Most schools ask themselves, “Why would kids come to school on a Saturday?” but at Matthew Moss High School in Rochdale, UK, they’re asking “Why would they not?”
Welcome to the D6 program, profiled in the video below. D6 refers to the 6th day of the week, Saturday, and the opt-in programming offered to students who want more school. Why do they want more school? As administrators, teachers, and students at Matthew Moss explain: it’s naturally fun to learn, and to help others learn.
A typical D6 Saturday consists of student groups collaborating on projects, older students coaching and tutoring younger students, students solving problems and delivering their own lectures or direct instruction. There are no rules about where to be when, no “teachers,” no strict program of goals or assignments that must be accomplished. Groupings are flexible and based on student need and choice. Time is managed by the students to meet their own needs. They self-diagnose, seek out resources, and determine when they are done.
This “just in time” model gives students access to what they need as their needs become apparent to them.
Perhaps the greatest proof of the model is the excitement and energy students display as they maneuver through various classrooms and activities, and as they leave for the day. Instead of leaving them drained and detached, this model has left students driven to learn more and full of confidence that they can tackle new challenges. What a turnaround!
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/122776433″>D6 at Matthew Moss</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/fullyformedfilms”>Fully Formed Films</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>