Results:
Our DLE in May of 2019 with the transformed structure had over 100 kids participate and about 300 attendees in the audience. Fewer parents attended than previous exhibitions and about the same number of teachers. Not every Academy was successful in meeting their challenge for the night. And other Academies completely owned the success of their hallway, making it reflect the work the Academy is doing. A few teachers were able to showcase their student work with a broader audience than they ever experienced, particularly a whole Mock Trial Case in one of our Ted-Talk rooms, a live pod-cast being recorded on Race and Education, and Academies launching students on the main stage. The new additions to our main stage performances broadened what we offered and raised the bar for students in those specialized fields. This student, representing Health Sciences, presented on a problem he identified in the medical field, his solution to it, and what he needed to make his invention a reality.
Our DLE in May of 2019 with the transformed structure had over 100 kids participate and about 300 attendees in the audience. Fewer parents attended than previous exhibitions and about the same number of teachers. Not every Academy was successful in meeting their challenge for the night. And other Academies completely owned the success of their hallway, making it reflect the work the Academy is doing. A few teachers were able to showcase their student work with a broader audience than they ever experienced, particularly a whole Mock Trial Case in one of our Ted-Talk rooms, a live pod-cast being recorded on Race and Education, and Academies launching students on the main stage. The new additions to our main stage performances broadened what we offered and raised the bar for students in those specialized fields. This student, representing Health Sciences, presented on a problem he identified in the medical field, his solution to it, and what he needed to make his invention a reality.
Collaborate, Exhibit, Reflect, Repeat:
There is a pattern of leadership we’ve established in these exhibitions. We know people care about things they’re invested in. Thus, it’s important to encourage everyone to come to the table, for everyone to invest however they can. Baby steps are still steps. Amongst participating teachers, we dialogue together; we recruit more; we empower each other. We collaborate, exhibit, reflect, and repeat. It’s a culture we create.
We were able to recruit more teachers and earn buy-in from leadership because of our past successes. Previously, many thought the kind of work we were doing with kids and DLEs wasn’t possible. And when we requested more buy in for teacher leadership, many were overwhelmed with the idea.
Attempting to create a new school wide system for DLEs mid-year was ambitious. Considering our DLE was in May, and we had the turn out we did, is not bad. But more importantly, because the four teachers who started this took their foot off the gas and encouraged others to take the wheel, more student and teacher leadership evolved. The work is intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and passion driven. It’s work that allows both teachers and students to collaborate in new ways that we can’t in traditional classroom settings. It’s work that can create vertical alignment, especially in a school like ours where we’re trying to connect our middle school more to our high school. It’s work that develops character, skills, and community.
There is a pattern of leadership we’ve established in these exhibitions. We know people care about things they’re invested in. Thus, it’s important to encourage everyone to come to the table, for everyone to invest however they can. Baby steps are still steps. Amongst participating teachers, we dialogue together; we recruit more; we empower each other. We collaborate, exhibit, reflect, and repeat. It’s a culture we create.
We were able to recruit more teachers and earn buy-in from leadership because of our past successes. Previously, many thought the kind of work we were doing with kids and DLEs wasn’t possible. And when we requested more buy in for teacher leadership, many were overwhelmed with the idea.
Attempting to create a new school wide system for DLEs mid-year was ambitious. Considering our DLE was in May, and we had the turn out we did, is not bad. But more importantly, because the four teachers who started this took their foot off the gas and encouraged others to take the wheel, more student and teacher leadership evolved. The work is intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and passion driven. It’s work that allows both teachers and students to collaborate in new ways that we can’t in traditional classroom settings. It’s work that can create vertical alignment, especially in a school like ours where we’re trying to connect our middle school more to our high school. It’s work that develops character, skills, and community.
An Ever Evolving Journey:
When students buy into this work, they transform themselves. We’ve had multiple students move on to bigger stages because they participated on the Main Stage at our DLEs. As our students were developed into practiced performers of their own work for large audiences, opportunities arose for them to present at The Interfaith Festival in Louisville, Actors Theatre, High Tech High in San Diego, The Fairness Rally in Frankfort, and various political events because their legislators now know their names and talent. DLE’s open doors within and around students so that each student’s gift is made more transparent to him/herself and the world.
When teachers buy into this work, they change the school. We experienced how just four teachers created a culture where others could join in and lead. While in this transition to a distributed (position based) leadership approach, not every Academy was able to lead the creation of their Hallway and Main Stage performance like we hoped, but the groundwork is laid out for next year. Successes and “failures” are felt and reflected upon. Teachers have already begun talking about how they can better lead next year and bring more students on board. Like life, this is a process without a letter grade. I never hear students comment on how they’re excited for the next standardized test. However, we are finding students who want to be the Academy Leads for our DLEs. That is culture changing work…
When leadership decides to remove barriers that impede DLEs, they can help students and teachers be the change needed in all of our communities. There are so many barriers to meaningful, relevant education: standardized testing culture, students not having their Maslow needs met, teacher burnout, fear, etc. The list goes on. However, when leadership recognizes that DLEs enhance student engagement, teacher leadership, and parental/community involvement- they experience the value they bring. It’s messy work. It’s hard work. It’s inspiring work. And ultimately, it’s real world work. School is just a microcosm of society, and when we let students, teachers, and the community address problems and come up with solutions to share at DLEs, we are creating tomorrow’s and today’s leaders- inside and outside the classroom.
When students buy into this work, they transform themselves. We’ve had multiple students move on to bigger stages because they participated on the Main Stage at our DLEs. As our students were developed into practiced performers of their own work for large audiences, opportunities arose for them to present at The Interfaith Festival in Louisville, Actors Theatre, High Tech High in San Diego, The Fairness Rally in Frankfort, and various political events because their legislators now know their names and talent. DLE’s open doors within and around students so that each student’s gift is made more transparent to him/herself and the world.
When teachers buy into this work, they change the school. We experienced how just four teachers created a culture where others could join in and lead. While in this transition to a distributed (position based) leadership approach, not every Academy was able to lead the creation of their Hallway and Main Stage performance like we hoped, but the groundwork is laid out for next year. Successes and “failures” are felt and reflected upon. Teachers have already begun talking about how they can better lead next year and bring more students on board. Like life, this is a process without a letter grade. I never hear students comment on how they’re excited for the next standardized test. However, we are finding students who want to be the Academy Leads for our DLEs. That is culture changing work…
When leadership decides to remove barriers that impede DLEs, they can help students and teachers be the change needed in all of our communities. There are so many barriers to meaningful, relevant education: standardized testing culture, students not having their Maslow needs met, teacher burnout, fear, etc. The list goes on. However, when leadership recognizes that DLEs enhance student engagement, teacher leadership, and parental/community involvement- they experience the value they bring. It’s messy work. It’s hard work. It’s inspiring work. And ultimately, it’s real world work. School is just a microcosm of society, and when we let students, teachers, and the community address problems and come up with solutions to share at DLEs, we are creating tomorrow’s and today’s leaders- inside and outside the classroom.