An Improbable School: Transforming How Teachers Teach & Students Learn - Paperback

by Liz Seubert (Author), Paul Tweed (Author)

In a time of testing and one-size-fits-all standards, comes the success story of Wildlands, a school in the Wisconsin woods where just about everything is different. From its project-based, science-focused curriculum driven by the students themselves to school policies that amount to "just be a decent human being," Wildlands breaks the mold while producing students who are successful in school, in the field, in college, in life. In this compelling narrative, educators Paul Tweed and Liz Seubert share how a vision that began in a school bus turned mobile lab became a public charter school, and how their "Seven Essentials" have led to engaged students, pleased parents, and a trusting Board that empowers this teacher-led learning community. The perfect book for educators interested in how innovative teaching and learning really CAN work-and everybody who understands that true learning is far more than test results.

Author Biography

Paul Tweed founded Wildlands in 2005 with two colleagues from the Augusta School District. Active in the science teaching community for 20 years before Wildlands he has presented at conferences all over the country. Tweed has taught at the secondary and university level, has been on textbook authoring teams, and consulted with school districts and state education departments in the areas of science, constructive and inquiry learning, project based learning, and school culture change. He has designed and taught teacher professional development courses for the past 20 years in the areas of inquiry based science, active learning, project based learning, and community based science research. Paul has been recognized for his efforts with awards such as Wisconsin Biology Teacher of the Year, The Wisconsin Presidential Award in Science, Genentec Access Excellence Fellowship, GTE GIFT Program Fellow, Kohl Teacher Fellowship, and Wisconsin Charter School Teacher of the Year, and more. He has worked closely with Project Foundry to develop more effective means for managing and assessing project based learning. A founding and current board member of the Innovative Schools Network he also coaches and consults with schools to help them develop student led project based learning communities, teacher led (teacher-powered) schools, and relationship based learning cultures. For more information and to contact Paul visit, www.leadthepath.com Liz Seubert is a founding member of Wildlands staff and has been with the school since the doors opened in 2005. As an experienced project based learning advisor and member of a teacher powered school staff she has been an innovator in the field of student centered learning. She has led many expeditionary learning trips with students, developed community based learning and service connections, and been a project based teacher for 10 years. She has consulted with Project Foundry to develop better PBL management strategies and tools, presented at numerous conferences, and developed and taught summer institutes for teachers in the areas of PBL, student centered learning, and school culture. Liz also coaches and consults with schools to help them develop student led project based learning communities, teacher led (teacher-powered) schools, and relationship based learning cultures. For more information and to contact Liz, visit www.leadthepath.com