Chris Lehmann, a Philadelphia native who had taught English for nine years at a progressive technology integration school in New York City, it was a chance to pitch his own vision for a new kind of school experience. His idea was to combine project-based learning with modern tools like the Mac to help students develop the high-level thinking and skills they would need in today’s world.
In 2005, the School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, decided to create four new small magnet high schools. The goal was not only to address chronic districtwide problems like high dropout rates, but also to develop new educational initiatives.
When his proposal was accepted, Lehmann became the founding principal of the high school he’d envisioned — the Science Leadership Academy, which has drawn students from all over the city since its first freshman class entered in September 2006. Formed in partnership with The Franklin Institute, a world-renowned science museum, the school features a curriculum in which students learn by creating research projects that try to answer fundamental questions raised in classroom sessions. Learning is measured not just in test results but in how effectively students develop their arguments and present their research.
No comments:
Post a Comment