multilingual teacher career academy
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Multilingual Teacher Career Academy
Small Learning Community Proposal
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Table of Contents
Cover Page --- 2
School Site Council Recommendation --- 3
Letter of Intent --- 4
Design Team Members --- 5
Teacher Credential Status --- 7
Description of Career Path Academy --- 8
Unifying Vision/Identity --- 13
Rigorous Standards-Based Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment --- 14
Equity of Access --- 17
Personalization --- 17
Accountability and Distributed Leadership --- 19
Collaboration/Parent and Community Engagement --- 19
Professional Development --- 20
Technical Assistance Checklist --- 22
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Small Learning Community
SLC Design Proposal
Submitted toLos Angeles Unified School District
Cover Sheet
Name of School: Bell High School Location Code: 8536
Proposed SLC Name: Multilingual Teacher Career Academy (MTCA) Design Team Leaders
Name: Jesse Becerra
Title: Teacher
Mailing Address: 4328 Bell Ave. Bell, CA 90201
Telephone #: (323) 560-1800
Fax: (323) 560-7874
Email:
Name: Yorell Leon
Title: Teacher
Mailing Address: 4328 Bell Ave. Bell, CA 90201
Telephone #: (323) 560-1800
Fax: (323) 560-7874
Email: [email protected]
Name: Janet Cho
Title: Teacher
Mailing Address: 4328 Bell Ave. Bell, CA 90201 Telephone #: (323) 560-1800
Fax: (323) 560-7874
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School Site Council Recommendation to Proceed
Name of School: Bell High School
Name of SLC: Multilingual Teacher Career Academy (MTCA)
_______________________________________ _______________________
Principal's Signature Date
_______________________________________ _______________________
UTLA Chapter Chairperson's Signature Date
_____________________________________________ _______________________
School Site Council Chairperson's Signature Date
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Los Angeles Unified School District Office of School Redesign
Attn: Central Committee Of Small Learning Communities 333 South Beaudry Avenue, 24th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017 May 19, 2006
To Whom It May Concern:
The members of the Multilingual Teacher Career Academy (MTCA) of Bell High School request consideration as a Small Learning Community. MTCA has been a functioning academy for the past seven years at Bell High School and the students, parents and teachers of MTCA are eager to submit this proposal for approval. MTCA will continue to thrive as an academy while adjusting to new, required guidelines. MTCA will now be a three-year, career path academy with the possibility of returning to a four-year academy in the future. At present, approximately 250 high school students are designated as MTCA members. The academy teaches them about pedagogy: instructional strategies, classroom management, organizational techniques and accommodating special needs students, and other differentiated learners as well as college and university preparedness. The program was created and designed for the purpose of recruiting minorities, especially bilingual students, into careers related to education. The goal of the
academy is to guide motivated students into the teaching profession. At the end of three, eligible students will be given the opportunity to earn scholarships to local colleges, which will lead to jobs within the Los Angeles Unified School District.
MTCA exceeds the conventions of a vocational program because of the contributions members make to the education of Bell community elementary students. On a daily basis, the 250 MTCA members, grades 10-12, tutor nearly 2,000 Corona Elementary, Corona Avenue Primary
Center, and Nueva Vista Elementary School students, grades Pre-Kindergarten - 5. MTCA students are supervised by various elementary school teachers, but are primarily
instructed by a design team of Bell High School teachers. The Design Team Lead Teachers are Jesse Becerra, Yorell Leon, and Janet Cho. Other MTCA teachers include members from
various disciplines. Assistant Principal, David Arenas, as well as, MTCA Coordinator and Design Team Leader, Jesse Becerra, oversee the program.
The students, parents, and teachers of the MTCA look forward to further improving the quality of an academy that has already provided great benefits to the Bell community. If there are any questions, please feel free to contact David Arenas, at (323) 560-1800. The members of the MTCA thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
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1)
Design Team Members
a) List of Design Team Members and Departments/Disciplines/Roles
The MTCA Team is currently composed of the following administrators and teachers:
Assistant Principals:
Nancy Kodama David Arenas
Coordinator and Design Team Leader:
Jesse Becerra-B Track
Design Team Lead Teachers:
Yorell Leon-A Track Janet Cho-C Track
Curriculum Design Team Members, English Department:
A Track Yorell Leon Angelina Gomez Kathy Moore B Track
Jesse Becerra Trisha Katzmaier Katyria Jonasson C Track
Janet Cho Guisela Lopez
Other MTCA Design Team Members and Their Subject Area:
Math
Angel Zavala Howard Yaffe Juan Carlos Rojas Aileen Espiritu Lina Arbis Jose Robles
Social Studies/Geography Hugh Epton
Alfred Paltus Ernesto Aguirre Foreign Language Dulce Casados Rosalba Velasquez Norma Martinez
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Science/ Biology/Chemistry Robert Martinez
Maria Viray Owen Jung
Special Education Veronica Montes Alejandra Velez Mayra Helguera Howard Hernandez
The administrators oversee the overall function of the academy and make certain necessary duties are carried out. Although they do not make any final decisions, their purpose is to keep teachers accountable while assisting with the policies of the school. The Coordinator is the actual leader of the program, and handles the majority of the decision making. Duties associated with this position include: organizing and facilitating meetings, delineating and delegating responsibility, scheduling and curriculum, and interfacing with administration. In the past, the Curriculum Design had been dominated by the English Department; however, this responsibility is in the process of shifting equally to all the disciplines, and will be completed by the 2006-2007 school year. All MTCA teachers are responsible for following the guidelines of the program and adhering to the vision set forth.
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b) Teacher Credential Status
A TrackYorell León Design Team Lead
Teacher
Preliminary Single Subject English
Angelina Gómez
Professional Clear Single Subject English
Kathy Moore
Professional Clear Single Subject English
Angel Zavala
Professional Clear Single Subject Mathematics
Howard Yaffe
Professional Clear Single Subject Mathematics
Dulce Berenice Casados
Professional Clear Multi Subject Foreign Language English
Robert F. Martinez
Professional Clear Single Subject
Life Science
Mayra Judith Helguera
Internship Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Disabilities
B Track
Jesse Becerra, Design Team
Lead Coordinator
Professional Clear Single Subject English
Katyria Jonasson
District Intern Certificate English
Juan Carlos Gerardo Rojas
Professional Clear Single Subject Mathematics
Aileen Moran Espiritu
Professional Clear Single Subject Mathematics
Hugh Epton
Professional Clear Single Subject Social Science
Alfred Paltus
Lifetime Credential History
Maria Cecilia Viray
Professional Clear Single Subject Biological Sciences
Veronica Montes
Professional Preliminary Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Disabilities
C Track
Janet Cho, Design Team Lead
Teacher
Professional Clear Single Subject English
Guisela Lopez
Professional Clear Single Subject English
Lina Pedral Arbis
Preliminary Single Subject Mathematics
Jose Jesus Robles
Professional Clear Single Subject Mathematics Ernesto Aguirre Lifetime Credential History Norma Martinez Emergency Credential Foreign Language Owen Jung
Professional Clear Single Subject Physical Science Masters
Education Administrative Credential
Alejandra Velez
Internship Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Disabilities
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2) Detailed Description of Career Path Academy Confidential
Page
8 10/9/06
The Multilingual Teacher Career Academy (MTCA) is designed to give our students the opportunity to explore the teaching profession as well as experience it first hand as tutors in our surrounding schools. Once a week, students in the MTCA program remain on the high school campus. There they receive different strategies and instruction to help them become better tutors and teachers. Four times a week, they walk with their MTCA teachers to area elementary schools and implement the ideas and skills they have acquired. Each grade level participates in two different college preparation field trips a year, either to a community college, or a public or private four year university. Field trips also include local museums, cultural sites, and other areas of Southern California deemed educational. Each of Bell High School’s three tracks offers the MTCA program.
The MTCA program has been a significant factor in helping to raise test scores at the local elementary schools. The MTCA students tutor elementary students four times a week for fourteen consecutive weeks each semester. The MTCA students are assigned different classes to tutor, ranging from pre- kindergarten to fifth grade, including special education. In some cases, junior and senior MTCA students stay at Bell High School and tutor those ninth graders who most need the extra academic support.
The greatest challenge that MTCA now faces is related to counseling and the placement of students in classes that allow a cross-curricular and interdisciplinary approach in order to thrive.
Day in the Life of an MTCA Student
An MTCA student’s typical day starts by arriving in his/her first period class at 7:25 A.M. seated, prepared, and excited to learn and absorb the knowledge his/her teacher has spent countless hours preparing. In the academic classes, the student is exposed to different course materials, which are aligned to the standards and thematic units. My first period is English with Ms. Lopez, and I studied the thematic unit of War and Destruction. This month was about the Holocaust and WWII through the text Hiroshima. Ms. Lopez stressed the atrocities during the war and how suffering was worldwide. Through the historical fictional text, I learned how tragic and devastating the atomic bomb was for the people of Japan and the aftermath. I learned about innocent lives as well as future generations being affected for years to come because of radiation due to the atomic bomb. Writing and analysis are inevitable in the class. The assignment was an analytical paper about the theme of war and destruction. Then, in my second period World History with Mr. Aguirre, I studied WWII, Pearl Harbor, and Hiroshima/Nagasaki. I explored the causes and effects of the war. Mr. Aguirre also connected the historical facts with current affairs/issues like the current war on terrorism. For my MTCA class, I continued the theme of war, but the Civil War in the United States instead. I created lesson plans for the Corona Ave Elementary students, who will be coming to Bell High
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School on May 13, 2006 for our project called Mock High School. I learned about creating thematic units cross curriculum like I am studying in my classes. Chemistry is another extension of the unit. Mr. Jung taught the different types of gases used during the Holocaust on the Jews by the Nazis.
The majority of my classes tries to incorporate other academic subjects and to align the material with standards. I get a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter when my other classes stresses the material.
a.) Courses
The teachers of MTCA understand that the students of Bell High School, a multi-track year-round school located in a densely and diversely populated community, have a variety of special needs. The major emphasis of the Multilingual Teacher Career
Academy (MTCA) is to provide students with an opportunity to explore teaching and the field of education as a career option. Other career options may include, but are not limited to, pediatrician, social worker, care-taker, mentor, counselor, psychologist, school nurse, probation officer. The academic aptitude of a typical MTCA class ranges from special education students to the gifted and talented. These students are able to work well, not only within the classroom at Bell High, but during their tutoring
assignment at the neighboring elementary schools. Although the Bell community is predominately Spanish speaking, the MTCA welcomes a variety of students from socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. A requirement of the MTCA program is that every student maintains passing grades in order to fully participate in the program. School counselors work closely with the MTCA teachers to see that any students who require intervention receive extra help. Tutoring is available to students with special needs, and grades and behavior are closely monitored. The privilege of tutoring at an elementary school is an incentive to motivate faltering students. Above all, the MTCA teachers demonstrate in a variety of ways how the field of education is an honorable profession and deserves their enthusiasm and appreciation.
The teachers in the MTCA have a variety of teaching experiences ranging from Sheltered to Advanced Placement. Several of the MTCA teachers have advanced degrees and additional certifications, such as CLAD, BCLAD, as well as SDAIE and GATE training. The MTCA teachers also offer their students a wide range of teaching experience. In fact many new teachers interface with the seasoned professionals, who may have 20+ years of experience. In addition, it is not unusual for an MTCA teacher to accept a student teacher from a local college in order for the novice teacher to gain experience from our program. MTCA teachers value this opportunity to help extend the value of education beyond Bell. All the MTCA teachers are highly motivated individuals who believe in their profession, and have consistently continued their own schooling and attended workshops to update their methods. This is demonstrated by comments from alumni, other colleagues, and the administration. MTCA teachers acknowledge and appreciate the fact that they serve as role models in a variety of ways for their students.
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Although the curriculum of the MTCA includes interdisciplinary units and standards-based lessons, the MTCA goes beyond the expected academic requirements. The MTCA addresses the needs of a heterogeneous student population by applying many innovative and creative teaching strategies. Several of the teachers have implemented lessons using Howard Gardner’s theory of learning styles (Multiple Intelligences). MTCA students have listened to a wide range of guest speakers from an assistant principal to school security personnel, who offer a wide variety of knowledge and professional experience. Field trips to universities have prepared students for higher education. This provides students a rare opportunity to become exposed to a college campus and to become acquainted with the student body.
MTCA has hosted one author, Michelle Serros, a local poet who wrote the book Chicana Falsa. Reading to children at the elementary schools and in the Bell community is a priority within the MTCA and is implemented through The Grace
Reading Program. This is a service requirement in which Bell High School students in MTCA must read selected children’s books to a child at home on a daily basis. The MTCA has collected a number of films connected to teachers or teaching such as Mr. Holland’s Opus, Finding Forrester, Dead Poet’s Society, Lean on Me, etc. Students view these films for the purpose of discussing pedagogy in the classroom and how they are applicable to their tutoring. The students help host and organize parent teacher conference nights. MTCA classes often discuss current issues in education as seen by the media, including topical articles in the LA Times newspaper, which is delivered to the classrooms, and in local programming. MTCA students prepare for their tutoring experience by completing speeches, writing self-assessments, and reflective journals. Lastly, most teachers offer some form of a unit on special education. One such
example is an interdisciplinary unit on disabilities. Students observe and help tutor on campus in Special Ed classes, as well as those at local elementary schools. They take part in specialized lessons and activities concerning students with special needs.
b.) Scheduling
The MTCA will follow the same bell schedule for Bell High School. The bell schedule for Bell High School Schedule is as follows:
Period 1 7:30-8:30
Period 2 8:36-9:36
Homeroom 9:42-10:04 Nutrition 10:04-10:24
Period 3 10:30-11:30
Period 4 11:36-12:36
Lunch 12:36-1:08
Period 5 1:14-2:14
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c.) Electives
It is the interest of the MTCA to provide its students with the best possible elective classes to fulfill their A-G requirements as well as UC/CSU approved courses.
However, a number of difficulties that arise in trying to meet our students’ needs. For example, some courses do not fulfill both university and A-G requirements. This is made especially difficult when our classes are not yet pure. In other words, we have multiple grade levels in one MTCA elective and some students repeat an elective because of oversights in class rosters. Another issue we face is that many of our students are not able to complete the MTCA 3-year elective program because of conflicts with other required coursework. We are currently working with our college counselor and with a district representative to resolve these issues.
Possible elective titles:
10th Grade Drama A/ Drama B (Fine Arts credit and UC/CSU approved)
11th Grade Minorities in Literature/Mexican American Literature
(English Elective credit and UC/CSU approved)
or Parenting and Child Development/Exploratory Teaching (Technical Art credit only/Elective credit only - respectively)
12th Grade Intro to Psychology /Intro to Child Psychology
(UC/CSU approved only)
Students will fulfill their full year of technical art by taking a global computer class.
d.) Governance
Track A
Yorell Leon A. Gomez, K. Moore, D. Casados Teachers in the multiple disciplines
Design Team Lead Design Team Assistants See page 4 and 5
Track B
David Arenas
Administrator Jesse Becerra K. Jonasson, T. Katzmaier Teachers in the multiple disciplines
Design Team Lead Design Team Assistants See page 4 and 5
Track C
Janet Cho G. Lopez Teachers in the multiple disciplines
Design Team Lead Design Team Assistant See page 4 and 5
Each teacher in the academy contributes to the academy in written or oral form. They convey their views or issues to the Design Team Assistant or Design Team Lead during conference periods or meetings. The Team Lead and the teacher work together to resolve issue. However, if it is a concern for the entire academy, then we address the issue or concern in an open forum during a meeting. Once the group is in accord with a
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course of action or decision, then the teachers meet with the administrators and discuss the academy’s issue.
e.) Partnerships
The MTCA has fostered a variety of partnerships not only with local elementary schools but also with various colleges and universities. Bell High School has sent students to Corona Avenue Elementary School for seven years, and to Nueva Vista and The Primary Center for one year. The proximity of these schools makes them good choices for our academy. It also brings a sense of community and connection to our students’ lives. They are also feeder schools from which many of our students have graduated. MTCA students are offered paid internships during their off-track time. This makes them eligible for scholarships from LAUSD. These students work in the classrooms one day out week and tutor the remaining four days. Corona, Nueva Vista, The Primary Center, Bell, and LAUSD all work together.
Teachers at local elementary schools receive an informational sheet that describes the objectives the MTCA students’ classroom involvement and serve as role models that exemplify how to become competent practitioners in the classroom. The students’ tasks vary, and they are also held accountable by the academy and the teacher they assist. The elementary schools’ coordinators assign our students to classrooms in need of tutors. They take names of teachers who want and need tutors, and give MTCA an orientation before the year begins. The schools have credited the increase in their standardized test scores because of the MTCA tutors’ presence and effort. A positive cycle has begun; Bell High School’s test scores have risen in the past three years. Those once struggling elementary students now enter our high school better prepared. A few other elementary schools in the community also receive our students’ help on a voluntary basis. Students go out on their own and make their services available to their former schools and teachers. Moreover, for the past four years, MTCA students are now being employed as clerks or tutors at District 6, South Gate Middle School and Theresa Hughes Elementary School.
In 2003, the program was introduced to Cerritos College and California State University of Long Beach (CSULB) as a teacher academy. This partnership has yielded an
educational exchange including guest speakers and field trips. Cerritos runs a program called Teacher TRAC, which allows Cerritos students to complete their education in two years and then transfer to CSULB and CSULB’s ITEP program. MTCA is currently
arranging an official affiliation with both of these college level teacher-training programs.
f.) Timeline for Implementation
Our MTCA community has been in existence here at Bell High School for eight years. Two English teachers per track (A, B, and C) lead the elective classes. Three periods per day, students in two to three classes walk over to Corona Avenue Elementary
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School, Corona Primary Center, and Nueva Vista Elementary School to help the students with one on one tutoring session.
Student enrollment in our academy has consistently been in the 300-400 range. This does not include students who participate in the Future Teachers of America club who are a part of our community, but are not enrolled in the elective course.
In the 2006-2007 school year, we will add teachers from the science, math, history, and foreign language departments to strengthen and complete our community.
We will ask for a common planning period to align our curriculum and especially to introduce the new teachers to our academy. Twice a year we have held a MTCA staff development. We share and present our lessons to our colleagues and have also included our administrators and the mayor of Bell. This has benefited us all and has given us great credibility within our school and community of Bell.
3) Small Learning Community Attributes Narrative
a) Unifying Vision/Identity:
The mission and vision of MTCA is to build a community of learners specializing in becoming secondary or elementary school teachers. We are expanding our students’ knowledge by creating a learning environment that provides academic excellence, and creating a community dedicated to building a partnership between students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Providing a challenging curriculum in a caring environment, where success is expected, conveys to students the importance of rigor. Preparing the students to be lifelong learners so they can be caring, responsible, productive, and contributing members of their school and community is our primary purpose. MTCA is designed to personalize student learning in the classroom by giving students the opportunity to tutor at our neighboring elementary schools. This first hand experience helps the Bell High School students understand the connection between two different school levels and learn about the passion of teaching. Students work in collaborative teams and each student's progress is monitored. In addition, MTCA provides each student with the opportunity to obtain scholarships offered by the Para-educator Career Ladder Organization and the In-house Teacher Recruitment Program (ITRP).
The Multilingual Teacher Career Academy (MTCA) is designed to give our students the opportunity to explore the teaching profession as well as experience it first hand as tutors in our surrounding schools. Once a week, students in the MTCA program remain on the high school campus. There they receive different strategies and instruction to help them become better tutors and teachers. Four times a week, they walk with their MTCA teachers to area elementary schools and implement the ideas and skills they have acquired. Each grade level participates in two different college preparation field trips a year, either to a community college, or a public or private four year university. Field trips also include local museums, cultural sites, and other areas of Southern
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California deemed educational. Each of Bell High School’s three tracks offers the MTCA program.
The MTCA program has been a significant factor in helping to raise test scores at the local elementary schools. The MTCA students tutor elementary students four times a week for fourteen consecutive weeks each semester. The MTCA students are assigned different classes to tutor, ranging from pre- kindergarten to fifth grade, including special education. In some cases, junior and senior MTCA students stay at Bell High School and tutor those ninth graders who most need the extra academic support.
Even though the counseling staff has given MTCA their greatest support, the greatest challenge lies within the matrix structure itself that impedes the placement of students in classes that will allow a cross-curricular and interdisciplinary approach in order to thrive.
Housing:
The necessity to house all MTCA students together in a collective and contained
community within Bell High School is recognized and appreciated for several academic, social, and geographic reasons. One of the basic elements of a Small Learning
Community is vicinity. By housing all MTCA classes and students together, the
students will feel they really are a member of a small school and no longer one of 5,000 students in an over-crowded school. The optimal area for the MTCA within Bell High School is the Humanities building, which also include rooms 11 and 12 on the first floor. The goal of all Smaller Learning Communities is to improve the chances of academic success for the students. By housing the MTCA in the Humanities building, students will have convenient access to each of their teachers. Teachers will share that convenience when conducting interdisciplinary projects and lessons. As a result of this proposed structure, students will have greater access to their teachers, make-up work, after school tutoring, and the availability of completing other academic projects. The tardy issue will become obsolete because of the close vicinity of the students’ classes. Another benefit of close proximity for the teachers is conferencing, remediation, and mentoring students with specific needs.
Housing the MTCA in the Humanities building will be beneficial to students, parents, teachers and community members. They will consider this area as their own school and be more comfortable in their learning environment. They will develop a feeling of
ownership that will motivate them to be involved and participate in the academic process, while reaping the social rewards of a closely-knit group of teachers and students. When parents visit, they will feel the cohesive nature of the MTCA. When academic projects extend to the community, as they often will, this benefit will grow exponentially.
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i) School curriculum and major courses of study showing alignment to State Academic Standards
The MTCA curriculum provides high school students with an opportunity to explore the role of the teacher and the place of education in our society. Emphasis is placed on an examination of the history of educational issues, trends, and practices and requires students to relate them to current needs and problems. Courses provide social science and English content including research, written and oral reports, essay tests, note-taking, debate, computer use, and analytical reading. Areas of instruction include: speech, technology, media, literacy, education, etc. For example, a typical introductory unit might be an overview of teaching such as "Why teach? Who teaches? Who is taught? What is taught? and How to teach?"
The goal of MTCA students is to show progress in meeting the following objectives:
• Identify the intrinsic benefits of teaching.
• Describe the needs in American society for education.
• List recent changes in American society that have prompted the current need for teachers.
• Make generalizations about the qualities of effective teachers from observation, reading and discussions,
• Identify the range of educational programs available for pre-Kindergarten through adult levels.
• Examine curriculum to determine the subjects offered in schools, grades K-12.
• Describe the steps involved in planning, presenting, and evaluating a lesson covering a particular objective.
• Acquire the skills and learn the strategies to become an effective tutor.
• Master the tools of technology well enough to research and present current trends and
• Issues in education. Application of Standards: The student uses:
• Writing skills in clarifying his or her goals and values, especially in journals, essays, research reports, etc.
• Speaking skills in oral presentations, role-playing, discussions, debates, and tutoring
• Listening and observational skills in group and class discussions, debates, and tutoring
• Reading skills in studying a variety of printed materials (books, news, articles, etc.)
ii) Student Assessment; Staff Evaluation: Program Evaluation
The MTCA teachers have developed a number of rubrics to assess student learning. These include, but are not limited to rubrics to assess reflective journal writing, in-class projects, effectiveness as a tutor, and the overall grade in a course. Students are
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encouraged to self-evaluate whenever they complete their weekly journals. The
teachers at the elementary schools also complete evaluations for their tutors every eight weeks. Standard-based assignments are also graded by a variety of individualized rubrics. Some teachers keep portfolios showing their students' progress. A lesson plan folder for each grade level, which is accessible to all MTCA teachers, allows for
continual collaboration and reflection of teaching strategies and pedagogy. Exceptional students are honored at an annual MTCA/Future Teachers of America club banquet to which all stakeholders, teachers, parents, and students are invited.
The staff and program evaluation is largely conducted on an annual basis when all MTCA teachers meet to discuss problems, goals, or upcoming events. The conference is usually held off-campus where the staff can share lessons, assessments, create long-term goals, and a time-line to monitor progression. During this time, MTCA teachers analyze and discuss student work and progress. Constantly assessing and monitoring the progression of our goals, the staff makes decisions regarding modification to the instructional program.
iii) Student support services, including meeting the needs of special education and ELL students
Bell High School and the MTCA program offer a number of services to students with special needs. The counseling staff handles scheduling issues. Students with substance abuse problems, family conflict, behavioral problems, or those that become pregnant are counseled and referred to IMPACT, an intervention program. The College Center hosts an annual fair and provides information about universities, teaching programs, and scholarships for the college-bound student. The Health Office and Dean's Office deal with problems of a more serious nature. Bell High School currently has a school psychologist and a social worker to help any student with an urgent problem, and of course all MTCA students have the support and encouragement of a closely-knit MTCA teaching team.
There are several special education students currently attending MTCA classes. To assist their learning process, teachers teach using the SDAIE method and teachers are consciously aware of the multiple intelligences and make constant attempts to
incorporate different types of learning. For example, teachers use graphic organizers for concepts and frontload new material. Furthermore, the special need students are taught to rely on their teachers for extra help and "buddy-up" with their peers. The MTCA staff also has the support of Resource Specialist teachers who are members of the
academy. Ms. Helguera, Ms. Montes, and Ms. Velez assist with any additional
materials, such as graphic organizers, and provide individual one-on-one help for any students who may require special assistance. Any behavioral or academic problems are dealt with on an individual basis. Currently, the MTCA offers access to all Bell High School students either through the core classes, or the Future Teachers of America club (FTA) which meets every Monday.
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c) Equity of Access
Student admission is based on student preference. No student is selected for an academy by the teachers or the counselors. The only requirement that is asked of the students is a one year commitment. Because of “No Child Left Behind”, no student is persuaded or prohibited from joining an academy based on behavior, grades, or
abilities. Therefore, the process of admission for the 9th graders is established to be fair and available to every student. The current 9th graders are introduced to the different academies during an assembly. Presentations are shown to the students to help the students become acquainted with the different academies that are offered at Bell High School. This will assist them in making a selection for their upcoming year. The students will then make a decision on which Small Learning Community they wish to select for the following school year. During the current school year, specific upper classmen are selected to visit the 9th grade Homerooms to promote and acquaint them with the
MTCA program. A small presentation is given and an introductory video is shown. Then, a preference sheet is handed out to the entire school during Homeroom during which time the students individually indicate their academy choice, or specify whether they wish to change academies. Grades 10and 11 also have a preference to which Small Learning Community they choose to belong. If a student wishes to change his/her SLC, he/she may do so by informing his/her SLC Design Team Lead Teacher. The Design Team Lead will meet with the counselor to make sure the student’s request is
addressed. The counselors are constantly available for the students to assist them in selecting the most appropriate academy according to their interests and needs. This does not exclude students who are in AP courses. Students that want and need a more academically rigorous course can undertake AP classes, which will be a global class and not designated by academy because of numbers.
In preparation for the upcoming school year, MTCA is looking to enjoy a cohort group of students across all grade levels. These students will share MTCA teachers across the disciplines and will benefit from the collaboration provided in a Small Learning
Community. Although MTCA has had a set of students, it is yet to be implemented for all grades and all disciplines. In the coming years, we wish to have wall-to-wall
implementation from grades 10th-12th. Although MTCA has great support from the counseling staff, some of the challenges we’ve faced have been the placement of all students choosing MTCA due to the boundaries and limitations that surround the matrix; this has delayed our attempts to fully implement Small Learning Communities school-wide.
d) Personalization
The members of the MTCA Small Learning Community aspire to create mutually respectful personal relationships with students, families, and staff/faculty to advocate and promote an atmosphere of learning. In efforts to accomplish this, the members of the MTCA community have consistently collaborated with each other on current
strategies to maximize the potential of the students. Since MTCA students are aspiring teachers, we also familiarize them with any newly developed research or strategies in
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education. During our staff development, we discuss how to incorporate these
strategies in our already existing lessons and how to develop new lesson plans which incorporate these strategies.
MTCA teachers enjoy a caring, supportive relationship with the MTCA students. As members of the Small Learning Community, many students have worked closely with the teachers and have built and established good rapport. The students feel
comfortable voicing their concerns, opinions, questions, or incommodities on anything that may be affecting their academic progress. MTCA seniors serve as peer mentors and advisors to the lower classmen. Working collaboratively in groups during their project-based lessons, students learn to trust and feel more comfortable with each other. This in turn helps them academically, as the higher classmen continue to encourage and guide the younger students verbally and by example.
As part of MTCA’s partnership with Cerritos Community College and California State University Long Beach, students who aspire to be teachers are helped with their college admissions. This includes application, acceptance letter, financial aide, and a field trip to the campus. As the end of the year approaches, MTCA students work together with teachers to ensure that nothing in missing in their post-secondary plan. Counselor from the above mentioned institutions meet with the students and regarding enrollment. MTCA students also have access to Bell High School’s College/Career Center. The college counselors provide guidance and facilitate students with enrollment, financial aide, and a written post-secondary plan.
The MTCA program encourages students to expand their knowledge and learning potential in other areas as well. While helping to promote the program and raise awareness of the value of education, students learn valuable lessons in technology, advertising, speaking, reading, and leadership. MTCA students are trained to use video and digital cameras in order to record class activities, fieldtrips, and special assemblies, such as the annual banquet. They have repeatedly assisted in the making of videos, which advertise the MTCA program. In another effort to promote the program, MTCA students have practiced their speaking skills by addressing Bell High School
homerooms, our feeder schools, and school-wide assemblies about the merits of the program. The MTCA students and FTA, an MTCA affiliate, helped design and raise money to create a Bell High School Reading Garden, an outdoors area where students can indulge in recreational reading. Finally, the FTA holds elections for officers and distributes information about teaching scholarships.
Despite the measurable growth and academic awareness of the MTCA students, the MTCA teachers are conscientious of the implementation of various academic
intervention strategies offered to the students. MTCA students who are faltering in academic classes are encouraged to attend after-school tutoring, provided by Bell High School’s after-school tutoring program. Some of the MTCA teachers participate in this after-school program and assist students in meeting the content standard. One of the benefits of being in a Small Learning Community is that the students and the teachers enjoy a closely-knit relationship. Teachers collaborate when it becomes evident that a
(20)
student may need academic intervention. Constantly assessing classroom practice, teachers discuss what strategies may be working for certain students and become aware of what may need modification to ensure student academic growth.
However, to progress as an academy, there needs to be open communication between all stakeholders. In order to do so, MTCA needs time to dialogue with each member about each individual student before the student falters and falls through the cracks. A common planning time or conference period will allow teachers the time to dialogue because currently, teachers have graciously relinquished their after-school or lunch time, but not all teachers have this luxury.
e) Accountability and Distributed Leadership
The members of the MTCA Small Learning Community value collaborative efforts, appreciate the need to share expertise, and merit accountability as a fundamental need for an academy to succeed. Hence, the teachers of MTCA work collaboratively in
making decisions to improve the Small Learning Community. Coordinator and/or Design Team Leaders organize and conduct meetings during Banked Days, conference
periods, and Buy Back days, while every member participates with suggestions and/or concerns. During these meetings, there is an open forum to address issues that are relevant to our SLC. Otherwise, members have the opportunity to write their concerns regarding MTCA matters on the agendas provided during each meeting. Apart from these school-wide scheduled meetings, MTCA organizes two full day MTCA workshops and teachers meet during lunch and after school as needed. Whether it is discussing an upcoming event or briefing the staff on the latest accomplishments, teachers meet and collectively decide on matters pertaining to the program.
Jesse Becerra, the MTCA coordinator, and Yorell Leon and Janet Cho, the Design Team Leads, are members of the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT). In these
meetings, staff members discuss matters pertaining to the school as a whole. Whether it may be educational concerns or janitorial issues, these committees make sure that the needs of all teachers, students, and parents are addressed. The staff members of MTCA represent the program and provide input as to how the program can work to benefit the school. After the meeting, MTCA members report back to the other members in our bi-monthly meetings.
Parents and students also take part in the decision-making of MTCA. The teachers meet with the parents to address any parental concerns regarding their children or the program. The teachers maintain a relationship with the parents throughout the year in order to work together in maximizing the student's potential. Students also play a role in the decision-making of the program. They are elected as club officers and represent the MTCA student body in decision-making. The MTCA program also receives input from the counseling office and College Center to work together to address any needs of the students.
(21)
f) Collaboration/Parent and Community Engagement
The collaboration and engagement of parents and community with the Small Learning Community is critical to success. Teachers and the parents establish close relationships to enable the success of the students. There is an ongoing partnership aimed at having continuous improvement of student achievement. Teachers meet with the parents during parent conference and communicate with them as needed throughout the year. The parents are kept aware of the students' progress, whether positive or negative. Parents may also accompany the students on any field trips or events sponsored by MTCA.
The MTCA program has engaged the Bell community in many ways. At Parent
Conference Night when parents arrive to pick up their students' progress reports, MTCA students meet and greet, pass out punch and cookies, promote the program, and
discuss current activities and fieldtrips. Furthermore, the student officers from each track of the Future Teachers of America, an affiliate of MTCA, write an article for the Parent Newsletter. This newsletter reports on special events such as the Corona
tutoring experience and scholarship winners, etc. Parents and families are invited to the annual awards banquet where administrators have attended too. In previous years, former principal, Dr. di Stefano, the mayor of Bell and Grace Hom (Corona Elementary Representative), have also been in attendance at MTCA staff developments. One last way that the MTCA program embraces the Bell community is the Grace Reading Program. This is a special "service" program that involves the MTCA Bell High School students reading to their younger brothers and sisters at home. The Grace Reading Program is a requirement of some of the MTCA classes that encourages students to read to younger siblings or to some young person within their community. If there are no young children at home, MTCA students often fulfill this service requirement by
volunteering at a library or an elementary school during their off track time. For all events or activities, language barriers can prove to be an arduous obstacle, but auspiciously MTCA has a staff that provides a wide range of diverse backgrounds, which is prevalent at Bell.
g) Professional Development
The teachers of MTCA provide professional growth and intellectual stimulation for each other. Twice a month, the teachers meet to discuss the outlook of the learning
community. These meetings provide the educators with the opportunities to share lesson plan ideas, assess and discuss both current and future developments.
Twice a year, the teachers of MTCA have an all day workshop. This workshop gives the teachers the opportunity to introduce any new members of the learning community. Apart from providing the teachers with an occasion to engage in an intellectual
exchange of ideas, the program allows each member to present and discuss a lesson which he/she has used in the classroom. Each presenter discusses how he/she
engages the students in the lesson, explains how the lesson benefits aspiring teachers, and includes a rubric for assessment. During this workshop, the teachers receive
(22)
updates on current educational research in order to keep our staff up to date with the latest developments in our profession.
The Common Planning Time is used for meeting within the learning community. During this time, the teachers discuss any issues pertaining to the program, upcoming events, as well as provide additional support with instruction. In order to help the teachers grow and improve in teaching strategies, the teachers of MTCA constantly address students' needs and collaborate as to what can be done to help them achieve their maximum potential. The staff is introduced and familiarized with a variety of research based learning strategies such as collaborative teaching, project based learning, thematic unit integration, peer observation and evaluation, and various front loading activities. In order to measure and demonstrate the success of the professional development, each MTCA teacher returns to their classroom and attempts to implement the strategies provided during the meeting. MTCA teachers reconvene after the strategies have been implemented in their classrooms and discuss any success or questions regarding the learning strategies. Working holistically, the educators constantly give each other the support and constructive criticism to continue improving their teaching practice.
Teacher recruitment, criteria for selection and assignments:
Teachers are selected based on preference. The staff of Bell High School is presented with information regarding each Small Learning Community. This may include a
promotional video or a power-point presentation, which familiarizes the staff with the attributes, goals, and direction of each academy. The teachers are then given a preference sheet in which they indicate which Small Learning Community they wish to join. However, MTCA does not really need to be highly active in recruitment because MTCA has already been proven to be a highly functioning and laudable program. The word of mouth and praise the program receives every year prove to the school and teachers the value of being a member of the Multilingual Teacher Career Academy.
(23)
MTCA Technical Assistance Checklist
Foreseeable Challenges Check All That Apply
Attribute Analysis
Vision Creation/Identity
Student Outcomes X
Matrix X
School to Work Transition
Academic Requirements: A-G X
Content Integration X
Assessments/Evaluation
Alterations to Facilities X
Resilience Building
Youth Development Strategies
Advisories
Leadership Roles
Bell Schedules
Contract Issues/Waivers
Best Practices
Articulation
Budgets
Sustainability
Community Partnerships
Parent Outreach and Involvement
Student Outreach and Involvement
School Staff Outreach and Involvement
(24)
1. Unifying Vision/Identity Benchmark No
Evidence
Planning Early Developmental Solid Full
1. A. Unifying Vision: A shared vision created by a group of educators, support staff, students, parents, and community who comprise the SLC who assume responsibility for the learning of every student through a distinctive and focused standards-based curriculum.
X
1. B. Identity: Each fully implemented SLC has an educational philosophy and approach that is known and shared by students, staff, families, and community partners. SLCs have a unique academic identity, distinct, and heterogeneous groups of students, distinct physical boundaries and an administrators or teacher leader that leads a cohesive faculty team. SLC teams make decisions related to: curriculum, instruction and assessment; budget, personnel and facilities; master schedule and student programming; student conduct and issues of community safety.
X
2. Rigorous Standards-Based
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Benchmark: A standards-based educational program embodies high expectations for every student so that they achieve grade-level standards, use appropriate technology, district adopted textbooks, and materials to support instruction, meet high school graduation requirements, college entrance requirements and are prepared for post-secondary experiences and the world of work. Instruction is adapted based upon learning needs within a rigorous culturally relevant and linguistically responsive curriculum; student performance is measured to report on progress and accomplishments and to inform future instructional practices. Multiple forms of standards-based assessments are used to including some benchmarks by the district. Additionally, school indicators are used as measures of school progress including, for example attendance, dropout rates, number of high school graduates, etc.
X
3. Equity and Access Benchmark: Every student will participate in a rigorous quality curriculum that is culturally relevant and linguistically responsive to their unique learning needs, thereby eliminating achievement gaps between groups of students.
X
4. Personalization Benchmark: A demonstration of sustained and mutually respectful personal relationships where every student is well known by a group of educators who advise/advocate for them and work closely with them and their families over time. The size of the SLC is appropriate to its vision and mission, generally ranging from 300-500 students.
(25)
5. Accountability and Distributed Leadership Benchmark: Members of the SLC work together, share expertise, and exercise leadership to ensure that student achievement is the intended result of all decisions. They retain primary responsibility, appropriate autonomy, and are accountable for making decisions affecting the important aspects of the small learning community.
X
6. Collaboration/Parent and Community Engagement Benchmark: All members of the SLC are viewed as critical allies and are significantly included in the school community (I.e., students, teachers, support staff, parents, administrators, business, and community partners). An ongoing partnership is aimed at supporting continuous improvement of student achievement. Authentic engagement leads to sustained partnership in critical school decisions and implementation of school efforts.
X
7. Professional Development Benchmark: Small Learning Communities demonstrate implementation of central and local district training and resources. Continuous professional learning is focused on improving practices and performance as a vehicle for school improvement and program coherence. This is accomplished through
collaboration, reflection, the analysis of student work and data, and a review of pedagogy. Common planning time is provided for teachers to gain in-depth knowledge of their content standards to work on lesson design, review student work, and performance data.
Professional development is monitored and assessed regularly for effectiveness and implementation to ensure continuous school improvement.
(1)
student may need academic intervention. Constantly assessing classroom practice, teachers discuss what strategies may be working for certain students and become aware of what may need modification to ensure student academic growth.
However, to progress as an academy, there needs to be open communication between all stakeholders. In order to do so, MTCA needs time to dialogue with each member about each individual student before the student falters and falls through the cracks. A common planning time or conference period will allow teachers the time to dialogue because currently, teachers have graciously relinquished their after-school or lunch time, but not all teachers have this luxury.
e) Accountability and Distributed Leadership
The members of the MTCA Small Learning Community value collaborative efforts, appreciate the need to share expertise, and merit accountability as a fundamental need for an academy to succeed. Hence, the teachers of MTCA work collaboratively in
making decisions to improve the Small Learning Community. Coordinator and/or Design Team Leaders organize and conduct meetings during Banked Days, conference
periods, and Buy Back days, while every member participates with suggestions and/or concerns. During these meetings, there is an open forum to address issues that are relevant to our SLC. Otherwise, members have the opportunity to write their concerns regarding MTCA matters on the agendas provided during each meeting. Apart from these school-wide scheduled meetings, MTCA organizes two full day MTCA workshops and teachers meet during lunch and after school as needed. Whether it is discussing an upcoming event or briefing the staff on the latest accomplishments, teachers meet and collectively decide on matters pertaining to the program.
Jesse Becerra, the MTCA coordinator, and Yorell Leon and Janet Cho, the Design Team Leads, are members of the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT). In these
meetings, staff members discuss matters pertaining to the school as a whole. Whether it may be educational concerns or janitorial issues, these committees make sure that the needs of all teachers, students, and parents are addressed. The staff members of MTCA represent the program and provide input as to how the program can work to benefit the school. After the meeting, MTCA members report back to the other members in our bi-monthly meetings.
Parents and students also take part in the decision-making of MTCA. The teachers meet with the parents to address any parental concerns regarding their children or the program. The teachers maintain a relationship with the parents throughout the year in order to work together in maximizing the student's potential. Students also play a role in the decision-making of the program. They are elected as club officers and represent the MTCA student body in decision-making. The MTCA program also receives input from the counseling office and College Center to work together to address any needs of the students.
(2)
f) Collaboration/Parent and Community Engagement
The collaboration and engagement of parents and community with the Small Learning Community is critical to success. Teachers and the parents establish close relationships to enable the success of the students. There is an ongoing partnership aimed at having continuous improvement of student achievement. Teachers meet with the parents during parent conference and communicate with them as needed throughout the year. The parents are kept aware of the students' progress, whether positive or negative. Parents may also accompany the students on any field trips or events sponsored by MTCA.
The MTCA program has engaged the Bell community in many ways. At Parent
Conference Night when parents arrive to pick up their students' progress reports, MTCA students meet and greet, pass out punch and cookies, promote the program, and
discuss current activities and fieldtrips. Furthermore, the student officers from each track of the Future Teachers of America, an affiliate of MTCA, write an article for the Parent Newsletter. This newsletter reports on special events such as the Corona
tutoring experience and scholarship winners, etc. Parents and families are invited to the annual awards banquet where administrators have attended too. In previous years, former principal, Dr. di Stefano, the mayor of Bell and Grace Hom (Corona Elementary Representative), have also been in attendance at MTCA staff developments. One last way that the MTCA program embraces the Bell community is the Grace Reading Program. This is a special "service" program that involves the MTCA Bell High School students reading to their younger brothers and sisters at home. The Grace Reading Program is a requirement of some of the MTCA classes that encourages students to read to younger siblings or to some young person within their community. If there are no young children at home, MTCA students often fulfill this service requirement by
volunteering at a library or an elementary school during their off track time. For all events or activities, language barriers can prove to be an arduous obstacle, but auspiciously MTCA has a staff that provides a wide range of diverse backgrounds, which is prevalent at Bell.
g) Professional Development
The teachers of MTCA provide professional growth and intellectual stimulation for each other. Twice a month, the teachers meet to discuss the outlook of the learning
community. These meetings provide the educators with the opportunities to share lesson plan ideas, assess and discuss both current and future developments.
Twice a year, the teachers of MTCA have an all day workshop. This workshop gives the teachers the opportunity to introduce any new members of the learning community. Apart from providing the teachers with an occasion to engage in an intellectual
exchange of ideas, the program allows each member to present and discuss a lesson which he/she has used in the classroom. Each presenter discusses how he/she
engages the students in the lesson, explains how the lesson benefits aspiring teachers, and includes a rubric for assessment. During this workshop, the teachers receive
(3)
updates on current educational research in order to keep our staff up to date with the latest developments in our profession.
The Common Planning Time is used for meeting within the learning community. During this time, the teachers discuss any issues pertaining to the program, upcoming events, as well as provide additional support with instruction. In order to help the teachers grow and improve in teaching strategies, the teachers of MTCA constantly address students' needs and collaborate as to what can be done to help them achieve their maximum potential. The staff is introduced and familiarized with a variety of research based learning strategies such as collaborative teaching, project based learning, thematic unit integration, peer observation and evaluation, and various front loading activities. In order to measure and demonstrate the success of the professional development, each MTCA teacher returns to their classroom and attempts to implement the strategies provided during the meeting. MTCA teachers reconvene after the strategies have been implemented in their classrooms and discuss any success or questions regarding the learning strategies. Working holistically, the educators constantly give each other the support and constructive criticism to continue improving their teaching practice.
Teacher recruitment, criteria for selection and assignments:
Teachers are selected based on preference. The staff of Bell High School is presented with information regarding each Small Learning Community. This may include a
promotional video or a power-point presentation, which familiarizes the staff with the attributes, goals, and direction of each academy. The teachers are then given a preference sheet in which they indicate which Small Learning Community they wish to join. However, MTCA does not really need to be highly active in recruitment because MTCA has already been proven to be a highly functioning and laudable program. The word of mouth and praise the program receives every year prove to the school and teachers the value of being a member of the Multilingual Teacher Career Academy.
(4)
MTCA Technical Assistance Checklist
Foreseeable Challenges Check All That Apply
Attribute Analysis
Vision Creation/Identity
Student Outcomes X
Matrix X
School to Work Transition
Academic Requirements: A-G X
Content Integration X
Assessments/Evaluation
Alterations to Facilities X
Resilience Building
Youth Development Strategies
Advisories
Leadership Roles
Bell Schedules
Contract Issues/Waivers
Best Practices
Articulation
Budgets
Sustainability
Community Partnerships
Parent Outreach and Involvement
Student Outreach and Involvement
School Staff Outreach and Involvement
(5)
1. Unifying Vision/Identity Benchmark No Evidence
Planning Early Developmental Solid Full
1. A. Unifying Vision: A shared vision created by a group of educators, support staff, students, parents, and community who comprise the SLC who assume responsibility for the learning of every student through a distinctive and focused standards-based curriculum.
X
1. B. Identity: Each fully implemented SLC has an educational philosophy and approach that is known and shared by students, staff, families, and community partners. SLCs have a unique academic identity, distinct, and heterogeneous groups of students, distinct physical boundaries and an administrators or teacher leader that leads a cohesive faculty team. SLC teams make decisions related to: curriculum, instruction and assessment; budget, personnel and facilities; master schedule and student programming; student conduct and issues of community safety.
X
2. Rigorous Standards-Based
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Benchmark: A standards-based educational program embodies high expectations for every student so that they achieve grade-level standards, use appropriate technology, district adopted textbooks, and materials to support instruction, meet high school graduation requirements, college entrance requirements and are prepared for post-secondary experiences and the world of work. Instruction is adapted based upon learning needs within a rigorous culturally relevant and linguistically responsive curriculum; student performance is measured to report on progress and accomplishments and to inform future instructional practices. Multiple forms of standards-based assessments are used to including some benchmarks by the district. Additionally, school indicators are used as measures of school progress including, for example attendance, dropout rates, number of high school graduates, etc.
X
3. Equity and Access Benchmark: Every student will participate in a rigorous quality curriculum that is culturally relevant and linguistically responsive to their unique learning needs, thereby eliminating achievement gaps between groups of students.
X
4. Personalization Benchmark: A demonstration of sustained and mutually respectful personal relationships where every student is well known by a group of educators who advise/advocate for them and work closely with them and their families over time. The size of the SLC is appropriate to its vision and mission, generally ranging from 300-500 students.
(6)
5. Accountability and Distributed Leadership Benchmark: Members of the SLC work together, share expertise, and exercise leadership to ensure that student achievement is the intended result of all decisions. They retain primary responsibility, appropriate autonomy, and are accountable for making decisions affecting the important aspects of the small learning community.
X
6. Collaboration/Parent and Community Engagement Benchmark: All members of the SLC are viewed as critical allies and are significantly included in the school community (I.e., students, teachers, support staff, parents, administrators, business, and community partners). An ongoing partnership is aimed at supporting continuous improvement of student achievement. Authentic engagement leads to sustained partnership in critical school decisions and implementation of school efforts.
X
7. Professional Development Benchmark: Small Learning Communities demonstrate implementation of central and local district training and resources. Continuous professional learning is focused on improving practices and performance as a vehicle for school improvement and program coherence. This is accomplished through
collaboration, reflection, the analysis of student work and data, and a review of pedagogy. Common planning time is provided for teachers to gain in-depth knowledge of their content standards to work on lesson design, review student work, and performance data.
Professional development is monitored and assessed regularly for effectiveness and implementation to ensure continuous school improvement.