Why Teens Make Good Progress at Ironwood

August 9th, 2011

Last Friday Ironwood’s teachers- Kathy Harriman, Grant Lippman, Priscilla King and I met with several teachers from Oak Meadow School in Brattleboro, Vermont. The Oak Meadow personnel arrived in Belfast the night before, and we spent the morning with them comparing notes.

Ironwood’s Education Department, and most Ironwood residents, have a close working relationship with Oak Meadow School and its teachers. A large majority of our students are also enrolled in Oak Meadow, which provides our curriculum and accredited transcripts, and whose teachers grade the papers we send.

We discussed everything from individual students and their progress to the mechanics of getting assignments back and forth, from the general state of education in the world today to acceptance of past credits on Oak Meadow transcripts.

One pleasant surprise for me, though, was a comment made by Oak Meadow’s registrar. She said in passing that Ironwood students generally did significantly better in their lessons than “normal” Oak Meadow students, that is, those from independent families around the country and the world. Other teachers from Vermont backed this up.

Sometimes I get totally involved with the moment during a teaching day. I take a deep breath, meet the students at the door as they come in in the morning, and just keep going with non stop dialog, tutoring, and general problem solving until I finally drive out Captain Cushman road in the evening.

Friday night I got to thinking why students here, who are in many ways no different than any other teen on the planet, generally take to academic work and make substantial progress while they are here, even if they arrive unmotivated and disinterested.

Part of the story is Ironwood’s predictable, relatively distraction-free atmosphere. Students get up in the morning, exercise, have breakfast, do chores and come to school. They haven’t been up all night online or on the phone or playing video games. They have eaten healthy food in moderate quantities, not sugary junk food or caffeine-laced “energy drinks.” They haven’t used any of the other substances too prevalent in schools today. School is quiet and calm. No bells ring, no lockers slam, no attendance is taken (we know where they are 24/7!) Misbehaving individuals aren’t allowed in school until they are willing to learn. There’s no cell phone texting under the desk, or passing notes. Boys and girls are in separate areas. This atmosphere makes it easier to learn, to focus on the work at hand. School is the only game in town.

Another reason students make good progress here is the self-paced curriculum that Oak Meadow provides. Each student moves at her own pace, finishing a lesson and moving on as fast as possible. Students like the idea that, if they work at it, they can finish coursework sooner and move on. Conversely, there is no place to hide and “wait it out” until the bell rings, Friday, or June. We keep daily tabs on student progress, and provide encouragement and tutoring as needed. Self motivation is the key to learning. Loss of free time or program advancement because of insufficient academic progress doesn’t need to happen often to develop that motivation. Nobody can just attend school and slide by, there’s no just “doing time.”

Also, students (and the rest of us) like to learn, given half a chance. What’s not interesting about how the world works? How a bug breathes? The love poetry of the fourteenth century? How we know the distance to the stars, what caused the wars of our parents’ time, why there might be life on Mars, how to make a friend in German, or what hermit crabs eat? Some subjects are more attractive than others, of course, but each has its place. It’s nice when learning and school can occur at the same time, without pressure and with support.

I think yet another reason Ironwood’s academic program works is one that, when I mention it initially to parents, invariably gets unbelieving stares in return.

It is this: teens need a chance to redeem themselves, especially in their parents’ eyes. Even when the parent-child relationship appears to have collapsed entirely, the moral power of parents to their children is strong. Ironwood students realize, just by virtue of their being sent here, that they have erred or fallen short in their parents’ eyes. School work provides an opportunity for redemption. Students see those A grades and finished credits as a way to pay back a debt.

Nothing is more touching than this request from a six-foot-tall seventeen-year-old boy- “Look at that A on my history paper! And all those nice comments from the teacher! Can you send this to my mother?”

Having taught in a variety of schools, public and private, I sometimes think that being a teacher at Ironwood is like taking candy from a baby. All the support structure for students is in place, and all I have to do is do what I like to do best. That is, pass on to the next generation the knowledge that humanity has accumulated for the last few million years, so that they can do what they will with it, and pass it on in turn.

Larry Reynolds

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A Day’s Questions

May 4th, 2011

There’s some evidence that keeping active mentally slows down the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. If so, I should at least be able to hold steady for a few years. Why?

Being a teacher at Ironwood means shifting gears continually and rapidly. We tutor all levels in all disciplines, from seventh grade through undergraduate courses. School time is a non-stop workout at mental gymnastics (and of course teen motivation!). I take a deep breath before the students arrive in the morning, and don’t resurface until they’ve left after afternoon extra school.

On a lark, I decided last week to keep a list of one day’s school and phone questions and problems. I scrawled notes as I went along, finally giving up about 11:30 in the morning, when the list just got to long. I think you’ll get the idea, though, from the distilled notes below. One thing I see here is that teens really want to learn things. It’s hard work, but it’s a pleasure to feed that enthusiasm.
Here they are-

“How do they score the AP Calculus test?”
“Will Benedict’s reagent detect table sugar?”
“What’s the difference between areole, aureole, and areola?”
“What were Silurian land plants like?”
“Do I have to redo this Environmental Science Assignment? C- is good enough for me.”
“Why do Vampire bats have such long gestation periods?”
“Why don’t ionic bonds form with hydrogen and oxygen?
“How come ( A – B )2 is not equal to A2 – B2 ?
“Is Oak Meadow’s World Geography course similar in scope and sequence to a Connecticut high school’s Global Cultures course?”
“How can I write equations from similar triangles?”
“How come I can’t use night crawlers when I make a compost pile?”
“Besides car crashes and addiction, what are some bad things about alcohol?”
“How do you do integration by partial fractions?”
“What are some metaphors in The Doll House?”
“Can you get me some monocot and dicot flowers?”
“What’s the best way to cite sources in a research paper?”
“How were the Patriot Act and the Espionage Act alike and different?”
“Can something go overnight FEDEX c.o.d.?”
“Can you write me a letter of recommendation for this college? The deadline is tomorrow.”
“What’s a good graduation present for the student graduating Friday?”
“How do I get started proving trigonometric identities?”
“Do you have batteries that fit my calculator?”
“What different types of Anaconda snakes are there?”
“What do lions eat and what eats them?”
“What is activated charcoal? Will it take food coloring out of water?”
“What’s a trachea like?”
“Somebody saved some stuff on my computer and I can’t get rid of it.”
“I had a cut and got some blood on my math paper. Can you get it off?”
“Where is L’Anse aux Meadows and how do they know it was Leif Ericson?”
“How big are baby pythons when they are born? What eats them?”
“Can you explain how to solve absolute value inequalities?”
“What do EKGs tell us?”
“How many lessons did I turn in last week? Do I have to have extra school time?”
“When do I use their, they’re and there?”
“What’s the difference between rational and irrational numbers?”
“How can a judge get removed from the Supreme Court?”
“What did Grendel’s mother do with Grendel’s arm after she took it down from the rafters of the mead hall?”
“Why won’t the toilet flush?”
“Who is Nelson Mandela?”
“Which is easier to learn, Spanish or French?”
“Can you tell me what happens in To Kill a Mockingbird?”
“Can you find some Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera paintings so I can tell what they say about Latin American history?”
“What do they mean ’simplify a radical expression’?”
“How many more credits do I need to graduate?”
“How do I find theta on my calculator?”
“I want to do a collage on trench warfare in the First World War. Where can I get some pictures?”
“What’s the difference between polar coordinates and unit vectors?”
And so on….

Larry Reynolds

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Ironwood Maine Students Present Aerospace Research Project at Fall Meeting of the National Council of Space Grant Directors hosted by the Maine Space Grant Consortium

October 18th, 2010

Students from Ironwood Maine School launched a high-altitude balloon carrying a NASA-like payload in September, and then presented their findings Oct. 15 before an audience of 200 representatives from all 52 space grant consortia including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, NASA personnel, students and guests.

Ironwood Maine received a grant from the Maine Space Grant Consortium, the state agent for NASA’s educational and outreach initiatives, to fund IronSat, the student-built scientific ballooning project which resembles a real NASA-type aerospace program. Teams of Ironwood Maine students began working on two scientific ballooning initiatives from April through September. Ironwood Maine students designed and built the payloads attached to a high-altitude weather balloon, the most recent of which launched on Sept. 22, 2010. The balloon, capable of entering the stratosphere, can reach as high as 120,000 feet – 99.5% above the Earth’s atmosphere.

On Friday, Oct. 15, 2010, students were asked to give a presentation in Portland, Maine at the Maine Space Grant Consortium, the organization hosting the 2010 Fall Meeting of the National Council of Space Grant Directors. Here is Academic Director Larry Reynolds’ account of the day’s events:

We left Ironwood Thursday afternoon after school, Matt, Taylor, Michaela, Miranda, Wendi and I, out to Augusta and down to Portland on the turnpike, bright foliage and clear air through the farming country of central Maine. The students were happy for the change and the chance to get out in the “real world,” and the promise of a restaurant meal thereafter. Their happiness was tempered somewhat by knowing that they would later have to get up in front of a group of strangers and describe their experiences with Ironwood’s scientific ballooning project. The ride down was a bit quieter than I expected.

We had been practicing the presentation for a week or so, going over what they had done and trying to put it in a distilled, orderly sequence. We practiced once more on the road, who was going to talk about what when, and how we were going to transition from one speaker to the next. I had told them before that we were likely to be speaking to a small group, perhaps five or ten, and that it would be very brief. I pictured a normal professional conference, in which a number of sessions were running at once, and attendees would have their choice.

I was wrong, though. When we got there, we realized that we were going to present before a large auditorium with several hundred people from all over the U.S. The four students looked at me in a betrayed and anxious manner, but we were too far into it to back out now. It was late in the afternoon of the second day of the program, and there was a lot of rustling and texting and use of lap tops while the presentations before us were being given. They were competent technical descriptions with lots of bullet points, but I could tell the audience wasn’t exactly enthralled.

We were last on the program, and finally our turn came. I had visions of dragging or carrying students up on the dais, but that wasn’t the case at all. I looked around and they were right behind, to the front of the hall and up the steps.

What followed was an honest, down to earth recounting of the process and their experiences, told simply and without guile; the good and the bad, the major and the trivial, down to the doughnuts and orange juice on launch morning. The audience was suddenly awake and attentive, impressed with these kids who were unaccustomed to being where they were, innocent of the baggage carried by those who had attended similar conferences for years. All in all it went very well, with some laughter and appreciative questions afterwards. Our time was over and they (and I) breathed a sigh of relief.

We went to the Jetport Mall, and had the promised dinner, topped off with a big piece of chocolate dripping, bittersweet cake. They were definitely a livelier bunch now that they had performed their duty well, been in the hot seat, and could relax. The ride back was quiet also, but for a different reason than the ride down. Everyone was ready for bed when we finally pulled in to Ironwood a little past ten.

I would have been proud of any young person in a similar situation, but, knowing the struggles these students were having getting from fourteen to eighteen, I felt they deserved an extra helping of credit.

Read more about Ironwood Maine’s scientific ballooning program here.

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Choosing Your Teen’s Courses

July 12th, 2010

I’m often asked what courses Ironwood residents should enroll in. Choosing courses should be done with the student, parents, Oak Meadow School and Ironwood staff involved. Often parents are not sure about what academic courses their child should take. Here are some of the factors considered.

Smooth transition. As students enter and leave Ironwood, the academic transition should be smooth. What courses was the student taking on entry? What is needed to finish those courses, or what courses should be added so the student can be at the same level as peers when leaving Ironwood? Where will the student be studying when he or she leaves? Each student and each situation is unique.

Graduation requirements. Is the student planning to graduate from Oak Meadow School, from a sending school, or from somewhere else? Courses need to be chosen with these requirements in mind. With parents’ permission, we can contact other schools to cross the t s and dot the i s, so to speak.

College entry requirements. Another factor to remember is that Oak Meadow School’s general curriculum, and some other high schools’ graduation requirements may not meet entrance requirements for some four-year colleges. This does not mean that a student is permanently barred from such colleges. Depending on what courses are on the transcript prior to Ironwood, and choices of courses to fill school requirements, the student may gain conditional acceptance. Another option might be to take extra courses in a community college setting. Requirements vary, but many four-year colleges specify four years of English, three years of science, two or three years of a foreign language, three years of math (Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry), and three years of social studies.

Student and parent goals. If a student has had a difficult time in high school, many parents are happy to see their child turn around and advance towards a diploma. Sometimes it is better to enroll in more attainable courses and get a diploma, than to attempt ones which look good on a transcript. There is always time to improve the transcript later.

Student preparation and abilities. Some students arrive at Ironwood with excellent academic records and can handle any high school course. Others have been struggling and don’t have the basic skills needed for more advanced courses. For example, a student may not be ready for Algebra 2, even though he or she arrives with a relatively high recorded grade in Algebra 1. This is a complex issue, and readiness involves motivation and attitude as much as transcript contents. Ironwood education staff are all experienced teachers, and try to match courses and capabilities. One thing we almost always see, though, is an improvement in motivation and attitude as the student gets used to the Ironwood school environment. That’s one of the reasons teaching here is so rewarding!

Student interests. An often forgotten consideration is the interests of the student. In the long run the purpose of school is learning. More learning will occur if the course matches the natural interests of the student.

There are other factors to consider; I hope, though, that the above will give you some help understanding how courses are chosen.

Larry Reynolds, Ironwood Teacher

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A healthy setting for learning

April 22nd, 2010

What is a healthy school setting? Those who have Waldorf, Montessori, successful home school or similar experience know the basics. Parents who have had the chance to tour campus have seen our schools, perhaps during the usual morning school time, and thus already have an impression.

School time is three hours each weekday morning, year around. There’s one school at Frye, the “School Yurt.”   This building is a short walk from the Frye lodge.  The farmhouse uses the new farmhouse school, on the upper hill.  Here students’ learning may be inspired by panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.  Ten to fifteen residents gather in each school at a given time, with  at least one teacher and one other staff member. The schools are simple but well- equipped. We have atlases and encyclopedias, globes, interesting books and project materials available. We like the schools to be calm, bright, warm and cheerful places, conducive to learning.

To make sure each resident is meeting expectations, we keep track daily of each student’s progress. We meet as a staff briefly each morning to compare notes and plan best use staff time to help those who need extra assistance.

Everyone, given half a chance, likes to learn. It’s a human trait! For a high school student, seeing good grades and the parental approval these bring is icing on the cake, maybe a chance for redemption. What we are trying to do as Ironwood teachers is to create a setting where the natural drive to learn can best be nourshed.

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Ironwood School Helps Struggling Teens

April 8th, 2010

Learning at Ironwood. . .

What is school time like?  Briefly, school time is three hours each weekday morning year around. There’s one school at Frye, the “School Yurt,” and our new Farm House school, on the hill above the Farm House. Ten to fifteen residents will be in each school at a given time, and at least one teacher and one other staff member. The schools are simple but well-equipped. We try to have interesting books and other materials available on a rotating basis for students to examine during break time, if they wish. We like the schools to be calm, bright, warm and cheerful places, conducive to learning.

I think many parents would agree that their daughter or son has had more success academically at Ironwood than before their arrival, and I think a lot of our residents would agree also. This success is due largely to two factors, atmosphere and expectations. Our school day is shorter than most traditional high schools, but the atmosphere we create allows more actual study time. Residents are expected to be quietly studying assigned schoolwork during school time, and disruptions are not allowed. Of course there are snacks, and if needed, rest room breaks. There are no bells or PA announcements, no changing classes, no socializing or flirting, text messages, slamming lockers, passing notes, or ipods. Teachers work from student to student quietly, tutoring or checking progress. Generally, residents are rested and have a healthy, regular diet. The combination of all these things helps students, especially those with ADHD or similar challenges, do better and be more enthusiastic about learning than in the past. Success snowballs into motivation. Motivation is the one absolute essential to learning.

Academic expectations are clearly stated and consistent. Students must complete a certain minimum amount of work, five lessons in two weeks, to avoid losing free time, and to advance in the program. Of course allowance is made for difficult subjects and individual abilities, but we frown on procrastination and daydreaming!

We like to tell incoming students that they will not be asked to do anything they are incapable of, but they will be expected to do all they are capable of. We recognize that some students have challenges or even disabilities in certain areas, and of course provide these students any needed accommodations, but we regard disabilities as problems to be worked around, rather than used as excuses. To make sure each resident is meeting expectations, we keep track daily of each student’s progress. We meet as a staff briefly each morning to compare notes and plan best use staff time to help those who need extra assistance.

For a high school student, seeing good grades and the parental approval these bring is icing on the cake, maybe a chance for redemption. What we are trying to do as Ironwood teachers is set up the framework in which learning can occur. The students take it from there!

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