Expertise: Practice

Effective (Teacher-Centered) Coaching

This blog, written by a math teacher and coach, and a member of the Better Math Teaching Network, discusses the importance of coaching for teachers in order to drive student success in math. The blog–a reflective essay of sorts– creates a compelling argument and call to action to transform math classrooms. The author discusses learner-centered models… Read More ›

Why ‘Unlearning’ Old Habits Is An Essential Step For Innovation

This article explores Beaver Country Day School, a private 6-12 school in Massachusetts’, experience with the idea of “unlearning”– creating new ways to think in the face of established practices. Using both large and small scale examples, like grading models and teacher’s instruction, the article explores what it really takes to change habits in a school.… Read More ›

Informing Progress Insights on Personalized Learning Implementation and Effects

This report and accompanying research brief, written by the RAND Corporation and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, synthesizes findings from a study of the personalized learning (PL) practices at schools in the  Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC)’s Breakthrough School Models program. Researchers identified the PL strategies used and implementation challenges faced by these schools… Read More ›

New Hampshire Teachers Build New Ways to Measure Deeper Learning

This article explores the successes of a pilot group of New Hampshire districts, as they move from standardized testing to a more performance-based assessment system. New Hampshire is at the forefront of moving schools to a competency-based model, and the article highlights the advantages for students and educators. The author shares classroom examples of project-based… Read More ›

Student-Centered Learning: Functional Requirements for Integrated Systems to Optimize Learning

This paper illustrates the technical requirements and functionalities that learning management systems need to shift toward student-centered instructional models. This comprehensive framework will help districts and schools determine what systems to use, and integrate, as they begin their journey toward student-centered learning. It also addresses how systems integration aligns with their organizational vision, educational goals,… Read More ›

Relationships First: Creating Connections that Help Young People Thrive

This report looks at the importance of building strong relationships to create a thriving student-centered culture. It includes an overview of the Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships Framework which defines the elements of an effective relationship, as well as the actions and dispositions adults should display, written from the student perspective. It examines results from a 2016… Read More ›

Competency Education: A Reflection on the Field and Future Directions

This webinar, hosted by CompetencyWorks co-founders Susan Patrick and Chris Sturgis, will explore on the current state of competency-based educationand developments in the field of K-12 competency-based education.  The presenters will share reflections and highlights from the National Summit on K-12 Competency-Based Education, explore areas of growth for the field, identify emerging issues, and provide insights to inform the future… Read More ›

Essential Personalized Learning Institute: Pathways to Excellence & Equity

The Essential Personalized Learning Institute is a 3-day workshop facilitated by the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE). CCE staff will work with teachers and administrators to create an action plan to bring personalized learning practices to their school or district. Participants will explore CCE’s Five Principles for successful personalized learning, collaborate with like-minded educators from… Read More ›

Digital Portfolios in the Classroom

In this webinar based on his new book, Digital Portfolios in the Classroom: Showcasing and Assessing Student Work, author Matt Renwick shows how digital portfolios—dynamic collections of authentic information from different media—can capture student thinking and progress and help clarify assessment data. Participants will gain knowledge about the different types of portfolios, approaches, tools and… Read More ›

Training Teachers for Competency-Based Learning Classrooms

This article, written by the founder of Matchbook Learning, a non-profit charter school operator in Detroit and Newark, shares best practices for designing teacher professional learning to support a competency-based model. He discusses how they created effective teacher trainings based on three design principals that mirror the competency-based experiences they want to provide students: Deliver training through a… Read More ›

View from the Trenches of Implementing A Successful 1:1 Program

Read part one of this series. Technology integration coaches’ responsibilities depend on a district’s vision, access to technology and teacher comfort levels with digital tools. As the technology integration coach at Portsmouth Middle School in Rhode Island, I provide general technology support and professional development trainings for the entire school, although most of my time is spent working… Read More ›