Santa Monica High School F.O.L. 2010
Chapter IVc – Self Study: Instruction
Santa Monica High School
Standards-Based Student Learning: Instruction
C1:
To what extent are all students involved in challenging learning experiences to achieve the
academic standards and the expected school wide learning results?
C2:
To what extent do teachers use a variety of strategies and resources, including technology and
experiences beyond the textbook and the classroom, that actively engage students, emphasize
higher order thinking skills, and help them succeed at high levels?
Summary:
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Santa Monica High School F.O.L. 2010
Chapter IVc – Self Study: Instruction
Findings
Evidence
Extent to Which All Students are Involved in Standards-Based
Learning and Achieving the Established School-Wide Learning
Results
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Student Understanding of Performance Levels
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Santa Monica High School students have a very clear
understanding of their performance levels. The ESLR’s are
posted in each classroom, many teachers have the standards
and/or performance levels in their syllabi, and for most projects,
there are samples of student work given and a rubric provided
before an assignment is graded.
In addition, the IEP goals and 504 accommodations allow
students, parents and teachers to know what the current goals are
for each student with a designated plan. These are reviewed each
year and adjusted as necessary.
Also last year, we held a school-wide assembly before the CST’s
began in order to raise awareness about the rationale for and the
impact of our students doing well on the state tests.
Differentiated Instruction
Several Houses across campus have made differentiated
instruction their focus for professional development for at least
the last two years. This means that the concepts and ideas were
thoroughly explained and demonstrated in House meetings as
well as time being allocated to work on taking pre-existing lesson
plans and adjusting them to reflect a more differentiated structure.
Lessons have been created to incorporate multiple strategies like
PowerPoint presentations, lab activities, group projects, art, and
lecture. They have also been created to allow students to
demonstrate their knowledge of the standards through a variety of
ways such as writing an essay, creating a presentation, writing a
song, or giving an oral report.
Variety of Instructional Strategies
In their commitment to ensure that all students have the
opportunity to achieve at the highest levels, teachers at Santa
Monica High School employ a wide variety of teaching strategies
to provide hands-on activities and lessons. The following
strategies are a sample of activities that teachers employ
throughout the year which have been broken down by
department. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
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Student survey (#2)
Student interviews
Classroom
observations/classroom
displays
Course syllabi
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Classroom observations
Student work
Student project rubrics
Student survey (#6, #7)
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Course syllabi
Classroom observations
Sample assignments
Student survey data (#6, 7)
Santa Monica High School F.O.L. 2010
Chapter IVc – Self Study: Instruction
Findings
Evidence
Math department
 Math labs
 Manipulatives (Algebra Tiles)
 Cooperative Learning
 Direct instruction
English-Language Arts department
 Group projects
 Foldables for notes
 Student reflections
 Analysis of primary texts
 Graphic Organizers
 Socratic Seminar
Science department
 Science labs
 Virtual dissections
 Cooperative learning
 Lecture
 Group projects
 Guest speakers
Social Studies department
 Model UN simulation
 Analysis of primary texts
 Use of graphic organizers
 Lecture
 Group projects
 Powerpoint presentations
 Historical research
 Debates
Classical and Modern Languages
 Board games
 Group/individual presentations
 Using CD’s to develop listening skills
Field Trips
In an effort to reach beyond the classroom and show students that
what they are studying at Santa Monica High School is applicable
to the outside world, teachers organize field trips to local,
national and international sites. The following is an example of
some of the places and opportunities students have to learn
outside the classroom.
Science department
 Six Flags for Math/Science Day
 Long Beach Aquarium
 Santa Monica Pier
Social Studies department
 Holocaust Museum
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Record of fieldtrips
Teacher syllabi
Trip brochures/pamphlets
Santa Monica High School F.O.L. 2010
Chapter IVc – Self Study: Instruction
Findings
Evidence
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Sojourn to the Past Civil Rights field trip to the American
South
 Santa Monica Farmer’s Market
 Santa Monica Public Library
English-Language Arts department
 California Literature’s culminating trip to the Central
Coast of California
R.O.P.
 SAGE World Cup (Nigeria, South Africa)
Guest Speakers
Given that Santa Monica is so close to Los Angeles/Hollywood
and has a very diverse population, the students and teachers have
access to guest speakers from all disciplines that can talk to
students about their experiences and make the curriculum more
relevant and real. Many teachers try to tap into guest speakers as
much as they can and some guests’ presentations are so valuable
that the whole school is involved.
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 Record of guest speakers
 Course syllabi
Holocaust Survivors
Japanese Internment Survivors
Planned Parenthood
UCLA’s Rape Treatment Center
Common Ground-AIDS education
Visiting artists
Authors (Greg Mortensen, Firoozeh Dumas)
California Poet Laureate
Astronaut/Samohi Alumni
Director Paul Scott (“Plug in America”)
Civil Rights activist (Dr. Terrence Roberts)
Instruction Across Curriculum
There are a variety of assignments across the curriculum that
demonstrate students’ ability to gather, analyze and organize
information and effectively communicate their acquired
knowledge. The English and social studies departments assign
“baseline” essays on certain topics. Students choose a position
and support it drawing on excerpts from not only required
readings, but also their own studies, observations and previous
experiences.
Some classes have also been blocked together to allow team
teaching or one teacher to teach a humanities style class.
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Course syllabi
Master schedule
Common assessments
Santa Monica High School F.O.L. 2010
Chapter IVc – Self Study: Instruction
Findings
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Evidence
AP English/AP US History Block class
Freshman Seminar/9th grade English Block class
English texts supports social studies curriculum (The
Crucible, Night, The Things They Carried, etc)
Connect for Success Program
Geometric abstract art project
Implementing Challenging Learning Experiences at All Levels
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Strategies for Students to Succeed at High Levels
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Course Catalogue
Course Syllabi
Student work
Classroom observation
Student survey (#17, 18, 20,
21)
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Course description
Program description
Course syllabi
Club descriptions
Student survey (#1, 12)
Teachers employ a variety of strategies to help students organize
their thoughts and materials in a way that is conducive to higher
level learning. In collaboration with counselors and
administrators, teachers develop individualized strategies to help
low-performing students succeed. Student work on science labs,
English and social science essays, social science projects, math
problems, our CST and AP scores demonstrates that Santa
Monica High School students are able to produce high level
work. Many teachers integrate test preparation into their
instruction as well as use common assessments to adjust their
instruction.
 Appropriate accommodations are made for students with
504’s and IEP’s
 Honors classes offered, 18 AP classes offered
 Immersion program
 ELL program
Real World Learning Opportunities
Teachers at Santa Monica High School work towards helping
students make meaningful connections by providing real world
learning opportunities. Some examples of these follow.
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Project ECHO
Students for Advancement of Global
Entrepreneurship(SAGE)
Racial Harmony
Project Safe Zone
Career Day
Music Program
Clubs (Circle of Friends, Invisible Children, Team
Marine, Delians, etc.)
Peer tutoring program
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Santa Monica High School F.O.L. 2010
Chapter IVc – Self Study: Instruction
Findings
Evidence
Technology
Access to technology has improved since the last accreditation
but it is still one of our biggest challenges. Seventy new
computers were purchased two years ago to update two of the
three computer labs on campus, although there are only 45
working computers in the labs currently.
Every classroom is equipped with at least once computer and
wireless internet. Many teachers have Elmos (opaque projectors)
and LCD projectors in their classrooms, particularly in the math
and science departments. Technology is utilized across all
subject areas to help students achieve academic standards and
expected school wide learning results. Some examples follow.
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Digital Design classes
Physics motion detector lab
RASMOL software to visualize DNA
Vernier probes and sensors
Turnitin.com-to prevent plagiarism
Use technology through ELMO, LCD projectors
Online discussion boards, class websites, and blogs
Online math tutorials, textbook pages, and interactive
practice tests and quizzes
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Classroom observations
Course syllabi
Student surveys (#30, 31, 32)