Students help design their own learning plan

When faced with the closure of the Tower-Soudan High School, 14 area students made the choice to enroll in a unique online charter school– a school that allows students to pursue their own passions and take learning in a new direction.

These students are getting a taste of what project-based learning is all about, and so far, the reviews are pretty impressive.

The school was seen as a bridge by students who were excited about the prospect of hands-on, project-based learning, the focus of the recently-approved new charter school in Tower, the Vermilion Country School scheduled to open Fall 2012. While Edvisions Off Campus is not connected to or affiliated with the Vermilion Country School, it uses the same project-based learning philosophy. Both are charter schools; public schools funded by the state, open to all students.

Amazing results

Char Oja’s seventh-grade son Steve is a project-based learning convert. Steve has a learning disability and was often teased and bullied in his previous school.

The changes Char has seen in her son this year are amazing both academically and socially. Math is taught in small groups, and students are allowed to progress at their own pace. Steve has already completed a year’s worth of math, and is on track to complete pre-algebra by the end of this year, which means he can start Algebra I as an eighth-grader.

“This never would have happened in a regular school,” Char said.

She has also seen improvements in his reading skills, which aren’t as advanced as his math.

“He’s allowed to read what is interesting to him,” she said. “He loves to do research and learn new facts.”

When Steve does struggle, Char said his online teachers are quick to set him back on track. While Steve excels at finding and learning new information, he sometimes has trouble putting the information together.

“The advisors work with him step-by-step,” she said. “He’s learning how to take notes, how to make a PowerPoint, and how to summarize and put information in his own words.”

Steve’s interest in anime has led to finding new friends. He meets weekly, online through video-conferencing, with other students who are interested in the Japanese animation form. They learn about Japanese language and culture, and Steve even gets drawing lessons from another student who is a more experienced anime artist.

“He has more friends. There isn’t any teasing. He isn’t getting picked on. He loves the field trips.”

Char said he also has been more comfortable at social gatherings, and attended the local teen dance and karaoke night, something he wouldn’t have done last year.

Other parents of Edvision students also report positive results.

“My daughters are much more focused on their schoolwork,” said Amy Hinkel. “They are a lot more interested than they were in regular public school.”

Hinkel also likes the cooperative nature of learning. If a student is struggling with a math concept, for example, Hinkel said other students are willing to help, and students actually earn class time credit for helping a classmate. She said the feedback she gets from her daughters’ teachers is timely. If her daughters are not staying on track, she is notified immediately.

Becky and Jim Gawboy have enrolled nine of their children in Edvisions Off Campus this year.

“I just hated school last year,” said Shawn Gawboy. “There were no choices.”

This year Shawn is following her passions, and learning some new ones.

Shawn’s brother Tim is completing an impressive hands-on project- the construction of his own bedroom in their house’s basement. Motivation is high because once the room is completed, he can move out of his current room, which he shares with two younger brothers. Tim has learned basic framing, wiring, sheetrock installation and painting. When his room is finished the final step is the construction of a loft bed. He has spent almost 100 hours on the project so far.

Jordan Gawboy is working on a project about beadwork. He is studying different tribes and their different styles of beadwork, learning different stitches, and creating his own designs to use for his pow wow regalia. Paula Gawboy, a talented singer, is studying music theory, something that wasn’t taught in the traditional school setting. She is doing research and reading online, as well as working with a mentor in the community.

“I don’t feel like I have to butt heads with a teacher,” said Paula. “This is more about what you learn, and not about the paperwork.” Paula enjoys being able to choose her own reading material, and not be limited by what books are covered by the reading program tests in the school library.

Briita Noyes was hired as a para-professional, to work with special education students who needed additional one-on-one help.

“I see them doing amazing things,” she said. “They put so much work into their projects. They really focus. They’ve taken control of their own learning.”

The online environment does have its challenges. Sometimes students really would benefit from having a teacher available in person, and sometimes the technology fails, leaving students unable to connect with their advisors. Parents need to be involved in their child’s education, checking in on a regular basis, much more so than in a regular school environment.

Project-based learning

Students at Edvisions choose their own projects, which need to be designed to cover state-mandated curriculum. They work with their teachers to make sure they are meeting state goals, and use a computer program that tracks their progress on a daily basis. Math is taught in a more traditional manner, though students are allowed to progress at their own pace and get more one-on-one attention; all other subjects get grouped into longer-term projects.

Learning, while supervised online, is a blend of online and hands-on. There are no worksheets or end-of-unit tests. School days are more flexible. Students must attend a morning advisory meeting, a one-hour math session, along with a one-on-one meeting with their advisor/teacher each day. The rest of the school day is planned out by the student and their teacher. Each student is assigned to a single advisor/teacher, who keeps tabs on their progress on a daily basis. Students earn credits, not grades, and must log in a specific number of hours in each subject. At the end of each project students prepare some sort of presentation that is shared with their teachers, fellow students and even the community. Project-based learning is often a good fit for students with learning disabilities, because each student’s learning plan is designed individually. Since every student has different work, students who may be working at a different grade level do not stand out.

Gigi Dobosenski is co-director of Edvisions Off Campus. She said most of their students were not satisfied with the normal public school environment.” They were bored, or felt their teachers didn’t know them, or they didn’t like learning by lecture,” she said.

Edvisions students go on field trips once a month, so they get to know all the students in their area. The Tower-Soudan students have travelled to Ely to see the Minnesota Opera’s performance of “Pocahontas,” and to Minneapolis to the Guthrie Theater’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” This month they will go to Duluth for a day at the indoor water park.

Students are also active in the community. Students have volunteered at the Tower Rangewide Seniors bingo afternoons and polka dances.

“It’s great to have them around,” said Christina Hujanen, who runs the senior events, “not only do they help me run the event, but they also spend time visiting with the seniors.”

Students are also working on a trail project in a stand of old growth cedar trees just on the edge of town. They recently received a $1,000 grant from Lake Country Power’s RoundUp Program for the trail. Students have helped map out the trail route, and this spring will begin trail construction. They are working with experts from the St. Louis County Land Department.

All online charter schools are not the same, Dobosenski noted. Most online charter schools have students working on a fairly standard curriculum, similar to a regular bricks and mortar school.

“We are unique,” she said, “unlike any other online school in the state.”

Dobosenski said that Edvisions allows students to pursue interests that may blossom into lifelong careers. Students who’ve spent hours and hours studying animals end up pursuing careers in veterinary medicine, she said.

Learn more

The Edvisions Off Campus School has about 100 students enrolled statewide, and is able to accept student transfers mid-year. The school’s website is www.lovethisschool.com. Students are issued laptops for the school year. While most students work from home, the students in Tower have the option of working from a group location at the Legion Hall.