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University Park Campus School
Worcester, MA
School Type: Public
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School Setting: Urban
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Level: 7-12
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School Design: Small School
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Content Presented By:
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Center for Resource Management (CRM)
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The Education Alliance at Brown University
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Jobs for the Future
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University Park Campus School
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Summary
The practice: Creating a Student-Centered Classroom
In 1997, Clark University and the local school district partnered to found University Park Campus School (UPCS) and revitalize one of most troubled neighborhoods in Worcester, Mass., providing a way to prepare students for college and a promising future.
Personalization is considered key to student success.
- Rigor and high standards set the tone at UPCS.
- Instruction is individualized to each student's particular level of development.
- Teachers, students, parents, and families regularly communicate.
- Students study in a building that is small, nurturing, intimate, and comfortable, but one that does not have a gym, cafeteria, or library. UPCS students think of themselves as young Clark University students as they use the university athletic complex, study at the library, and attend university events.
- Professional development is focused on developing a repertoire of common literacy strategies for all teachers to use as needed in their content-area classes.
- A literacy teacher/coordinator provided UPCS teachers with workshops on effective reading and writing instruction, enabling the teachers to align a coherent approach and commitment to literacy support and development.
- All UPCS teachers use a set of common literacy strategies, as appropriate, in their content-area classes.
- School-wide instructional strategies that support the development of literacy skills include the following:
- Literacy-rich student work is exhibited proudly throughout the school.
- Block scheduling
- Reading and writing across the curricula
- A writing process model across classrooms, grades 7 - 12
- Portfolios in all subject areas
- Self-paced reading and writing workshops that allow teachers to individualize instruction
- Use of the workshop approach throughout content area classes
- Common elements of instruction that include: sustained silent reading; quarterly as well as cumulative portfolios; presentations and exhibitions; the use of debate; dialogue journals
This site also exemplifies the following practice(s):
- Making Connections to Students' Lives
- Meets the goals for adolescents in that particular community and its various constituents.
- Articulates, communicates, and actualizes a vision of literacy as a priority.
- Utilizes best practices in the area of systemic educational reform.
- Is defined in a way that connects to the larger educational program.
- Involves ongoing support for teacher professional development.
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