Mark DiBella on How to Lead a Change
YES Prep's school director discusses how to create a positive environment for everyone in the school community.
11:04 min Education as a Civil Rights Issue
01:17 min Beyond Basic College Prep
00:35 sec Recruiting Great Teachers
00:46 sec Challenges of Leadership
01:19 min Extended School Day
01:11 min School-Sponsored Cell Phones
00:52 sec Giving 100% Every Day
01:07 min Dealing with Burnout
00:52 sec High Expectations for Behavior
01:14 min The Possibility of Replication
01:21 min
Release Date: 10/28/2009
Running Time: 11:04
Video Credits
Directed by
- Ken Ellis
Editor
- Karen Sutherland
Coordinating Producer
- Amy Erin Borovoy
Production Assistant
- Doug Keely
Camera Crew
- Thomas Waldron
- Mark Angelo
- © 2009
- The George Lucas Educational Foundation
- All rights reserved.
Support for Edutopia's Schools That Work series is provided, in part, by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
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A School Commits to Academic Rigor
Project learning, integrated studies, and comprehensive assessment support a drive to achieve high academic standards.
Release Date: 10/28/2009
Running Time: 06:31 min
Video Credits
Produced, Written, and Directed by
- Ken Ellis
Editor
- Karen Sutherland
Coordinating Producer
- Amy Erin Borovoy
Production Assistant
- Doug Keely
Camera Crew
- Thomas Waldron
- Mark Angelo
Narrator
- Kris Welch
Original Music
- Ed Bogas
- © 2009
- The George Lucas Educational Foundation
- All rights reserved.
Support for Edutopia's Schools That Work series is provided, in part, by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
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Downloaded videos are designed to play on computers and PDAs and are most appropriate for personal or small group viewing.
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Click on the title below to download a PDF of one of YES Prep's many resources:
Assessment
Presentation Rubric 65K
Rubric: Oral presentation
More at How YOU Can Do It: YES Prep Resources and Downloads
Making Learning Relevant
Ninth-grade English teacher Rachael Arthur makes Shakespeare come to life for her students.
Release Date: 10/28/09
Running Time: 03:04 min
Video Credits
Produced, Written, and Directed by
- Ken Ellis
Editor
- Karen Sutherland
Coordinating Producer
- Amy Erin Borovoy
Production Assistant
- Doug Keely
Camera Crew
- Thomas Waldron
- Mark Angelo
Narrator
- Kris Welch
Original Music
- Ed Bogas
- © 2009
- The George Lucas Educational Foundation
- All rights reserved.
Support for Edutopia's Schools That Work series is provided, in part, by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Close window
This video is available as a free download from iTunes U. Download video
If you do not have iTunes on your computer, download iTunes here.
Downloaded videos are designed to play on computers and PDAs and are most appropriate for personal or small group viewing.
Close window
Click on any of the titles below to download a PDF of one of YES Prep's many resources.
Curriculum and Assessment
Arthur 9th Grade Romeo & Juliet Project 930K
Assignment: Romeo and Juliet literary analysis, grade 9 English
Literary Analysis Rubric 160K
Rubric: Literary analysis
Presentation Rubric 65K
Rubric: Oral presentation
More at How YOU Can Do It: YES Prep Resources and Downloads
Chris Barbic Shares His Vision for Reform
The visionary leader behind the YES Prep family of schools discusses the organization's origins and philosophy.
Release Date: 10/28/2009
Running Time: 6:49
Video Credits
Produced, Written, and Directed by
- Ken Ellis
Editor
- Karen Sutherland
Coordinating Producer
- Amy Erin Borovoy
Production Assistant
- Doug Keely
Camera Crew
- Thomas Waldron
- Mark Angelo
Narrator
- Kris Welch
Original Music
- Ed Bogas
- © 2009
- The George Lucas Educational Foundation
- All rights reserved.
Support for Edutopia's Schools That Work series is provided, in part, by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Close window
This video is available as a free download from iTunes U. Download video
If you do not have iTunes on your computer, download iTunes here.
Downloaded videos are designed to play on computers and PDAs and are most appropriate for personal or small group viewing.
Close window
Click on any of the titles below to download a PDF of one of YES Prep's many resources.
School Culture
YES Core Values 58K
Five core values shared by all the YES Prep schools
Family Contract - English 567K
Commitment to college completion signed by parents and students upon enrollment (English)
Family Contract - Spanish 535K
Commitment to college completion signed by parents and students upon enrollment (Spanish)
Thinks & Acts 783K
Key "Thinks and Acts" for students and educators, developed by YES Prep students
More at How YOU Can Do It: YES Prep Resources and Downloads
Teachers Should Analyze Student Work Together
By Bob Lenz
10/26/09In my last post, "How to Make Writing Research Papers Relevant for Students," I described an expository writing task that all our students at Envision Schools must complete. In this post, I will highlight the task of analyzing literature.
Hawaii Can Turn the Tide Despite a Shortened School Year
By Maurice Elias
10/23/09You may have heard the story that due to the recession, Hawaii has cut 17 days from its school year, leaving 163 days of instruction instead of the more typical 180 days. The story suggests that with Hawaii near the bottom of educational achievement, it can't afford to lose those days.
But I would like to suggest that because Hawaii already ranks as one of the lowest states academically, restoring those 17 days won't matter -- nor would adding ten more.
Letting Go in the Classroom
By Rebecca Alber
10/6/09When we consider constructivist teaching, or a constructivist approach to learning, what comes to mind? For me, I see Socrates standing not in the center, but to the side of his students.
I imagine him pondering their comments and questions, and carefully crafting questions of his own, which he contributes -- selectively. Most importantly, he doesn't lead, but follows the line of questioning of the students.
How to Make Writing Research Papers Relevant for Students
By Bob Lenz
9/28/09In my last post, "Preparing High School Seniors for College," I outlined the College Success Portfolio, a performance-assessment system used at Envision Schools. We developed this system because we believe students demonstrate college readiness not only by passing rigorous courses but also by actually producing college-ready academic work, demonstrating 21st-century leadership skills, and mastering college-level work habits.
High School Child Care
Teenagers in Deerfield, Illinois, learn about and tend to young children in a unique day-care program. More to this story.
Release Date: 8/26/2009
Running Time: 3:35
Video Credits
Produced, Shot, and Directed by
- Ken Ellis
Coordinating Producers
- Amy Erin Borovoy
- Lauren Rosenfeld
Editor
- Karen Sutherland
Production Assistant
- Doug Keely
Original Music
- Ed Bogas
- © 2009
- The George Lucas Educational Foundation
- All rights reserved.
Close window
This video is available as a free download from iTunes U. Download video
If you do not have iTunes on your computer, download iTunes here.
Downloaded videos are designed to play on computers and PDAs and are most appropriate for personal or small group viewing.


