Small Learning Community Strategies
 

Specific strategies that take advantage of a downsized school can be implemented at the sub-school unit level, within an entire building, or districtwide. Most of these strategies have the advantage of making students feel more connected to each other, to adults, and to their school group. Strategies that are particularly effective in making schools "feel" smaller may be implemented on their own or in conjunction with one of the structural approaches.

Freshman transition activities help ease the difficulties students often encounter as they move from middle to high school. Some schools place all first-year students in their own academy or house setting, sometimes in a separate wing or even a separate building, with extra support from adults. In other cases, freshman transition includes mentoring from older students, or special career exploration classes designed to set the context for high school as a pathway to college and careers.

Multiyear groups, in which several teachers stay with a group of students over a period of two or more years, foster trust and intimacy between students and teachers. This strategy is similar to "looping," a strategy used in elementary or middle schools when groups of students stay together with a teacher for more than one year. A multiyear group is a strategy for keeping several teachers with a group of students for a set period of time.

Alternative Scheduling allows teachers to develop lessons that are more compatible with learning objectives. Alternative scheduling is also conducive to arranging for work-based learning opportunities and integrating business and community volunteers into the curriculum. The length of the class period, the school day, and the school year can be changed to support academic achievement. This is most easily done in smaller schools. One of the more common alternatives, "block scheduling," provides extended class periods that provide teachers with the time necessary for in-depth lessons and experiential learning. These arrangements permit more time for tutoring and intensive projects, facilitate enrichment, and allow lagging students to catch up and advanced students to delve into topics more deeply. They give schools the ability to set a schedule that best suits their needs.

Adult Advocate Systems ensure that at least one adult knows each student well. One quarter of students report being concerned that they and their friends lack an adult who talks with them about problems and decisions, (Shell Poll, Summer 1999). Teachers, counselors, community volunteers, and other school staff can fulfill this "caring adult" role, helping personalize students' experiences in even the largest schools. By meeting with 15-20 students, individually or in small groups, on a regular basis over several years, adult advocates can provide rapport, academic and personal guidance, and links to additional resources when needed. Training for adult advocates and administrative support for the advocate system are critical elements for success.

Again, these structures and strategies are not mutually exclusive and in fact are often successfully combined. For example some high schools have used houses in ninth and tenth grades and themed academies in eleventh and twelfth.