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Every day throughout our classes at FCS, students are constantly working in teams in order to obtain the content knowledge which is directed by the North Carolina Essential Standards and North Carolina Standard Course of Study. We believe this type of learning is imperative for the future of our students, whether they enroll in a traditional high school or an Early College/Cooperative Innovative High School.
The goals of these working teams are clearly defined by the content teacher leading the class, with individual and team expectations made apparent to all team members. In our short history, it has been made apparent to us that no matter the scholar’s background, coming to Foothills Community School by way of eight feeder schools or from private or home school experiences, that many of them need a foundational understanding as to what it looks like to work in a group. Because of this, all teachers work with students during the first few weeks of school to develop strong bonds and expectations of being a member of a team. As students begin to feel more comfortable with their role in a team they are encouraged to then work on developing team contracts and self-guided expectations in order to help them achieve the individual and group goals of the project they are currently working on. It is not uncommon for the teachers to revisit these ideas at the beginning of each new project talking about what it means to be a good team member and what qualities a good team member will possess.
On a daily basis at FCS, you can walk into classrooms and see students engaged in group discourse, collaborative writing, team experimentation, and peer to peer feedback. This is across all grade levels and every curriculum we teach. This type of collaborative engagement also extends into their specified project groups where they take the ideas and information they have gained in their content areas and use it to expand and enrich the solutions to real-world problems they are developing. Teachers are present during this project time to help facilitate the discussion and to help groups that seem to be having issues, either with the content or working with a team. Teachers participate in the training of the latest techniques and research to support ensuring that group work is successful through professional development . In the fall 2019 one half of the staff participated in Harvard Education’s Differentiated Instruction made Practical course to support student collaboration. We also go a step further with our teamwork-building by participating in many different extracurricular programs that require our students to work together to accomplish their goals. Several such activities include Science Olympiad, First Lego League, GEMS Club, and the Model UN. Each member of these teams learn what they are responsible for and the part they play in the ultimate success or failure of the team in question. Success or failure, each student learns what it means to work together.
The goals of these working teams are clearly defined by the content teacher leading the class, with individual and team expectations made apparent to all team members. In our short history, it has been made apparent to us that no matter the scholar’s background, coming to Foothills Community School by way of eight feeder schools or from private or home school experiences, that many of them need a foundational understanding as to what it looks like to work in a group. Because of this, all teachers work with students during the first few weeks of school to develop strong bonds and expectations of being a member of a team. As students begin to feel more comfortable with their role in a team they are encouraged to then work on developing team contracts and self-guided expectations in order to help them achieve the individual and group goals of the project they are currently working on. It is not uncommon for the teachers to revisit these ideas at the beginning of each new project talking about what it means to be a good team member and what qualities a good team member will possess.
On a daily basis at FCS, you can walk into classrooms and see students engaged in group discourse, collaborative writing, team experimentation, and peer to peer feedback. This is across all grade levels and every curriculum we teach. This type of collaborative engagement also extends into their specified project groups where they take the ideas and information they have gained in their content areas and use it to expand and enrich the solutions to real-world problems they are developing. Teachers are present during this project time to help facilitate the discussion and to help groups that seem to be having issues, either with the content or working with a team. Teachers participate in the training of the latest techniques and research to support ensuring that group work is successful through professional development . In the fall 2019 one half of the staff participated in Harvard Education’s Differentiated Instruction made Practical course to support student collaboration. We also go a step further with our teamwork-building by participating in many different extracurricular programs that require our students to work together to accomplish their goals. Several such activities include Science Olympiad, First Lego League, GEMS Club, and the Model UN. Each member of these teams learn what they are responsible for and the part they play in the ultimate success or failure of the team in question. Success or failure, each student learns what it means to work together.
Evidence: Working in Teams
Classroom Student Team ExamplesMath Class: https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1205120643345203200Social Studies Class:https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1202677153592008704ELA Class (Individual Expectations):https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1191288797335441408Science Class: https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1184835525447827456Project Student Team ExamplesSeed to Need Team Project Presentations: https://www.mcdowellnews.com/mmn/mcdowell-health-coalition-hears-of-problems-facing-youth-at-annual/article_fbecef07-977c-5549-9495-f961ddb46a70.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-sharehttps://twitter.com/MAI_Principal/status/1205530433573859328Trashy Situation Kick-off:https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1192560197606072320Contract Guidelines: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12Bx2LaSqhHHuHm-K7LCOg34mNHeD7aYtbFvSDLoAVnc/edit?usp=sharing
Inside/Outside Extra STEM opportunity Team ExamplesScience Olympiad: https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/856082555023613952GEMS Club:https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1059585844066029568First Lego League:https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1201831950228631552Model UN: https://twitter.com/STEMFCS/status/1186631973852405760
Differentiated Instruction Course: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14FRUAawPRfEzcikZK1984TuOif0tZOQw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jVTi7r5fdDxPQQdLKbwelyE5LUT-n3b-?usp=sharing
Example of student work for reciprocal Teaching
Example of student work for reciprocal Teaching
Students working as a team is effective IF the students view the work as meaningful - the project matters and they have a personal stake - AND it meets the educational purpose by being well-designed and well-implemented. We are working towards make sure that the content and questions asked in reciprocal are meaningful to the students.
To support the students in the challenges and successes of teamwork, the teachers at FCS enrolled in a 4 month course on making differential instruction practical. Collaborative learning has a large effect size per Hattie if it is done correctly. A big component of DID done effectively is the cooperative learning groups being effective. If students are taught how to effectively work in groups and how to use the group time correctly, the students push their learning even deeper. The DI course is teaching us how to manage group work effectively so that all-students are on task, engaged, and actively participating.
Examples of group work in Social Studies:
-Reciprocal teaching-grade specific research articles focused on the SEED to NEED project; guided questions (pairs)
-Grouping a 7th or 8th grader with two 6th graders while introducing Frayer Model for front-loading vocabulary is another example of how the team work is structured by the teacher to move the learning of the students and to support each student's individual needs. This arrangement encouraged verbal exchange & academic questioning among the 6th graders.
-A real world application that included group work was taking recently researched vocabulary terms focusing on mapping/geography in teams of 3 to create a classroom map utilizing orientation, scale, and legend.
Debates and Discussion
Debates and Discussion
Debating and discussing a topic is a skill. It is learned. At FCS, we give our students the opportunity to have respectful dialogue with each other. The best part is that they learn that they can respectfully disagree and still leave the debate friends!
Flu PSA.mp4Group work to solve problems
Group work to solve problems
Students identified a current problem then created a PSA to solve that problem.
1st choice.mp4Future Problem
Future Problem
Students had a problem that could happen in the future. They worked as a team to create a new place for humans to live. This video is a final product of one of the 9 weeks projects.
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