Agency Over Learning

One of the KLS’s fundamental values emphasized by Laura and throughout the school's history pertains to granting KLS students agency over learning— particularly within the high school, with a specific emphasis on classes through Foothill College. These classes have always been advertised as a way to take control of your own learning, and the school has stated that they try to accommodate KLS schedules to make room for these opportunities. However, this year, it seems that the flexibility has decreased and rules concerning accommodation have “become a bit stricter,” according to one high schooler. In the beginning of the year, the school didn’t allow her to sign up for a Foothill course because she would have to miss an hour of advisory. “There are 3 blocks of advisory in the week. I think we should be in charge of our own schedules, and I think it’s fine to miss 1 out of 3 blocks of advisory in a week to do so,” she says.

An interesting comparison can be found between the Foothill-advisory situation and Spanish and Calculus students, as some Calculus students have to skip Calculus to attend a conflicting Spanish block. While the circumstances are slightly different because Calculus is self-paced, our source points out that, “some of [her specific] advisory are just ‘fun’ blocks anyways or where we just go outside and do something. I don’t see why I can’t miss one.” This shift in flexibility prompts reflection on our core value of agency, questioning the extent and circumstances to which students can exercise control over their learning, especially when considering other instances of schedule accommodations within the school. It also reveals a slight change in priorities going into this year, as we see a larger focus on SEL and advisory.

Student Teaching

"Everybody's a student, everybody's a teacher" echoes through the halls of our school, embodying one of our core values and serving as our motto. Student teaching has thrived in our past, marked by the success of student-developed and led courses. However, changes occurred by the end of last year due to accreditation requirements. The once-encouraged role of student teachers evolved into a more restricted position, officially labeled as "TAs," preventing them from taking on the main teaching role. A current student notes that the change in student-led classes is noticeable, saying,"it's pretty clear [the student teachers] aren't allowed to lecture as much." Although spontaneous lectures and activities still occur, a prepared lesson plan is absent. The class has adopted a more work-centric structure, where students collaborate in groups on assignments— a departure from the previous hands-on teaching approach.

In certain aspects, this change has proven beneficial, enhancing student productivity. The challenge of differentiating and respecting a peer or student in a teaching role has been a historical struggle at our school, impacting how seriously a student takes a class. The current student-led class structure, while less hands-on, appears to be slightly more productive. A student chalks it up to more reliance and involvement on the KLS teacher associated with the class, as “people are scared he will write something bad [in progress reports], if they don’t do their work,” just like with regular classes. This adjustment contrasts with the fully student-led class the student experienced last year, which prioritized hands-on and present-focused learning. Acknowledging these differences, the student advocates for a balanced approach, stating that student teaching "in the middle" would yield the most beneficial learning experience. As KLS continues to navigate the realm and effectiveness of student teaching, it’s important to consider student feedback and productivity rates. While this value remains at the heart of KLS, we can see that it is undergoing thoughtful adjustments in response to the accreditation and other concerns.

Structural Schedule Changes

With the schedules, we see some other notable changes as well. For one, the system whereby one teacher taught multiple subjects at once felt like it was depriving students of their ability to receive proper help from their instructor. The administration was able to rectify this eventually, but this system still exists for a few classes, like three separate Spanish classes meeting together. It’ll be interesting to see how the new format pans out and impacts students' learning and teachers’ teaching effectiveness. Also, the aspect of mixed age learning is slightly different this year, as English classes are no longer mixed.

Conclusion

In examining the dynamic interplay between our school's core values, the evolving landscape of student learning, and the structural changes in our schedule, it becomes clear that this year there is both disconnect and improvement in ideals and implementation. From the nuances of student teaching to the intricacies of schedule accommodation, each shift prompts us to reflect on how well our educational environment aligns with our foundational beliefs. As we navigate these changes, the ultimate question lingers: Are we, as a school community, on the path to achieving a schedule that authentically mirrors our values? The conversation continues, inviting each of us to play an active role in shaping the future of our educational journey.