Educational Consultant: Joe DiMartino If you've ever wondered what you could do to improve the performance of your high school students, close achievement gaps, and lower dropout rates, then here's an opportunity for you and your colleagues to see how innovative high schools are succeeding by being more responsive to the varied needs of their students. Use this video series -on VHS or DVD- in team meetings or workshops to take colleagues to rural and urban high schools that have redesigned the cultures of their schools and implemented strategies to personalize learning and help their students reach higher levels of achievement.Program 1 takes you inside classrooms to explore how teachers structure learning experiences to meet a wider range of student needs and help students take an active role in their learning. See examples of high school teachers who have expanded their instructional approaches to include strategies such as project-based learning, journaling and reflective writing, and exhibitions and portfolios. In Program 2 teachers and administrators reveal how they personalize the culture of their high schools. See how high schools use advisory groups, teacher teaming in small learning communities, and integrated support systems to be more attentive to students. And explore ways to help students develop a sense of community and take ownership over the direction of their learning. Program 3 examines how high schools can engage students in community-based learning and bring community members into their schools to help students connect learning to real-life experiences. Explore several types of community-connected learning experiences for adolescents, such as internships, service-learning projects, and connections with institutions of higher education. Videotaping occurred in two rural high schools in south Texas and three urban high schools in Boston.