LEARNING Outside of the Box

An out-of-classroom approach to educational enrichment

 By Nora Heston Tarte

Education is undoubtedly important for every student, but it’s also not onesize-fits-all. While some children excel in math and science, others are more skilled in the language arts. At the same time, some students are visual learners, while others need audio elements or tactile lessons in order to thrive. Through research and personal observation, the San Joaquin County Office of Education along with regional school districts have created several supplemental learning opportunities that exist outside of the typical classroom environment. The goal is to use these offerings as additional avenues to success, combining the expertise of professional mentors, knowledgeable educators, and outside influences to meet students where they are and quickly expand their horizons.

“Educators who serve in our schools and districts and at the county office of education strive to meet the needs of all students by providing a myriad of opportunities with innovative programs that inspire students to learn and explore their curiosity,” says Janine Kaeslin, associate superintendent of Student Programs and Services at SJCOE. “Along the way, students develop skills to thrive in jobs and life, making them better prepared for their futures.”

The curated programs are not only designed to address deficits in student learning, but to also identify and fill holes in the community. SJCOE is often at the forefront of these creations, designing programs to support the needs of local school districts and meet the needs of San Joaquin County students, families, and educators. “Our goal is to ensure that all students have an opportunity to receive a well-rounded, quality education that equips them with the tools to be successful in the future as they transition into an apprenticeship, postsecondary education, career, and adulthood,” Janine says. “All of these programs offered through the SJCOE ultimately prepare students for the jobs of the future. In turn, this benefits our county because these students will form the backbone of our communities.”

Language And Literacy Program

A collective frustration from educators unsure how to help their English learners led to the creation of the Language and Literacy summer program. Language and Literacy Director Karin Linn Nieves says, “Few teachers have had the training to really understand and identify what English learners need to move them forward.” There are ELD standards set forth by the state, but without proper understanding of the material, teachers don’t know how to best apply them.

The program was developed by combining teachers and English learner students in one classroom. The Literature and Literacy Program offers constant support to teachers in the classroom while working hands-on with English learners. “They learn a little and then immediately get to put that learning into practice with their students,” Karin explains. “With their colleagues, they discuss what went well and what they might do differently, and then learn a little more.”

The program provides on-the-job training and teachers are working with objectives laid out by the state to ensure they are effective. The lessons may not be new, but the development of a summer program where teachers perfect these skills while also benefitting students is a useful way to kill two birds with one stone. And, after completing the program, teachers can take what they learned into their classrooms during the school year.

“English learner students’ language needs are considered first so they start improving very quickly through highly targeted instruction,” Karin says. “They get to experience fun and engaging content while learning all sorts of language tips and they can actually see the difference that this makes.”

One key to success is creating engaging lessons for students. This is done by gamifying literacy activities. “Students think they are playing a game, when they are actually engaging in activities requiring them to read, write, listen, and speak about the topic they are learning about,” Karin says.

This could be adding a relay race element to lessons on dictation or using puzzle strategies to create complex sentences. Benefits include more engaged students who enjoy learning and actively participating. Over the years, the curriculum has also improved to better serve these students in large part due to observation and trial and error. The summer program is made up of students who have been identified as English learners at risk for becoming ‘Long-Term English Learners’ (LTELs), as well as those who are already LTELs (a student whose language acquisition has stalled and who demonstrates a need for targeted and strategic instruction). Throughout the course, areas students struggle in are identified and then those needs are met through targeted and accelerated instruction. “Districts can tell who these students are by looking at their data and then inviting qualifying students to join the program,” Karin says.

Your average student may not be what you think, however. Most LTELs, according to Karin, are fluent in everyday English but struggle with academic English. “A lot of curricula designed for them is simplified, so they don’t get practice with anything very difficult. They write short, choppy sentences, hardly participate in most of their classes, and are fairly disengaged in school,” Karin says. “They immediately start improving their speaking and writing and start feeling some success in school [after participating in Language and Literacy].”

TEACH! ACADEMY

TEACH! Academy (a high school/college hybrid program) was created in response to two identified needs: a nation-wide teacher shortage including a local need and a desire to create a teacher workforce in San Joaquin County. In the program, students enroll in high school and San Joaquin Delta College simultaneously in order to get a jumpstart on a career in education, or at the very least explore if becoming an educator is what they want to do in life. The students in this college pathway program, part of Venture Academy, not only benefit from advanced experience, but they also earn credits transferrable to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

On the San Joaquin Delta College side, the dean of Regional & Distance Education Vivie Sinou and her team have a heavy hand in developing the course while also ensuring participating students will have access to the classes they need and supporting these young learners in a college environment.

Students as young as ninth grade are invited to join TEACH! and get hands-on experience working with younger students in the district. It may look as simple as facilitating a discussion or lesson inside of a classroom, which gives aspiring teachers a glimpse into what it’s like to wrangle younger learners. Other roles include reading buddies, literacy partners, math tutors, and artists. “We get to see light bulbs turn on for our high school students as they see light bulbs turn on for the young learners they are supporting,” says Megan Filice, TEACH! Academy coordinator.

The program is built on a cohort model, so while students are getting real life experience inside of a classroom, they are also building relationships with their fellow TEACH! Academy students. The shared learning experience is a large part of the program’s success. “As teachers, it is exciting for us to observe students putting tools into practice, learning new strategies, and challenging themselves and their peers,” says Megan Filice, TEACH! Academy Coordinator. “As future teachers, our students get to see the benefits of that model and question the ways they may adapt it for their own work with youth in the future.” Students who graduate the program earn an associate’s degree in Elementary Teacher Education alongside their high school diploma. “Stepping into this teacher role has helped our high school students to mature, think more critically about their own education, and define their goals for life after high school,” Megan says.

TEACH! Is accepting applicants, grades 9-11, for the 2023-2024 school year. Students can apply at VentureAcademyCA.org

Arch

ARCH stands for Apprenticeships Reaching Career Horizons. In the program, which launched in 2020, students gain professional experience by working part time and taking community college courses congruently in a specified field. San Joaquin County represents the first school districts in the state to participate in such a program.

All of this is accomplished while students are enrolled in high school and taking their required high school courses. Since its inception, 11 students have become certified apprentices through

“We get to see light bulbs turn on for our high school students as they see light bulbs turn on for the young learners they are supporting,” Megan Filice

“Apprenticeships are different because they are ‘employer driven’ meaning the employer determines the type of skills that are needed to be learned,” says Pam Knapp, director of College and Career Readiness at SJCOE. “ approved apprenticeship program. School districts then hire high school students for temporary, part-time work in areas they have openings. Most of the jobs are open over summer break. “Students earn as they learn on the job while under the supervision of a journey-level supervisor or mentor,” says Zachary Johnson, public information officer for SJCOE. “They are also enrolled in classes at San Joaquin Delta College which align with the occupation they are pursuing through their apprenticeship.”

The goal is to continue to grow the opportunities available through ARCH by bringing in additional fields. “Though all apprentices to date have been hired by their school/districts, the ARCH program is open to employers in other government agencies and the private sector,” Zachary says. “The program can grow to include new pathways [and] career opportunities.” of on-the-job-training and 144 hours of theoretical classroom instruction called related and supplemental instruction. At the same time, they earn an accelerating wage, starting at minimum wage and slowly increasing with the number of apprenticeship hours completed. In the end, students should be earning $4 above minimum wage.

“The benefits are huge,” Pam says. “Students have the opportunity to earn and learn, in sustainable careers, that can help so many students in our community break cycles of poverty. The college courses are fully transferrable to continue toward a bachelor’s degree, if the student chooses, and all college courses are free for apprentices, if taken at a community college.”

Stem Programs

ARCH, and have been able to earn a paycheck while completing program requirements. The current focus is on companies willing to train and pay students as young as 16 years old in the occupations of Information Technology Support Specialist, Teacher’s Aide, and/ or Assistant Farm Manager. However, ARCH is open to professions proposed by outside companies looking to work with the office of College and Career Readiness. ARCH is an innovative program that allows students to become registered apprentices with the state in its

“Apprenticeships are different because they are ‘employer driven,’ meaning the employer determines the type of skills that are needed to be learned,” says Pam Knapp, director of College and Career Readiness at SJCOE. “Apprenticeships are not a short-term training program, but rather, a longer-term program.”

As part of ARCH, students are expected to complete 2000 hours

STEM has been a buzzword for over a decade now, alerting teachers, students, and parents to an increased need for education in science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM, however, has taken on many forms and as a result SJCOE has developed multiple programs to encourage STEM learning in alternative ways.

“STEM programs connect students with the world that surrounds them,” says Janine. “This connection can help spark interest in their education and the local environment.”

Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center

Many of us have fond memories of outdoor education camp, a sleepaway school experience created for fifth and sixth grade students. Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center is the modern version of the camp we attended as kids. Since February 2022, Sky Mountain has been running residential science camp, welcoming students in spring, fall, and winter.

Located in Placer County, the experience in winter months is especially unique since Sky Mountain sees snow this time of year. To keep Sky Mountain accessible, all kids are given snow gear and clothes to accommodate the weather, and as an extra perk, students who attend in winter get to take a sleigh ride to the camp entrance. Inside of a conifer forest, the site sits on 62 acres of land for students to explore.

Year-round, students are sorted into cabin groups and paired with naturalists who will foster their STEM experiences and outdoor education over the three-day or five-day camp. “Outdoor education is extremely important to students because outdoor education allows students to connect the real world with what they are learning in the classroom,” says Tamara Basepayne, director of SJCOE’s Stem Programs department. “At SJCOE our hope is that every child has the opportunity to learn and be inspired by nature.”

According to research from The Children and Nature Network published in 2016, outdoor exploration has been linked to improved academic outcomes. Specifically, the study states that learning in natural environments can have a positive impact on creativity as well as enhance performance in critical thinking and problem solving. There are additional benefits for children with ADHD. The same study found a connection between reduced aggression and fewer disciplinary problems when nature-based learning is applied.

“The science while at camp is not just reading about phenomena or making observations, it is a direct extension investigating rich, authentic ecosystems in all their complexity,” Tamara says.

While the majority of curriculum is based on learning about the alpine ecosystem, many other lessons are learned at Sky Mountain, too, in large part because, for many students, this is their first overnight experience away from home. Sky Mountain takes advantage of this opportunity to foster social-emotional learning. “Families can expect that their students will come home having experienced and learned about a new ecosystem, enjoyed amazing food, and engaged in team building activities with their peers; making memories that will last a lifetime,” Tamara says.

“When designing our programs at Durham Ferry, we focus on four core beliefs: we can learn everywhere, being outdoors is essential, everyone matters, and everyone belongs outdoors,”

Kristine

Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center

Learning so often happens outside of the classroom, and for many, that means it’s taking place in the great outdoors. Sitting on more than 200 acres near the San Joaquin River in Manteca, Durham Ferry combines the great outdoors with leadership opportunities. Here, students explore hiking trails, seasonal ponds, oak woodlands, and wild riparian forests, becoming stewards of the environment as they explore STEM topics. “We believe that introducing youth leaders to organizations steeped in environmental work will build their scientific knowledge, help them build a sense of place by learning about the place where they teach, and expose them to professionals in environmental careers,” says Kristine Stepping, program manager of SJCOE’s STEM Programs.

Durham Ferry offers several environmental and agricultural education components. The school is open to all students in grades 6-12 and has an active Future Farmers of America Chapter. “Students can take a variety of hands-on classes such as equine, gardening, and agriculture biology,” says Kristine. “In addition, students can participate in the STEM Environmental Leadership class and serve as youth leaders.”

Because Durham Ferry serves a broader range of students, many find their way back to the outdoor school several times before they graduate. In all, more than 17,000 students have attended. “Reading a book under a tree, following an ant's trail on a playground, or going on a field trip builds a sense of belonging to a natural world. Experiences outside help us feel safe and immersed in nature,” Kristine says.

Durham Ferry has a large emphasis on student leadership. Student volunteers learn to lead fieldtrips and assist in other programming at the site. “The goal of the leadership program is to help youth develop their public speaking, critical thinking, and teaching skills,” says Kristine. “High school students have shared with us that this experience has improved their physical and emotional well-being. It has helped them mature and overcome social anxiety.” Additional partnerships with government agencies, like the Department of Fish and Wildlife, create opportunities to investigate agricultural and environmental STEM careers in a controlled environment.

The experiences at Durham Ferry continue to expand, in part due to a grant received from the California Natural Resources Agency. This allowed for the hiring of several youth leaders and the creation of a four-day summer camp.

“We teach that being outdoors is safe, fun, and educational,” says Kristine. “We help raise future fishermen, naturalists, and conservationists. We strive to open the classroom doors and expand learning to outdoor spaces.”