student-centered learning & the pmhs mission
The mission of Pittsfield School District is to ensure that our learners are supported in the achievement of their college and career goals through student centered learning practices and strong partnerships with our community. We encourage and guide our students to become self-directed, lifelong learners who demonstrate a high level of knowledge, skills, and social-emotional health through self-advocacy, self-governance, and commitment to community.
At the heart of PMHS' educational philosophy is the concept of student-centered learning (SCL), an instructional approach in which students influence the content, activities, materials, and pace of their learning. This learning model places the student at the center of the learning process and the teacher in the position of providing students with opportunities to learn independently and from one another. Properly implemented student-centered learning can lead to increased motivation to learn, greater retention of knowledge, deeper understanding, and more positive attitudes toward the subject being taught (Collins and O'Brien, 2003). Two instructional approaches central to SCL and practiced at PMHS are Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and Project-Based Learning (PBL).
Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), an instructional approach that engages students in creating and investigating real world questions which reside in a broad, thematic framework. Inquiry-Based instruction complements traditional instruction by providing a vehicle for extending and applying the learning of students in a way that connects their interests within a broader thematic framework. Students acquire and analyze information, develop and support propositions, provide solutions, and design technology and arts products that demonstrate their thinking and make their learning visible.
Project-based learning (PBL) is learn-by-doing curriculum that complements IBL by integrating core subjects with real-life problems to be solved. PMHS teachers work in teams with one another to identify key learning standards and skills that need to be addressed at the grade-level. Then, teachers work backwards to plan their curriculum, striving to create engaging, interdisciplinary projects centered on a big idea and a real-world connection that is rigorous, relevant and meaningful to students' lives.
Students work in teams to create a final product that demonstrates mastery of content standards and a demonstration of key skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. One of the most important aspects of project-based learning is a public presentation of the work created, as assessment is based on the student's ability to articulate and demonstrate the content and skills learned. Student progress is measured and assessed through traditional tests, quizzes, and public presentations of learning and exhibitions.
Student exhibitions of learning have been a focus of the school’s “i-3” (Investigating in Innovation Fund) grant work, the purpose of which is to develop student-centered learning with a focus on “Authentic Assessment.” The i-3 Team has been working for the past two years on developing quality project based learning (PBL) practices, as well as authentic methods of assessing student knowledge and abilities.
PBL is focused on questions that drive students to encounter the central concepts and principles of a subject hands-on. Students form their own investigation of a guiding question and develop valuable research skills as they engage in design, problem solving, decision making, and investigative activities.
Through project-based learning, students are often challenged to apply their learning to the world outside of their classrooms. PBL is an approach to teaching and learning that emphasizes creativity and effective communication, promotes the practice of high-level critical thinking skills, and allows students to discover that there are many ways to answer a question and solve a problem.
As part of its multi-year plan to transform Pittsfield Middle High School (PMHS) from a traditional school to a student-centered learning environment, the Pittsfield School District (PSD) is seeking to build capacity and expertise in its approach to rigorous and engaging inquiry- and project-based teaching and learning. This effort aligns with the goals of PSD’s School Improvement (SIG) Grant, to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment, as well as to create an intentional culture and climate characterized by collaboration and responsibility. Additionally, teacher training in inquiry-based learning builds upon PSD’s efforts to develop performance assessments that are authentic and competency-based, as identified in its Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant, and supports the implementation of a community-wide system of personalized learning, as stipulated in its District Level Systems Change Grant sponsored by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
Within the past five years, PMHS has worked to create an ideal environment in which rigorous and powerful inquiry- and project-based learning can take place. It has created interdisciplinary teams of core academic and special education teachers within grades 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12, which, with the exception of science teachers whose rooms are difficult to relocate, are co-located and share daily common planning time. This allows teaching teams to work together to create, monitor, and assess dynamic cross-discipline student projects. Embedded professional development opportunities are also provided on a weekly basis, with school starting 90 minutes late every Wednesday, and study teams focusing on varied topics such as Standards Based Instruction and Assessment with Competency Implementation, Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum, and the development and implementation of Student Led Conferences, Personal Learning Plans, Portfolios, Parent Involvement, and Project-Based Learning.
At the heart of PMHS' educational philosophy is the concept of student-centered learning (SCL), an instructional approach in which students influence the content, activities, materials, and pace of their learning. This learning model places the student at the center of the learning process and the teacher in the position of providing students with opportunities to learn independently and from one another. Properly implemented student-centered learning can lead to increased motivation to learn, greater retention of knowledge, deeper understanding, and more positive attitudes toward the subject being taught (Collins and O'Brien, 2003). Two instructional approaches central to SCL and practiced at PMHS are Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and Project-Based Learning (PBL).
Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), an instructional approach that engages students in creating and investigating real world questions which reside in a broad, thematic framework. Inquiry-Based instruction complements traditional instruction by providing a vehicle for extending and applying the learning of students in a way that connects their interests within a broader thematic framework. Students acquire and analyze information, develop and support propositions, provide solutions, and design technology and arts products that demonstrate their thinking and make their learning visible.
Project-based learning (PBL) is learn-by-doing curriculum that complements IBL by integrating core subjects with real-life problems to be solved. PMHS teachers work in teams with one another to identify key learning standards and skills that need to be addressed at the grade-level. Then, teachers work backwards to plan their curriculum, striving to create engaging, interdisciplinary projects centered on a big idea and a real-world connection that is rigorous, relevant and meaningful to students' lives.
Students work in teams to create a final product that demonstrates mastery of content standards and a demonstration of key skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. One of the most important aspects of project-based learning is a public presentation of the work created, as assessment is based on the student's ability to articulate and demonstrate the content and skills learned. Student progress is measured and assessed through traditional tests, quizzes, and public presentations of learning and exhibitions.
Student exhibitions of learning have been a focus of the school’s “i-3” (Investigating in Innovation Fund) grant work, the purpose of which is to develop student-centered learning with a focus on “Authentic Assessment.” The i-3 Team has been working for the past two years on developing quality project based learning (PBL) practices, as well as authentic methods of assessing student knowledge and abilities.
PBL is focused on questions that drive students to encounter the central concepts and principles of a subject hands-on. Students form their own investigation of a guiding question and develop valuable research skills as they engage in design, problem solving, decision making, and investigative activities.
Through project-based learning, students are often challenged to apply their learning to the world outside of their classrooms. PBL is an approach to teaching and learning that emphasizes creativity and effective communication, promotes the practice of high-level critical thinking skills, and allows students to discover that there are many ways to answer a question and solve a problem.
As part of its multi-year plan to transform Pittsfield Middle High School (PMHS) from a traditional school to a student-centered learning environment, the Pittsfield School District (PSD) is seeking to build capacity and expertise in its approach to rigorous and engaging inquiry- and project-based teaching and learning. This effort aligns with the goals of PSD’s School Improvement (SIG) Grant, to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment, as well as to create an intentional culture and climate characterized by collaboration and responsibility. Additionally, teacher training in inquiry-based learning builds upon PSD’s efforts to develop performance assessments that are authentic and competency-based, as identified in its Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant, and supports the implementation of a community-wide system of personalized learning, as stipulated in its District Level Systems Change Grant sponsored by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
Within the past five years, PMHS has worked to create an ideal environment in which rigorous and powerful inquiry- and project-based learning can take place. It has created interdisciplinary teams of core academic and special education teachers within grades 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12, which, with the exception of science teachers whose rooms are difficult to relocate, are co-located and share daily common planning time. This allows teaching teams to work together to create, monitor, and assess dynamic cross-discipline student projects. Embedded professional development opportunities are also provided on a weekly basis, with school starting 90 minutes late every Wednesday, and study teams focusing on varied topics such as Standards Based Instruction and Assessment with Competency Implementation, Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum, and the development and implementation of Student Led Conferences, Personal Learning Plans, Portfolios, Parent Involvement, and Project-Based Learning.