Teaching and Learning

The summer school program has always been and remains the heart of our work, but other key initiatives build on our strengths and support our mission. Teaching & Learning is one of the five key components of our work and focuses on refining and documenting the summer school curriculum and further developing the teacher training component of the program.

One of Aim High’s three overarching organizational goals is closely aligned with this project: Torecruit and inspire diverse veteran and new teachers to teach effectively, creatively and collaboratively in support of underserved youth, and to encourage Aim High teachers to pursue careers in education.

Aim High serves as a “teaching laboratory” for new teachers, and at the same time, provides opportunities for professional development and collaboration for veteran teachers. Veteran Master Teachers deepen their knowledge by serving as mentors for college- and high school-age Teaching Interns and Teaching Assistants. In addition, Aim High offers teachers from public, private and parochial schools the chance to work together, learning from and teaching each other, while helping urban students learn science, mathematics, and critical reading and thinking skills.

Teaching and Learning is one of the core components of Aim High, and the organization is committed to recruiting a diverse and talented cadre of teachers, and providing high quality professional development and teacher training for all teachers.  Aim High hires talented teachers who closely reflect the student population served by the organization.  Of the 242 faculty members employed last summer, 65% were teachers of colors, 43% were bilingual, and 26% were graduates of Aim High.  We anticipate hiring over 280 teachers who will work at twelve different sites in San Francisco, Oakland, East Palo Alto and Redwood City and serve 1,125 students this summer.

In June, all Aim High faculty and staff attend a one-week Faculty Institute before the summer program began. During that week, faculty members attend one day of training off-site together with Aim High faculty from other sites. They participate in a full day of workshops designed specifically for their teaching experience and subject area expertise. Special emphasis was placed on planning and implementing high quality hands-on projects.  The remainder of the week is spent developing lessons plans and preparing activities, planning for assemblies and organizing Cultural Days. Throughout the summer, Teaching Interns and Teaching Assistants participated in weekly faculty meetings. In addition, all faculty members participated in Peer Observations, practicing giving and receiving feedback on their teaching.