During the sixth phase of School Startup, the Teacher-Founders merge their insights and reflect on the year to plan for next steps into the following year.
During the fifth phase of School Startup, the Teacher-Founders break down, pivot, make changes, and refine their innovations in order to create the best possible outcomes for students in their classes.
During the fourth phase of School Startup, the Teacher-Founders roll up their sleeves and try out their ideas. They reflect, and try again, and again, and again.
Here, Will and Alyssa's classes take part of an Interfaith Panel Discussion at the end of a religion unit, where students engage with representatives of each of the five major world religions. Rather than just scratching the surface of each religion, their students get to ask questions of real people who live and serve within each faith.
During the third phase of School Startup, the Teacher-Founders dig down into their Take-Aways from the Discover phase and create challenge questions that will drive their project direction and begin to brainstorm ideas for implementing solutions.
During the second phase of School Startup, the Teacher-Founders shadow and interview students to better understand their visions from the student perspective.
Here's what Will learned after shadowing and interviewing a student to better understand his vision.
During the first phase of School Startup, the Teacher-Founders consider possibilities for approaching deeper learning in their classroom by rethinking their practice and reimagining a new future vision for their work.
Check out this video of Will discussing his Core Why for teaching his content and his Vision for his project this year.
Will Colon
After working eight years in retail I obtained a Master's Degree in teaching to start my second career. Fern Creek High School is not only where I currently teach but also my alma mater. I love teaching -- knowing that every day when you set foot in your job you have the power to change lives is something most other vocations cannot live up to! Twitter --@wcolon185