Expeditionary Learning
Expeditionary Learning is a model for comprehensive school reform for elementary, middle and high schools that emphasizes high achievement through active learning, character growth, and teamwork. Presently, three Hamilton County Schools are using Expeditionary Learning as their framework for educating their students: Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy (grades Pre-K – 5), East Lake Academy of Fine Arts (grades 6-8) and Howard School of Academics and Technology (grades 9-12).
Expeditionary Learning emphasizes five core practices within its schools:
- Learning Expeditions: These challenging, interdisciplinary, real-world projects and in-depth studies act as the principal curriculum units in Expeditionary Learning schools. Learning Expeditions support critical literacy and address central academic standards of content, while promoting character development and fostering a service ethic.
- Active Pedagogy: In Expeditionary Learning schools, teachers us active pedagogy to help students become active and collaborative learners to make connections, to find patterns, to see events from different perspectives, to experiment, to go beyond the information given, and to develop empathy and compassion for events, people, and subjects.
- School Culture and Character: Expeditionary Learning builds shared beliefs, traditions, and rituals in order to create a school culture which is characterized by a climate of physical and emotional safety, a sense of adventure, an ethic of service and responsibility, and a commitment to high quality work.
- Leadership and School Improvement: Leaders in Expeditionary Learning schools create a professional community that focuses on curriculum and instruction as the primary vehicles for improving student achievement and school culture.
- School Structures: Expeditionary Learning schools use longer and more flexible schedule blocks, common planning time, heterogeneous groups, and/or looping to ensure student success.