At a time when educators are struggling to reconnect students with their studies and rekindle the joy of learning, Leyden High School District 212 outside Chicago has discovered the perfect blend of personalized learning and interdisciplinary teaching through from his innovative co.lab for freshmen.
The Leyden co.lab Identification Unit allows all first-year students to participate in an interdisciplinary curriculum that connects English, biology, global studies, health and digital literacy.
Using a design thinking process helped fuel Leyden’s co.lab, say Superintendent Nick Polyak and Brian Mahoney, associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction, who also believe this project-based learning concept can inspire students. students and serve as a model for other districts.
co.lab: a connection model
He Leyden Laboratory helps students energize their education while connecting their studies to topics such as identity, community, and well-being.
“This process required several years of planning and investment,” says Polyak. “We allowed this incredible team of teachers to dream big, visit other programs across the country, and build something unique for our students and our community. “When the hard work is done at the grassroots level, it is easy to provide the necessary funding and support to help them succeed.”
Leveraging personal experiences and community involvement is key, but technology also helps facilitate the program.
“When you walk into co.lab classrooms, you’ll see wall-mounted video monitors with group seating. Any student can plug in their Chromebook and share the screen with the group,” says Polyak, whose district has enjoyed individual Chromebook use since 2012. “The technology and furniture are meant to boost collaboration, public speaking, creativity, etc. . During Covid, like every other school district in the country, we saw higher failure rates. However, even during remote learning, failure rates at co.lab were incredibly small. That sense of community and deliberate empowerment was reflected in the students’ success rates during that difficult time.”
Sharing their success created a lasting impact on students and their families. An exhibition is the culmination of the work that students have participated in throughout the year. Attendees can listen to poetry, watch animated videos, and learn how a student’s family recipe can provide nutritional value to the human body. Sharing these student “artifacts” is a fundamental principle of co.lab interdisciplinary education.
“Our teachers and administrators spent countless hours thinking, researching, and conducting site visits to develop a program that brings together multiple disciplines in a unique way to build community, give students purpose, and also deliver meaningful academic outcomes for our students,” Mahoney says. “Providing our students with the best project-based learning opportunities in line with the curriculum is both an exercise in creativity and inquiry.”
Support starts from the top
“At Leyden, we have a district commitment to developing confident problem solvers by providing students with relevant and authentic experiences,” Mahoney says. “We let this commitment drive co.lab’s vision. The interdisciplinary nature of this program, along with field trips and project-based learning, allows our co.lab teachers the ability to “check the boxes” of required content and standards while also extending that learning with examples and experiences. from the real world. .”
A supportive administration is key to carrying out such an impressive effort. At Leyden, co.lab teachers are given substitutes to free up their schedule for full-day team meetings and communal planning time.
“Leyden has a Board of Education and school community that embraces and celebrates innovation and experimentation,” Polyak says. “We have clearly seen higher levels of personal confidence, community connection, public speaking and more. At the same time, our co.lab students have continually performed as well as or better than their peers on state and national assessments. That analysis of the program has helped sustain and support this program.”
Results as impressive as the students
Not only are students making their mark in the classroom, but community agencies (park district, city office, etc.) often contact Leyden with reports of students taking positive action in the community. When asked about their motivation, they mention their time in the co.lab.
“co.lab allows our students to interact with their community and tie their education to the cities in which they live,” says Polyak. “Not only are they learning their core academic skills, but they are also understanding how they fit into their world and how to help give back.”
The ultimate goal of an educator is to send students to the next level as best prepared as possible for what life will throw at them.
“Our co.lab teachers are often approached by their colleagues who have former co.lab students,” Mahoney says. “A common refrain is ‘I knew they were lab partners because they were so prepared to… (fill in the blank).’ That is the dream of every teacher.”
How to create a co.lab at your school
- Assemble the team. Find a well-rounded group of teachers and a supportive administrator who isn’t afraid of hard work.
- Write down your mission, vision and standards. Use design thinking and resources like NGSS, Common Core, and NHES.
- Get support from administration and the community. Create a presentation and present it to your Board of Education.
- Develop the curriculum. Brainstorm ideas, use external resources like the Buck Institute for PD and the ABCD framework, and the team review the instructional results.
- Develop a schedule and committees. Divide blocks of time according to class sessions, consider committees for functions such as resources, scheduling, secretary, agenda manager, liaison, eagle time and recruiting.
- Recruit students. Connect with potential participants and their parents.
- Launch the program. Reflect, review and be flexible and be prepared to make adjustments along the way.
