Teachers learn from model school program

Ten teachers and administrators from the Las Virgenes Unified School District recently attended the Model Schools Conference in Atlanta, Ga. The trip was financed through the Las Virgenes Educational FoundationThe 2009 Model Schools Conference for Educators and policymakers, K-12, showcased more than 25 of America’s highest performing and rapidly improving schools that are using their resources most efficiently and effectively.

The goals of Model Schools are already written into the action plan of Agoura High School and compliment the international critical thinking focus of its International Baccalaureate program.

“It was great spending time with our Agoura counterparts. We should do it more often,” said Linda Pierce, vice principal of Calabasas High School. “Much of what we discussed dealt with encouraging continuous improvement, continuous change over time and that we should direct that change rather than letting it direct us. Not only do we want to get better but we want to learn to do more with less.”

“One of our major long-term goals is to develop more crosscurricular lessons, units, and classes,” said Busby. “It’s actually a major component of our action plan.”

Busby implemented some of his newfound information. “I was intrigued by the use of text message based online polling to gather student responses,” he said. “I used this in summer school and found that the students liked the idea of technology being integrated into the curriculum and were more likely to respond if they knew is was safe and anonymous.”

This concept dovetails with a presentation on avoidance motivation by Robert Brooks, psychology professor at Harvard University. Brooks said, “All students are motivated. They just aren’t necessarily motivated to do what you want. Many are motivated to avoid humiliation. They would rather be silent than wrong.”  

“Short and long term, we are working to make students more comfortable and willing to engage learning in our classrooms,” Busby said.

Attendees will share conference information with other teachers and administrators in the fall. For information on dates and times, go to www.mylvef.org.