CHATHAM — "No, I disagree, that's not the purpose," 8-year-old Devin Carrillo said to two classmates in his third-grade reading class at Dixon Elementary on Monday.
Their group had just read some short stories and were discussing the author's purpose in a small group for an in-class assignment. Devin laid out his own argument before the group eventually came to an agreement and wrote an answer on a notecard for their teacher.
Small groups help Devin learn about reading, he said, "a fun way" to complete assignments given in class. It's one of the many ways that collaboration — among students as well as teachers — has helped Dixon Elementary garner the highest ranking on its Chicago Public Schools Quality Rating Report for the first time.
Both reading and mathematics scores have gone up at Dixon, at 8306 S. St. Lawrence Ave. The neighborhood school, which has 596 students, earned a “level 1+” for the 2014-2015 school year from CPS, up from a “level 1” the previous year.
In 2014-2015 the school bested 99 percent of schools nationwide in growth in reading scores on the Northwestern Evaluation Association of Academic Progress exam, or NWEA MAP.
But Dixon saw its strongest growth in math test scores, which in 2014-2015 was better than 99 percent of schools nationally, jaw-dropping growth from 2013-2014 when it bested just 10 percent of schools nationally.
Some 87 percent of students in the school met state standards in reading and math. Some 83 percent of students come from low-income families.
Principal Terrycita Perry, a Chatham native and former Dixon student, said teachers have found that Dixon’s students learn better when they can engage with their peers.
“They do a lot of collaborative grouping so they can have thought partners, which allows them to work together,” she said.
The emphasis on working in small groups is essential, considering CPS previously has been criticized for allowing large class sizes and overcrowding.
Students in an eighth-grade math class said that sitting in small groups helps them understand topics like verbal expressions.
“We do a lot of focused ‘turn and talk,’ as we call it. They turn and talk about a concept they’re working on, and they eventually work individually,” Perry explained.
Her teachers also meet and offer each other advice, she said. They’ll sit in each other’s classes and observe. There's no secret sauce to the school's success — just a concerted effort to share, collaborate and maintain open lines of communication.
Another form of collaboration at Dixon is asking students to act as teachers themselves. In a second-grade class, taught by Golden Apple winner Sonya Fields, students lead the lesson. Four children read a story to the class, and afterward they asked questions like, “What is the solution?” and “Do you disagree or agree, and why?”
Sometimes, eighth-graders are brought into other classes to help teach younger students.
“The best part is interacting with the kids, and you get to take the role of the teacher for a day,” said Jamie Smith, an eighth-grader who was helping third- graders learn about condensation. “It’s really fun because it’s exciting to encourage someone to learn about something new.”
Former principal Sharon Dale, who retired last June, said that one of the reasons math scores have improved so dramatically is because she met with the teachers to set goals.
Dale and Perry agreed that small group instruction was important, and they continuously pressed teachers to use the technique.
“We had to monitor to make sure this was being done,” Dale said.
CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson credited the school's success to its superb leadership.
"Dixon has historically been led by phenomenal leaders, and Principal Terrycita Perry is carrying on that legacy,” Jackson said in an email.
“The progress that has been made at Dixon Elementary points to what we know about our schools — that they are making gains, and our school communities are committed to the success of their students,” Jackson said.
The school has a family feel, Dale said, adding that she was able to gain the support of parents and teachers by building relationships.
“I think once you build that, then you can set your vision,” she said. “For me it was always about the kids first. I shared that with Ms. Perry: Don’t let anyone get you off your focus.”
Perry still reaches out when she has questions about leading the school, Dale said — and either way, she is confident that Perry will continue to lead Dixon on a successful path.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
