Youth Action Researchers at the Intersection – A Story Begins!
For most of us who work in education reform, we strive to pursue education equity and eliminate the opportunity gap so that all students can flourish. But predominant policies and approaches persistently fail to move the needle on student outcomes. Within all these efforts that aspire for equity and inclusive excellence, what role do students… Read More ›
Getting Started with Culturally Responsive Teaching
This article demystifies culturally responsive teaching. Becoming more culturally responsive begins with getting to know students well. The author lays out a roadmap for teachers who want to jump in. It includes ideas to confront implicit bias, build classroom culture that fosters student belonging and ownership, and revamp curriculum to make it more relevant. This… Read More ›
The State Education Agency’s Role in Supporting Equitable Student-Centered Learning
This guide was designed to help state education agencies empower local districts to create student-centered learning environments. State agencies have a large role to play in the transformation process and this tool provides guidance and relevant examples, highlighting ways to gather support for a state-wide vision, align curriculum, assessment and funding policies with practice; and… Read More ›
National Action Civics Collaborative
The National Action Civics Collaborative (NACC) brings together a group of diverse education and youth serving organizations committed to advancing action civics, a project-based authentic way to empower students to get engaged in their schools and communities. Designed for teachers and community-based educators, the NACC site provides an overview of the approach, powerful stories of… Read More ›
The Blogs You Loved from 2019
Throughout 2019, educators and researchers from across the country have shared blogs about their goals, passions, challenges and triumphs working towards building and sustaining equity-driven and student-centered practices in classrooms, schools and local communities. Here are some of your favorites: 1. The Mastery Collaborative Approach: Student Centered, Culturally Responsive, and Competency-Based “As a community, the… Read More ›
Dear Educators, Stop Being Jerks and Amplify Student Voice
Sometimes educators can be jerks, particularly when youth are trying to teach decision-makers (school board members, school administrators, or lawmakers) about the lived experience of young people in schools. Decision-makers can be dismissive, calling youth “cute” or “cool.” They can also be downright rude and ignore student voice altogether. In fact, the more the voices… Read More ›
Distinguished Fellow’s Leadership Produces Results
One of the Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative’s six Distinguished Fellows, Arria Coburn, was recently featured on WBUR’s On Point program. Coburn is the Principal of the Springfield Renaissance School in Springfield, MA, which WBUR notes has “attracted national recognition for raising the achievement of students from low-income families and students of color.” Principal Coburn has led multiple efforts that have helped produce these amazing… Read More ›
Asking Big Questions
Driving home from grocery shopping the other day, my seven-year-old released a long, dramatic sigh and proceeded to tell me that, “Sometimes my head is just so tired by the end of the day because it’s spent all day thinking and asking questions. Like…What is a dream when you dream it? Can you stand flat in space?… Read More ›
Student-Centered Approaches to Equity, Empathy and Engagement in School
How does a predominantly White, middle class, rural high school in Vermont prioritize racial justice and educational equity? Mike McRaith, former principal of Montpelier High School and current assistant executive director for the Vermont Principals’ Association, shares five tips for how his former school approached this challenge: Know thyself Do the homework Use data Interrupt… Read More ›
Linking Equity to Practice: A User-Friendly Tool to Document How Educators Center Students
Research is a tool that can be used to deepen our understanding about getting to equity. Although researchers are often thought of as academics squirreled away at universities or research centers, teachers should also take on research as part of their responsibility to advance equity in schools. Research can often be most impactful when it… Read More ›
When Personalized Learning Also Boosts Special Education Students
This article looks at Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School which is successfully serving a large number of students with learning disabilities, in part because of its commitment to personalizing learning. Students progress at their own rate, not in grade-by-grade lockstep. Teachers are trained to give all students targeted, individualized support with the help of an integrated student information… Read More ›
Access Does not Equal Equity
This article looks at the schools in New York City that are using a mastery-based education model. These schools tend to more closely reflect the diversity of their surrounding communities, and many are also implementing culturally responsive teaching practices. The article also describes the work of the the Mastery Collaborative, launched in 2015 as part of… Read More ›