A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Teacher Power: DESIGNING A STUDENT-CENTERED SCHOOL

Imagine a school with no separate subject disciplines, no grades, no credits, no Carnegie units. This is University Heights High School on the campus of Bronx Community College, an alternative school for 400 students.

Students at University Heights work in integrated, project- based learning teams. In order to graduate, they are required to participate in seven different Roundtables, each one made up of parents, teachers, college professors, and students. The objective of the Roundtables is to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their mastery and skills in all disciplines.

According to one of the teachers, Augusto Andres, students reflect on their portfolio work, asking: "What did I do and how did I do it?" "What did I learn and why is it valuable to me?" "What can I do better in the future?" Students used to be concerned about graduating on time, he added. Now, "they talk about whether they are ready to graduate."

***last updated 5/18/94 (pkickbush)***
-###-

Teacher Power: MODELING FOR EACH OTHER Table of Contents Teacher Power: OWNING AN ASSESSMENT SYSTEM