Jesus Medina stood in his classroom during his planning session Tuesday and read aloud to another teacher the titles of the chapters in the book “The Essential 55” by Ron Clark, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Ga.
Medina had the chance to attend the academy and participate in the RCA EXP conference during spring recess, all expenses paid, thanks to the Sonic Foundation. The 55 rules “for discovering the successful student in every child” are posted up at the academy, but Medina was able to see a majority of those 55 rules in action, first-hand. He said there were around 450 guest teachers in attendance sponsored by the Sonic Foundation, and more than 900 all together.
“I got to meet a lot of teachers. There were a lot of teachers from Kansas - Topeka, Olathe, Overland Park. And then one of my friends who I used to work with in Coffeyville was there,” Medina said. There were people from all over the U.S. Arizona, Mexico, California. It was really interesting.”
Visiting educators are considered guests. The RCA EXP is an interactive, immersive learning experience where guest teachers observe academy classes in progress and participate in dynamic workshops that teach how to ignite a passion for learning, provide meaningful support, encourage academic excellence, foster authentic relationships, and ensure a climate and culture where all students and staff thrive.
The academy allows public education teachers the opportunity to enter this private, non-profit middle school, located in a transformed abandoned factory, and observe first-hand a world of education not driven by performance on state standardized testing and tight budgets. At the academy they can observe a paradigm shift where teachers have more flexibility to create a different, engaging world outside of mandates, while maintaining academic rigor and compassion in a fun learning environment. The school accepts only about 30 students per grade level, fourth through eighth grade. Those students then move through the academy together, with only fourth grade positions being refilled each year.
“When we walked in there it was all music, all happiness, all the kids just greeting you.
They call it the Disney of teachers,” Medina said. “It’s really interesting. The teachers are all enthusiastic and have all the same expectations for all students. … It’s kind of like a boarding school, but not a boarding school. It is very strict. ”
At the same time, the academy incorporates a lot of bodily movement into classroom learning through dance, singing and chants, which is scientifically proven to enhance engagement and learning, improve focus, boost retention and relieve stress, driving home the lessons taught.
The days are spent with teachers questioning, challenging, inspiring and uplifting students to want to learn, in an environment that is designed to be structured fun. Kids are even standing on top of desks to answer questions, something public schools aren’t allowed to do because of parental and insurance concerns of accidents, injuries or damage to furniture schools can’t afford to replace.
“There are some things like that, that work for them, but won’t work for everybody, but it is about keeping students engaged,” Medina said.
Classrooms at the academy are equipped with theater seating so guest teachers can observe classes being taught. What Medina found absolutely amazing is that all these guest teachers are walking in and out of classrooms, but the students stay focused on their learning. Medina said if one person walks in his classroom, students are immediately distracted. Students at the academy say they just get used to it.
Medina said there were so many takeaways from his experience he wants to implement, though he understands some may not be feasible.He really liked that every teacher had the same expectations. “I know Mr. Pontious is great about having the rules of integrity and all of that, but I think if we have the same rules and expectations in every class, the kids are more willing and wanting to learn because if this teacher and this teacher are really strict, but then this teacher is really laid back and lets them do whatever, then the two strict teachers become the mean teachers, and the laid back teacher becomes the ‘fun’ one,” Medina said. “(Ron Clark) said we can’t have that. If we all had the same expectations of the students, it would be great. It was an eye opener. I really, really enjoyed that. Not only did we get to hear it from the teacher talking in front of us, but we got to see first hand how the system works.”
“Another of my takeaways is the atmosphere they have. Some of these I want to implement immediately, and one is classroom engagement. I want to implement more of that. How can I do that? With only 9 weeks left, kids get lost. They know the end is coming. Summer is almost here. So I told the kids if they are going to talk to me, or even a friend, they will stand up, push in their chair, and talk, so they are fully present,” he said.
Another thing Medina observed that he particularly liked was how when a student was asked a question, and they got it only partially right or wrong, the teacher did not move on to another student to get the right answer. Rather, they continued working with the same student to help them to assess what they know to find the answer. If the student couldn’t come up with the answer, the teacher would tell them they would learn it and call them that night with the right answer.
In talking to some of the students, Medina learned that while this can sometimes bring a student to tears of frustration, they also get the sense that teachers aren’t giving up on them, and that they are there for them and want them to succeed..
“They keep them to high expectations because Ron Clark says if we are going to send these kids out in the real world, they need to know the real etiquette, the real expectations,” Medina explained. “Life is hard and it’s not all just fun things.”
Another thing Medina really liked is how the academy operates off of a house system, kind of like Harry Potter.
“They have four houses at the school. They have Rêveur, which is French for Dreamer. They have Amistad, which is Spanish for friendship. They have Isibindi, which is Zulu for courage and they have Altruismo, (Portuguese) which just means giver. So when kids come in in the fourth grade, they spin a big wheel they call, ‘The wheel no adult can touch.’ They spin the wheel and slide down the indoor slide and when they get to the bottom, their house is chosen,” Medina said. “They are part of that house from fourth grade all the way through eighth grade, so that house becomes like a family to them. They do everything together. It was really interesting. I know a lot of schools have implemented the house system in their buildings and they say they have worked. It’s something I want to implement in my classroom next year and see how it works in my classroom.”
Many teachers and administrators who take some of the academy’s practices and implement them in their home schools report online that they experience improvements in things like, increased student confidence, attendance rates, and increases in academic performance.
Medina is excited to see what the changes he makes in his class brings about with his students.
“It was a really nice opportunity,” Medina said, expressing his thanks again to Sonic. “It was a good refresher and something I needed with the 9 weeks left of school. It was an inspiration to finish strong.”
Medina said he would really like to attend the academy again. Some of the workshops the academy offers include: strategies for higher order thinking techniques; for developing lessons that promote curiosity, creativity and problem solving; ways to engage and involve parents; tips for creating a sense of belonging and school spirit and pride; how to implement a successful house system; methods for teaching soft skills such as the Amazing Shake strategies for teaching complex vocabulary; ideas for interactive, cooperative games that promote student engagement; examples of ways to create support among staff members; and communication strategies for working with others.
He may not be eligible for another Sonic Foundation scholarship to go, but he said he would save up to attend another conference.
