Inside the Fishbowl: A Tool for Student Discussions

In this article, a teacher shares her experiences using relevant world events as topics for deep, student-led discussions. She has found the approach engages students and puts them in charge of their learning on the topic. It also builds social emotional skills, such as empathy, and has strengthened her classroom community. This article offers an… Read More ›

Student-Centered Learning Self-Reflection Tool

The Student-Centered Learning Self-Reflection Tool was created by Mary Bellavance, Instructional Coach at Biddeford Middle School and Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow alum, during the 2017-18 academic year to support teachers, coaches, and school leaders as they implement student-centered learning (SCL) practices in their learning environments. This tool is organized around the four research-based… Read More ›

Understanding implementation of proficiency-based education in Maine

Education Development Center (EDC) conducted this study as part of the Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative’s initial cycle of research. The team at EDC worked alongside fellow scholars, educators and policymakers to investigate the impact of specific student-centered practices and then translate their findings for cross-sector audiences. EDC’s final report, Understanding Implementation of Proficiency-Based Education in… Read More ›

Why Giving Kids a Roadmap to Their Brain Can Make Learning Easier

This article discusses the work of Imagine Scholar, a youth and educational development initiative in South Africa, to help students understand the science of learning. Throughout the four year program, students learn about growth mindset, memory, neuroplasticity, and how the adolescent brain works. They are also taught and given opportunities to practice many metacognitive strategies to… Read More ›

The Opportunity Myth

This report showcases the findings from a large study conducted by The New Teacher Project (TNTP) in an effort to answer the question, “How can so many students be graduating from high school unprepared to meet their goals for college and careers?”. TNTP partnered with five diverse school systems, rural and urban, district and charter, to listen… Read More ›

Abolishing the phrase “I’m not a math person”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoYRk08t4DA&feature=emb_logoHigh Tech High Graduate School of Education (HTH) conducted this study as part of the Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative’s initial cycle of research. The team at HTH worked alongside fellow scholars, educators, and policymakers to investigate the impact of specific student-centered practices and then translate their findings for cross-sector audiences. HTH’s final report, Abolishing the… Read More ›

Maximizing Student Agency: Implementation of Student-Centered Learning Approaches

https://youtu.be/r_9hgV6XcK8 American Institutes for Research (AIR) conducted this study as part of the Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative’s initial cycle of research. The team at AIR worked alongside fellow scholars, educators, and policymakers to investigate the impact of specific student-centered practices and then translate their findings for cross-sector audiences. AIR’s final report, Maximizing Student Agency: Implementation of… Read More ›

Learner-Centered Professional Learning Culture

Learner-Centered Professional Learning Culture maps the transitions and transformations from “School Centered” to “Learner-Centered.” As the professional learning culture deepens. schools transition to practices that ensure every learner is equipped with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to realize their potential. With an intentional focus on educational equity—defined as: Academic achievement Positive socio-cultural and linguistic identity… Read More ›

‘Principal’ed Teaching and Innovative Student-Centered Practices

Arthur Baraf and Students

This was originally posted on the Center for Collaborative Education on May 4, 2017. Adrian Robbins and Elijah Wright, 10th-graders at the Met School, filmed and edited an accompanying video for Students at the Center Hub. Did you know the title “Principal” comes from the fact that the principal was originally known as the “principal teacher”… Read More ›

Owning the Classroom Together

In this article from ASCD’s Educational Leadership Magazine a professor and veteran teacher, describes her efforts create a positive classroom culture to support learning. She started each year asking students the question:  “Do you think we can create a classroom that works for every person here?” From this the class worked to create management routines for starting class,… Read More ›

LearnNext: Culture and Environment

Culture and Environment is a course that examines the learning culture and environment needed to support the development of learner agency. Topics include motivation, resource access, digital divide, routines and practices, feedback, and tolerance. LearnNext’s Learner Agency courses were co-designed as a partnership between the Learner Agency experts at Jobs for the Future and 2Revolutions.… Read More ›