The e2L Process-Magnetized | engage2learn

The e2L Framework is known for helping in turnaround situations. While our partners have had impressive results in this area, the e2L Framework is also used to overhaul magnet programs. e2L’s work magnetizes a school’s growth. Our process helps districts plan for STEM, SEL, and gifted and talented programs. Magnet campuses help students not only to excel academically but also teach the critical Future Ready Skills that learners will need in life after school.

See how these schools implemented the e2L process for Future Ready learners in magnet programs.

Metropolitan School of Design

The Metropolitan Schools of Design in Corpus Christi ISD implemented the e2L Blended Learning Framework in a feeder pattern to transform chronically low-performing campuses through blended learning.

Every K-12 learner used Chromebooks to research, design, create, and collaborate in an individual rotation model for blended learning. In one year, this campus met AYP, saw increased attendance, cut discipline referrals by 50%, and raised standardized test scores by 6% – 8% for all subjects with a 20+ gain for students with special needs.

“From the onset, as a staff we made a commitment to develop the adult learning behaviors necessary to create change.  We envisioned our learning environments and recognized we didn’t have the expertise to effectively create the change needed to realize our vision. When we started our training with engage2learn, our culture development was critical.  We had established ourselves as a supportive team, ready to learn and allowing the learning process to take root.  We moved passed newbie mistakes and kept our eye on the prize since we were committed to bringing quality learning opportunities to our students,” said e2L Certified eGROWE Coach Raquel Perez.

“engage2learn gave us the practical understanding of how to reach our goal and then layered the learning opportunities to allowed us to develop the teaching and learning in smaller chunks.  Through a consistent and frequent coaching process, our teachers were guided to develop the skills to design engaging learning for students while meeting the state standards–minimum standards we had previously struggled meeting.

The shift with students was easier than we expected.  Although they lacked academic skills and academic behaviors they welcomed the engaging lessons and quickly recognized how they were progressing through both the state standards and their academic behaviors.  Parents were no different. Since we had met with parents and explicitly communicated that they would receive periodic feedback on the learning progress of standards and academic behaviors, parents were highly supportive and pleased with the transformations we were experiencing.”

Roberson Middle School

e2L partnered with Roberson Middle School (RMS) in Spring ISD to apply their framework. RMS implemented Discovery Approach Learning with e2L, a non-traditional instructional methodology.

Under Discovery Approach Learning, educators were able to:

• Work as facilitators of learning
• Create standards-based projects that were real & relevant
• Empower learners to acquire knowledge from various resources
• Exercise choice in how learners exhibited mastery of concepts and skills

Through their partnership with e2L, RMS helped educators plan for ‘soft skills,’ or Future Ready Skills, for teachers to assess their learners during projects, lessons, and activities.

“We wanted to create a non-traditional middle school that had offerings that were not available in learners’ zoned middle schools,” said former RMS Principal and e2L Certified eGROWE Coach, Thad Gittens.

“We were successful in that regard. However our core classes looked like every other middle school in our district.  We partnered with e2L to transform our classrooms, and they provided us with the resources to do just that! Teachers transitioned from being the primary resources for learners to acquire knowledge to providing learners various resources with the flexibility of choosing how they wanted to acquire knowledge.  We improved our ability to differentiate how they learned and demonstrated mastery of their learning, increased the amount of academic language spoken and written in the classroom, and we fostered the Future Ready Skills that we’ve always wanted to help our learners exhibit. e2L truly helped us to create the DIFFERENT learning environment for kids.”

Burleson STEAM

Burleson ISD teamed up with e2L for the 2016 – 2017 school year to bring student-oriented learning into the 21st century for its STEAM middle school. The Burleson STEAM campus administrator sought to establish the campus as a truly innovative school experience and provide learners with the tools for Life Ready technology use.

Using the e2L Blended Learning Framework, Burleson ISD’s STEAM campus teachers and leaders received regular one-on-one, individualized coaching opportunities to design learning experiences and to ensure fidelity of implementation for blended learning.

“As a facilitator at STEAM Middle School, we utilized the e2L Framework in order to effectively prepare students for their futures, both personally and professionally,” said former STEAM Middle School facilitator, Samantha Parker.“The framework served as a roadmap, one that we as teachers could follow to rigorously provide differentiated instruction, facilitate, and assess the learning of Future Ready Skills, and foster creative problem-solving skills within an authentic context. By using the framework within our classrooms, we began to see our students flourish. By understanding who they were as learners, what their own personal needs were in terms of academic mastery and how to function as a team, they began to take ownership of their learning. Attendance improved, behavior improved and our school culture became stronger than ever. I truly do believe that the e2L framework creates life-long learners in both students and teachers.”

As a result of their e2L partnership, the campus saw increased attendance and a drop in discipline referrals. 2017 Algebra I EOC passing rate at the STEAM campus was an astounding 100%. 91.2% of students saw a raw score increase on the STAAR test, thanks to blended learning.

The Bottom Line

Everyone has room to grow, including magnet schools and programs. These districts managed to improve their learners’ Future Ready Skills by implementing a student-centered vision for learning.