How to Create Higher Performing, Happier Classrooms in 7 Moves: A Playbook for Teachers

By Heather Staker
March 1, 2017

This guide, written by Heather Staker, Adjunct Fellow at the Christensen Institute, draws on findings from a pilot study of 7 student-centered practices. Researchers from the Christensen Institute first studied the management principles of companies ranked as great places to work, then translated them into classroom practices that might motivate students. Teachers from three California schools implemented these practices in a pilot study.

The guide starts with an overview of the successful management principals identified. It includes a section on seven student-centered practices based on these principals, as well as sections for each of the three pilot schools to show the strategies in action. Strategies include:

  • Giving students more control of their learning through content and resources they are free to access without direct instruction
  • Encouraging students to work in self-directed teams by fostering peer-to-peer learning and collaboration
  • Teaching mindsets like agency, creativity, and growth mindset
  • Helping students hold themselves accountable with tools to set goals, track progress, and follow through.

Teachers can implement the strategies in this guide right away to make their classroom more student-centered. They may be particularly interested in the last section which highlights lessons learned from the study.

Source Organization: Christensen Institute

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