HTH 200: Core Values & Foundations
This course offers a survey of the foundations of the education field and the core values of the M.Ed. program. The aim is to introduce seminal topics, foundational texts, and scholarly routines as we begin to build a community of learners together. Students will engage in reading, discussion, observation, journaling, interviews, critical analysis, and digital portfolio construction as they record and track emerging questions of theory and practice. As in all GSE courses, we will apply a critical, self-reflective social justice lens to our work, with careful attention to multiple perspectives as we address the GSE program learning outcomes regarding inquiry and reflection, design, and leadership
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 205: Equity, Diversity & Design Principles
In this course, students explore the implications of culture—particularly the relation between “home culture” and “school culture”—for teaching and learning. Participants consider their own backgrounds as well as the background experiences, values, and languages of diverse student groups. They discuss and apply structural and pedagogical approaches that provide both access and challenge for diverse learners. They examine the High Tech High design principles against the backdrop of inequitable academic outcomes in American schools. In particular, the course will focus on how teacher and student expectations affect student achievement, for better or worse. Each participant will generate a final product describing concrete steps taken to address the essential questions for the course, and reflecting on the intersections between one’s own emerging identity, student diversity and school culture.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 210: Design & Leadership for Deeper Learning
Participants will deepen their project-based work by exploring issues of design, content, assessment, ownership, and exhibition. Using a consultancy model along with various templates for PBL design and assessment, teachers will reflect upon past and current projects and plan future ones. Special attention will be paid to working and consulting with colleagues and community partners on project development.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 220: Leadership for School Change
We believe that meaningful change comes from within, and schools are no exception. This course offers a brief history of the major trends in American educational reform since the 1800s, exploring how change happens in schools and the informal and formal roles that teacher leaders and school leaders play in school change efforts. Special attention will be devoted to articulating our dreams for our schools, and working with colleagues and students to enact change in our own school sites that reflects a shared vision.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 235: New School Creation
In this course, students have the opportunity to design the school they hope to lead in the future. Through examination of the four design principles used to create a shared sense of purpose and vision at HTH schools, (e.g. Personalization, Common Intellectual Mission, Adult World Connection and Teacher as Designer), students develop their own set of core values to guide all aspects of their school design plan. Students are encouraged to challenge structures that result in the perpetuation of predictable patterns of student outcomes based on their socio-economic status, the education level of their parents, or ethnicity. Students will also explore innovative approaches to physical design, such as design spaces that are transparent, functional and value the curation of student work.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 245: School Budgeting
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the world of school finance and to engage them in developing strategies for how to use school resources to leverage the success of the academic program, in particular how resources can be used to achieve equitable outcomes for traditionally disadvantaged students. Students will gain the understanding needed to analyze monthly budget reports, design annual school budget plans and best allocate resources to maximize equitable student learning outcomes. Finally, students will evaluate various approaches to compensating teachers and design their own plan, given that a majority of most school budgets is allocated towards the costs of staffing. The content of this course is applicable to any educational setting – a traditional public school, charter school, or private school – although challenges particular to public charter schools will be specifically addressed.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 250: School Law
Through case studies and ethical dilemmas, we investigate protected rights for both students and teachers and how these influence school leadership decisions. Topics may include liability for harm to students, academic freedom, freedom of speech, due process rights for contract non-renewal, search and seizure and expulsion hearings, church/state conflicts, and equal protection rights (race, gender, age, language and special education). Students examine how various case studies have affected the interpretation of constitutional rights over time and how school issues arising from the use of social media have presented unique challenges for school leaders.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 300: Inquiry into Practice I: Integrating Theory & Practice
This course explores the different types of research and resources available to teacher researchers, and to any educator who wishes to improve his/her practice. Emphasis is placed on information literacy, article analysis, and connecting research with practice. As students work toward becoming more skilled consumers of educational research, they also reflect on their own research context, practice thoughtful observation and begin identifying “fierce wonderings” of their own to pursue throughout the program.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 305: Inquiry into Practice II: Methods & Implementation
Students implement their project, engaging in cycles of inquiry, action and reflection to guide change within an educational program in a way that fosters equity and is both scholarly and rigorous. In this course, students are supported in designing both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, such as field notes, exit cards, interviews, surveys, focus groups, student work samples, etc. Students learn techniques for data analysis to inform evidence-based decision-making throughout the project.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 310: Inquiry into Practice III: Analysis & Publication
Students derive key findings from their Master’s Project and share their learning through academic writing, a final product designed for an authentic audience (e.g. website, film, book, mobile app, flyer, practitioner’s guide, etc.) and professional presentation.
Coursework
Coursework
HTH 400 A-C; HTH 420 A-F: Leadership Fieldwork (series)
The fieldwork courses support students’ learning as residents in school leadership at one of the 12 High Tech High (HTH) clinical sites. Apprenticed to a HTH critical friend director, students have the opportunity to shadow and observe the various skills and dispositions needed for effective leadership, from cultivating shared vision and purpose to observing and coaching teachers for equity. Students explore what it means to be an effective school leader and analyze the intersection of theory and practice in their school setting. In particular, students examine how effective school leaders keep student learning and issues of equity at the center of their work. With the support of their HTH critical friend director and GSE advisor, students observe and practice leadership activities connected to the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSEL) and then document reflections of their learning. The reflections must be grounded in both theory and practice and demonstrate the student’s ability to elicit feedback and reflect on their development as leaders. For each course credit (three total for each course), students will need to document 45 hours of fieldwork.
Coursework
Coursework