Often in education one hears of strategies that are “best practice” or “research-based.” These two phrases give strategies and tools the highest seal of approval and indicate that they have been used in real classrooms and have resulted in increased student achievement.

The instructional strategies and tools that are available on this site have not yet been through such intense study. However, they have been developed by high school teachers participating in the Oregon Small Schools Initiative and have been used with actual high school students. Practices such as arts integration, project based learning and digital storytelling have shown promise in Initiative schools in engaging students in learning academics as well as habits of mind such as perseverance, critical thinking, and teamwork.

It is important to note that although the case studies included on this site each highlight only one or two teachers and their work, they were chosen because they represent a school-wide focus on that particular instructional strategy. For example, Cody Rosenburg’s use of sculpture to teach the Golden Ratio in geometry at Academy of Arts at North Eugene Campus doesn’t just represent a favorite unit of Cody’s, but is an exemplar of the work of all the teachers at Academy of Arts as they use their school’s instructional framework of integrating art into core academics to increase student engagement and learning. Using an identified instructional framework is an important attribute of highly effective schools and is a component of each small high school in the Oregon Small Schools Initiative.