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Topical Resources
This resource has been developed for Smaller Learning Communities grantee schools to support those who attend Institutes about smaller learning community topics. The institutes are organized by the SSLC Partnership and sponsored by the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.
Resources for Academies
- California Partnership Academies (Sacramento, CA)
www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/cpagen.asp
California Department of Education program focused on smaller learning
communities, with "a career focus, a team of teachers, and active business
involvement."
- Career Academy Support Network - CASN (Berkeley, CA)
casn.berkeley.edu
- Edutopia Online
www.glef.org/
Part of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a "nonprofit organization that gathers and
disseminates the most innovative models of K-12 teaching and learning in the
digital age." Includes resources for project-based learning.
- Irvington High School (Fremont, CA)
www.irvington.org/
A model school using thematic academies. See:
- Jobs for the Future - JFF (Boston, MA)
www.jff.org/jff/
Part of the LAB at Brown University. Many of their publications are available electronically,
including:
- A Portable Action Lab for Creating Quality Student Projects for Health Care Careers (in Education Opportunities for Youth: Project-Based Learning)
- Knowing and Doing (in Education Opportunities for Youth: Project-Based Learning)
- Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory - NWREL (Portland, OR)
www.nwrel.org/
Part of the national educational laboratory system. A partner in this institute, as part
of NWREL's Serving Smaller Learning Communities program. See:
- Sir Francis Drake High School (San Anselmo, CA)
drake.marin.k12.ca.us
A model school using thematic academies. See:
- Sizer, T. (1999). No two are quite alike.
www.ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/9909/sizer.html
An article in Educational Leadership on personalized learning.
Resources for Block Scheduling
Developing a Professional Development Plan
- Improving Teaching in the High School Block Period by David Marshak, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland, 2001. (available through 1-800- 462-5420)
Marshak explores issues surrounding teaching and learning in block classes. The first section explores ninth grade issues, the second examines teaching and learning, and the third addresses professional development needs.
- Supporting Students with Learning Needs in the Block by Marcia Conti-D'Antonio, Robert Bertrando, and Joanne Eisenberger, Eye on Education Larchmont, N.Y., 1998.
This book addresses issues related to special needs, at-risk and gifted children. It focuses on planning, delivery of instruction, and assessment.
- Teaching in the Block: Strategies for Engaging Active Learners by Robert Canady&Michael Rettig, Eye on Education, Larchmont, N.Y., 1996.
This book explains various instructional strategies that can be used in longer class periods.
Evaluating Block Scheduling
- Action Research Block Scheduling by David Marshak, Eye on Education, Larchmont, N.Y., 1997
This is a new book that describes effective strategies for evaluating block scheduling. It also addresses set-up issues, the pros and cons of various models, and instructions on how to conduct action research.
- Block Scheduling: Pathways to Success by Don Adams&Mary Satvaterra, Technomic Publishing Co., Lancaster, PA, 1997
The authors studied 11 high schools that have implemented block scheduling and examined issues regarding how best to gain public support and provide leadership for change. They provide guidance on how to evaluate programs and include sample questionnaires that can be used by interested schools.
Implementation Issues
- 4 X 4 Block Schedule by J.Allen Queen&Kimberley Gaskey, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, N.C., Eye on Education, Larchmont, N.Y., 1998.
These experts discuss ways to establish community support, structure training, and motivate teachers. They also delineate ways to measure success.
- Intensive Scheduling: Restructuring America's Secondary Schools through Time Management by David Hottenstein, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, California, 1998.
Hottenstein stresses the need to focus on the implementation details to assure success when converting to block scheduling. His book is a hands-on, practioner's approach to the issue.
- Questions and Answers about Block Scheduling: An Implementation Guide by Donald Gainey and John Brucato, Milford High School, Eye on Education, Larchmont, N.Y., 1999.
The authors discuss how to address obstacles to block scheduling, and provide answers to the complex questions inherent in changing to block scheduling. The topics include professional development planning, implementation strategies, and sample lesson plans.
- Transforming Learning with Block Scheduling: A Guide for Principals by Blair Lybbert, Performance Learning Systems, Inc., 1998.
This book stresses five steps to implementation: Organize a plan of action, identify the reasons for change, research the issues, make a case to the faculty, and market the plan to key stakeholders.
Research on Block Scheduling
- Block Scheduling: A Solution or a Problem? by Sharon Cromwell, Education World, 1997
www.education-world.com/a_admin/admin029.shtml
This article explains the philosophy behind block scheduling, as well as how to handle the change process. It reviews a positive large-scale study conducted in 1995 of 11,000 students in 850 high schools. The study showed that students in schools using active learning methods scored higher on the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) than their counterparts with more traditional teaching.
- The Effects of Block Scheduling by Michael Rettig and Robert Canady, The School Administrator Web Edition, March, 1999
www.aasa.org/publications/sa/1999_03/rettig.htm
Rettig and Canady examined research on the effects of block scheduling on school climate and academics, and critical factors affecting the change to a block schedule.
Scheduling Models
- Scheduling Strategies for Middle Schools by Michael Rettig and Robert Canady, Eye on Education, Larchmont, N.Y., 2000.
This book contains 150 sample schedules and explores a number of related topics as well, including interdisciplinary teaching, ways to enhance a school's capacity to teach innovative courses, and guidance programs geared towards meeting the needs of adolescents.
Web Sites
- Block Scheduling: Innovations with Time
Provided by the Education Alliance at Brown University, this overview includes a state-by-state review profiling the experiences of schools implementing different models of block scheduling, as well as contact information for each school.
www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/ic/block/block.shtml
- Block Scheduling Internet Site Directory
This site, provided by Tennessee Technological University, provides extensive resources on block scheduling.
http://plato.ess.tntech.edu/tech2/block.htm
- Block Scheduling Research and Resources
This Web site, maintained by the University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development, includes reports, articles, numerous links, and maintains a listserv.
http://education.umn.edu/carei/Blockscheduling/Resources/default.html
- Center for School Success at New Visions for Public Schools
New York City's Center for School Success at New Visions for Public Schools provides a detailed overview of block scheduling, including benefits, challenges, different models, considerations for implementation, sample schedules, and examples of high schools successfully using block schedules, with contact information.
www.newvisions.org/schoolsuccess/practices/block/index.shtml
- World Wide Web Resources on Block Scheduling, School Schedules, and Use of Time in Schools, complied by Steve Krasner at the Connecticut State Department of Education. This document provides a 24 page bibliography of Web resources, books, and articles on block scheduling. Addendum One (pages 6-14) and Web Resources (pages 15-24) list resources through 2002.
www.ctserc.org/library/actualbibs/BlockScheduling.pdf
Resources for Instructional Strategies
- Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (Portland, OR)
www.nwrel.org
Part of the national educational laboratory system. A partner in this institute,
as part of NWREL's Serving Smaller Learning Communities program. See:
Cooperative Learning
Lessons
Research
Suchman Inquiry
Research
- Teaching Thinking Skills
from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/6/cu11.html
Summarizes the research on teaching thinking skills, with extensive references
Curriculum Maps
- Curricula Mapping 2001-2002
from Freeport Public Schools
www.freeportschools.org/curriculum/i
ndex.html
Curricula mapping efforts represent an alignment project in the subjects of
English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and provide
links for K-12 maps.
- Curriculum Mapping Overview
from Cache County School District Curriculum Mapping Project
www.cache.k
12.ut.us/htmlfiles/curriculum/curriculummap/overview.htm
This project explains what a curriculum map is, the purpose and benefits of
using this process, and provides sample curriculum maps for grades K-5.
- Spotsylvania County Schools Curriculum Maps
from Spotsylvania County Schools
205.174.118.254/cmaps/
These are curriculum maps developed so that teachers, students, and parents
would know what students experienced over their school careers. Curriculum
maps in mathematics, science, history/social studies, and English/language
arts are available for K-12.
Tools
Paideia Seminar
Lessons and Resources
Research
- High Standards and Achievement Hallmark of Paideia Approach
from Education World
www.education-world.com/a_issues/issues283.shtml
An article with resource links, in which "principal Les Potter looks back
on his years at an inner- city school that adopted the Paideia approach to
teaching and learning."
Resources for Data
- Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (Portland, OR)
www.nwrel.org
Part of the national educational laboratory system. A partner in this institute,
as part of NWREL's Serving Smaller Learning Communities program. See:
- WestEd (San Francisco, CA)
www.WestEd.org
Part of the national educational laboratory system. A partner is this institute
- Reynolds High School (Troutdale, OR)
www.reynolds.k12.or.us/~rhs/index2.html
A nationally-recognized leader in smaller learning communities. Several Reynolds
teachers were presenters at the institute.
- Richardson, Joan (Oct 1998). Data provides answers for student learning.
National Staff Development Council. Retrieved 8/1/02 from www.nsdc.org/library/results/res10-98rich.html.
- CRESST (Los Angeles, CA)
www.cse.ucla.edu/
The National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing,
a leading research group. Complete CRESST reports can be ordered or downloaded
online, See:
Technology Tools
- Assessment Systems Corporation
www.assess.com/Software/iteman.htm
Vendor for ITEMAN Item Analysis Software. Includes downloadable demo software
- CTB McGraw-Hill
www.ctb.com/
Vendor for a variety of education software programs, including Classroom Manager
- Education World: Technology in the Classroom Center
www.education-world.com/a_tech/
News and information about education technology tools. See:
- Learner Profile
www.learnerprofile.com/
A palmtop software solution. Learner Profile allows a teacher to gather, analyze,
and retrieve data about attendance, grades, and standards, using a palmtop
computer (e.g. Palm III). Includes downloadable demo software. See also Classroom
Wizard by Scantron
- Mastery in Motion
masteryinmotion.net/
A web-based solution for teachers to analyze and retrieve standardized test
scores
- NCS Pearson
www.pearsoned.com
Vendor for OMR scanners and test analysis software. A major competitor with
Scantron
- QuizStar
quiz.4teachers.org/index.php
Free web-based testing and test-analysis
- Scantron Corporation
www.scantron.com
Vendor for Scantron
scanners and test analysis software. A major competitor with NCS Pearson/OMR
scanners. See:
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