It was funded for two school years and closed in 2007.
Greg Williamson, who headed the office, says it "sprinkled lots of seeds" that have taken root and continue to flourish. He estimates about 20 Washington schools still have active student engagement teams. Many more participate in other OSPI student engagement efforts and in programs such as RSVP (Raising Student Voice & Participation), developed by the Association of Washington School Principals.
Williamson points out that "students who are engaged can tell you what is expected of them, why it matters, and how they will use the knowledge and skills. Beyond that, they have found a way to make learning relevant to their lives outside the classroom and beyond graduation. In a word, they 'care' about their learning."
And, says Williamson, student engagement can be fostered anywhere. "What does it take?" he asks rhetorically. "The short answer is that it takes adults—including principals, educators, and staff—who are willing to move beyond student voice to student action through youth-adult partnerships. It takes people who understand the difference between an instruction model and a learning model. And, it also helps if the adults have had the chance to participate in their own learning communities."
Student 2 Student—Getting the Word Out About Graduation Requirements
BREWSTER, Washington—Navigating high school can be difficult and bewildering, especially if you enter with limited English skills. But freshmen at Brewster High School get a helping hand from bilingual upperclassmen through Student 2 Student: Change Your World (S2S). A statewide program, S2S enlists juniors and seniors to explain graduation requirements to eighth- and ninth-graders and help them make the most of their high school years.
At Brewster—a rural, low-income school with an 85 percent Hispanic population—a dozen S2S leaders undergo a full day of training on what it takes to be successful in high school and beyond. Sharing a video and hands-on lessons from the Washington state superintendent's office, they meet with freshmen in small groups for two class periods at the beginning of the year. The S2S mentors describe the number and types of credits needed for graduation; answer questions about the WASL—the state achievement test—and the required senior culminating project; and help students begin to sketch out their high school and postsecondary pathways. In the spring, the S2S leaders go back and meet with their same groups to make sure each student has a plan.
"The strength of this program is that these kids are working with five to six students each. They have a lot of time to listen to their hopes and fears," says Donna Evans, a school counselor. "One of the things they ask the freshmen about is their strengths. Most have no clue what they're good at, but they solicit that information from their friends and that builds their self-esteem. For the older kids, it's an opportunity to take ownership of what's happening at school."
Evans says the S2S mentors are typically students who are academically successful, but not necessarily traditional leaders. The school casts a wide net, hoping to attract students who aren't involved in sports or student government and who have time to devote to the project. Evans points out that most mentors are bilingual and serve as resources throughout the year to some freshmen with limited English skills. "They've gone through some of the same issues and freshmen know they can go to them with questions," she says. A statewide survey of 12,000 eighth- and ninth-graders showed 42 percent more students understood Washington's graduation requirements after the S2S lesson. Twenty percent more students had a plan for what classes to take in high school. With new graduation requirements facing the entering class of 2008, S2S has played a big role in helping students plan for and reach their high school goals. As many as 239 middle and high schools in the state have offered or currently offer the program.
For OSPI's Greg Williamson, who worked with Susan Fortin of the Association of Washington School Principals and with students to develop and disseminate S2S materials, the program is a winner on multiple levels. According to Williamson, "Older students gain experience and confidence, younger students find connection and relevance, and adults see the benefits of trusting and involving students in the process of school improvement."
For more information on S2S, see http://www.k12.wa.us/S2S/default.htm.
Creating an "Engaged vs. Enraged" Teacher Rubric
TACOMA, Washington—"Some people may think kids are shallow in what they want in a teacher, but it's pretty much the same thing a principal wants," says Anne Hawkins, who teaches language arts and social studies at Jason Lee Middle School. Hawkins came to that conclusion after her students created a scoring guide that measures teachers along five dimensions of practice. Their rubric bears the irreverent title "Engaged vs. Enraged."
For example, a teacher who exceeds standards in the area of discipline has a class that "is so well disciplined that students begin to correct each other with a polite tone of voice. When discipline is necessary, [the] teacher handles it so quickly and quietly, you hardly know it happened." In contrast, a teacher at the beginning or lowest end of the scale "sends kids out for the first offense or lets it build up and then explodes. Tone reveals anger. May be scared or wimpy. Brings up the past and rambles on and on. Gets involved in confrontations with students, arguing with them about whether they did it or not."
Other rubric topics include attitude toward job, parent interaction, lesson design, and racism/favoritism. "Middle schoolers have a combative view of the world," Hawkins comments, "and you can see that kind of language in the rubric. Many of my kids come from poverty, [and] that's on the table. Some teachers want to gloss over that, but it's not effective. The kids know you're lying." Hawkins' class brainstormed the categories for the rubric and a group of seven students competed for the "privilege" of writing the final version. To do that, they worked on weekends at Hawkins' house. The group presented the finished product to teachers at district workshops; principals, superintendents, school board members, and college faculty at state conferences; Washington legislators; and education students at The Evergreen State College in nearby Olympia. "When kids have an authentic audience, there's nothing they can't figure out," Hawkins observes. She's tried to provide opportunities to reach those audiences through essay and speech competitions that send the winners to summer camps, off-campus workshops, and even a face-to-face meeting with Governor Christine Gregoire.
Hawkins says that the rubric and other projects have "increased transparency" at Jason Lee, an inner-city school with a majority African American enrollment. "The kids can start to see the machine they're in and want to affect it, not just be affected by it." Kya, one of the student authors of the rubric, agrees that "there are great opportunities and rewards for knowing what's going on in your school. It's important to be involved in school so you can be aware of your advantages and what will help you be successful in high school and college." Kya adds that participating in the challenges that Hawkins sets for her class is a valuable experience. "Even if I lose," she says, "it makes me try harder and that will help me be successful in high school because I'm getting a taste of how to compete for what I want and how to win!"
Hawkins gives credit to her principal, Harjeet Sandhu, for creating the kind of environment where student voice and action are valued. "When I first started here, there were more kids in the hallways than in the classroom. Now, reading is not considered uncool or a 'white thing' to do; being smart and meeting standard is what kids want to do. Kids have an increased trust in their teachers because everything is standards based and there are exemplars. I can't imagine that happening without a supportive administration."
The sample below reflects one of the five categories in the "Engaged vs. Enraged" rubric written by students Shaianne Patrick, Montel Martin, Kya Oyeniyi, Demontrez Alexander, Keith Hicks, Leanne Hoang, and Tiearra Caso.
| Beginning | Approaching | Meeting | Exceeding | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesson design/GLEs (grade-level expectations) | No objective for the lesson is evident. Students are assigned busy work that does not help them succeed on the WASL. Teacher doesn't even know what a GLE is. Students have no idea why they are doing the work they are doing. Teacher doesn't seem to get the fact that the students must pass the WASL to graduate high school. | Teacher may have identified a GLE for the lesson, but she does not communicate it to student. GLE may be just a number that is not clearly linked to the objective or the learning activity for the day. Teacher knows the GLEs are important, but is unaware of what GLEs her students need to focus on to pass the WASL. | Teacher has identified one or more GLEs for the lesson, and communicated them to the students. The objective for the learning activity is clearly stated, and the students understand what it is they are supposed to do, why they are doing it, and how they will know when they have met standard. Teacher focuses on the GLEs that her class needs the most work on. | Students can explain the GLEs and how they can be used to create a learning objective. At any time, every student in the room can tell you what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how they will know when they have met standard. Teacher can tell you what GLEs individual students in her room need to focus on in order to pass the WASL. |
Growing a Garden Together
SPANAWAY, Washington—Spanaway Elementary is digging into student involvement in a big way. The rural, ethnically mixed school has adopted "square foot gardening" as a vehicle for student leadership and empowerment.
A sunny area previously used for kindergarten recess now sports 34 four-by-four-foot boxes planted with everything from sunflowers to peppers, carrots, and zucchinis. Potato vines spill out of 30 tires nearby. Students vote on which crops they'll plant and each grade gets its own box. The fourth- through sixth-graders serve as garden leaders and help younger students tend their boxes and harvest the bounty.
"It engages the whole school and the older kids become buddies with the younger ones," says Community Liaison Karen Marchesini. "In preparing the garden leaders, we talk about who's the leader in our school? Who's a leader in the community you might know? Who in the world is a leader? How could you as a leader make a difference in your community? That focuses in on being a role model and a kind, respectful person."
Gabe, a fifth-grader, confesses that being a leader puts older students on their best behavior. "We help the little kids and we don't want to do bad things because the first-graders, the fourth-graders look up to us," he says.
The garden yields about 550 pounds of produce each year. The sixth-graders get to show off a selection of the school's prize vegetables at the Puyallup Fair, engaging the public in discussions about nutrition and the square foot gardening concept pioneered by Mel Bartholomew. Some of the crop goes to a local food bank and some finds its way onto the menu of the Harvest Fair that students organize for their families. "For four days the entire school picks their produce," says Marchesini. Fifth- and sixth-graders help the first-graders scrub the potatoes and chop them for garlic roasted potatoes. Salsa, zucchini-topped pizza, and zucchini-apple bread are also served at the event that attracts some 350 parents and siblings.
Spanaway—which recently won a Washington "School of Distinction" award for dramatic increases in student achievement—weaves the garden project into science and math courses. It's also used to teach the students about healthful eating habits. "It's really interesting how it's empowered the kids," remarks Marchesini. "They love getting their hands in the dirt and they're enthralled with watching something grow." At the same time, they're growing a sense of community and the knowledge that they play a special role in their school.
Tackling Local Needs
Layton describes Williamson as "the bee that pollinated all of us and made connections." Now, she says, student engagement efforts at Black Hills have "changed course, taking on a more schoolwide—rather than statewide—focus." This year, SET is organizing four large student forums that identify areas for school improvement, prioritize needs, plan for action, and take action. Ideas generated at the meetings are posted in the school commons and checked off as they're addressed. Students earn extra credit for attending the forums. Mini-pretzels, pizza, Hawaiian punch, and other refreshments are a big draw, too, with as many as 84 students participating in the gatherings.
SET's core group of 10 students received training in how to design and carry out the forums. According to Layton, there's no "gatekeeping" as to who can join SET, so the team represents a fairly diverse cross-section of the 900-student school. Claire, a SET leader, admits that organizing forums was "a big leap for us." She says it's been a challenge to convince other students "to speak up—don't think your ideas are stupid." "Don't be intimidated by peer pressure," Katie chimes in. "High school is what you make it," Shalom suggests. "If the whole idea of school is to benefit students, how does it benefit us if we just do what the teachers tell us? We need to show up, get involved, and voice our opinions." Eric advises teachers, "Take the time to ask students what we want and need. Think about who the consumers are." Taking that concept a step farther, Black Hills students worked with Williamson on a "customer service metaphor" that's been widely disseminated around the state. It asserts, "All students really want from their school is the same level of service they get from their cell phone provider:
A clear signal—Tell me which skills I'm supposed to be learning. Also, please tell me why we're learning this, so I can make it relevant. A personalized plan to meet their needs—Help me learn in the ways I learn best.
Options and choices for service—Once I know why this is important, I'd like some choice about how to work, learn, and demonstrate what I know.
Quick customer service—Please get the feedback back to me as soon as you can, so I can make course corrections while it's still relevant. An understandable contract, with NO FINE PRINT and NO HIDDEN CHARGES—I need a two-way contract that spells out what I'm expected to do, and what I can expect from adults."
Picking a Leader
On the last Tuesday in April final candidates for the job of Black Hills' principal faced an 11-member panel. Among those conducting interviews was a SET representative. Nine other students, Carole Layton, and Suzanne Hall had the opportunity to quiz the candidates in a separate meeting, asking some of the same questions that emerged from the student forum. Students' comments about the candidates were shared with the interview panel, which ultimately makes recommendations to the superintendent.
HR Director Kuehl sees only positives in involving students in the hiring process, but he warns that the participation can't be superficial. "Nonauthentic involvement is worse than no involvement," he believes. "[Students] are very insightful about the needs of a school from a student's perspective and they're very candid about their opinions and thoughts," he says. "They have a lot of strong feelings that need to be heard and used."
For information on student engagement in Washington, go to http://www.k12.wa.us/students.aspx. Contact Black Hills teacher Carole Layton at carole.layton@tumwater.k12.wa.us or Greg Williamson at greg.williamson@k12.wa.us.