This Pennsylvania District Knows Transformation is a Human First Endeavor
In this article district leaders from Salisbury Township School District, a small public district in PA, detail the first 4 years in their shift to become a student-centered district. They outline their efforts to engage all stakeholders in the visioning process and to provide ongoing deep professional development. This short case study is a great… Read More ›
Pittsburgh-Area Students Tackle Community Challenges in Learn and Earn Program
This article describes a summer learning program in the Pittsburg, PA area. Through the Learn and Earn Program, students conducted research projects in about 15 neighborhoods across the city. They surveyed residents on issues of importance to the community, such as factors contributing to crime rate, feelings about local businesses, and trash problems. Students had… Read More ›
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 ›
5 Truths for Building a Successful Data Culture
This article describes five qualities often seen in schools that use data effectively to drive improvement. At these schools, leaders set the tone to build a positive culture around the collection and use of data. Teachers participate in conversations around data and use formative assessment in real time to improve teaching practices. This article is… 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 ›
Helping Students Track Their Learning
This article explores how to help students become “assessment capable” learners, monitoring their own content understanding. Assessment capable learners can assess both where they are and where they are going. This article outlines how one history teacher used a common technology tool, Google Docs, to improve formative assessment and build students’ ownership of their learning… Read More ›
How Do We Teach Kids to Assess Themselves?
This article discusses the importance of student self assessment to build student agency over learning and help both teacher and student track progress over time. It describes several methods of self assessment including: Rubrics Portfolios Data notebooks Graphic organizers Tech tools to synthesize multiple ideas Any teacher can use the tips for implementation and links… Read More ›
Developing “Assessment Capable” Learners
This article in the Measuring What Matters issue of ASCD’s Educational Leadership magazine looks at the importance of including students deeply in the assessment process. The authors discuss the idea of “assessment-capable learners” who are aware of their own progress and can navigate their learning path. Teachers can foster “assessment-capable learners” by building student’s motivation,… Read More ›
Using Sketchnotes and Doodles in ELA Lessons
In this blog, a veteran ELA teacher shares ideas for incorporating art into ELA lessons to improve learning. She describes her efforts to incorporate more art in her classroom after reading a study that showed drawing is one of the best ways to retain new information. Her activities included “sketchnoting” in which small doodles are… Read More ›
Bringing Student Choice to Assessment in Science Classes
An experienced science teacher describes how he uses alternative assessments in this article. He explains the system he developed to let students choose how to show what they know with options ranging from written tests to journaling, oral reports, or artwork. Science teachers will find inspiration in the article, and appreciate this teacher’s discussion around… Read More ›
Exploring the Impact of Personalized Learning on Student Outcomes
We believe in the power of personalized, competency-based learning because we want each and every student to learn and be challenged as individuals. We believe it is the path toward equitable outcomes for ALL students. We intuitively understand that having clear learning targets, meaningful and flexible assessments, personalized student supports, and student ownership of their own… 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 ›