Boston Day and Evening Academy

Why Boston Day and Evening Academy was nominated

Mission and Vision: Boston Day and Evening Academy re-engages off-track students in their education preparing them for high school graduation, post-secondary success and meaningful participation in their community. Boston Day and Evening Academy will continue to be an innovative leader in student-centered education for off-track learners. Highlights: Competency Based Education- The primary--and the crucial difference between a competency-based system of teaching and assessment and a traditional model, is that students begin a learning pathway (traditionally referred to as middle school or high school) based on assessed skill level in each content area, and not on arbitrary placement in grades (based on age). Each content area (i.e. Humanities, Math, Science, Technology) is divided into modules, which correspond to an academic semester, quarter, or trimester (see ROADMAP). After being assessed for their knowledge in each content area, students are placed into the module which puts them at their ""learning edge"" i.e. challenging, but not overwhelming. Students progress from module to module in each content area, based on their ability to demonstrate mastery in each area, independently and multiple times. Once they meet the assigned benchmarks in each module, they become ""competent"", and move on to the next module. If they finish a trimester without demonstrating competency in an area, they repeat that module--and that module only--while moving ahead in other content areas. Innovative Teaching Practices In addition to using competency-based teaching and assessment practices to drive the curriculum and inform the learning that takes place at BDEA, faculty are constantly embracing new forms of teaching that address the student-centered nature of their work. Blended Learning- We are thoughtful about how we are using technology to enhance learning, and hear from students that they need a balance of technology and personalized, teacher-led instruction. Our approach has been to create a blended learning model that combines a variety of options including online courses, as well as technology-supported classes enhanced by the use of iPads, Smartboards and computers. We have a Personalized Online Learning Lab (POLL) where students can catch up on classroom work or accelerate their progress through classes. But the bottom line is always having teachers available for support, direction, and conversation. Experiential Learning- For over a decade, BDEA has included Project Month as a way of turning all classes ""experiential"", and giving students--and teachers--an opportunity to collaborate on projects that become an enduring part of the whole-school community. One year, one of the projects turned an abandoned community clubhouse into a solar powered, hydroponic greenhouse. Another year, students engaged with the ""Occupy Boston"" movement and recreated the experience of tent living, media coverage, and the genesis of the Arab Spring in a series of connecting classrooms at the school. Active Learning- Active Learning takes many forms, from the expected inclusion of physical fitness into the everyday experience of our staff and students, to the authentic learning experience that results from theatrical movement classes taught by valued partners Actors' Shakespeare Project. Our partners at Project Adventure helped us to understand and incorporate important aspects of ""active"" learning into our teaching practice, coaching students to physically ""move through"" diagrams instead of writing them on a whiteboard, and to use space rather than fill it.