1. Strategies to Create a
College-Going, Globally
Focused School Culture:
Pathways to Global Competence
By Sarah Straub & Brian McCormick

2. •Agenda or Summary Layout
Promoting Student Choice: Bring the University Experience to Campus
Making the Dream a Reality
3:40pm
“f you could teach your students how to do anything what would it be?” Participants will discuss their ideas and
place “dream” classes on a Parking Lot
What would you do?
3:45pm
Introduction to seminar and participants will be able to select their top 3 choices from a sample course list.
Discussion & Presentation
3:55pm
What does Ogden U and YES U look like at respective schools. (Logistics, teacher opinion, student opinion)
Practice Makes Perfect
4:10pm
Participants will work to create a similar ISSN U experience or a new idea in groups.
Group Presentation Whip Around
4:30pm
Participants will share out their ideas and provide/accept feedback from peers.
Close Out & Final Questions, Comments, Concerns
4:50pm
.

3. •Course Selection Guide
Participants will view the Course List (shortened) to select their class.

4. •Houston… we have a problem. And we
need YOU! - Knight/Green
• A new planet has recently been discovered. Your task, should you
choose to accept it, is to build a robot that can perform three tasks:
• explore this newly discovered planet and collect specimens that signal
life is possible on that planet;
• Locate and store water samples to determine if the water is safe to
drink on that planet; and
• take and record at least 5 temperature readings to determine if it will
be too hot or too cold to live on that planet
• NASA also wants to continue using these robots here on Earth
when they are finished exploring the new planet. As you design
your robot, you’ll also plan for how this robot can be used in
everyday life here on Earth. Part of the competition will also judge
everyday tasks like cleaning house, grocery shopping, and cooking.
• Supplies will be provided… but they might not be the supplies you
expected 
7th

5. •Self-Defense 201- McRae
It’s time to step it up…
again. There has been an
introductory course for
girls and one for boys –
now is the time to test
your strength and your
strength of mind. Please,
consider signing up for
this physically and
mentally demanding
course.
8th

6. PAINTING- Stellato
Welcome summer vacation
by embracing your inner
artist! Come create a
beautiful painting that you
can take home and enjoy
forever. You will be led step
by step through this
summery painting, while
enjoying some iced tea and
music. Hope to see you
there!

7. •Let’s break a Piñata!- Campos
• Interested in making a
piñata? Then join the
Piñata Class!  In this class
you will:
- Make a homemade
piñata for yourself
- Learn a little bit about
the history of piñatas
- & eat some chips and
salsa while waiting for
our piñatas to dry!

8. •The Next Great Cake Decorator-
Hosack/Byeseda
• Baking can be a
blast........ BUT the
decorations are what
make the cake! Learn
how to make homemade
icing, decorate cakes
using different
decorating
techniques, and have a
Cake Off to see who the
Next Great Cake
Decorator will be!

9. •Course Selection Guide
On a Post-It Note, please indicate your TOP 3 choices.
Course Options
Choose courses based on your
personal interest. Houston, We Have a Problem…
Self-Defense 201
Rather than trying to get the same
class as your friends, divide and The Next Great Cake Decorator
conquer to share what you’ve
learned later! Summer Vacation Painting
Let’s Break a Piñata

10. What is YES U/Ogden U?
Purpose, Logistics, Teache
r Opinion, Student Opinion

11. Ogden U.’s Perfect Storm
The Fates Align and a New Seminar Program
is Born

12. •Esans Plants the Seed
• Faculty members see robust seminar program
in place during 2008 visits
• Why can’t we do that?

13. •The Problem: District-Directed Half Days
• 20 minute class periods very unproductive
• Alternating class periods on half days throws
off class pacing
• Middle school student attention spans
particularly challenged on half days
• Ogden moved all half days to Fridays: pros and
cons

14. •Proposed Solution: Three-Hour Seminars
• Small group offerings (10-12 students)
• All hands on deck
(administrators, teachers, ESPs, clerks all offer
seminars)
• Goal: create learning experiences that are
appropriate, engaging and FUN!

15. •Selling the Staff
• All offerings staff directed, based on each member’s
interests
• Opportunity to work with students in a small group
setting
• Opportunity to work with students we don’t usually
see
• Preferable to the “traditional” use of half days
• Competition to offer the “best” seminar

16. •Selling the Students
• Choices!!!
• Course catalogues create buzz
• Collegiate feel
• Lottery day
• Great lesson in prioritizing
• Opens students up to new areas of exploration

17. •From the Course Catalogue: A Sampling of Titles
• Urban Gardening
• Field Exploration: Flora of the Prairie
• WEEEEE! Designing and Building an Amusement Park Thrill Ride
• French Chef’s Guide to a Perfect Hors d’oeuvre Party
• Dancing with the (Ogden) Stars: Latin Edition
• The Ultimate Ultimate Tournament
• Climb Every (Indoor) Mountain
• Inside a Major Metro Newsroom
• Making Pizza the Neapolitan Way
• Inside Iraq
• On the Front Lines in Afghanistan: A Soldier’s Story
• Tennis Anyone?

18. •Measures of Success
• Ogden U’s offered 2-3 times yearly since 2008
• Frequently cited by students and parents in
surveys as “one of my favorite things” about
Ogden
• Ogden U cancellation in May of 2012 spurs
griping by students and staff

19. •Purpose of YES U
• Culture Building
• Students are paired by interest
• Heterogeneous by gender and by grade-level
• Teacher/Student relationships based on shared interests
• Identity Building
• Differentiates your campus from surrounding schools
• Students have opportunities to articulate language of ISSN schools
during mini-lesson times
• Provides opportunities that would otherwise not exist
• Potential for students to learn new things about themselves

20. •YES U Has 2 Focuses Can any
participants
think of an
ISSN Mini-Lesson & YES U Course additional
opportunity?
ISSN MINI LESSON FESTIVAL
• What is ISSN? • Invite community members to
• What are PBLs? come out for festival
• What is SAGE? • AFS and Girl Scouts of America
• Why is Language Learning So developed festival with food
Important? and culture sharing (study
abroad students)
• Why is Reflection So Important?
• Scholarship discussion before
and after festival

21. •Logistics
It takes planning, but it gets easier every time!
• Teachers identify and • Organizer creates • Organizer develops
email in course spreadsheet for front ISSN Course and
descriptions (2 weeks office/teacher use teacher plan (1 week
out) out)
• Courses are posted 3
• Students select days in advance to
courses during one allow students to see
class period (1 week classes and plan for
out) necessary materials

22. •Examples of Documents for YES U
Staff Notes Post – Weekend Before

23. •Examples of Documents for YES U
Reflection Sheet for Students – Page 1 of 2

24. •Examples of Documents for YES U
Room Assignment Chart – Weekend Before

25. •Examples of Documents for YES U
Permission Slip– Weekend Before

26. •Examples of Documents for YES U
Course Selection Sheet – Week Before

27. •Enjoy the day!!!

28. •Group Planning Time
• Logistics Crew (planning for 500
students, 28 teachers)
• Community Partners Crew
(develop a list of potential partners
to co-teach courses)
• Student Choice Crew (developing a
survey and a method for placing
students in classes that is fair and
allows education access and
success for all)
• Reflection Crew (brainstorm list of
challenges this will present to
teachers on a campus, beneficial
reflection process for students and
teachers post International
University Day)

29. •Share Out
• 2 Minute Presentation
• Main Focus for ISSN Class
• Identify Challenges to Logistics
• 2 Minute Clarifying Questions
• Audience questions
• Reflection

30. “YES U is great because I get to talk to other
people who go to this school that I never have
talked to before. I now know some 6th graders
even though I’m in 8th grade.”
“Right before holidays always have students
checking out… this is a great way to check them
back in.”
“I feel like I’m in college. We are always told that
we get to choose our own paths, but we always
have the same classes as everyone else. It’s fun
to have a day when we really do get to choose
our own classes.”
“I like how YES U days have us reflect. We really
saw Ms. Straub take what we told her from our
first YES U in December to make this YES U even
better!”
•Teacher and Student Quotations:
“I love YES U because it lets the students see a different side
to me. I’m not the most popular teacher, but I think having
the students see my talents helps me identify with them
more.”

31. Questions, Comments,
Concerns?
Sarah Straub
Sarah.Straub@yesprep.org
Brian McCormick
BJMccormick@cps.edu
Thank you for your time!