|
Honors-Level for All: High School at UPCS
The honors-level program in grades 9-12 is modeled after a prep school course of study that follows a curricular mantra of “minds thinking” -- showing and explaining thinking through writing at all times. Students read and write in every class which builds and reinforces the literacy skills necessary for success in college. There are few elective opportunities; instead, juniors and seniors can take courses at Clark University, choosing from the entire college course catalog.
Honors Level Classes for All: All classes in the high school grades at UPCS are honors level or higher. This sends a message that every student will be prepared to college. Teachers differentiate their instruction to fully support students of all ability levels within a common classroom. Research has repeatedly shown thatthat access to a challenging curriculum, including honors and AP-level courses, is the strongest predictor of success in college for students, regardless of their level of achievement.
A Common Curriculum for All Students: All students take a common core curriculum at UPCS of four years of math, English, science, and social science and three years of Spanish. The curriculum is deliberately designed to prepare all students for college and so that student transcripts clearly reflect the rigor of the school's academic program.
Curricular choices are rarely offered, until the senior year when course offerings are customized to meet the particular needs of each class. Seniors can typically choose between pre-calculus, calculus, and probability and statistics in math; between anatomy or AP environmental science, and between sociology and law. For additional electives, students take courses at Clark.
AP Program: The AP program at UPCS is open enrollment. Any student wishing to take on the challenge of preparing for an AP exam is admitted into the course. The school typically offers AP courses in English, US history, world history, and environmental science. On average, students take two to three AP courses before they graduate from UPCS.
Often, AP courses are taught as a differentiated strand of a common class. AP students are assigned additional reading and writing and attend after-school sessions with the teacher to focus on test preparation or cover additional material.
Taking College Courses in High School: Juniors and seniors at UPCS may take courses at Clark, tuition free. Typically, two-thirds of students take at least one course before they graduate. The experience of taking and succeeding in college courses while still in high school helps them transition to post-secondary education confident and prepared. Clark courses supplement the narrow elective opportunities at UPCS, enabling students to sample a wider array of courses than the school can provide.
100% Passing Rate on the State MCAS Exams: All students at UPCS have passed the state-mandated MCAS graduation exam, one of the nation’s most difficult, on the first try. The vast majority, 89% in both math and English, have scored advanced or proficient. Since 2002, UPCS has the highest performing non-selective urban high school in the state on this exam.
In their Own Words | | "Students come to see the MCAS test as just another hurdle to pass on their way to graduation. The test is a floor, not a ceiling." - UPCS Teacher |
UPCS’ success on this exam comes largely because the of the schools’ focus on writing and critical thinking. UPCS students' results are strongest in the sections where students are able to explain their thinking: the essay in English and the open response questions in math. In addition, students are coached by teachers to enter the test with confidence in their ability to succeed. They come to see it as just another hurdle on their educational journey to college.
Building Confidence
Before the Test | | The tenth grade math teacher posts the standards on the classroom wall and checks them off as students master the skills and concepts described. That way, students can see that they have learned everything they need to know in order to pass the test. |
Teachers at UPCS do not use explicit, stand-alone test preparation programs to prepare students for the MCAS. Instead, test preparation is embedded throughout the content-area instruction during the year and teachers highlight skills and content that are emphasized on the MCAS. All teachers are familiar with the test and instruction adheres closely to the state standards. As the test nears, a few hours of class time is used to for a practice test and to familiarize students with format they will see. Otherwise, courses are used for teaching content.
Teachers at UPCS promote an attitude that "this is just another test" and older students encourage their younger peers to boost their confidence. This offers a form a psychological preparation the reduces the test taking anxiety that students feel when taking the test.
|
