Scheduling for Change

1. Scheduling for Change Doreen Stevens & Karen CoxUnama’ki Training & Education CentreEskasoni First Nation, NS

2. School Demographics • Unama’ki Training & Education Center (or “T.E.C.”) houses an alternative high school program for grades 9-12 • The student population consists of students who have been struggling with success in a regular school system for various reasons

3. Class of 2013

4. School Demographics • Students are referred to TEC. • Students typically come to us with: • underdeveloped work ethics • learning gaps • chronic absenteeism • weak social skills • negative school experiences • undervalued view of education • TEC is the community resource for those students who have fallen through the cracks.

5. Cycle of School Failure Why Change? Chronic Absenteeism High Drop-out Rate Excessive Failures Learning Gaps Underdeveloped Work Ethic

6. Driving Force for Change • Students seem to be motivated to return to school in September & October • We wanted to build on this type of “early term motivation” • The result was a drastic change to course scheduling to condense courses into a shorter time periods

7. Comparing Schedules Sept. 2012 Course Schedule Sept. 2013 Course Schedule

8. Pros (Student Perspective) • Students concentrate on course content for only two courses rather than four • Easier for students who struggle • Topics are introduced and reinforced daily • Homework time can be scheduled in class

9. Pros (Student Perspective) • More courses are available to be taught over the year • If a student drops out, only two credits are lost • Readmission time is only about 2½ months • Enhanced student interest

10. School Activities

11. Cons (Student Perspective) • Non-instruction days are the equivalent to two days missed last year • Lunch time is shortened for activities • Some students have the same teacher/same classroom all day

12. Pros (Teacher Perspective) • Only have to prepare for two courses • Material can be presented & reinforced in the same day • More time available for project-based learning • Course schedule is well-suited for student assessment

13. Cons (Teacher Perspective) • Lack of preparation time during the day • Each course requires 135 minutes a day of material • Hard to change student behaviour • More of a challenge in supporting high needs students • Some curriculum is difficult to cover at the accelerated pace

14. Is it Working? • Too short of a time period to prepare a quantitative measurement • We must rely on qualitative observations from teachers and students

16. Problems We Still Face • Attendance • Inclement weather • The bus does not travel on the side roads, so many students choose not to ride the bus.

17. Considerations • Success doesn’t happen overnight • One step is trying to make a change • Takes time to change chronic behaviours that impede learning • Our unique Pre-10 Program is a start…

18. School Activities

19. Future Goals • Student Life: • Increased sports opportunities • School activities • Personal Development: • CLM skills (life and resume skills) • Building independence • Mi’kmaw Citizenship Certificate

20. Future Goals • Curriculum Development: • Aboriginal Fine Arts course • Aboriginal Phys. Ed. Course • Skilled Trades 10

21. Future Goals Visual Arts 10 (Mi’kmaq Visual & Applied Arts) • Objective is to transfer and sustain cultural knowledge of Mi’kmaq arts from community elders to students. Partners

22. Questions? Unama’ki Training & Education Centre www.unamakitec.ca