Teachers Collaborate Across
Disciplines at MLK
How many drops of water can fit on the face side of a penny?
It’s a tough question. Even if you can assume that all drops are made with a common, measurable dropper,
there’s a lot involved. Cohesion between water molecules allows for surface tension, creating a bubble that
holds more water than you might expect. Several perspectives are required for complete understanding.
Students at SCORE Prize high school finalist Martin Luther King Jr. High School (MLK) answer this question – and many others – with collaborative instruction from teachers in multiple departments. In this case,
math and science teachers help students use their knowledge of the properties of water to plot outcomes
on a graph and study the resulting curves. It’s the kind of interdisciplinary work that helps students translate
academic concepts to the real world, said Stacey Turner, Science Department chair at MLK.
“When students see things across several classes in different disciplines, it brings them insight,” said Ms.
Turner. “Some teachers only teach their curriculum. For the bulk of us, I think we’re trying to get past that. We
don’t teach to the test here.”
Teacher collaboration and interdisciplinary study underpin daily work at MLK, an academic magnet school
in Nashville. These practices deliver real-world preparation for students and help draw significant academic
gains from kids who are already strong performers.
MLK has about 800 students in the high school, as well as students, in grades seven and eight. Academically,
students represent the top 10 to 15 percent of Metro Nashville Public Schools – admission requirements include maintenance of at least a “B” average and TCAP scores that are advanced or proficient. Once students
are accepted, study is rigorous. High academic expectations must be met, including advanced math and
science courses for all high school students.
MLK has achieved outstanding outcomes. The school has a graduation rate of 100 percent, and all students
pursue post-secondary study immediately after high school. End-of-course assessment scores are well
above state average. The school-wide average ACT score is 25.9. Though it can be challenging to deliver high
academic gains when students are already top performers, MLK posts strong three-year marks on TVAAS
growth, especially in Algebra I and II.
“When you have a student who’s already at a high caliber, it’s hard to try to lift them to a higher level,” Ms.
Turner said. “Starting at 799, it’s hard to get to 800.”
To meet students’ unique needs, rigor is incorporated in every classroom, and all material must involve
higher-order thinking. MLK offers a robust selection of honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Project-based learning experiences are planned every nine weeks for all grades.
Large-scale, multi-department initiatives are a well-loved part of each school year, like a “Diversity Day”
event celebrating the more than 50 languages spoken by MLK students. Many school years feature an “AllSchool Read,” a book chosen by a different department each year for all students to read over the summer.
In 2014 the entire school read Enrique’s Journey, a nonfiction account of a boy who travels from Honduras
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