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Stevenson 10th-grade accelerated English team presents 'attention to process' curriculum to board
Summary
Teachers from the 10 AC accelerated English program presented a curriculum emphasis on student agency and an "attention to process" framework, describing six-week reflection cycles, digital portfolios and measures for student growth in annotation, drafting and discussion skills.
Teachers from the Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125 communication arts division presented the Board of Education with an overview of the 10th-grade accelerated English (10 AC) program’s effort to teach student agency through an "attention to process" approach.
Presenters told the board the program reaches most sophomores who take accelerated English and centers instruction on identity, belonging, resilience, efficacy and proficiency. "This isn't about changing who they are but helping them understand what works and what doesn't — what makes them successful students," a lead 10 AC presenter said.
The team described measurable success criteria: independently preparing for discussion, proficient close reading and annotation, planning and revision for writing, and using regular feedback cycles. Teachers said they run roughly six-week windows in which students collect evidence of learning, reflect on teacher feedback and adjust study strategies.
Classroom practices the presenters highlighted include graphic organizers to scaffold essays, digital portfolios where students store artifacts and teacher feedback, comparison of model paragraphs, and soliloquy practice tied to the Macbeth unit. Presenters showed a before-and-after example of student annotations to illustrate growth from summary-level notes to deeper inference and interpretation.
Board members praised the integration of social-emotional learning with curriculum. One board member called the presentation "really, really impressive," and another complimented the team's work tying reflection to measurable classroom practices.
Presenters listed next steps: refine success criteria, expand student reflection and teacher assessment protocols, and continue celebrating student growth while balancing instructional time for reading, writing, speaking and listening. The board acknowledged the presentation and indicated appreciation for the team's work.
