One of the most frequently asked questions about us as an Early College is:

“What is it that you do at J. P. Knapp Early College that makes you different from a regular school?”

Although the complete answer would cover many topics and take several pages, one of the most dramatic differences is in “how” our instructors “teach” in their classrooms. If you visited one of our classes, you would observe our instrutors spending very little time standing in front of the classroom lecturing or as we call it, “stand and deliver.” Our classroom instructors perform more of the role of “learning facilitators.” They create the learning assignments, act as a resource for the students, and assist students in getting beyond any stumbling blocks that may arise. Much of this role is performed using the Common Instructional Framework or CIF for learning and instruction.

Common Instructional Framework

The Common Instructional Framework are research-based, best practice methods of delivering classroom instruction. This type of instruction is intended to put each student in the role of “active participant” in their own learning. Through this process students can experience success regardless of their beginning knowledge level, skill development, or the content of the course. Through this process students learn, develop, and practice the necessary skills required to work effectively with complex information. This process involves a certain amount of "productive struggle" within the learning process. Students learn to support each other and began to view the instructor more as a resource to support their learning and less as the sole disseminator of all information. The final goal would be for all students to graduate college- and/or career-ready. This process for learning is taught consistently across the board in all classes.

In totality, these strategies are:

Collaboration

Reading

Discussion

Writing

Feedback

Questioning

In their simplest form, these strategies are simply this:

“Every Student Will Read, Write, Think, and Talk in Every Classroom, Every Day!”

As a career educator, I believe if we are designing lessons or developing our lesson plans based on insuring these concepts are being taught, then more often than not, student learning will take place. The key here is student learning will take place for all students regardless of their beginning level of understanding. We refer to this as “growth.” We believe, if education professionals provide students with the right supports, then all students will grow and consequently, learn.