Resources for Creating a School Culture of Empathy, Inclusion and Kindness
This tool offers lessons, activities, classroom tools, and more to help students learn about character strengths. In response to gun violence in schools, many educators asked for resources to support students’ social and emotional development. A positive school climate can support academic gains in addition to increased well being and sense of belonging. This list… Read More ›
Exhibits: Models of Excellence
This virtual exhibit showcases student projects. It offers video, pictures, interviews, and articles to tell the story of the group projects students have designed to make a difference in their communities. Examples feature students in grade levels k-12. Topics include: Community-wide “Day of Peace” to raise awareness about gun violence State-wide literacy campaign Coral Reef… Read More ›
The Learning Portfolio Project
This website documents a pilot program in which Dream Yard Preparatory School in NYC partnered with Parsons School for Design to roll out the use of Learning Portfolios with students. The “Our Progress” page provides a nice overview of how the teachers learned to use this assessment tool and support students. The “Portfolios” page provides… Read More ›
12 Educational Apps To Create Digital Portfolios
This article provides a list of apps to help students create digital portfolios. Digital portfolios can support learning by allowing students and teachers to measure growth over time. The author includes a short description of each app which note features and price for each app. These apps can be used by any educator teaching any… Read More ›
Designing Engaging Assignments
This resource aims to help teachers design engaging assignments that can challenge students in innovative ways. Beth Pandolpho shares three suggestions to make assignments more dynamic at school in order to provide deeper learning and keep students more engaged. The three suggestions to help students understand the value of the work they do are: Provide… Read More ›
Top Picks: Student Portfolio Apps and Websites
This list from Common Sense Education highlights 17 tools for creating digital student portfolios. Portfolios allow teachers to assess student learning and students to track their own progress. These tech tools offer students virtual binders, folders, web pages, and galleries for collecting everything from text to video. Teachers can easily browse through and access student… Read More ›
5 of the Best Rubric Making Tools for Teachers
This blog article provides background on the use of rubrics as well as tips for creation. It gives a quick overview of the reasons to use rubrics in the classroom. It describes five online tools for creating rubrics. It also provides links to additional resources to learn more about rubrics. This description of online tools… Read More ›
6 Steps to Ensuring ILPs Better Support Inclusive Personalized Learning
In this article, authors Ace Parsi and Curtis Richards highlight the importance of individualized learning plans (ILPs) to increase engagement in school, especially for students with disabilities. Research shows that when implemented well, ILPs can lead to stronger academic goal-setting, self-efficacy, and motivation. The authors recommend the following key actions to ensure students with disabilities fully… Read More ›
From Vision to Reality: Personalized, Competency-Based Learning for All Kids
This report was written to help school districts take steps toward personalized, competency-based learning, and equip leaders with the following support to do this critical work. The report includes: Rationale for making the case for personalized, competency-based learning, including what it means and resources to support conversations in a learning community Guidance on crafting a… Read More ›
Authentic Assessments Video Playlist
The videos in this series all focus on formative assessments. They are part of Success at the Core, a free professional development toolkit designed to help school teams implement effective school leadership and teaching strategies that prepare all students for success in college and careers. Videos include middle school students: using a system of colored cards to… Read More ›
10 Reasons Why You Should Implement Digital Student Portfolios
In this article from the ASCD blog, Inservice, a principal outlines many reasons to use digital portfolios in support of student-centered learning. Digital portfolios are online collections of learning artifacts intentionally curated to showcase a student’s accomplishments and growth over time. Amongst other advantages, they highlight the process of learning, encourage students to be self directed… Read More ›
Flex Time: Schools Break Out of Scheduling Ruts to Improve Learning for Students, teachers
This resource highlights the importance of tailoring time to students’ needs and using flex time as a key component of personalized learning. Adapting to students and teachers’ schedules can help schools plan, collaborate and develop professional learning for the courses and classroom. This tool can help educators to build in more flexibility and allow for less… Read More ›