Reading Reflection 2- BPHS

Six Components for Comprehensive Reform posed by the CA Department of Education in the 1992 vision for a new CA high school in the document “Second to None”:

1. Creating Curricular Paths to Success;
2. Developing Powerful Teaching and Learning;
3. Establishing a Comprehensive Accountability and Assessment System;
4. Providing Comprehensive Support for All Students;
5. Restructuring the School; and
6. Creating New Professional Roles.

3—Of the variety of practices discussed in Rethinking High School at BPHS, I believe their Size, Voice & Leadership, and Scheduling are important to consider when discussing the impact of such practices on the school as a whole. In regards to their Size I believe this can be connected to the fifth component about restructuring the school. The size of the school was a huge change agent in implementing several f the other practices at BPHS. When trying to create change it is easier to work with a small group of students in order to iron out the quirks before implementing such practices on a larger group of students. Overall, though, smaller may be better in the big picture concerning the success of a school like BPHS. Allowing both teachers and students to have a voice and take on roles of leadership while allowing them to implement changes of their own, I would say, also had a great impact on the practices of the school. This would fall into the second category of developing powerful teaching and learning. It could also fall under the sixth category of creating new professional roles in the sense that teachers and students are being given leadership roles that are not traditionally offered to them. Scheduling has also had an impact in that it has created a curricular path to success in that students are being given opportunities to build up their resume and network during a time that is usually allotted for classroom lectures.

2—At my CP1 I believe the PLCs to have been a nice opportunity for collaboration and growth. I have to admit that I did not believe the time to be used to its greatest capacity, but it does definitely have a substantial amount of potential concerning its effectiveness on the curriculum, developing powerful teaching and learning, and establishing comprehensive accountability and an assessment system. Another practice at my CP1 I had an appreciation for was a course call “School Success,” in which students who were struggling to stay afloat in high school were allotted time to get their work done with the extra help necessary. Once again, I do not believe this particular practice was being used at its full potential but I have a deep-rooted belief that it can provide comprehensive support for all students if given the adequate opportunity.

1—I predict the school size of BPHS will grow and that students will no longer be able to receive the amount of attention they are used to. There will be those students who will fall through the cracks…