Last fall, Montezuma-Cortez High School students complained they didn’t have the classroom resources to comply with new science curriculum mandates.
Students specifically cited a lack of adequate classroom computers to effectively complete assignments. They took their concerns to the Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 school board in November after school leaders didn’t respond to a student petition.
Last week, M-CHS Principal Jason Wayman and M-CHS science chair Eric Chandler provided an update with a joint presentation to the board.
“It’s a rough, ugly diamond that we’re trying to polish into a gem,” said Wayman.
In response to students’ concerns, Chandler noted that 13 computers were now available for each class. Eight computers were in the classroom when school started.
At the center of the debate is a new FLIP mastery science curriculum that was launched at the start of the current academic year. Under FLIP, students are required to master individual assignments before moving to the next lesson plan.
“The self-paced instruction is similar to college courses,” said Wayman. “It’s becoming a prevalent thing.”
Before initiating the program, Chandler said high school students were experiencing a 40 percent fail rate. He said the new curriculum would eliminate those numbers.
“The students have to prove they know the material before moving on,” said Chandler.
Chandler further explained that the FLIP curriculum requires students to listen to online lectures at home and complete homework assignments at school.
“That’s what’s flipped,” he said.
After student resistance, Chandler said officials took appropriate actions to modify pacing expectations, reducing two-lesson per week requirements to just one. He was also quick to point out that students were now “learning how to learn.”
Predicting that many students weren’t doing the required lecture work at home, Chandler added that 75 percent of students were still completing fall assignments. If they don’t to catch up by the end of the year, students will complete assignments into the summer, he said.
“It’s powerful to be able to tell a student that they have to know the material before moving forward,” said Chandler. “It places responsibility on the students.”
Wayman followed, stating that any student more than two weeks behind the self-paced instruction was ineligible for extra-curricular activities, including athletics.
Board members seemed pleased with the update, including Sherri Wright, who said, “I really like the program if we can get the kinks worked out.”
Re-1 Superintendent Alex Carter praised the new teaching model, reiterating that the innovative student learning method required a mastery of each lesson.
“Students can no longer score a 90 on one test and a 50 on another and still pass the class,” said Carter. “They have to master every lesson. This is what we need.”
tbaker@cortezjournal.com