School Organization
Big Picture schools use time, people, facilities, resources, and space in unique ways. Big Picture Learning believes that all students should have the opportunity to learn in a place where people know each other well and treat each other with respect. Schools must be small – small enough so every student has genuine relationships with adults and other students and no one falls through the cracks. From assessment tools to the design of the school building itself, a truly personalized school approaches each student and situation with a mind to what is best for the individual and for the community.
The organizing principle of Big Picture schools is to educate one student at a time. In order to carry out our design, we believe that each school should not exceed 150 students and no more than fifteen students make up an advisory. Students work individually as well as in small group learning environments around authentic topics both in and outside of school.
Each school is a small community of learning, is part of a system of small schools in their geographic area and is also a part of the international Big Picture school network. School facilities are small, personalized and are organized to facilitate the Big Picture programmatic design. This is reflected in the outside-in/inside-out design of the schools where real-world learning occurs in the community as well as in the school. The Big Picture Learning design necessitates interdependence between the school and the community.
A Big Picture School cannot exist in a vacuum, separate from the community. The core of the students’ education is the Learning Through Internship/Interest (LTI). As a result, the community plays an integral role in the educational success of the school.
Essential Elements of School Organization include:
- Small school and small advisories
- A culture of communication among staff and students within the building
- Learning Through Internship/Interest (LTIs) in the community
- Weekly staff meetings for staff
- Written reflection shared among staff members
- The community as a resource to the school/the school as a resource to the community
- Service learning projects in the community
- Facilities that reflect the Big Picture Learning design