Purpose in Learning Provides Reflective Feedback for School Improvement

Each year, our Worthington Kilbourne High School Business and Keyboarding teacher, Susan Lively, plans an engaging lesson that provides excellent reflective feedback for me and for the overall success of our school.  I enjoying reading each letter and writing back to every single student.  This practice has led to individual student meetings where student voices were heard and plans were made to make changes to enhance our school learning environment.  This reflective “Student Memo” assignment is a great example of providing purpose in learning.  Students are learning the skills of keyboarding and letter writing while also integrating their voice in learning to compliment and make suggestions that will improve the school environment.  It has definitely helped me to build stronger connections with our students, which I believe is key in creating a successful school culture.  

"Worthington Kilbourne is truly something amazing and I am so proud and happy to become Alumni of this great school.  This school harnesses some of my greatest memories, memories that I will hold for a life time."  
-Carson Van Lynn, WKHS Senior

Here is what our Business and Keyboarding students has to say!

We are thankful for the following;

1. The personal connections and caring attitudes of our teachers, coaches and staff.  The school is welcoming and I feel comfortable when talking with my teachers and asking for extra help.  The academic assistants in The Teaching and Learning Center (Room 209) are awesome!
2. Our school is safe.  I appreciate the diversity and acceptance of all students, specifically those with disabilities.   There is a strong sense of “togetherness” and we are definitely a strong school family.
3. I love our school spirit and appreciate the opportunity for all students to be involved in extracurricular activities.  
4. Thanks to our our cafeteria staff, we have good and healthy food options.  
5. I am challenged academically in our school and while it is difficult, I am thankful for the education I am receiving.  
6. Our school is 26 years old and still looks brand new because we have hard-working custodial staff who take care of the building.

We’d like to see the following improved upon;

1. We need more hands-on/experiential learning opportunities.
2. Too many students are using drugs and alcohol on the weekends.  I hear about weekend parties every Monday morning.
3. The Junior and Senior balcony is too crowded and this makes it difficult to get to class on time.
4. We need more food choices in our cafeteria and the vending machines are always broken.
5. I wish we had more electives to choose from or at least, more teachers to teach the classes.  I always get closed out of these classes.
6. The heating and cooling in our school needs repaired.

Thanks again to Mrs. Lively and our students for taking the time to share their voice with me. While this practice may not necessarily be a targeted school improvement plan initiative nor is it a tested State Report Card benchmark, I believe the value of student voice and creating positive student relationships through purposeful reflections, builds a strong school culture that is necessary for overall school improvement.  

Reflection must become a natural part of student learning and always remember that student voice matters!