Making the Most of the Early College Program
                               By:  Jenn Knittel, Susan Tater, and Melissa Bultema

Project at a Glance :

This project will help our students define success in the Early College program - because it doesn't look the same for everyone.       
 
Driving Question:
How do we create a meaningful three year experience that equips students with college and/or career readiness at the conclusion of Early College?            

Standards:

• Career readiness
• College exploration
• Skills4Success

Team / Culture Building:

•  Divide students according to  geographical locations and build community through cohort meetings and Success Camp.
• Student groupings will be based on career interests and goals.

Entry Event:

•  Success Camp - August prior to 11th grade

Stakeholders:

•  Students
• Parents
• OAISD school districts​

Empathy Building:

• Create Empathy Map of themselves at the conclusion of the program.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Use empathy maps to help define what success looks like
• Create a list of questions about future goals
• Cohort meeting
• Naviance
• weekly communication
• Guest speakers/Panel of Experts

Incubation:

• Meet regularly to share ideas
• Try new things at meetings and Success camp
• Idea Quota - Generate 100 new ideas to try​

• Affinity Mapping
• $100 Test ​

---

Solution Building:

•  CSS - career project highlighting new ideas 

Critique and Revision: 

• ​Side by side comparisons of options
• Financial impact examination
• Natural process - college acceptance, getting a job
• Feedback from parents and districts​

Authentic Audience:

•  Students
• Parents
• OAISD school districts​

Final Presentation:

• ​Present at a school board meeting
• Creation of portfolio - shared at celebration

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• ​Students will measure their final reflection against their initial definition of success.
• Write thank you notes to their district and include why this program has helped them be more successful.​

Meet the Educator:
Melissa Bultema and Susan Tater are advisors for the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District's Early College program.  Jenn Knittel is the MTSS Coordinator at West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics. 

     "PBL is student centered, engaged learning." ~ S. Tater

       "PBL learning has helped our students to take control of their learning and their Early College experience. It allows them to continually revisit their "why" as they learn new information and concepts and discover more about themselves."  ~ M. Bultema
​