Ashwood Spencer Vice Principal visits world-renowned Ron Clark Academy

"I remember the day I was invited to Atlanta really clearly: I had just booked Bruce Springsteen tickets for Wembley and ‘Born in the USA’ was blaring out downstairs. I had an all-day BBQ smoker on the go, and then the phone call from Tony Cann, inviting me to Atlanta Georgia happened. (The BBQ part is a white-lie but it definitely builds the picture). This incredible opportunity came through my ongoing voluntary work with the Learning by Questions (LBQ) platform. Over the past few years, I’ve been involved in implementing LBQ in rural schools in North East India, and as an ambassador for LBQ at Ashwood Spencer Academy, I’ve seen first-hand the platform’s ability to transform classrooms. Tony Cann, the founder of LBQ, has taken a deep interest in Ashwood’s mission to improve life chances for children in deprived areas. He has sent visitors from across the country to see first-hand what we do. This led to an invitation for myself and Andy Done, Headteacher at Masefield Academy, to visit the world-renowned Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta – serving one of its most deprived neighbourhoods.

Ron Clark’s story is truly inspirational to me. His journey from a small-town teacher to a globally recognised educator and speaker is nothing short of remarkable. He first made a name for himself teaching in North Carolina before moving to Harlem, New York, where he worked with some of the most challenging students in the country. Seeing his incredible passion first-hand, it’s easy to see what gained him national recognition and accolades, including Disney’s Teacher of the Year award. I would certainly recommend watching the 2006 film 'The Ron Clark Story'. He is unorthodox but he is also highly effective – gaining some of the best outcomes from across America.

I think the first thing that people reflect upon when visiting RCA is the environment. It truly is jaw-dropping. At times, I had to question whether I was at a theme-park, such is the attention to detail. We’re talking flying dragons, teacher murals, a resident DJ, a Hogwarts styled atrium and ‘underground’ stone passageways. It takes a day to put that to the back of your mind -  although I never quite could.

During our time at RCA, we not only observed, but also had the incredible opportunity to teach two maths lessons using the LBQ platform. This was a truly unique experience - RCA have over 12,000 visitors each year and it has never happened before. We were able to demonstrate how LBQ could enhance feedback in real-time. In a school known for its dynamic and innovative approaches, it was almost surprising how taken aback the staff were by it all. It was all a far cry from the village schools in India, but I felt the same buzz and I simply loved every second of it.

Once you are able to contain the excitement of the environment, you really start to notice the most impressive thing about it all: the children. Wow. Not to insult anyone at all, but I have never witnessed such confident and competent conversationalists. Adult or child. Their ability to hold a discussion had me reevaluating my own ability to speak. It was not by chance though. The staff at RCA treat teaching social skills and oracy as the most important aspect of their job. They go into minute details – eye contact, facial expression, eye gaze, vocal expression, shoulders, hands, arms, conviction, choice of vocabulary… Individually, have I ever taught those things? Yes, absolutely. The impressive thing was how they were constantly taught and revisited until they and those around them had become the most incredible communicators. My class back at Ashwood are already benefitting from this learning.

As seems the way, crime follows deprivation, RCA serves a community struggling socially and financially. It is therefore no surprise that it is also weighed down with crime. It ranks amongst the highest areas for homicides, including guns. The admission policy reflects the will for change in the local community – it takes one third of children from households in deprivation, one third come from split families or those having been subject to trauma and the final third are fee-paying ($18,000 per year). This concoction of an intake produces a staggeringly high number of children who go onto college, securing full scholarships at the best institutions the world has to offer.

It is hard to highlight a particular moment or piece of learning that I will take away. The truth is, I was completely blown away. Was some of the constant singing, dancing and performing blinding me from the realities of what RCA was actually offering? That is possible. Did I find the hand-picked teachers in their muraled classrooms who joined with a polished branding and eye-watering social media following a little too much? I think I did. Would I send my own children there for their education? I couldn’t be any more certain that I would!

In the week or so since my return, I have actively taken steps to try and teach those almost forgotten skills of confidence, conviction and the ability to speak… basically, oracy. I shared some of the techniques in a co-teaching session with my job share. She reflected that she had never seen some of the children speak as loud, with as much enthusiasm and enjoyment. For me, that makes the 8,000 mile round trip worth it!"