‘The classrooms of the future’ – Henrico Schools to expand ‘team-based’ learning to more elementary and high schools
Nine Henrico schools have implemented a new teaching model, “Next Education Workforce,” for certain grade levels, which allows teachers for different subjects to focus on one combined cohort of students.
At the elementary school level, rather than the traditional model of one homeroom teacher instructing all core subjects to one class of students, each grade-level teacher focuses on instructing one or two core subjects, and students switch between each teacher throughout the day. Harvie Elementary and Colonial Trail Elementary were the first schools to implement this model for upper grade levels about two-and-a-half years ago, and Ruby F. Carver Elementary, Maude Trevvett Elementary, Maybeury Elementary, and Shady Grove Elementary later followed suit.
At the high school level, around 85-100 students in a grade are grouped together and cycle through the same core subject teachers, rather than each student being randomly assigned to each teacher. Mills E. Godwin High, J.R. Tucker High, and Highland Springs High all implemented the model for freshmen students this past fall, and plan to continue the model for sophomore students next year.
Henrico Schools aims to expand the team-based teaching model to additional elementary schools each year, said HCPS officials at a Henrico School Board meeting on Feb. 12, and also plans to implement the model for freshmen students at Douglas S. Freeman High, Hermitage High, and Varina High this fall, and at Henrico High, Glen Allen High, and Deep Run High in the fall of 2027.
The Next Ed model allows elementary teachers to focus on teaching a subject they are most passionate about, said Harvie Elementary Principal Tonya Holmes, which she says has increased teacher satisfaction. The model also allows students to form relationships with more teachers in the building, she said.
At both the elementary and high school levels, the Next Ed model prompts greater collaboration between teachers, said HCPS Director of Teaching and Learning Taylor Snow. And at high schools specifically, teachers collaborate to provide students with interdisciplinary assignments and experiences that involve multiple subjects.
“[HCPS] is building innovative learning models that position teachers as true teammates, working together to strengthen instruction,” Snow said. “Interdisciplinary learning tears down the content-based silos that have been a hallmark of traditional [high school] classrooms for decades. The approach is enabling schools to be visionaries in creating the classrooms of the future.”
‘Transforming the high school experience’
Cohort high school teachers collaborate weekly with planning time specifically set aside for them to create interdisciplinary assignments, said Godwin High Principal Leigh Dunavant. This past fall semester, Godwin teachers for Algebra I, Health/PE 9, and English 9 worked together to create an interdisciplinary project for students focused on career goals.
“The cross-curricular projects are probably the meat of that,” said Dunavant. “Instead of doing five different assignments, [teachers are] working on an assignment together and then giving feedback to the students on those assignments together…It’s taking the whole child into account, and that is easier for educators to work together to pinpoint the challenges and help the students improve.”
The focus on cross-curricular work has also expanded the ability level of teachers and reduced their overall workload, Dunavant said, and the cohort model has provided freshmen students with a connected community of students and teachers that can help ease their transition to high school.
The Next Ed model does come with some challenges, however, with some younger elementary students struggling with switching teachers during the day. And at high schools, student conflict can occur when a group of students are stuck with the same classmates for most of the day, said Dunavant, although school counselors have consistently visited cohorts to help deal with social-emotional conflicts.
But HCPS officials have viewed the model as a success, with plans to expand Next Ed to more students. School board members also expressed their support for continuing the model.
“I really like what we’re doing here,” said Brookland District representative Kristi Kinsella. “I love the collaboration, I love the idea of the teachers teaching their passion. When we’re speaking to our students about what their path might be in life, we ask, ‘what do you like to do?’ So it makes so much sense.”
Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s government and education reporter. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.
