Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/912628
CHRIS COLLINS Continuation students get a league of their own hat's the secret to getting continuation school students to work harder and improve atten- dance? Chris Collins, a science, health and PE teacher at McClellan High School in Antelope, Sac- ramento County, found that one solution is to let them play team sports, just like students in comprehensive high schools. Continuation students are typically those who can't succeed in regular high school due to attendance, behav- ior and academic issues. Most of their time is spent pursuing credit recovery so they can receive a diploma. Sports teams — a great motivator for students at tradi- tional high schools — are usually lacking at continuation schools. But that changed at McClellan when Collins decided his students deserved a league of their own. Initially, the idea came from them, says the Center Unified Teachers Association member. "My students wondered why continuation students were not allowed to play sports," he recalls. "And they discovered there was nothing prohibiting it at all." is realization led Collins to contact other continua- tion schools in Sacramento, Placer and Nevada counties to form a fledgling basketball league called the Alterative Athletic League in 2015-16. After a successful nine-week Center Unified Teachers Association SCIENCE, HEALTH AND PE TEACHER Center Joint Unified School District learned you need to have good ideas and be creative. Some of the students didn't have good ideas, and when they didn't make m o n e y, th e y l e a r n e d s o m e i m p o r t a n t l e s - sons." Un l i k e i n t h e r e a l world, the few students w h o d i d n o t m a k e money did not have to pay back the loan. But they had to prove they did not make a profit. While teaching real-world les- sons is important, so is having a heart and empathy, says Rickmers. Afterward, many of her students said the experi- ence was life-changing. "ey realized the importance of having a business plan, collaborating with team members, and self-re- liance," she says. "ey learned to take feedback from adults, because they had to pitch their ideas to local entrepreneurs before they started. If students received negative feedback, they had to modify their plan or change it. Everything they learned was connected to the real world. It was different than just showing up for class. ey put their products out there for people to buy — and were thrilled when people did." Student Vanessa Kim, who painted purses, said, "I learned that money goes quick, and the public is very picky. I definitely felt that I got a chance to experience what the marketing world is like." is year Rickmers will have her students produce a fashion show of wearable art and create the couture from recycled materials such as used clothing, plastic, cardboard and tinfoil. e runway show, scheduled for spring, will be called "Phoenix," because the materials students use will rise from the ashes. "Trying innovative things keeps my job fresh and exciting," says Rickmers, a teacher of 28 years. "For me, the best part is not knowing how it will all turn out." "THEY LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU WORK HARD AND HAVE A GOOD WORK ETHIC, IT PAYS OFF." W 32 cta.org