As the second largest city in Indiana, Fort Wayne naturally has an abundance of schools to encompass the immense populations—especially since (as of 2013) children ages 0-17 made up 26.4% of the population. Whatever level of school you’re looking for, Fort Wayne has plenty of options with over 90 elementary, intermediate, middle, and high schools combined.
With a city this large, Fort Wayne has the opportunity to offer an educational advantage that many other cities can’t—magnet schools. What is a magnet school, you ask? Simply put: magnet schools offer specialized education in different areas that give its students a competitive advantage and prepare them for whatever it is they choose to pursue post-high school. Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) offers residents seven magnet school options. One of the newest and most unique options is the New Tech Academy.
New Tech Academy focuses on incorporating STEM discipline into the curriculum—that’s science, technology, engineering, and math—under a project-based approach. I know what you’re thinking, we keep hearing about this “project-based” learning approach. I concede; it’s definitely become a buzzword. But here’s the thing… project-based learning works, especially from a multi-disciplinary approach. Students at New Tech don’t sit through classroom lectures. In fact, they never even sit in rows facing the front of the room. Students sit in cohorts of four or five most of the time, which is the average group number for their projects.
Not only is New Tech applying a STEM based academic experience in a collaborative environment, but they are also providing students with another unique experience: an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to standard courses that they are traditionally required to take. Again, I know what you're thinking... what does it all actually mean when put into practice?
I had the pleasure of meeting with Jason Beer, a 9th/10th grade English teacher from New Tech Academy. To put these concepts into perspective, let me tell you a little about one of Jason's classes.
Jason co-teaches his 9th graders a collaborative class on English and Geography. You're probably thinking exactly what I thought... How do you teach English AND Geography in one class? Projects are assigned to the students based on the content of the course, and the formation of the project is based on different standards that vary per English outcomes.
The students are introduced to class through an online information management system (similar to that of Blackboard, if you're familiar with that) detailing the schedule for the period. The teachers of these courses let the students self-direct the remaining 100 minutes of class while serving as resources, offering scheduled but voluntary workshops for any issues or questions they think may arise. Jason will hold workshops relating to the English aspect of the project, whether that includes reading and interpreting articles or books relating to the content or the formatting of proposals, papers, presentations, etc., and the Geography teacher holds similar workshops respective to the course content. The teachers don't spend any of this time doing traditional lecturing. The students are given the information and options on how to manage their time most effectively based on their group members and preferences. Once the projects are finished, the students present their work to the rest of the class, and then move on to the next project.
The students at New Tech still have to meet the standards for a Core 40 (or Academic Honors, should they opt) Diploma: 8 credits of English/Language Arts, 6 credits of Science, etc. New Tech Academy allows these students to fulfill these requirements in a way that incorporates important skills including teamwork, conflict resolution, and critical thinking.
After eight years of teaching, three of them at a New Tech, Jason speaks positively of his interactions with his students of New Tech Academy,
"Students are generally more engaged in their learning when they see the work they are doing will go beyond the classroom walls. Whether they are solving a real-world problem, working with a local business or organization, or helping local students, when they see the final product isn’t a test, it’s much easier for them to get excited about their learning. And having to problem-solve while collaborating with others helps prepare them for the world beyond high school."
New Tech Academy as a high school began in 2009, with the first class just recently graduating 79 of 80 students in 2013. Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, FWCS added another New Tech option when Towles Montessori School grades 7 and 8 became Towles New Tech. If you want to know more about either New Tech Academy, they welcome visitors to check out the classrooms and chat with them to figure out if New Tech will be a good fit.
New Tech Academy HS is located within Wayne High School at 9100 Winchester Rd Fort Wayne, IN 46819. You can contact them at 260-467-6500.
The New Tech Academy at Towles is located at 420 E Paulding Road Fort Wayne, IN 46816 and can be contacted at 260-467-4300.
