Darlene Quayle: European Schools Research and Explorations

Educational Video Documentary Project

Darlene Quayle

Port Townsend School District

Port Townsend, Washington

Summary

News reports abound and PISA studies further demonstrate that students in American schools are performing below their peers in reading, math and science. Furthermore, European schools see mainstream American education as not meeting minimum university entrance requirements. In the United Kingdom students must pass AP (Advanced Placement) exams in all subjects with scores of 3 or 4 and above, must have SAT scores in all subjects of 600 and above, or possess an associate’s degree. This limits their universities to only the top 5-10% of American students.

In the meantime, schools in Finland are being successful with less compulsory education, less money per school, smaller classes, hands-on activities, and informal relationships between student and teacher. On the other end of the spectrum, Japanese students start earlier, work longer days with society-dictated afternoon tutors, and larger class sizes with an emphasis on competition. They also perform among the top schools in the PISA studies.

As a teacher in a choice alternative program in Washington State, I work with a variety of students, from those who seek a challenge in their education, to those who are disenchanted with the traditional educational system. I work with students who seek smaller learning environments than the traditional school offers and with students who seek more classroom time and peer interaction than their homeschooling has thus far allowed them.

Through my professional growth activities, I have constantly sought innovative and effective methods for providing quality education to my students. This, I believe is the next step: to look outside the state of Washington, to find methods that work for students and to pass along my findings to my fellow educators. Test results and studies provide raw data and scores that do not translate easily into quantifiable pedagogical methods, relationships and community attitudes toward education. This is my goal, to find out what makes the curriculum work for these schools, to find out what propels these European students to academic excellence, and to bring that back to Washington State educators.

Applicant Information

See attached Curriculum Vitae

Situation Description

The schools in my community of Port Townsend, Washington, graduate an average of 84% of the students who enrolled in 9^th grade. There is little turnover in enrollment, in fact many students have parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who have graduated from the same high school. Most students have followed each other since kindergarten, and in a standard graduating class of 120, over 35% go on to higher education. We have had comparable results in the graduating classes of our alternative program, and were pleased to see students come back from their recent university graduations with degrees in philosophy/math, early childhood education, theatre arts, creative writing, and political science. Looking toward this year’s graduating class, we have two planning to attend 2- and 4-year college/university level programs, two planning to attend a 2-year trade school, and one planning to enter the work force. I would like these students to know they are also qualified to enter European universities as well. We are an increasingly globally-minded community and need to make sure that our students are competent to participate in the world’s higher education options.

Work Plan

My goal is to spend five months visiting schools in European countries where the PISA ratings are highest, traveling from northern Europe to southern Europe. From October through April, I plan to visit innovative and traditional schools in as many of the following countries as possible: Finland, Ireland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Austria, Czech Republic, and Switzerland. For comparison, I also plan to visit middle and lower scoring schools in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Israel.

Plan: Evaluate what top-rated European schools are doing by:

· Visiting various schools in European and Mid-East countries to compare educational practices to those of the United States

· Videotaping lessons, taking photographs of classrooms

· Keeping a detailed evaluative list of text books in use in those classrooms

· Interviewing teachers and students as possible

· Determining what the educational priorities are at these schools through “Blink” assessments, interviews with administrators, and school websites

· Interviewing community members and parents to hear their perspectives of schools and their level of support

· Evaluating PISA scores to determine inclusiveness of students tested

Impact of Activities

The purpose of this study is to find practical examples of pedagogical practices in high performing schools and bring those methods and ideas to Washington State. Through sharing these observations with teachers at OSPI (Washington State’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) and WALA (Washington Association for Learning Alternatives) conferences, there can be an immediate effect on students through the educational practices transferred to these teachers’ classrooms.

Evaluation

This project will be successful at three levels of measurement:

1. My students will learn using methods and materials that engage and challenge them sufficiently to score higher on standardized tests and on a teacher-made test using released PISA exam questions;

2. Teachers transfer the lessons I relate to them at conferences and use them in their classrooms to the students’ benefit; and

3. I will have a greater toolbox and understanding of the requirements and practices of international educational systems that I can continue to share for the next several years of teaching.

Funding

Grants, Sabbatical leave funds, personal funds.

See attached budget.

Supplementary Materials

Digital SLR camera, a digital video camera, audio recorders, notebooks and laptap computer to document the results of my studies, interviews and readings.

Reading materials, published research reports and internet resources as available.

PISA scores (attached)

Travel guides, maps

Supplementary Resources

While in some of the countries, I am arranging to stay at the homes of my friends, or with friends and family members of other acquaintances. During this time, I can further discuss the personal impressions of the school systems through these families’ own experiences.