BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS

Dave Caiazza

School Without Walls, Rochester, NY

david.caiazza@rcsdk12.org

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

Because so many SWW students fail to take advantage of the opportunities of our unique program, SWW is in danger of becoming just another traditional school next year: Closed campus, 42 minute classes, bells, tests…you know. We need proof that students CAN and WILL learn in the community instead of just in classrooms in the building. As a valued member of our community, it is your job—no, your responsibility—to prove that students will learn outside the walls of S-Dub?

 

 

YOUR TASK:

 

You must first learn whether the problem is real. You’ll do this as a class in two ways:

 

·        You’ll use the Public Policy Analyst application to learn how to clarify the problem and come up with a policy to allow students to break down the walls

 

·        You’ll learn how to create and interpret a survey to be given to all SWW students that will show how many of them take advantage of learning opportunities outside of the school building

 

 

THE PROCESS:

 

1.     As a class, we’ll complete the worksheets of the Public Policy Analyst application.

a.      http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.doc

b.     http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.doc

c.     http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.doc

d.     http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.doc

e.      http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.doc

f.       http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.doc

 

2.     As a class, we’ll create a survey that asks about students experiences and attitudes concerning learning outside of SWW.

 

3.     Volunteers will distribute the surveys to each extended class and collect the completed surveys.

 

4.     As a class, we will enter the data in a spreadsheet, chart and analyze the data, and determine whether the problem is real.

 

5.     Using the website listed in the Resources section below, list at least three local organizations where you might be interested in learning.

 

6.     By the end of 1st Quarter, you’ll have established and begun an 8-hour/week internship at a local business/agency.

 

 

 

RESOURCES:

 

Websites on learning/internships in Rochester:

http://rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/city-articles/education.html

http://www.groovejob.com/browse/internships/in/NY/New%20York/Rochester

http://www.kidneynyup.org/internship.asp

http://www.volunteersolutions.org/uwgr/org/opp.tcl?agency_id=219004

http://www.breadandwatertheatre.org/getinvolved/internships.htm

http://www.real-rochester.com/intern.html

http://www.redwingsbaseball.com/frontoffice/interns.html

http://rochesterhomepage.net/media/pdf/INTERNSHIPPROGRAMAPPLICATION.pdf

http://www.rit.edu/~gtfsbi/Symp/ecology.htm

You may also use Google to find other sites.

 

The Public Policy Analyst:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html

 

Creating a Survey:

http://www.kwiz.biz/simplesurveys/create-survey.php

http://www.ezquestionnaire.com/support/surveytips.asp

http://www.ryerson.ca/~mjoppe/ResearchProcess/QuestionnaireGuidelines.htm

 

 

 

EVALUATION:

 

You will be evaluated on your work using the rubric below:

 

Organization of Written and Visual Work

√+     Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and headings

√        Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs

√–      Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well constructed

0        The information appears to be disorganized

 

Quality of Information

√+     Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples

√        Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples

√–      Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given

0        Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic

 

Internet Use

√+     Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance

√        Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance

√–      Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance

0        Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites

 

Mechanics of Written Work

√+     No grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors

√        Almost no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors

√–      A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors

0        Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors

 

Establishment of Your Internship

√+     You have begun your internship, attended very day, and assisted others in doing so

√        You have begun your internship and attended every day

√–      You have begun your internship, and have 93% to 99% attendance

0        You have not begun your internship

 

 

Learning Standards

 

This WebQuest addresses the following NYS Learning Standards:

 

Language Arts:

Standard 1:   Language for Information and Understanding—Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation—Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation.

Standard 4:   Language for Social Interaction—Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people.

 

Social Studies

Standard 4:   Economics—Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources.

Career Development and Occupational Studies

Standard 1:   Career Development—Students will be knowledgeable about the world of work, explore career options, and relate personal skills, aptitudes, and abilities to future career decisions.

Standard 2:   Integrated Learning—Students will demonstrate how academic knowledge and skills are applied in the workplace and other settings.

Standard 3a: Universal Foundation Skills—Students will demonstrate mastery of the foundation skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

 

After all this work, you’ve probably concluded (to your delight!) that Dan was wrong, and that there are many learning opportunities outside the walls of S-Dub. Now, it’s up to you to challenge your peers and their teachers to get out there and learn!