The Model
Redesigning the school day at Pioneer has
created space for personalized, student-centered
learning experiences that engage students and
make the best use of time. Key components of the
school’s new learning model were a studentdirected learning block during the school day,
after-school enrichment activities, and enhanced
teacher collaboration.
Personal Learning Time
Adding 45 minutes to the school day allowed
Pioneer to create personal learning time (PLT), a
block of time that is completely self-directed by
students and designed around topics they are
interested in and questions they want to solve.
Because PLT is student-directed and students get
to focus on something they are passionate or
curious about, there has been great engagement,
says teacher Paul Crossen. “It’s something they
gravitated to and liked a lot. It didn’t take much
motivation to get them interested.”
Nelson-Steinhoff agrees: “Everyone said personal
learning time was their favorite time of day.”
Each teacher has the flexibility to facilitate PLT
in a way that makes the most s ense for the class,
but the overall goal is to give students the
resources, time, and materials they need to dive
in, discover, and create through a project-based
learning approach. The deliverable, or “learning
product,” at the end of a project is determined by
the student, but involves sharing and presenting
the knowledge gleaned during the process to
classmates as well as the community. (Parents
and family members often come in for
presentations.)
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Enrichments
In addition to a project-based,
student-centered learning block
during the day, Pioneer implemented
320-Plus, an optional enrichment block at
the end of each day. From 3:20 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
students participate in Zumba, Taekwondo,
soccer, chemistry exploration, knitting,
homework club, yoga, and a range of other
activities provided by 25 to 30 community
partners. At the beginning of every three-month
cycle, students and parents are given a menu of
upcoming activities, and teachers work to invite
particular students to activities that may be of
academic or personal interest. On any given day,
one-third to one-half of all Pioneer students
choose to stay for 320-Plus activities,
Nelson-Steinhoff says. To help facilitate the
partnerships with community organizations,
Nelson-Steinhoff hired a 0.3-staff community
partner liaison.
enhanced Teacher Collaboration
By expanding the day and rethinking the schedule
and staffing, the Pioneer team has also increased
common collaboration time from 40 minutes
once a week to 80 minutes each day. During that
time, teachers plan for instruction by using their
Biliteracy Unit Frameworks; meet with
leadership to discuss student growth and
struggles, based on what has been observed
anecdotally and through data; and focus on
instructional changes.