When SEED students received their class schedules this summer, many saw some notable changes from the previous year. “We really wanted to put ourselves in the shoes of our students. What would be the best learning experience for them? What will make them want to engage and ultimately lead to the best learning outcomes?” shared Brian Rahaman, head of school at The SEED School of Washington, D.C.
With a key goal to keep all SEED students engaged, one of the biggest changes made included designing a day where students participate in synchronous learning (learning that happens at the same time for the instructor and the students) in the morning and asynchronous learning (learning that allows students to access pre-recorded lectures and digital curriculum materials and respond at their own pace) in the afternoon. “Last year, we saw that after lunch, many of our students would hit a wall, and attendance and participation was being affected. By allowing our students at SEED DC to complete some lessons on their own, it helps them build discipline and to incorporate self-management techniques,” said Dr. Jubria Lewis, director of school improvement at The SEED Foundation.
The students at The SEED School of Miami (SEED Miami) have a slightly different schedule and are learning remotely via live classes for a longer portion of the day. “Being on the computer for eight hours a day is tough. To help our students succeed in this environment, our Student Support Team did extensive planning over the summer. We need our students to be physically present, mentally engaged, and learning, so we connected with parents of students who had attendance issues last year to problem solve. We also have incorporated several fun activities like spirit week and weekly announcements on Fridays that recognize our students’ attendance and engagement,” shared Dr. Kara Locke, head of school at The SEED School of Miami.
Adjustments have also included a more streamlined technical approach. The team at The SEED School of Maryland (SEED MD) has been focused on ensuring all students can easily access their remote classrooms. “By ensuring consistency with our learning platforms, we can make certain our students don’t experience anxiety and confusion when trying to manage links and log-ins. It’s a simple step that can make a big difference,” said Dr. Lewis.
Change will not hold us back—rather, it will propel us forward. Our schools are already seeing some positive results. With attendance rates consistently near 95%, our students are showing determination to succeed. “Like every school in this country, we have had to figure things out. We are a resilient community, and when we run into issues, we address it quickly and together,” said Dr. Locke.