ALTON - The Alton Community Unit School District #11 is gearing up for the first day of school next week.
Rene Hart, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, noted that teachers have completed several hours of professional learning throughout the summer. Much of this professional learning has focused on literacy, and there are a few updates to the Alton High School English curriculum that include increased student choice and the introduction of artificial intelligence.
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“We’re really excited about the professional development being an investment into the future of our students and ensuring all students receive high-quality education that prepares them for success,” Hart said. “We’ve definitely taken a literacy focus this summer, but really, best practices for instruction and just making sure that we’re aligned and that teachers are well-supported.”
Hart said there were 439 staff sign-ins for professional learning, 178 total hours of professional development and 36 independent learning sessions completed by staff over the past few months. She believes that the increased focus on professional learning will set up teachers and students for a successful year.
Staff members have been building their knowledge to help provide students with “a strong foundation for literacy,” Hart said. This foundation prioritizes inquiry and critical thinking, with an extra emphasis on knowledge-building curriculums that encourage student collaboration.
As part of that collaboration, Alton High School students will have the opportunity for anonymous peer reviews. This allows them to receive feedback from fellow students about their writing. But Hart is particularly excited about the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into the high school’s English curriculum.
“Notably one of the most exciting new strategies to highlight is an advanced AI component that provides students with real-time feedback on their writing,” she said. “Before submitting an assignment for teacher review, Alton High School students can choose to turn in their work for AI feedback.”
The AI technology will provide suggestions to strengthen the students’ writing. Students can then put those suggestions into action.
“The ideas still are coming from the students. The AI is only the feedback piece of how to strengthen,” Hart added. “It’s not something that’s going to be incorporated every single day, but we’ll be able to dive into that technology piece a little bit more.”
Other changes include an increased focus on student choice. Students can choose when they’re ready to submit their work for feedback, and they can decide whether to receive this feedback from AI or their peers. Hart added that they hope to integrate classic literature with “high-interest, student-centered texts” that represent all students.
As the district prepares to welcome back students on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, Hart is excited to see these new instructional methods in action. She is proud of the professional learning that teachers have completed throughout the summer, and she looks forward to seeing students succeed during the school year.
“We really made it a priority this summer to provide intentional professional development to staff, and I think that it’s going to benefit our students,” she said. “We're really excited to share our learning with our Redbirds next week.”
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