当杰伊·哈特利牧师在上个学年看望他在大学的大儿子时, he heard the kind of feedback just about any parent would want.
At lunch with one of his son’s engineering professors, Rev. 哈特利是2015年SCORE奖决赛学校马丁·路德·金的三名过去和现在的学生的父母. 纳什维尔的磁石学校(MLK)——了解到很难预测年轻人在大学一年级时的表现. The professor told Rev. 哈特利说，即使是最优秀的学生也会被大学里的一切分散注意力.
This hadn’t been an issue for Rev. Hartley’s son, the professor told him.
“He’s able to focus and do everything,” Rev. Hartley said. “I think MLK is definitely a part in that.”
MLK在学生生活的各个方面都建立了很高的期望和严谨. Students are well supported through demanding courses of study, 同时树立鼓励终身学习和独立自主的价值观.
“We try not to let them fly under the radar or accept mediocrity. I think the majority of our students rise to that expectation,” said Christopher Dowlen, an MLK teacher and chair of the school’s English department. “我们试图把他们置于他们必须拥有自主权的情况和环境中, they have to have choice, they have to grapple and feel uncomfortable. I think that’s key.”
作为纳什维尔地铁公立学校中的一所公立学术磁铁学校, 学生必须满足学术要求，才有资格获得MLK. Typically, this includes a grade-point average (GPA) of 85 or above, no failing grades, and TCAP scores that are “proficient” or “advanced.马丁·路德·金为7年级到12年级的学生提供服务，有800名高中学生.
Even with these requirements, achievement levels and student needs are far from uniform, MLK Executive Principal Angela McShepard-Ray said.
“Students do score higher on state-mandated tests. However, those scores range,” Dr. McShepard-Ray said. “有高中的最高，高中的中间，高中的最低。. 这可能很有挑战性，尤其是当你在一个教室里有很高的范围时.”
马丁·路德·金在培养最高层次学生的高水平成就方面取得了显著成功, and significant growth for middle and lower tiers. High expectations are built into the curriculum. 在马丁路德金，从九年级开始的每个班级都是荣誉级别或更高级别的. Advanced Placement (AP) class offerings are extensive. MLK目前提供25门ap级课程，下一学年将增加一门课程. 学生们可以选择自己的课程，但所有可用的路径都具有挑战性.
“When students come in, they are expected to achieve at that Advanced Placement level, or at minimum, at the honors level,” said Dr. McShepard-Ray.
过渡到高中成绩是通过新生论坛缓解, 这是一个让老师与九年级学生及其家长保持定期电子游戏正规平台的项目. MLK在“低-高”范围内的学生通过自习时间和辅导机会获得支持, 此外，老师会在午餐和放学后腾出时间来提供技能基础. 课堂作业的选择可以根据学生的需要进行区分. 对成绩最好的学生进行监控，以确保他们能够进行更高水平的学习——学生可以选择添加AP课程, and a few elect to trade study hall for extra class time.
For all students, coursework is intended to be challenging. Dr. 麦克谢泼德-雷说，学校努力让家长和学生了解马丁·路德·金的课程和GPA要求, so students aren’t shocked by the workload.
“这是一个从七年级学生到高年级学生都在传递的信息:‘你很努力才加入马丁·路德·金. Now that you’re here, the work is just beginning,’” Dr. McShepard-Ray said.
虽然许多马丁·路德·金学院的学生可以被认为是学术驱动型的. 麦克谢泼德-雷说，有些日子不可避免地比其他日子要好，每个人在某些时候都需要支持. The school takes motivation seriously, for students at all levels.
经常出现的一个问题是，学生在解决AP课程要求方面的意愿会有所动摇. Mr. 道伦回忆起今年辅导的一名学生，他在10月份认为AP英语课程不适合他. The school responded with a conference that included the student, his parents, teachers, and administrators. It was Mr. 他建议学生留在高等课程，而这门课正在把学生们赶出他们的舒适区, this was beneficial.
The student ultimately opted to remain in the course. For Mr. Dowlen, this was ultimately a significant success story. Later in the year, the day after the AP test, Mr. Dowlen和这个学生聊了聊考试，很高兴听到他“以一种奇妙的学术方式”讲述他被要求完成的任务.
“It was one of those moments. He would never have talked that way in October,” Mr. Dowlen said. “我希望最终当他回首往事时，他会说，‘我做到了.’”
Rev. 哈特利说，学校的文化是支持和成就的典范. In the most recent school year, 他的一个孩子上了五节AP课，比通常最多四节多上了一节，因为一位热心的老师在午餐时间额外上了一节AP课. The workload was “huge,” Rev. Hartley said, but his child chose to take it on.
“当时有其他几个学生也在那样做，但他们互相推搡，”雷夫说. Hartley. “They’ve had some good, challenging peers to work on projects with.”
强大的教师合作和奉献精神帮助MLK学生发挥出最好的一面. Though schedules can be complicated, 一些老师在初中和高中的教室工作, MLK works to build time in the day for collaboration. 同事们会互相电子游戏正规平台，讨论可能遇到困难的学生, or potential interest and aptitudes for AP courses. 教师们一起工作，把现在的低年级学生想象成大三和大四的学生, thinking through how best to prepare them. 学术经验和思维过程的提升永远是重中之重. Dowlen said – not specific test scores.
“Teachers take the work exceptionally seriously. They embrace that level of inquiry. They embrace that level of rigor. They embrace the pace of that work,” said Mr. Dowlen. “我认为这是我们学校大学文化的一部分.”
Another exceptional feature of MLK is student body diversity. Rev. 哈特利说，他的孩子们有来自全市各地的学校朋友和项目合作者, and from countries around the world.
“种族多样性和民族多样性——这是大学应该做的开阔视野的事情,” Rev. Hartley said.
For Mr. 因此，每个教室的多样性提供了强大的学习机会. Students learn to be respectful of one another, 在各种情况下都能发挥作用，并进一步为他们在高中毕业后继续学习和成长做好准备.
“It’s really, 当你坐在像我这样的课堂上，学生们在一个小组里学习时，真的很有力量. They are exceptionally gracious to one another. They help each other along. They don’t judge each other. They know they have to work together for this common goal,” Mr. Dowlen said. “在卓越和挑战的背景下存在的多样性是特别的.”