This means students are evaluated on
their ability to demonstrate their learning
and apply that learning in meaningful
ways.
Principal Kim Carter says, “
Everything is a learning opportunity. Students
apply, document, and publicly defend
what they have learned.”
Rather than spend a set amount of
time in particular grades, students
progress through four phases. Because
students move at their own pace, they
can complete high school in fewer than
four years.
A graduation checklist details the
expectations for each phase. When a
student decides that he or she has
completed all components of a phase,
the student prepares a gateway portfolio
and presents an exhibition—a public
presentation of individual learning,
often supported by a digital portfolio.
Students articulate what they have
learned, how they are applying that
learning, and how they will build on
that learning (what their future goals
are). Students are expected to defend
their work to an evaluating panel,
including parents, teachers, other
students, and outside reviewers. This
panel completes a rubric during the
presentation and then meets with the
student to discuss the end-of-phase
presentation. The student also
completes a self-assessment.
One of this article’s authors (Richard
Hanzelka) recently participated as a
reviewer for a phase-three gateway presentation by Anna Toegel, a student who
had a history of noninvolvement in
school learning. In fact, a year and a half
earlier Anna had been ready to drop out
of high school. Her portfolio and presentation were a credit to her and to the
program. Rigor and relevance were
clearly evident in the gateway
experience.
For example, Anna described the
many skills she had developed in her
“Adapt or Die” biology class, including
problem solving, questioning, creative
thinking, and self direction. She
explained how participating in a stem
cell debate had required extensive study
of the issues. She included in her portfolio a 13-page paper on multiple
personality disorders. She also described
“Students who are
engaged are capable
of far greater rigor.”
her participation in the Pegasus
Communication for Systems Thinking
Conference in Boston, where she and
four other students had done a presentation describing the learning program
at MC2. She commented,
There are days when I am still in shock
by how my experience has turned out. If
two years ago someone had told me that I
would someday enjoy school, I would
have laughed in their face. If I had been
told that I would be confident in who I
am and I would be happy with what I
have contributed to my school, I would
have rolled my eyes. If I had been told I
would someday willingly and successfully
accomplish college-level portfolios while
still a junior in high school, I would have
thought they were absolutely insane.
Just the Start
Since passage of the Follow the Child
initiative, New Hampshire has seen
movement toward personalized learning
across the state. Schools are using the
flexibility provided by the state legislation to interpret and apply this concept
in a variety of ways.
Some educators and parents have
expressed concern, of course. They
question changing from a grading
system that everyone “understands” to
multiple measures designed to promote
mastery learning. Some cite the difficulty
that students who have received fewer
traditional grades may encounter when
they apply for admission to college.
Others cite the problems in determining
how student load will be determined for
teachers as more students opt for
extended learning opportunities.
As educators are aware, it takes time
and commitment on the part of many
people to accomplish change in a school
district. New Hampshire has made a
decision to effect change in a whole
state. It’s clear that the task will not be
easy, nor will it take place rapidly. It’s
also clear that, throughout the state,
large numbers of educators are
committed to the idea of personalized
learning. No other state has made a
similar effort to move beyond the traditional idea that time is the primary
factor in learning. As the New Hampshire effort continues to expand, and as
multiple measures of student learning
become more acceptable, all educators
will gain knowledge that will help make
the next steps in learner-centered education possible. EL
References
Bramante, F. (2005). Building the respectful
learning environment. Unpublished article.
Manchester, New Hampshire.
Claffey, J. (2008, June 17). The power of
one: Oyster River students do charitable
projects as an alternative to final exams.
Foster’s Daily Democrat. Available:
www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI
D=/20080617/GJNEWS_01/822474929
DiMartino, J., & Clarke, J. H. (2008).
Personalizing the high school experience for
each student. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Leather, P. (2009, December). Presentation
to the Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Board of Directors, Quincy, MA.
Mary Ellen Freeley is Associate
Professor at St. John’s University in
Queens, New York; freeleym
stjohns.edu. Richard Hanzelka is
Professor at St. Ambrose University in
Davenport, Iowa; HanzelkaRichardL
sau.edu.
