A Small Learning Community (SLC), also referred to as a School-Within-A-School, is a
school organizational model that is an increasingly common form of
learning environment
The term learning environment can refer to an educational approach, cultural context, or physical setting in which teaching and learning occur. The term is commonly used as a more definitive alternative to "classroom", but it typically refers to ...
in
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
s to subdivide large school populations into smaller, autonomous groups of students and teachers. SLCs can also be physical
learning space
Learning space or learning setting refers to a physical setting for a learning environment, a place in which teaching and learning occur. The term is commonly used as a more definitive alternative to " classroom," but it may also refer to a ...
s.
The primary purpose of restructuring secondary schools into SLCs is to create a more
personalized learning
Personalized learning, individualized instruction, personal learning environment and direct instruction all refer to efforts to tailor education to meet the different needs of students.
Overview
The use of the term "personalized learning" dates ba ...
environment to better meet the needs of students.
[''Architecture for Achievement - building patterns of small school learning'', Victoria Bergsagel, Tim Best, Kathleen Cushman, Lorne McConachie, Wendy Sauer, David Stephen. Mercer Island, WA. 1997. Page 101-104. . Retrieved 2016-04-07] Each community will often share the same teachers and student members from grade to grade. Teachers in these units usually have common planning time to allow them to develop interdisciplinary projects and keep up with the progress of their shared students.
Types
SLCs can take several forms.
* Theme-Based Smaller Learning Communities or Focus Schools are usually formed around a specific curricular theme. Examples might include "Success Academy" or "Humanities".
* Houses may be themed or non-themed or separated by grade levels.
* Career Academies are generally a three- or four-year structure developed around a career theme or
Career Clusters Clusters provide students with a context for studying traditional academics and learning the skills specific to a career, and provide U.S. schools with a structure for organizing or restructuring curriculum offerings and focusing class make-up by ...
. Characterized by career-related electives and integration of career theme across entire academic curriculum.
* Freshman Academies are structure designed to support 9th grade students as they transition into high school.
* Magnet Schools are a career-themed SLC that includes accelerated course-work for Gifted & Talented students.
Courses
Core courses include:
* SLC Portfolio
* SLC Honors World History I: Prehistory - 1500
* SLC Honors World History II: 1500 - Present
* SLC Honors United States History (or SLC Honors European History)
* SLC Honors Geometry
* SLC Honors Algebra II
* SLC Honors Statistics
* SLC Honors Biology: Ecological & Molecular (E/M)
* SLC Honors Chemistry
* SLC Honors Environmental Science: Practical & Experimental (P/E)
* SLC Heart of Advanced Science (In some schools, this course is called "SLC Integrated Advanced Sciences")
* SLC Honors English I
* SLC Honors English II
* SLC Completion of Advanced English (In some schools, this course is called "SLC Honors English III")
Electives include:
* SLC Language Enrichment (French, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or German; depending on school)
* SLC Ethics and Philosophy
* SLC Theory of Knowledge (may not be available in most SLC schools; effective 2019)
* SLC Modern Technology
* SLC Computer Sciences
* SLC Arts
* SLC Music Theory
* SLC Design
* SLC Psychology
* SLC Reading and Writing Lab
Other courses:
* Bridge to SLC
** This is a course for students in grade 8 admitted to SLC in the following year of high school. This prepares students in the structure of SLC with maths, humanities, sciences, and English with an advanced level of preparation. The class conjoins all courses spread in weeks.
See also
*
Small schools movement The small schools movement, also known as the Small Schools Initiative, in the United States of America holds that many high schools are too large and should be reorganized into smaller, autonomous schools of no more than 400 students, and optimally ...
References
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External links
Association for Career and Technical Education small learning community resourcesCareer Academy Support NetworkInstitute for Research and Reform in EducationCalifornia League of SchoolsNational Educator Program
United States educational programs
Standards-based education
Curricula