EnCompass Rising, Summer 2013

Owning Their Learning
EnCompass uses Science and Blended Learning pilots to personalize learning

Thorax, pupa, nocturnal, larva, exoskeleton. Within seconds of sitting down with EnCompass Academy 2nd-graders to talk about science, these are just some of the words they rattle off with confidence.
 

Thanks to a deep commitment to science this year, students across campus are talking, thinking, and acting like scientists. “We have more science than ever at EnCompass,” says Principal Minh-Tram Nguyen. “It’s been an amazing year of growth.” As an OUSD Science Cohort School, EnCompass staff got support from a District science coach, received science trainings, and increased Science planning time.

This boost, says Nguyen, not only helped the school offer more science learning – every grade gets much more science time than the District requires – but it has fueled the pursuit of two key parts of the EnCompass vision: “teaching to the whole child,” and “developing an active, reflective, and disciplined mind.”

“Students are using the academic vocabulary of science to ask each other questions, and then asserting scientific thinking through claims and evidence,” explains Nguyen. “That inquiry and investigation supports the ‘active mind.’ And their use of scientific language – through science notebooking and in conversation – connects to the ‘reflective and disciplined’ piece of our vision statement.” Nguyen says the students in Marlene Atwood’s class “took science talk and ran with it.”

2nd-grader Josue offers an example. “If we’re observing a darkling beetle and one dies, we have to have our evidence, and then make a claim about why the beetle died. For example, I might claim my darkling beetle died because of the evidence that it had laid all of its eggs, and they soon die after laying all their eggs.”

Josue’s classmate Mariajose goes on to explain their use of “compare and contrast” when looking at the life cycles of beetles versus humans, and offers a creative interpretation. “Beetles molt, and drop the exoskeleton that covers them. In a way, humans do the same thing: We change clothes when ours don’t fit us anymore.”

By engaging in this type of analysis and hands-on work, students are taking real ownership of their learning. Atwood puts it this way: “Science gives students the opportunity to make sense of the world around them. But to make this experience real and tangible to them, it needs to be taught as a total body experience, allowing children to use all of their senses. Hands-on science allows the students to become scientists discovering the world for themselves.”

“Learning this much science now, in 2nd grade, is going to help us later on because you might get a job as a scientist,” explains 2nd-grader Noel. “And in college, it will help us to know a lot of science already, because when we have to solve problems in class, we won’t just say, ‘I don’t know this, I guess I’ll just guess.’ Instead, we’ll really know the answer.”

Interacting with animals and insects all year has also instilled respect and sensitivity. “When you learn more about them, you care more about them,” says 2nd-grader Sarah. “Science helps us know more about animals so we can take care of them.”

2nd-grade scientists Josue, Noel, Mariajose, and Sarah

The Next Level: Blended Learning

EnCompass Academy is honored to be one of just two OUSD elementary schools taking part in the Rogers Family Foundation’s Blended Learning Pilot. While using technology is a big piece of this program, computers are a conduit for a larger vision.

“As we transition to the Common Core standards, we need to help our students adjust to a new way of thinking and applying knowledge using technology,” says Principal Nguyen. “The online math and reading content is motivating kids to improve by immediately and consistently letting each of them know what level they’ve reached in the progress toward their learning target. It’s a powerful shift.”

“EnCompass has embarked on an ambitious first-year implementation of blended learning that ultimately reached every single teacher and every single student,” shares Greg Klein, director of the Blended Learning Pilot. “Teachers and students used a variety of adaptive online programs to personalize the learning experience for each student. EnCompass teachers rose to the challenge, setting the stage for Year 2, where they can focus on going much deeper with the tools already in place.”

“Even in our early phase of piloting Blended Learning, our students now own their learning more across content areas,” says Nguyen. “They are choosing to use screen time to put their minds to work and become more engaged in the world, rather than the kids’ typical use of screen time to disconnect and escape from the present moment."

Support Our Young Scientists and Technologists!

In a state that spends roughly $3,000 less per student than the national average, public schools like ours must fundraise to continue offering our kids the science and technology resources they deserve. You can help!
 
Please consider a tax-deductible donation online (be sure to choose "EnCompass" in the PICK YOUR SCHOOL pull-down) or by mail to:
“OSF/EnCompass,” P.O. Box 27148, Oakland, CA 94602. Thank you for supporting our ambitious students!