Where is What?
Alternative Education 4
Staff Impact 6
Combined Classes 7
Super Supportive Staff 8
Community History 10
Principal View 12
Community Benefits 14
Whose Idea Was This? 16
Finished Product 17
Construction Word Search 18
Crusin' The Constuction Site 19
Change is Good 20
Authentic learning. More than just educational jargon, these two words define what teachers should do. Engage students by offering opportunities to gain real-world skills. Rather than reading about how to produce a magazine, why not create one?
Facing a construction-filled last block that would be scattered with multiple moves, I opted to abandon textbooks and embrace a project. Unsure about the student buy-in, I approached them the first day of the block and presented the idea of creating a digital magazine documenting Community’s renovation.
My hope was that students would find value in learning to write tight, in learning how to write for publication, and in learning how to layout and design electronically. They would see the application to what they were learning and how writing related to the work place.
The students created what you are about to read, not me. I guided and gave advice and helped along the way. But the students brainstormed ideas, named the magazine, wrote the stories, wrestled with the layout, and took the pictures. They wrote everything, asking for help when they needed it.
This is THEIR magazine. They worked together, encouraged each other, offered advice, and took pride in what they were doing.
Authentic learning. It’s more than just jargon. It's learning in action.
Eileen Zygarlicke
English Teacher
Community High School
Our Vision & Purpose