Join the Crew: Creating an Ecosystem for Authentic Learning from Day One
There’s an unmistakable excited, albeit a little nervous energy that pulsates through a classroom just before a meaningful presentation of learning. Some learners focus on finalizing each of the tiniest details while others improvise, re-designing components that have failed on most recent attempts. Teachers conference with learners, giving feedback on products or presentations.
For many learners, this kind energy and excitement about learning is something that occurs ‘after the basics’. There’s a belief that permeates educational culture that we must first cover basics, both in content and behavioral expectations, before we can engage learners in meaningful, relevant work.
Mt. Washington Middle School doesn’t buy it.
We visited their school to see how they immerse learners in authentic learning from the beginning. The entire school was abuzz, engaging in a project bringing awareness to local nonprofits. Hallways were filled with parade floats, art supplies, and the occasional supervised power tool. Learners were collaborating to research local non-profits, giving each other feedback on designs, and building products together while teachers facilitated, acting as coaches when needed.
Learners and teachers collaborated with a sense of familiarity and rapport that might otherwise take weeks to develop. The tasks classes engaged in were learner-led and learner-designed. Moreover, in their conversations with one another, learners communicated with a sense of humor and community. To put it simply, learners seemed like they felt at home and were doing work they were invested in.
This was not in an isolated classroom or even a grade-level team. This was happening in every single classroom at MWMS. What’s more is learners didn’t have to wait for any basics to get to this experience.
It was the fourth day of school.
How MWMS is
transforming the student experience…
MWMS teacher Jessica Talley wasn’t satisfied with those typical first days - going over rules, consequences, schedules, and procedures. She completely changed her approach after attending a conference session led by Spokane Valley High School about something called Crew. She immediately went back to school, shared the idea with her principal, and as result, Crew has reshaped the opening 6 days of MWMS for the past two years.
Crew is an advisory structure originating from EL Education. The model suggests a special approach with specific goals for the first 6 days of school. At MWMS, the primary goals for Crew include -
- Giving students a sense of belonging within the school
- Developing a strong sense of community both within the school, and between the school and the larger community
- Introducing students to the BCPS Graduate Profile.
- Immersing students in an authentic learning experience.
At MWMS, learners spend the majority of each of the first six days with their Crew. Each day’s activities align with one of the BCPS Graduate Profile skills. You can see a detailed outline of each day on this presentation. Although there are several components of Crew taking place each of the six days - students visiting one of the classes on their schedule for the new school year, attending sessions focused on important topics like accessing grades in IC, navigating Google Classroom, and reflecting on their Graduate Profile skills - the school takes a unique approach to the rollout of the authentic learning challenge. For MWMS, this takes the shape of a school-wide PBL.
Over those first six days, each Crew learns about a variety of non-profit organizations in their local community and chooses one to raise awareness about. This year their challenge is to do that through designing a mini-parade float in a community parade.
One sixth grade Crew working on painting their space themed float shares their collaborative approach to tackling the project. “This kid in our class had a really good idea for design. So we all worked together to make the design even better, and then actually made it. Now we're painting it.”
A classmate explains how Crew is helping them, “It helps connect students and if students aren’t nervous around everyone they’re with, then they’re actually going to feel more compelled to actually work. I love what we are doing right now.”
8th graders at MWMS recall what starting school was like ‘the normal way’. “The way we started in 6th grade [before MWMS implemented Crew] was just too much. We jumped right into classwork. But this way is sort of a slow start where you get to learn your teachers more.”
Another 8th grader interjects, “and do fun stuff!”
“Yeah! That helps you really get into school. When day seven comes, you’re really ready.”
It’s not just the learners who are fans of starting this way. Tammy Powell, an 8th grade teacher agrees with her students, “There is so much team building I am able to do with them. It helps us ease the transition back to school while engaging them in fun work. I feel like I really know my students better this way.” One group in the school community perhaps benefiting most from this new approach is Newcomers.
One 8th grade student, new to the district, shares, “If we started school like my old school did, I wouldn't really get to know as many people. This is a way better plan for starting. I really like this school.”
Learners new to middle school shared similar sentiments. One 6th grader shared her apprehensions about coming to middle school, “In the beginning, my stomach started hurting the night before, but then as soon as we got to my Crew I was like, oh my gosh, I love it here!”
Her classmate agrees, digging into how her relationship with her Crew teacher has made middle school feel, “She's made it very safe to ask questions in front of my class. We play a lot of games and get to spend a lot of time with each other and her. It makes me feel like I know a lot of people. Sometimes I don't even wanna go home. Like, ‘Can I just stay here?’”
New educators also see the benefits of Crew. Katie Hoben is an 8th grade Crew leader new to MWMS, “I love that the first six days are all planned out for me, but then I get to deliver it to my Crew in my own individual way. That’s a big load off my shoulders.”
The Crew structure is also familiarizing Hoben with implementing the district’s Graduate
Profile. “Each day we have a different portion of our Grad Profile that we highlight. So, today is Self-Directed Navigators. We worked on self-reflection and hitting our goals and what happens if we don't achieve our goals.”
And perhaps most importantly, it’s helping her form relationships with learners, “My Crew now already has somebody they can trust in the first six days of school.”
Danielle Parish, a teacher at MWMS, elaborated on the trust and community that Crew builds, “I want them to come in here and to feel like they belong. You could tell it's loud in here, but they are doing what they care about. A week ago, they truly didn't know each other. This structure kind of breaks down that barrier.”
On day six of school, projects must be ready to go! Families are invited to the parade. Taking the place of a traditional structure, like open house, learners showcase their hard work while also teaching their families about local nonprofits and their school.
Jessica Talley reflects on the impact Crew is having on families, too, “Parents were so pleased because they said they've never had their kids come home excited about school during the first week. And they could tell them everything they were doing and why they were doing it and what they were going to do tomorrow.”
Doug Osbourne, another teacher at MWMS, described the first six days as “transformational”.
Amy Leasgang, his colleague, added, “What it really shows us is how learning should always look. If kids are this excited about school, we have to keep trying to make every day like this where kids are doing authentic work they care about.”
How to get
started...
MWMS’s approach to starting school with Crew pushes on the learner experience in numerous ways-from creating learning communities with trust and safety to engaging learners in relevant tasks.
If you’re specifically looking to transform the start of the school year, starting with Jessica’s
overview slides of Crew are helpful. Learners and staff at MWMS also have some words of advice.
First, it helps to have a crew, literally. Jessica shares, “I needed a team to help me pull this off. Tammy and Amy helped me by coming up with a list of activities that would align to our Grad Profile. They were so helpful in planning and getting our whole staff on board.”
Second, anticipate some healthy growing pains. Tammy Powell shares, “Last year was more of a challenge, just with the newness of it.
Now, in our second year, we are figuring out that sixth graders and eighth graders don’t always need the same amount of time for every activity.”
Furthermore, be sure to establish a healthy culture of learning. Danielle Parrish shares, “Make sure it’s a positive thing. There’s no risk. They’re not getting graded. It allows them to enjoy it, have fun, be themselves, and take risks they might not take in a normal classroom assignment.”
Lastly, it’s ok to start small and still make a big difference. Katie Hoben advises, “Even if you can't do it for six days, try it for a little bit. It definitely helps with your community and your culture at your school. Starting like this is a great way to make your adults excited and make your kids excited”.
What a big difference MWMS is certainly making starting the school year this way. As we left our visit, one sixth grader shares, “I'm also really sad that it's Friday. I love school now.”
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