This document provides an overview of the opening keynote for staff at Minarets Charter High School. It introduces the school staff and emphasizes that Minarets aims to provide a transformative experience for students through project-based learning, relationships, student voice and choice. It highlights the demanding nature of working at Minarets but argues this is necessary to distinguish the school and avoid becoming like traditional high schools that many students dislike.

1. Minarets High School
Minarets Charter High School
Opening Keynote for Staff
August 17, 2012

3. the common core
( a 90-minute synopsis)

4. the common core
( a 90-minute synopsis)
just kidding.....

6. where did we leave off?

7. where did we leave off?

8. welcome to the madness
!
Tami Pilcher Stefanie Ferguson
Ag Earth Science,
RSP, Projects
Ag Bio, Ag Mechanics

9. welcome to the madness
Ryan Finfrock John Martin
English 11, Algebra CD,
Peer Mentoring, Projects Algebra 1, Projects

10. welcome to the madness
Merrie Lee Bill and Gina Hartley
Front Office EMT

11. why are we doing what
we’re doing?

13. I’m not going to lie....it’s a
demanding place to work

14. I’m not going to lie....it’s a
demanding place to work

15. I’m not going to lie....it’s a
demanding place to work
Fall 2008

16. I’m not going to lie....it’s a
demanding place to work
Fall 2008

17. I’m not going to lie....it’s a
demanding place to work
Fall 2008 Fall 2011

19. Everyday in America,
875 high school students
dropout

21. 2/3 of all high school students
report being
bored everyday in class

23. 81% of high school
students describe
their curriculum as
not interesting

25. High schools students
considering dropping out, say
the reason why:

26. High schools students
considering dropping out, say
the reason why:
“I don’t like school.” (50%)

27. High schools students
considering dropping out, say
the reason why:
“I don’t like school.” (50%)
“I don’t see the value in the work
I’m being asked to do.” (42%)

28. High schools students
considering dropping out, say
the reason why:
“I don’t like school.” (50%)
“I don’t see the value in the work
I’m being asked to do.” (42%)
“ I don’t like the teachers.” (39%)

29. the new work paradigm
• 53% of recent college grads are either unemployed or
underemployed (not working in jobs that require
college degrees)
•creating one’s own job
• the new entrepreneur - what do I do and how can I sell
it?
• most agree that future employment is going to depend
on creativity, collaboration, self-starting, entrepreneurial
skills and more.

30. a teacher’s role
• are we really just preparing students for college or for
something much more?
• it’s not good enough to say “you’ll need this in college”
or just get to college
• it’s all changing...what is our role?
Is it creating
opportunties to address the above and being able to
demonstrate it.
• how do you see yourself? Can anyone be just Math
Teacher, English Teacher, History teacher?

31. what has made
our school special?
you tell me.....

33. average LAUSD class size?

34. average LAUSD class size?
43

35. average LAUSD class size?
43
average minarets class size?

36. average LAUSD class size?
43
average minarets class size?
24

37. relationships -
student voice and choice -
public and professional -
more c’s -

38. relationships - students as customers, service,
communication, interest, access, availability
student voice and choice - project menus, student input,
student surveys, student ownership, student buy-in
public and professional - presenting, competing, risk-taking,
real world, non anonymity, etc.
more c’s - collaboration, creativity, coaching,
customization, caring,

39. what are we not?

41. what are we always
aiming to be?

42. what are we always
aiming to be?
transformative

44. are your students
having a transformative
experience?

45. are your students
having a transformative
experience?
are you as a teacher?

47. distinguish yourself

48. distinguish yourself
or extinguish yourself

49. a digital footprint....
a digital citizen

50. a digital footprint....
a digital citizen
the new resume

52. your on-line presence

53. your on-line presence

54. your on-line presence
I would
like to work
at
Minarets

55. what about social
networking at school?

56. project-based education

57. Academic Model
•teacher lead or designed
• single classroom
• content-oriented: designed to better understand
prescribed content
• resulting products or projects are not the key and
essentially bi-products

58. Mixed Model
• purpose is both the project and the academic content
• tends to involve more out-of-the classroom activities
and pursuits
• focuses on authentic project or work that matters -
exhibitions, presentations, publishing, etc.
• less about transmitting knowlege and more about
developing skills w/ real word applications

59. Entrepreneurial Model
• builds on the mixed model
• designed to build on entrepreneurial spirit and skills
• focuses on authentic, high quality and professional
products
• more student-controlled or designed

60. one of the many
models

61. high tech high
san diego
http://www.hightechhigh.org/schools/HTH/

62. high tech high

63. high tech high
* one of the most famous project-based,
performance-based schools in the U.S., if not the world

64. high tech high
* one of the most famous project-based,
performance-based schools in the U.S., if not the world
* charter school that is on a lottery
drawing from lower socio-economic areas of San Diego

65. high tech high
* one of the most famous project-based,
performance-based schools in the U.S., if not the world
* charter school that is on a lottery
drawing from lower socio-economic areas of San Diego
* has twice as many grads going into
STEM majors and careers, but they have no AP classes.
Also, 100 percent of grads attend college

66. high tech high
* one of the most famous project-based,
performance-based schools in the U.S., if not the world
* charter school that is on a lottery
drawing from lower socio-economic areas of San Diego
* has twice as many grads going into
STEM majors and careers, but they have no AP classes.
Also, 100 percent of grads attend college
* has cool integrated math and art projects -
Calculicious, PhysNewtons and more.

67. high tech high
* one of the most famous project-based,
performance-based schools in the U.S., if not the world
* charter school that is on a lottery
drawing from lower socio-economic areas of San Diego
* has twice as many grads going into
STEM majors and careers, but they have no AP classes.
Also, 100 percent of grads attend college
* has cool integrated math and art projects -
Calculicious, PhysNewtons and more.
* all students showcase their key projects
in what are called “exhibitions.”

68. changing perceptions
• rigor - more of the same of something truly higher, greater and
better?
• academics and academic success
• homework vs. projects
• can all of us articulate what we do?
• true professionalism - taking the talking and really walking the
walk....

69. appeals of the traditional
paradigm
• For students? Easier, familiar, less public, more
anonymity, easier to compete, less input,
• For parents? more clearly defined objectives,
checkpoints, rewards.... it’s also what they did and it was
good enough (funny thing is it was)
• Even socially, there is fight between paradigms - who is
popular and who runs the school now? At Minarets?

70. finals
• All classes and teachers should have quarter and
semester finals
• Needs to be more of “PRACTICAL FINAL” vs. the
traditional.
• Should be major presentation, culminating physical
project, major contest entry, public performance or
“exhibition”

71. collaboration
•Mondays
• WASC Teams - at least once per month
• Curricular Teams - at least once per month
• All Staff - at least one per month

72. SPC’S
VS.
TA’S

73. and?